#one more thing about me is that i will always be annoying about hurricane | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

motorsportbarbie13 · 24 days ago

Text

Hurricane - Part 1

{Max’s eyes snap up to meet hers when Emma greets him, voice still a bit scratchy from sleep. The corners of his eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles over at her. “Good morning Sleeping Beauty!”

Emma rolls her eyes but feels the heat creep back into her cheeks. “I feel more like Maleficent in her dragon form than Aurora.”

Max smiles over at her again, “Well, I assure you, I could never mistake you for a dragon.” }

warnings: swearing, discussions of sexual harassment by an employer, max being a protective guard dog, anxiety, emma's parents suck hardcore in this one. pairing: max verstappen x emma meyer (original character) word count: 4.7k words

master list hurricane playlist ask me anything

“Max, are you at home?” The panic that edged into Victoria’s voice had Max sitting up straighter on the couch, despite the mind-numbing exhaustion that threatened to pull him under.

“I literally just walked in the door ten minutes ago, Vic. What’s wrong? Everything okay?” He knew it wasn’t. Victoria rarely called him anymore, too busy wrangling 2 little boys and now a new baby girl. He understood but it still stung every time he tried to call her after a race and she didn’t answer. So something had to be really wrong to get Vic out of bed this late on a Monday night to call him.

“It’s Emma…”

Max’s brain scrambled trying to figure out why that name sounded familiar. “Emma?”

On the other end of the phone, his sister huffed a sigh, clearly not in the mood to explain the little details like who she was talking about. “Emma Meyer? The woman that was my maid of honor at my wedding? Gave a big speech that I think made even you tear up?”

It all clicked suddenly as Max hummed in confirmation. He hadn’t seen Emma since his sister’s wedding a few years prior, but even then his memories of her were fuzzy. She was Victoria’s best friend but he never had been that close to her other than a few passing glances and casual greetings after sleepovers when Max was still living at home. Other than that though, Max remembered very little of his sister’s best friend. “What does Emma have to do with me being home?”

“I need you to go get her.”

Max’s brain stuttered for a moment as he struggled to wrap his mind around the sentence his sister had said. “What are you talking about, Vic? I’m not…What?”

There was no way Max was going to leave the apartment for the foreseeable future for anything, let alone a woman who he didn’t even know. He’d just touched down from China less than an hour ago, a race that had been fraught with drama and tension in the Red Bull garage. He’d missed the podium by one spot but considering how dog shit the car was this year, he was just happy to have finished in the points. Between that and the drama around his struggling teammate and the imminent decision of his fate in the 2nd Red Bull seat, Max had been looking forward to a few days of complete and total silence and isolation.

“I know you’re tired and just got back from a race weekend but I wouldn’t have called you if it wasn’t an emergency. Emma took a nannying job in Monaco a few weeks ago and the dad is a total creep.”

This caught Max’s attention. He may not remember much about Emma but the one thing that stood out in his memory was how close her and Vic had been growing up and how much Vic adored her. She had always been a quiet mouse of a little girl, walking around as if she was worried her mere presence would annoy anyone she came into contact with. The thought of anyone causing that little girl distress made Max’s stomach twist painfully.

“What do you mean ‘creep’?”

Victoria heaved a sigh, “I’ve been telling her to quit since the day she got there. He makes comments about her body, has a habit of walking around at night in just his boxers, has cornered her in the kitchen a few times when the wife was out of the house.”

Bile rose in Max’s throat with each bit of information he learned.

“The wife caught him tonight when he cornered Emma while she was doing dishes. The fucking asshole had the balls to blame it on her! Said she’d been trying to seduce him since the day she started.”

“Are you serious?” Max stood from the couch, still seething at the story Victoria was telling him, and started towards the door. He slipped on his shoes and grabbed the first set of keys he saw before reaching for his wallet.

“Deadly!” Victoria cried. “So the wife, of fucking course, believed her husband and fired Emma on the spot. She called me sobbing. She has no where to go and it’s nearly dark.”

“Ok. I’ll go get her. Can you send me her location and tell her I’ll be there as soon as I can. Send me her number too, I’ll call her when I get close. Is she still in the house?”

Max was already at the elevator to his penthouse, stabbing the button for the garage level as he listened to Victoria. “I think she’s packing now. I’m going to call her back and stay on the phone with her until you get there. I’ll send you her location and number now.”

The relief in his sister’s voice was unmistakable. He could tell this situation really had her spooked and for someone as level headed and Dutch as his sister, Max knew this was serious.

“It’s okay, Vic. I’ll go get her and make sure she’s safe. Then we’ll figure out what our next move is from there. Tell her to call the police if the husband tries anything else.”

Hearing a message notification chime, Max pulled the phone away from his ear to see the pin that Victoria had sent him. A quick scan of the map told him everything he needed to hear. The tension that had slowly been building up between his shoulder blades eased a bit when he saw how close Emma was. “She’s only 10 minutes away from the apartment. Tell her I’ll be there soon, okay?”

It only took Max seven minutes to reach the sleepy neighborhood tucked away in the hilly outskirts of Monaco. Behind him the sun had set the early spring sky ablaze with golds, yellows, and reds as it began its nightly descent behind the sea. The breeze was calmer up here compared to his apartment back down closer to the marina but as Max’s eyes flicked from the nav system on his Aston Martin to the road looking to see where Emma was, he saw the leaves in the tree flutter slightly.

The map program alerted Max to his imminent arrival and just as the sun started to ease further behind the horizon, he caught sight of a petite blonde standing on the sidewalk surrounded by three giant suitcases. Max struggled to rectify the image of Emma he had been building in his head over the last 20 minutes with the woman that was standing there waiting for him. The Emma he had expected had been cobbled together from innocent old memories that were fuzzy at the edges and brief catches of attention the last time he had seen her at Victoria’s wedding.

The Emma that was standing in front of his bottle green Aston Martin, looking at him wide eyed with tears streaming down her face, was not what he expected. Her hair was impossibly long, falling nearly to her waist, with half of it pulled up and out of her face, piled in a messy bun near the crown of her head. She was taller than he remembered but just as slender, more delicate than he recalled but those dove gray eyes that reminded him of the marina on a rainy day? He’d never forget the way they’d blinked over at him that evening, wide and terrified.

Max’s heart twisted violently when he realized she’d been crying. It took every ounce of carefully trained control to keep him from walking straight into the mansion he was parked in front of and beat some sense into whoever made Emma cry like that.

Throwing his car into park, Max was up and out of the car in the blink of an eye. “Emma!” He called out, relieved to see that there was no one watching her from the house.

It was if something clicked in Emma’s brain the moment Max said her name. Instantly, the guarded, scared look of a bird about to take flight flickered out of her eyes, her face relaxing into something still cautious but much more open than before.

“Max.” The way she says his name sounds like relief, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

He’s in front of Emma then, staring down at her, searching for any hint of physical harm that her former employer might have done in the time it took him to get to her. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind alarm bells clanged to life at the way he itched to touch her, to make sure that she was real.

Alarm bells that he ignored.

“Are you okay?” Max works to keep his voice low and steady, to keep from spooking her with how angry he really was.

Emma nods quickly, her eyes darting back towards the mansion behind her before flicking back up to meet Max’s gaze again. She hugs herself tightly, like she’s desperately trying to ground herself, like the only thing keeping her tethered to the earth was the fact that her arms were wrapped snugly around her middle. She’s shivering, despite the late evening heat still hanging in the air, and it takes everything Max has not to wrap her up in his arms to get her to stop shaking.

“Physically? Yeah. Just shaken more than anything really.”

Max shoves his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans and nods, “Okay.” He says softly, gaze lingering on her for a moment longer before turning to the three suitcases sitting sadly on the sidewalk. “Let’s get these into the car and then we’ll go back to my apartment and figure out our next move.”

Emma shakes her head, cheeks burning with embarrassment. “You can just take me to a hotel or something, I don’t want to be an imposition. I should have enough money for a night or two.” Anxiety flickers across her face and Max feels the bile rise in his throat again. There was something desperate in the way she’d replied, like she felt she was going to get into trouble for accepting his help.

Max shakes his head, leaning down to pick up the biggest of the three suitcases. “Vic would cut off my balls if she found out I allowed that.”

He smirks when Emma chokes out a laugh at his words, relieved at the way the weight on her shoulders seem to shift into something easier to carry.

“You’re not going to let me with this one, are you?” She asks, sensing that she’d be fighting a losing battle if she tried to convince him of anything else.

Having slipped the first suitcase into the trunk of the car, Max returns to the curb to retrieve the last two. He grins at her before he bends down, “I’m a four time world champion, do you think I’m going to let you win anything ever?”

Emma scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Fine. But only for one night, okay? You’ve already been more than generous with your time.”

“You’re important to Vic, so it’s important to me that you’re safe.” Max says simply before slamming the trunk.

The look on Emma’s face at his words has him pausing. He can’t quite place the emotion behind it but there are wisps of confusion and anxiety dancing across her pretty features. Max has never been particularly good at reading people though, so he could be wrong. Cars are easy for him. They make sense. They never say one thing while meaning the complete opposite. It’s people that confuse him.

Just as Max rounds the front of his car, intent on ushering Emma into the passenger seat of his car, the front door of the mansion swings open. A tall, balding man stands in the doorway, his face a flaming shade of indignant angry red.

“What in the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?” He yells from the porch, loud and accusatory, the harsh words cutting through the quiet evening air.

Max freezes for only a moment before stepping between Emma and the man as he stalks down the sidewalk towards the pair. The protective instincts that had flared the moment Victoria had told him about the ‘creep’ now surged into white-hot fury. He recognized the entitled arrogance radiating off the man, knew he was one of those men that wasn’t used to hearing the word no and had the fuse of an old charge of TNT. Short. Dangerous.

Max’s jaw clenches as he checks to make sure Emma is securely behind him and out of reach of the man now standing less than six feet away from them.

“I’m helping Emma leave.” Max replies, dangerous and low.

“Leave? She was fired! She has no right to take anything from this house! She could be robbing us blind for all we know!”

Max scoffs, “She has every right to her belongings, you piece of shit. You have absolutely no evidence she’s taken anything else.” He spits, his carefully constructed walls of composure rapidly crumbling.

He takes a step towards the man, pulling himself up to his full height, intent on intimidation. The exhaustion from his long flight back to China, the frustration of the race weekend, the political drama fueling his team right now, all of it was forgotten and replaced by a strange and sudden primal urge to protect the blonde cowering behind him.

“You watch your tone, boy! Do you even know who I am?” Th man blusters, puffing out his chest in a pathetic attempt to intimidate the Dutchman.

Max barks out a harsh, humorless laugh. “Frankly, I don’t give a flying fuck about who you are. You preyed on a vulnerable woman who was living under your roof, taking care of your children, thousands of miles away from her own home. You made her feel unsafe and then you blamed her for your disgusting behavior.” Max’s chest heaves. He hadn’t realized just how worked up he was until this moment. “The only thing I care about right now is getting Emma away form you, you pathetic excuse of a man.”

Behind him, Emma gasps softly, her hand flying to her mouth.

But Max wasn’t done. He takes another step towards the man, who notably shuffles away from the finger Max is now pointing straight into his chest. “And if you so much as try to contact her again,” He seethes, “You’ll have me to deal with me and my team of very well educated, very expensive lawyers who I keep on retainer at all times. They love going after assholes like you. So go ahead and fuck around, because they’d love to see you find out.”

The man, despite his previous blustering, seems to shrunk back slightly under the intensity of Max’s glare. Silence hangs heavy in the air as the man’s eyes dart from Max over to Emma and then back again.

“Get off my property!” He finally sputters, pointing his own shaking finger back at Max.

“Gladly.” Max sneers. Turning back to Emma, his expression softens slightly as he takes in her wide, still-tearful eyes. “Lets go.” His hand finds the small of Emma’s back and he gently guides her into the passage door of his car.

He keeps his gaze fixed on the man standing on the sidewalk as Emma slips into his car. Only when she’s safely tucked away inside and the door is closed does Max finally turn his back fully on the mansion. He walks to the drivers side quickly, his adrenaline still pumping and the image of Emma’s distress and the man’s repulsive demeanor burned into his mind.

What had started out as a quiet night to recover from the chaos that was his entire existence had shifted into something entirely unexpected and Max wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen next.

It was the silence that woke Emma up the next morning. For the last two weeks she had been woken up at exactly 6:30am by the two children that she had been nannying for, despite her contractual hours not beginning until 8am. So when she blinked away the sleep, eyes gritty with exhaustion after the drama the night before, Emma was confused. The sheets were too soft, the bedroom too bright, the silence too loud.

The memories of last night came flooding back as she sat up in bed.

How Andrea had screamed at her when she had walked in on Marcus cornering her in the kitchen. At first she had been relieved, happy that her boss was finally going to see first hand the harassment she’d been dealing with since she came to live with them but the relief quickly turned into horror as Marcus had spun the story to benefit him and blame her. The fight that had ensued had roused both Amelia and Beatrice from their beds but Emma had been powerless to protect the two little girls.

How panicked she had felt while packing up her belongings as Andrea had hovered at the doorway of her bedroom in the basement.

How relieved she had felt when Victoria had picked up on the first ring, instantly saying she’d call her brother to see if he was in Monaco and available to help.

How her stomach had twisted the first time Max had said her name.

Heat flared in Emma’s cheeks as she remembered that part. His voice, thick Dutch accent laced with concern, echoed in her head as she made moves to get out of bed and figure out what was next. She hadn’t seen him since Victoria’s wedding a handful of years ago but nothing had changed about him. His icy blue eyes had pinned her right to the sidewalk, intense and concerned. She hadn’t expected him to actually show up for her but if there was one thing Max Verstappen loved, it was his sister. Emma was pretty sure he would do anything for her.

Pausing at the door after pulling a sweater on over the tank top she had worn to bed, Emma listened to see if Max was awake yet. She had no idea what his schedule was or if he was waiting for her. The thought of asking Max and Vic for more help after all they had done last night turned her stomach sour. The voice of her mother echoed in her head in the absence of any sound coming from outside the spare room: ‘Emma, if you can’t do this by yourself, you cannot do it at all. I don’t want to help you and your father doesn’t have the time. Figure it out yourself.’

Figure it out yourself.

That had been the mantra she had been raised with and even now, at 25 years old, that lesson that had been ingrained in her head as a little girl still stuck.

But Max had come for her. No questions. No pushing. No ‘how could you have let this happen to you?’ accusations. Just a simple, steady presence and a question after her well being. It soothed something raw in her at the same time it made her anxious, the dueling feelings unsettling something deep within her.

As Emma padded down the quiet hallway, her heart rate ratcheted up. Last night, after Max had refused to bring her to a hotel, Emma had pretty much immediately taken refuge in the solitude that the guest room had offered her. There had been little small talk on the drive home but the silence hadn’t been awkward or uncomfortable. That was something she had always appreciated about her best friend’s older brother. He sat in the silence comfortably, not feeling the need to fill it with silly platitudes or casual conversation.

She found Max standing at his kitchen counter, soft gray t-shirt stretching tightly over his broad chest and biceps. He had a ball cap on with the bill turned backwards, a pair of black sweats riding low on his hips. Emma’s mouth went dry at the sight of him, Max’s arms working confidently as he scrambled eggs in a small metal bowl.

“Morning.”

Max’s eyes snap up to meet hers when Emma greets him, voice still a bit scratchy from sleep. The corners of his eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles over at her. “Good morning Sleeping Beauty!”

Emma rolls her eyes but feels the heat creep back into her cheeks. “I feel more like Maleficent in her dragon form than Aurora.”

Max smiles over at her again, “Well, I assure you, I could never mistake you for a dragon.”

Emma huffs a laugh, shaking her head. For the first time, she notices the veritable spread that covers most of the kitchen counter she was leaning against. A giant bowl of cut fruit, bacon, pancakes stacked several high. Behind Max, the stove was switched on and she could see a pan of scrambled eggs sizzling away.

Panic inches into the edge of Emma’s mind. Oh God, what if he had plans with someone this morning and she had ruined it all? What if he had someone staying with him last night and this was all for her and not Emma? What if she had just barged in on a date that Max had ended early just to come to her rescue? The thoughts spiraled as she stood there, barefoot cold on the hardwood floor of the kitchen.

“This is…a lot of food.” Emma chokes on the words, hoping Max doesn’t notice her panic. “Are you expecting company? I can totally leave if you have other plans.”

If she had been paying closer attention, Emma would have noticed the blush painting it’s way across Max’s cheeks before he answered. “I didn’t know what you’d want for breakfast so I kind of made everything I had in the kitchen.”

Something unfamiliar twists in Emma’s stomach at the way Max is looking at her, like she’s delicate and worth his attention. It was wholly unfamiliar and a bit unsettling.

“You…” She murmurs, her dove-gray eyes darting between Max’s and the spread of food apparently meant just for her. “You made this all for me?”

Max looks at Emma like he’s surprised at her reaction. “I figured you might be hungry after everything that happened last night. I didn’t know if you had eaten dinner and didn’t ask last night so I just took a gamble and made everything that resembled breakfast food.”

Emma’s hand rubs absentmindedly at the ache that had settled in her chest at his words. “Thank you, Max.” She repeats. “For last night and for all of this. You didn’t have to do all of this just for me.” She says, voice thick with anxiety that she’s embarrassed has taken hold behind her ribcage.

Max’s smile softens a bit as he watched Emma take a bite of bacon. “You don’t have to thank me, I was just doing my brotherly white knight duties, rescuing a damsel in distress.”

Brotherly duties. Right. Emma struggled to keep the disappointment from reaching her eyes at his words. Max hadn’t done this for her, it had solely been for Victoria.

Max watches Emma carefully from where he sits across from her at his kitchen table. She looks tired, like she spent a majority of her night tossing and turning and not resting. His heart aches when he thinks about how she had looked at him last night when he got out of the car, like she was shocked he had come for her and afraid that he wasn’t real.

When he had walked past the door to his guest room this morning he had paused for just a moment, telling himself he was only trying to see if she was awake and moving around behind the closed door. He wanted to make sure she felt comfortable here, knowing that the last few weeks spent with that family had probably not been the easiest of environments. He listened to the silence for a few moments before moving on, determined to be close enough so that Emma didn’t panic when she woke up but far enough away from her to give her the space she probably needed.

“Not that I’m trying to rush you because you are more than welcome to stay here as long as you want.” Max begins after a few moments of comfortable silence. “But, is there anything I can do to help with what you want to do next?”

Emma simply blinked at him, forkful of pancakes frozen halfway to her mouth in surprise. If she hadn’t looked so startled, Max would have laughed at her reaction to his question. “Oh. I…I hadn’t really thought about it.”

Max shrugs, “That’s okay. I’m sure last night was a lot. I assume you want to head back home then? I can arrange to get your suitcases shipped back to your parents house for you?”

Emma startles so violently she drops her fork, the clattering noise of metal against porcelain ringing harshly through the apartment. The anxiety and downright fear that flashes across her pretty features has Max sitting up a bit straighter in his chair. That was clearly not the right thing to suggest.

“Or…” He starts, seeing the way her breathing quickens at his question. “You can stay here for a while if you’d like. There’s no rush to make any decisions right now but maybe you should call Vic and let her know you’re okay?”

Clearly alerting her parents to her situation was out of the question, judging by her reaction to his suggestion so Max retreats to what, and who, he knows is safe. He watches as she pulls herself back together right in front of his eyes. It’s a stunning thing to watch, Emma piecing herself back together, shoving the anxiety and fear down somewhere deep below the surface.

In a matter of seconds, Emma has composed herself again, her delicate features schooled into a careful mask of neutrality. “I texted her last night but you’re right. I think Hailey should be down for her morning nap by now and I know the boys go to nursery school on Tuesdays.”

Max nods, watching as Emma stands from the table before taking her phone out into the living room to call his sister. The reaction to his suggestion of her going home pulls at Max for some reason. The way she had nearly shattered her plate with how hard she had dropped her fork was an interesting response. She hadn’t offered up why that was not an option but seemed relieved when Max didn’t push.

He hadn’t spent much, if any, time with Emma and her parents but he remembered Emma always being over whenever he was home on a break from racing. She always seemed to be with Victoria on the weekends and in the evenings during the week. It hadn’t even crossed his mind as unusual when he was growing up but now? Seeing her nearly slip into a panic attack at the mere thought of going back home to The Netherlands had alarm bells ringing in his head.

Max wasn’t going to push the issue though. He could sense that she didn’t want to open up about it but that was okay. If she didn’t want to go back, that was fine with him too. He had a feeling going home to Maaseik wasn’t any more of an option for Emma than staying with that family she had been working for until last night.

And Max would be dammed if he was going to send her back into another bad situation directly after saving her from one just a few hours prior.

as always, thank you to the best beta reader BFF who is always willing to entertain my ‘OKAY BUT WHAT IF’ messages at 2am @lestapiastrisgirl ❤️

tag list: @shelbyteller, @martygraciesversion381, @samantha-chicago, @stelena-klayley @dark-night-sky-99 @luckylampzonkland, @aykxz98 @forensicheart @cheer-bear-go-vroom @lieutenantchaos @willowsnook @linnygirl09 @meglouise00 @mixedstyles @secret-agents-stole-my-bunnies @mrosales16 @charlesgirl16 @leclercdream @daemyratwst @dramaticpiratellamas @mochimommy2002 @llando4norris @iamaunknownsecret @maxivstappen @a1leexxa @littlegrapejuice @sunflowervol18 @freyathehuntress @finn-dot-com @swiftie-4-lifes-stuff @chirasama @lauralarsen @dr3wstarkey @saskiaalonso @rbv3rstappen @ilovechickenwings @guaaafiiburg @mcmuppet @mindless-rock @piastri-fvx @mel164 @schumi-angel @myescapefromthislife @supertrashbread @sunny44 @tinystudentblaze-stuff @sarx164 @xoxomansee

#max verstappen #formula 1 #f1 #f1 fanfic #f1 imagine #mv33 #mv1 #max verstappen x oc #max verstappen fanfiction #max verstappen imagine #max verstappen fanfic #max verstappen series #f1blr #formula 1 x oc #formula one x oc #formula 1 imagine #f1 fandom #f1 rpf

341 notes · View notes

churipu · 1 year ago

Note

Hiii!! I can ask for jjk men (your choice!) with a girlfriend who doesn't look like it but is like super strong! ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ I have a love for those types of characters<3 thanks in advance!

I hope you are getting better ❤️‍🩹

jjk men & their "looks like a cinnamon roll but could kill" you gf

featuring. gojo satoru, toji fushiguro, nanami kento x fem! reader

warnings. cursing

note. anonnn <33 i absolutely love this one, i have so many speculations for different characters about this request omg, thank you for requesting love, i hope this one is up to par, much love xoxo (and i am feeling so much better now, thank you for checking up on me). OH AND GUESS WHAT? u don't understand how thankful i am to reach 300+ followers in the first week??? u guys rock, ilysm

GOJO SATORU. i feel like he'd feel so betrayed after finding out how you're very strong?? one second he's looking away and then the next second, he looks back and a curse is ready to pounce on you. he grits his teeth when he realizes that — but before he could even do anything, there you were, sending out a strong punch that leaves a gust of wind as a cherry on top.

gojo could only stare at you, jaw dropped. all he could think of was how on earth did you do that and how could someone so...cute and adorable like you send out that kind of punch. honestly, on one side he felt so betrayed to only know of your power now — but on the other side, he's so damn proud of you.

after all of that, you still managed to send him your most innocent smile as if you didn't just almost possibly created a hurricane with that punch of yours. skipping happily and then throwing yourself onto the male, "satoru!"

"you never cease to surprise me, baby." he chuckles.

and you blinked at him innocently, a little confused at what he's talking about. at first gojo thought you were just pretending not to know, but when he realized that you actually didn't know, it dawned upon him that maybe you didn't even realize how strong you actually are.

"y/n, you just obliterated a curse."

"oh. oh. yeah! i did."

yeah, you definitely weren't aware of your own strength. which surprised gojo even more.

TOJI FUSHIGURO. he's always thought that protecting you was one of his main duty, and believe me when i say that toji is always on guard for anything that could possibly send harm your way. feral animals, harmful plants, annoying babies, curses, anything he finds annoying — he just assumes you don't like them either.

despite not having a cursed energy, toji is strong. anyone would agree with that. so when he settled in with you, someone who radiates such loving and gentle aura, toji made it his job to keep you out of harm's way.

but apparently, you've got that under covered.

being in a relationship meant going out on dates occasionally, right? however, some people do not understand the meaning of "i have a boyfriend" and it annoys you. so when toji was away to fetch a few things and you were left alone, a stranger felt like it was the best time to hit on you.

"saw ya' from a couple of minutes ago, thought you're cute. we should hang out."

obviously the word "no" didn't work as he kept on bothering you, and you do know how people react when they don't get what they want sometimes? they just plain out throw words to boost up their ego and deny their own embarrassment. it's funny.

"whatever. ya' aren't that cute anyways." everything began out as an exchange of words — until anger consumes the best out of them. the male got ready to swung his hand on you.

and believe me when i say that toji was having the time of his life watching you exchange angry words with the guy, until he saw the male raise his hand. toji was about to drop everything and come to your rescue, but stopped when you smacked the stranger across his face harshly it sent him stumbling over his own feet.

toji chuckled lightly, although surprised. that day, i swore he promised himself not to get on your bad side (also, he thought it was pretty hot of you). he told you he'd been watching from afar, and was so ready to be your knight in shining armor.

apparently, you are your own knight in shining armor.

NANAMI KENTO. for the longest time, nanami has stood his ground in defending you from malices and curses. some of the people do not like the idea of you and him together, especially girls who failed to obtain his attention (obviously). and he'd always be the one to tell them to piss off and not to butt in his relationship.

you were just a normal businesswoman working normal office hours, and nanami — well, he's a pretty busy man. but he has made himself visible to your work environment a couple of times, mostly because you were clumsy enough to forget your bento box that you made for yourself before going to work.

and apparently that few times was enough to make girls swoon over your boyfriend. honestly, you could care less. you trust nanami. but things went rock bottom when this one particular girl, a co-worker who was obviously jealous of you. and she doesn't hesitate in showing that to you.

"accidentally" spilling coffee on you, "accidentally" stepping on your foot with her heels, "accidentally" bumping into you, "accidentally" elbowing your head when she walks by. just everything in an attempt to get a reaction out of you so she could possibly play the victim card.

you brushed her every attempt off, although it bothered you quite a bit. but your last straw was when she "accidentally" ruined the report you've been working on for the past week, sacrificing your rest and sweat for it — only for her to dump down a cup of iced macchiato on it the day you were supposed to hand it in to your boss.

you've just had enough of her, and this was not something you can brush off like her other "accidents" because this report would affect your position in the company (and possibly get you fired). but at this point, do you even care? no, no you don't.

"so, is this the part where i hit her?" you ask another co-worker who was there in the room when everything happened, and they nervously shook their head, "really? i feel like this is the part where i do."

so when you did send a punch to her jaw, your other co-workers were quick to run find help (your boss). and all it took was one punch to make the girl wobble weakly, her knees buckling.

oh, and your boss wasn't too happy about your resort in violence, especially in the work area.

"i don't care, i'm fired anyways." you took off the company's id card that was hanging from around your neck and tossed it onto the table before packing your bag to leave.

your boss wasn't the only unhappy one, you were too. and nanami as well.

"it isn't my fault, kento."

"i know, darling. i'm not saying it's your fault, i'm just surprised...that's all."

well, that was the first time you've ever threw a punch to someone. and the first time you've ever been fired, so yes. it is a surprise to nanami, but to you? you were expecting it sooner or later with the pace of how that co-worker was going in with her shenanigans.

"she was pushing it."

nanami was silently proud of you for being able to defend yourself though, "well, at the end of the day, you won the fight. right?"

#jjk x reader #jujutsu kaisen #jjk #jujutsu kaisen fluff #jujutsu kaisen x reader #fluff #jjk fluff #gojo fluff #gojo satoru #gojo x reader #toji fushiguro #toji fushigro x reader #toji fluff #nanami kento #nanami kento x reader #nanami x reader #female reader #nanami fluff

2K notes · View notes

hana-no-seiiki · 1 year ago

Note

Hi! Could I be ✨Anon? (Im not sure whats been taken already) I've been on a big Batfam kick these past few days and have a v indulgent request if it interests you.

Could I request something for a (gn) civilian reader who is friends w/ the Batfam, but recently got superpowers that are magical girl-esque? Neither of the parties knowing of the others Alter Egos. Here are some of my thought, but write the post however you'd like.

Reader was accidentally caught up in some commotion that involved stealing specialty cargo. One of them being an alien artifact, and reader uses it in desperation to save themselves. But now they have these sparkely, pretty, and showy powers that they never asked for. (And maybe a magical animal companion that insist they bring light and justice to Gotham)

Reader is reluctant to be a vigilante, but keeps finding themselves in situations to help people anyways.(Maybe its a side effect of being a magical girl) They end up fighting alongside the Batfam at some point, but they feel embarrassed to interact w/ them. Reader feels completely out of place with their colorful and over-the-top powers when next to the cool and brooding batfam.

Sorry if this idea is a bit out there, but ty for letting me be indulgent in your ask box 💕!!

NO CAUSE I FEEL THIS DYNAMIC SO MUCH.

I either have the friendliest vibe or the bitchiest vibe and no in between. Meaning that people either come to me for everything or think I’m a snob/will bite-

and sure non! i don’t really keep track of my anons nowadays so people can be whatever as long as it’s not listed in my pinned

BAT X MAGIC ✨

IN ANY CASE

I’m gonna mix Sailor Moon, Miraculous Ladybug and Onimai for my inspo with this ask if you don’t mind

Magical Girl/Boy/Person! Reader is really close friends with Tim and Damian. If there was one thing all three could agree on it’s that they loved superheroes in manga/comics.

And Reader? Boy did they adore the Batfam. There was just something about their dark, brooding aesthetic that they couldn’t get enough of.

So it was a tad bit ironic that they stumbled upon the most “girly”and “bright” power ever known to Gotham.

It didn’t help that your abilities had to be activated with cutely yelling things like “Sparkle Blast!” or “Smile Hurricane!”

I like to headcannon that you have a familiar or Kwami like creature that in exchange of keeping your identity magically hidden, absolutely bullies you by making the one above a requirement.

I headcannon that Damian has the PHATTEST crush on you. Like even moreso than the stalker, otaku Tim. Like he is just head over heels. You’re strong, you’re capable, you’re adorable?? But that mostly extends to just your magic persona rather than your real self. He’s super obvious about it to anyone but you too (similar to the og miraculous ladybug w/ felix instead of chat).

Tim is more interested on who tf you were. Like yes!!! Magical Person Hero!!! You were basically his childhood crushes incarnate!! But his inquisitive mind really needed to know who you were in order to calm himself down.

Jason is honestly a bit overwhelmed by your whole getup, but grows to love you the most in terms of how kind you are and how you help them even in the most dire of situations (not knowing that you were basically forced to)

He’s very much Tuxedo Mask type wherein he’d be very annoying to you when the disguises are off but an absolute Casanova with em on.

You and Dick are the most close when it comes to patrols and fighting. I feel like you, being the big fan you were, would make him look even more flashy and handsome during battle with sparkles and whatnot. I have a feeling he’d be the first to ask you out or fully romance you, as well as be the first to befriend you/contact you as a vigilante.

Bruce is definitely perplexed by how you always evade him in terms of your secret identity. It frustrates him to no end that whenever he gets close to finding out something either gets in his way or his mind just goes blank.

Once you explain how your magical persona works tho he’s pretty quick on the bandwagon, especially since he sees that his boys love you.

Also cause you look way too adorable to really be heinous.

…Right?

Once you break one of your familiar’s rules though, they do share your identity with the bats and well…

All hell breaks loose.

644 notes · View notes

goodlucktai · 4 months ago

Text

one of the rotten ones

rottmnt word count: 2k pairing: don & leo, don & OC title borrowed from anthems for a seventeen year old by yeule part of the archer au :) read on ao3

“I don’t think Gio likes me,” Donnie blurts.

He’d feel self-conscious if he was pressed to admit it anywhere else, but he’s in the infirmary, and the only one around to hear him say so is his twin.

They’re moving into hour two of Leo’s “faves” playlist and the fourth consecutive Taylor Swift song even though he swore he put it on shuffle. Leo is going through cabinets and shelves systematically, updating inventory on his phone, while Donnie infodumps about energy storage and projectile dynamics and the breaking strength of crossbow string.

Donatello’s base knowledge of this particular ranged weapon is severely lacking, which is a significant personal problem for him now that he has a sibling with a preference for archery. He needs to be the world’s leading expert on the subject yesterday. He has half a dozen half-formed plans for things like sonar bolts for 3-D mapping, which may or may not have been inspired by the Jupiter Jim Pluto Vacation run.

Only every glance at the project folder simply labeled ‘G-01’ causes an uncomfortable feeling to squirm to life in his stomach, not unlike the Krang tentacles that had attached themselves to his carapace on the day the world didn’t end.

Donnie isn’t good at people. He doesn’t know how they tick, and there are no reliable lines of code or handy user manuals that he can fall back on when he’s mystified by human behavior.

His siblings don’t have the same problem. Leo is perceptive to a degree that borders upon clairvoyance, Mikey is the single-most emotionally intelligent member of their family, Raph is more charming than he gets credit for, and April can talk her way through any closed door, police tape or VIP-only entrance. None of them fumble the way Donnie does when a social interaction goes off-script, like it’s a volleyball that got served his way without the ample warning he needs to be anything approaching passable at the sport.

But he knows he’s not imagining it—the way Gio seems to brace himself when Donnie comes into the room, like he’s expecting a confrontation every time. Like the last thing Donatello could want with him is something good.

Donnie can be a lot. They all can. They come by it honestly, equal parts chaotic lab experiments and their father’s sons. And not every structure is built to withstand hurricane winds. Not every person is equipped to deal with a Hamato level weather event.

But he has never seen Gio flinch away from anyone else.

So he did what he always did when confronted by something outside his formidable repertoire—he took it to Leo.

There had never in Donnie’s life been a problem that couldn’t be made into their problem. It came with twin territory.

And Donnie’s twin in particular is good at translating Donatello and translating other people for Donatello, and jumps on any chance to be helpful and feel wanted, and absolutely loves problems. It’s one of the most annoying and endearing things about him. If there is any trouble within a hundred miles, Leo will find it. He will worm his way into the center of it and then puzzle his way out from the inside. Most other clever and curious people were satisfied by the daily Wordle; Leo would chew through a wall unless he had something more hands-on to occupy his mind with. As polar-opposite as the two of them could be in, in that regard, they were one and the same.

It’s somewhat reassuring to Donnie that Leo’s immediate reaction is plain incredulity. He looks baffled, like Donnie has just started throwing stuff around the room for no reason.

(He knows better. In the medbay, of all places, that would be a death wish. Leo runs a tight ship here and only here.)

“Sorry, you don’t think Gio likes you?” Leo says slowly. “Our Gio? The guy who let you infodump about the mycelial networks of fungi to him for almost two hours, all because Mikey mentioned he was making mushroom stir-fry for dinner?”

Donnie scoffs, but he can’t help but feel warmed by the reminder. Gio had settled right in, the way he always did once he was sure of his welcome, and watched Donnie talk like nothing more interesting existed on this side of the equator.

“His eyes didn’t even glaze over,” Leo goes on, doing what he always does and pressing the advantage. “That’s a new personal best in this family. Even April started looking for a window to climb out of at the thirty minute mark.”

“There was bound to be at least one other mutant turtle in the New York metropolitan area with an appreciation for botany,” Donnie says imperiously, tilting his chin up.

But the worry is still there, firmly rooted, trying to flower. Leo must be able to tell because his frown deepens, playfulness evaporating by the second. He pauses the music and sets his phone down. The room rings in the sudden silence, but it’s not uncomfortable, because it’s a room Donnie exists in with his twin.

“I just want him to like me,” Donnie says. It’s a childish want, it makes him feel half his age, but it’s true.

He was never one of those human kids lingering near the playground, on the edge of the classroom, desperate to fit in. He was never on the outs because he never had the chance to be. But this is probably what that would have felt like.

Giorgio is quiet by default, absorbing everything with dark brown eyes, always pausing to think before speaking in a low, flat register that is becoming as familiar to Donnie as Raph’s comforting rumbles and Mikey’s energetic shrieks and Leo’s sweet or sly laughter.

He hasn’t been anything but kind since he got here. He saved Leo, brought him home from a place it should have been impossible to come home from, so Donatello would put up with any manner of assholery from that quarter in exchange—but it’s not that at all.

Once Gio’s initial guard goes up and then comes down, once they outlive that moment of consideration that verges upon scrutiny without ever crossing the line, the eldest turtle softens for any younger one like clockwork. He indulges whatever noise or nonsense they’ve brought with them like there is no better use of his time.

It doesn’t seem like a lie. But Donnie is the least qualified person he knows to make that judgement call.

There’s a lot at stake if he’s wrong, is all.

Leo looks like Donnie has taken a melon baller to his insides just for fun.

“I’d know if he didn’t like you,” Leo says with absolute certainty. And he probably would. And he would take it so personally. He wouldn’t let Gio know a single moment’s rest until the spotted turtle had a coming-to-Jesus moment and acknowledged his wrongdoings in canceled Youtuber apology video format.

Since that isn’t the reality they live in—and Leo’s daily relentless pestering of Gio is harmless and little-sibling-shaped and decidedly not mean-spirited by any stretch of the imagination—some small part of the tight, unhappy feeling in Donnie’s heart has no choice but to accept that as the compelling argument it is.

“He probably misses you, Tello,” Leo adds, something softening in his face that it hurts to look directly at. “His you, I mean. I know I would be a train wreck cosplaying as a person if I had to go someplace I’d never see you again. Can you imagine how screwed-up I’d be?”

Donnie’s whole soul shudders at the idea, at the nightmare that almost came true when the portal closed around the Technodrome and as good as severed Donnie clean down the middle. At the glimpse of a life he’d be forced to live with one leg, one lung, one arm, one eye, half a heart.

“That’ll never happen,” he says, a little too loud.

“You’re stuck with me,” Leo agrees. He means it, Donnie can tell—even after that almost-nightmare he put his family through, he means it. It’s one thing to take the nuclear option at the actual on-paper end of the world, it’s another to sit in a safe, warmly-lit room with his twin brother and try to conceive of an existence in which their dynamic duo was whittled down to a solo act.

When they were little, Donnie once tried to explain how big the unobservable universe was. He told Leo that light from the big bang hadn’t reached Earth from all the way over there yet. It was a concept he struggled with as a child, that something could be so unknowable and immeasurable.

“That’s how big my ‘I love you’ is,” he said, all of seven years old and putting it into words the best way he knew how.

“I love you bigger than that,” Leo said promptly.

“Ugh, you can’t,” Donnie said, frustrated at his twin for always trying to one-up him, for not understanding the huge thing Donnie was trying to compress and fit into his hands. “It’s not possible.”

“It is,” Leo said firmly, eyes gold to match Donnie’s, warm and shining in a way that was all his own. “I do.”

And then Leo went on to prove it. In a way Donnie never would have wanted him to—in an explosion that split the sky and left flash burns in their eyes, and the hollow pain of a surgical removal as the still-beating heart of their family was cut away, and the discordant electronic fuzz where a beloved voice had been rushing through last words, replaced by the sound of a radio without a signal, a device unpaired—but he proved it in a thousand other ways, too.

He was even proving it now, this afternoon he spent leaning on a forearm crutch and ambling around to various shelves and cabinets to keep up with his stock of medical supplies that had been severely depleted in the weeks after the invasion. Leo had carried bandaids and lidocaine spray in a tiny tote bag since he was two feet tall. He couldn’t stop bad things from happening but he could try to make the bad things better.

He’s looking at Donnie like he would right every wrong for him if he knew where to start. Like the unobservable universe was small enough to fit in his pocket compared to the lengths Leonardo would go for Donatello.

Leo is the younger twin, but sometimes the only thing there is for Donnie to do is shuffle over and bonk their foreheads together and believe him.

“If Gigi hated you, he wouldn’t be a Hamato,” Leo announces, muffled and silly and entirely correct. “It’s a required qualification. You must have missed that meeting with HR.” And then, because it’s important, he whispers, “I promise, okay?”

“Okay,” Donnie whispers back.

At about that moment, TSwift’s I Think He Knows comes on, proving once and for all that there is actually no way Leo’s playlist is on shuffle. The weighted moment they’re holding on tight to transitions into a lighter one that gets flung haphazardly around as an immediate life-or-death struggle for the phone ensues.

Stalemate is only reached when Splinter barges in to read them the riot act for daring to roughhouse while they had a non-zero number of broken bones between the two of them. Leo is bright-eyed with mischief and already fast-talking their way out of trouble the same effortless way April can rattle off her brothers’ favorite coffee orders, and Donnie’s worry has been soundly evicted, all its belongings in boxes in the yard.

Sitting around has never been his style. He’s a turtle of discovery and invention. And now that he’s been reassured that the absolute worst-case scenario is not on the table—that it, in fact, was never on the table to begin with—curiosity rears its head and snaps up the dregs of anxiety like a hungry wolfhound who mistook it for an unattended rack of lamb.

Hypothesis: Georgie isn’t being weird out of dislike of Donatello. Leo’s certain he’s not, so certain that he was willing to promise, point-blank and absolute, instead of being tricky and sly in the name of cheering Donnie up instead. Leo even offered a much more palatable alternative, but further evidentiary support is required.

So after dinner a week later, as the whole family crowds comfortably around the banana split bar spilling across the entire kitchen island and argues over which toppings Gio and Casey should stack their bowls with first, Donnie blurts, “Can I see your crossbow?”

Giorgio really is one of the clowns in this circus. He proves it by putting his ice cream down, and picking the bow up from where it was relegated to the bench seat where everyone tosses their coats and shoes when they get home, and passing it right over. No normal person would put a loaded weapon in Donnie’s hands just because he asked nicely.

As if in tacit agreement, both of Casey’s eyebrows shoot toward his hairline and Raph makes incredulous scoffing noises. April says, “You did not just—” at the same time Splinter blusters, “Purple, you fire that thing off in this house even once and I am grounding you from everything you know and love, including Orange!” and Donnie screeches, over Mikey and Leo’s hysterical laughter, “I can be trusted with projectile weaponry!”

The crossbow has been carefully maintained, but it hasn’t been used in weeks that Donnie is aware of. They’ve all stuck pretty close to home since the invasion, and it’s not like Gio knows anyone but them—it’s not like they need firepower for grocery hauls or pizza runs, though, knowing their luck, that could change any given day.

But Gio still cleans it regularly, and he’s become a familiar sight at the kitchen table; parts spread out on an oil-stained rag, meticulous and methodical with the one belonging he brought here with him from the future other than the clothes on his back and the colorful friendship bracelet on his right wrist.

It’s important to him, clearly, but he’s letting Donnie handle it with an indulgent look on his face. Like there are no better hands to leave it in than his little brother’s.

Because he’s at risk of having a whole emotion about that out loud, where his entire family is assembled to witness it, Donnie quickly turns his mind onto the much safer road of gadgetry.

He has never actually held a crossbow before, has never built or used one, but he’s been doing a lot of research. He has a lot of ideas. He wants to print mechanical broadhead arrows with explosive tips, or tear gas canisters, or EMP charges. It’s a brand new world of creative chaos and that’s not even touching all the build customizations Donnie has in mind. His fingers are already itching to dismantle and reassemble the machine into something better, something that won’t ever fail, something his big brother will love.

Only—huh. What feels like a low-level electric current thrums to quiet life like it was waiting to be noticed by the right pair of eyes, just enough of a static shock to get his attention and guide his hand to the rail. Glowing purple does the work of an allen wrench in seconds and a handful of screws clatter to the table. Donnie removes the scope in one sure motion, and moves on to snap the rail from the stock.

Raph says, low and warning, “Donnie,” intimately familiar with gremlin gadget mode and all the kitchen appliances and shared toys destroyed in Donnie’s early years in the name of science. But he’s not breaking this time, he’s just looking.

He flips the rail over in his hands and finds the source of that odd electricity-conductive feeling. Hidden on the underside is a small embossed logo that Donnie would recognize anywhere, because it’s his.

“A-ha!” he says, absurdly pleased with the discovery. “A Genius Built mod.”

The rail was one of the first things he’d had in mind to upgrade, but it looks like he’d beaten himself to the punch.

“With a custom rail, we can add whatever attachments we want to the stock, way beyond just an average scope or a rangefinder,” Donnie says eagerly, his mind darting ahead in three different directions at once. “The world is our oyster, Georgie!”

He can’t help grinning. His logo on Gio’s prized possession is that last little bit of evidence he needed. He’s never been happier to be wrong, and will endure Leo’s smugness for an unheard of two entire business days before initiating retaliation.

No version of Donatello would put that mark on anything unless he really cared about it.

And Gio wouldn’t lift the rail from Donnie’s hands, and touch his thumb to that stylized “D” as if to prove to himself that it was real, an expression of painful wistful longing on his face, unless he really cared, too.

#rise of the tmnt #rottmnt #hamato donatello #hamato leonardo #disaster twins #the archer au #my writing #tmnt fic

88 notes · View notes

itsgiovanna · 2 months ago

Text

playing for love (chapter 7)

pairing: fem!character x mason mount

summary: injured and lost, mason mount begins his recovery with the help of adeline alderidge, a tough yet brilliant physiotherapist with secrets of her own. he becomes determined to break through the walls adeline has built around herself. but some wounds don't heal easily, and the closer they get, the more mason realizes she might need saving just as much as he does.

notes: hi, loves! my life has been a hurricane, that's why i took so long to post chapter seven. anyways, i hope you're still with me on this one! enjoy :)

word count: 6.0k

warnings: none.

next: chapter 8

tag list: @avalentina @a1leexxa

The first thing Adeline registered was warmth.

A slow, lazy kind that wrapped around her and made her want to stay curled up for just a little longer.

The second thing was the smell. Coffee. Something buttery. Something that smelled way too good for this early in the morning.

She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the soft morning light streaming through the windows. The storm was over. The skies had cleared, leaving only the faint scent of rain lingering in the air.

And then she realized — she was still on the couch.

Still in Mason’s hoodie.

And she had slept here.

With a quiet inhale, she pushed herself up, the blanket draped over her sliding down as she tried to shake off the haziness of sleep. Her body ached slightly from being curled up all night, but what unsettled her more was the unfamiliar comfort of it all. She had spent the night in Mason’s home, had let him sit with her through the worst of the storm, had let herself lean on him.

Something had shifted.

She didn’t know what to do with that realization.

A pan sizzled from the kitchen, pulling her from her thoughts.

Adeline ran a hand through her hair, straightened the hoodie slightly, then — after a breath — forced herself up.

She found Mason standing by the stove, his back to her, moving around the kitchen with an ease that almost felt domestic. The sight was oddly… disarming. The same man who had been relentless in annoying her, who had spent weeks pushing her patience, now stood barefoot in his own kitchen, making breakfast like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Smells good.” she said before she could stop herself.

Mason turned, spatula in hand, and gave her a once-over. Not teasing. Just observing. His gaze lingered briefly on the hoodie she was still wearing before he smirked. “You look like you just crawled out of a cave.”

Adeline rolled her eyes. “And here I was about to be nice.”

Mason chuckled, turning back to the stove. “Guess that means I’m growing on you.”

She didn’t dignify that with a response. Instead, she stepped into the kitchen, hesitating for just a second before leaning against the counter. The casual air he carried made it easy to pretend nothing was different, even though it was.

“You always cook breakfast?” she asked.

“When I feel like it.” he said, flipping whatever was in the pan. “Figured I owed you, since you got stuck here.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

Mason glanced at her. “Maybe not. But you should eat anyway.”

She didn’t argue. She just watched as he worked, moving with an effortless rhythm that told her this wasn’t just a rare occurrence — he actually knew what he was doing.

When he plated the food and slid a plate toward her, she looked at him for a moment before giving in. “Thanks.”

Mason just smirked and grabbed his own plate, leaning back against the counter next to her.

They ate in silence for a bit, the only sound the quiet clink of utensils and the occasional shift of movement. Adeline wasn’t sure why it felt so… easy.

Maybe because she was too tired to overthink it. Maybe because something about the way he had been last night had chipped away at the resistance she had been holding onto.

Or maybe she was just tired of being rude to someone who, for once, wasn’t making her life harder.

After a moment, Mason cleared his throat. “So, what’s the plan? Heading back soon?”

She nodded, swallowing a bite. “Yes. Stella’s probably waiting.”

Mason leaned his elbow on the counter. “Is Lily alright after the storm?”

Adeline glanced at him, a little surprised he asked. “She sleeps like a rock. Probably didn’t even notice.”

Mason huffed a laugh. “Lucky her.”

Adeline studied him for a second. “Did you sleep at all?”

“Not really.”

She frowned slightly but didn’t press.

Another stretch of silence passed, but it wasn’t awkward. Just… quiet. A rare thing between them.

Mason shifted slightly, nudging her arm with his elbow. “You’re gonna steal my hoodie, or do I get it back?”

She looked down, realizing she was still tucked into the soft fabric. And, more embarrassingly, that she had been comfortable in it.

“I’ll give it back.”

Mason smirked. “Take your time.”

Adeline shook her head, but for once, she didn’t have a sharp retort. She just kept eating, ignoring the way his words settled somewhere deep, somewhere she wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge yet.

Adeline had just finished her coffee when her phone buzzed on the table. She glanced at the screen, seeing Elliot’s name flashing across it. A part of her hesitated before answering.

“Elliot?” she said, shifting in her seat.

“Hey, Alderidge.” Elliot’s voice was unusually serious. “How are you holding up? I know the storm was bad.”

Adeline exhaled, rubbing her temple. “I’m fine. I stayed somewhere safe for the night.”

There was a small pause before Elliot spoke again. “That’s good. Listen, I wanted to call because… the building’s in bad shape.”

Her grip on the phone tightened. “What do you mean?”

“There’s been a lot of flooding. Some apartments are completely wrecked. The power’s still out, and they’re saying it might take days to fix everything.”

Adeline’s stomach twisted. The thought of her apartment — of Lily’s things, their home — being damaged made her chest tighten.

“Shit.” she muttered, running a hand through her hair. “How bad is mine?”

“I’m not sure.” Elliot admitted. “I couldn’t get inside, but it’s probably better if you check it out yourself before bringing Lily back.”

Lily.

Guilt slammed into her like a wave. It had already been too long since she’d seen her daughter, and now she had to push it even further.

“Of course, yes.” she murmured, rubbing her temple. “You’re right.”

“I can give you a ride there.” Elliot offered. “I have to head to work soon, but I can drop you off on the way.”

Adeline hesitated, glancing toward Mason, who was still moving around the kitchen

“Sure.” she said after a beat. “Thanks, Elliot. I owe you one.”

“You owe me nothing. Just let me know when you’re ready.”

When she hung up, Adeline immediately opened her messages and typed out a quick text to Stella.

Adeline: Can you take Lily to daycare today? I need to check the apartment first. I’ll come get her as soon as I can.

She hit send, swallowing hard. She knew Lily was safe with Stella — she always was — but the guilt sat heavy in her chest. Too many hours away, too many missed moments.

It didn’t take long for her to respond, Adeline let out a sigh of relief when she read it.

Stella: Don’t worry, babes. I got you, be safe.

But, then there was Mason.

She shifted in her seat, feeling the soft fabric of his hoodie still wrapped around her. Let herself be comforted, let herself be seen in a way she usually didn’t allow.

Now, in the morning light, it all felt too real.

Adeline let out a slow breath, setting her phone down on the counter. The conversation had left an uneasy weight in her chest, and she rolled her shoulders, trying to shake it off.

When she looked up, Mason was watching her from where he stood by the sink. He had been wiping down the counter, but now his hands had stilled, his brow slightly furrowed as he studied her.

“What?” she asked, shifting under his gaze.

Mason tilted his head. “You look… I don’t know. Annoyed. Or stressed.

She let out a short, humorless laugh. “Yeah, well, I’ve got a reason.”

“What happened?” He set the dish towel aside.

She hesitated for a second before exhaling. “A friend. — Well, my neighbor — called. He went to check on the building this morning, and there’s been some flooding. Some of the apartments are in bad shape.”

“What about yours?” Mason straightened slightly.

“I don’t know yet.” she admitted. “He couldn’t get inside, but the power’s still out, and they’re saying some places got hit worse than others. I need to go check it out before I bring Lily back.”

Mason nodded slowly, considering that. Then, without missing a beat, he said. “I’ll drive you.”

Adeline blinked. Then she gave him a look.

Mason followed her gaze as it dropped to his knee brace, realization dawning across his face. He smirked. “Right. Minor issue there.”

“Kind of a big one.” She arched a brow.

“Fine. I’ll supervise.” He let out a mock sigh.

That actually made her huff a laugh.

“Appreciate the offer, but my neighbor’s already on his way to pick me up.”

Mason’s smirk lingered, but he nodded. “Didn’t realize you had a neighbor that nice.”

“He’s just being helpful.” Adeline shrugged.

Mason didn’t say anything to that, just watched her for a second longer before continuing to do the dishes.

(…)

Adeline had just zipped up her bag when a light knock sounded at the door.

She glanced over her shoulder to see Mason leaning casually against the frame, arms crossed over his chest. His stance was relaxed, but there was something knowing in his expression, like he had already decided she was going to refuse whatever he was about to say.

“Need help with the apartment?” he asked.

Adeline snorted softly, shaking her head as she adjusted the strap of her bag. “You’re still recovering.”

“I didn’t say I’d be useful help.” Mason joked.

That actually made her laugh. She dropped her bag onto the bed and stretched her arms over her head, working out the stiffness from sleeping curled up on the couch all night.

“That’s good to know. If I ever need someone to supervise while I do all the work, I’ll call you first.” Adeline said, smiling.

“I can hold a flashlight and nod like I know what I’m doing.” He shrugged.

Adeline shook her head, amused, and bent down to grab the few things she had left on the nightstand — her phone charger, a hair tie, a small travel-sized lotion she always carried. Mason didn’t move from his spot, just watched her with a lazy kind of curiosity, as if he had nothing better to do than stand there and make conversation.

“I think I’ve got it covered.” She tucked her charger into the side pocket of her bag before glancing up at him.

“Figured I’d offer.” Mason gave a slight nod.

A pause settled between them, not awkward, just quiet. Then Adeline exhaled and ran a hand through her hair, hesitating for half a second before speaking.

“And… Mason.” She cleared her throat, shifting her weight slightly. “Thank you. Really.”

Mason raised a brow. “For?”

She rolled her eyes. “For letting me stay. And, you know… keeping me company.”

Something in his expression shifted, just slightly. Not teasing, not smug — just understanding.

“Yeah, well.” He shrugged one shoulder. “It’s not every day I get to witness you being tolerable.”

“There he is, Mason Mount.” Adeline huffed a small laugh and shot him a look.

“Gotta keep the balance.” Mason grinned.

She rolled her eyes, but the usual sharpness between them wasn’t there.

It was just easy. Natural.

She reached for her bag, slinging it over her shoulder, but Mason’s voice stopped her before she stepped past him.

“Seriously, though.” His tone was quieter now, more casual than joking. “You know you can call if you need anything, right?”

Adeline blinked, caught off guard for just a moment.

Then, before she could think too much about it, she nodded. “I know.”

Mason held her gaze for a second longer, then smirked. “Good. Now get out of my house before you start thinking I’m nice or something.”

Adeline laughed as she stepped past him, shaking her head. “Too late.”

(…)

The car came to a slow stop in front of the building, and Adeline’s stomach tightened. The storm had left its mark. The sidewalk was cluttered with soaked furniture, broken boxes, and ruined belongings. Neighbors moved around in a daze, some dragging what they could from the wreckage. Others just stood, defeated.

The building itself looked exhausted. Mud streaked the lower walls, and the entrance was smeared with grime. A cracked window on the second floor gaped open, its curtains hanging limp and wet. The air smelled of dampness and stale water.

Adeline barely heard him. “I should’ve been here.”

“There’s nothing you could’ve done.” Elliot said softly, his hand brushing her arm. “No one could’ve stopped this.”

She nodded, but the guilt remained. Without another word, they headed inside.

The hallway was worse. The floor squelched beneath their shoes, and the walls were streaked with dark stains. Water had pooled along the edges, carrying bits of debris. Every step echoed in the eerie silence.

When they reached her door, Adeline’s hands shook as she unlocked it. She hesitated for a moment, bracing herself. Then she pushed it open.

The sight hit her like a wave.

Water covered the floor, murky and still. The couch sagged, the fabric darkened and soaked. Lily’s bookshelf lay collapsed, with pages clinging to the warped wood. The small rug they’d picked out together was barely visible beneath the water, vibrant colors dulled. In the corner, the television tilted dangerously, a crack splintering across the screen.

Adeline’s eyes moved over every ruined thing — the framed pictures, the knick-knacks they’d collected, the handwritten notes stuck to the fridge that now curled and bled ink. A stuffed bear floated near the baseboard, its fur matted and gray.

“We fought so hard for this.” she whispered, barely realizing she’d spoken aloud.

Elliot didn’t respond. He simply stood beside her, watching the wreckage with the same stunned silence.

Her chest ached. All the hours spent making this apartment a home, all the memories wrapped into its walls — gone. Just like that.

“You’ll figure this out.” Elliot said eventually, though his voice was unsure.

Adeline didn’t answer. The weight of the loss settled deep, and for a long moment, all she could do was stand there, the water lapping softly at what was left.

Hours later, as she worked in silence, the sound of the steady drip of water filled the room. The floor was still slick with murky puddles, and every step made the wet boards groan beneath her weight. The air was thick — a mix of dampness, mud, and something sour that clung to the walls.

Elliot was by the door, hauling the soaked couch closer to the hall. He didn’t say much, only offering the occasional glance her way.

Adeline crouched near the collapsed bookshelf, fingers carefully sifting through the waterlogged mess. The pages of her and Lily’s favorite bedtime stories clung together, their bright illustrations now smeared and dull. She tried peeling one apart, but the paper disintegrated in her hands.

Her throat tightened.

Next to the ruined books was a small wooden box, the lid slightly ajar. She pulled it free, brushing away the beads of water that dripped from its corners. Inside were photographs — some warped and stuck together, but others miraculously untouched.

A picture of Lily, taken on her third birthday, grinned back at her. She was missing a tooth, her face smeared with chocolate frosting. Stella had been the one to capture the moment, laughing as Lily tried to blow out candles that kept relighting.

She’d been there for everything — from the day Lily was born to the late nights Adeline spent worrying over rent and bills. Stella had been her constant, her family when she had none.

She set the photo aside gently. Next, she found a small stack of Lily’s early drawings — all suns, stick figures, and lopsided hearts. Most of them were too wet to save, but one had dried enough to keep. A simple image of two figures holding hands, with “Mum and Me” scrawled in bright purple crayon.

Adeline traced the edges with her thumb, the tears pressing hot behind her eyes.

“How’s it going?” Elliot’s voice broke through the quiet. He was standing in the doorway now, his arms crossed.

She swallowed hard and nodded. “I’m… getting what I can.”

“Good,” he said, his voice careful. “No rush. Just… take what matters.” She didn’t respond, but she appreciated the space he gave her.

After setting aside the box of memories, Adeline moved toward the small writing desk by the window. The chair had tipped over, half-submerged in the water. She pulled it upright, its legs scraping loudly. The bottom drawer was swollen shut, but with a few firm tugs, it gave way.

Inside were loose papers, ink bleeding across the pages. Torn envelopes, old receipts — most of it useless. But then, beneath the mess, her hand brushed against something solid. A small bundle of letters, still sealed.

Her father’s handwriting.

The sight of it jolted her. The looping script of her name on each envelope was painfully familiar, though the paper had softened with age. She hadn’t seen those letters in years. She’d tucked them away the moment they arrived, unopened. Each one a reminder of what she’d walked away from.

“We’ll give you everything you need. Just not with her.”

The words still echoed. Her father’s voice, cold and resolute. The choice had been hers. She kept Lily, and they shut her out. No more family. No more home.

But he had written. Over and over. And no matter how much she wanted to pretend those letters didn’t exist, she’d never thrown them away.

Adeline ran her fingers over the edges, the paper brittle but intact. The temptation was there — to tear them open, to read whatever apology or condemnation might wait inside. But she didn’t.

She wouldn’t.

Still, she couldn’t leave them behind. Without thinking, she slipped the bundle into her bag, tucking it beneath the dry photos. They didn’t deserve space in her thoughts, but somehow, she couldn’t bear to lose them.

“Ready?” Elliot asked quietly.

Adeline exhaled, blinking away the sting in her eyes. “Yeah.”

She gave the apartment one last look. The water still pooled, reflecting the broken pieces of what had been her home. But the memories — the ones she’d managed to save — were enough for now.

“Let’s go.” she said. And without another word, they stepped out into the dim hallway, leaving the ruins behind.

(…)

Ben, Declan, and Kai were talking about football — the upcoming match, tactics, and player transfers. Mason tried to engage, but his mind kept wandering.

Ben noticed first. “You alright, mate?” he asked, glancing over at Mason, who was absentmindedly swirling his drink.

Mason looked up, forcing a smile. “Just tired, that’s all.” he said quickly, but the words felt off.

“You sure?” He raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been quiet all night.”

Mason hesitated for a moment, trying to hide how unsettled he felt. “I'm alright.” he said, trying to brush it off.

The conversation inside had started to fade into background noise. Ben and Kai were still talking about the upcoming match, but Mason barely registered it. His thoughts were elsewhere.

Adeline had rescheduled his session that morning. She’d said it was for personal reasons, but Mason couldn’t help but worry. After everything that happened during the storm, she’d stayed over at his place. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since. The quiet moments, the way she’d let him comfort her — it felt different. More real. And now? He wasn’t sure what it all meant.

"Mate, you’ve been off all night." Declan said, nudging him. "What’s going on?"

Mason shook his head, forcing a small smile. "Nothing. Just tired."

Declan didn’t buy it. "C'mon." he pressed. "You’ve barely said a word. Let’s get some air."

Mason hesitated but eventually nodded. They stepped out into Ben’s backyard, the cool night air brushing against them. Mason kept his hands in his pockets, staring up at the sky. The distant hum of the city was the only sound for a moment.

"Are you gonna tell me what’s actually going on?" Declan asked, his voice softer now. "Because I know it’s not just ‘tired.’"

Mason sighed, leaning against the railing. "It’s Adeline." he admitted quietly. "She canceled our session today. Said she had personal stuff to deal with. I don’t know… I guess I’m worried."

Declan frowned, studying Mason’s expression. "Is she alright?"

"I hope so." Mason said, though uncertainty twisted in his chest. "But it’s not just that. It’s…" He paused, struggling to put it into words. "She stayed at my place during the storm. It was late, and I didn’t want her getting an Uber in that mess. I thought it was the right thing to do. But now it feels... complicated."

"Complicated how?" Declan’s brows lifted slightly.

"I don’t know." Mason muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. "She’s my physiotherapist. It’s supposed to be professional. But last night, when she was upset, I didn’t think about that. I just wanted to be there for her."

Dec nodded, his expression thoughtful. "And now you’re wondering if she sees it the same way."

"Yes." Mason admitted, his voice low. "I keep thinking about it. What if I messed things up? What if she regrets staying?"

Declan took a step closer, his tone steady. "Mase, listen. I know how your head works. You overthink everything when it comes to this stuff. But not every situation’s gonna end like before."

Mason’s jaw clenched. Declan didn’t have to say it outright — Mason knew what he meant. The last time Mason let himself fall for someone, it hadn’t gone well. The heartbreak still lingered, making him hesitate anytime his feelings got too close to the surface.

"But what if it does?" Mason asked quietly. "What if I ruin everything?"

Declan shook his head. "Or what if you don’t? What if she needed you last night, and you did exactly what a good man should? Maybe she’s thinking about it too, but she’s just as scared as you are."

Mason didn’t respond right away. He wanted to believe Declan was right, but the fear still lingered.

"You’ve always been like this, mate." Declan continued, his voice laced with both frustration and care. "You convince yourself you’re not good enough. But I’ve known you since we were kids, and I know how much you care. You don’t just look out for people because you have to — you do it because that’s who you are."

Mason’s throat tightened. He hated how easily his friend could see through him.

"You’re not the guy who breaks things, Mase." Declan added. "And you don’t have to keep punishing yourself like you are."

For a moment, the only sound was the rustle of the trees. Mason exhaled slowly, the weight on his chest easing just a little.

"I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, Dec." Mason finally said.

"You don’t have to know right now." Declan replied. "But don’t push her away just because you’re scared. If you care about her, trust yourself a little."

Mason nodded, though the uncertainty still lingered. But Declan’s words stayed with him. Maybe he didn’t have the answers yet, but for the first time in a while, he wasn’t entirely convinced that was a bad thing.

(...)

Adeline sat on the edge of the worn-out couch in Stella’s building lobby, the hum of fluorescent lights overhead doing little to soothe her restless thoughts. She had spent the afternoon at her apartment, trying to salvage what she could from the flood. Damp clothes, ruined photographs, Lily’s waterlogged toys — the sight of it all had weighed her down like a stone. Even now, the scent of mildew seemed to cling to her skin.

But none of that mattered at the moment. She was about to see Lily.

The glass doors swung open, and a burst of chilly air swept through the lobby. Adeline’s heart leapt when she saw the familiar pair walking in. Lily, bundled in her little pink jacket, her golden curls bouncing with each step, and Stella trailing right behind her, flashing a grin.

"Mommy!" Lily’s voice rang out, cutting through the stale air like sunshine.

Adeline shot up from the couch, a tearful smile breaking across her face as Lily bolted toward her. She crouched just in time to catch her daughter in a tight embrace. The warmth of Lily’s small body instantly soothed her frayed nerves.

"Oh, my love." Adeline murmured, pressing kisses to Lily's forehead. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too!" Lily squeezed her tighter, little hands clutching Adeline’s coat. "Mommy, the storm was so loud! Did it scare you?"

Adeline brushed a stray curl from Lily’s face, her voice soft. "A little. But I’m okay now, because I have you here."

Lily giggled, her eyes sparkling. "I wasn’t scared! I pretended I was a superhero and the storm was a big, grumpy monster!"

Adeline laughed, the sound finally feeling genuine. "You’re my brave girl."

"And she made sure everyone at daycare knew it." Stella quipped, stepping closer with an amused grin. "She’s been telling her superhero story all day."

Lily nodded enthusiastically. "Auntie Stella said I should make a comic book about it!"

"I think that’s a brilliant idea, sweetheart." Adeline agreed, her chest swelling with pride.

Stella, though still smiling, scanned Adeline’s face, her brow furrowing slightly. "You look like you’ve had one hell of a day."

Adeline’s smile faltered. She opened her mouth, the weight of everything she wanted to say pressing down on her, but she quickly shook it off. "It’s been… a lot."

"You don’t have to explain right now, babes." Stella said gently, resting a hand on Adeline’s shoulder. "But when you’re ready, I’m all ears."

Adeline nodded, grateful for her friend’s patience. But even as she tried to focus on Lily's excited chatter, there was one more thought lingering in the back of her mind. Mason.

She hadn’t heard from him since she left his house that morning. He’d texted once, checking in, but she hadn’t responded yet. The memory of his steady presence, the way he had held her through the storm, stayed with her. It was confusing — comforting, but confusing.

"So, Elliot drove you here?" Stella’s teasing voice snapped Adeline from her thoughts.

"He was just helping." Adeline rolled her eyes.

"Oh, helping, yes." Stella smirked, her arms crossing. "He must be pretty invested in being a good neighbor."

"Stella." Adeline warned, though she couldn’t fight the tiny smile tugging at her lips.

Lily, completely oblivious to the teasing, beamed up at Stella. "Auntie Stella, did you know Mommy is the best hugger in the whole world?"

"I did know that!" Stella exclaimed dramatically. "But I’m always happy to be reminded."

Adeline scooped Lily into her arms, holding her tight once more. For now, despite everything that awaited her, she held onto this — her daughter’s laughter, her best friend’s unwavering support, and the brief calm in the eye of the storm. The rest could wait, if only for a little while longer.

The elevator creaked its way up to Stella’s floor, the narrow space barely accommodating the three of them. Stella’s apartment was a small, one-bedroom flat, a classic city single-girl space with mismatched furniture, vibrant throw pillows, and walls plastered with polaroid memories. The scent of vanilla candles lingered in the air, a sharp contrast to the dampness Adeline couldn’t quite shake from earlier.

"Okay, superhero." Stella announced as they stepped inside, tossing her keys on the counter. "What mission are we going on now?"

Lily gasped excitedly. "Can I play with the stickers in your drawer?"

"You mean the super-secret sticker collection?" Stella teased. "Of course. You’re the only one I trust with that responsibility."

With a squeal, Lily dashed to the small desk by the window, already immersed in her new activity.

"She’s a tornado of energy." Stella chuckled before turning back to Adeline. "Alright, sit. Spill."

Adeline hesitated but sank into the soft couch, her fingers tracing the seam absentmindedly. "The apartment’s ruined. There’s… so much damage, Stella. Water everywhere. I tried to clean, but it’s impossible."

Stella’s face softened. "Oh, Adeline. I’m so sorry."

"I don’t know what I’m going to do." Her voice cracked, but she quickly blinked away the tears threatening to fall. "I can’t afford to stay in a hotel forever."

"Then stay here, Ady." Stella said firmly. "It’s tiny, but we’ll make it work."

Adeline shook her head, though the offer warmed her heart. "No. You’ve done enough for me already. You need your space. And Lily… she needs room."

"But I’d gladly give it up for you. Both of you."

"I know, Stells." Adeline murmured, her fingers trembling. "But I can’t. I’ll figure it out."

"And?" There was a beat of silence before Stella’s eyes narrowed playfully.

"And what?"

"And Maso." Stella smirked. "You’re thinking about him. Don’t even try to deny it."

Adeline groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "I stayed at his place, that’s all."

"That’s all?" Stella lifted a brow. "Babes, you’ve been distracted since we walked in. You’re not fooling me."

"It’s… complicated." Adeline admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I’m listening."

"He was just… so kind. He didn’t have to be. But he stayed with me the whole time, comforted me. It’s like, for once, I didn’t have to hold everything together by myself."

Stella’s expression softened. "That doesn’t sound complicated. That sounds… nice."

Adeline hesitated. "But it’s Mason. He’s my client. And I can’t afford to get caught up in something that isn’t real."

"Maybe..." Stella said gently. "Or maybe, for once, you should let yourself feel whatever it is you’re feeling."

And with that, Adeline did what she always did — she leaned on Stella, because if anyone could help her navigate the tangled mess of emotions, it was her best friend.

(...)

The sun spilled over the bustling streets of Levenshulme’s High Street, illuminating the vibrant colors of the market stalls. Crowds moved in a steady hum, laughter and chatter mingling with the scent of roasted coffee, fresh-baked pastries, and sizzling street food.

Vendors called out their specials, their voices adding to the lively rhythm of the day. Manchester didn’t get many days like this — the kind where the sky remained an uninterrupted blue and the breeze carried warmth instead of the usual biting chill.

Mason walked alongside his family, the buzz of the market bringing an easy smile to his face. It was rare that his parents, Jaz and Sam, alongside Summer and Mia all made the trip from Portsmouth. He tried not to miss home too much, but having them here brought back a sense of comfort he didn’t realize he’d been craving.

“I’m telling you, mum.” Mason said, weaving through the crowd. “Next time, I’ll cook. You can’t keep saying I’ve only mastered scrambled eggs.”

Debbie scoffed, though a smile tugged at her lips. “I’ll believe it when I see it. I’m still recovering from that time you nearly set the oven on fire.”

Jaz snorted. “Mason, you’re not a Michelin-Star chef just because you grilled a burger once.”

Mason rolled his eyes, though laughter escaped him. “You’re all just jealous. My culinary skills are unmatched.”

“Right, mate.” Sam chimed in, grinning. “The man burns toast but calls it artisanal.”

“Rude.” Mason shot back, but the corners of his mouth lifted. Summer tugged at his hand, her curly hair bouncing as she pointed to a stall lined with handmade jewelry.

“Uncle Mase, look! Pretty bracelets!”

“Oh, we better check those out.” Mason said, leading her toward the stall. Mia, perched on Tony’s shoulders, babbled excitedly about the balloon animals she’d spotted.

It was the kind of day Mason wished he could freeze — simple, happy, and easy. But then, in the middle of the bustling crowd, something, or rather someone, caught his eye.

Adeline.

She stood near a flower stall, the sunlight catching strands of her hair, making the golden tones shimmer. A soft breeze tousled it, but she didn’t seem to mind. She was dressed simply — a light denim jacket over a pale blue dress that swayed around her knees. Her cheeks were touched with a faint flush from the sun, and she smiled down at a little girl by her side. Lily.

Mason’s heart stumbled. He hadn’t seen Adeline since that night she’d stayed at his place during the storm. Things had shifted between them since then. There was an understanding — a crack in the guarded walls she’d so carefully built. And now, seeing her like this, in the middle of a sunlit market, surrounded by flowers and laughter, he was struck by how effortlessly beautiful she looked.

Their eyes met. A flicker of surprise passed over Adeline’s face, quickly followed by something softer — a warmth she tried to hide but couldn’t. Mason’s chest tightened, the noise of the market dulling for a moment.

He didn’t hesitate.

“Adeline?” His voice was steady, but he felt anything but.

She blinked, then managed a smile. “Mason. Hi.”

Lily peeked up at him, clutching Adeline’s hand, her gaze curious but shy. Mason lowered his stance slightly, his smile gentle.

“Hi, Lily." he said softly, addressing Lily. “I’m Mason.”

Lily only blinked, then shifted closer to Adeline.

“Sorry. She’s a little shy.” Adeline said, brushing her fingers over Lily’s curls.

“That’s alright.” Mason replied with a chuckle. “I’m not that scary. At least, I don’t think I am.”

Adeline’s lips curved into a small smile, though the tension lingered in her shoulders. They stood in a somewhat awkward silence before Mason spoke again.

“It’s nice running into you.” he said. “Did you guys just get here?”

“We’ve been wandering around for a bit.” Adeline answered, adjusting the bag over her shoulder. “Lily wanted to pick some flowers.”

“Good choice.” Mason said. “The flowers here are great.” He paused, then glanced at her. “How’ve you been? After the storm and everything?”

Adeline’s smile faltered, just slightly. “We’re alright. Staying at a hotel for now, since the apartment… well, it didn’t make it through the flooding.”

Mason’s face shifted instantly, concern flooding his expression. “Adeline, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was that bad.”

She swallowed, regret flashing across her face. “It’s fine. We’re managing.”

He opened his mouth, the words forming before he could stop them — he wanted to help, to offer something. But just as he was about to speak, a familiar voice interrupted.

“Adeline?”

Jaz. She appeared with Summer trailing behind, her grin widening as she saw Adeline.

“Hey! Long time no see!” Jaz said warmly. “Summer’s always talking about Lily. She’ll be thrilled to see her.”

Lily peeked up shyly, but Summer was already giving her an enthusiastic wave. Adeline smiled, visibly relaxing as the girls exchanged timid greetings.

Before long, Tony and Debbie caught up. Debbie’s eyes softened as she took in Adeline, and Tony extended a friendly smile.

“You must be Adeline, dear.” Debbie said. “Mason’s mentioned you.”

Adeline’s cheeks flushed slightly. “It’s nice to meet you all.”

“We’re about to grab some lunch.” Tony said with a smile. “Why don’t you and the little one join us?”

Adeline hesitated, but under the warmth of their invitation, she found herself nodding.

“We’d love to, yes.” she said softly.

Mason fell into step beside her, lowering his voice. “And, after lunch.” Mason said gently. “We’ll talk about your apartment. I mean it.”

“Mason, really, you don’t have to—”

“I know.” he cut in, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. “But since when do I listen?”

“Fair point.” Adeline huffed a quiet laugh despite herself.

“Besides.” Mason added playfully. “if I can survive mum’s cooking criticism, I’m pretty sure I can handle whatever you throw at me.”

She shook her head, amused but grateful. “Alright, alright. Deal.”

And as they moved through the bustling market, laughter and sunlight weaving around them, neither could ignore the quiet longing — just for a moment — to reach across the space between them and feel the warmth of the other's touch.

(...)

#mason mount #mason mount x reader #mason mount x you #mason mount imagine #mason mount fanfic #footballer x reader #football fanfic #manchester united #premier league #champions league

59 notes · View notes

shaunamilfman · 11 months ago

Note

Me when I see your domestic Shauna hcs and immediately decide I need a Nat version so this is my formal request for some

If you want to ofc no pressure I just love your writing

-📝

Domestic Nat Headcanons

pairing: Nat Scatorccio x Reader note: no crash au. nat in her 20's. idk why i answered this so quick tbh

in my mind, Nat's a bartender. maybe opens her own bar one day in the future so she can get away with giving a few free drinks to people that aren't assholes. she charges the assholes double, of course.

sleeps till like 2 every day and has black-out curtains over every window in her apartment. if you like natural sunlight, your ass is going to have to go outside.

if you're asleep by the time she gets home, your ass will be waking up. she never does it on purpose, she just has no idea how loud she really is. humming quietly in the shower after work and not even thinking about the fact that the wall would amplify it. you don't have the heart to tell her to stop.

on the flip side, she never really gets that annoyed if you wake her up while she's asleep. just rolls her eyes as you get up, and pretends not to be pleased when you kiss her forehead. immediately rolls back over and falls right back asleep. it's almost impressive how quick she is.

blasts music while she's getting ready, or doing just about anything that allows her too. you're always coming home to her gaming and blasting music on her days off.

night owl even on her days off, always has been. it's a rare sight to see her up before noon, and it's only if you or one of her friends specifically asked her. leaving the house with her sunglasses on and almost hissing at the sun.

Nat can't cook for shit except for a few staple foods that she'd eat every meal if you'd let her. she's not necessarily bad at it, she just doesn't really have the patience for it.

her space constantly looks like a hurricane came through it, but she always miraculously knows where everything is. if you try to organize it for her, she'll be so lost. messes it back up the second your back is turned.

You constantly catch her in the middle of the night making the weirdest snack combination known to man. If the sight of her eating it doesn't make you want to gag, then she's not doing it right.

has a half feral cat with some mean ass name like ‘bastard’ or some shit that she leaves food out for. she saved his life when he got stuck and almost starved, and got permanent scars as a thank you. the cat comes and goes as he please, and neither of you are sure how he's getting in or out.

she always pretends the scars were from something much cooler whenever somebody asks. it's a different story every time. you think she must have a list somewhere she adds to when she gets bored. they're starting to get really creative.

you witness the cat getting into a nasty street fight with another cat and Nat's just like “hell yeah, go bastard!”

the first time you visited Nat's apartment, the only furniture she had in the living room was a beanbag chair and a TV setup propped up on a box. gallantly offers you the bean bag chair as she eats on the floor cross-legged next to you.

she insists that she was always going to get more furniture and that it was just temporary, but you're not so sure. the first thing she buys is this beat to shit couch that's somehow the most comfortable thing you've ever sat on. she's so proud of it.

if you didn't force her to get more, Nat would only own one fork, one spoon, one plate, etc. insists that she can just watch them.

likes going out with your or her friends, but isn't as much of a fan of hosting the events. makes it harder to just leave when she starts getting tired of them. always tried to make you be the bad guy whenever she wants to go. “sorry guys, she's tired.” meanwhile you're wide awake.

Nat's really good at fixing things, mostly out of necessity. still, if something’s busted, there's a good chance Nat's already on her way to the hardware store to get parts before you've even noticed. she really enjoys the process of fixing shit and ends up getting really into cars because of it. if it wasn't for the hours, she'd consider being a mechanic.

absolute coffee fiend. you rarely see her without a cup. only drinks it black and will turn her nose up at the sugary stuff. she's not pretentious about it though, it's just how she likes it.

Nat randomly comes home with little gifts for you, tossing it at you without really acknowledging it. if you press her on it she'll say some shit like “saw it and thought of you.”

she's not a big fan of surprises. she has a bit of a routine and whenever there's a major interruption to it she gets a little antsy. with the way Nat grew up ,she really appreciates knowing just about how her days going to go before she starts it.

Nat really enjoys watching movies with you. it doesn't really matter what it is as long as she can just turn her brain off and watch. she likes physical contact, but isn't super big on cuddling per se. the type to lift your legs up into her lap when you're laying across the couch.

#nat thoughts 🖤#yellowjackets x reader #yellowjackets x you #nat scatorccio x reader #natalie scatorccio x reader #📝

263 notes · View notes

cafecourage · 1 year ago

Note

Little Red Riding Hood where Reader is Little Red but also a werewolf

Love Interest and rest of chain can be assigned however

(Cause I'm always down for a fairytale au)

I did a little twist on this. Idk if this was what you wanted. I had to ask doggo experts for how doggos act around each other. I am leaving this off on a small cliff hanger because I do want to write more of this.

Twilight didn’t trust the new person in the group. Well. It’s more like he didn’t know what to think of her. She came in like a hurricane running after the Shadow like it was her prey. Then when the dust settled and she calmed down the group quickly learned of why. The short of it being that for some reason the Shadow attacked her brother and she took chase. Which then led to her to finally agree to join the chain. Much to the Ranchers chagrin. However, he knows better than to start an unnecessary fight. Twilight could be civil.

Civility could only go so far.

Little Red, as Warrior’s likes to call her, noticed Twilight’s presence and slight unease of her and ran with it. Twilight couldn’t understand just why she was always running circles around him talking about this and that. It confused him to no end when she instantly would stick to him even when he was wolfie. He had to on more then one occasion threaten to bite Little Red’s hands. She never cared or backed away from Wolfie when he showed a bit of aggression. “He is going to bite you.” Wild warned her as he watched Little Red try to play with Wolfie.

She looked up at Wild while holding Wolfie’s face, “what? No the baby is just playing.” That comment only made Twilight growl more.

“Baby? Wolfie isn’t a baby.” Wild was torn between being completely amuse and helping Twilight out as he did know about his slight distrust of Little Red.

“No no no, Champion. This is a wolf pup. He has to be like…” Her attention draws to the wolf as she observes the good boy. “Man… I have to say maybe 10? He is very small even for that age. Wolfie is like an adult dog size but he is definitely a wolf.” She boops the snoot and quickly pulled back as Twilight tries to bite her hand again. This only makes her giggle more.

“I think your wolves might be just bigger than my Hyrules.” Honestly to Wild, Wolfie was the same size as most wolves, but he just shrugs and not questions that further. Twilight couldn’t understand why you were like this, he wonders if it was just an eccentric thing. He has met a lot of weird people in his life and Little Red might be one of them. After being free from your grasp he takes it upon himself to run away for now. Only because you don’t tend to grab his face while being Twilight and thats the most annoying part of being wolfie around you.

It wasn’t until they finally came to her era that he finally understood.

The village Little Red lived in was small, but cozy. It reminded Twilight of his own home. People tended to light up when seeing Little Red. But given the size of the group following them most villagers tended to just say hi and remarks that they needed to talk to her later. “My house is a bit further.” Little red said pointing to a path that ran into the woods. “It’s just me, my brother and Grandma oh and our cat. I’ll make sure to keep her out of your stuff. But we should have room to fit everyone.” She explains as the path slowly clears up to a cottage in the wood with a small garden. There was a small pup running around in the yard playing with said cat. Who was purely annoyed at ready to pap the puppy in the head.

Little Red’s eyes brightened “Link!” She calls out gaining the Pups reaction.

She dashes towards the house as the puppy starts running towards her. They meet halfway and the puppy shifts into a young boy. “You’re back! You’re back!” This Link giggles as he gets lifted in the air by his sister and spun around.

“I am! For now.” Little red nuzzles her brother’s face as she shifts her grips on her brother to put his weight on her hip. “Boy’s this is my brother. Link these are the adventurers I’ve been traveling with.”

She turns to the group with a smile. The chain was utterly confused and silent before Wind speaks up “Did he transform into a wolf?”

#twilight (not lu) speaks #linked universe x reader #luxreader #linkeduniverse x reader #monkey bread #I had to make this Twilight centric

203 notes · View notes

kazthisnuts · 4 months ago

Note

In that one SG Luffy sketch it looks like his hat was made from sunlight. Does he literally have a “sun” hat? Or is it still the one from Shanks? If so is there some passive aggressive father fude now? Since the hat is designed to shade your fave from the sun so it’s harder for his father to see him now? I am also loving this AU 🥰 thank you for sharing!

[DAILY SKETCH 57]

thanks for the ask <3

this is the perfect moment for me to rant about his parents, since it's quite hard to put it into a drawing

i have to say i have NOT THOUGHT OF THE HAT HIDING LUFFY AWAY!!! idk why. it just never came to my mind!!!

let me go in order and rant about his parents a little 😁

SO the sun hat you saw is actually just sun rays. they can quite literally rest on his head because he's sunlight with a physical form!!

it's just the sun's way to play with luffy :))))

[for anyone new check the masterpost for more!]

[the light hat is actually inspired from a fic. it's cute and short! give it a read :)]

more under the cut!!!

i would think it's because the sun is directly connected to nika. the hat obviously has a deeper meaning which we don't know fully BUT!! we do know it was one of joyboy's possessions

you get it? i hope 😋

said that I don't THINK Sun would be upset about shanks giving Lu his hat. most likely bc he could feel luffy was supposed to have it

+ (and I'm thinking of it just now) the shadow over his face would most likely weaken him, seeing as he needs light to have a physical body

the hat would probably just sit on his shoulders! unless I think of something else.

I've mentioned it before but right now the timeline is right after meeting Ace. just a few weeks later! I still have to brainstorm what happens right after shanks

(this is definitely self indulgent but i see shanks seeing luffy as his son and luffy just being like. "youre not my father but i still love you like one" yk? Sun knows that and he's probably a little jelly but playfully so)

his mother, on the other hand, is forced to not love him anymore due to the devil fruit

and i think this little drabble by @airiervessel describes it perfectly

Oh, my sweet boy.

The Sea never intended to love her child. The Sun was interested to see if they could create something together, if they could imitate the creatures spread across their world. Those were made by Something Else, and neither the Sea nor the Sun know anything real about that, but the Sun wanted to see if they had that kind of power together.

The Sea turned him down at first on principle — she’s never really liked him, even if she needs him.

But his words stuck with her, whispers seeming to come from the Wind fluttering over her waves. She held out for a few decades or so, successfully ignoring him every time he’d try to ask again. Then one day…

Well. The man in the straw hat comes later.

So the Sea finally gave in. She never intended to love the thing they made — it was just a passing curiosity. She couldn’t get the Sun’s words out of her mind because he’s annoying like that, because no being of the earth or the heavens can push her buttons like he can. That’s what she told herself, anyway. She’s never loved anything; she barely even feels anything for herself. She’s always known that she doesn’t have a heart.

But now — with her sweet boy about to eat one of those terrible Fruits — the Sea finally knows what it is to love.

She learns that she actually does have a heart, because it’s breaking. She can love, because she loves him — her perfect boy, who was created so perfectly in their image that the first thing he decided to do was join humanity — is eating one of the Devil’s Fruits.

She can never hold him again. He’ll never know just how much she adores him, because whenever he touches her she’ll have no choice but to pull him down, to destroy her beautiful son in her own depths.

For the first time in her eternal life, the Sea cries. Islands around the world suffer from massive monsoons and hurricanes as she rages and storms out her infinite emotions.

Everywhere, that is, except for a certain corner of the East Blue.

[WHICH IM GONNA SAY AGAIN IM ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE W UR WRITING THANKS THANKS THANKS]

even though she's forced to hate him, she still tries her best to keep lu safe.

even after he sets sail, for some reason, the waters are almost always calm around the ship.

doesn't mean she can't get angry with him at times!! she's still a mother, after all

the rest is still a work in progress :3 it'll come out eventually as i figure things out

#one piece #one piece fanart #monkey d. luffy #luffy #kaz daily sketch #luffy sea glass au

41 notes · View notes

marysdonuts · 7 months ago

Text

Tom and Jerry

school clown!Hoshi x top student!reader

Synopsis: After crossing the rubicon with your annoying classmate Hoshi "relationship" between the two of you improved. However you bump heads once more at Mingyu's game night party

Warnings: plot with smut, enemies to lovers, high IQ (f.) x low IQ (m.), slight angst, Mafia game at Mingyu's house, classmates, semi-public, banter, dirty talk, oral (f. receiving), brief mentions of other members, crack, Hoshi acting cray during the game, (no questionable fashion choices mentioned)

WC: 1.2K

Status: part 2 (ongoing), read part 1 here

masterlist / requests / taglist

Why should it be awkward after fucking your arch nemesis? Well, isn't that what all the books and movies want us to believe?

- The female lead got into dragged out moral battle with herself after giving in to the detestable male lead.. Making audience yawn. Questioning if this is who she really is, questioning God's intentions - ultimately running away never to return again. Revolutionary.

In reality things didn't have to be so black or white. There was no need to go thru the emotional rollercoaster of blaming it on your childhood trauma or turning it into religious guilt. Ultimately, we were put on this Earth to have fun. Why beat ourselves up for doing something that we actually enjoyed?

Living in the grey area had its perks.

Improved relationship with your desk-mate Hoshi was one of them. The steamy encounter in locker room visibly dissolving tension between two rivals.

You were in higher spirits than usual.

Well that was fun, didn't think he had it in him. Why was I acting like a bitch before? Guess I just needed the attitude fucked out of me. Kekekekekek

"What are you scheming down there, hm?" walking in Soonyoung saw you hunched over the desk cackling like an anime villain planning to take over the world.

"Wouldn't you like to know." pushing up non existent glasses reflecting the light for dramatic effect.

"I would love to know." towering over you

"Pfff, you wouldn't understand even if I told you!!" springing up the chair, sticking your tongue out at him

"See you at the game tonight~"you spiralled out the classroom in a way that resembled category 5 hurricane. Leaving Hoshi flabbergasted.

"Wasn't I supposed to be the crazy one?" rubbing his chin in disbelief, your wicked laugh echoed thru the halls

And exactly what game were you talking about?

Of course the quarterly Mafia get-together. You've been told that everybody gathers up in class president Mingyu's house once every three months. It's your first time attending.

Please, please, please give me a role! I can't stand being a boring citizen - eyes shut, you prayed as the host passed behind you. Tapping you on the shoulder.

"The mafia has been chosen."

silence

"The police officer has been chosen."

silence

"The doctor has been chosen."

You killed the doctor first. Something in Seungkwan's proud eyes gave him away. He liked to play the saviour and once again it got the best of him.

"Why am I always the one getting killed first?? Why do you hate me soo much" pouting, hands crossed on the chest

"That's what happens when people had enough of your shit. Bang, bang, bang!" Hoshi collapsed in front of Kwan, seemingly coughing up blood "better keep your head down next time.." clinging to Boo's ankle before theatrically releasing his final breath. Freezing on the floor.

"You! Shut the hell up!" kicking his foot, trying to free himself from Hoshi's iron claw

Citizens were dropping like flies. Only making the sinister look in your eyes grow bigger and bigger.

And so did Hoshi's craziness.

"it's MINGYU, HE'S THE MAFIA!!!" pointing at Mingyu, shivering in the corner, probably questioning why he invited this madman in the first place. He was voted off.

"Everyone, WAIT JUST LISTEN TO ME...!" human sized worm was now wriggling in Joshua's direction

With every nonsense spat from Hoshi's mouth, you could feel your braincells dying.

"MWAHAHA, YOU THOUGHT I WOULDN'T NOTICE THAT LOOK IN YOUR EYES, CHAN?? CAN'T FOOL ME!!!" backflipping to the opposite side of the room, attacking the youngest

Idiot. Can't fool you now, huh? We'll see 'bout that.

"What a big mouth you have over there, Kwon," raising to your feet, cackle of devil ready to deliver divine retributions "would be a shame if someone shut IT." you shot your thumb down making all the remaining civilians vote in unity. Crowd vailing.

Heh, so this is how it feels to be a roman emperor - sentencing slaves to their death for entertainment of the colosseum.

Not long after you were the sole survivor

"Mafia WON! Standing ovation for the lady!" clap clap clap host crowning you MVP of the game.

"Thank you, couldn't done it without you." palpable wink in direction of the fuming hamster, now seeking comfort between Mingyu's humongous man-titties. Once enemies now reunited in shared hardship

Misery loves company, doesn't it? Chuckling to yourself

Hoshi Kwon (19) left the mortal world behind right then and there - figuratively speaking of course. Utterly humiliated by you, again. He was supposed to SHINE! He was supposed to find the mafia! Finally got a role of policeman but every guess that he made tonight was incorrect

"You win. For now." darkness possessing his amicable face

Familiar knot taking shape in your stomach

DU! DU! DU!

Heavy knocks on the bathroom door

"Just a moment!" drying your hands

DU! DU! DU! DU! DU!

"Hey! I said I am coming..!" swinging the door open

"Oh? I wondered when you'd show up." smirk looming up your lips as Hoshi shoved you back inside

"Smart girl. Wanted to see me that badly?" there was nothing sweet about the way he closed the door shut

"At least one of us," shooting back "are you here to serve your sentence?" tracing finger on his lips

"Didn't you say somebody should shut my mouth? Then, sit on it."

Ah and there it was the residual craziness clouding his judgement. Ain't gonna argue with a dude that has big brown eyes. Whatever you say, beautiful.

You weren't wet yet but it wasn't hard to guess that in exactly two minutes you will be

"Hahah- what?" you were just joking, didn't expect to actually do it here. At house party? Is there a cliché more american? Neither of you were an american but you'd rather be caught dead than doing something so mainstream.

"Did I stutter? You always talk a big game in public but I want to see how brave you are now." hot breath already caught between your thighs, hungry kisses biting at your soft flesh making you whine. Guess they didn't call him tiger for nothing

"We are in Minguy's bathroom.." voice disappearing into thin air the moment his starving mouth made contact with your, now wet, private area

"And? didn't seem to mind the locker room last time" Hoshi's swirling tongue rolling over THE spot of your clit

"s-shut up, you idi- OOOOH" a cry hardly appropriate for friendly game night. The sensation making you drunk on his expert movements.

"Oh? I didn't know top students had such a dirty mouth" working harder and more relentlessly than before, the train of needy moans couldn't be stopped anymore.

And there you were. Once again with a good for nothing dude between your legs. Making you feel things nobody before him managed. How does he know exactly what you liked? Was it the environment? First the locker room now friend's house...A combination perhaps?

Taste of forbidden fruit is not easily forgotten,

but who doesn't love a good enemies to lovers trope?

To be continued

#seventeen smut #seventeen #seventeen imagines #seventeen x reader #hoshi x reader #kwon soonyoung #hoshi smut #svt fanfic #svt x reader #enemies to lovers #my fanfictions #i am having so much fun writing this #they say ff is good for therapy #seventeen headcanons #hoshi x you

127 notes · View notes