#once upon a time in hollywood x reader

[soft-for-them]

Apologies - Once upon a time in Hollywood & plus size reader

Summary: You and Rick, like most siblings do, aren't talking because of an argument. The only thing getting you both to apologise to each other is a group of cult members trying to kill you. (Platonic, reader is Rick's step sister who he's helped raise, so no shipping.)

Trigger warning: Descriptions of fighting and injury, this fic is mainly based in the scene in the film were the Manson family try to kill Cliff, Francesca and Rick, so yeah, there's blood.

Comments and reblogs are much appreciated and help more people read my works.

A/N: I like the idea of writing more fics with the sister reader, idk I think it would be sweet.

The ever constant headache for you both had started around fifteen years ago, you being around five years old whist your older step brother was in his prime staring in Hollywood films and bedding super models like it was a causal Tuesday night.

Around that time your mother had remarried Rick Dalton’s father and them both wanting to get away from it all (aka you) had dropped you off at a random film set were extras roamed around in fake blood and plastic disembodied limbs littered the ground like gravel.

Your ‘parents’ didn’t care that they had dropped you off on the day were a massacre scene was being shoot. Thinking back to that blurry memory you think they hadn’t even realised it was a high budget horror flick Rick was staring in, all they thought about at that time was ditching the hyperactive child on the rich enough son who probably could hire a baby sitter unlike they could.

Whilst Rick spent most of the day dazzling the camera crew and his female co-lead you had spent most of the day in the makeup trailer been cooed over by the hair and makeup ladies whilst stuffing your face with cheese puffs and apple juice.

At one point Cliff Booth had hobbled in, cigarette hanging from his bloody lips and his leg aching from the dangerous stunt he had just performed, his blue eyes going wide as a little curly haired child cheered as he entered the makeup trailer.

“Why is there a child in here?” he had asked whilst taking the cigarette from his lips with one hand whilst trying to rub off the fake blood dribbling from his face with the other.

The makeup ladies had to quickly wipe his face off with soaked cotton balls and wet wipes because he was just making the red mess even worse all whilst a bright eyed you began babbling to him like you knew him forever.

“I’m five!” you had happily declared as one of the women whispered the situation to Cliff.

“That you are little lady.”

So for the next hour instead of fucking off smoking half a pack and challenging cocky actors to fights Cliff Booth spent his time entertaining you. He had no clue what to do with a child but he knew at that moment he had to protect you, he’d always did with Rick and call it an itch but he had a feeling that you were going to stick around.

Now fifteen years later, you complain to Cliff as you dry brush a fake sword’s blade with a rust brown paint, pots of paints and film props surrounding you at your little prop master’s table ready to topple over.

Over the many years you’ve been in and out of your brother’s life, mostly due to your parent’s inability to look after you correctly, you’ve grown to loath the big screen and all the entitled people that comes with it, instead falling in love with the small screen and indie films.

Many days you’ve spent watching Star Trek or Colombo on the telly with Rick pointing out which sets and props look to be made of Styrofoam and flimsy plastic.

Now at the age of twenty you have solid work as a prop maker for television. You love the job and you love the people.

Right at this moment you’re trying to make foam swords look real whilst Cliff tries to talk you around to apologising to your brother all because you called him an idiot for looking down on Spaghetti Westerns because they were ‘beneath him’.

“I’m not saying sorry Cliff.” You grumble as you dip your paint brush in a rusty looking solution made from many brown paints and diluting alcohol, “I didn’t spend most of my childhood stuck on his sofa watching B movies only for his failing ass to talk shit about them!”

Cliff hovers around you cluttered desk, the trailer you work in being cramped and filled to the brim with handmade props, no cigarette in sight for he has developed the habit of not smoking when you’re around (that and the trailer filled with props are so flammable that it would combust into flames at out flick of a lighter.)

“AND THEN, WHAT CLIFF!?!” your voice crescendos as you pad away any blotting paint on the prop sword, “He goes and does all those Spaghetti Westerns anyway getting the lead in that Nebraska Jim flick and what, a wife too! He’s funnelling money in the bin like it’s nothing and he still has the gall to talk shit about my line of work and what pictures I decide to create props for.”

You stand up you shin hitting leg of the table you work at making you swear up a storm.

Cliff only watches in slight amusement.

“I’ve worked on Star Trek you know, I’m friends with Leonard Nimoy, I’ve been inside DeForest Kelley house multiple times, I’ve been personally invited and gone to countless parties hosted by Grace Kelly and her husband all because I was nice to her that one time on the set of that musical film-“

“-I thought you didn’t like the Hollywood type.” Cliff asks in such brotherly way trying to get a rise out of you.

What, he might be fed up with your ongoing feud with Rick but he still sees you as his own little sister and he does find it fun teasing you.

“Yeah, well most of them I don’t but she is pretty and nice and she’s my friend- for fuck’s sake Rick is just jealous!”

“Well, that he might be squirt but I think-“ Cliff begins to guide you out the trailer away from the fumes of alcohol and oil paints, “- he might be more jealous that his little sister is being taken away by all these big wig actors.”

Hair a mess, paint covering your dungarees and magnifying glasses propped on top of your head like you some kind of mad scientist, a flow of extras on their break all in medieval garbs walking around, you turn around to Cliff with an anger on your face that melts into a profound sadness.

“He didn’t even invite me to his wedding, I haven’t even met his wife, for crying out loud Cliff I don’t want another absent father, I’ve already got plenty of those.”

Cliff was itching to get out a cigarette out of pocket but once he hears your outburst, once he sees your eyes welling up with tears and your round body slump somewhat he bounds over and engulfs you in a big hug that only fathers and father figurers know how to do.

“Come home and talk with Rick. I’ll be there and you can meet Francesca.”

You look up at Cliff as you both begin swaying in the hug.

“Can Brandy come to?”

“Of course kiddo-“ he says tightening his grip on you, “-to be honest I think she likes you the best.”

You let out a loud booming laugh that says ‘Ha! I knew it.’ one that gets Cliff laughing too.

I didn’t go quite as planned.

At first when you showed up Rick tried to act like nothing had happened, he did his normal smooching. He offered you a drink and smiled that movie star smile at you all whilst not introducing you to his wife who stood in the background slightly confused at the odd ordeal.

You waved off his offer of a drink and went straight to the fridge plucking out a can of beer.

“You want one Francesca?” you had asked, she replied with a baffled ‘no’ before you plonked yourself down on the sofa making yourself right at home.

You truly wonder what Francesca Capucci thought at that very moment seeing a round young woman with a smile like Mama Cass and a the grace of Etta James all rolled up in pain stained dungarees and Dr. Martens boots.

One thing lead to another, you and Francesca became fast friends whilst Rick and Cliff went off for drinks, and now you're lounging on Rick’s sofa with Brandy’s head on your lap and Cliff offering you a LSD laced cigarette which he’s been smoking.

“Shit, things must be bad if you’re smoking near me?” you grumble as you pat Brandy’s head with a lazy hand, “Nothing was resolved so let’s get shit faced, because that always goes well.”

“At least you met Francesca.” Cliff mutters as his face turns all smiley as the drugs take effect.

“Hum, yeah, she’s real pretty ain’t she…” you ponder out loud as the front door gets kicked in.

You jump up slightly, Brandy not too bothered by the two greasy haired people clad in black who stand there trying to look menacing.

“Ahhhh, can I help you?” Cliff asks.

Another one appears all in black too, her face a pale sickly white, a knife in her hand.

And to think your day couldn’t get any worse because oh boy, it does.

One moment you’re complaining to Cliff about your idiot brother with Brandy on your lap trying to cheer you up, the next thing you know you have a gun aimed at your face by the ‘horsey’ guy and Francesca only in her underwear being forced out into the living room by the redhead.

Thank fuck Cliff is both level headed and slightly crazy at the same time because one moment he’s laughing like a clown and the next Brandy is attacking the fuckers which gives you a bit of time to move out the way of the gun.

It’s when this so called Tex starts hitting Brandy do you snap out you little panicked trace (having a gun aimed at you does that to a person) do you leap over the sofa and begin punching him square in the face, your body holding him down so he can’t kick his way out of it, Brandy still mauling his arm like it was a tug rope.

By the time Cliff has thrown the can at the face of the pale woman, knocking her straight down and breaking her little white nose, you’re fully on top of Tex trying to knock him out.

Now, you were never the best puncher, when you were fourteen you punched a bully who was teasing you about your weight only to breaking your thumb in the process, by my gosh is the adrenaline kicking in has you trying to knock out Tex.

The frightened screams of Francesca in the background spurs you on, the fear of the nice (and very attractive) woman getting hurt making you see red.

Maybe you’ll unpack your childlike crush on the starlet along with the ongoing feud with your brother later on when you’re not trying to wrestle a grown man (said grown man who’s now getting his balls bit by Brandy.)

(Brandy will defiantly get all the treats and cuddles later on.)

“CLIFF! DO SOMETHING YOU DUMB BITCH!” you scream as Tex punches at you, some hits missing but most slamming right into your soft sides.

Doing something Cliff clicks his fingers and Brandy is off mauling Samara. At the same time Tex pushes you off him and charges at Cliff like an angry bull, one eye already going black from you repeated punches.

It’s all a fucking shambles all culminating in you climbing through a smashed window to see your dear brother Rick using his fucking flamethrower to burn the pale bitch like he was finishing crème brulee with a blow torch.

How fun.

“Rick! Be careful!” you try to scream but it only comes out as a pain filled garbled, “Rick.”

Your last call of ‘Rick’ sounds more like a sob than a word, your soft body in so much pain. Your face is stained with splatters of blood and trails of big fat tears which when Rick sees he scrambles to take off his flamethrower (safely of course) to run over to you and engulf you in the biggest of hugs.

Your cries of your brother’s name as you break down and cling onto him cause the older man to start crying ugly tears, ones that are louder that your own sobs.

“I’m sorry Rick.” you sniffle out.

“I’m sorry too-“ he lays a kiss on your hair and starts rocking you side to side in the tight hug like he used to do when you were little and had a nightmare, “I’ve been ignoring you and I didn’t tell you about Francesca.”

“I’m sorry too for ignoring you as well.”

“I’m sorry for being so mean-“

For the next ten minutes the two of you prattle off many apologises, too many really, so much so that when the red and blue flashing lights of emergency services clouds your blurry vision and paramedics try to pry you away from Rick you’re both still apologising.

[marvelobsessed134]

“Want me to suck your cock while driving?”

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

60s!AU based off that one in scene in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (iykyk)

Warnings: age gap (Bucky is mid 30s and reader is 19), blowjob, degradation, praise.

Summary: Hitchhiking your way back home ends in a great way.

It was a warm sunny day in Hollywood. You were of course trying to hitchhike your way home. Just like any normal girl your age would do.

You saw a car with a man inside it and danced around, holding your thumb at trying to get him to pull over.

And he did. You jumped and squealed in joy and you walked right up to his car. He had beautiful blue eyes, medium length brown hair, and very muscular build.

You couldn’t help but notice the way he looked you up and down. “Hey, sweetheart. What’re you up to?” He asked.

You bent over, resting your arms on the rolled down window. “I need to get home, but I don’t have a ride.” You gave him a pouty look.

The man contemplated for a moment before saying, “Well get in here I’ll take you home.” Celebrating in victory, you got in the car.

Telling him your address, you put your feet up on the dashboard.

“So tell me, what’s your name, little girl?” The brunette asked.

“Y/n. Yours?”

“James. But my friends call me Bucky.”

“Bucky.” You repeated, liking the way his name rolled off your tongue. You spoke again, putting your feet off the dash, “Want me to suck your cock while driving?”

Buckys eyes widened for a moment before asking, “How old are you?”

“19.” You answered truthfully.

“Fuck.” He muttered under his breath, “Go ahead sweetheart.”

You made quick work of unbuckling his pants, his large, hard cock springing out. Licking your lips at the sight, you took him in your mouth and began to suck him off, jerking off whatever you couldn’t fit in your mouth.

“Holy fuck Y/n.” The brunette moaned, trying to focus on the road. You spat and gagged around him, massaging his balls as you did so.

He twitched in your mouth and you knew he was close. With a loud groan he released his cum into your throat, and you quickly made work of swallowing it all.

“You’re such a little slut. Sucking the cock of a man you don’t even know.” Bucky chuckled.

You shrugged, “I just like what I see.”

[eudaimaniacs]

dating cliff booth headcanons! (cliff booth x female reader)

character/universe: cliff booth (once upon a time... in hollywood)

warning/s: mentions of smut and spoilers for both the movie and book

notes: i am back from the dead and it is quite funny. looking back at my past works, it's a bit of a mess with the characters i write about from anime to pedro pascal. wrote this since cliff booth is one of my favorite movie characters and he makes me horny. i got inspired from reading the book and let me tell you, cliff is freakier there. i am unsatisfied with the lack of cliff booth fanfics here! anyways, enjoy! (scroll if you're not a fan or haven't watched this movie)

Dating Cliff Booth is like the wind; it is free and cooling. His chill demeanor and unrestricted spirit match the hot, searing Californian weather.

Long night drives in his Karmann Ghia are the best. Even though there are countless men with expensive cars, Cliff's broken-down one satisfies you more. You lay down on his lap as he drives anywhere that leads the both of you. Cliff drives fast on the vast road but still manages to sneak in a few kisses.

During the day, you persuade Cliff to go to the beach to chill, have a picnic, or have sex in his car. Afterward, both of you go for a swim on whatever beach he drives to.

Sex with Cliff is mindblowing, to say the least. He does it anywhere: the car, kitchen table, in the middle of nowhere, movie sets, etc. This man's sex drive is unbelievable, and you can't fathom how you keep up with it.

Whenever he's not in the mood, Cliff encourages you to be naked in the comfort of your shared home. He adores your body, especially when you wear things he likes: babydoll dresses, miniskirts, sheer dresses, his Hawaiian shirt, and graphic t-shirts. Cliff won't let you tear yourself down with the beauty standards of Hollywood.

Even with the controversial age gap and relationships Cliff has had in the past, you ignore people's comments and continue dating the chill Hollywood stuntman. Men like him are hard to find in the movie industry, and you wouldn't give up dating him because of other's opinions.

Walks with his beloved pitbull Brandy are fun as he recounts stories of his time in war and career as a stuntman. Cliff truly loves the two females he has in life right now.

You met Cliff when you starred in a movie with Rick Dalton. The two of you hit it off instantly. Even if he's not Rick's stuntman, Cliff remains humble and starts supporting your movie career. You don't see him as an assistant but an equal partner.

You try not to ask Cliff about his deceased wife as it might anger or trigger the tragic memory. When your friends press you about the issue, you have a heart-to-heart conversation with him, and Cliff tells you the truth but explains his side. You sympathize with your partner and promise not to bring the topic up again.

Overall, Cliff Booth may look like a stereotypical Hollywood stuntman and womanizer, but his hippie vibes and free spirit say otherwise.

eudaimaniacs - 2024

[heartshapedbabydolls]

I believe I‘m falling in love 🎀

[nerdywineaunt]

The Handy Man (Cliff Booth X OC)

Pairing: Cliff Booth x F!OC Warnings: Smut, Unprotected Sex, Age Difference, Praise, Daddy Kink, Overstimulation, Possessive Cliff

Summary: Dottie Handler is the daughter to legendary SFX couple Natalie and Bruce Handler. When she comes home to Hollywood from school in Santa Cruz she reconnects with, and can't keep her eyes off of a familiar face who in turn can't keep his hands off of her.

Words: 8736

Doris Handler had always been at home on set. The Hollywood facades of homes that transported millions into the homes of these picture perfect families and stories that were tied up with a bow every week had been her stomping ground from the moment she was born. Because of that she had never felt more at home and more real than when she was surrounded by professional liars. The only daughter of Hollywood Special FX team Natalie and Bruce Handler, Doris had surprised everyone except her parents when she decided to go to school to become a physical therapist. She had trained with actors and stuntmen from the time she could walk, and she had witnessed first hand how the people she loved had been affected by injuries. 

It was the spring of 1968 and she had just gotten home from her last year of school in Santa Cruz. It was her first week home and she had already checked in with her new supervisor and had a list of requirements for her internship she’d be taking for the next three years. Driving down the street past NBC studios, the brunette’s mind wandered as she considered everything she had been told by Dr. Howard. 

It was a nice drive from Burbank to Santa Clarita to the Melody Movie Ranch where she knew her parents were waiting for her, and when she pulled her ‘64 Sunbeam Tiger up to the studio gates, her good mood was doused by the security guard telling her that they didn’t have her name on the list working that day. “Look, I’m a Handler,” she tried to explain for the third time as she pointed to the clipboard. “My parents are both here, Natalie and Bruce Handler-“ 

“I don’t care if your parents are Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers,” he said as he stared her down. “You’re not getting on this set without a pass.” 

“Look, I promise I’m supposed to have a pass,” she protested. 

“And I promise if you were supposed to have one, you’d have one,” he replied sharply, earning a look of indignation from the girl. She put her hands on her hips and lifted a finger, ready to give this guy a piece of her mind, when her (justified) fury was tampered down by a long familiar voice. 

“Dottie? Dottie Handler?” She turned and for a moment she wasn’t sure who the old cowboy looking at her was- and then the realization of who had interrupted her righteous indignation hit her like a mouse hitting a cat with an iron. 

“Cliff Booth!” She squealed before she ran and jumped into his arms. He caught her with a laugh as she wrapped her legs around his waist. 

“Holy hell Princess, where have you been?” He asked as he set her down and then looked her over. “I see you were growing up wherever that was…”

“I went to school in Santa Cruz,” she explained as she kept her hands on his chest. “You look good Cliff,” she said as she looked him over and he smiled as he looked her over slowly, biting his lip as he did and rubbing his chin. 

“Yeah- yeah you too Sweetheart,” he nodded slowly before he met her eye again. “You here to help your folks out?” 

“Well I would be if this guy would let me get to work,” she turned her ire back on the security guard who huffed out a sigh. 

“And I told you, if your name isn’t on the clipboard, you’re not getting on set!” He shot back. She took a breath and once again Cliff’s calm voice broke her planned indignation. 

“Let me see that,” he said gently and took the clipboard from the security guy. “Oh- now come on man,” he said as he sighed and looked at the security guy. “You know this is yesterday’s schedule right?” Doris had to admit, the color draining from the security guard’s face was so satisfying to watch, and Cliff stepped into the security shack before he came back with another bundle of papers. “This is your daily,” he said as he clipped it to the clipboard and then flipped a few pages down to crew. “Oh and would you look at that? Doris Handler,” he looked pointedly at the security guard whose face was deep red now. 

“I-“ 

“Should be letting the lady get back to work now, huh?” Cliff asked and the security guard sighed before he lifted the partition keeping her from entering the studio. 

“Thank you,” she said to the security guard and then turned to Cliff. “I’m over working on Gunsmoke today,” she said before she kissed his cheek. 

“I’ll find ya Sweetheart,” he promised. 

When she did see Cliff again, he was sitting in a golf cart, dressed in a typical cowboy costume and he grinned when she stepped out of the SFX trailer with a pack of cigarettes in hand. 

“Hey Pretty Lady,” he grinned and she grinned back before she stepped out of the trailer slowly. 

“Hey yourself,” she said as she paused and looked him over. “Where’s your horse Cowboy?”

“Well Ma’am, I done traded him in for this here metal steed,” he said and she giggled. “And me and this here steed were wonderin’ if you knew a pretty girl who would allow us to escort her to her set?” 

“Mm, a Pretty girl huh?” She asked and he grinned. 

“Prettiest on the set,” he said and she laughed before she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. 

“Well come to think of it, someone did call me pretty earlier today…” she said slowly as she rolled back on her heels and then to her toes. “But prettiest on set?” 

Cliff let go of the breaks making his golf cart lurch forward a couple inches before he hit the break again and he clapped his hands over the steering wheel. “Woah there boy- I tell you he only gets like this around the real pretty girls,” he grinned as he looked at her. “What do you say Dottie? Wanna ride?” Doris’ cheeks burned at the double entendres, and she bit her lip before she climbed into the seat next to him.

“With you? Absolutely,” she said as she sat next to him and he grinned as he looked over at her. 

Rather than going to the set, the two sat on the hood of Cliff’s car, smoking cigarettes and talking. “So you’re gonna be a Physical Therapist,” he said slowly. “How’d you come up with that?” 

“Well,” she exhaled her smoke slowly. “I like to help people, I grew up around all you stuntmen in the FX department, and all the injuries you guys get,” she explained. 

“Smart girl,” he said as he leaned against the side of his Karmann Ghia and smiled at her. “So you’re a physical therapist now?” 

“Not yet,” she replied. “I’ve got to do an internship learning all about physical therapy. I actually just met with him this afternoon,” she said as she pulled her checklist of what she needed to do out of her pocket. He leaned over and snagged the checklist before reading it over, taking a drag of his cigarette as he did. 

“This isn’t too bad,” he commented. “One hundred hours of massage?” 

“Yeah, I have to give massages so I’ll know how to do it in the future,” she explained and he nodded as he flipped the paper over and then slowly exhaled his smoke. 

“You know Rick’s been talking about needing a massage,” 

“You’re still working with Rick?” She asked with a laugh as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. 

“Of course I am,” he chuckled as he handed her a new cigarette. “You remember working on Bounty Law?” 

“Of course,” she giggled. “I even got to be in the background a couple times,” 

“Oh I remember,” he said as he looked at her fondly. “But uh- well you’ve grown up haven’t you?” He asked as he stepped a little closer.

“Yeah,” she said as she looked at him. “I have,” Cliff stepped between her thighs and moved one hand to her leg as he leaned in and touched his lit cigarette tip against her unlit tip. She inhaled, lighting the cigarette before she reached up and plucked the cigarette from between her lips. 

“Yeah you have,” he whispered as he ran his hand over her thigh. “What are you now- twenty two?” 

“Just turned twenty three,” she told him and he gripped her thigh a little harder. 

“What do you say I talk to Rick for you?” He asked lowly. “I may even get him to pay you,” 

“I say you’re gonna need my phone number to let me know what Rick says,” she replied and he smirked slightly before they both heard someone calling his name. They looked over and saw the man of the conversation, Rick Dalton walking over, dressed in the exact same outfit that Cliff was wearing. 

“Hey Rick,” Cliff grinned as he slung an arm over Doris’ shoulder. “Look who it is! Little Dottie Handler!” 

“Dottie Handler?” Rick frowned slightly and she smiled as she tucked a curl behind her ear. 

“Natalie and Bruce’s daughter,” Cliff clarified and a look of recognition crossed Rick’s face. 

“There’s no way!” He laughed as he walked closer. “God way to make me feel old,” Rick Dalton said as he looked her over. 

“What’s up Rick?” Cliff asked and Rick looked away from Dottie’s long legs and to his friend before he cleared his throat. 

“Oh, right, they just cut me for the day. I’m going to go get changed and then we can go,” 

“Okay,” Cliff said and Rick nodded before glancing back at Dottie who smiled at him genially and then subtly elbowed Cliff in the side.

“Oh- hey before you go, get this; remember how you were saying you needed a massage?” 

“Oh god yes,” Rick sighed as he absentmindedly rubbed his shoulder. 

“Well Dottie here is going to school for physical therapy, and she needs to do one hundred hours of massage,” Cliff explained cheerfully as he looked at Dottie who smiled at Rick. 

“What do you charge?” Rick asked and she shrugged. 

“I’m still a student- does five dollars sound fair?” 

“That sounds perfect,” he smiled. “How about you two get in touch and figure it out huh?” 

“Sounds good,” Cliff grinned as he glanced back at Dottie who grinned back at him before she watched as Rick Dalton walked away. When he was gone she slid off of the car and smiled up at Cliff as she drew a pen from her back pocket and then took his arm. 

“Hollywood-2697,” he read as he looked at the number. “You got it Pretty Girl,” he brushed her jaw with his knuckle softly and then glanced in the direction Rick had gone off in. “I better go put on real clothes,” 

“Shame,” she replied as she looked him over, not missing how close they were standing as she looked back up at him. “I always imagine you dressed as a cowboy. 

“You imagine me often?” He asked and she bit her lip before running her thumb over his arm where she had written her number. 

“Call me and find out sometime,” she said softly before she backed away from him. 

When Cliff did call it was the next day and he was calling from Rick’s house. “Think you can come up and work your magic on Rick this afternoon?” 

“Sure,” she said cheerfully. “What time?” 

“How about two?” He offered. “You know where Ciello drive is?” 

“Sure,” she replied. 

“Great, he’s at 10053 Cielo Drive,” 

“Groovy, should I park on the street?” 

“Sure, I’ll see you later Pretty Girl,” 

After getting a shower in and putting on a pair of conservative pants and a comfortable, but appropriate top, she slipped her feet into some sandals and braided her hair before she took the massage table out to her little blue tiger. She shoved it into the back seat and then hopped into the front before she headed from the middle of Hollywood up to the hills. It was a ten minute drive and she listened to the new Beatles song on the radio as she drove. 

A cigarette between her lips and the fly aways from her hair flying in the warm LA wind as she drove up N. Davies Drive, she turned onto Cielo Drive and after checking the addresses, she parked in front of the house Cliff had told her the address of, and then got out of the car before she lugged her massage table out and carried it to the door. After ringing the bell, the door was opened by Cliff who smiled as he leaned in the doorway looking down at her. “Hey,” he greeted her and she smiled as she looked him over. Jeans, a white T-shirt, a unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt over it, his blonde hair hanging in his eyes as he looked her over. “You look cute,” 

“I look professional,” she retorted and he grinned before nodding. 

“Professional cutie,” he said before he leaned down and took the handle to the massage table. “Allow me,” he said as he carried the table into the house. She looked around as he carried it further in, and then followed after him. 

“Where’s Rick?” 

“Out in the pool,” he said as he nodded to the back. “Where you want me to set this up?” 

“Where will Rick be the most comfortable being naked?” She asked and he scoffed before looking her over again. 

“Is Rick the only one being naked?” He asked and she grinned before stepping up close to him. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She asked flirtatiously as she placed a hand on his hip. 

“Oh Pretty Girl,” he mumbled as he looked her over. “You have no idea how much I’d like to know,” she smiled as she ran her hand from his hip to his thigh before the two looked over as the door to the back opened and Rick Dalton walked in with an empty glass. 

She looked over and then took a step back as Rick shook his hands off. “I just dumped my entire drink into the pool,” 

“Good timing,” Cliff laughed. “Look who just got here,” 

“Hi Mr. Dalton,” Dottie said cheerfully and he stared at her blankly for a moment before his face broke into a smile. 

“Dottie! Of course, is that today?” 

“Yes sir- as long as you’re ready for a massage,” 

“Oh god Sweetpea, you have no idea how ready I am,” he nodded eagerly. “What do you need?” 

“Well, Mr. Booth here is going to go set the table up in your bedroom, and then I’ll grab a couple sheets if you have them,” 

“Of course, yeah, Cliff will show you where the linens are,” 

“And then I’ll have you come into the bedroom and we’ll get started,” 

“Perfect.” 

The first massage went well- so well that Rick paid her twice what he’d promised to pay her, and he asked if she’d be willing to come back weekly. It was great having the weekly practice, and it made it easy to see Cliff, something she always looked forward to. He would occasionally chat with her, they would share a cigarette and she would massage his boss. 

It wasn’t until one day eight weeks later that anything changed between the two. She had gotten to the house and found Rick there, in a tizzy. She had seen Rick in a mood many times, but this was a good mood, he was excitedly talking to Cliff when she walked in. “Hey guys,” she said and Rick looked at her. 

“Oh shit, is it Thursday?” He asked as he looked at his watch. “Uh, okay, don’t leave, I have a night shoot tonight,” he explained. “Cliff is going to drop me off and then come back here,” 

“Okay,” she said slowly. 

“I’ll be home around eleven- maybe twelve- can you wait?” 

“I mean, I can, but are you going to want a massage that late?” She asked and he nodded before he cupped the back of her head and kissed her forehead. 

“Of course, stay here!” He ordered before he looked at Cliff who grinned from where he was sitting on the couch. 

“Be right back,” he winked and she chuckled before she shook her head and went to the bedroom where she set up the table as usual. She wandered back to the living room and opened the small silver box on the table next to the couch that she knew was full of cigarettes. She lit one and then curled up on the couch after pulling her book out of her bag and cracking it open. 

Either way, she was getting paid. 

When Cliff got back, she looked up as he walked back into the house, she was still curled up on the couch and he closed the door before looking at her. “Whatcha reading hot stuff?” He asked and she glanced at the book before holding it up to show him the cover. 

“It’s called Rosemary’s Baby,” 

“What’s it about?” 

“Some woman getting knocked up by the devil,” she said as she looked at the book again. 

“Hot stuff,” he chuckled before he glanced at the clock. “I’ve got some stuff to do up on the roof,” he told her and she held her hands out.

“What the hell am I supposed to do until he gets back?” 

“Read your Satan porn,” he shrugged and she scoffed as she shook her head. 

A couple hours later, she had finished her book and Cliff was coming back in where she was straightening the kitchen up. “What are you doing?” He asked and she shrugged. 

“Straightened up a bit,” she explained. “I figured Rick wouldn’t mind,” 

“Yeah,” he said simply and walked over to the couch where he eased down onto it with a groan. 

“What’s wrong with you?” She asked and he glanced over his shoulder at her. 

“Just an old injury,” he assured her. “Messed it up in Korea,” 

“What is it?” She asked and he sighed before looking at her. 

“I got stabbed,” he told her before he tugged down his Hawaiian shirt and lifted up the white shirt, showing a long healed scar across his shoulder. “Went deep, so when the weather starts to change, my shoulder gets real stiff,” 

“You know what’ll help that?” 

“Don’t say a massa-“ 

“A massage,” she smiled and he grinned slightly before shaking his head. 

“How did I know you were going to say that?” 

“I don’t know, how did you?” She asked innocently and he grinned at her. 

“You don’t have anything better to do today?” 

“I finished my book,” she pouted and he groaned. 

“Oh don’t pout,” he sighed and she walked over to the living room where she knelt between his legs. “Dottie,” 

“Cliff,” she pouted up at him through her thick dark lashes. “Please?” 

“Woman,” he sighed as he moved a hand to the back of her head. “Don‘t,” 

“It’s just a massage,” she whined softly as she ran her hands up his thighs. He tightened his grip on the back of her hair and then let out a low breath. 

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he whispered. 

“What’s wrong Cliffy? Afraid of me seeing you naked?” She pouted, knowing exactly what she was doing to the older man. 

“Oh Pretty Girl,” he groaned before he sat up a little more and looked down at her. “Is this how you talk to Rick?” 

“Nope,” she made sure to pop the p as she spoke and he leaned down so he was closer to her. 

“No?” He asked and she shook her head. “Who do you talk to like this?” 

“Just you,” she whispered as he tightened his hand in her hair. “I’ve wanted to talk to you like this since I was a teenager,” she admitted and he groaned softly. 

“With all the celebrities you could have chased after- why me?” He asked and she licked her lip as she thought about the answer. 

“Because you never tried anything before I was eighteen,” she whispered. She looked into his eyes and he threaded his fingers through her hair, his other hand going to cup her cheek. His thumb brushed over her bottom lip and she parted her lips before softly wrapping her lips around the tip of his thumb. 

“What else?” He asked and she sucked on his thumb softly. He groaned softly and she pulled back from his thumb. “Fuck Pretty Girl,” he whispered. “What else?” 

“That New Year’s party,” she whispered and he groaned as he gazed down at her. 

“If you want me naked- all you have to do is ask,” 

“I want you naked,” she told him bluntly and he nodded. 

“Come on,” he stood up and took her out of the room before leading her down the hall to Rick’s room. The table was set up there and she leaned against it as Cliff let go of her hand and shut the door. “You actually want to give me a massage?” He asked and she shrugged.

“Get another signature on my log, and get you naked,” she said slowly. “I don’t see the downside,” 

“Baby, if I’m doing this naked, so are you,” he said as he walked up to her. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it up, pulling the shirt over her head before he tossed it to the ground and sank to his knees. He unbuttoned her jean shorts as he kissed her hip, and across her lower stomach to her other hip. 

“Cliff, you’re supposed to be the naked one,” she reminded him as he dragged her shorts down her legs. Gone were the days of trying to look professional for Rick, he didn’t care what she looked like, and half the time she was roped into helping him learn his lines, or calm him down when he was having a meltdown. 

“If I’m naked, you’re naked,” he repeated as he looked up at her. “Fuuuck me you’re gorgeous,” he breathed before he kissed her mound through her panties. She bit her lip and he stood up, trapping him between her body and the massage table. 

“Come here,” she whispered before she pushed his Hawaiian shirt over his shoulders. She saw him wince when she touched his shoulder and she helped him out of his white shirt before she ran her hands down his muscled chest, pausing as she looked up at him before she got to the button of his pants. 

“Do you undress Rick?” He asked and she shook her head. “Do you want to?” 

“No,” she told him honestly. “I just want to undress you,” 

“Undress me Baby,” he whispered and she unzipped his pants and unbuttoned them. He groaned softly as she ran her hand over his crotch and then let his head fall back. “Good girl,” he whispered and she smiled before kissing his chest. 

“Cliff,” she whispered as she pushed his boxers down his legs. “Get on the table, face down,” his head tilted back up and he looked down at her in disbelief before she smiled and kissed his neck, just at his throat. 

“You’re kidding,” 

“I’m going to make your shoulder feel so much better,” she promised and he let out an astonished laugh before he shook his head and wrapped an arm around her. 

“You know I have a lot more I’d rather have your hands on?” 

“I know,” she assured him as she ghosted her hand over his hard cock. He tightened his grip on her hip and she smiled before gently biting down on his jaw. “And I’m going to touch all of you,” she promised. “But first-“ 

“Get on the table?” 

“Yeah,” 

He did as he was told, and she helped cover him with the sheet as he adjusted himself so he was comfortable. “Pretty Girl,” he looked up at her, propping his chin on his hand as he did. “You haven’t-“ 

“I haven’t slept with Rick,” she assured him. “I mean, he wants to, but I haven’t,” 

“He’s said that?” He asked and she smiled before shaking her head. 

“He didn’t have to,” she told him softly. Cliff considered that before he laid back down on the massage table and she ran her hands over him gently. She picked up a bottle of oil and spread it on her hands before she began to massage him. 

When she was done with his back she leaned down and ran her fingers through his hair. “Turn over for me,” 

“Baby,” he opened his eyes. “Boy Scouts could camp under what I’ve got going on here,” 

“How do you think I know Rick wants to fuck me?” She asked lowly and Cliff turned over. He was indeed very hard and he looked up at her before lifting his arms over his head to grip her hips as she stood by his head, running her oiled hands over his chest. 

“Does Rick have a view like this?” He asked as he stared up at her bare breasts. 

“No,” she replied with a smile as she worked on his shoulder. He groaned and she massaged into his shoulder, while he continued to grip her hips. 

“Fuck Dottie,” he whispered as she dug her fingers into his shoulder. 

She worked slowly, rubbing tight muscles before she moved to his side and applied more baby oil to her hands. She massaged his chest and stomach before she glanced at the sizable tent he had going on. She could see the damp spot at the tip of the tent and she drew the sheet away, exposing him fully to her. She climbed onto the massage table then, straddling his hips and ran her hands up his body, earning a groan from him as her hips pressed his hard cock between them both. He gasped as she sat back up, his hands moving to touch her, almost desperate with his grip. 

“Cliff,” she admonished him lightly and he whimpered before he let his head fall back. When he was no longer looking at her, Dottie wrapped an oiled hand around his thick, stiff cock and began to run her hand up and down his shaft, her hand moving over him easily, drawing a gasp from him. 

“Christ,” he groaned. His cock practically throbbed in her grip and she bit her lip as she watched his face while she stroked him. “Don’t stop,” it was surprising how close he was already, and she grinned as she continued to stroke him with one hand, the other oiled hand going to cup and stroke his balls. Cliff gripped the side of the massage table as her hands worked over him, cupping and squeezing his heavy balls, drawing another groan from him as her other hand stroked and squeezed his well oiled shaft. She started to increase the speed of her hand, drawing a pained sounding groan from him, making her slow her hand again. His eyes flew open and he shook his head almost desperately as he gasped “No no no, don’t stop, don’t stop Pretty Girl,” 

With the encouragement, she began to pump her hand up and down his cock again, he met her eye and she continued to stroke him as he reached out and gripped her upper arm with an incredible strength. “Cliff,” she whispered and he groaned. “Cliff,” she said again, earning a nod and a pant. 

“Keep saying it,” he nodded as precum oozed out of his tip, rolling down her hand as she stroked him a little faster. “That- oh fuck- that’s right baby, milk that cock, almost- almost-“ she watched as his hips arched and thrust against her hand before he let out a low moan, his balls tightened in her hand and cum shot out from the end of his cock, arching to his stomach where it landed in a pool of sticky white residue. His hips continued to jerk against her hand, and she continued to stroke him, faster now as he came, and when the last rope of cum rolled down her hand he moved his hand from her upper arm to her wrist and he stilled her hand. “Get the fuck over here- right now.” He demanded as he sat up and pulled her up his torso. 

His fingers made quick work of ripping- yes, literally ripping- her panties down the seam on the sides. He yanked the ruined panties off of her and tossed them to the side before he moved two fingers to her soaked slit and ran his thumb over her. “God that got you wet huh Pretty Girl?” He asked. 

“Yes,” she panted as his thumb moved up and down her slit. He drew his hand away from her slip and raised his hand to his mouth before he sucked his thumb off, groaning at the taste of her on his thumb. 

“Fuck you even taste pretty,” he groaned before he returned his hand between her legs. She knelt above him, straddling his waist as she bit her lip and he sank a finger into her sopping cunt. She keened as he slid into her, watching her as her hands found his chest to keep herself upright. “That’s it Pretty Girl,” he encouraged when he felt her start to move her hips. “That’s right, ride my fingers,” his thumb found her clit as he curled his middle finger inside of her, drawing a gasp from her lips. “Good girl,” 

“Cliff,” she whined, as she sank down over his finger. Watching him cum had been so hot, massaging him to climax so erotic, and as he curled his finger inside her wet pussy, she felt her arms and legs break out in goosebumps. 

“Oh that feels good huh?” He asked. “Does my Pretty Girl feel good?” 

“Yes,” she gasped as his blue eyes burned with passion as he watched the way her hands curled, nails digging into her chest. 

“Yes what?” Cliff was taking control again- it was so rare he let anyone else have control over him like that, and while it had felt amazing, he needed a level of control. 

“It feels good,” she wailed as he pumped his finger into her a little faster. 

In response Cliff added a second finger to her soaked cunt, slipping it into her easily as she cried out, “That’s my girl,” he whispered as he cupped her face with his other hand. “That’s my good girl. Keep going Baby Doll, keep riding me,” her nipples hardened as she kept riding his hand, arching against it with a wanton moan as he scissored his fingers apart. “Stroking cock made you so wet, didn’t it?” He asked. “Did you like knowing all that was for you?” 

“Yeah!” She gasped. 

“Yeah?” He asked as he pumped his fingers in and out of her, curling his fingers again as he rubbed his thumb directly over her aching clit. 

“Cliff!” She all but squealed and he grinned as he watched her. 

“You said you think about me- do you think about this? Do you think about getting fucked by me?” He asked as he rubbed his thumb over her clit firmly. Sweat prickled at Dottie’s brow and she nodded as she took a breath. 

“Yes,” she moaned. 

“Yeah? Do you think about me touching you?” He continued and she nodded as she bit her lip. 

“Yes,” 

“Do you touch yourself when you think about me?” 

“Yes!” She cried and Cliff sat up before he grabbed the back of her head, fingers threading into her hair as he gripped it tightly. 

“Say it,” he ordered as he curled his fingers inside her, mercilessly rubbing her G-spot as he stared into her eyes. “Tell me what you do,”

“Oh god-“ she whimpered, years of attraction culminating in this moment, the way he fucked her with her fingers had been something she had imagined for years, and god was she getting close. His fingers masterfully coaxing her to completion, but as she stumbled on her words, he slowed, and then stilled his fingers. “Cliff,” she dragged out the word in a long whine, earning a grin from him as he looked at her through smug, half lidded eyes. 

“Tell me what you do,” he repeated and she whimpered before she licked her lips. 

“I- I think about you, and I touch myself,” she whispered and he curled his fingers against her gspot. 

“What else?” 

“I um, I make myself cum,” 

“On your fingers?” 

“Yes,”

“Thinking about me?” 

“Yes-“ 

“Thinking about how much you want to take my cock?”

“Yes!” She cried as he quickly resumed fingering her, and rubbing her clit while she moved desperately against his hand. Cliff’s lips crashed against hers, tasting of sweat and cigarettes, he dominated her mouth with his; tongue moving against hers, claiming her- owning her mouth, and in actuality, owning her with every stroke of his fingers and every breath he drew out of her. 

“Cum for me,” he demanded against her lips. He moved his mouth, pressing sloppy kisses to her jaw and neck before biting down on her neck. “Come on baby, cum for me. Cum for Daddy,” 

Dottie whimpered at his demands for her to cum, but when he called himself Daddy it was like the whole world ceased to exist, all Dottie knew was his lips and teeth against her flushed neck, his body heaving with heavy breaths against her chest, and his fingers- oh god his fingers, five of them threaded into her hair, gripping the brown strands, clutching them like she would float away if he didn’t keep a tight grip on her; two fingers of his other hand sunk deep in her wet cunt, middle and ring finger curling and coaxing her to orgasm while his pointer and pinky fingers kept her pussy spread for his attack on her; and his thumb, not to be outdone by his other fingers, kept an almost magnetic press against her clit. It was around his fingers that she finally, blessedly, had her first- of several- orgasms of the day. 

Hot velvet walls clenched around his fingers, and he scraped his teeth against her neck. Her pussy clenched around his fingers as he pumped them in and out of her, drawing a cry of pleasure from deep within her breast. Her pussy clenched and released around his fingers, hot walls gripping his fingers in an erotic vice grip as she let out squeals and high pitched moans of pleasure until her soft, flushed body went slack against his warm, strong chest. Spatterings of chest hair rubbed against her erect, sensitive nipples and Cliff slipped his fingers out of her drenched pussy, running through her soft, trimmed curls before he moved his hand up her body, streaking her dampness over her skin. 

“That’s my girl,” Cliff mumbled as he raised his hand up to her mouth. She gasped through parted lips and then moaned as he pushed his middle and ring finger between her lips, pressing down on her tongue as he watched her face carefully. She groaned and closed her lips around his fingers, tasting the bitter sweetness of her own juices on his fingers as her tongue moved between and around his fingers. 

Cliff drew his fingers from her mouth and moved his hands down to her thighs, wrapped strong arms around her legs, and then turned before he climbed off of the table. Her legs were around him still, his hard cock pressed against the soft flesh of her shapely ass, and he turned, depositing Dottie back onto the table before he adjusted himself so his tip, red, and inflamed pressed at her aching entrance. She was spent, she was sure she was, but Cliff didn’t wait, he sank his thick tip into her needy cunt, drawing a deep groan from her. Someone should have told her body that she was done, she was spent, but her body had apparently not gotten the memo, and she arched towards him, sinking him deeper still into her. Her still sensitive pussy clenched around his cock and he cupped her face with one hand while the other moved behind her, supporting them both on the massage table as he drove his hips forward, pushing further still into her, and earning another cry of pleasure from her. 

“You gonna give me another?” Cliff asked and she nodded. “Yeah, you gonna cum around my cock?” 

“Yes!” She gasped as he drew his hips back and then pushed forward again, sinking further into her. She cried out, and he pushed her legs apart as he pulled her towards the edge of the table until her ass was hanging over the edge of the table, allowing him to push into her until his tip kissed her cervix and his hips ground against hers. She keened again, and Cliff pressed a hot, open mouthed kiss to her lips. Her tongue met his hungrily, and he fisted the back of her hair even tighter as his hips drew back and then snapped forward again. 

Each thrust sent shockwaves through her pussy, through her entire body as she panted against his lips. She wrapped her arms around him, gripping his back, dragging her nails down his skin as she arched towards him like a bitch in heat. “Cliff!” She cried in pleasure as he started to set a pace, his hips moving against hers, his cock stretching and filling her pussy more than she realized it could be filled. 

His lips met hers again, his kiss demanding and passionate, the sounds of their bodies moving together practically vulgar. His lips moved to her neck again, his free hand to her mound, and pressed into her mound gently before his thumb met her swollen and sensitive clit. A gasp ripped through her and he groaned against her neck as he pumped his hips forward, his thumb moving in tandem as he drew her towards her rapidly approaching second orgasm. “Don’t stop,” she begged as his hips moved into her harder. “Don’t stop!” 

“No fucking way,” he panted against her neck, rubbing her clit under his thumb with such an intensity that she thought he could start a fire. 

In a way, he had started a fire within her, a fire that only he could control, and as he stroked in and out of her, he stoked the fire of desire burning in her belly until her legs clamped around him and she tugged him closer as best she could while a second, more intense orgasm ripped through her body. She cried out in pleasure as her walls milked his cock, his own hips jutted against hers, he rolled them and ground into her as her orgasm made her shake, and as her hot walls clenched around him, he, for the second time that day, came deep within her. 

Dottie could feel each thrust punctuated by the rope of cum spilling from his tip, and when his hips stilled finally, she panted and laid her head against his shoulder. His hand moved from her aching pussy, up her body, pausing only to give one tit a squeeze, and then he cupped her face and tilted her head up, kissing her openly, and deeply. “I could spend all night in this perfect little pussy of yours,” he told her and she whimpered softly as he stroked her cheek. His other hand was still fisting her hair, and he tugged her head back, kissing down her jaw and neck before he slid out of her, cum dribbling out of her spent pussy as he looked between them. The cum that had landed on his chest had smeared against her, and she was still trying to catch her breath. “Come on,” he took her hand and helped her down from the massage table. “Rick’ll be needing a ride soon- we’d better clean up.” 

She followed him to the bathroom on still trembling legs, and he turned the shower on before he cupped her face and kissed her slowly, and deeply as the water heated up. One of her hands rested on his chest while the other stroked his wrist gently while he kissed her, she loved this, as spent as she was, she ached for him to keep touching her, to keep fucking her. 

“Who’s my girl?” Cliff whispered as he gazed down at her, and she smiled before pressing a kiss to his lips. 

“I’m your girl,” she whispered back.

“God damn right you are,” he agreed. He checked the shower and then held the door open for her. She climbed in and immediately relaxed feeling the warm water hitting her skin. 

“Rick doesn’t mind you showering here?” She asked as he climbed in after her. 

“Nah, he knows I work up a sweat working here,” he told her as he stepped up behind her and ran his hands over her shapely ass. “Normally I use the guest bathroom- but you know, not enough room for two,” he explained as he dipped his head and kissed her shoulder. “Bend over for me,” 

“What?” She asked and he ground his hips against her- to her absolute shock, he was still hard, and she looked over her shoulder at him in surprise. 

“Oh yeah,” he grinned. “I told you I could spend hours in your pussy,” he listed a hand and ran his knuckle along her jaw. “I’m going to make your cunt miss me when I’m not inside you.” Dottie moaned- she couldn’t help it- and she bent over as Cliff had asked. She found she couldn’t turn down this opportunity, this chance to be fucked so thoroughly by him. Her arms rested against the tile wall of the shower, and he hooked an ankle around hers before pulling her legs apart, exposing her aching pussy to him. 

“Take a deep breath,” he whispered in he ear, and she did before slowly letting it out as he filled her cunt again. “That’s my girl,” he whispered as his hips pressed into her ass. She squirmed, she was still desperately sensitive, and sure this orgasm would take no time in the world for him to coax out of her. 

“Cliff,” she whimpered as he started to move his hips again. 

“I know Pretty Girl,” he whispered in her ear. “And you’re doing so good for me,” 

“Please,” she whimpered as he rocked his hips. 

“Please what?” He asked and she let out another whimper. “Please what Pretty Girl? Please stop?” 

“No!” Her eyes flew open and she could feel him grin against her shoulder before he bit it lightly. 

“No?” He asked coyly. “You want to take my cock again?” He drew his hips back and then thrust them forward. “You want this cock?” He did it again. “You want to cum all over it?” And again. “Tell me what you want Pretty Girl.” 

“Yes,” she whimpered. Christ she was still so sensitive, her pussy was so sore, but she was sure he could easily coax another orgasm out of her. 

“Yes?” He asked against her neck, one hand going to cup and squeeze her breast. His finger and thumb found her nipple and squeezed it gently before he tugged it softly. 

“Yes!” She cried, her nipples had always been sensitive, and she whimpered as he tugged and twisted her nipple, her hips grinding back to meet his. 

“You want to cum all over this cock?” 

“Yes-“ 

“You want me to fill you with cum again?” 

“Yes…” 

“You want your cunt to ache for my cock when I’m not around?” He all but growled the last question in her ear and she whined before she nodded. 

“Fuck yes,” 

“Pretty Girl,” he whispered. “I’m gonna give you exactly what you want.” 

His hands roamed her body, he gripped and squeezed her hips as he drew her back against him, he thrust his cock in and out of her aching folds, her tender and soaked pussy stretching around him as he plowed into her. Dottie’s body ached and she groaned with each thrust of his hips, but she took every single thrust, she even tried a move she had learned from a friend and tightened herself around his cock, making him swear in her ear. 

“Do that again,” he all but begged and she did, making him arch into her harder. 

His cock felt amazing against her, and when he brushed his thumb over her achingly sore clit it nearly sent her to her knees. Cliff was quick to catch her and hold her against his chest though, and he chuckled as he gripped her tight. 

“That’s it Pretty Girl,” he whispered into her ear. “That’s it,” he encouraged as he held her and then slowly moved to his knees, taking her down with him. He laid her down on the floor of the shower, on her hands and knees while he knelt behind her before he ran his thumb over her battered and used pussy. “You’ve got one more in you for me,” he said, and it wasn’t a question. He positioned himself at her entrance again and pushed himself in, hands resuming their place on her hips, pulling her back towards him as he drove his hips forward; the slapping of their bodies punctuated by the grunts that came from both of them. 

“Harder,” Dottie managed to squeal as water rushed over them both, her hair sticking to the sides of her face in long brown tendrils. Her pussy gripped him like a vice and Cliff gripped her hips harder before he began to pull her back over his cock, using her like a sleeve to fulfill his desires, fucking her without abandon as he drew himself closer and closer to completion. 

“Fucking right,” he grunted as he drew her back against him. “That’s my Pretty Girl, that’s it baby; gonna fill you with so much cum it’ll be leaking out if you all week,” Dottie moaned at the image of being so full of his cum that she would be leaking it all week, at the store, at home, just a steady stream of Cliff filling her panties was enough to make her shiver. 

“I want it,” she wailed, her voice echoing off of the tiles of the shower. “Oh fuck I want it!” She begged and he brought a hand down to slap her ass. 

“Yeah you fucking do you little tramp,” he groaned. She was surprised at his choice of works and at her lack of reaction to them- in fact her only reaction was to moan and arch back against him. 

“Harder,” she begged and he moved a hand to wrap around her, pulling her up so her back was to his chest. His other hand moved back between her legs, it was like her clit was his hand’s summer home, and he found it immediately, rubbing the sore and swollen nub as she cried out, her head falling against his shoulder as she moved with him. Her body hurt, her lower stomach and thighs were sore, but he was right, she had one more orgasm in her, and he was going to draw it out. 

“Cum for Daddy,” he whispered in her ear. “Cum all over Daddy’s cock Pretty Girl,” 

“Cliff-“ 

“Daddy,” he corrected her and she whimpered as she reached back, threading her fingers into his blonde hair as he kissed and bit at her shoulder. 

“Daddy,” she whimpered softly and he thrust into her harder. 

“Louder,” 

“Daddy-“ she spoke at a normal volume. 

“Louder.” He ordered before bringing a hand to her jaw and holding it as his other hand still mercilessly rubbed her aching clit. “Let the whole fucking neighborhood hear you.” With that he pinched her clit between two fingers and rolled it, drawing a loud cry from her body as she was taken over by her third and most powerful orgasm in a row. 

“Daddy!!” 

“Yes, yes Pretty Girl,” 

Thank god they were in the shower, Dottie had never had an orgasm quite like this one, with the normal gasping for breath, the normal slaps of skin against skin, and the normal feeling of a hot rubber band in her belly snapping- with all of those feelings, came a new one. 

Hot liquid ran down both of their thighs as he squeezed her four again, and Cliff let out a laugh that could only be described as joyous. 

“Good god, look at you go Pretty Girl,” he said in astonishment. She could feel him rub her clit even harder, making her cry out and practically fall off of his lap as she came. “That’s Daddy’s girl,” he told her as he continued to drive himself in and out of her. “Almost there, you’ve got one more for me,” 

“No!” She gasped and he nodded as she pulled away from his lap- immediately feeling empty as she laid on the floor of the shower, her knees pulled to her chest. 

“Oh yes you do,” Cliff moved over her, and immediately slid back into her. “You’re going to ache for my cock- remember Pretty Girl?” He asked. “Your gonna crave me Pretty Girl,” he promised as he continued to fuck her in that position. She whimpered and whined, and he held her legs up before he started to jerk his hips against hers again, once more spilling inside her hot cunt- not one to be proven wrong about anything though, Cliff kept his thumb on her clit and rubbed it until one final orgasm shook her body as she lay on the shower floor, practically a babbling mess as he rode her orgasm out. 

When he stopped, he pulled Dottie to his chest, sitting on the floor and holding her against him as he stroked her hair. “That’s Daddy’s good girl,” he whispered as he held her. “You did so good for Daddy,” 

“Cliff,” she whimpered and he kissed her cheek before he cupped her cheek and guided her to lay her head on his shoulder. 

“I’m right here Pretty Girl. I’m right here, and I’m so proud of you,” 

“Is it always gonna be like this?” She questioned and he smiled softly before he looked down at her. 

“Do you want it to?” He asked and she lifted her eyes to meet his. 

“Yeah,” she said decidedly and he smiled before he leaned down and kissed her lips softly.

“Then yeah Pretty Girl- it can always be like this,” he nodded. 

The two stayed in Rick Dalton’s shower for another twenty minutes before they got out and got dressed. She threw the linens into the wash, and was just considering folding up the table when they got the call to go get Rick from his film set. Dottie went with Cliff, not having anything better to do, and as the two sat in the car, he tugged her closer to him, and took her hand before pressing it to his thigh. As they drove she could feel him getting hard again and she looked at him in surprise. 

“What can I say Pretty Girl?” He asked. “My horse likes the prettiest girl in this here town,” 

Dottie burst out laughing- she couldn’t help it, and Cliff laughed as well as she tried to get over her surprise at what he had said. “You’re some kind of addict,” she said with a shake of her head. 

“Addicted to your pussy,” he commented and she rolled her eyes with a smile. 

“I thought I was supposed to be addicted to your cock,” she shot back and he grinned. 

“Oh you are-just don’t know it yet,” he said before glancing at her. “But tonight; when you go home, and you imagine me in my cowboy getup, trust me when I say your fingers just won’t cut it anymore,” 

“Well what do I do then?” She asked as he slowed to a stop at a red light. 

“Then you call me, and I come get you, and I fuck you until you can fall asleep at night,” 

“Cliff?” 

“Yeah Pretty Girl?” 

“What are you doing after this?”

[shelbgrey]

-Cliff Booth aesthetic

[foreverdolly]

29 & 49, austin!tex, dark romance. I basically want more in that same universe as your other austin!tex work honey

𝐃𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐁𝐎𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐔𝐒 | 𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧!𝐭𝐞𝐱 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

prompt: "I can't. . .please. . . I can't take it anymore." and "good boy."

word count: 2.5k

song: cinnamon girl - neil young

notes/warnings: SMUT SMUT SMUT! a rosary is used for. . . stuff. this fic is absolutely filthy good lord. tex legit worships you and thinks of you as his own personal goddess. i hope you love this, baby.

Not before Tex, that is. 

Not before Tex, that is. 

Again and again, he had proved to you that he would never do anything that might put you in danger. You were the one thing in the world that he really wanted to protect. He’d been spiraling before he met you. He had been searching for a purpose, and now that he had found one? He wasn’t willing to ever let that go. Let you go. 

You knew that Tex was ultimately stronger and more capable in a fight, so he’d easily be able to keep you there with him even if you weren’t willing to stay. Yes, you had been taken against your will- but that didn’t mean that you had no control. If anything, you’d never felt more powerful in your life. 

Because Tex depended on you for happiness. 

You weren’t too far gone not to notice how unhealthy the relationship between you two was. It was codependent and it was unpredictable- but it was also passionate and real. He hadn’t been a very good person before he met you. He was pretty evil, actually. 

But he treated you like a Goddess. The man prayed to you before bed each night. You were his entire world. 

Maybe it was wrong of you to love it so much, but you did. It had been impossible not to fall in love with Tex. 

It felt nice getting away from the ranch for a few hours some nights. Both you and Tex were still formulating a grand scheme to get out of that house and away from Charlie. Though neither of you would say it, you knew that getting out as soon as possible was the best idea. 

The two of you would climb into whatever car was available and drive thirty minutes further up the mountain. The view was beautiful up there at night, what with all the stars and sprawling farmland. 

You hadn’t bothered asking whose car you were in when Tex hurriedly led you outside, excitedly jingling some car keys with his free hand.

 It was an old, weather worn truck. It had probably once been a beautiful mint green color, but now it was spotted with rust and small scratches. Still, the old thing started up without a problem when Tex turned the key. Smalltalk was hard when all the two of you did was spend time together. 

Surprisingly, Tex was fond of deeper, more intimate topics of conversation. He asked about whether or not having a family was important to you. He talked to you about theology and music. He talked about things that had happened in his past, and that those things most likely contributed to the way that he had turned out. How he had run into Charlie and got tied up in all of that mess. 

It was Tex’s desperate yearning for a family that led him on his current path of death and destruction. 

He was trying to change. Now whether it was because he genuinely disliked who he had become or solely to please you, you still weren't sure. 

Dropping acid in an old, rundown truck probably wasn’t a good idea. Especially since you were just off of the main dirt road. Tex had turned the headlights off, but anyone could bump into you on the way to their homes. You were too busy looking at Tex to really care too much though. 

His black dyed hair was starting to get even longer, his chestnut brown hair now visible at the roots. He was perfect with his big blue eyes and bubblegum lips. It was hard to keep your hands off of each other whenever you did any sort of drugs, especially psychedelics. All of your senses were heightened, and his skin somehow felt velvet soft against your fingers. You pressed your thumb against his lower lip, dragging it down ever so slightly so that you could get a better look at his lower teeth. One of his lower canines was slightly crooked, but other than that his teeth were perfectly straight. 

“I’ve never had one cavity in my life. I’ve been mighty blessed, I think.” He mumbled, his chest vibrating with each word. 

You were straddling him in the driver's side of the car, one of your knees tucked against the doorframe and the other one pressed against the armrest. You’d somehow ended up in his lap just a few seconds after the LSD kicked in. It was almost instantaneous with tabs. You’d learned to brace yourself for the odd wavy visuals. 

“Very blessed.” You nodded your head, biting your lower lip as you tried to keep yourself from smiling. 

Tex seemed to notice, his own lips pulling up into a wide grin to match yours. His palm had been resting on the middle of your back, but suddenly became aware of the fact that he was now brushing his hand up and down your side absentmindedly. Your entire body broke out in chills. He noticed the way you shivered, his eyes twinkling with mischief. 

“Does that feel good?” He asked, blue eyes flickering down to your lips and then back up to stare into your eyes. 

You managed to nod, your hands moving up his chest and over his broad shoulders. It was his turn to shiver then, his grip on you tightening, pulling you further into his lap. Your fingers slipped under the collar of his shirt, feeling the skin of his back. 

Some days there was nothing to do around the house to pass the time aside from fucking. Listening to album after album while smoking pot was only fun for a limited amount of time, and there was nothing left to do except to chase a different sort of high. You couldn’t count how many times you and Tex had sex over the two months that you had been staying with him. Some days it was nonstop. The second that he caught his second wind he was pulling you back into the room that the two of you shared. 

Even after all of that though, it still hasn't lost its novelty. Your fingers explored the expanse of his chest like it was a foreign land, tracing each scar like you were making a roadmap out of them. And he was beautiful in the pale light of the moon. He was staring up at you as though you were some prophet, sent down to lead him to a new world. 

A better world. 

One by one, the two of you began to peel off articles of clothing, not caring where anything ended up. The man took advantage of the unusual height difference, leaning forward so that he could place an opened mouth kiss directly in the middle of your chest. His long eyelashes brushed against your collarbone, his long hair tickling your shoulder as he moved down, down, down. 

And then he was cupping your breasts, feeling the weight of them in his hands. 

“I’m so glad that these are mine.” He spoke so softly that you could barely make out what he was saying. 

There was nothing in the world that beat the feeling of Tex being seated up inside of you. You could feel every inch of him practically in your stomach, pushing up against your insides. It was deliciously painful now that you were on top, pushing him even deeper than usual. Tex had barely pulled down his jeans, in too much of a hurry to feel all of you to worry about his clothes. His belt buckle was digging into the sensitive skin of your thigh as you moved your hips against his. 

You didn’t care enough to tell him that it hurt, because you were positive that it would leave a mark. And you wanted that. Every bruise, bite mark or scratch was worn with pride. They were constant reminders that the both of you belonged to each other. 

Tex was usually the dominant one. He enjoyed taking care of you in bed. Being in control was something that he preferred. It wasn’t because he didn’t trust you to take the reins, but because he enjoyed watching your expressions. He loved pounding into your small, soft little body and listening to your sounds of pleasure knowing that he was the one that was causing it all. It was hard for him to do much of anything other than fuck up into you, meeting you halfway as you raised up and down on your knees. 

Your thighs were burning and quivering, but you didn’t care. Suddenly you understood just what was so good about being on top. Tex was a blubbering mess, his eyes blown out wide, cheeks a bright pink as he tried to control his breathing. Still, you continued to move against him, even when he gently began tapping at your hip, trying to silently communicate with you that he was close. 

You didn’t care. You even moved his hands away from sides when he tried to stop you, moving your hips even faster against his. 

“O-Oh fuck-” He panted, out, his hand clumsily bumping into the armrest as he tried to grip onto something- anything as the pleasure kept building. 

You recognized that look in his eyes. Knew he was about to cum- but you wanted it. 

“H-Honey. . .” He was trying to warn you and try to get you to stop. 

But he was too high and it all felt too good. Your hips were moving relentlessly against his, and your pussy was so warm and tight around him. He pressed his face into your chest as he climaxed, repeating your name again and again like it was some broken prayer. You could feel his cock twitching inside of you, pumping you full. Warming you up from the insides. You didn’t stop moving against him though. Even when you were sure that he was finished. 

He was a shaking mess, his eyes filled with tears as he pulled his face away from your chest so that he could look at your face. He looked pitiful, still shaking with the aftershocks of his climax as you continued using his oversensitive dick. 

“I can’t- please. . . I can’t take it anymore.” He was begging you. 

Despite his tears and twitching muscles, he didn’t make any move to try and get you off of him. He could have lifted you easily. 

You could feel that all too familiar tightening in your abdomen, and telltale sign that you weren’t too far off. Tex must have felt you tightening around him, because his hands, albeit a little shaky, moved to your hips. He helped you move on top of him, clenching his teeth and staring up at you. He was watching your face intently, wanting to watch you fall apart. 

“I-If you’re a good boy then I’ll reward you.” You panted out, bracing a hand on his bare chest. You were finding it hard to move anymore, the pleasure starting to render your limbs useless. 

The brunette’s blue eyes widened and he sucked in a deep breath through his nose. 

“You’re gonna reward me by comin’ on my cock? I know I’ve got more cum to give you, so please. Keep goin’. Don’t stop.” He had such a filthy mouth. He never had a problem with telling you exactly how he felt. 

Normally you would have said something to him to egg him on, but the promise of being packed full with even more of his seed had you falling over the edge. His large hand reached up and gripped onto your throat as he felt your walls clench down hard around him, keeping your face tilted down so that he could see it. 

See your precious lips part and your eyes roll back. 

“G-God you’re so hot. Holy fuck.” The urge to squeeze your throat even tighter was overwhelming. Because you were just so soft and small compared to him. The urge to hurt you in bed was overwhelming sometimes. He wanted to leave bruises. Wanted to claim you in as many ways as he possibly could. 

It was your turn to be oversensitive. Tex continued his assault, thrusting his hips up into you as you loomed above him, trying to breathe through the comedown of your climax. He wasn’t going to give you even a second to rest though, because now he had an end goal. He wanted to cum inside of you twice without pulling out, and then enjoy the sheer amount of himself that was bound to pour out of that well loved pussy of yours. Your moans of pleasure were growing in volume, and the brunette was sure that he had seen a house less than a mile up the road. The last thing he needed was to get the cops called on the both of you, and so with frantic hands he tried to find something that he could use to muffle your screams. 

In his desperate searching his finger tugged at a long string of beads that had been haphazardly hung over the rearview mirror. The clasp gave out easily, the necklace tumbling down into the passenger seat. It was good enough for him. He gathered the long necklace up into his hand before shoving some of it into your mouth along with two of his long fingers. You gagged around him, your cunt clenching around him yet again but in shock. He let out a low growl, his breathing becoming more frantic. 

The long string of rosary beads that weren’t in your mouth felt cold against your chest. There was something that was so blasphemous about the scene. Something that was so wrong and debased that it had Tex beginning to shiver beneath you, eyes wide and glassy. He curled his fingers inside of your mouth, pressing against your tongue. 

And then he was cumming again, his head lolling back onto the headrest, the muscles in his biceps pulling tight. He breathed hard, moving one of his hands to press against your abdomen, and was pleased to find that he could feel himself twitching inside of you. 

Claiming you from the inside out. 

taglist: @knoxvillesshoes@cosmorant@ol1viam@simply-sams-things@haim80s@gabbcabb@8hgel@slutt4him@busy-bee-angel-misska@kaitaesupremacy@dazedshoon @4rt3m1ss@cryingabtab@kittenlittle24@austinsrealgf@austinbutlersgirlfriend@clearbolts @dark-as-love@anni-secret-account-75@ab4eva@starcatchxr @julietamidala @obbsessivereader@gwuide@blurredcolour@the-little-red-haired-girl@meladollsims@poppet05@shrekstheloml@randomwriter888@idc123sworld@vane28282@mirandastuckinthe80s@girlblogger2002@rockerchick05@screechingstrawberrysong@simpforevery1@girlabirla@dre6ming@obetrolncocktails@fairyjanes@jensenswinchester@lo-bells @in-my-body-bag@fxntxsix@petrparkrslut@eliseinmemphis @lelifesaver @screaching-cookie@fantuhsise@areuirish @bcofl0ve@mslizziesblog@shynovelist@ssstrangersblog @harrysthecraic@hangmanswhore@jyvnho@mymamalife @melodydior @18lkpeters @memphis-mania @rjmartin11 @artlover8992

and the big daddy crew: @powerofelvis @ggwritesstuff @woundmetender @eliseinmemphis @polksalademma @flwrs4aust @headfullofpresley @cryingabtab @austinbutlersbaby @lindszeppelin @rosaminny

[creamecafe]

If there's any writers out there, please tag me in the latest Killian Hook or Rumplestiltskin fanfics. The majority are drabbles or from years ago. Please prove to me that the Once Upon A Time fandom isn't dead. Or I could write if someone requested me 😭 (Also please no smut and actual x romantic!x reader) From AO3 or Wattpad is totally fine.

[morgandr]

Imagine:

The summer of 1972 when you become a star.

——————————————————————————-

(PHOTOS FOUND ON PINTEREST!)

(1970s X Reader)

——————————————————————————-

(TAGS)

[chiveandheavy]

todays charecter of the day:

cliff booth

[pearlparty]

This man’s voice 🫠

Good Morning Austin Girls!

Theme 544: old style cowboy

GMAG! Tag List:

Sometimes tags work sometimes they don’t!

If you want to be added to the tag list, please send me a message.

@ilovemycrayons @blurredcolour @dre6ming @slowsweetlove @pennyroyalcreep @austiebuttbutt @lisathewife101 @jojam10 @xxindiglow @crackerbarrelslut @katsukis1wife @purejasmine @bcofl0ve @feral-fae-writes @eliseinmemphis @klizzie93 @scarlet-sunsets @austinbutlermischief @dazzledbycarrie @sunset-striptease-redeux @chasingwildflowers @justafangir1 @kctj82 @alikaheroes @xanatenshi @b-bradshaw @armoredbutterfly93 @auvis

[yundeob]

the parent trap | KHJ

part 1 of the Night in Hollywood!series

☆ trope: exes to lovers!au, divorced!au

☆ pairing: producer!hongjoong x designer!reader, dad!joong x mom!reader

☆ warnings: nsfw (mdni), swearing, mentions of food, mentions of food poisoning, female desc. reader, drinking, suggestiveness, smut, slight!breeding kink, oral sex (f. receiving), overstim, unprotected sex (wrap before you tap!) nipple play, titty sucking, marking, praise, slightdom!joong, blond!joong bc that itself is too much for me, mentions of (early) pregnancy, you’re both in your early thirties and make an unbelievably stubborn couple in this!

☆ synopsis: AS DIVORCED PARENTS to two twin daughters, you and hongjoong have your fair share of work cut out. Driving to piano lessons, cheering at hockey games, drop offs at each other’s houses, it can all be a little much. But could a relaxing summer retreat as a whole family possibly rekindle past emotions you’ve swept under the rug? . . .

☆ word count: 18.1k

☆ playlist: soulful strut by young-holt unlimited, l-o-v-e by nat king cole, just the way you are by billy joel, slipping through my fingers by abba, this will be (an everlasting love) by natalie cole

☆ a/n: it’s finally here. I can’t believe I’m writing this and saying it’s finally here oh my goodness. first off, thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has supported me with the series so far (shoutout to @kitten4sannie , @byuntrash101 and especially @desirehorizon for being amazing!) everyone’s sweet comments have been greatly appreciated, and I just hope this silly little fic brings a smile to your everyday lives.

ty for making writing worth it as a writer. now cue the opening credits!

“ABSOLUTELY NOT” Hongjoong says.

“But dadd,” she whines, clutching the wrinkled pamphlet closer to her chest. Eunseo’s small hands are covered in purple doodles her sister drew using a glitter pen. 

“Why not?” the girl complains, shrugging her shoulders. 

He sighs, pushing his glasses up with one hand as he continues typing away at the important document the producing company sent him on his laptop. He tries his best to reason with the child.

“Because, baby…” pausing to think for a moment before responding. “It would be hard for your mom and I to find a time that fits into our schedules. I’ve got work, and she must be busy as well.” 

Eunseo glares at her father’s excuse. 

Okay, yeah, the man knows it’s somewhat of a lie, himself. 

She continues to protest by shoving the advertising pamphlet in her dads face and blocking his view of the screen. Thankfully, Hongjoong is used to these sort of work distractions, expertly avoiding her by craning his neck sideways and continuing to type away.

“But dad, it’s an amazing cottage resort! They’ve got a lake where you can go swimming in, a forest hiking trail, a bonfire to roast marshmallows and even a diner less than fifteen minutes away! So if you end up burning the camp food like last time, we can just order and eat in! Isn’t that great?” She beams. 

He stops typing for a second, fingers hovering over the keyboard as he gives his first born a look that makes her immediately break into a sweet smile, batting her lashes and flashing him a look of innocence. 

“Please?” She begs, standing on the edge of her feet as she gazes up at him. “The last time we went was when Eunbyul and me were toddlers.” 

And how on earth could any dad’s heart not melt at the sight of his daughter trying to convince him about one harmless vacation? 

Hongjoong wheels his office chair back, turning so he could look her in the eyes properly and tuck a stray hair behind her ear. 

“Listen honey, I’m sorry, I really wish I could, but…” he trails off, looking back at the open tabs and file documents displayed on his computer.

Turning his head around and upon seeing a frown form on his daughter's face, he quickly reassures her. 

“Once you finish your final piano recital tomorrow and your mom picks your sister up to take her to her hockey game, how about we go fishing the weekend afterwards?” he suggests, brows raising. “That’ll mean I have just the two of you all to myself.”

Eunseo mumbles under her breath, quiet but insistent enough that he catches it. 

“But we’re supposed to be a family of four.” 

She sulks, thinking of how that would leave you, her mother, left out of their plans. The arms holding the pamphlet up, ultimately fall down in defeat. 

He places a peck on her forehead, patting her on the back. “You know, if you can get your mom to say yes, then I’ll think about it” he chuckles, knowing the highly unlikely probability of the event.

Adjusting his glasses, the producer goes back to his work, peeking his daughter slugging away from the corner of his eye. 

Eunseo slumps her shoulders in defeat as she walks out of her dads office, turning the corner to see her twin sister, Eunbyeol, pressing her ears near the door with her neck outstretched. Clearly she’s been caught in the middle of trying to overhear their conversation. 

The twin younger by fifteen seconds quickly rushes over, waiting expectantly.

“So? What did dad say?”

Eunseo exhales, throwing the information pamphlet away on the wooden floors and slumping against the living room couch. 

“He’s totally not buggin. Said he wants to take us fishing next weekend instead. Just us three.” she grumbles. 

Eunbyeol scrunches her nose at the idea. 

“But dad sucks at fishing.”

Her sister groans, kicking her small feet against the couch in frustration. “I know!” Eunbyeol starts to worry, coming to sit beside her.

“Then how on earth are we going to get mom and dad to get back with each other again? They haven’t been in the same room since we were like, five!”

Her twin sister scoffs, “First, we gotta get them to have a proper conversation with each other. They barely even talk when they drop us off at each other's houses.”

Nobody truly knows why you and Hongjoong had divorced so suddenly when the girls were young. Not even themselves.

All they were used to were cold stares and one word replies shared amongst their parents, refusing to find harmony in their co-parenting.

Frankly, your girls have had enough of the performance you were both trying to maintain, looking past your expressions to realize you and your husband still held feelings for the other. It was only a matter of time and place in order to set you two up together, thus, the idea of an intimate, family getaway came into their minds. 

After a few moments of letting her words hang in the air, Eunbyeol’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. 

“That’s it!”

The older twin looks up quizzically, watching her sister jump off the couch and gaze at her excitedly. 

“We’ll just have to force them to meet each other! We can always guilt trip them for dropping us off at their houses and making us play alone!”

Eunseo rolls her eyes at the idea. “Right, and how are we going to do that dummy? The only reason they’d do that, was if it was an emergency.”

Whoever said twin telepathy wasn’t a thing was a liar, because the second Eunseo catches onto what her sister is saying, the twins share a look of pure mischievousness, the gears in their brains working together as one. 

With hushed whispers and quiet giggles, the twins immediately begin conducting their plan in secrecy near the corner of the living room, backs turned and in the middle of discussion when Hongjoong walks out of his office with an empty coffee mug. 

“What are you guys doing over there?”

“Leave us alone! Family man traitor!” Eunbyeol shouts, holding a slightly hostile grudge to her father before turning back to whisper to her twin. 

Hongjoong shakes his head, sighing as he heads into the kitchen. 

“Then it’s perfect! I’ll stay here with dad once my piano recital is over, and then when Mom picks you up for your hockey game tomorrow, we’ll try convincing them together!”

Eunbyeol nods her head in agreement, eyes lighting up with excitement as she whispers in a hushed tone. 

“And once both events end, we’ll pretend to be so sick that they have to take us to the nearby hospital.”

The other twin smirks. ”Where we’ll end up guilt tripping them into taking us to the cottage.”

They double high five in victory at their flawless plan, already waiting for tomorrow to come as soon as possible.

“A summer cottage?” you repeated, brows raising at the idea as you made a left turn onto your street. 

Eunbyeol nods eagerly from the back seat after getting picked up, having ranted on and on about the ad in the pamphlet since the moment you saw her.

“It's an amazing establishment mom,” She boasts, making you laugh at her words while parking the car and unbuckling your seatbelt.

“They have everything you could possibly think of!”

“Oh, really?” You say skeptically, opening the door for her. 

Eunbyeol is lost in the middle of passionately describing all the relaxing activities you could do by yourself, or rather per se, with a special partner together. 

“There’s couples hiking retreats, couples canoeing, couples yoga… did I mention couples hiking retreats?” She confuses, retracing her words. 

You roll your eyes and smile, keys jangling as you walk through the entrance of your apartment flat while balancing the bags and items in your hands.

Being a wedding dress designer and yet picking up your daughter from your ex-husband's house could’ve been ironic to some people. But after having split with Hongjoong since the girls were so young, you came to grow fond of having some independence as a divorcee, channeling your main focus into setting up your own bridal shop downtown.

It was through that hard work and focus that you did it all by yourself with no additional help.

You’d be lying if you said you haven't opened a bottle of red wine some nights due to loneliness as a divorced single mother, but at least that was what you had your daughters for.

You made sure to work just as hard as you did enjoy playing and spending time with them. After all, they were the light of your life and purpose for living.

Balancing the pizza you picked up on the way home, you set it down on the kitchen island, telling Eunbyeol to go wash her hands in the sink. The girl doesn’t stop ranting.

“There’s usually only two rooms in the cottage, so you’ll have to sleep together with dad, but I guess you won't mind, would you? After all, you were once married” She rolls her eyes, reaching for the soap.

You shake your head with a sigh. ”What is up with you and getting me and your father together in the same room?” you muttered as you took out the plates and utensils. 

Eunbyeol eventually walks back to you, wiping her hands on her baggy jeans before sitting on the kitchen stool. 

“It’s not that I’m obsessed, Mom. Actually, Eunseo and I are just dying to get away this summer now that school is over.”

Turning around from plating the pizza and salad, you chastise your daughter, telling her to sit with her bum flat on the stool so she doesn’t fall. She immediately listens, carrying on with her persuasion. 

“We just want you and dad to get the chance to relax as well, that’s all!” her mouth full from a bite of hot, greasy pizza. 

You smile, wiping your washed hands on the kitchen towel and coming over to wrap your arms around her affectionately. 

“Spending time with you and Eunseo every week is how I relax,” you assured her, smothering your baby with kisses on her cheek.

Byeol lets out a squeal of annoyance, taking another bite of her pizza. “You’re squishing me!” She tries hiding her smile, failing when you lean in closer. 

You pull back in laughter, ruffling her hair as you walk away while reminding her.

“Oh! Don’t forget you’ve got your hockey game tonight!”

Byeol chews faster, munching on the soft crust and counting down the hours on the kitchen clock. 

She smiles to herself. 

“Don’t worry, I know!”

“What do you mean you need to go to the hospital?” Hongjoong asks in a worried voice, standing against the women’s washroom stall. He holds Eunseo’s congratulatory flower bouquet for first place in hand, feeling the stares of multiple women passing by, clearly judging him for being in the ladies room with them. 

“Honey, is everything all right?” He asks worriedly. A string of groans come from behind the door.

“You need to leave!” one old lady thrusts her walking cane at the father, lips pursed in dissatisfaction. 

Eunseo did such a phenomenal job tonight for her piano recital, that Hongjoong was shocked to see his daughter clutch her stomach first thing after running down the steps of the stage, dashing to the washrooms.

He whips his head back. “My daughter’s having a bit of a situation in here, okay miss? Have a bit of understanding!” He barks frustratedly out loud to the onlookers before speaking softly back to the stall door. 

“Eunseo, baby, talk to me, is everything alright in there? Are you sure you need to go to the hospital? Is it that bad?” 

The girl continues her acting performance, letting out fake groans while typing furiously on her cellphone. 

“Oh the pain! I think I might have food poisoning, dad!”

Seolie: How far along are u

Byeolie: Mom’s outside, banging to come in. 

Seolie: same, I told dad I needed to go to the hospital.

Eunseo lets out another groan of pain, causing Hongjoong to worry even more. 

“That’s it, Eunseo. Let me in and help you” he decides, searching his bag for a painkiller or at least some sort of medication for relief. 

The girl frantically checks her phone, eyes lighting up at the new message. 

Byeolie: Mom’s getting the car to take me to the hospital. I’ve got her convinced to call dad soon.

Eunseo types as fast as her small fingers can move, even faster than when she performed her piano solo from before. 

Seolie: Then what do I do????

Hongjoong gets slightly suspicious at the lack of sound coming from the stall, calling to his daughter again.

“Eunseo? Everything alright?”

At the next notification, the girl makes up her mind, getting the signal from her sister. 

Byeolie: play dead. Mom calling soon. See ya there.

The actress gets into character, gaining her composure before unlocking the washroom stall and holding her stomach as she stumbles into her dad’s surprised arms. 

“Eunseo!”

She wails, falling limp. “Oh, dad! Please! Take me to the hospital, it hurts too much!”

It’s truly a mystery which parent she got her acting skills from.

But she doesn’t have to tell him twice at that point. The man is already piggy backing his fainted daughter and sprinting out of the ladies washroom, reassuring her with soothing comments as he makes a beeline for the parking lot.

“Stay with me baby!” He huffs, unbeknownst to Eunseo who peeks one eye open. 

Only after he straps his daughter in the backseat and is turning on the engine does he receive a sudden phone call from you, pressing the speaker for the whole car to hear your panicked voice. You break the news to him first. 

“Eunbyeol’s severely sick. She fainted right after her hockey game.”

Hongjoong’s eyes widened. “What?”

You sighed, running a hand through your hair. “She was holding her stomach saying she ate something wrong. Is Eunseo okay?” 

Hongjoong puts the stick into drive, backing out of the parking lot and replying in a hurry.

“She’s hit with the same thing right now. I’ll meet you at the Hospital in ten” he grunts, sweat forming on his brow as he speeds through traffic, not caring if he gets a ticket. 

Had he looked in his rear view mirror, he would have seen Eunseo sagging near the car door, clutching her stomach with a small grin on her face.

You never liked the hospital. 

The sounds of babies crying and hospital beds wheeling become the background noise, shifting nervously in your seat that was in the emergency pediatrics unit waiting area. 

Hongjoong has his eyebrows furrowed, hunched over one seat beside you as he hangs his head in his hands, knees bouncing up and down. A middle aged nurse nasally calls on the next family waiting from the front desk, boredom laced in her voice. 

You sigh, uncrossing your legs and choosing to bite at the fingernail on your right hand once realizing you’ve already done the same to all the ones on your left. 

“It’s all my fault.” Hongjoong confesses, suddenly sitting still. 

You glance to your left, watching as he sits up slowly. 

“Last thing they ate together would’ve been at my house. I probably made them sick with something I fed them,” he dejects, hanging his head down in shame. 

“It’s all my fault, god I’m so stupid!” He beats himself up. 

You have half the mind to snap at your ex-husband, anger already filling up inside you earlier when you heard Eunbyeol suggest it was something she ate at her dad’s house. You really did want to yell at him for being so bad of a chef that he sent his own daughters to the emergency pediatrics unit, undeniably relieved that Seonghwa was working tonight’s shift. 

But those cruel words sitting on the tip of your tongue are thrown away when you glance down to see your ex-husband missing a shoe on one of his feet. 

Hongjoong rushed over here so fast with Eunseo that he left his shoe behind like some sort of fairytale, Cinderella. He hasn’t even realized he wasn’t wearing one right now.

You exhaled, knowing that if there's one thing you’ve learned while parenting, it was that to have patience and understanding was a virtue. Even for your ex-husband.

“It’s not your fault,” you sighed, staring at your hands folded in your lap. 

It feels awkward when Hongjoong stops tugging at his blond locks to look at you in surprise, continuing to speak as you place a gentle hand on his thigh. 

“That could’ve happened to anyone. We don’t know yet if it was because of the food. Let’s just pray and wait and see” your voice being a sign of reliability to him. 

The man is a little shocked at your supportive nature to tell you truthfully. He delivers all the things he needs to say through his grateful gaze alone, reciprocating a small smile. 

“Didn’t think I’d see you guys tonight.” Seonghwa chuckles, walking in before Hongjoong has the chance to reply. He comes from the patient's room wearing his dashing, white doctor's coat. “Together, at that” he mumbles under his breath before looking up and flashing you a polite smile while giving his worried friend a soft pat on the back.

Hongjoong holds his breath when he asks: “How are they?”

“Better,” he tells him, flipping through some papers on his clipboard. “But it was a big shock to their bodies. They need some rest at the moment.” 

The pediatrician tries not to show his smile, standing in front of you and Hongjoong while hiding his expression behind his clipboard as per his niece’s request.

To be fair, if someone had told Seonghwa earlier that evening that he would receive a fifteen minute pep talk from his best friend's twin daughters that day in the emergency unit, he would’ve laughed in their faces. 

Alas, life was always filled with surprises. Here’s what went down thirty minutes earlier in the hospital room:

“We’re trying to get them back together,” Eunseo announced confidently, sitting next to her sister on the hospital bed. 

Eunbyeol nodded, eyeing the dumbfounded medical professional standing in front of them with his clipboard tucked under his arm, hands in his pockets. 

“So.. you guys don’t need an IV drip?”

“It’s this whole entire thing, Uncle Hwa, we’ll explain to you later.”

It took a minute before Seonghwa reclaimed his composure as an adult, chastising the twins for pulling a false alarm over something like this. He made sure to make them promise him they wouldn’t do something stupid like this again. But after that, of course Seonghwa is immediately pairing to help them with their plan on getting his best friend back together with his ex-wife. The man is just tired of watching Hongjoong beat himself up half the time about missing you. 

“So you essentially want me to lie about the fact that you guys don’t have food poisoning, and were just faking this whole thing so your mom and dad would have a reason to see each other.” 

The twins nod, one of them pointing out. “And make sure to tell them we’re fine of course. Maybe throw in we’re like, really sick, but that we’ll live so it’s best if we get rest.”

“At like a cottage or something” the other chimes in, wiggling her eyebrows at the hint. 

The doctor sighs, scratching his neck sheepishly. 

When Seonghwa leads you and Hongjoong into the hospital room, both of you feel awful seeing your babies laying in their beds, dressed in the children’s gowns. 

Eunbyeol peeks open her eyes first, voice hoarse (she practiced). 

“Mom? Dad? Is that you?” she groans, pretending to clutch her stomach in pain. 

Both you and Hongjoong rush to each child, grasping their hands and stroking their heads softly with sympathy. 

“Hey baby, I’m here” you coo.

“I’m so, so sorry girls, it was probably all my fault. I should’ve never cooked for you guys earlier today.” their dad cries out painfully, looking down in shame.

You come to stand beside him, reassuring them both. “But what’s important is that you guys get better now. We want to make sure you get the rest you need” you say, making eye contact with your ex-husband. 

Seonghwa clears his throat, crossing his arms as he flashes a wink to the girls behind your backs. 

“They seemed to have been mentally exhausted as well,” He asks on purpose, watching as you and Hongjoong share a look with each other. “Have they been receiving proper familial support at home?” 

“I can’t even remember the last time I saw my parents in the same room together.” Eunseo weakly admits, showing a faint smile. 

As parents, you and Joong feel the most amount of guilt anyone could ever feel. You realize how exhausting and stressful the pickups and drop offs to each other's houses could’ve been, especially when you two were so busy with your respective jobs to spend time with your daughters now that it was summer break for them. 

Hongjoong smiles, holding both their hands and making a promise to them. 

“Make sure to rest you two. Tell me, is there anything you guys need right now? Anything you guys want I'll make sure to get it for you.”

”Do you guys have crunchy ice?” Eunbyeol blurts out loud, breaking her weak facade. 

Eunseo almost wants to shoot a glare at her sister but she realizes both of you are still looking at them. 

“I can get you some ice!” Seonghwa quickly assures you and his nieces, mouthing to them good luck for support as he shuts the door behind him. 

You sigh, coming over to stroke Eunseo’s hair and caress Eunbyeol’s hand. 

“Well? Is there anything else you guys need from us?” Hongjoong states, eyes soft in sympathy. You nod, waiting to hear their response.

“Let us know girls, anything at all.”

Eunbyeol and Eunseo finally take their chance, sharing a hesitant look before speaking at the same time. 

“We want to go to the cottage”

“Together,” Eunseo says.

“As a family.” Eunbyeol adds in.

You and Hongjoong share a silent look. 

Later into the night, the twins are finally discharged from the hospital, deciding that they would stay at Hongjoong’s mothers apartment which was closest nearby, considering they were both tired and immediately needed a place to rest. 

The car ride home is awkwardly silent, even as the kids are (what you think) to be fast asleep, hockey gear and a bouquet of flowers riding with them in the backseat.

It was at their request for you to drive them to their grandmother's house, wanting both their parents with them till the ride home. Hongjoong settled on driving your car and dropping all of you off, planning to take a taxi back home and pick up his own car in the morning. Despite your protest on how inconvenient that was, he insisted as he didn’t want to disappoint the twins.

But suddenly the man begins to regret his offer, currently driving in complete silence on the highway, eyes facing forward and shoulders tense. Quiet FM nightly jazz plays from the radio. 

You’re sitting passenger seat up front with him in what feels like forever, looking solely at the reflections in the window, the street lamp lights scattering across your face as you travel through the nighttime traffic. It’s awkward being together like this.

You hear him clear his voice, speaking softly so he doesn’t wake up the girls.

“So, are we really considering that cottage retreat?” he glances back at you. 

You sit up, straightening your back and exhaling as you secretly wanted to have avoided that topic of discussion.

“We can’t Hongjoong,” you reasoned, shaking your head. “I couldn’t possibly take a whole vacation from the dress shop. Not unless I had someone take care of it for me, which my staff probably aren’t ready to do.” you explained, voice tense.

Hongjoong nodded, understanding your point of view. “I realize that. I’ve got a few projects I have to record and demo with Eden.” he tells you, an arm placed on the wheel with his sleeve rolled up. His veins become perfectly outlined as he passionately tells you about his producing job.

He’s so hot like that.

Jesus what were you thinking? Cursing your mind as you clear your voice and try to change the topic.

“How’s everything been going then?” you say stiffly. He nods, still awkward with sharing conversation with you. 

“Um, it's going good. You?” he asks.  

“Fine.” you swallow. 

Silence prevails. He’s first to speak again, building the courage to say the next thing in his mind. 

“I’m willing to put things on hold if I need to.” He confesses. 

Hongjoong continues to drive normally after having said that. Now it becomes your turn to stare at him now, watching how he glances at the side mirror, switching lanes swiftly like the pro-driver he was. 

“What do you mean?”

“Honestly, I think it would be good for the girls,” he admits, calling you by your name. Even hearing him call you your name feels weird. It feels foreign, like it almost wasn’t yours. 

“Hongjoong-” you warn, shaking your head at the warry possibility. 

“Just hear me out, alright?” He states firmly, making you quiet. 

He glances back into the rear view mirror, watching your girls peacefully asleep with their heads leaning against each other. 

“It’s been almost seven years. Seven years since they’ve last seen their parents speak to each other without breaking into a fight. Tonight was the first time they saw us together without having to plan a drop off and pick up in god knows how long.”

Hongjoong licks his lips, gripping the wheel as he emphasizes. “Seven years since they’ve gotten a goodnight hug and kiss from us at the same time in one place.”

You scoff, turning to face him properly this time. “I don’t know why you’re acting as though we can make this request of theirs come true Hongjoong. This is a big deal-”

“It is a big deal!” he exclaims, trying to get his point across. “I can see how badly our daughters want us to both be in their lives more, to acknowledge the fact that the other still exists after splitting apart.”

He sighs. “Us, not acknowledging each other’s existence at all is worse than if we had to see each other regularly.”

You bite your lip, getting angry. “So what Hongjoong? You’re saying you want to suddenly play family with them at the cottage?”

You shrug your shoulders. “Do you really think we can pretend to be normal parents to them without fighting like we are now? There’s a reason why our current schedules work. Don’t make me seem like the bad guy for not wanting to take them.” You glared, pointing a finger at him. His jaw locks. 

“You fully knew the lifestyle changes we would need to make as a couple when you signed those legal papers—”

“Well then did you also predict everything that happened after you brought me those papers?” He spits like venom, gaze hard as he clenches the wheel.

You blink your eyes at his words, pressing your knees together at his sudden attack. 

You don’t remember clearly if you even meant what you said at the time when you threw those papers at him seven years ago. But all you still know is that Hongjoong was just as stubborn as you were, making up his mind to sign them in the end regardless.

Looking in the rear view mirror, you muttered to him quietly. 

“Don’t raise your voice. The kids are sleeping.”

Their dad scoffs, muttering a sure, under his breath as he switches lanes. 

The kids were in fact, not sleeping, and very much awake. Eyes closed but ears wide, as they were listening in to the first real discussion their parents were having in so long. Or perhaps it was an argument?

At the right turn into his mother’s apartment’s underground parking lot, Hongjoong shuts off the engine, getting out of the car without another word and shutting the door in your face. 

You pinched the bridge of your nose, hear the back door open. 

You watch in the corner of your vision as his demeanor immediately changes, softly caressing Eunseo and Eunbyeol’s hair. 

“Hey girls, we’re here now. You gotta wake up.” He coos.

They yawn theatrically, pretending to stretch their arms. 

“So soon?” Eunbyeol mumbles.

A few feet ahead, you see your mother in law walking out from the elevators, a knit cardigan wrapped around her small frame. You smiled, getting out of the car and greeting her first. 

“We’ll leave Eunbyeol’s hockey gear with you for the night if that’s alright Mom-” 

Hongjoong’s words are cut off as the woman who birthed him walks straight past him, ignoring him and immediately taking you in her warm embrace, eyes forming crescent moons. 

“How are you my dear?” she asks, causing you to smile and hug your mother in law affectionately. “It’s been so long, I’ve missed you so much!”

Despite the break up between you and Hongjoong, you were thankful for one thing, and that was the fact that your relationship with Hongjoong’s family stayed strong, especially with Mrs. Kim.

“I’ve missed you too” you tell her genuinely. “I’ve been good, I’m just sorry for dropping them off so suddenly at your place,” You say, feeling apologetic for waking her up late into the night. 

“We had a bit of a situation,” you explain, watching as Hongjoong collects their things. 

She shakes her head, reassuring you. “Nonsense! Why would you be sorry for that.” she grins, turning her head at the car. “And where are my girls, may I ask?”

At the sound of her voice, Eunbyeol and Eunseo dash out from the back seat and into their grandmother's welcoming arms, pressing soft kisses to her cheeks.

Hongjoong is the only person that stands all alone, awkwardly holding the bouquet of flowers with heavy hockey gear and a duffle bag perched on his shoulder. 

“Oh, how I’ve missed my little squirrels!” she exclaims using their signature pet name and happily reuniting with her grandchildren. 

She turns her head, face falling at the sight of her son and lips pursing into a frown. 

“And where on earth have you been? Not giving me a call!” she snaps, slapping her son on his back. Eunbyeol laughs out loud while Eunseo tries to keep her giggles in. 

You hear your ex husband protest to her while you close the back seat door. 

“OW! I’ve been busy alright?” he mumbles, massaging his sore arm. 

Your mother in law takes both the twins hand’s on each side, nodding her head to you. 

“Leave all the kid’s stuff to Hongjoong, he’ll take care of it darling” she smiles sweetly, sending a glare to her son to take a hint and be more of a gentleman to you. She walks away with her smiling granddaughters, exchanging light-hearted giggles and excitement. “Bye, mom!” The twins wave back. 

Hongjoong cranes his head up, sighing at the ceiling before taking Eunseo’s piano bag that you were holding in your hand in one swift motion, walking reluctantly behind the three. 

“Stay here. I’ll drop them off.” he briskly walks away, leaving you stunned. 

Hongjoongs words from before can’t help but replay inside your head as you wait for him to come back down. 

Before you guessed it, it was already the ride back home, and the car was painfully silent once again. In reality, you were each thinking deeply to yourselves about the possibility of the cottage retreat. Could you really be a mom and dad together as a couple to your kids?

“Are you giving your plants enough water?” He brings you out of thought, the car slowing down as he turns onto your street. 

You look up, giving him a confused look. 

Hongjoong nods in direction, following his eyes to look at the measly, dying flower pot perched on the steps of your flat’s entrance as the car stopped to a halt. “You know, it’s really hard for plants to die when they’re outside.” He says in amazement at your shit gardening. 

You scowl at him, asking him when he became such a plant expert all of a sudden. 

He continues to poke fun at you, smirking when he undoes his seat belt. Hongjoong suddenly leans over to help you unbuckle your own, face dangerously close to yours as he lowers his voice. 

“Unless their owner just really sucks at taking care of them.” 

His eyes gaze into yours for a split second, feeling your face heat up from the proximity. You let out a tiny gasp for air when he leans back in his own seat. 

“Fuck off” you replied harshly. 

“You should give them some more care,” he suggests, ignoring your swearing. 

You don’t reply to his stupid comment, refusing to look at him as you get out of the car. 

“I can go in by myself” you press, adjusting the strap of your purse on your shoulder. You didn’t think it was necessary to draw out your time with this man any further.

Hongjoong straightens his dress shirt as he moves to your side of the car, shoving his own car keys in his trousers as he locks your doors and hands over the keys. You take them hesitantly, watching as he rests against the car door, strong arms crossing against his chest. 

“Think about it at least.” he mutters to you. 

You look at him, eyes shutting softly when you realize he was still talking about the cottage getaway. Sighing his name is exasperation, you run a hand through your hair. 

“Hongjoong-”

“Would it kill you to spend a week with me and our daughters?” He scoffs as he asks you straight up, looking at you in a way that makes you hesitate to say your next words. You observed one hand come to shuffle with the silver lighter in his trouser pockets. 

You stayed silent for a moment, genuinely thinking back to your daughters and what this meant to them if you went. What this would mean for you two as well. 

Finally, you look up to him, returning his gaze.

“I need time.” 

He nods, face serious. “I understand.”

“Let me think about it.” You mumbled. 

And with that you turn around, walking up the steps to your front door. At the sight of your flowerpot, you quickly remember his comment and snatch it in your hands, slamming the door shut to Hongjoong as he finally lets a soft grin break out on his face. Letting his back come up from leaning against the door, Hongjoong nods his head, satisfied enough at that answer, as he walks silently down the road while opening his Uber app. 

At least you’d give it some thought. 

Okay, maybe now you’ve given it too much thought. 

Sipping your fifth glass of wine of the night, you’re sitting, back hunched over with your knees tucked into your chest on the breakfast table chair, zoning out as your best friend Sophie continues barking at you and your inconsistent commitment. 

“I don’t even understand why you’re considering going! Does the man realize what it takes to leave your own shop for a full week?” she fumes, adjusting her royal jelly sheet mask while cursing at your ex-husband for pressuring you into going to the family retreat. 

“Not everyone can just pack their bags and go swimming at the cottage, Jesus Christ” she rolls her eyes. 

“He didn’t pressure me,” you told her pouting. “He wants to do it for the kids” you mumbled looking down as you defended him. 

You invited your best friend Sophie over to your apartment that evening for your weekly slumber party, a time you each looked forward to dedicating a bottle of wine and chardonnay over some gossip, spilling all the uneventful drama in your lives. 

Perhaps you revealed too much drama to your best friend tonight. 

“I don’t think I would mind going, to be honest” you hiccup, words slurring. “I haven’t had a vacation in so long, Sophie, and the girls really want to go! I would feel bad for leaving them with nothing to do this summer.” confessing through the alcohol. 

Cheeks flushed, you sigh as you play with your silk robe mindlessly while Sophie shakes her head at you, one hand coming up to snap at you and bring you back to reality. 

“Hello? Earth to Ms. Divorcee?” She sighs, rolling her eyes in frustration. “You said you wanted to set boundaries with him! To cut the line straight and keep your distance so you could get over your feelings for him! Show him who’s boss!” 

“He said he’s willing to put his music projects on hold for us,” you muttered quietly, the thought making your heart weak as you smiled at the memory of Hongjoong teasing you about your flower pot. Your chest blossomed with warmth now. 

Sophie sighs, shaking her head as she thinks just how differently you were feeling four wine glasses ago.

“Listen, honey, I’m just warning you in advance” she sips the golden liquid in her glass before placing it on the table. 

“Take it from a girl who’s had three divorces. I mean look at me! I’m still somewhat young, I’ve got no kids, no responsibilities, filthily rich, and not once have I had to pay for my own divorce settlement fees!” 

You nod mindlessly, eyes blinking softly under the bright kitchen lights. 

“What you need is a provider, sweetheart,” she crooned, caressing your head. 

“A guy who won’t leave you stressed and unimpressed like Hongjoong does.”

You continue mindlessly nodding your head at her words, ears perking up when you hear small footsteps come down the stairs. 

“Hi mom, Hi aunt Sophie.” Eunbyeol greets, eyes glued to her iPad that Eunseo trails after from behind, whining how it was now her turn to play Super Mario.  

“Hi girls,” Sophie replies like the cool, hot aunt she is, eyes shut as she’s concentrating on giving herself a collarbone massage right now. 

“Hey sweetheart,” you mumbled, smiling at your daughters standing near the fridge getting a glass of water. 

“Say, did your dad tell you guys anything about the cottage?” You blurt out loud, avoiding the look that Sophie gives you. Eunbyeol looks up from the glowing screen, ears perking in interest. “No, not much, why?” 

Eunseo snatches the iPad from her twin, coming over to you. “Did Dad say we’re going?” She asks enthusiastically, eyes widening. Sophie is quick to assure them. 

“Now of course not girls, your mother here was just-”

“Oh fuck it, why not?” you say confidentially, shining a bright smile. “Let’s go to the cottage!” You exclaimed in drunk excitement, all three girls staring at you with their jaws hanging at your sudden profanity as well as your final decision. 

Oh, how dangerous the effects of a bottle of wine were. 

Eunseo and Eunbyeol immediately embrace each other in a passionate hug, squealing in excitement that their plan actually worked. You and Hongjoong were now both convinced. “Oh my gosh, we’re going to go as a family!” They cried in happiness. You giggled at their joy, reciprocating their enthusiasm.  

Sophie leans back in her seat defeated, shaking her head with pursed lips as she picks up the whole Chardonnay bottle and sips it. 

“Oh whatever. . . This isn’t my problem anyways.” 

When Hongjoong drops by the next morning to pick up Eunbyeol and Eunseo from your house for the weekend, he can’t lie but be a little heartbroken at the way his daughters ignore his kiss to them first thing. They instead, immediately shove the cottage advertising pamphlet in his face with victorious grins. 

“See! We told you mom would say yes!” 

“Say yes to what?” He pouts, avoiding the paper and obsessively trying to peck a kiss to each of his daughter's cheeks. The idea of going to the cottage almost slipped the busy man’s mind after almost a week of no news from you. 

“What’s so important that you guys don’t even say hi to me anymore?” he sulks.

Eunseo giggles, fighting back her laughter when her dad tries to tickle her with his kisses. 

“We’re going to the cottage!”

Hongjoong stills himself, leaning back to make sure he heard her correctly. 

“We’re what?”

Eunbyeol, taking after her mother, has a cheeky expression on her face as she places her hands on her hips and sasses her father. 

“Pack your bags and swimming shorts, daddy, we’re going on a family vacation!” 

In perfect timing, you manage to stumble out your front door, coffee mug in hand and mid-yawn when you realize Hongjoong is already staring at you in shock. 

“What?” you snap, still grumpy from your slight hangover. “You’ve never seen a woman wake up before?” You replied, asking your kids if they packed all their stuff. 

The twins watch as their dad stands up from his crouched position. 

“You’re going to go to the cottage?”

At Hongjoongs words you freeze, everything coming back to you all at once. The wine, the twins, the promises, it hits you like a moving truck. 

“Well…”

“No take backs mom! You said it yourself last night that you were excited to go to the cottage!” One of the twins pointed out. 

Hongjoong doesn’t take his eyes off of you. 

“I-I did say that, didn’t I?” You chuckled sheepishly, toes curling at the rookie mistake you made in parenting 101: saying yes when you should’ve said no. 

Your ex-husband quickly tells the kids to put their things in the trunk, promising he’ll be right with them after talking to you. As Hongjoong dashes up the stairs in his white polo golf shirt, you feel slightly exposed being in only your silk slip dress and robe. 

“I didn’t realize you’d be here so early” you mumbled, looking down at your toes. 

He ignores you. “So I’m guessing we’re going then?” He smirks, looking at you with an expression of undeniable cockiness and peaked interest. 

You shrug nonchalantly. “Let’s surround the focus of this trip towards the kids” you remind him, straightening your back.

Hongjoong nods, agreeing with you wholeheartedly. “Of course, that was my intention from the beginning,” he smiles. 

You swallow the lump in your throat, unnoticing his stare drop at your breasts perking up from the cool morning air. You jump in surprise as you hear the honking of the car. 

“Come on, love birds! We gotta go back to dad’s to get our swimming stuff!” Eunbyeol cackles, leaning from the backseat into the driver's seat window. Eunseo already begins journaling in her hello kitty note book, an organized list of what she’ll need to bring to the cottage.

Hongjoong looks back at his daughters, before looking back at you with a smile. 

“Let’s keep in touch about details, alright?”

You nod silently, gripping your mug. At the sound of your nextdoor neighbor coming out, Hongjoong contemplates for a moment before quickly leaning forward, shielding you from their view with his backside. Clearing his throat, Hongjoong nods his head to the inside of your house, leaning forward to whisper to you. 

“Think, um, you should get inside, it’s getting cold,” he mutters, his dimples faintly showing. You glare up at him, “I’m going to say goodbye to my own daughters”. Still clueless to what he was referring to. He grins, shrugging his shoulders before looking at you. 

“If you insist. Just thought you wouldn’t want your neighbor to see what I can see, would you?”

You gasp at his words, looking down at your chest to see what he means before wrapping your robe around you. You quickly waved goodbye to your girls before you shut the door in Hongjoong’s smug face. 

It’s now become the second time you’ve done that.

Thankfully, the next time you see Hongjoong you’re wearing a much more appropriate outfit. In a white cotton blouse and casual jean shorts, your effortlessly chic vacation outfit was the only highlight today, considering the day you had been internally dreading for so long was finally here. 

You tried to take deep breaths while scurrying all over your house and finishing some last minute packing. Reassuring yourself that a family getaway couldn’t kill you. 

Right?

Reservations at the cottage were made over the phone last week, booking a house with the perfect lake side view, access to the forest trail and close proximity to the offered activities. It would only be a seven day stay, both in your respective rooms, (you clearly emphasized you and Hongjoong had to have separate ones) while the twins would lodge together. You had no intention of interacting with your husband alone together on this trip, apart from the quote on quote, ‘family bonding times’ you promised your daughters. And yet why were you here sweating nervously like a sinner in church?

“What a hot lady!” Eunbyeol wolf-whistles at your outfit when she walks through your bedroom doors. You jump at the sudden entrance, realizing Hongjoong was already here to pick you up with the girls.

A pair of black designer sunglasses slightly too big for her sat perched on her nose. Eunbyeol smiles before jumping onto your bed of clothes. You already know Hongjoong must’ve spoiled her and her sister with those, buying them a pair each.

“C’mon Byeol, off the bed” you quipped, packing your toothbrush as she reluctantly slugged off the covers. 

Your suspicions of Hongjoong buying them designer items are correct when Eunseo walks in, classily perching her matching white ones on her head before chastising her sister's tasteless compliment. 

“Elegant. She’s Elegant, Byeol. You don’t just go around wolf-whistling at people.” she rolls her eyes. 

“You look very pretty by the way, mom”

You smiled, nevertheless pleased at both their compliments and thanking them before going back to doing a last minute check of your things. 

Sun cream, clothes, makeup bag, swimsuit…

At the thought of your swimsuit you immediately blush, thinking back to how Sophie forced you to borrow her yellow bikini that left very little to the imagination. Despite your protests that you wouldn’t be needing it, she insisted. 

Hongjoong is last to walk through your front doors, swinging his car keys around his index finger and calling to his three girls from the downstairs foyer of your apartment. The man is clearly excited for the trip, he can’t lie. 

“Come on ladies, we’re gonna miss the chance to swim in that lake if we don't leave soon!” 

Hongjoong is your typical dad, except for the fact that he does not mess with dad!fashion. The producer is dressed classily from top to bottom in a loose-fitting designer button up with a pair of reformed denim pants, his pearl earrings and gold piercings complementing his outfit perfectly. 

Kim Hongjoong didn't play when it came to fashion. Even as a father. 

“Coming!” You exclaimed, ushering your kids out of your bedroom and making your way down the stairs with your suitcase. Seeing that it would only be a week at the cottage, you tried to pack light, though you may have to reconsider that thought with the way you struggled to lift the case properly. 

“Need some help?”

A strong hand comes to help you, immediately inhaling the scent of Hongjoong’s cologne as he brushes his knuckles near yours. “Here, I’ve got it” he assures, making you step back and admire your undeniably fine husband. 

Ex-husband. You meant Ex-husband. Scratch out the fine as well. 

You watch from behind as he struts out the foyer, smiling and joking playfully with his twin daughters, carrying your luggage out the door with them. 

What was this trip doing to you?

Once you’re on route to the cottage resort and the GPS is set, the car is blissfully quiet, each and every one of you surprisingly at peace. Jittery excitement still lays deep in your daughters' minds as you overhear them talk about what they want to do first once they arrive. 

Hongjoong’s 2000s soft rock and ballad playlist is playing quietly throughout the speakers right now, relishing in the music as luscious, green trees flash by you from the passenger window. 

While Byeol and Eunseo distract each other on their own, Hongjoong turns to talk to you. 

“I’m not going to lie, it’s been forever since I’ve been on a road trip” he smiles.

You copy him, feeling good in the moment. “Same, I don’t remember the last time I went to one.” you confessed, thinking only of all the times you had in the past when you were a child and as a teenager. 

Even back to when you were a young college student, wide eyed and so innocent to the chaos of your first college retreat with Hongjoong. That was the summer you two began dating, and boy were you fools in love. You cautiously look to your husband driving, bringing up past memories.

“Do you remember that one college retreat we went on during second year?” 

The corners of Hongjoong’s lips are already grinning upwards, smiling as he reciprocates your expression. 

“Right, like I could forget that summer” he replies sarcastically, gripping the steering wheel. 

It’s an easy memory to digest. A time when you were both so young, filled with nothing but dreams and passionate love for one another. Love so deep, that you remember the nights you’d spend locked up with Hongjoong under the sweaty bed sheets inside your cabin, blissfully making love until the sun would rise and he would finally kiss you to sleep. Perhaps, it was that summer when you realized you were going to marry and be with Kim Hongjoong forever someday. 

Though it’s too bad, someday already passed. 

“Do you remember when Seonghwa got so drunk he ended up confessing to Jieun in front of all the girl’s sleeping cabins?” Hongjoong snickers, relishing in the embarrassing memory his friend always hates him for bringing up. You laugh out loud, remembering the memory. “Oh my god, yes!” You turned to face him, shaking your head. “In nothing but his underwear, right?” 

Hongjoong nodded, smiling with one hand on the steering wheel as he drove.

“Didn’t he end up jumping into the lake afterwards? With you having to go in and save him as well?” You share your laughter with one another, catching up on past memories as your twin daughters listened attentively in the back, reliving them with you together.

That's what makes the hour and half drive from the city into the wilderness feel so short, finally pulling into the graveled parking lot of the vast cottage resort. White suburban cottages lined along one another, a good amount of distance in between each for every family staying. 

As Hongjoong parked the car, the view outside was so glorious you had to hold your breath. Glistening clear blue waves in the lake reflect the bright sunshine from above. A light breeze is present today with the way the willow and oak trees swayed gently. 

“It’s beautiful” you gasped from as far as you got out of the car, stretching your upper body with eyes closed as you inhaled the fresh air. 

Hongjoong stills his movements, shutting the door before replying with his gaze caught at your backside.

“Yeah, it is” he smiles.

Both of you turn around at a loud voice coming from behind. “We’re gonna explore the campsites and souvenir shops first!” Eunbyeol shouts as she runs away with her sister's hand in hers, towards the wooden cabin that's settled further away. 

“What about lunch?” you call to them. 

“We’re not hungry!”

Hongjoong tells them to be safe, and to stick around nearby. You smirked, helping him unload the trunk as you told him. “They’ll be fine. They’re probably too excited to even think right now” you giggled, bumping shoulders with him. 

You feel the tension that was once so strong between you two fade slowly, walking up the wooden steps of your lodge and exchanging conversation with each other.

“Hey, I just want my babies to be safe” he admits, a grin on his face as he holds the cooler in his hands. You chuckle, shaking your head at his protectiveness. 

“Here it is!” he exclaims, setting the suitcases in the front foyer as he opens the door. “Lodge number 1117”

The two story cottage is larger than it appears from the outside, having a modern yet rustic interior that you and Hongjoong admired. It had everything you would need, from a well designed kitchen area to a cozy living room space.

“It’s perfect, the kids will love it” you beam, looking at the hanging hammock chair in the corner of the living room and the gray stone fireplace. It fit perfectly for your family. 

Hongjoong smiles, sunglasses perched on top of his head as he sets the luggage down near the kitchen. Walking up beside him, you help him unload the cooler and ice boxes first, settling into your new home for the next few days. 

“I’m guessing you still drink?” you ask, looking in his direction as you unloaded the case of beer you saw him bring from the trunk.

He gestured to the booze. “C’mon, it wouldn’t be a vacation without it, would it?” 

You wholeheartedly agreed, placing a few in the fridge before you shut it closed. 

“Hopefully, this time we won’t end up shit faced like we did back in college” you laugh, turning to face him. 

“I can already picture that time we got so drunk from that bottle of tequila my friend brought, we snuck out of the campsite and went to the forest and got lost.” you spoke, the memory a little foggy but nonetheless fresh in your mind. 

Hongjoong smiles, listening as you speak.  

“There wasn’t anything but trees and bushes in that forest!” You exclaimed, shaking your head. “What did we even do there?” 

Hongjoong replies nonchalantly, folding the cardboard box in his hands.

“I’m pretty sure we fucked.”

You momentarily freeze at his words, before letting out a soft awkward laugh, causing him to look up. 

“No we didn’t, Hongjoong” you immediately deny, not believing his words. But your brows began furrowing at the foggy memory, starting to realize you really couldn’t trust your alcohol tolerance, now as an adult and even back when you were a college student. Did you guys have sex? In a forest out of all places?

Hongjoong leans against the kitchen counter, across from you as he crosses his arms in front of his chest and smirks smugly. 

“Nope, I distinctly remember it” he recalls, taking a step closer so he was now in your space. 

“I held your hand in mind as we walked up that trail by the cliff. And gosh, were we horny that night, because I remember you complaining about all that dirt you got on your knees from giving me the greatest head i've ever experienced in my entire life-” 

Slapping your hands over his mouth to stop him from going on, you blushed as you glared at him. 

“Jesus christ,” you mumbled, rolling your eyes before confessing.

“I get it, we fucked.”

Suddenly, you and Hongjoong break out into giggles like varsity sweethearts again at the story. Though embarrassed and cringing internally from the way you acted as young adults, it was nice to share them together now. At the proximity in which you’re standing in, you can't help but stare at each other softly. A hand wraps around your waist, making your breath hitch as he pulls you closer. 

“What are you doing?” you grin, watching him.

He looms over you, able to tell that something sits right at the tip of his tongue that he hesitantly decides to say. “I’m pretty sure,” he mutters, staring at your face and cautiously grazing the skin under your blouse. You feel your breathing speed up. 

“I also held you like this in my arms as you were leaning against that tree” his grip gentle and immediately transporting you back to the scenery that night. His sharp tone contrasts his touch. 

“Yknow, the one we fucked against?” he teases to you one more time.

The scent of burning campfire. A cold, midnight breeze. The feeling of the rough cedar tree against your back as Hongjoong thrusted inside you with every delirious snap of his hips, holding you close while he fucked you to oblivion with only the forest animals standing witness to your sinful actions. The film replays like a cheesy R-rated romance movie in your mind. 

“Did you, now?” You gulp, looking up at him as you adjust to the foreign feeling of his touch on your hips. 

“Yeah. I remember it all” he states, smirking down at you with an intense gaze.

The memory dies down when you catch yourself staring at his lips, arms finding their way around his neck as he dives down to whisper softly to you.

“Do you remember too?” He asks.

How he held you in his arms. How he whispered in your ear while you came around his cock, drool and traces of cum littering the corners of your mouth while Hongjoong didn’t care if you were stretching his flannel from how hard you were tugging at the material.

You nod. “I do,” you muttered, lashes fluttering as you felt as though your heart wouldn’t stop beating. “I remember you kissed me on the lips,” you confessed. 

Perhaps you wanted him to do it again right now. 

He looks in your eyes, searching for your approval that you desperately give, breath hitting each other's faces as he slowly leaned down to try and connect your lips. His chest is pressed against yours, and you begin to realize you haven’t shared the same breath like that in so long. You were so close to kissing right then and there.

If only you leaned in closer…

“We’re back!”

You push Hongjoong across the kitchen, shoving his hip painfully into the marble counter and ignoring his high-pitched groan of agony as you immediately look away to avoid suspicion, continuing to grab the beer from the icebox in front of you.

“Girls!” you exclaimed, voice wavering. 

Of course, Eunbyeol and Eunseo walk in with matching postcards and goodies from the souvenir shop in their hands, their sunglasses perched on their heads as their eyes lit up with excitement. They were still oblivious to the fact that they almost caught their parents about to make out in the kitchen.

“Dad, this place is amazing!” Eunbyeol deadpans, telling her father. “They even have jet skiing on the other side of the lake! We gotta go now!”

Hongjoong clutches his hip, pursing his lips as he hides his expression of pain and surprise. 

“Really? That's great sweetie”

Eunseo however, is quick to catch on.

“What were you guys doing?” she looks at you suspiciously. Her words hang in the air for a moment. 

“Were you guys about to kis-”

Hongjoong and you frantically scurry to find a plausible excuse, shuffling awkwardly. 

“I was helping your dad unload the cooler” 

“I was helping your mom get something out of her eye”

Both girls stare at you meekly. Eunbyeol scrunches her nose. “Huh?”

Plastering on a fake smile, you briskly leaped over the luggage nearby, ushering them upstairs before they had the chance to ask anymore questions.

“I think it’s time to unpack your things.” you watched their eyebrows quirk at the way you pushed them out the kitchen.

“We can do it on our own, mom! It’s really no big d-”

You clamp Eunbyeol’s mouth shut with your hand, blushing profusely as you walk away with them. 

Hongjoong stands there alone in the kitchen, rubbing his hip and wondering what the hell just almost happened.

The next few days, you and Hongjoong don’t discuss the incident between you two. Rather, the beginning of the trip after that event has become a painful performance trying your best to be eerily polite yet distant to each other in front of your children, as if that would make you forget the fact that you two almost kissed in the kitchen.

“Could you pass the sunscreen, honey?” Hongjoong would say awkwardly, turning his back to flash you a cheery smile on the lake deck as Eunbyeol and Eunseo watched you interact while floating in the cool, summer waters. 

You passed the bottle to your ex-husband while maintaining awkward distance. “Of course, darling!” 

“Thanks honey!”

“No problem sweetheart!”

This resulted in Eunbyeol and Eunseo looking at their parents in horror, the youngest twin muttering under her breath as they discussed an urgent change of plans.

“We have to get them to stop being weird.”

Apart from that, the ‘family bonding time’ promise to your daughters was maintained, and each day was an adventure for all of you in terms of what you would do together next. An accumulation of forest trekking, water-skiing and outdoors barbeques on the patio of your cottage made everyday feel more and more special for your girls, seeing how they relished in having both their parents with them at the same place and time. It became moments of peace and resolution that eventually became special for you and Hongjoong too. 

“I hope we stay here forever,” Eunseo blurted out one evening after a blissful day near the lakeshore, watching as the sun began to go down. She was busy licking the sticky sides of her melting ice cream cone in one hand, the other one held in yours. 

Hongjoong and Eunbyeol were a few feet ahead, laughing loudly and holding hands as they compared their fruit popsicles with one another to see whose was bigger. 

“You and Byeol would eventually get sick of going to the lake all the time” You smiled, the corners of your mouth turning up before her next words made the strings of your heart tug. 

“Sure, but at least you and dad could be together with us too.”

You watched as she ran up to her sister and dad, joining in on their fun as she began boasting that her ice cream was better than theirs. Hongjoong’s smile is the biggest you’ve ever seen it to be, looking down at his girls with a golden tan from the past few days spent outside, and hair slightly damp from swimming. 

Any person could tell the love in his eyes was as pure a father’s love for his girls could be. 

Her words stuck with you until that very night, where after dinner, board games, and much pacing back and forth in your own room before getting into bed, you decided to cautiously approach Hongjoong’s room on the opposite side of the second floor.

Bare feet padded across the wooden floors as you peeked through the sliver of the open door.

He's wearing an oversized sleep tee and blue pajama pants, getting in some nighttime reading before bed. His glasses are perched on his nose, intently reading his paperback novel. He looks as domestic as a husband gets. 

At the sound of your steps though, he sits up from his relaxed state on his bed, one arm that was supporting his head coming out as the other hand settles the book down on his abdomen. He looks surprised to see you. 

“Hi” he states, looking at you. 

“Hey”

Hongjoong’s expression immediately softened at your figure, watching as you shuffled awkwardly in front of him. The room is quiet. 

“Can I come in?”

“Of course,” He nods, setting his bookmark in the spine of the cover and turning his attention to you, offering you to take a seat on his linen covers. You see his polaroid camera with photos taken of Eunbyeol and Eunseo perched on a desk nearby. 

You don’t see the ones he secretly took of you, as those are in his drawers. 

“Don’t tell me you can’t sleep by yourself” he gently teases before watching as your smile doesn't reach the ends of your eyes. You wrap your silk robe closer to your body, feeling sort of vulnerable. 

“How do you like the resort so far?” He asks, watching as you played with your fingers absentmindedly. “Is the room okay?”

“It’s wonderful Hongjoong, better than I could ever have hoped for.” You spoke up, telling the truth.

It’s hard to arrange your thoughts in your head when it’s just the two of you in his room. The kids were already fast asleep. Now was your chance to just tell him how you felt. Why were you hesitating so much?

“Hey, look at me.” Hongjoong’s soft voice calls out to you, a protective hand coming out to caress the back of your head in habit. He can tell you want to say something, and the gesture makes you emotional, remembering how he always used to do that to ease your nerves when you were younger. 

“What’s wrong? Am I making things uncomfortable on the trip?” he worries about the boundaries you established with him at the beginning, watching as your lip begins to quiver and the emotions suddenly overcome you. 

“I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry.” you sniffled, tears forming near the brim of your eyes as you looked up at the father of your children. 

Hongjoong’s eyes widened, shifting through the covers over to you. “Woah, hey, shh that’s alright I got you” he coos, immediately going into dad mode and embracing you in his arms, letting your head rest against his chest. 

The action is natural, no longer foreign or weird, and you silently thank him for leaving reassuring circles on your back. Husband or not, Hongjoong would always be your best friend first. You had forgotten how much you missed this comforting side to him.  

“Tell me what you’re sorry about” he states, chest tightening at your wet cheeks before he slowly raises your chin to look him in the eyes. 

“For being mean to you for so long” you sniffle, a weakened state of emotional guilt eating away at you. You let him watch you carefully.

“I’ve been thinking about how happy the girls have been during this trip. A-And it kills me that we’ve been fighting for the past seven years, and that they’ve grown up seeing such bad parts of ourselves, of my own self” you ramble, confessing how you felt. 

You look up. “They’re happy because we’re together Joong. Because we’re not fighting or avoiding each other like we used to do before.”

He watches as you look up at him with tears forming in your eyes. 

“You’re such a good dad. And I realized you deserve to hear that.”

At the sounds of more sniffles, Hongjoong finally speaks, smiling as he brushes stray hair from your face. 

“I wouldn’t want anyone else but you to be the mother of our children, I hope you know that”

His truthfulness throws you off guard.

“I’m sorry too” he sighs, letting you sit up straight and look him in the eyes properly. “I haven’t been the best partner either, baby. We were both mean to each other.” he says, brushing a tear away from your face.

“I’m pretty sure you’ve thrown a hair dryer at me once before as well” he attempts to make you laugh, affection blooming in his chest when he sees he succeeds, wiping your tears. 

“But I already knew how you felt, sweetheart. I always know” he smiles, eyes mirroring a weak ache in his heart.  

“Married or not, we were once friends. And now we’re family” His voice turns deep, strong and dependable like the father he’s become.

“We can start over” you tell him, smiling as he folds his hands over your palm. “We can always do better from now and going forward. For ourselves, and for Eunseo and Eunbyeol.” 

Hongjoong nods, hesitantly for a split second before he leans over to press a soft kiss to your cheek, showing a gesture of affection that you longed for so long.

You shut your eyes, the kiss making your heart flutter. 

“Friends again?” He whispers, though silently wanting something more. 

You sighed, pulling him in closer to embrace in a hug. “Friends” you nodded while inhaling his comforting scent. 

The next morning, and for the rest of the remaining trip onwards, you and Hongjoong’s relationship dynamics did the equivalent of a 180 degree turn. 

It’s hard to believe you two really just wanted to be ‘friends’

Eunbyeol and Eunseo could tell by the way you talked to each other more, noticing you share more secret glances and fleeting touches that were innocent to the eye, but concealing a longing that you both tried to hide. You knew you couldn’t get carried away. You and Hongjoong were simply resolving a rough patch in your parenting. Not getting back together in a relationship. 

But after spending more time together while Eunbyeol and Eunseo became occupied on their own, it was hard keeping the interactions to a justified amount. Long walks in the forest, evenings spent cooking together, even cuddling together on the couch during family movie night. Thinking your kids were too busy watching the vintage Disney movie play on screen, when in fact, the real love story they were more invested in was happening right in front of their eyes, watching their parents falling in love again.

This led to the last event in their plan that they hoped would finally seal the deal. 

On Saturday night, the last night of your trip before you had to go back to the city, you and Hongjoong are surprised to find mini invitations left on your beds, scribbled in glitter pen and cursive handwriting reading out the following:

Gourmet Dinner Date for 2

Time: 7:30 pm

Location: Outdoor patio 

Dress code: Formal and Classy

You and your husband chuckled at the cards left on your beds, suddenly finding a twin each by your side and ushering you to get ready. 

“Do you and your sister even know how to cook dinner, Eunbyeol?” You questioned as your daughter rushed to push you into your walk-in closet, forcing you to get ready. 

She huffs, placing her hands on her hips looking offended. 

“At least my cooking skills don’t take after Dad’s, mom.” She mumbled, choosing your shoes for you. “Have some trust in a girl!”

Meanwhile, Hongjoong gets pampered by Eunseo in the other room, though in reality, her blunt critiques on her dads fashion are bruising his pride at the moment. 

“Dad, you have many normal clothes to wear. You have to chill with the ripped baggy jeans.” she demands, trudging through his closet to find something formal for him to wear. 

He begins to protest but his daughter shakes her head. “You’re supposed to look good for mom!” she huffs, searching on her own. At Eunseo’s words, the man starts to slightly worry, scratching the back of his head. 

“You and Byeol are gonna join too, right?”

She stops for a second, looking back to her father as she avoids the question and instead retorts back. 

“It’s just a date, Dad. Relax”

Back to what was happening in the other room at the end of the hallway, you huffed in frustration when you walked back into your closet after Byeol rejected another one of your outfits for the dinner date. 

“I have nothing else to wear, sweetie, these are all the clothes I have.” you came to terms with a hand coming to your forehead after having searched in despair. 

The ten year old shakes her head before pushing you out of the way and digging deep into your suitcase. She reveals a delicate piece of material you didn’t even realize you packed. 

“We got some help from Aunt Sophie and Uncle Hwa to pack you guys clothes that you could wear for a special occasion.” she wiggles her eyebrows, a smug grin on her face as you gap in shock. 

You inspect the dress, lips parting in disbelief as you feel the material. 

“I haven’t worn this since I was in college.” You uttered softly to yourself. 

At one longing look of the short dress, you shake your head, walking back into the closet to find something else. “I-I can’t wear this Byeol, what would your dad think?“ you asked nervously.

“Dad said he thinks your boobs looked hot in this dress so Aunt Sophie and I picked it specially” she looks up at you, proud of what she just said.  

You whip your head around, mouth hanging open in shock.

“Byeol! Where did you hear that from?” 

She sighs. “Dad had one too many drinks this one time and started talking about you guys back in college” she explained before shoving the infamous black dress in your hands. 

“Talked a lot about how pretty you were,” she draws out her words in a teasing voice. You curse your husband for his mistake.

You bite your lip as you stare down at the fabric in your hands. 

It was undeniable. You knew you looked amazing in this dress. You could testify from the amount of times Hongjoong ripped it off of you after countless night out’s filled with sexual tension and playful flirting. For god's sake, Eunbyeol and Eunseo could’ve almost had another sibling thanks to that dress.

“Fine.” you muttered bashfully, turning away as you walked into the closet to change. 

“But I’m just gonna try it on.”

Thirty minutes, one mental breakdown and too many outfit changes to count later, you walk down the stairs wearing the dress Eunbyeol had successfully persuaded you to wear. 

What do you know, the kid was right. Your boobs looked amazing in that dress. 

Not just your boobs, your whole body looked incredible with its strong curves and the beautiful fill it gave to the dress, making it slightly tighter than when you wore it as a twenty year old, but still all the more mature and sophisticated. You really did look hot.

Eunbyeol rushes down the stairs before you, catching up with her sister to inspect her job on their fathers preparation. 

“Well?” She says expectedly, looking at her dad. “Let’s take a look!”

He sports a simple yet timeless white collar dress shirt, the first few buttons undone as he wears a form fitting black dress-vest that accentuates his waist, dress pants paired to go along with it. Though simple, his silver rings pulled the outfit together, making him just as good looking and sophisticated as you were. 

Hongjoong’s back faces towards your front, watching as the man nervously shuffles his hands in his pockets.

“How do I look guys?” He gulps, adjusting his collar and sweeping his blond hair back. 

Eunseo rolls her eyes, a grin on her proud little face. “Do you even have to ask, dad?” She’s more than confident in the outfit she and Seonghwa coordinated together. 

He chuckles, shaking his head as he nervously tells them. 

“I want to look good for your mom, you know what I mean? She's a difficult woman to impress sometimes.”

“I’m difficult?” You tease, walking down the last few steps of the stairs. 

The man turns his head around, losing his breath at the sight of you standing there in front of him, wearing that dress that he hadn’t seen you wear for so long, looking breathtaking in every possible way. 

“Hi” you grinned softly, feeling sort of shy.

The way you fit in that dress made an insatiable hunger fuel inside Hongjoongs chest, eyes gazing at the way you strutted over in the black, lace covered material with your hair tied back and glossed lips turned upwards as your dimples showed. He breaks from his admiration when you quirk a brow at him, making the man almost fall to his knees and stutter uncontrollably. 

“I-I No I didn’t mean that-“

You giggle as you bravely take Hongjoongs hands in your own, shutting him up as you turn to your daughters standing in front of you, starstruck at your aura. 

“Outside, right?” you winked at them. 

“Right this way!” Eunseo enthusiastically leads you out back to the outdoor patio, a perfect view of the garden and lakeside coming into effect. Hongjoong slips his hand from yours, and slides it across your waist, pulling you into his side. 

“My parents are too cool” Eunbyeol sighs under her breath, watching from behind in awe.

Your ex-husband makes you swoon when he leans in to whisper softly. “You look breathtaking, sweetheart.” feeling an immense sense of pride at how lucky he was to make you the mother of his children. 

You blush, turning to him to whisper playfully back. 

“Not bad yourself.” 

You both look forward when you come to a stop at the patio steps, sheer amazement at the full preparation your daughters did for this event. Fairy lights were hung around the area, a table with two chairs on either side placed with a white table cloth and a bouquet of freshly hand picked flowers from the forest, battery powered candles that were sold at the souvenir shop lit in the middle and glowing softly. 

Eunbyeol dashes to the door when it rings, making you and Hongjoong furrow your brows. 

“Is someone here?” he asks, watching Eunseo fold a napkin over her arm like the pro waiter she was. The other one walks out, an oily fast food paper bag in her hands as she smiles. “Dinner is served!” 

“Turns out that diner 15 minutes away also delivers!” She chuckled, helping her sister plate the two cheeseburgers, fries, and vanilla and strawberry milkshakes. 

You and Hongjoong continue to watch in stunned amazement as the girls prepare the not exactly gourmet(?) but still impressive meal in front of you, their small hands working swiftly. 

“You guys prepared all of this?” You asked, getting a little emotional. They grin proudly, nodding their heads. “We called the place earlier and planned it all by ourselves!”

You pressed a kiss to each of their soft cheeks, thanking them both as Hongjoong did the same. 

“What did I do to get so lucky with my girls?” he smiles, ruffling their heads. 

“What about you guys?” You asked, watching as they slowly backed away to give you two some privacy. 

“Natalie and her mom invited us over for dinner and a sleepover tonight at her cottage,” Eunbyeol smiles. At the mention of their newly made friend that they had gotten close to over the week, Hongjoong looks at you then back at them. 

“What? But- ”

She cuts him off, rolling her eyes. “Her mom said it’s totally fine with her. She’s only two cottages down, and she’ll make sure we’re back in time again for tomorrow when we leave!” 

The two girls smile in excitement, though the both of you have your parental instincts kick in. 

“Please?” they begged, wanting you to let them go so that they could do this for you guys as much as they wanted to do it for themselves. “She’s waiting for us now!”

Hongjoong feels guilty. “C’mon, you guys should still join us!”

Eunseo immediately shakes her head, declining the offer. 

“Tonight is all about you guys. We don’t want to intrude” she chuckles, bumping shoulders with her sister who chips in.

“We’ll text you guys in the middle to let you know everything’s good of course” 

You and Hongjoong smile, a feeling of immense proudness overwhelming you from seeing your daughters act so grown up. There wasn’t anything else you felt grateful for more. 

“Thank you girls.” you muttered softly, watching as they flashed you a wink before hurrying out through the backyard door. 

“Don’t get all kissy in the backyard!” Eunbyeol teases, making cheesy smooching sounds with the back of her hand as her sister rolls her eyes and shoves her out. 

Before you know it, you’re left standing with just the sound of smooth jazz playing on the patio speakers and the buzzing of the summer cicadas. 

“She takes after you, I hope you know that” You told Hongjoong softly.  

He chuckles, “Not as much as you.” He gestures to the table. “Shall we?” 

And that’s how the next few hours seem to pass by without even realizing. 

You see, there was a reason why you fell in love with the man sitting in front of you, and you’re just beginning to remember it now. Being with Hongjoong felt as if the moment was everlasting, and you could testify that from the amount of laughter and deep conversation that was shared over dinner, bringing you to sit on that patio until the sun had set. Every so often you’d smile again at the thought of the twins preparing this all for you. 

“I don’t remember the last time I’ve been on a date like this” You blurted out after laughing about something, taking a sip of your strawberry milkshake through a straw. 

“Oh, so we’re going on dates now, are we?” Hongjoong grins, making you roll your eyes at him. 

You lean forward on the table cloth, watching as a glimmer passes through your husband’s eyes while he sits back in his chair, cocking his head to the side as he clears his voice. 

“But you’ve gone on dates after we split, haven’t you?” he asks, leaning forward in interest now, letting his chin rest on his palm. 

You shook your head slowly.

“Nope. Not since signing those papers” you revealed. 

Hongjoong furrows his brows in surprise. “And why’s that?” 

You suddenly didn’t have an answer. “I-I don’t know, I just…” You began, watching how he looked at you with an unreadable expression. You smiled, looking down and suddenly feeling embarrassed. 

“I guess I was too focused on running the bridal shop, I couldn’t find the time to.” You use as a cliche excuse. 

“Bullshit” he retorts back immediately. 

“It’s true!” You protested, throwing a fry at him that he dodges, landing on his finished plate. 

“You always did say back when we were younger that you wanted to be a designer. And look at you now” he admires, letting the candle lights shine a youthful glow to your face. 

“You always said you wanted to become a music producer and write your own songs.” you reciprocated, smiling as you soaked in the presence of one another. “And here you are now.” 

You think for a moment before asking the same question. 

“How about you?” 

Hongjoong silently shakes his head as his answer, though silently thinking about something else. The music changes to some old Billy Joel song in the back. You don’t realize it, but Hongjoong smiles to himself when he realizes the girls added it to the playlist. Of course they had to, it was one of the songs you played at your wedding. 

“What were we thinking when we got married like that?” You asked out loud, looking at how far you’d both come. You definitely skipped some of the order of the stages of a normal relationship. 

“I mean, we had no money, no prospects. Hell, we didn’t even have a car, Hongjoong!” you realized.

Your husband laughs, sitting straight and letting some skin show through his unbuttoned collar. 

“We were young” he justifies. 

“Yeah, and stupid too,” you pointed out, feeling the summer breeze pass by. It felt good to sit here like this with him.

You wondered, could sitting here like this with Hongjoong be a regular thing? After this trip, would you be able to walk back into each other’s lives again like this? 

As both parents and lovers?

Hongjoong brings up something you wouldn’t have expected him to. 

“Do you remember when we first found out about Eunseo and Eunbyeol?” he questioned softly, looking at you. 

You blink, taken aback. Suddenly you’re back in your college dorm washroom, sobs wracking through your body as Hongjoong who had only just sent his first few mixtapes to recording stations and companies nearby, pulled you close into his chest, eyeing the two lines left on the counter while he caressed your back. Only twenty years old and figuring out what you wanted to do with your lives, you were suddenly stuck in a sudden situation that had made you feel like your dreams would have been given up on completely. 

“I do,” you told him, pulling yourself from the memory. 

“I remember because in that moment I felt like the whole world was caving in”. You laughed, though it wasn’t fully cheerful.

“I don’t regret it, though” Hongjoong replies after some thought, gazing at you with truth in his eyes. 

You shook your head. “Of course. Neither do I.” 

It was a blessing to have two beautiful daughters as the product of your love.

“I don’t regret you either.” Hongjoong states.

You lock gazes, unable to take your eyes off of his face. 

“I loved you when I first met you and I still loved you when we divorced,” he says all at once, making your breath hitch and heart waver. 

“Don’t say that.” you tell him, looking away and suddenly reminding yourself you’re still divorced from the man sitting in front of you. 

How could he still love you after all this time? How could you feel the same about him?

Hongjoong continues, shaking his head as he bites back the lodge in his throat and makes up his mind. He has to tell you. 

“Truthfully, I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving you.” 

Don’t do this to me you begged silently.

“I’ve hurt you just as much as you’ve hurt me.” He swallows, thinking back to the times you already knew he was referring to. The times where you fought to the point where there wasn’t even anything worth fighting for anymore. 

“But you have given me the greatest gifts of my life.” He smiles, holding his tears back.

“And for that I will always love you.”

You push your seat from the table, suddenly feeling overwhelmed and wanting to avoid him.

“I can’t do this anymore.” you dejected, walking away from the patio and from Hongjoong.

There wasn’t anything else you could fake anymore. You couldn’t bear to hear the man you once loved, possibly even still love, say these things like he had a dagger lodged in his heart. Didn’t he know he was only going to do the same to you?

Hongjoong is quick to catch up, holding onto your wrist and turning you around, that your back collides with the nearest wall inside, pressing your fronts together and closing the distance.

“Why do you always run away from me? From the possibility of us?” He exclaimed, voice breaking. His heart crushed at the way you turned your head, hot tears already clouding your vision. 

“Because ‘us’ can’t happen again, Hongjoong!” You cried, staring up at the man you once promised your life to.

“Don’t you get it? Us going on this trip isn’t a sign to get back together. What would we do seven years after breaking up?”

“We could do it” He states firmly, staring you down, both your chests heaving.

You bite your tears back again. “No we couldn’t, honey. We would be pretending to think we solved our marriage. What would we do about our daughters? After putting them through our constant fighting— ”

He slams his lips to your own, shutting you up as you painfully resist his touch. Your hands came up to push him away, but at the sudden gesture, you’re already giving in and sobbing softly, letting him hold you for just one last time. 

Your lips mold so perfectly, it almost hurts how much you missed this feeling. To have him slot his arms around your waist, pull you in close, and cherish you. You almost forgot this feeling. 

He pulls away softly, watching your lashes flutter, pleading to you for a chance as he leans closer, making your breath hitch. 

“We could be together as a family again,” he states firmly, your name leaving his lips in a desperate plea. “We never know if we try—”

You drown out his words, looking up with tears falling as you cut him off. 

“Seven years ago I gave you those papers to sign, thinking that you would’ve chased after me,” 

Hongjoong holds his breath, watching as the next words stumble from your mouth. 

“I realize now, how stupid I was to think that.”

“I didn’t know you wanted me to chase you”

Shoving his chest away while mustering the last of your strength you uttered. “Of course I wanted you to chase me.” You let go of his hands. “It’s too late either way��, walking away from the defeated man.

Hongjoong stands alone near the patio entrance, watching his tears fall to the wooden floorboards. Holding the ring he had kept hidden in his trouser pocket, he plays with it in his fingers, silently wishing he had given it to you sooner. 

It rains the next morning on your departure back to the city. Perfect, considering it reflects the sudden storm of utter depression that falls upon your family. Long gone are the cheerful giggles and longing stares that were shared between you and Hongjoong during the ride to the cottage. 

There was no room for that, not after last night.

Eunbyeol and Eunseo sat slumped in the backseat, rain hitting the roof of the car as they mindlessly played on their cell phones. Really, they were peeking from behind every so often and watching their parents sit in the front seat with tension so thick, you could’ve cut it with a knife. 

What had they done wrong? They planned the trip, the activities, the dinner— it was all perfect. And yet why were you still fighting with each other? 

These questions racked in their brains, baffled to have witnessed the sight of their parents refusing to talk to each other after walking back from their friends' sleepover. 

Eunbyeol and Eunseo felt as useful as matchmakers without a couple, feeling their efforts all gone down the drain. 

At the sudden ring of your cell phone, you pick up, answering at the voice of your assistant. 

“I’m driving back up right now”

Hongjoong continues focusing on the road, the occasional wiping of rain from the windshield wipers on the front window. 

“Yes. That’s okay, I'll take care of it.” You muttered, glancing at the rear view mirror for a moment. Your twin daughters immediately sigh, having an idea of what to expect when you say those familiar words. 

“Thanks for letting me know.” 

You hang up the phone, 

“One of us isn’t going with you, are we?” Eunseo asks, making you look back at her with a sigh. 

“No, you’re not” You confess, apologetic. ‘I’m sorry honey. I really am.”

You look back facing the front, swallowing as you told Hongjoong. 

“You’ll have to drop me off at the studio. Some things aren’t working out with the client so they need me to come in and take care of it.”

He nods, unphased as he continues to look straight. 

“Will you be fine with the girls?” You asked carefully, watching them as they were slumped in the backseat.

Hongjoong grips the wheel before turning to you. 

“I‘ll be fine. Don’t worry about it” sending a small smile, though it doesn’t fully reach his eyes. 

The twins thank god that at least neither of them had to choose to go back home with either parent. 

They would’ve hated that more. 

After barely being able to depart and say goodbye to your daughters in front of your studio, holding them close for a warm embrace and thanking them for an unforgettable weekend, Hongjoong drives off with his daughters, an empty feeling cascading his thoughts. He puts on a smile still, trying to cheer up his girls. 

“What do you want to do first when we go home? Want to unpack and then eat? We can eat and then unpack. Or we could- ”

Eunseo crosses her arms, having been fed up for far too long.

“Dad, you must be out of your mind.” 

Hongjoong stills, furrowing his brows and peeking at the first born who crosses her arms, holding an attitude. 

“Eunseo, what are you- ” 

“You’re telling me you and Mom just spent a whole entire week together at the cottage, had the best time of your lives since separating with one another, and now you’re just going to go back to not speaking or talking to each other again?”

Hongjoong blinks at his daughter’s sudden outburst, already making a turn into the driveway of his house.  

Eunbyeol now reciprocates her twin, looking at her dad as she slouches beside him, coming near the front seat area. 

“She’s got a point dad. Do you really just not love mom anymore?” She worries, looking up at him genuinely concerned. 

Hongjoong doesn’t know how to answer these sudden questions right now, stuttering to reply.

“Me and your mother are fine!” He lies, trying to reassure them. “That trip wasn’t just for us, it was also for you two to enjoy— ”

Eunseo asks the million dollar question. 

“If you still love Mom, why are you letting her go a second time?” 

With the engine turned off, it's gone silent. Two pairs of eyes staring at their father, awaiting his response. 

“Well? Are you going to chase after her or not?!” Eunbyeol groans, her fathers lack of response making her pull her hair. 

They were right. How could he have made the same stupid mistake twice?

Hongjoong struggles to put the keys back in the engine, telling them to put their seat belts back on. Their eyes begin to glow with hope.

“Do you girls mind staying at your uncle’s for a bit?” He asks hurriedly, punching into his cell phone to call his brother for a favor as he pulls out of the driveway. Eunbyeol squeals, hands clamping over her mouth as her sister speaks on behalf of them both. 

“Dad, if you don’t drop us off and get your butt over to mom’s right away, I’m gonna report you to child services.” she threatens, watching as he steps on the accelerator, heart pumping so fast as he smiles through the rear view mirror.

You sighed, holding up your cellphone to your ear. 

“Call me once she approves the design then,” you told your assistant through the receiver, one hand looking over the sheets of paper, highlighting the changes to the new blueprint. 

“Alright then, bye.” 

After hanging up the phone, you rubbed your temples, head pounding as you tucked the files back into the folder. 

The clock in your studio showed the hands about to reach seven pm. A few hours had already passed since coming back from your trip to the cottage, trying to forget everything by burying your focus into the new dress prints a client of yours requested, remodeling them after the original was rejected. 

Fingers worked away swiftly, comparing textiles and fabrics as you looked at the piles of papers and messy sticky notes in front of you. But yet the gears in your mind seemed to churn achingly slow, sighing as you repeatedly told yourself the same thing. 

Just focus on the dress, focus on the dress, focus on the dress.

Don’t think about him. 

The task is impossible. Your mind can’t help but slip back to what your relationship has become with Hongjoong, and what you were going to do now that those seven days were over. For so long you had deprived yourself from indulging in your love life, prioritizing taking care of Eunseo and Eunbyeol while juggling your job as a designer. Had you been doing it all wrong? 

Hongjoong’s words repeat in your head like a broken record player. 

I will always love you

Lies. That promise couldn’t be kept. Your divorce was a clear outcome of it. You and Hongjoong were two people not meant for one another. You were too different, all you would do is hurt one another, make life an unbearable living hell—

And yet you missed him. You missed Hongjoong so much. 

What was fucking keeping you from loving him? Was it your stubbornness? Was it really the fact that he didn’t chase after you? Or was it none of that and just your own self being stupid?

The front door of the studio opens, pulling you from your thoughts as you got back to the sketches. You called up from your desk as you worked quietly. 

“The studios closed for the- ”

Heavy breathing. The man who just walked in catches his breath from dashing out of his car and up the three flights of stairs, driving through almost an hour of traffic in pouring rain to be here in this moment with you.

“Hongjoong?”

He’s drenched, making a mess on the floor of the studio as the droplets fall softly one by one. 

Suddenly he's striding over to where you’re sitting in long steps before slamming his lips against yours. The kiss throws you off guard, the shock of his cold hands cradling your face makes you close the gap unknowingly. 

Linking your arms around his neck while kissing back passionately, you let your hands rest on his shoulders, pulling back for air as you panted heavily, catching your breaths and looking at each other with pure love and lust. 

“Why are you here?” you asked, feeling dumb because your heart already knew the answer. His hands wrap around your waist, desperate as if you would leave him again. 

But he’s just so fucking tired of that now. He just wants to love you now.

“I lost you once.” He breathes, eyes watering.

“I’m not going to lose you again”. 

Suddenly, everything that kept you from being with each other is thrown away. 

That hate, that fear, everything is gone because you realize you still needed each other. You’re still the same twenty year old couple standing in that dorm washroom, holding each other close and knowing it’ll be okay because at least you had each other. 

You grasp onto his damp shirt, pulling him down with such force that your lips meet again, taking charge as you finally allowed him to have you. 

“You’re a fucking idiot” you whined between kisses, curses escaping your lips when he softly bites the flesh of your neck to test the waters. “I hope you know that”

He agrees wholeheartedly, nodding as if he was already getting pussydrunk.

“I’m an idiot” he mumbles to himself, letting it escape his lips like a mantra. Well, he was stupid enough to only chase after you this late, so if his wife told him he was an idiot, then so he was.

“Let me prove how much I love you,” a hand comes to graze near the collar of your shirt. 

You gasped, watching as Hongjoong lifted you from your seat and rutted his hips against your core pathetically, your ass digging into the edge of the table.

“Here?” Your eyes widened, watching his expression turn dark. He presses kisses on your collarbone, making your hands grasp the wood for support. “Hongjoong wait,” you exhaled in a deep breath, heart beating against your chest.

But he doesn’t give a shit. He’s tired of waiting. 

“It’s been too fucking long” he protests, ripping your top off. You’re dizzy from how abruptly he’s stripping you, latching onto his shoulders for support as you wobble from him unzipping your jeans and pushing them down, exposing you in nothing but your underwear and bra. 

And like the good little whore you are, you immediately spread your legs, letting Hongjoong get a view of the embarrassingly wet patch leaking through your panties as he’s crouched down to let you step out of the denim near your ankles.

Holy fucking shit

You stand bashfully, toes curling from how exposed and vulnerable you were being the only one naked. 

“Please?” you asked nicely, letting your foot rest on his shoulder as your pussy was now on full display for him.

You don’t have time to even finish the last word before Hongjoong dives in, lapping at your soaking cunt and humming in pure ecstasy at the taste. The muffled vibrations make you throw your head back, tugging on his locks to shove his face further. 

Hongjoong’s hands press into your thighs that cage his head in, leaving a grip that you guarantee with littering the flesh with red splotchy bruises. Did you mind? Not at all.

When his tongue pokes at the gummy flesh of your walls, you let out a full moan, echoing throughout the studio as the air begins to smell like sex. 

“Right there, yes” you urged him, leg beginning to shake from how weak it was getting. 

He's so invested, you fear he might suffocate any longer if he doesn’t pull back for air. So you grasp his head, pushing him away from his meal while you both gasped lightly.

You watch him wipe his slick covered chin with the back of his hand, not breaking eye contact as he stares. 

“You were just begging to be fucked for all these years, weren’t you sweetheart?” He teases. 

Though you wanted him to lap at your juices until you came, you knew you needed to still feel his cock inside after so long. 

Your fingers played with the hem of your underwear, smiling back at your husband. 

“And you were just begging to get a taste of this pussy, weren’t you, Joong?” wiping that smug grin off his face.

”Lay down for me” he demands, getting up so that one hand finds its way to the back of your bra to unclasp it. The other clears half your desk covered in wedding dress blueprints and sketches, making sure nothing would make you uncomfortable before he fucked you on that mahogany surface so all you’d remember would be his name. 

And people said romance was dead. 

When the bra slides off and your bare back hits your desk, you suddenly realize what Hongjoong’s intention was when he ordered you to do that. 

Soft mounds spill out as your breasts take their natural form, giving Hongjoong the perfect view of your tits. Pervert. 

He immediately latches his tongue on a nipple, taking his hand and playing with the other, twisting painfully. 

A cry escapes your lips, parting them open as you let him play with them as much as he wanted to. He smiles against the motherfuckers, knowing that shut you up perfectly. 

“Are you ready for me to fuck you now?”

“Please, Joong, I need you” you whined, submitting yourself to your husband. He already knows you’re in need of one last kiss, coming up to give his wife what she wants by slotting his lips against yours again, this time much harsher. 

“Tell me so that I treat you good, baby” he mumbles, pulling back and making you clench your thighs together. He undoes his shirt in the meantime, unbuckling his belt and pressing a sweet kiss to your cheek when you sobbed. 

“Fuck me, please” 

His fingers slide your panties to the side to press his aching tip to your wet core. 

“Like this?” He teases.

“Inside, Hongjoong” you emphasized, meaning what you said with the way your nails dug into a pile of papers nearby. Biting your lip from how sensitive and needy your cunt was. 

“I know, I know,” he murmured, smiling to himself after messing with you. 

“I just missed this pretty cunt” before in one strong thrust, Hongjoong’s bulging tip enters inside your walls, giving you a stretch you forgot how much you loved. You whined softly. 

“Shit” he curses, relishing how the buildup finally led to this moment. 

The man is ravenous, but he’s genuinely trying his best to ease the painful stretch as you adjust to his thickness, nipping your neck in a trail of hickeys and love bites posessively.

With every thrust he makes, you arch your back, pencils and papers shuffling near by you. 

“Fucking look at my wife” he admires proudly, watching the woman he loves bounce her tits at every thrust of his cock. 

“S’too much” you caved in, shaking your head at the stimulation. 

You claw at his arms, head turning to the side as your eyes roll back from pleasure. 

“I know, mama, I know” 

He grabs a tit in his left hand, the right one coming down to play with your clit, pressing slow circles near where you were connected. 

“Fuck, I missed these” He rasps, savouring the feeling of your soft flesh in his hand, making you throw your head back. 

“Missed how they looked when you were pregnant” he says, thinking of how ethereal you looked when you were knocked up with his kids. 

“God, at this point I’m gonna get you fucking pregnant again” Hongjoong grunts, snapping his hips deliriously back and forth. He envisions you round and full, fulfilling his inner fantasy. 

“Shut up.” You spat, breaking the mood as you bit your lip to suppress a moan. He almost laughs when you then crane your hips back to give him easier access to keep penetrating you. The desk shuffles. 

“Your mouth is saying one thing, honey, but your body is saying something else” 

After hearing his words, you suck him in further, both of you now getting close. 

“M’close. M’so close!” you whimpered, sitting up so that now Hongjoong could hold you in his arms, caging your body so his cock could stuff you better. 

Your mouth hangs open in silent bliss, hands scratching his back. You leaned into his ear, making the final chord inside him snap. 

“Make me cum, daddy” 

And just like that, you’re clenching around Hongjoong’s massive cock as a creamy white ring begins to form. Hot ropes fill you up inside, tangled in a sweaty mess as he purrs, caressing the back of your head again in habit. 

“So fucking good, sweetheart. You did so good for me”

The sounds of your breathing fill the studio, a pencil or two rolling quietly away on the ground from being shoved off the desk. He shakes his head when you try to pull your sweaty bodies away, hair sticking to your neck but feeling the way he refuses. 

“Just let me love you,” he mumbles into your shoulder, dick softening inside you. “Just for a moment.”

You’re too tired to say anything back, so you finally give in. 

Seven years passed by you two without even realizing how much you still loved each other. Though you wouldn’t be able to get that time back, for once, there was something that you and Hongjoong agreed upon. 

You had no intention of wasting that time any more. 

𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄:

Months later, and it still takes everything in Eunbyeol and Eunseo hearts to not scream at the sight of their parents when they walk hand in hand, smiling happily in public as they pick their daughters up from the first day of school. 

The girls jump into their parent’s embrace, eying the two silver rings they now wore proudly together. 

“How was school, darlings?” Hongjoong asks, pressing a kiss to Eunseo and Eunbyeol. 

“It was fun! We watched a documentary about lovebirds” she smiled, looking back up. You laughed softly.

“Which reminded me to tell you,” she grins, watching as you, her sister, and father all looked at her. 

“I hope you know that getting you and dad back together was my plan from the start.” she confesses, smirking at Eunbyeol who scoffs, crossing her arms. 

“Nuh uh, this was my idea first!” 

Before her sister could yell at her twin, you jumped in. 

“Plan? What plan?” You asked quizzically, both you and Hongjoong standing there confused.

“To get you guys to fall back in love again, of course!” Eunseo smiles, both her and her sister now giggling softly together.  

“How am I just finding out that there was a plan?” Hongjoong mutters, scratching his neck in confusion. You turned to the two girls, stopping in your tracks on your way to the car

“When did you two even think of all this?” grinning in astonishment as you felt Hongjoong slot his hand and intertwine it with yours. It felt natural now.

“Yeah, I'm curious too” he states, leaning close and becoming intrigued.

Your daughters look at each other before smiling. 

“It’s a long story.”

But at last, time is something you finally now have as a reunited family of four, walking back to your car, holding hands with a twin on each side.

Listening carefully, as your daughters start from the very beginning.

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[ghoulpiled]

ʟᴏꜱ ᴀɢᴇʟᴇꜱꜱ || Part One

𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞? 𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞? 𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚘?

❧𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Pre-War!Cooper Howard x fem!Reader

❧𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧g: E / MATURE! Minors, DO NOT interact!

❧ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ: Smut with plot, virgin!reader, cheating, lowkey alcoholic reader, oral (female receiving), fingering, penetration

❧𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡: ~6k

❧𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: From costars to strangers, it’s like fate keeps bringing the two of you together.

❧ɴᴏᴛᴇ:  Lots of switching from present to past tense as events happen. Also, added new parts from what the teaser had. Realized I wanted to make this a story with more than one part. If I kept just one part... it would be far too long.

You have been in the acting game for far too long. Originally you were advertising royalty. Your mom first put you into commercial gigs at the young age of five. Luckily for your mom, BlamCo Mac & Cheese was looking for the new poster child. Your face was plastered on billboards all around Hollywood. “Nothing says dinner like BlamCo Mac & Cheese. Bring the family together for a dish everyone will enjoy.” This phrase will forever be etched into the grooves of your brain. But as all gigs go, you outgrew BlamCo. Once you hit age ten, you couldn’t be the cutesy little kid telling families to eat the most disgusting mac and cheese known to man. Like many gigs will do, you were dropped from the gig. It paid well. Well, it paid your mom well. 

She would go on lavish vacations without you. Only leaving you with a babysitter. This babysitter ended up raising you. Your mom would also buy herself expensive dresses and handbags. What would you get? Hand Me downs of whatever wardrobe on commercials could give you.  This was a common theme early on in your career. The money you made was promised to you once you hit eighteen. Enough money to go to college and make a name for yourself professionally. After the BlamCo gig, you hit a dry spell. No one wanted a kid going through puberty as the face of their brand. With money getting tight, your mom signed you up for every and any background character role in a film and TV show she could. That’s where Nuka Cola noticed you.

Upon hitting sixteen, Nuka Cola representatives came up to your mom offering you a four year contract to be the face of Nuka Cola. It paid insanely well. So you did it. Another gig with your face plastered everywhere. From highway billboards to full body cut outs of you in Red Rockets across the country, you were back in the limelight. But those four years went by quickly. Once the contract ended, you were eighteen. You were excited to throw your acting career away. Child stardom was too damn much. College was going to be a fresh start for you! To no one’s surprise, you never got your money. To make it worse, your mom kicked you out of the house. She didn’t see you as profitable anymore. Mainly because you are old enough to go your own way. 

Due to all these gigs, you never had time to make friends. So you took to crashing on random old co-star’s couches. You were back to background gigs. Which paid okay but not enough to help pay for college. Sadly, that was a dream you could never catch. It took three years for you to finally get your foot back in the door with big acting gigs. That gig being A Man and His Dog. A film in which you play the main female character who is supposed to seduce the main lead. It wasn’t really a film expected to go anywhere. The lead was a man straight out of the Sino-American War who had never acted a day in his life. This was also your first big gig, you’re not one to talk. Unknown to you, that man would become western movie royalty. A young and disgruntled Cooper Howard. 

First day on set was odd. No one really talked to you. Not even the director. There was no way you were to know if you were doing the role justice. They had you in a wedding dress with white face paint. It was embarrassing. You stand near your trailer, lighting up a cigarette during lunch. Rent was due that night and you had no money to pay it. If this gig didn’t make a lot of money, you’re screwed. With a shaky breath, you look down at the ground. You’re getting cigarette ash all over this dress. Wardrobe is going to kill you. 

“Now what’s a pretty thing like you doing out here all alone?”

The southern voice takes you out of your thoughts as you look up. You rub your eyes, messing up the makeup you have on. Now your hand is stained white. Great. Cooper walks over to you  before leaning against your trailer. He takes out a cigarette of his own and begins to smoke with you. This is the first person to speak with you and it's the lead of the film. You try to act natural but you’re smitten. There is some charm he holds. Maybe it’s the fact you’re playing weird lovers in the film or the fact you have never been in contact with such a gorgeous man before. This moment right now makes you realize you’ve never had your first kiss. Your life has been acting gig after acting gig. No time for personal relationships.

“Are ya just gon’ stare at me?” He chuckles, voice smooth like whiskey. 

You clear your throat and shake your head.

“Sorry, I’m not used to small talk.” Is all you can truly muster.

He offers you a kind smile. One that feels like sickly sweet honey on a hot day. It makes your stomach flutter with butterflies. He already has you wrapped around his finger. Maybe it’s the southern drawl that burns like a good bourbon. He is one hell of a charmer. 

“Ain’t small talk unless you want it to be.” He takes a long drag from his cigarette, licking his bottom lip.

“You’re killing it by the way. The director is- pardon my language- a dick.” Cooper scoffs, shaking his head. He flicks his cigarette onto the ground and stomps on it which causes you to do it to your own.

You can’t help but chuckle at that. 

“You can say that again.” You turn to face him, leaning against your own trailer.

Maybe this set wouldn’t be as bad as you thought. 

During set, you would crash at Cooper’s apartment. A tiny place near filming. You ended up getting evicted because you couldn’t afford rent. It was only logical you still find somewhere to crash. You’re lucky you became close with Cooper. He’s a gentleman. Made you feel at home. You opened up about your childhood and he opened up about war. War. It was a scary thing. His stories kept you on the edge of your seat. Here you were, thinking you had a tough past. Almost all of Cooper’s friends are dead because of the war. You could only comfort him. 

It’s not like he didn’t have a support system. He had a beautiful fiancé who would stop by sometimes. You couldn’t help but feel a bit of jealousy when she came by. Of course you and Cooper were just friends but no one had shown you kindness the way he had. Maybe you fell for him out of convenience… or the feelings were real; Yet, the way he held her and the way she made him laugh was something you’ll never have with him. 

There were late nights at Cooper’s apartment where he would be on the phone with his fiancé nonstop. But then there were nights just for you. All his attention on you after wrapping. The two of you would share a few drinks and shoot the shit about set. Make fun of the director or one of your costars. There was one night in particular where the both of you got overly excited about drinking.

It was a tough day after set and the two of you were sitting on his couch drinking the stress away. This was after filming an explicit scene with him. The way he was on top of you was burned into your brain. While there was no real sex that had happened, the performance was perfect. Hungry kisses were pressed to your neck and you fake biting his collarbone causing him to hiss in pain… 

While sitting next to him, three rum and Nukas in, you were getting handsy. So was he. He laid a hand on your knee and you have a hand on his chest.

“Never acted out a sex scene before…” You slur, biting your lip.

“It was kind of obvious, darlin’” Cooper takes another sip, causing you to swat at his chest.

“Coop! C’mon. It wasn’t that bad was it?” You whine and lean back against the couch.

“Well… I mean, think of it as if it was real. That should help your performance.”

You look up at Cooper and your cheeks turn red. It took a moment for him to realize what you were getting at. When he did, his own cheeks heated up. 

“You’re not sayin-”

“I am.” You say and he pulls his hand off of your knee. “Never kissed anyone either.”

Maybe it was the drinks, maybe it was pent up lust from the set, but he leans in. Against your better judgment, you lean in too. You could taste the rum against his soft lips. Wrapping your arms around him, you don’t question this one bit. Running his tongue over your bottom lip, you invite him inside your mouth. You run your tongue over his, feeling the rough bumps. He bites your tongue softly, sucking on it. It was enough to make you moan. You curl your fingers in his hair, tugging at it. Cooper pushes himself against you where you could feel just how hard you were making him. He bites down on your tongue once more before you realize what is going on. That this wasn’t acting. That you were actually making out with Cooper Howard. The taken actor. One who’s fiancé, Barb, considered you family.

You pull away and only a trail of spit was what was connecting you. You were going to apologize but he got up, leaving the room. No words were shared for the rest of the night. You feel guilty. But you were too damn drunk for this. So was he.

After filming wrapped, you were thrust into the world of press. The both of you seemed to forget about the kiss. The one you shared with him while drunk. Thank god for that. The press tour with Cooper was something else. The director wanted you two to lean into a facade. He wanted the both of you to act like lovers. This was to sell the film, lean into that romance your two characters had. You couldn’t flirt for shit without a script. Cooper, however, was a complete natural.

You followed Cooper’s lead. You know it was all an act but you were falling for him. Hard. He was the first man to ever give you the time of day. You knew it was fake flirting but every blush that he caused was real. The film ended up being big enough to push both Cooper and you into the spotlight. Now you’re landing gigs like crazy as well as him.

One night you called his hotel room, drunk. You had gone to his bar after a press interview with your other cast mates. Cooper stayed in. At a payphone, you rang him. It was right after a man tried to hit on you and take you to his place. It was less romantic and more forceful. He was a balding older man who seemed to hug his cup of on tap beer. Ultimately, you punched the man in the face. He tried to grope you. You had the right to fight back. Maybe you had a tough relationship with alcohol. You’ll address that later in life. But while at that payphone, you whined and cried to Cooper. This night you barely remember other than the fact that he came and got you. He went out of his way to help you. 

You both play lovers again in another western B-film. This one didn’t have the same success as the prior film but it was still another film you did with Cooper. You loved working with him. It was always such a delight. But mid-this film, he got married. That ruined the tabloid rumors of the both of you together that were thrusting you into stardom with him. Hollywood loved rumors. You weren’t even invited to the damn wedding. That had put a rift between the both of you. He never told you why you weren’t invited. He was supposed to be your closest friend. After getting married, things changed. He didn’t act as friendly towards you. Actually, he ignored you. Barb started showing up to set more and more. You did not know at the time it would be the last time you’d be acting with him.

After that film, you two were no longer casted together. He did a lot more solo cowboy films while you still got put into that innocent lover girl stereotype. But Hollywood really started to make you jaded. Any man who approached you only wanted sex. No one liked you for you. Your personal life was shit. You had no one. But Cooper? He seemed to have it all. A wife, a kid on the way, and a successful career.You only had a career. You yearned for love. 

About three years later, you worked on a western film; one with no relation to Cooper. You were the star. Maybe people started to realize that you weren’t as innocent as films made you seem. You played a jaded mayor who took matters into her own hands when the town,  mainly men, started to turn on your character. The director and writer were women which made the set far more comfortable than anything you have ever experienced. 

Once that film wrapped, you were invited to an after party at the director’s home. Not just for your film but the other films that were filming in the lot. It was about time you had fun. For years you were on your own. No parties, just work. When you got there, the place was packed. It felt odd being dressed in a skin tight black dress, you were getting glares from older men and women. You shared hugs with a few cast and crew members before heading for the open bar. You get a vodka cranberry and find a secluded place away from most people. When you thought you were alone, you heard a familiar voice arguing.

“Did you have to invite all your coworkers?” 

Cooper. His voice is as sweet as the first day you met him. You’d recognize it anywhere.

“If we want to settle that commercial deal, you might as well get friendly with them.” 

His wife.

You scoff, rolling your eyes. Maybe she was nice. But it was almost like she knew you liked her husband. The awkward tension soured any companionship that could have happened. But that was for the best when you think about it in hindsight. You were under the influence at the moment, not exactly in the best state to talk to your ex-costar. Besides, his wife was a higher up at Vault-Tec, something a lot of actors and actresses seem to hate. There was a lot of drama going on with that. You better ignore those two like the plague, for your own sanity.

Looking from your hidden spot, you see his wife had walked away from him. She probably went to grab a drink. It made sense. He stood with a cigarette in between his fingers, still as pretty as the last time you saw him. Cooper’s eyes catch yours and you duck back to your secluded spot. You curse to yourself as you hear his footsteps come towards you.

“Ain’t no way that’s Y/N.” His southern accent is strong, causing you to swoon.

You step out of your hiding spot and sigh, offering him a friendly smile. He hugs you, acting like nothing happened. Like it hadn’t been years since you last saw him. He had a charming smile on his lips.

“Oh hey.” You shrug.

“Seen your latest picture, you killed it.” 

“Thanks.”

You didn’t know what else to say to him.

“How have you been?” He asks. It was a question you’ve been dreading.

“Fine.” You shake your head.

“Fine?”

“Mhm.”

You down the rest of your drink, needing the liquid courage. You didn’t need to hear about how great his life was. How he had a beautiful wife and a child. Cooper seemed to take the hint, getting agitated himself.

“I can tell when I’m not wanted, darlin’.” He teases you. That nickname makes you want to vomit.

“You’re not wanted?” You scoff. You were being a bit of a dick but you’ll blame your actions on the alcohol. “Says the man who decided he couldn’t be my friend after getting married.”

“You think that was my choice?”

That shut you up. You look at him, confused. Then he continues, “She knew, you know.”

The kiss. He had to be talking about the kiss. It’s the only thing she could have known.

“How?”

“I told her.” He admitted, shrugging. “How could I not? She’s my partner.”

“Wow, what a gentleman.” 

He shakes his head, sighing. “If you were in a relationship, you’d do the same. Like, if a guy came and kissed you, you’d tell your partner.”

“I didn’t kiss you.” You defend.

“But you kissed back. You could have stopped me.” Cooper shrugs.

You’re about to explode at him until Barb comes up to the two of you with drinks in her hands. She offers you a fake smile, passing a drink to him and wrapping her arm around his arm. 

“Y/N! I haven’t seen you in ages! How are you?” She asks. You must keep things civil.

“Hi. I’ve been just fine, so busy.” You laugh awkwardly. 

“I didn’t know you’d be here. Cooper and I actually have people to talk to but it’s been great seeing you.”

Just like that, she tears him away.

Good riddance.

You spend the rest of the night drinking. People try to talk with you and it's just useless networking. Networking is great until you have to do that for hours on end. You watch Cooper and Barb, seeing them exchange kisses. The living room becomes an impromptu dance floor for couples. He tries to get her to dance with him but it's fruitless. They leave the living room to go somewhere. You hope they leave for a moment until you look at the time.

You’re about to leave when a handsome man approaches you. Hollywood’s newest playboy. Tall, brown slickback hair just like James Dean, and a killer smile. He wears a designer suit, sliding up next to you.

“You come here all alone, pretty thing?” He asks. 

Fuck it. You take his bait.

“Yes. It's been such a bore here all alone.” You pout, jutting your bottom lip out slightly. 

He wraps an arm around your waist, smirking. “Share a dance with me. Promise I don’t bite, baby girl.” 

You sway with him, hips pressed against his. His hands rest on your hips. You are far too drunk for this. All you can think about is Cooper. It’s wrong to think of Cooper when with another man. But when this man’s hand snakes up to cup your cheek and your lips connect, you think of your first kiss. The one you shared with Cooper. This doesn’t help one bit. But now you’re on the dancefloor, kissing this man as if he’s your reason for living. You moan against his lips, whining when he bites your bottom lip. He takes this as an invitation to squeeze your ass with his other hand. You open your eyes, making eye contact with Cooper. No Barb by him. Just him on his own. 

Maybe it was evil to do this, you keep your eyes in focus with Cooper’s as you kiss this stranger. He looks angry. Why should he be angry? In his words, he’s a married man. You close your eyes again, letting your tongue slip into this stranger’s. Staying like this, you’re content. That is until someone pulls the man away from you. You open your eyes and see an angry Cooper standing in front of you. Whining, you cross your arms.

“Hey, listen, I have dibs.” The man says, rolling his eyes.

Cooper looks at you with a certain flame in his eyes you can’t place.

“Aren’t you gonna say anything?” He scoffs.

All he can do is drop mister heartthrob on the ground, grabbing your hand. “We are leaving.”

Before you can protest, Cooper has dragged you outside. It’s only the two of you. 

“Why would you do that?” You whine, leaning against the nearest wall. Your head was pounding.

“I can’t watch you whore yourself out for some low-life’s attention. You’re better than that.” “Whore myself out? What the fuck is your problem, Howard? Don’t you have a wife to get back to?”

“She left.” 

Before you can get any other word out, he hungrily presses a kiss against your lips. He tastes like cigarettes and expensive liquor. You don’t protest. His hands grip at your hair, tugging the strands harshly. He pulls your head back so his lips can attach to your neck. 

You can’t deny the feelings you still hold for him. He’s the reason you haven’t been with anyone else since. The reason you’re in your late 20s and still a virgin. He bites down softly on your neck just to cause a reaction. You moan, tugging at his hair. Cooper finally pulls away, smirking. You look at him, face red. It’s easy to tell that the both of you are under the influence. 

“How many men do you fuck when you go to parties?” He asks, moving a hand down to cradle the small of your back.

“None.”

That causes him to snap out of whatever haze he was under.

“None? Nice lie, darlin’.”

Would it be embarrassing to tell him you’re still a virgin? 

“Not a lie, Coop.”

You look at him, eyes innocent in this moment. You’ve been waiting for him, as embarrassing as it may seem. Cooper looks you up and down, a sickly sweet smirk plastered on his face. Maybe his wife doesn’t touch him anymore. That’s the only logical thought on why he’d be acting like this. But nothing is ever logical with Cooper Howard. 

“You’re hopeless.” He chuckles to himself before letting you go. Next thing you know, he’s turning to walk away.

You rest against the wall, not wanting this moment to end. You grab his wrist, pouting.

“Don’t leave me this time.” You beg.

“I gotta get home…”

“Fuck home.” You’re feeling gutsy.

“No. I have to go. If I stay, who knows what I’ll do, doll.” Cooper shakes his head, pulling away from your grip. He walks off to the end of the driveway, signaling a cab. 

Just like that, he’s gone.

A week later and Cooper’s face is already plastered on billboards for Vault-Tec. He’s in a stupid blue and yellow suit. His signature colors. It didn’t matter where you went, Cooper was there. It’s a sick reminder of what you’ve been through. As more time passed, the more jaded you became. You lived in a shitty studio apartment in the hills. At night you’d drink away your sorrows. You had enough money to buy your own place but a big mansion would feel like you were overcompensating for something.

Roles started to stop coming in. No one wanted to hire you. You were this close to going back to ads. No offense to ads but you were over that. You were nearing your thirties. One evening your agent called, you thought he was going to drop you right then and there. Instead, he wanted to introduce you to someone. Being single this long and being in the spotlight makes rumors spread. A single woman? Label her a communist. That’s what started to happen. 

You meet this man your agent wants you to meet. Low and behold, it’s mister James Dean look-alike. His eyes light up, pressing a kiss to your hand when you meet again. Just like that, you were dating him and getting roles. You played his lover in a film about greasers. You were the innocent good girl next door. Tabloids ate that up. You moved in with him in his mansion. A big beautiful place with a hot tub and inground pool. You were arm candy for him. For you, it was almost like you had never aged. The only thing about you that made it noticeable that time passed was that you became more and more jaded.

One night you have to head to your boyfriend’s premiere for a western he was in. You wear a long red dress that hugs your curves and shows off your breasts. From all directions paparazzi called for the both of you. Now your boyfriend never told you what this film was about but you damn near had a heart attack when you saw Cooper Howard on the carpet with his wife in his arms. He was wearing a black velvet suit with his hair slicked back. Just the sight of him made you nearly choke on air. When he catches a glimpse of you, he bites his bottom lip; however, he notices the man who is holding your waist. That smirk of his falls. Who is he one to judge? 

You find a spot in the theater and sit down. Looking around, you see Cooper with his wife. They’re overly flirty together tonight. Something you have never seen throughout your whole time knowing him. Once the lights dim in the theater, you lean over to your boyfriend and whisper something about going to the bathroom. You make it out of the theater and you never realized how jealous you were. Your relationship now? All forced. You didn’t even like the guy. Hell, he kisses like a fish out of water. 

Going to the family bathroom, you nearly kick the trash can in anger. In this moment you are hit by how fake your life is. How much shit you’ve been through and how love is not real. Well not real for you. You grab the sink and look at yourself in the mirror. You’re wearing more makeup than normal. It’s like you put makeup on a goddamn pig. Right now you have to play the role of a loving and loyal girlfriend. But is that you? Do you love him? 

Before you could continue questioning everything, the bathroom door opens. You must have not locked it.

“My bad I-” 

That fucking voice. Just hearing it right now is like the universe is taunting you.

“Darlin’.” 

“Cooper.”

You face him, a frown on your face. He doesn’t look any better. It’s like he’s seen a ghost. He comes into the bathroom, locking the door. Why would he do that? 

“Haven’t seen you in months… glad to see you’re doing well. I’m sorry about that party. What I did was wrong.” He begins to apologize. “If I knew you two were-”

“We weren’t.” You cut him off. “I should be going.”

You’re about to push past him and out of the bathroom until he grabs your wrist.

“Listen, I miss you. You were my best friend for a while an’ I just threw ya out like an old toy.”

You don’t answer.

“You look so pretty tonight. That dress… you look so good, sweetheart.”

“Don’t.”

“I-”

“I don’t get you, Cooper Howard. I don’t understand how you work the way you do. You’ll kiss me and then act like nothing ever happened. You make me feel insane! What is it with you? Do you do this with any woman you act with? If you do, I feel horrible for your wife.”

His soft expression sours. You know what’s to come next.

“You are not one to talk.” He starts, “You know it’s crazy, I used to like you.”

That makes you laugh. Of course he did. “Oh sure you did.” You roll your eyes.

“I did!” He defends.

A part of you wants to believe him but he has been nothing but in love with his wife since day one. What makes him think now it is okay to say this? Is it because you’re with a guy? That you’re not single? At this moment, the tension in the room is too tough. You couldn’t even cut it with a knife. For once, you kiss him. You’re the one pressing your lips against his. Both of you are sober at this moment. Kissing him sober is so much better than before. Your cherry red lipstick is smearing across his lips. Neither of you seem to care. He has you pushed up against the sink, you can feel his arousal in his pants. You push your hips into his, moaning as he bites down on your lip. This time feels different than any time before. It’s like you know you’re going to cross a line. He lifts up your dress, pressing a finger against your soaked panties. He nearly growls at the feeling. 

“Can I?” He asks and you nod.

He instantly drops to his knees leaving you confused. In one swift motion, he pulls down your panties. Before you can look down, his tongue runs over your clit. You twirl your fingers in his hair, tugging at it softly. All the times you’ve almost had him have led up to this moment. Softly, he sucks on your clit. You’re about to moan his name but something else takes your attention. He’s shoving two fingers into you. 

“Coop!” You hiss, grinding your cunt against his face. 

He chuckles, swirling his tongue over your clit. You swear you’ve died and gone to heaven. No one has ever made you feel this good. There’s a fire in your core. He curls his fingers and starts to rock them in and out of you. This just started but you swear you’re going to cum soon. He nips at your clit, playing with it between his teeth.

“Close. Fuck, I’m close.” You moan out.

Without warning, he pulls his fingers out of you. Pressing a kiss to your thigh, he looks up at you. Without his fingers inside of you, you whine. Looking down at him, you meet his eyes.

“You’re going to cum on my cock, got it?” 

He stands up, struggling with his belt. You try to help him take it off but he swats your hands away. Once the belt is off, he pulls his pants and boxers down in one swift motion. He’s big. You don’t know how he’s going to fit inside of you. It’s possible but it looks like he could split you in two. Who knew he was packing this whole time?

Cooper lifts you up onto the sink so you’re on display. He pulls your dress up around your waist before coating himself with your arousal. 

“Beg for it.” He demands, “How badly do you want me?”

You’ve never begged before. But fuck it. “Badly.”

“How badly, darlin’? Use your words.” 

He’s constantly rubbing himself up and down your slit. Everytime he brushes against your clit you lose it, a tiny moan slipping past your lips.

“I want you to fuck me, Cooper. Like all those times you’ve kissed me. I need you. I ache for you.” You whine.

He accepts that, slowly pushing into you. It hurts. It’s bigger than any toy you’ve used on yourself. You wrap your arms loosely around his neck, whimpering. Cooper doesn’t seem to pick up on the discomfort because he’s already starting to thrust in and out of you. He rests his forehead against yours so he could look into your eyes and he fucks you. His jaw is hanging slightly as it seems he’s thinking with his cock rather than his head. Every time he hits a certain spot inside of you, you moan louder. 

“You’re tight, sweetheart. Bet your boyfriend doesn’t fuck you like this.” Cooper grunts, pressing a messy kiss to your lips. 

“Bet he doesn’t know how to make you cum.” He taunts.

You’re already starting to moan again, head tilting back. Maybe once this is over you can tell him that he’s your first. That you’ve been waiting for this day. To avoid saying anything stupid, you press a desperate kiss to his lips. It’s mainly to shut the both of you up. You’d never let your boyfriend touch you like this. He’s not Cooper. He’ll never be him. You feel nothing but bliss right now as Cooper fucks you. His thrusts are getting faster, messier. Pulling away from the kiss, he rests his forehead back on yours. Using a free hand, he starts to play with your clit. You feel like you’re on fire.

“Gonna cum. Fuck, Coop.” You moan.

This seems to encourage him, he’s getting sloppier. “Cum for me, sweetheart. Make a mess all over my cock.” He nearly growls.

You feel a knot explode in your lower stomach as you hit your climax. You’re digging your nails into his suit as you scream his name. Anyone outside the bathroom could hear the both of you. This was a risky game the two of you were playing. You clench down on him as you orgasm. His cock twitches inside of you as he quickly pulls out. You’re trying to catch your breath and he’s jerking his cock off. It’s aimed right at your clit. 

“Gonna cum all over your pretty pussy. Fuck.” He grunts, rambling to himself. 

His head falls back as he cums. It’s a lot. Some of it lands on the sink, your pussy, and your dress. You’re covered in his cum. Still trying to catch your breath, you look at Cooper. His hair is no longer slicked back, it’s falling into his face. Not just that but he’s drenched in sweat. He’s made a mess of himself. Made a mess of you. 

While the both of you catch your breath, you feel the urge to blurt something out. 

“I was a virgin.” 

He looks at you, confused and horrified. Confused because he could have sworn you’d have had sex by now and horrified because he took your virginity in the bathroom of a theater. Quickly, he pulls back up his pants. 

“I’m sorry.” Is all he can muster. He’s ashamed that your first time was here. That it wasn’t special. To him, you deserve nothing but the best in life. That’s why he was always scared to hurt you. 

His reaction is making you feel sick. This isn’t how it should be. It should be a cute moment shared between the both of you. You’re about to open your mouth but he quickly leaves the bathroom. Now you’re feeling ashamed. 

You take a few minutes before getting up. You wipe whatever bit of his cum off of you that you can. Next thing you do is leave the bathroom and go back to the theater. Sitting next to your boyfriend, the only thing on your head is that you smell like sex. 

You smell like Cooper Howard.

tag list: @djarinsgirl27 , @cupid-club

part two coming soon

[imagineinside]

Star-Like Encounters (Hugh Jackman x Fem!Reader) Chapter 1

A/N: In between posting chapters for the Wolverine fic I'm working on, I also wanted to pick up something about Hugh Jackman. I want to first preface with the fact that this is not meant to be taken as reality and we need to be respectful of people mentioned, this is purely a work of fiction. With that being said, I hope you enjoy!

Description: You begin your first semester at a prestigious university with a mix of excitement and chaos. After a frantic start involving a late arrival due to your roommate’s Hollywood-related detour, your day takes an unexpected turn when you meet Hugh Jackman, your roommate’s boss, at a movie studio.

Hugh, intrigued by your expertise in physics, invites you to consult on a film project aiming for scientific accuracy. Balancing your new academic responsibilities with a potential Hollywood cameo, you must navigate your dual interests. As you face your own feelings, you discover that the lines between your professional and personal worlds are more intertwined than you imagined.

Currently Applicable Tags: (Future) 18+, Fluff, cocky Hugh Jackman, flirty Hugh Jackman, age gap (55 and 27) more to come.

Running through the hallways of the prestigious university you had dedicated your whole life to working at, you cursed at yourself for running so late. It wasn’t entirely your fault, however. Needing to share a car with your best friend and roommate always had its disadvantages.

And this morning, her boss had decided he needed her assistance out of absolutely nowhere, meaning you had to drop her off at a studio downtown before driving to the university.

Unfortunately, you had no idea who her boss actually was, otherwise you’d go on a rampaging smear campaign as payback for them jeopardizing your career like this. You had asked your best friend various times, with you both sober and drunk at various times, who her boss was. All you had gotten out of her was that “he is a Hollywood hot-shot, and he’s been in some of your favorite movies.” She always said that last part with a mischievous grin on her face.

You bolted into the lecture hall and all 100-some eyes turned to you, including the headmasters in the back. You took only a moment to catch your breath before fixing your appearance, smoothing out your skirt and wiping the sweat from your brow.

“Good morning, everyone,” you called in greeting as you approached your desk, throwing your briefcase on top of it and shrugging off your jacket.

You received a cacophony of “good mornings” back.

“It’s a pleasure to be here at the start of your semester, and I’m excited to guide you through the wonders of astrophysics this semester.” You heard a few groans rupture from the students, but you simply smiled to yourself. You had been that student once upon a time. “We’ll explore the life cycles of stars, the structure of galaxies, and the mysteries of dark matter. Astrophysics can seem daunting, but it’s really about understanding our place in the universe. Embrace your curiosity, ask questions, and don’t worry if things seem complex at first—every great discovery starts with a simple question. I’m here to support you, and together we’ll uncover the fascinating stories written in the stars.” You felt your heart lift up in your chest, you truly had such a fascination with this field of study.

You dared for a moment to lift your eyes and read the approval written in the headmaster's face, a spark lighting in your chest. “Now, let’s start with the Big Bang, shall we?” You smiled once again as you heard hundreds of notebooks being flipped open to the first page.

Nothing like the start of a new semester.

* * *

You drove your beat-up Volvo to the location your roommate had sent you when she texted you earlier that day. As you rolled up to it, your brakes squealing as you came to a stop, you realized it was an entire campus of movie production. There were hundreds of people mulling about on the other side of the protected gate. Some were riding around in golf carts, others sprinting from set-to-set, a whole flurry of movement.

You always had a fascination with Hollywood and the film industry. When you originally started at university yourself, you majored in theater and dance. But… after your first year, for reasons you’d rather forget, you changed to astrophysics.

“There you are!” Your best friend, Ashley, squealed and pulled you into a big hug after you stepped out of the car. “I had the best day today!”

You laughed at the excitement written all over your friend's face, “I’m glad, just don’t make it a habit of making me late to my class.”

Ashley’s smile dropped as she put her hands together in a silent prayer, “I am so sorry about that. I talked to my boss about it and he promised he would be more considerate next time.”

You sighed and crossed your arms, fauxing an upset scoff, “Fine, I suppose I can let it slide this time–”

“That’s good, I don’t need you murdering my best assistant.” A deep voice called out past the front of your car. You knew who that voice belonged to in an instant with that deep, sultry Australian accent. You had all the X-Men movies he was in on DVD and saved to your computer, as well as “The Greatest Showman” and even the series “Faraway Downs”. (You used to have a cutout of him in your room when you were younger but you don’t need to bring that up…)

Your eyes were glued to your best friend who gave you a sheepish grin, as if even she hadn’t been expecting this. You were afraid that if you looked over at him, he would just evaporate into thin air.

“I’m sorry, I should have introduced myself, I’m your friend's boss. You can call me Hugh.” Suddenly he was crossing into your line of sight, a hand held out in front you as a way of greeting.

You snapped yourself out of your trance that only his voice had put you in and went into professional mode, something that was a common necessity in your line of work, “Hugh, nice to meet you. I’m Ashley’s roommate… and oftentimes chauffeur.”

That pulled a laugh from deep inside his chest as he shook your hand. His grip was strong but still gentle so as not to crush your dainty fingers. It was incredibly hard not to notice the way his hand dwarfed yours in size, his palm calloused and rough in comparison to yours.

“I am terribly sorry about today, we got called to set at the last minute to start production for a new movie. It will not happen again.” He assured you.

You gave him a reassuring smile, “No worries, only made me late to my first lecture of my professional career, but not a big deal.” You laced your words with heavy sarcasm as you flashed a look to Ashley, who looked like she was about to combust with embarrassment. Did she really think you were going to embarrass her in front of her boss that much?

“Lecture? Are you a Professor?” Hugh asked as he leaned against the rusted hood of your Volvo.

It took you a moment to respond as you soaked in his large arms crossed over his massive chest. You wish you could be buried in there. Christ, you were acting like a schoolgirl with a crush. You cleared your throat before responding and smoothed out your skirt. You weren’t entirely sure, but you thought Hugh’s eyes followed your brief movement. “Yes, at Stanford in the Physics department. It’s where Ashley and I both studied.”

“Stanford, wow,” he said with a raise of his eyebrows, he seemed genuinely impressed. “You must be quite renowned in the Physics world to have gotten a job there. And… excuse me if this comes off as inappropriate, but you are so young too.”

“Just passionate, Mr. Jackman.” You say with a polite smile.

“I thought I told you to call me Hugh,” he replied with a teasing smirk that lifted one side of his mouth higher than the other. It felt like you were going to combust right there with how fast your heart was racing.

“Anywaaaay,” Ashley jumped in. You had almost completely forgotten she was standing there. “She and I best get going, we still need to make dinner tonight.” She rounded the small car to the passenger side door and threw her bag in the backseat.

“I guess it’s–”

Mr. Jackman cut you off with a quick step forward, “Actually, if you don’t mind me saying, you may be able to help us.”

“Us?” You asked and flicked your gaze towards your friend who looked like her world was ending right there in front of her.

“You see, some aspects of the movie we are working on happens in space. I will refrain from saying anything else since, well–if you’re a fan I don’t want to spoil anything,” he said with a hearty laugh, “But the producers and directors have been fighting about the physics of the movie. They are trying to make it as accurate as possible, I suppose. And well, I am very out of my depth when it comes to anything like this.”

You nodded at him, one hand on the door handle of the Volvo.

“If it’s not too much trouble, would you be willing to join our next meeting to teach them a thing or two about physics?” He asked and took one more step forward, a sparkle in those soft, hazel eyes.

“Well, Mr. Jackman–”

“Hugh.”

“Uh, Hugh,” You went on, “I am very flattered but I just don’t know if I will be the best suited for the job. I am sure you can find others that will be better at this sort of thing.” You said with a nervous laugh. There was no way you would survive getting looped into this movie with Hugh Jackman as a leading character.

Plus, Ashley liked having boundaries between her work and personal life, which you understood. You didn’t want to overstep without talking to her about it first. You don't know what you would do if you lost her friendship because of something like this.

Hugh smacked his lips together and patted the hood of your tiny car. “As a person who enjoys her work because you are passionate, I feel you would be the best suited for this task.” He held up his pointer finger as he reached into his back pocket to pull out an old, leather wallet. “I will give you my business card,” he said, holding up a small piece of white paper, “if you give me yours… Professor.”

You hesitated for a moment, not sure what this would all lead to, before nodding your head and reaching into a side pocket of your briefcase, producing a small manilla rectangle with your information printed on it. “Here you are, Mr. Jackman.”

He didn’t correct you this time as he reached over to retrieve your business card, before placing his own in your open hand. You didn’t want to dwell on the fact that this piece of paper smelled like him, all manly cologne and pinewood…

“I think we will be seeing each other in the future, Professor,” he said with a wink and a wave as he turned around and walked back towards the campus.

And you’d be damned if you didn’t watch his tight butt in those bootcut jeans disappear past the gate. But you didn’t notice him turn back around to get one last look at you as you climbed into your car.

* * *

You and Ashley made dinner without touching the subject of her boss who apparently now wanted to recruit you to help with the project. On one hand, you really wanted to say yes to his proposal. After all, this may be the closest you could ever achieve to the film industry after your change in major. But on the other hand, you knew Ashley took a lot of pride in her work, even as an assistant. She planned to climb the ladder of the entertainment business one rung at a time. After all, she held out throughout the entirety of her theater degree at university, when you just bailed when it got too difficult.

“I can feel you thinking about it,” Ashley said while you sat on the couch together, each with your respective bowls of ice cream and rewatching Gilmore Girls for the third–maybe fourth time?

You groaned and grabbed the remote, pausing your show. “I know… I’m really sorry.”

“Hey,” Ashley said and reached across to place her hand on yours reassuringly. “I know you care about film just as much as I do. Hell, they do need a lot of help with the physics of the movie, and I am definitely no help in that department.” You let out a small chuckle in silent agreement with your friend. As much as you loved her, math was not her strong suit.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright if I say yes? I mean, it’s not like it will be my actual job or anything. I probably won’t even interact with you and Mr. Jackman that much.”

Ashley shook her head, “No, it’ll be completely fine if you take the offer. And you’re right, usually Hugh and I are busy doing other stuff rather than being involved in the technical discussions, or at least I am.”

“So our friendship will still exist?”

It was Ashley’s turn to laugh, “Yes, dummy, our friendship will still exist.”

“Ugh, you’re the best!” You yelped and lunged across the couch for a hug, ice cream be damned.

Later that night, when you were getting ready for bed, your phone lit up with a notification from… an unknown number?

You had to let out a deep breath after his last text let a flurry of butterflies free in your stomach. You tried not to let it get to you so much, he was probably just being nice. Plus, you’ve watched enough of his interviews to know how flirty he can be without really meaning it.

Laying in bed, you opened your phone to Instagram. You snickered at the first photo that popped up on your feed. It was Hugh Jackman dressed in his yellow Wolverine uniform taken from an angle that definitely aged him, but you still found it adorable nonetheless. Without thinking, you pressed the heart button on the bottom left of the picture. After all, you’ve been liking his pictures for years by that point.

After that, you set your phone to “do not disturb”, waiting for the sun to wake you the next day. And when you finally woke to check it, a notification popped up on your phone that had your heart flying around your chest.

[jazziejax]

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 - Kelvin Harrison Jr. x Black!Reader

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 - The morning after their cozy night together, she and Kelvin spend their morning in a routine that feels all too familiar. But they cant say that they didn't enjoy every moment they spent together.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 - fluff, cute ex's, third person, slight mentions of physical descriptions, whole lot of banter that might be a little confusing, I sort of lost the plot a little here.

𝐉𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐢𝐞’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 - This is a little shorter than I wanted it to be but I sort of had a block and how far I wanted this to go. This is an ‘xreader’ blurb but this story also ties along with another one I’m making and sort of hinting at within these chapters. So, prepare for more but also…give me time. UNEDITED, SORRY FOR ANY SPELLING ERRORS! Also, be prepared for this series to follow Aaron Pierre as well.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭- 4,543+

The sound of camera clicks and flashes were loud as it filled the Hollywood street. Piles upon piles of photographers yelled at the people on the carpet, snapping directions at them while angling their cameras at the celebs that walked down the red Vanity Fair carpet.

“This way! To your right, tune to your right!”

“Let’s see the back of the dress!”

“This way, please!”

She turned every which way, smiling and posing for the cameras that be. Her sheer black dress with black rhinestones scattered around and dangling from the fabric, shined within the artificial light of the night. She had just turned around from the show the backless dress, showing off the fabric that hung low on her hips. So low that her dermal piercings were on display, the small diamonds sticking out of her the dimples she had just before her back met her plump bottom.

The cameras went into a flashing frenzy at the sight of her back, her large voluminous curls and her smooth skin pulling the look all together.

After turning back around, she began strategically stepping to the side, keeping her front in view of the camera so they didn’t catch her at any weird angles as she moved down the carpet. Just as she made it to the last stop before exciting, she heard the call of on of the photographers.

“What about your award?! No pictures?!” The guy shouted. The woman just offered an innocent shrug before letting out a small laugh and waving him off. “It’s not on me.” She called back, although not as loud as he did, not caring for her words to be heard, she just didn’t want to be rude and leave his question open ended. She went back to posing for the cameras again, just in time to feel a warm hand creep its way onto her bare back, mere seconds before she felt the warm and familiar body to her left surround her.

Her face instantly broke into a large grin, looking over at the man in the sleek and classic all black suit. His grin matched hers, his eyes looking around her face before falling onto her mauve lips that lured him in. His arm was tight around her waist, pulling her in closer to him. Their lips met in a quick but passionate kiss, the cameras flicking to catch the way his large hand laid directly over her back dimples while one of hers placed itself on his jaw. They pulled apart, looking each other in the eye for half a second before diving back in for another, ignoring the loud journalists.

She broke the kiss first, quitting her fight to stop a grin from appearing on her lips. Kelvin bit his plump bottom lip at the sight of her, giving her a quick once over with his low eyes before holding his free hand out. “I think this one’s for you.” He said. She looked down, just now paying attention to the two golden statues he held in one hand this whole time, his fingers wrapped oddly around the body’s of the naked statue.

“Why, thank you.” She said, taking the respective award from hand, her grin never faltering. She then looked back up at him, her eyes filled with adoration as she gazed at the dreamy man next to her. “But I already have my favorite award right next to me.” She said softly.

Kelvin’s admiring look turned to one of mock disgust, even thought he couldn’t fight the slight blush and the amused grin he still held. “Oh, girl, you’re cheesy.” He quipped.

“But you love me though, right? So it doesn’t matter?”

“Of course I love you. Till the damn wheels fall off, you know that.” He said firmly. “Now, hold that Oscar up and show off that ring I put on your finger, so we can head inside and see what food they have and then get the hell up out of here.” He said, not taking his eyes off her once.

“Okay.” She grinned, tilting her head to the side as she looked up at him, softly fluttering her eyes-lashes. “You know it’s whatever you say.” She stated coyly before she turned back to face the cameras, giving her best smile with her award in her right hand, her other placed upon Kelvin’s back.

He let in a sharp breath through his teeth at her words, his hand around her hip tightening its grasp. “Ohh, I know that’s right.” He groaned out, smiling for the crazed cameras as the pair showed off their awards and posed like the happy couple they were. And she did what she was told, her hand wrapped around the Oscar and showing off the rock she had on her finger, knowing it would create buzz on the internet for weeks to come.

Everything then shifted, moving by in this quick blur of motion. As if life was passing on right before her eyes.

She didn’t question anything before she found herself in sitting in the grass. It was slightly damp under her weight, mainly because she was sitting sort of close to the water. A large lake spreader before her, glistening beautifully in the setting sun. The sky was a pretty pink, though clouds were scarce and that was her favorite thing to look at. But the sight was still delightful nonetheless.

Her gaze was trained on two swans on the lake before her. She’d been watching them for a while now, the pair doing their dance across the water, leaving ripples in their wake. She could hear the faint sound of laughter in the background, making her heart weigh full at the giggles.

She turned her head at the sound of a familiar laugh, it was rich and deep. The honey-layered tone reverberated through her mind like an echo. It was a sound she found comfort in, a sound she never wanted to forget. The sound played through her mind in her darkest moments, and she could practically see the large smile that was etched onto his face. The one she thought about turning to see whenever she lived in her highs.

So she looked over her shoulder, looking for the sound that pulled on her heartstrings. She could see she was now in the backyard of a large but exceptionally decorated home, with tons of family members walking about and enjoying themselves as they mingled. Her parents were sitting at a table with other adults around their age, screaming over a game of spades since the par was losing. She caught a glimpse of her eldest sister and her teenage niece, the woman rubbing the red lipstick off her lips as she reprimanded her for wearing such a risqué color at her age. Her cousin and family friends ran around as they played football and fetch with a dog. She even saw Nala sitting at the pool, her white pant legs rolled up as she kicked her feet around in the water. The brown-skinned woman held a hand above her sunglasses, blocking out the sun as she pointed and spoke to the man who stood behind the grill. Aaron just nodded at whatever she said, one hand handling the meat on the grill while the other held a small boy in his arms.

She could still hear the sound of the rich laughter, although it was now in chorus with another one, the giggle small but full of love and happiness. Before she could try to locate the joyous sound of her own, a call caught her attention.

"Momma!" Called from the other side of her.

Her head instinctively snapped over, catching sight of another small child who was no older than two. An adorable brown-skinned girl dressed in a little dress. Her cute brown coils were scattered all over her head. Her baby-smooth skin shone in the sun as she waved in her direction, clumsily waddling away from the man who stood behind her. She briefly squinted her eyes, tilting her head at the baby.

"Momma! Come play!" The little girl yelled, looking directly at her. The woman tilted her head again, still gazing at the beautiful little bundle. Before she could speak, the man behind the baby reached down, bringing the girl into his arms, tickling her sides a little on her way up. The baby giggled, showing her two teeth as she squirmed in the man's arm. He tossed her up, her giggles sounding throughout the yard, the only thing the woman could hear over the sound of everything else.

Once the baby girl was let down from her fun times in the air, she could now see the face of the man who held her. Kelvin's grin was large, smiling at his daughter, who tucked herself into his shoulder. His grin faded only slightly, now looking at her as well with nothing but pure love in his eyes. His smile softened in a way that made her chest tighten. "Come on. Don’t keep our baby girl waiting." He teased, holding his hand out towards her.

Her breath caught itself in her throat, her eyes jumping between the two pairs that stared at her. She blinked again and again, waiting for the sight of them to vanish. Kelvin, who still held his hand out in her direction from afar, raised his brows at her. "Come on now, baby. Me and the princess ain't got all day." He smirked, showing the perfect teeth she oddly held a lot of love for. "The fireworks are gonna start soon and you know neither of y'all can handle the noise." He stated as he used the arm he held the baby with to give her a small bounce.

Her laugh came out as breathy, heart's content at the family she created. She ran toward them, her white sundress flowing around her legs. She scooped their daughter into her arms from Kelvin's and placed an enormous kiss on her cheek, earning another burst of giggles. Kelvin beamed at the sight of them before bringing them both into her arms.

────୨ৎ────

She had woken up with that feeling of completeness still lingering in her chest—until she opened her eyes to find Kelvin kissing her awake in real life.

She stirred awake, a soft smile curving her lips as remnants of her dream lingered in her mind. She thought after such a dream, she would wake up in a cold sweat, terrified that her subconscious could even envision such a thing. She thought she'd be freaking out over the fact that, deep down, she'd never gotten over Kelvin. Who was her ex. Her ex that she just slept with, again.

But she knew it wasn't that simple. After years of grappling with...whatever she felt for Kelvin and how complicated those feelings were, this aching thought at the back of her mind was always there to remind her that she'd never forget him. That he would always be the one to lurk in her every thought.

And that dream only proved that. She could toss the dream up to the medication and her brain being induced with her little spout of illness. But then she'd just be lying to herself, knowing that even if their love never rekindled, she'd always think of the man who brought her in and showed her love that she'd never felt before.

The dream felt so vivid, so perfect, that waking up almost felt bittersweet. Her smile deepened when she realized why she was awake. She was lying on her back now, the feeling of his upper body on top of hers. Kelvin was peppering her face with light, tickling kisses. His lips brushed against her forehead, her cheeks, the tip of her nose, and even her chin.

"Good morning, gorgeous." He murmured once she began stirring awake. He then began softly placing his kisses on her lips. His tone was warm, teasing, and completely disarming.

She let out a small giggle, her voice deep with sleepiness. "I'm sick and you're all up in my mouth, boy." She said, moving her hand up to push his face away from hers. her palm mashing itself into his nose. Kelvin let out an uncomfortable sound at the pressure of her hand, moving his head to shake off her grip. "Girl, you could be dead and I'd still be all up on that." He said before bringing his face closer to hers, his hands traveling down the side of her body, his grip tight on whatever he could hold on to.

They both paused at the same time after what he said, Kelvin lifting his face from her soft chest to see her giving him an arched brow.

"It sounded...better and cuter in my head," Kelvin mumbled.

"Yeah, I bet." She said disinterestedly.

"More romantic even, you know. Instead of fucking creepy."

"Yeah, you said that." She said, giving him a coy look. Kelvin turned his lip up at her, the pair just staring each other in the eye. He then suddenly jumped to start peppering kisses on her face, causing the girl to let out a small yelp and began squirming under the onslaught of affection. "Kelvin! What are you doing?"

"Making sure you wake up knowing how much I love that pretty face of yours, girl!" He said, his grin lighting up the room. He leaned back just slightly, his dark eyes studying her as if she were some masterpiece, like her face wasn't dry from just waking up, sick, and not doing her skincare last night. "You were smiling in your sleep, you know?" He stated before a large smirk made its way onto her face. "Were you dreaming of me?" He grinned slyly at her. She raised her brows at him, opening her mouth to speak but was cut off. "Oh, you don't have to tell me, darling, I already know. You can't resist me even if you tried." He bragged in his fake British accent. She just gave him a plain look, her lips pursed into an odd grin. It was silent between them for a moment, Kelvin's grin still apparent while she just started at him.

"It's too damn early for so many jokes, Kel. I'm getting overstimulated."

"It's 9:30am."

"Right, too damn early." She said, letting out a chortle before beginning to rise from the bed. Kelvin grinned, giving her cheek a quick peck before rising from the bed as well. "I ran you a bath." He stated, causing the woman in nothing but her underwear and her shirt to look over at him. "What?" She asked, blinking at what she thought she heard.

"I ran you a bath while you were sleeping." He said as he began to make his way around the bed, easing up on her in nothing but his underwear. He placed his hands on her waist, moving them under her shirt to rub them against her skin. "That's when I walked in and saw you all smiley. I just knew that you knew I ran you a nice bath." He said, causing the pair to both chuckle at his joke.

"Well thank you, baby." She said, stepping closer to him, her arms wrapping around his waist. She looked up at him through her lashes. "You're so good to me, Kel." She said with a small pout. He hummed at her words, stepping closer as his hands drifted down to the place he loved most, her ass. "Oh, don't I know it, baby girl." He said, his hands tightening around her cheeks, gripping the fat. "And I can show you how good I really am but this bath water's getting cold soon and we need to get to set. You know I hate a lukewarm bath." He stated before leaning down and pressing a kiss onto her lips. She hummed into the kiss, loving the feeling of Klevin's plump lips on hers. The kiss wasn't continuous, the pair pulling apart to only bring their lips back in seconds later. The pecks were steady, building up to something more.

She hummed into his mouth, pulling back to look up at him. "You hate a lukewarm bath?" She questioned. "What does my bath have to do with you?" Her question caused Kelvin to turn his lip at her, giving her that playfully annoyed look that she loved, looking effortlessly sexy. "You thought I ran that bath just for you?"

"You're getting in?" She quickly asked, her eyes subconsciously widening as she looked up at him.

"I've seen you naked before." Kelvin stated, giving her hips a reassuring squeeze once he saw the slight fear in her eyes. She gulped, her eyes moving from his face as she placed her hands on his chest, playing with the hairs that laid there. “Yeah, but that’s different.”

“Different how?”

“Different because…I don't know.” She mumbled.

"So you don't want me to bathe with you?" He asked, pulling back some to angle his head downward, trying to look into her eyes which were locked on his chest. His brows twitched in slight worry at her sudden shift of attitude, not wanting to make her uncomfortable with his advances.

She was quick to interject, wrapping her arms back around his torso and looking up into his eyes. "No, I didn't say that now, " She said, letting out a slightly nervous laugh. She was still feeling the effects of her dream weighing heavy on her mind, which had her mind racing every time she looked him in his eyes. His voice resounded like a steel drum as she thought over all she remembered from her desperately romantic subconscious. And his hands rubbing against her skin didn't help either, setting her heart ablaze.

Kelvin chuckled at her eagerness. "Okay, it's too damn early for you to be confusing me like this and the water is gonna get cold." He stated before turning with the woman in his grasp, leading her backward out of the door. She giggled, looking up at him as he led the pair all the way to the bathroom, putting all her trust in him that he wouldn't bump against a wall with her.

It didn't take them long before they were both in the bath, her bare back against his chest as they let the warm water soothe their muscles as bubbles floated around them. Kelvin had his arms draped around her waist, his fingers subconsciously rubbing against the soft pudge of her belly, his chin resting on her shoulder. They chatted about their usual topics, movies, other actors and just being plain out messy together. They were currently speaking on an old project of theirs, where they were just becoming acquainted and dealing with this oddly jealous set attending on set.

She always had this dd animosity towards her while Kelvin seemed to be her favorite person on earth. Before the pair of ex's even became friends, it was like she was lurking around every project the other was on. She was a friend of theirs for a while before shit hit the fan and they ultimately dropped her.

"You know I hate that bitch!" She said, her hand splashing in the water as she waved her finger. "And you always bring her up. Do you have something you want to tell me?" She asked him, turning her head to squint her eyes at him while Kelvin just chuckled. He just arched a brow at her with a lazy shrug, causing her face to become more serious as she crossed her arms over her naked chest and turned her torso to him more. "Excuse me?!" She asked.

Kelvin was quick to reiterate, tightening his arms around her waist to pull her back in. "No, no. It's not even like that." He said with a small laugh, pulling her in close. "I just bring that story up because I like the way you react."

"Pissed off and agitated?"

"No." Kelvin dragged out with a grin. "Jealous and agitated."

She smacked her lips at his words, turning her back to him while he began to press kisses against her wet shoulder. "Jealous and agitated? Is that what turns you on?"

"You in general turns me on." He stated with no hesitation. "But something about the way you get all possessive is sexy. Especially about me, it boots my ego." He smirked, looking down at the way she playfully rolled her eyes at him.

"You got issues, Kel." She said as she leaned her full weight into him, raising one of her legs out of the water to analyze her skin. Kelvin hummed against her skin. "And you love me and all my issues." He shrugged, one of his arms around her waist unlatching to place his hand over hers, swallowing it. He rubbed his fingers against her leg, watching as the soap suds slid down her body.

"Whatever Kelvin." She said. '"Speaking of issues, should I shave my legs?" She asked, moving the limb from side to side as she analyzed her leg hair in the dim lighting of the bathroom. Kelvin furrowed his brows at her. "Who are you shaving your legs for?" He asked sharply. She leaned her head back, looking up at him. "I need a reason to shave my legs?"

"You don't usually shave your legs for me."

"And how would you know that? I barely shave my legs as is. My leg hair is very fine."

"I've spent... a lot of time down there since we've known one another." He stated slyly, immediately being met with a soft elbow to his ribs as they both laughed.

"Now if you're gonna shave those legs, you better decide now because this water is getting cold and we gotta get to set." He said. She gasped at his words, quickly turning her head to look back at him. "I totally forgot that we had to go to set today! Damnit, should I have called in sick?" She asked him worriedly, her big eyes jumping between his.

"Do you still feel unwell?"

She paused, softly biting on her lip as she thought it over. She did feel better. Her headache was sort of mild, and mainly only there since she wasn't wearing her contacts. Her stuffed nose bridge was clear, making her able to breathe in the jasmine-scented bath. And the scratch at the back of her throat was no longer there.

"Well no." She mumbled. Kelvin nodded at that, his eyes analyzing her face. "Okay then. We're going to work." He grinned. "Together."

His words caused her to break out into a small smile, her teeth peeking between her lips at him, catching his attention. "Okay." She said softly before suddenly spinning around in the tub so she was now facing him. Kelvin arched a brow at her as she raised her leg again, placing her foot against his chest. Kelvin grinned, reaching up to grab a hold of her foot, rubbing his thumb into her arches as she leaned back against the other side of the tub.

"Shave my legs." She said. His brows raised again, looking at her in slight shock. "What?" He asked.

"Shave my legs." She said again. "If you think you're gonna be feeling all up on these legs, you best contribute, okay?" She quipped with a large grin. Kelvin laughed, his hands running all up and down her legs. "Okay, okay. I can do that." He said with a nod, biting his lips as his hands went lower and lower on her leg. She raised her brows at him, letting out a schoolgirl-type giggle at his running fingers. Kelvin laughed, looking her in the eye. "What, you thought a lil hair was gone scare me away? Girl you know I do this for real." He smirked. She cocked a brow at him, easing her leg away. "You've been shaving some other girl's legs?"

"No, I just know how to shave, period." He stated. "Now give me that damn leg." He said as he grabbed ahold of her leg and dragged her closer, causing her to let out a yelp of a laugh. And as they spent more than enough time in the bath, her mind kept drifting to her dream and how she could only hope that it would someday come true.

A little while later, She was in comfy clothes. After their soak, Kelvin ordered a breakfast spread to her doorstep, complete with fresh fruit, French toast, and her favorite coffee. They ate together, laughing about their plans for the day and sneaking bites from each other’s plates.

When it was time to go to set, they moved seamlessly together—Kelvin helping zip up her coat from the cold Atlanta winter and wrapping a loose scarf around her head. "Don't want to have you sick again. Because then I'm going to have to come back over and nurse you back to health." He smirked, looking down at her.

She smirked, rolling her eyes at him. "Boy, please."

"What? Don't pretend like I didn't come over here and work my magic on you, girl." He said before quickly bending down and offering her a quick peck on the lips. She scoffed, although she couldn't help the large smile she held on her face as they continued back and forth.

"And what magic was that exactly?" She asked, crossing her arms as she stood by her door, watching as he prepared himself with the clothes he had in his bag from last night, which made her raise a brow at how prepared he actually was when he came over.

He looked at her as he shrugged on his coat. "You know what magic, now." He smirked. "I gave you that act right." He said after buttoning his coat up. She rolled her eyes at him, her tongue poking at her cheek. "And now look at you, acting right. Feeling right, same thing." He said.

She only rolled her eyes at him again. She took a small over to him, grabbing a hold of the front of his coat. "Well, I'm just gonna tell you this now." She began, looking up at him, her eyes jumping between his eyes and lips, glasses of her dream still lingering in her mind. "We better get up out of this apartment so we can go to work before I have you work that magic on me some more." She stated, her voice low and sultry as she leaned closer and closer to his him.

"Oh yeah?" He smirked.

"Yeah." She whispered, her nose brushing against his. "I'm starting to feel a little under the weather by the second, Dr.Harrison." She said. Kelvin hummed, leaning forward. "I got the perfect remedy for that, don't you worry." He said before placing his lips on hers. She smiled against his lips before pulling back, knowing she could get caught up in his charm. "Mnhmn, we gotta go." She said as she pulled away and began to step out of the door. Kelvin let out a small groan, picking up both of their bags as she headed out of the door. "You can't rile someone up like that before leaving. That's torture."

"Get used to it and lock my door boy." She said, looking back at him with all their things in his hands, pulling out his keys to lock her door. She couldn’t fight the find grin she had, that same domestic feeling from her dreams spreading through her heart. Even though as long as she’d known him, and she felt as though she’d always had that feeling for him, now it was different. Now it felt like everything was meant to be. That there was this plan to look forward to.

And now, things weren’t exactly clear between them and where their situation-ship stood, but it felt right in the moment and she didn’t want to ruin that by telling him her dream. So she kept it to herself, living on the cloud of what that feeling brought her.

@gwenda-fav @neighbourscat @saturnville @nayaesworld @planetblaque @becauseimswagman1

[shelbgrey]

Y/n: *in the back seat of Rick's car* Can either of you tell me who wrote the Great Gatsby?

Cliff: Alfred Hitchcock?

Rick: Hitler?

Y/n: *sighs* F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Rick: Who's that?

Y/n: The author.

Cliff: Well, why are you saying "fuck him"?

Y/n: *confused* What?

Rick: You just said eff Scott Fitzgerald. I mean, what would Scott Fitzgerald do to you?

Cliff: Yeah.

Y/n: No, that's his first name.

Rick: His name's Fuck Scott Fitzgerald?

Y/n: What? No!

Cliff: Well, what does the F stand for?

Y/n: Francis.

Rick: No, it's got to be Fuck. It's got to be Fuck.

Cliff: It must be Fuck. It has to be Fuck.

Y/n: Why the hell would it be "Fuck"?

Rick: Well, 'cuz otherwise, why wouldn't he just say it?

Cliff: Yeah, he's hiding something. It's Fuck. It's Fuck. It's Fuck.

Rick: It's Fuck. It's Fuck.

Y/n: That's completely insane. You guys are idiots.