#oops we’re actually married

[noobiestnoober]

Matrimony Mayhem (Carlos X Reader)

What starts as a harmless prank—pretending to be secretly married to Carlos for a laugh—spirals into absolute disaster when HQ believes it. With HR counseling, matching towels, and a fruit basket involved, the fake marriage becomes everyone's business. The team? Unhinged. The paperwork? Never-ending. The problem? You might actually enjoy being married to Carlos a little too much...

Fake marriage? Check. HR nightmare? Double check. Emotional confusion? Oh yeah. This is what happens when your joke becomes a mission-level event.

It started as a joke. A harmless, spur-of-the-moment prank to lighten the mood after three back-to-back missions, a power outage at base, and exactly zero hours of decent sleep. The team was running on caffeine, sarcasm, and sheer stubbornness. Morale? Practically in the negatives.

Carlos had smirked, tossed you a fake gold band from a busted vending machine during a supply run, and said, "Marry me for morale."

You’d played along without missing a beat.

"I do," you’d deadpanned, slipping the plastic ring on and holding out your hand with mock elegance in front of Jill, who promptly spat her coffee across the ops table and wheezed, “Tell me I didn’t just witness a shotgun proposal.”

Maybe it was the exhaustion. Maybe it was the fact that joking around with Carlos made the endless days feel a little less grim. But it stuck. One joke turned into two, then five, and soon it became a whole running bit. You both started casually referring to each other as "wifey" and "husband" in everyday conversation. At first, the team laughed. Then they stared. And eventually, they just… stopped reacting altogether. Either they believed you, or they were too emotionally fried to argue.

For a while, it was harmless. That lasted precisely until Chris found out. And then everything went to hell.

"You what?!"

Chris’s voice cracked so high the base’s lights flickered—whether from his pitch or sheer panic, no one could tell. Jill's hand froze halfway to her mouth with a donut. Rebecca dropped her clipboard and muttered a stunned, “Nope.” Leon nearly shot his own foot trying to holster his weapon mid-spin.

You blinked innocently. "We’re married. Secretly."

Carlos, ever the actor, wrapped an arm around your shoulder and pulled you close like he’d done it a thousand times before. "Yeah, since the Vegas op. Super low-key. Elvis officiated. We had nachos."

"This is highly irregular!" Chris thundered. "There are forms! Background checks! Wedding leave protocols! Asset reallocation paperwork! You compromised the chain of command for nachos?!"

"We didn’t want bureaucracy to get in the way of true love," you said, barely suppressing a smirk.

"True love that started with a vending machine ring," Rebecca muttered, rubbing her temples.

For a moment, there was stunned silence. You thought—hoped—it might blow over. It should’ve ended there. But then HQ sent a congratulatory fruit basket. With a handwritten card. And matching monogrammed towels that read: “C + Y/N: Locked & Loaded for Life.”

Then HR emailed to schedule your mandatory couple’s counseling check-in, along with follow-ups on joint housing assignments and long-term operational reassignment for married agents.

The kicker? Someone in intel added your names to a shared folder titled "Romantic Partnerships in Active Units: 2025-2026." Jill renamed it "Operation: Dumb Lovebirds."

You and Carlos exchanged horrified glances.

"We might’ve made a mistake," he whispered to you over dinner (which was now candlelit, thanks to Leon being dramatic and calling it a 'celebration of undying love').

"No shit, husband," you whispered back, clinking your juice box against his soda can.

The Sequel (Fallout and Feelings) is uploaded. Enjoy!

[mrsbuckybarnes1917]

8: PAINTBALL, PUNS AND PLANS

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Summary: A bachelorette party turns into a chaotic day of paintball, bruises, and a little too much fun. By the time dinner rolls around, exhaustion and cocktails lead to meddling friends taking matters into their own hands— by texting your "mystery boyfriend" without your knowledge. When Bucky actually shows up, the girls are left wondering: is he really your secret boyfriend, or have they just summoned The Winter Soldier to a bridal party?

Warnings: Mild swearing, alcohol use, meddling friends, and one very skeptical bridesmaid, fluff, humor, and a slightly tipsy reader.

Word Count: 3500

“I TEXTED YOU. YOU DIDN’T REPLY.”

“DID YOU PRESS SEND?”

You’d been up since the ass crack of dawn. When it came to your friends, you couldn’t say no. Everything had to be perfect for them. Although, setting up flags on a paintball battlefield wasn’t how you’d imagined spending the morning of Hanna and Aditi’s bachelorette party, but it was what they wanted— a day of adrenaline, followed by a night of indulgence— so you had obliged.

By the time you’d finished hanging up the flags, checking the boundaries of the field and making sure the bridesmaids had their protective gear, you were already feeling a little worse for wear. It hadn’t helped that you’d not gone to bed until 2am, checking and rechecking all the details of the plan. Luckily Hanna and Aditi’s excitement was infectious and you found yourself getting a second wind as you donned your jumpsuit and grabbed a paintball rifle.

The next few hours were sheer chaos. Camille, Aditi’s coworker, had taken the game far too seriously, barking out orders to incomprehensible strategies like she was leading a tactical unit. She was the chief resident on Aditi’s residency program. When you had first met her you had got the impression that she didn’t like you. Now you were convinced, since she targeted you almost exclusively. Her shots were relentless and you swore she was out for blood.

“Damn, Camille,” you called out, ducking behind a bunker after another near miss. “You know this isn’t actually a life or death scenario, right?”

Her response was a cheeky grin and another well-aimed shot that exploded right next to your head, splatting yellow paint across the side of your face and in your hair. You groaned and Hanna dived behind the bunker beside you to save herself from Aditi’s fire. Luckily, her poor aim compensated for Camille’s sharpshooter skills.

“You okay?” Hanna asked.

“Peachy,” you sniped, glad to have the spritely woman on your side.

Hanna jumped up and started firing in the direction of her bride and teammates, allowing the two of you to make a getaway.

“Hey!” Aditi yelled. “You’re supposed to be my bride! Isn’t there supposed to be some loyalty?”

“Not in this wedding!” Hanna hollered, peeking out just long enough to fire at Camille— and miss. Her paintball went wide, hitting Aditi right in the chest.

Aditi gasped dramatically, clutching her heart and falling to the floor like she’d been mortally wounded. “You’re supposed to be on my team! Divorce!” she shrieked, doubling over in mock betrayal.

“At least wait til we’re actually married!” Hanna quipped, laughing so hard she had to lean against the tree for support.

Your laughter joined theirs until another paintball hit your hip— courtesy of Camille, who clearly had no sense of humor. “Retribution!” she yelled joyfully, waving all the flags she had aggressively claimed for their team.

“Alright, that’s it,” you muttered under your breath, plotting your revenge. A few moments later, you managed to circle around behind her and fired three perfectly aimed shots, covering her back in pink splatters. Unfortunately Hanna and Aditi got caught in the crossfire.

Camille whipped around, stunned. “Are you kidding me?”

“Oops,” you said sweetly.

The rest of the bridesmaids gathered around chuckling, all quite pleased to see Camille get a taste of her own medicine. Hanna and Aditi were in stitches when they saw Camille’s scowl.

 “You’ve really got it out for us today, don’t you?” Hanna teased later, still wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you two,” you retorted before dropping your voices so only the brides could hear. “Camille, though? Totally on purpose.”

By the time dinner rolled around, you were sore and dead on your feet. Your arms were covered in round bruises and your hair still had the remnants of dried paint in it. But there was no denying it, you’d had fun. The restaurant and lounge was walking distance from the paintball field and the party had stripped out of the coveralls trudged over in cocktail dresses. The restaurant lounge was cozy and as evening fell, it was dimly lit, providing a sense of comfort and warmth.

The food being served was exquisite, the multiple courses providing variety and flavor. And the cocktails were good— dangerously so— and by the third round, your exhaustion had finally caught up with you. But not quite enough to loosen your lips.

“Alright missy, spill,” Hanna demanded, leaning towards you. “When are we going to meet this mystery man of yours?”

“Yeah,” Aditi chimed in, her glass of sangria swaying slightly in her hand. “You’ve been suspiciously vague about him.”

You gave them a small smile and feigned extreme interest in your own drink to avoid their inquisitive gazes. “You’ll meet him at the wedding,” you said airily. “He’s… busy.”

“Too busy for you?” Hanna asked, raising an eyebrow.

Camille leaned back in her chair, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “You know, when I met Gabriel, I used to think he was too busy for me. I mean surgical residency is no joke, right? But he’d show up at the randomest times— once, he even surprised me at 2am in the middle of my double shift with coffee and croissants.”

Hanna’s work friend, Swan, chimed in. “Same with me and Jung. He worked such crazy hours at the firm when we first started dating, but we always made an effort to never let over a week go by without seeing each other.” She shot you a pointed look. “You just know when someone’s serious.”

“Or fake,” Camille muttered under her breath, not quite quiet enough for you to miss it.

You scowled, rubbing your nose angrily. “He’s not fake.” Their stories had started making you uncomfortable until your guilt was overcome by outrage.

But Camille wasn’t about to let up. “I’ve heard a lot of stories about these secret boyfriends,” she smiled smugly. “And they’re usually so conveniently unavailable and, well… imaginary.”

“He looks awfully handsome,” Swan piped up in rescue from across the table. “Your Insta posts look pretty perfect.” 

You hoped your blush would be attributed to your mildly inebriated state. “He’s pretty photogenic, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty easy to photoshop yourself into photos these days.”

“Shut it, Cami!” Aditi hissed as she spotted at your reddening expression and mistaking it for anger rather than embarrassment.

“Bucky is real,” you said with gritted teeth.

“Prove it,” Camille challenged with a saccharine smile.

“Well he’s coming to the wedding, so we can all meet him there!” Hanna elbowed Camille roughly under the table. “You can’t just hoard him forever. He must be judged; can’t just have our girl dating any random guy.”

You rolled your eyes, but gave her an appreciative smile. It was good to know they truly cared for you.

Aditi leaned forwards, her expression softening. “Seriously though, we’re just teasing. It’s okay if you don’t want us to meet him. But we just want to know that you’re okay.”

“Thanks,” you muttered, your guilt flaring once again and tears crept into your eyes. And suddenly your defenses crumbled slightly. The alcohol and the exhaustion from the day catching up with you. Hanna and Aditi looked horrified but you waved them off. “I’m fine, it’s just been… a lot. Setting up all of this, trying to make sure everything’s perfect for you two— I’m just tired.”

Everyone fell silent for a moment, your vulnerability catching them off guard. Camille had the decency to look ashamed. Hanna, on the other hand, threw her arms around you and pressed a kiss on your cheek. “We appreciate you so much. You know you didn’t have to do all this alone, right?”

Aditi nodded, looking just as concerned as her fiancé. “You’re the best,” she said, squeezing your arm gently.

“And maybe he’ll surprise us all at the wedding,” Hanna smiled.

“Maybe,” you muttered, leaning back against the cushioned couches of the lounge. Your eyelids grew heavier and you didn’t know who had removed your glass of wine from your hand. The sound of everyone’s voices felt more and more distant and before you knew it your head was resting against the back of the couch.

Just a few moments to rest your eyes, you thought. But those moments turned to minutes and you were sound asleep. When Aditi and Camille noticed you’d drifted off, they exchanged mischievous glances.

“She out?” Aditi asked Camille, who nodded. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Way ahead of you.” Camille had already reached across the table to grab your phone. She swiped your screen to life. She held your phone in front of your face and grinned at how easily the lock screen disappeared.

Aditi whispered. “She’s gonna kill us for this.”

“What’re you doing?” Hanna asked, her eyes narrowing.

“Texting the mystery man,” Camille smirked.

“Camille!” Hanna hissed, reaching out to stop her, but failing.

Camille waved her off with a mischievous smile. “Relax, I’m doing her a favor. She’s clearly exhausted. If this guy’s worth a pinch of salt, he’ll come get her.”

She opened your messages and scrolled down. “What’s his name?”

“Bucky,” Aditi offered readily.

“Now, what do we say?” Camille smirked at the crowd.

“It needs to be convincing, but not too much,” Swan suggested.

Aditi scrunched up her mouth and tapped her lips. “Something simple, like, ‘Can you come pick me up? I’m too drunk to drive.’”

“Boring,” Camille whined and rolled her eyes. “We need to go big.” She started typing. Hey lover, your girlfriend misses you so muc-

Aditi grabbed the phone from Camille mid sentence. “No way. Subtle works better. She’s the least flirty person you’ll ever meet. He’s gonna know something is up if we get carried away.”

“Fine,” Camille said with mock exasperation and snatched the phone back from Aditi. She typed quickly, her thumbs flying across the keyboard.

“Can you come pick me up? I’m too drunk to drive.”

She dropped a pin of your location for good measure.

“Oh my God, Camille!” Hanna gasped. “You could have let us proofread it!”

Aditi covered her mouth to stifle a laugh to avoid waking you. “What if he doesn’t come? Or worse, what if he does?”

Camille smirked. “Oh he’ll come. Most men love to play the hero, they can’t resist a damsel in distress. And if he doesn’t, well... we’ll have our answer about him, won’t we?”

Everyone sat back in the wake of what they’d just done, the phone in the center of the table.

“Do you think it’s really him?” Swan asked.

Aditi frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

“The guy in the photos.”

“She called him Bucky.”

“Yeah, Bucky Barnes. You know, The Winter Soldier.”

Aditi and Hanna looked at each other with matching looks of concern. Camille on the other hand pulled out her phone and did a quick google search. Comparing the images to your instagram. “Yeah, I guess they look kinda similar, but I’m not convinced. Didn’t think Y/N would be into the bad boys.”

“Isn’t he a killer?” Swan whispered.

“I thought he was Captain America’s best friend.”

“Or, he’s made up.”

“She’s texting with someone called Bucky.”

Their debate was interrupted by your phone buzzing and the group crowded around your screen.

10:45 PM - Bucky: On my way. Be there in 15.

The chatter in the lounge faltered when Bucky appeared in the doorway, only for a moment before a wave of excitement spread across the group.

“Oh my God,” Camille whispered, gripping Aditi’s arm so tightly that Aditi winced. “He’s gorgeous.”

“Is that him?” Hanna murmured.

“Hellooo, Winter Soldier,” Swan chimed, earning a round of laughter.

Bucky’s broad frame filled the doorway, his striking presence commanding attention. He glanced around the room, taking in the surroundings. His expression remained neutral despite the wariness he felt. His sharp eyes flitted past the bachelorette group until they landed on you— now curled up on the couch, blissfully unaware of the commotion your ‘boyfriend’ had caused.

A familiar crease appeared between his eyebrows as he took in the scene. He wasn’t thrilled to be there, you had not prepared him for this eventuality but he couldn’t exactly say no to a plea for help. But as he gazed at your sleeping form, his gaze softened, betraying a quiet fondness.

He had barely had time to take a step towards you when he was intercepted by Camille, like a predator stalking its prey.

“You must be Bucky,” she said, her voice practically dripping with sugar. She hooked her hand through his arm as she looked up at him with a flirtatious tilt of her head. “Wow, I see why she’s not been keen to share.”

Bucky hesitated, his eyes flicking down to her hand before he offered a polite but tight smile. “Nice to meet you,” he said, stepping back just enough to create a sliver of space between them.

Unfortunately Camille wasn’t one to give up easily. She hadn’t become chief resident by being shy about her goals. She slid her fingers up to his bicep, giving it an appreciative squeeze. “Wow, Bucky, do you, like, workout every day? Because like… wow.”

Behind her, Aditi and Hanna exchanged looks, half amused, half exasperated and came to Bucky’s rescue. “Sorry about Camille. She’s…”

“I’m Hanna, this is Aditi. It’s nice to meet you, Bucky.” Bucky shook hands with the brides and waved to the other women.

“So, umm, I guess I’m here to pick up… Sleeping Beauty over there.” He nodded his head towards you, making the group burst into a fit of giggles, wolf whistles and whoops.

“Can’t believe she’s been hiding him from us,” Swan shook her head.

Camille pulled out her phone, calling Bucky’s name as she snapped a photo. She was momentarily stunned as he evaded further opportunity for interrogation. He slipped past the ogling women and crouched down at the couch beside you. He put his hand on your arm but his mouth froze before he had a chance to call your name as he spotted the bruises on your skin. Gently he grazed his fingers over the darkened patches, his face etched with concern. But rather than asking the other women what had happened, he called your name softly. “Hey, Princess.”

You stirred, blinking groggily. It took a moment for your sleep and alcohol addled mind to focus on the man in front of you. When you recognized Bucky, a sleepy smile spread across your face. “Bucky! Hi, Bucky!”

He chuckled under his breath, feeling glad that you didn’t seem upset. “Hi. Let’s get you home, yeah?”

Before he had the chance to help you up, you noticed everyone’s attention on you. You threw your arms around his neck. “Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Bucky!” you announced proudly in a slurred voice.

The girls cheered with a chorus of ‘awws’. Hanna buried her face in her hands, shaking with suppressed giggles. Aditi whispered to her, “She’s gonna hate us for this later.”

“Nice to meet you all,” he said dryly.

Camille, however, was still skeptical. “So boyfriend, huh?” she interjected with a smirk.

“Yeah,” you pouted and Bucky’s eyes widened, worried about what you were about to say in your current state. 

“Look how handsome he is!” you declared. “Boy-friend.”

The group dissolved into another round of laughter.

Bucky raised an eyebrow, glancing down at you with a faint smirk. “That’s me,” he said dryly, wrapping his arm around your teetering form. “Handsome guy with the sleepy girlfriend.”

“Guess you’re officially off the market, Y/N.”

“Completely,” Bucky said firmly and politely. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, Sleeping Beauty here needs some actual beauty rest.”

“Hey,” you pouted. “I’m not sleepy.”

“You literally fell asleep in a room full of people,” he replied, smirking with amusement. “Let’s get you home before you try and prove something else.”

“Wait, you’re leaving already? Come on! We haven’t heard a single embarrassing story!” Aditi called after the two of you.

“I’ll be sure to remind her of this one tomorrow,” he said, glancing down at you as you leaned into his side.

“You’re the best, Bucky,” you murmured sleepily, letting him guide you out.

He rolled his eyes fondly. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s get out of here.”

He walked you out, ignoring the cacophony of shouts behind you.

Bucky opened the passenger door for you to get in. “Come on, Princess. In you get.”

“They love you, you know,” you slurred, your words coming out in an exaggerated whisper.

He snorted. “Yeah, I noticed. Pretty sure Camille was ready to propose back there.”

“Ugh,” you groaned, flopping back against the seat. “She was a little handsy, huh?”

Bucky smirked, leaning down to buckle you in. “A little?” he repeated dryly. “She actually asked for my workout routine. And I’m not sure she was referring to the gym.”

“She’s not your type, though,” you mumbled, your eyelids fluttering closed.

“And what exactly is my type?” he asked as he straightened up.

“Mmm... me,” you declared, the word coming out more triumphant than you intended.

Bucky froze mid-motion, his eyebrows shooting up. “Is that so?”

“Yeah,” you sighed. “Why else would you be here?”

Bucky shook his head and closed the passenger door, circling around to the driver’s side. He slid into the driver’s seat and glanced over at you, clearly trying to fight sleep.

“Didn’t realize I’d be meeting everyone tonight,” he teased, starting the engine. “You sure know how to keep things interesting.”

“Gotta keep you on your toes, Barnes.”

Bucky chuckled, the warm sound echoing through the car. “Yeah, you’re doing a great job of that.”

The ride was silent, the hum of the car engine pulling you towards slumber.

“Bucky,” you murmured.

“Yeah?”

“You didn’t have to come all the way out here, you know?”

He glanced over at you, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. “Someone had to rescue you from the wolves back there.”

You giggled at that, your laugh fading into a content sigh. “Thank you, you’re so… good.”

Bucky stared at the road ahead of him, his grip on the wheel tightening as he took in your words. Good. Not a word he would have used to describe himself, but somehow he didn’t mind it coming from you.

“Get some sleep, Princess,” he said softly, more to fill the quiet than anything else.

For a moment, he let himself steal a glance at you, before turning back to the dimly lit road. And even though he wouldn’t admit it to himself just yet, a strange warmth was blooming in his chest— something he wasn’t ready to name.

The next morning, you woke up with a groan. Your head throbbed lightly. Thank God for Sundays, you thought. Picking up your phone, you shielded your eyes against the brightness of the screen, cursing about how it hurt your eyes. You hadn’t had that much to drink, had you?

Your phone buzzed and a message notification popped up at the top of the screen from your group chat: Power of 3.

10:15 AM - Hanna: Mystery boyfriend: No longer a mystery!

You sighed and rolled over, groaning into your pillow.

10:16 AM - Aditi: Can’t believe you’ve been hiding him. I don’t bat for his side, but I might consider changing teams for him.

10:16 AM - Aditi: Don’t tell Hanna I said that.

10:16 AM - Hanna: I can read this, you know!

10:17 AM - Aditi: Have you seen Camille’s Instagram yet?

10:17 AM - You: No… should I be scared?

You winced at Aditi’s message, but curiosity got the best of you. You opened your Instagram and tapped on Camille’s profile to be hit with a photo of Camille with a huge smile on her face, draped over an incredibly uncomfortable looking Bucky sporting a stiff smile.

The caption read “@charmedbynature sleeping on the job.”

You felt your stomach twisting as you watched her clinging to him. He clearly wasn’t doing anything wrong and the man looked like he’d rather be a thousand miles away. But seeing Camille’s beautiful smile next to him sparked a wave of something unfamiliar.

10:18 AM - Hanna: You’d better watch out because she looks like she’ll race you to the altar for that one.

You tapped off the picture and back to your messages. He hadn’t even bothered to text you to see if you were okay. Why did you even care? You silenced your phone and rolled out of bed. Maybe a run would help you shed this feeling. 

As you opened your front door, your eyes landed on the whiteboard hanging on it.

“YOU MADE IT HOME! GOOD JOB, SLEEPING BEAUTY.”

Your irritation faded instantly, replaced by a reluctant smile. Grabbing your phone, you snapped a quick photo of the message before erasing it. After a moment's thought, you wrote back:

“THANKS FOR THE RESCUE, PRINCE CHARMING.”

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Posting schedule will be Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays around 2.30pm EST / 11.30am PST / 7.30pm BST

[its-avalon-08]

HAAS!Nico Hulkenberg x wife reader. Doing pr video together with him. Answering fans millions dollar question. Fluff, teasing, banter, kisses, suggestive. Thanks!! :))

uh boo! im back lovelies!

wifey talks (nh27)

✦ pairing - nico hulkenberg x female!wife!reader

✦ genre - all fluff

“Okay, Nico, Y/N—this should be simple. Just answer the fan questions naturally, have fun, and for godsake remember to keep it for godsake PG-13,” the PR manager warned with a pointed look before stepping aside.

Y/N smirked, shifting in her seat beside her husband. “You hear that, darling? PG-13.”

Nico rolled his eyes, already sensing trouble. “That rule is mainly for you.”

The camera started rolling, the familiar Haas logo in the background. A production assistant held up the first card. “Alright, first question—‘What’s a typical day off for you both?’”

Y/N hummed in thought. “Depends on where we are. If we’re home, Nico likes to pretend he’s a professional chef—”

“Excuse me, I actually am a fantastic cook,” Nico interrupted, feigning offense.

Y/N turned to the camera with a knowing look. “He sets off the smoke alarm making toast.”

“Lies.”

“Half-truths,” she corrected with a grin. “But if we’re traveling, we explore, eat good food, and I make him take aesthetic pictures of me.”

“Which take hours,” Nico added dramatically. “She’ll say, ‘Just one more,’ and twenty shots later, we’re still adjusting angles.”

“But you love it,” Y/N pointed out sweetly.

Nico huffed but didn’t argue, which made her beam triumphantly.

The next card was held up. “If you weren’t a driver, what job do you think Nico would have?”

“Oh, easy,” Y/N said. “A male model.”

Nico snorted. “A what?”

“Have you seen your jawline? That face was made for luxury watches and cologne ads,” she teased, trailing a finger along his sharp jaw. “Tag Heuer, if you’re watching, call us.”

Nico caught her hand, pressing a quick kiss to her knuckles. “Flattery will not distract me.”

“Won’t it?” she murmured, raising a brow.

He cleared his throat. “Next question.”

The assistant lifted another card. “Ah, the million-dollar question. ‘Who made the first move?’”

“Oh, this is good,” Y/N said, sitting up excitedly. “Do you want to tell them, or should I?”

Nico sighed. “I will, because I tell the truth.”

“Pffffftttt. Okay liar, I guess we're just making things up now..”

“I asked Y/N out first. Like a gentleman that I very much am.”

Y/N shook her head. “Half-truth. You flirted for weeks and guys just for a little bit of backstory, your guy Nico over here isn't sleek. He was a blushing red mess and wouldn’t actually ask me, so I got tired of waiting and did it myself.”

Nico smirked. “That’s what I wanted truly, for the pretty girl to ask me out. I want that... what do you call it? Ah Princess treatment! A master plan, if you will.”

“More like a cop-out you dum-dum.”

He shrugged. “Either way, I won.”

“Debatable.”

Nico leaned in slightly, voice dropping. “You married me, didn’t you baby?”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but her smile was soft. “Alright, fine. You win this round.”

“Finally.”

The assistant held up another question, but before they could answer, Y/N turned to the camera. “Can we just take a second to appreciate that after all this time, Nico still gets all smug when he wins an argument with me?”

The crew chuckled.

Nico tilted his head. “Because it’s rare.”

Y/N leaned in, whispering just loud enough for the mic to catch. “I let you win.”

He huffed a laugh before tugging her closer, pressing a deep kiss to her lips. “Liar.”

The PR manager groaned. “OH COME ON!! I said PG-13, guys.”

Y/N winked at the camera. “Oops," while going in for a quick peck on his cheek as he blushed.

[rista-senpai]

Distant hearts

pairing- Nagumo Yoichi x reader

summary: you are Takamura’s granddaughter, a well-trained assassin who never got the chance to shine. That was until one day, when The Order observed your skills and offered you a position in the association.

All new colleagues seemed happy, everyone but him. His dark coat, eyes, and hair all indicated how much he loved hiding. And how much he loved hating you, the opposite of him, who he considered had no right to be there, also, the one who hates how you make his heart skip a beat.

tags & warnings-> reader is 19, Nagumo is 27, age gap, turned into a series, office au, forbidden love, enemies to lovers, playboy x sweetheart, angst and smut, Takamura is still everyone’s nightmare except Nagumo’s, mentions of blood, reader has awfully little experience, also there might be some Shishiba x reader here and there

status: ongoing

credits: fanart by @/chachaxx_x on X

CHAPTER FOUR

Who would've guessed that being on a mission with Mr. Tease-Until-You-Snap would actually feel... kinda nice? Not in a "let's get married and retire to a cottage" way, but in the he holds your hand like he means it kind of way. Publicly, Nagumo was a dream—kissing your cheek, brushing lips against your temple, whispering something flirty into your ear just loud enough for your target to hear. His arm wrapped around your waist like he owned you.

And damn, the IT magnate you were assigned to eliminate? Head-over-heels the second he laid eyes on you. You played your part perfectly—sharp wit, that coy smile, dropping clever remarks that left him completely hooked. Even now, playing golf with the guy watching your every move like you were the prize at the end of the course, Nagumo was burning with something a whole lot hotter than jealousy.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

But neither was the way Nagumo stormed over, jaw tight, eyes locked on you like you were the problem, not the creep ogling you like a snack.

You barely had time to react before his hands were on you, "fixing" your posture from behind. His body pressed too close. His breath fanned over your neck. His hand slid over yours, guiding the club.

“What the hell are you doing, Nagumo?” you hissed, trying not to let your knees buckle under the sudden contact.

“Helping,” he murmured, voice low and laced with heat. “You weren’t focused on the right target.”

“You mean my ball?” you shot back, trying to sound unaffected, but the way he molded to your back made your brain short-circuit for a second.

He didn’t answer right away. Just leaned in closer, lips brushing your ear.

“What do you even see in that guy?”

You smirked. “God, have you seen him? He’s hot.”

Nagumo stiffened.

You could practically feel the possessiveness rolling off him like a storm.

“What I see,” he growled, “is you getting way too into this role and forgetting what we’re actually here to do.”

You lined up your shot with a little more force than necessary—maybe because his grip was a little too tight, or maybe because your heartbeat was doing somersaults. You swung.

And whack—your elbow landed right in his ribs.

“Oh, oops,” you said, turning with your most innocent smile. “Sorry, darling.”

He blinked, then snorted, shaking it off like it was nothing. “You hit like a kitten.”

You leaned in just a little, voice silky. “Keep getting in my space, and I’ll show you claws.”

He grinned—sharp, wolfish. “Is that a promise?”

“Maybe, senpai.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Huh. So you’re still calling me that?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“You tell me. You didn’t use it once today… or last night.”

Your cheeks burned instantly, memories flooding back like a wave crashing over your sanity. That kiss. That damn kiss. It had to be for show, right? Just him flexing his acting skills—his control. That had to be it. Still, you hadn’t a clue how you were supposed to sleep next to him again tonight. Especially after how the two of you had silently avoided each other all morning… until breakfast forced you into the same space.

“Don’t just bring that up like it’s nothing…” You said, breath catching. You could feel the heat rising from your chest to your ears, and it wasn’t just the weather.

Nagumo’s eyes didn’t move off you. They were sharp—dangerous. Like a predator deciding if it was time to pounce. You needed space. Now.

“I’m gonna go get some water. It’s… hot out,” you mumbled, standing up too quickly.

He tilted his head with a smirk, voice smooth as always. “You’re on an island, sweetheart. What else did you expect?”

You stepped into the cool hallway of the complex, glass panels stretching around you, reflecting your flushed face. The sunlight danced off the floors, but you barely noticed—your thoughts already spinning.

Your fingers itched for something familiar.

You pulled out your phone.

📞 Shishiba

You hesitated. Just for a second. Then pressed it.

The line rang once. Twice. Click.

“You finally remembered me,” came his voice, low, teasing, and a little rough like he’d just woken up.

Your lips curved. “I was going to call you last night…”

“Were you?” There was amusement laced with something else. “Didn’t seem like it. I figured Nagumo was keeping you occupied.”

You leaned against the wall, lowering your voice. “It’s not like that.”

“I can still feel you on my skin, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Tell me again it’s not like that.”

Your breath hitched. You glanced around instinctively, but the hallway was empty. At least, you thought it was.

“I passed your apartment earlier,” he said softly. “Your windows were open. Felt weird seeing it empty.”

Your stomach tightened. “I miss you.”

“Then say it.”

“I miss you, senpai.”

A low groan came through the speaker. “Don’t say that shit when I can’t touch you. I can’t stop thinking about that night. About you… on your back, clawing at the sheets, begging for more.”

Your knees nearly buckled.

“Do you still taste like wine?” he asked, voice dipped in sin. “Or has Nagumo left a new flavor on your lips?”

You gasped. “Shishiba—”

From behind you, a warm hand snatched your phone.

You spun around.

Nagumo stood there, towering, deadly silent.

Your screen lit up for a second longer, just long enough for him to hear:

“Don’t forget whose name you screamed first, sweetheart.”

Click.

Call ended.

The air turned thick with tension.

Nagumo stared at your screen. Then at you.

“You weren’t just calling to check in,” he said, his voice low, dangerously calm. “You slept with him.”

You froze.

He tilted his head. “The night before we left… it was him in your bed, wasn’t it?”

Your silence was the only answer he needed.

Nagumo took a slow, deliberate step closer. His jaw clenched, eyes scanning you like he was trying to burn the truth into your skin.

“That’s why you’re running,” he whispered. “Because even now, standing here with me, you’re still thinking about how he touched you.”

His hand reached out, knuckles brushing your jaw—not soft, not rough, just enough to remind you that he was here. That he wasn’t backing off.

“Should I show you what it’s like when I make you scream, baby girl?” he asked, voice thick with challenge. “Or are you too sore from last time?”

You sucked in a breath, every nerve alight.

He leaned in, lips grazing your ear.

“Careful who you give your body to, princess,” he murmured. “Next time, I won’t just steal your phone…”

His voice dipped into something darker.

“I’ll take everything.”

Nagumo’s words hung in the air, thick with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. The hallway felt smaller, the space between you both charged with a kind of electricity that you didn’t know how to handle.

His hand still lingered on your jaw, and your pulse raced at the feel of his touch. You wanted to pull away—needed the distance—but something about the way he looked at you, with that mix of control and barely contained hunger, made your body betray you.

He watched you like he was savoring every reaction, every flutter in your chest. And maybe, just maybe, part of you wanted him to keep going. To push you further.

"You don't get to hide from me," he murmured, his voice low, rough. "Not now. Not after what I heard." His eyes narrowed, searching yours like he was trying to decipher something deep inside you, something you couldn’t quite put into words.

You opened your mouth to say something—anything—but nothing came out. The tension was suffocating, and you could feel the heat rising again, swirling between the two of you.

And then, just as quickly as it had started, Nagumo took a step back. His fingers left your skin, but the absence of his touch was like a physical loss.

"Get a grip," he said, his tone back to its usual cool. He didn't look away from you, though. He didn’t need to. "We're still on a mission, baby. Don't lose focus."

You clenched your fists, trying to steady your breath. Focus. Right. You were supposed to be here for one thing. One thing only.

But with him—with Nagumo—felt like everything was blurring together. The lines between the mission, the games, and whatever twisted dance you two were doing had been erased the moment he touched you.

You swallowed hard, forcing yourself to look at him.

"I’m not the one losing focus," you shot back, your voice steady despite how badly your heart was thudding. "You’re the one who can’t keep it in your pants."

Nagumo smirked, that wolfish grin returning like he had won something.

"Is that what you think?" he asked, his voice light but still laced with heat. He stepped forward again, closing the distance just enough to make your breath hitch. "I think you’re the one who’s been playing with fire all along. But if you want to pretend it's nothing, fine. Just know, I’m always watching."

Your mouth went dry as he turned, walking away with the same confident swagger, like none of this mattered to him. But his words echoed in your mind, lingering far too long.

"Next time, princess... I won’t let you run."

You watched him leave, every part of you still buzzing with that intensity, with the sting of what had just happened. And as much as you wanted to forget, as much as you needed to push everything back into that neat little box you’d shoved it into… You knew this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

Taglist: @shadyyouthcloud @milabyxz @mitsurisupporter @cjafjatkstke @raspberrizzz @mimisdaydreamingbubble

[ijustwannabecool]

Unexpected Vows

Lewis Hamilton x Reader

Breakups suck. Especially when your ex is a world-famous F1 driver. Especially when he looks that good in Ferrari red.

You haven’t seen Lewis Hamilton since last summer, and things were supposed to stay that way—until a New Year’s Eve kiss turned into a one-night stand… and a surprise wedding.

Oops.

Now it’s race season, he’s ready to win you back, and you’re stuck figuring out how to say, “Hey, so funny story… we’re actually married.”

No pressure, right?

Trigger Warnings: Alcohol consumption, memory loss due to intoxication, implied sexual content, emotional topics related to breakups and relationships.

⸻

You haven’t seen him since the summer.

Not really, anyway. There were glimpses—on TV, plastered across social media, billboards on your way to work. Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari red. A new chapter. A new team. A new life. One that didn’t seem to have room for you anymore.

You told yourself it didn’t matter. That it was mutual. Clean break, no mess. You both needed time, space, clarity. But the truth is you never stopped missing him—not when you buried yourself in work, not when you tried dating again, not even when you found it.

The envelope.

The certificate.

Your name and his, in cursive black ink.

Married.

New Year’s Eve had been a blur. Champagne, music, friends—and then him. Lewis. The way he looked at you like no one else ever had. You remember a kiss at midnight. A hotel suite. Laughter, hands roaming, clothes on the floor. You remember waking up next to him, head pounding, heart light, thinking: God, I still love him. And then he rolled over and mumbled something about how wild the night had been, how funny it was that you’d ended up together again.

Neither of you remembered the vows. The officiant. The witnesses. But the papers were real.

You’ve read them a hundred times since.

You’re married to Lewis Hamilton.

And he doesn’t know.

⸻

The first race of the season is in Bahrain. The world watches. Cameras flash as Lewis steps out in red for the first time, and the air practically buzzes with anticipation. New era. New energy. New Lewis.

But when his eyes scan the crowd, past the fans, past the chaos, they land on you.

Everything stops.

Your breath catches, and you can’t tell if it’s from nerves or the desert heat or just… him. Still him, always him.

He walks past his team, past the paddock, and comes straight toward you. Like there’s no one else in the world.

“You’re here,” he says, and his voice is soft, like a secret.

You nod. “Didn’t want to miss your first race.”

His eyes search yours, like he’s trying to find pieces of himself in them. “I’ve been thinking about you. A lot.”

You don’t speak. You can’t. Your fingers twitch toward the envelope in your bag, the one you’ve carried around for weeks, the one you keep meaning to hand him.

“I miss you,” he continues. “I thought time would fix it, but it hasn’t. It’s made it worse. And I know we’re not… I mean, we haven’t talked since the break, but—Y/N, I love you. I never stopped. And I want to fight for you. For us.”

You swallow hard. This is the moment. Tell him, your mind screams.

But the words won’t come.

So instead, you smile, half-hearted and trembling, and say, “We should talk. Later.”

He nods. “Promise?”

You promise.

And you mean it.

⸻

That night, you slip into the Ferrari hospitality suite after most people have left. The trophy is in his hands—third place, but you can tell by the look on his face that all he’s thinking about is you.

“Can we talk now?” he asks.

Your heart hammers in your chest as you hand him the envelope.

He frowns as he opens it, and you watch his eyes skim the certificate. Once. Twice. Then a third time, slower. He doesn’t speak.

Then—

A laugh.

A real one. Deep. Shocked. Disbelieving.

“We got married?” he says, like the words are too big to fit in his mouth. “You’re serious?”

You nod. “I found it a few weeks ago. I didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t even remember… until I saw the date, and then some things started coming back.”

He just stares at you, quiet for a long moment. And then, to your surprise, his smile grows.

“Married,” he repeats. “So… I already won you back. I just didn’t know it.”

“Lewis—”

“I’m not mad. I’m relieved.” He takes your hands, grips them tight. “This… this is fate. I was ready to beg you to come back, to give us another shot, but this—this means we never really ended. We’re already on chapter two.”

His excitement makes your head spin.

“You still want to be with me?” you whisper.

“I want it all,” he says. “You. Us. A home. Kids. The whole messy, beautiful ride.”

You blink back tears, wondering how this could be real. Wondering if maybe, just maybe, the universe knows what it’s doing after all.

And then his phone buzzes.

He glances at the screen, and his expression shifts. Just slightly.

You notice.

“Everything okay?” you ask.

He hesitates. “Yeah. Just… something I should probably tell you too.”

You raise an eyebrow, pulse quickening. “What is it?”

But he doesn’t answer.

Not yet.

⸻

TO BE CONTINUED…

Part 2

⸻

I hope you love it. Please let me know if you guys want a part 2. Enjoy🫶

[potato-lord-but-not]

Oh geez okay hmm OH OH

What gives Oscar and Noel their first ‘butterflies’ for each other? Like, what moment/situation makes them go “Oh. Oh, it’s you.” I hope this makes sense Urgh

I think it took Noel a while to realize he loved Oscar like that (cough arospec Noel cough), once he did tho it was literally an oh moment. like all of the dots started to connect and he had no idea how to tell him. Especially since Oscar caught feelings first and was trying so so hard to hide it. like yeah sure he thought Noel was handsome at first but also extremely kind and funny and charming and caring and he doesn’t leave Oscar behind not out of pity but because he actually wants to be with him?? that was all too much and Noel definitely didn’t feel the same, right? so we’re just going to bury that for now.

I also think they started doing little, physical things that married couples do long before either of them admitted to loving each other like that. Everyone else around them was like,,,,, “you two live together,, and share a bed- yeah yeah because he sleeps better when he’s not alone but still- and you guys are inseparable and you share clothes and the way you look at each other is hard to ignore”

To actually answer your question tho- it was definitely something little for Oscar- like Noel remembering what his favorite tea is or going to help him at the soup kitchen. He was very in denial tho, and a blunt conversation with Marie was definitely what made him realize OH he likes me too doesn’t he??

And for Noel,,, he probably experienced A Cute Man Who Definitely Deserves Better Than Him Touching The Parts Of Him That Feel Most Inhuman And Wrong Affectionately. it made him sob and realize what being loved romantically actually felt like. he knew that feeling once, but it had been so long and almost entirely replaced with pain. until he got a gentle caress over an ugly scar from someone who never wanted to leave him.

SORRYY I YAPPED OOPS anyway

[grimmcheems]

Naruto…..but if Neji was clan heir instead.👩🏽‍🦯

I’ve had this AU wedged in my head for like a year(and a half??) now and have just now made an art on it oop. So anyways…..Hinata has the curse seal and dies in place of Neji in the canon. Also Naruto actually reciprocates her feelings and they bond over the fact that nobody else likes/respects them.(by that I mean the village bc them mfs was beefing with kids for no reason💀) Shino and Kiba also thought of Hinata as like a little sister, so their reactions to them bringing her body back are very much NOT OKAY.

Neji and Hinata’s dynamic is the same despite now being in opposing positions in this. Neji is very much an axxhole but Hinata always saw past it since he was the only kid in their family that she could talk to or ‘play’ with. Sakura bears immense guilt over not being able to save her in time because she’s a medical ninja and was pretty much Hinata’s only female friend. I haven’t reached Shippuden yet (wack coming from me already making this art based off that timeline lmao) but Sasuke occasionally checks on the village here, hence his appearance in this. The “busy” referring to her funeral being held and the talks amongst the village people about the Hyuuga clan now no longer having a branch family(Hinata was the last, ik she has a sister but we’re gonna pretend their parents died before that) to use their cursed seal on.

Back to Naruto, yes he likes her in this, they’re basically labeled as childhood sweethearts by everyone else and they even promised to get married maybe two yrs prior to this.🥲Hinata’s family never liked him but as he is the only one left of his clan as well, they basically left them to their own devices since them marrying actually wouldn’t be a bad idea. Neji ,however, opposed it and often made fun of them for it. Hinata and Neji had always had a rocky relationship and it’s somewhat stable in this but Neji always took her and her help for granted until the year leading up to her death.

Let’s just say he was the one initiating conversations more and no longer displayed his animosity towards her as often, but he still had a bunch to work on. Also his father(he is alive in this) is devastated when they arrive back with her as a casualty.

I really need to make more to cover the whole context but this is all I could do y’all. I was getting impatient and I conveniently never make shit in order💪🏽.

[shveris]

my jjk headcanons, part 2

part 1

part 3

part 4

if someone asks satoru for some change to buy snacks at the convenience store, he’ll give them a batch of ¥10.000 bills with the only request to get him some candy (shoko has been stealing money from him like this ever since their first year; rip toji he would’ve loved this)

current conversion rates (july ‘24): ¥10k ≈ $64 ≈ 58,50€

whenever yuuji passes out — from exhaustion, a punch to the face, blood loss, anything that’s not sleep sleep — he lands in sukuna’s domain. they argue &/ fight until yuuji wakes up again

satoru owns one of those password protected diaries that plays “oops! i did it again” by britney spears upon opening. he writes in it with colourful [glittery] gel pens, doodles the people he mentions in his entries, decorates the pages with stickers, etc.

megumi regularly buys treats and dog beds for his shikigami because he thinks they might feel lonely in his shadows (satoru actually started doing it first when he met the divine dogs for the first time)

toji needs reading glasses

satoru is immune to poisons and other toxins (insert traumatic childhood in which he got forced to endure all kinds of poisons etc. from the gojo clan). he says it’s really convenient in case someone tries to assassinate him with food (has happened a lot in his life already) or a cursed spirit has a CT that utilises them. shoko and suguru punched him for that statement

when they’re out in the city, model agency agents regularly try to recruit satoru, suguru and shoko

they tried the same with megumi too, at a later point in timeline — nobara shoos them off every time

the big bone structure we see in sukuna’s innate domain is yuuji’s ribcage

modern!au sukuita twins suck at school. yuuji’s only good subject is PE and sukuna’s is japanese

satoru can use the mental abacus technique (everyone is mortified whenever he does; no this is not a CT, it’s maths- no yuuta, you can’t copy th-)

modern!au sashisu live together and have no sense of privacy — shoko is taking a bath? well sucks to be her, satoru needs to pee; suguru is rubbing one off in the dead of night? well sucks to be him, shoko is drunk and needs to rant and he was stupid enough to leave his door unlocked; satoru has a migraine and is hanging over the toilet bowl, throwing up? well sucks to be him, suguru needs his help with his physics homework that’s due in 1 hour

megumi and nobara have a “if we’re still single by the age of 30, we’re marrying for financial purposes”-pact

sukuna is aroace

satoru hates drinking water. he says it tastes like nothing / it’s bland and boring and he, gojo satoru, cannot be drinking something so unworthy of him

yuuji really enjoys teas, he grew up drinking them with his grandpa

satoru can’t handle spicy food

nobara heavily dislikes anything slimy & rubbery, especially food (means she avoids seafood by default but she also doesn’t like it because “the smell is not lady-like”)

[scoopstomyahoy]

i’ve seen a couple lavender marriage stobin posts, but what about lavender dating stobin?

they’re both way too young to get married — robin’s parents especially would be shocked, and, well, steve’s parents would just be shocked by his choice. but maybe when robin goes back to school after summer ‘85, all the girls in her grade are asking how she possibly landed steve the hair harrington.

and she’s soooo sick of it. she’s sick of telling someone that they aren’t dating and getting asked the same question by another girl the very next period. she’s sick of the way they treat steve like a prize to be won and not a human being and let’s be honest, a dingus. and she’s sick of the way everyone is scandalized by the thought of him dating HER because at some point, it kind of just hurts her feelings!

and she goes on a rant one day in front of a whole group of people about how basically, none of them ever stood a chance with steve, because they didn’t see who he really was and they didn’t treat him the way he deserved to be treated and she could totally land a hottie like him if she actually wanted to, for the record, and that she’s sick of everyone harassing her over it and making her (and steve) feel like zoo animals behind thick glass.

and everyone is staring at her, and oops, she didn’t say they were dating, but these normies wouldn’t understand the concept of platonic soulmates even if she tried to explain it. so they all think she’s dating steve.

“everyone thinks we’re dating, steve,” she grumbles when he picks her up from school that day. and, well, she wonders what could possibly have given them the impression that they were dating, when he picks her up from school like he does every day, and tosses her a little candy bar, the kind she likes, probably because he saw it at the gas station and thought she’d want it and just. bought it. because he loves her.

steve looks at her. “uh, yeah?”

because this is not actually news. dustin has been convinced they’re dating for months, and she’s been complaining about the kids at school for weeks.

“no, like, they really believe we’re dating now.” she cringes. “uhh. i might have said something that implied we were.”

steve snorts.

“not on purpose!” she cries.

steve snorts again. “doofus.”

“shut up, dingus. it’s a problem! i was, you know, defending your honor—” a third snort “—and i just didn’t deny our relationship like i normally do, and everyone took that as— admission.” her hands fly around her as she talks.

steve is silent. she looks at him. he’s thinking. hard.

“well,” he says, “that wouldn’t be… the worst thing. right?”

“what.”

“i just mean, if we were dating—”

“LESBIAN, steve!” robin points to herself.

“i know! i know, jeez-us. if everyone thought we were dating, like, actually, that could solve some of our problems.”

“explain.”

“like, i keep striking out, but that’s ‘cause i’m not really interested in hooking up with girls who aren’t looking for anything serious anymore. and you said i should try to be single for a while, ‘be comfortable with my own company’ or whatever—”

“it’s healthy!”

“sure! yeah, whatever! so i could be single with you, and you, you could, you know, you’d be a little safer. i could be your… goatee.”

“beard.”

“that.”

“although, i don’t know, maybe for lesbians it is a goatee.”

“rob, we’re getting off topic. my point is, we could… we could be dating.”

robin considers it. “you want to fake date.”

“not like, actually fake date. like, i’m not taking you to the diner and sharing a milkshake with two straws after we see the latest john hughes.”

“steve, we have literally done exactly that.”

“oh. right.”

“wait,” robin says, “wait wait wait. we have literally done exactly that.”

“right,” steve says.

“steve, are we…. are we already fake dating?”

it’s steve’s turn to consider it. “wait, are you the reason i keep striking out?”

“hey!”

“kidding!”

anyway. they talk it out a bit more, and robin warms up to the idea. because steve isn’t wrong, she would be safer if people thought she had a boyfriend. she had never dated a boy before. and dustin might lay off of steve for a little bit if steve admits he was right. (steve groans, loudly, at the idea of ever admitting to the little genius that he’s right.) and they don’t have to make some huge announcement to the world, posting it on the school’s bulletin board for everyone to see.

but maybe robin would stop getting weird looks in the locker room if she had a boyfriend to prove people wrong.

[wing-ed-thing]

The Aburames (Shino x Reader)

Request:

Word Count: 1.6k 

Tags/Warnings: Married Couple, Fluff, Minor Original Character, No Reader Pronouns

Notes: I’m drooling for the married team. There’s a super long note at the end with lore, way longer than I planned oops

You could usually tell when a squad captain was new, especially when you and Shino ended up on the same team. It was an oversight that you would always try to correct ahead of time, but bureaucracy didn’t always work in your favor.

“Eh? What do you mean?” Arata’s glasses had fallen crooked on his face as he stared up from his disorganized mission notes. You and Shino exchanged glances, both of you with your arms laxly crossed over your chests. 

“We can’t use our jutsu at the same time,” you said sheepishly, at a loss for what to do or how to explain the clear mistake that was made. While you hoped that you could’ve sorted the team roster out before you were standing together at the village’s gate, you supposed there was no time like the present. 

“What do you mean you can’t use your jutsu at the same time?” Arata turned his attention back to his notes in a panic. He flipped through them, even turning the whole ensemble upside down as his eyes darted across the pages. “Aburame utilizes an insect jutsu, and you use plants—”

“Carnivorous plants,” you swiftly corrected with a sigh. Arata gaped up at you, not entirely understanding the problem. You cleared your throat. “Plants that eat bugs—” Arata’s mouth formed a round shape as he studied his notes more closely. —“We’re also married, so people don’t usually put us on the same squad. You might want to refer to us by our first names.”

“Aw, jeez,” Arata huffed with a drop of his shoulders. “And here I thought I was being clever.” Your hands hovered in the air as you instinctively moved to give him a reassuring pat. You recoiled your touch at the last second. No matter how young your temporary leader was, he was still your captain.

“No worries, Captain Arata. I’m sure there’s time to switch one of us out!” You glanced at Shino, making eyes at him to signal that he should say something. He grunted, nodding to himself.

“Yes, these things happen.” He continued to nod. 

“Actually…” Arata trailed off. “There were only enough people for the minimum amount of squads this period. That’s why I put the two of you together when we made our picks because I assumed with the bugs and the plants…” He buried his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. 

“At least he didn’t add Ōtori,” Shino muttered. You gave him a sharp nudge. 

“We’ll make due, don’t worry, Captain.” 

“Please don’t call me that…”

Arata looked as if he’d be sick any moment. 

Only when you reached your destination did the green in Arata’s face seem to fade—poor thing. You remembered leading your first squad, although you couldn’t say you were as much of a wreck as Arata. He was hard to watch. He could hardly get a word out even as he met with your clientele. You wondered if he knew all he had to say was that you were in town to do the requested work. Clearly not; he said everything but that. 

The three of you sat together on a tree branch overlooking the small trading town. Shino had sent his beetles out into the night. With their superior surveillance and tracking capabilities and nocturnal abilities, you sat back and allowed Shino’s hive to smoke out your target. 

“You guys look like you’ve done this before,” Arata remarked, staring down at the lit lights of the houses below. Ironically, it had been Arata’s order to station the beetles across the rooftops. You leaned against the tree trunk, admiring how the quint village glowed warmly in the moonlight. Stalls lined the streets, lighting up the night with pleasant lantern light. A small group of children shared an oversized confection below. 

“Unfortunately, bandits hit these villages a lot,” you mused. Shino nodded. “Lots of people come through here. Lots of trade, lots to steal. Serial thievery from one place doesn’t surprise me.”

“It’s the geography,” Shino said curtly. 

The streets below you continued to bustle with life. Even into the night, trade continued throughout the small town. Arata’s eyes widened in awe, an apparent brightness in them as he listened. 

“Ah, I see,” he hummed, standing on the branch to survey the land. “Can I ask a personal question?” You couldn’t help your slight expression of surprise, a hint of playfulness and curiosity swimming in your face as the corners of your lips tugged into a gentle grin. 

“Shoot.” You nodded. Shino hardly said a word as he stood at the end of the branch. He shoved his hands in his pockets, pretending not to listen. You were always the talker in the relationship anyway. 

“You’re married, right?” Arata glanced between you and Shino. You offered him a gentle and slow bow of your head in acknowledgment. “How do you live together if, you know, your plants eat… you know.” Your laugh was light and resounded nicely through the breeze that ruffled the treetops. 

“We make do.” You bent a knee, holding it close to your chest as you assumed a more comfortable position. “The Aburames are known for their Destruction Bug Implantation. I’m sure he could tell you more about it than I could—” You craned your neck to look past Arata at Shino, who continued to pretend he wasn’t listening. Arata followed your gaze. —“It’s a permanent summoning, I suppose. Mine is more traditional, so keeping them apart isn’t too difficult when there’s a dimensional rift.” 

“I suppose that makes sense.” Arata chuckled, scratching at the back of his neck. “I guess I just assumed you’d have a few lying around the house. I know a lot of people like to keep their summons close.”

“Sometimes I like to go back with them to tend to them in their own realm.” You held a finger up to your lips with a wink. “But you didn’t hear that from me.” Arata held his expression of awe but didn’t have time to be impressed for long.

You heard shouting below. The crowd filling the streets at various stalls parted like a crack in rock. A woman fell, pushed to the ground as a few men gave chase to a figure you couldn’t quite see. 

“Theif!” one of the men cried. They made for your direction. The thief could escape into the forest within moments at the rate the men were chasing. 

“Shino, can you grab him?” Arata barked. Shino grumbled, gritting his teeth as he labored, straining the muscles of his arms as he conducted his swarm. 

“Too bright, too many people… I won’t make it!” 

Arata called out your name.

“Your plants!” he called out, his voice sputtering as he struggled to grasp his words quickly. “While Shino’s bugs are far enough!” Despite the lapse in communication, you knew precisely what his orders were.

“I got it!” You jumped off the branch as the invisible thief grew closer. The blood you drew from your finger sailed into the air, falling with you. “Summoning Jutsu!” 

Several snapping heads shot out from the white cloud of smoke that flooded the forest's underbrush. The traps snapped as the petioles weaved around the treetrunks, following the vibrations of footsteps on the leaf litter on the ground below. Arata had stationed himself at the forest’s entrance, arms held out as he stopped the pursuing men from getting caught in the crossfire. 

You heard a sharp cry, one of our traps rising into the air in your peripheral, a pair of legs kicking against the teeth before the trap was sliced cleanly in two. You gasped in horror as the whole trap shriveled, turning crispy and brown down the petioles. The thief left into the darkness of the forest. 

With the fight over, you ran to the rhizome, taking out your tantō to cut the dead head off the rest of the plant. The other traps surrounded you, shaking. 

“Aww, poor baby,” you cooed. “That must’ve been so hard. I’m sorry.” One of the traps thrust itself into your arms, nearly knocking you to the ground. You gave it a few gentle pats. “I’ll give you attention soon, I promise.” 

The plant disappeared into another puff of smoke just as Shino’s swarm passed overhead. The beetles traveled together, covering the forest like a blanket as they blotted out the moonlight. Arata, who had been running toward you, stopped in his tracks as he watched the swarm pass.

“Are you okay?” he yelled to you.

“Yeah! I’m alright,” you sighed. He walked over to you in defeat, hands on his hips as he looked deep into the forest's darkness. 

“Well, so much for catching him.” He frowned. “Sorry about your plant.” You shrugged, glancing over your shoulder toward your husband, who trailed a short distance behind you. 

“It’ll be okay. That one’s just a big baby, really.” You walked forward into the dimness, as did Shino, much to Arata’s surprise. “It’s actually a good thing. The scent from the trap is a real good insect attractant.” You shot Shino a cheeky grin. “That’s how I trapped you, isn’t it?”

He hummed, knowing that a lack of acknowledgment would’ve spurred you on even more. You pivoted on your heel, walking backward deeper into the trees as you waved for Arata to follow. 

“C’mon, Captain Arata. This was your plan, wasn’t it?” Arata’s face wrinkled in confusion for only a second before he perked up in surprise. He ran after the two of you.

“Right! My plan!”

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed, and supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

Fun facts about the piece if that’s something you fancy: “Arata” means fresh/new. I feel like married couple Shino and Reader would have worked out how to battle together, but I’d imagine it’s stressful for the bugs. Not to mention Reader’s plants may shut prematurely, causing the plant to use up energy. 

Reader Ōtori is also the bird user from my very first (very bad) Shino series. She has Shino in an alternate universe, I guess haha. I think aside from the Uchiha!Readers, she’s the only one I gave a last name (and a gender). Let’s keep it that way haha.

I don’t usually picture what Reader looks like, but I do on maybe 1/8 of my works. I pictured Reader to look like Pieck Finger and Arata to look something like Floch Forster or Izuku Midorya. Not that it matters who I picture. Shino is just... Shino haha. Always Wedding Era Shino though.

Also, it took me a solid 10 minutes to think of how these two abilities could possibly be compatible it was a struggle

[bloominspaceship]

thank you @waydownatthebottomofnovember for the tag!! 💖💖💖

last song: work song by hozier on pandora. love me some hozier!

favorite color: floats back and forth between green and blue. very dependent on the day

sweet/spicy/savory: mostly savory because my partner has a tender palate and i’m very specific about sweet things

last tv show: game changer on dropout. dropout is my only subscription that I actually pay for, otherwise we borrow our friends steaming services or pirate

last movie: bill (2015) i don’t watch movies too often but after finishing yonderland i obviously had to watch another six idiots media

relationship status: engaged! we’re getting married soon and it’s crazy to me

current obsession: all things six idiots. oops? lol

tagging: @elliseleven @iiep-wop and @getinangell

[simmerdowndee]

THE FOXBURY FILES EPISODE THREE PART TWO

Today, I’m meeting up with D and Tori for a bit. I haven’t told them about the date yet.

Blake: How is it that we live in the same apt, and I feel like I never see you, D. Devon: Hey, I’m pretty popular. I am all over campus. Tori: Yeah, in everyone’s bed. Blake: Oop. Devon: Now what the hell did I do to you??

Tori: You should probably chill out; you're going to gain a reputation.

Devon: We’re in college, tee. Everyone is hooking up. Devon: Well, maybe except you and Blake… Tori: I am okay with focusing on my studies. Most of the guys are horrible anyways. Blake: *Laughs* Blake: Well, I actually have a date on Saturday. Devon: With whom? One of the characters in your books? Blake: Micah. Tori and Devin: MICAH???? Blake: Yep. He asked me out the other night.

Tori: That’s so exciting Blake. Are you excited? Blake: I am. I actually really like Micah. Blake: He’s funny, easy to talk to. Devon: Mhm. Blake: What the hell was that? Devon: What happened to you swearing off relationships? Blake: Its just a date, D. We aren’t getting married. Tori: Why does it bother you anyways? Devon: It doesn’t. I was just curious.

That was weird… it was almost if she was jealous.

Blake: Well, I’m excited. Tori: And you should be! Tori: Wait, do you think he’ll wanna hook up? Devon: Blake, hook up with him on the first date? *Laughs* Devon: She didn’t hook up with Tre until a year into their relationship. Blake: I mean, we were in HS, D. It wasn’t exactly the most important thing on my mind… Tori: What is with you today? You are very spicy. Devon: I’m good. We’re just having a fun conversation. She’s being very weird.. maybe Tori’s comment is bothering her. Blake: I don’t know if he’ll want to, but honestly, I’m open to it.. Devon: Tuh. Tori: Well, I hope you guys have a great date. We’ll have to meet up for coffee so you can tell us how it went!

Blake: For sure!

[mariaofdoranelle]

The Courtship Deception - Part 7: Fight or Flight

Fic masterlist

Written for @throneofglassmicrofics

Sorry I disappeared, my mom is running for vice-dean at our uni and the elections got me so hyped!! Keeping track of the gossip alone could be a full-time job heheheheh

Anyway this chapter might go to the top 3 most unserious things I ever wrote lol

Warnings: duel with no depictions of violence; gay pining and heartbreak at its peak

Words: 1011 (oops!)

Aelin sat nestled under Rowan’s arm, both of them waiting at 6:58 p.m. in that forgotten temple. The sun was setting in different hues of blue and orange past crumbled walls, and her lover’s fingers combing through her hair were the only reassuring thing that day; they said, I’m here. I’m here for you.

The rejection of her marriage proposal wasn’t taken to heart—marrying Rowan right now would be a mean to an end, that being living on her own terms. It didn’t surprise her that he didn’t want that for himself.

What did surprise her is that, after all that, he still agreed to fight her suitors. Just because I’m not getting engaged to you this month, it doesn’t mean that I want other dudes to, he previously explained, and there he was: waiting for Chaol and Dorian to show up. After scolding Fenrys for making duel propositions on his behalf, of course, but he was still here at the end of the day.

“So…” Dorian trailed, announcing himself, and beelined his way to them by dodging the temple’s ruins. “How many people did Rowan propose a duel to?”

“Gods.” Chaol coughed, keeping some distance behind Dorian. “I better not die in this shithole.”

Aelin grimaced, just now remembering his allergies—between ancient stones and the moss-covered floor, things weren’t looking good for him.

“Evening, suitors.” Fenrys paced before what was supposed to be the altar, hands clasped behind his back. “As an unofficial coordinator of Aelin’s courtship, I arranged this—“

“I thought it was Rowan’s idea,” Dorian interrupted.

“Rowan challenged you two on a thruel.”

“A what?” Rowan asked.

“A thruel.” The “coordinator” sighed. “A duel of three.”

Chaol frowned. “How does that work—“

“Perfect.” Rowan slapped both hands on his thighs to get up. “Swords or guns?”

Her lips parted slightly. So he knew his way around a sword and a gun both. That’s… fuck, that’s definitely hot.

Fenrys had a devilish grin on. “Guns.”

“But right now?” Chaol looked around, seeking reassurance. “We don’t want to frighten Aelin, right?”

“Don’t worry,” Aelin said, moving to find a better sight of the whole temple. “Aelin isn’t frightened at all.”

None of the men seemed excited about the thruel, but they stood still, waiting for Fenrys to retrieve the guns. Between her three suitors, her bodyguard gave each an odd-looking gun. Aelin squinted her eyes as an attempt to get a better look, make sense of their bulkier build and little kidney-looking black thingy on top. Then he pulled out a bulletproof vest of sorts, but it looked so flimsy.

Wait a second.

“We’re choosing my future husband over paintball?” Aelin shrieked, incredulous.

Not that she was actually marrying any of them, but she had to play the part here.

“Yes,” Fenrys said, eyes hard. “It is an act of bravery, since it bruises like a bitch, and the last thing I need is a prince and a lord dying on my watch.”

“Or two princes,” Chaol added.

Rowan snorted, barely managing to keep his thoughts to himself.

After Fenrys revealed the true nature of the thruel, her suitors had a new lightness on the way they carried themselves, each finding a spot behind the ruins so the game could start.

Dorian even winked at Fenrys, and Aelin had yet to find out what that was about. By the way Chaol’s jaw clenched as he watched, the thruel was heated before it even started.

“Game on!” their designated referee signed.

With cautious advances, Chaol focused on Dorian. The other man did the same, so keen on attacking each other that they seemed to forget that this was a duel of three.

Rowan, who hadn’t moved an inch, sent Fenrys a confused look. A shrug was the only response he got.

Chaol ran to a nearer pillar, firing off a series of shots before he slid into cover again.

“Shoot me!” Dorian shouted, got up from behind his cover, and theatrically threw his gun on the floor. “What’s a paintball bruise compared to what you did to me?”

“What I did to you?” Chaol’s gaze slid from Dorian to Fenrys. Uh-oh. He continued, “You think I should be sorry? Well, I am! I really am sorry I was so hooked on you it upended my entire life—“

“But we were so close!” Dorian said. “I was fighting for you, and I was this close to convincing my mother about our worthiness when I found out about this… ploy to marry Aelin. Seriously, Chaol? My best friend?”

“Oh!” The lord let out an incredulous laugh. “I’m sorry, I thought I was your best friend!”

“You might’ve been in the past, but I don’t love you like a best friend anymore!”

Chaol’s face softened. “You love me?”

The two went on, too wrapped up to notice Aelin leaning closer to Fenrys and whispering, “Should we give them some privacy?”

“Nah.” A pause so her friend could catch on part of their dialogue. “I’m too curious about why they were chasing you.”

Aelin thought it was out of parental pressure like in her case, which probably happened with them too, but it seemed to be also to affect each other. She met Rowan’s gaze from the other side of the temple, and the poor guy looked lost, still in his thruel position.

Dorian soon caught up on his lack of privacy and led Chaol out of the temple so they could talk more, and only then Rowan left his spot behind a ruin. “Did I win?”

Aelin sighed, a fake wondrous look on her face. “My hero,” she joked.

He laughed and tugged her to him, trailing pecks from her face down her neck.

“You won the last round,” Aelin admitted before picking up Dorian’s gun from the floor. “Wanna lose the next one?”

His eyes glinted with amusement. “Do you want to lose it?”

They had been on dates—as much as a hard-working outcast prince and a sheltered heiress could within the span of twelve days—but none of them were as interesting as paintball at an abandoned temple.

“Hey!” Fenrys shouted, running their way. “I wanna play too!”

A/N: i can’t believe that it's finally me and you and you and me just us and your friend Steve DODODODODODODO STEVE

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[foliejpg]

Well, if we’re sharing our fav peterick rpf then here are mine!

Don’t want to be a footnote by scarred so deep - strangers to fake married, Patrick is a lawyer who is lying to his boss and conniving coworker (Joe) to not seem like he has no life outside of work. Except he does have no life outside of work and oops, his lies have gone too far.

North Pole isn’t just a euphemism by earlgreytea68 - Christmas but the feels are simply incredible, they’re small time musicians but not fall out boy

So, so fucked by renidays (available as a podfic from paraka, god bless paraka) - band fic, accidentally announced to the whole world they’re dating. Can’t take it back now, guess they’re trying on gay for a while. (Surely everyone’s read this? But maybe it’s just that I’ve listened to it at least twice a year for like. A decade)

I am a collapsing star with tunnel vision but only for you (I will protect you) by toorational - and of course, the ultimate comfort fic. I love this one so much, cannot tell you how many times I’ve read it. Bandfic, hurt/comfort.

I hope you enjoy at least one of these <3

don't want to be a footnote i don't think i've read this one but i have read others by this author! i loved their 'phone in hand' fic from last year and really enjoyed it!! i also love patrick having no life in au's because lbr he doesn't have one irl. that man texts pete and pete Only we all know. joe sends the occasional meme patrick doesn't understand

north pole isn't just a euphemism i think i have read this!! i love egt truly a masterclass in hallmark christmas au's. theres a fic like this that i think is by egt where its the same thing like they meet in a cabin and get to know each other and there's like. a guy with his son and the guy ends up being a producer or something, but idr if pete does anything with music but its familiar. if it is this one, it was a big inspo for my cabin fic i don't blame you, but you can't blame me where they get stuck in a cabin overnight in a snowstorm lol

so, so fucked (podfic) i think i have read this based on the summary but i can't find the actual fic link :( i've never listened to a podfic before lol i don't really listen to audiobooks or podcasts tbh i need Visual Stimulation TM

i am a collapsing star but only for you (i will protect you) I HAVE READ THIS IT KILLED MEEEE i love hurt/comfort fics so much put an arrow through my fucking heart and twist it

ty so much for sending these i can't wait to revisit them later <3 i love getting fic recs so much and sharing them to ppl who might have missed them over the years please go read and leave kudos<3

[do-i-look-like-a-doctor]

part 2 of this

anyways, that’s that. things are fine, people are talked down of their motives, life is going back to normal. THEN OBITO SHOWS UP and it’s nothing but emotional turmoil between Kakashi and that orange masked moron. don’t even get me started on why Obito is doing all this evil stuff in the first place.

wtf do you mean Orbit, that thirty year old, buff, scarred, dopey, traumatized, texas two-steppin man is trying to ruin the world because his crush got gut punched to death when they were both FOURTEEN?

like babe, there’s more important things to worry about besides Rin and killing Kakashi. how are you gonna get crushed by a rock as a teen and instead of staying dead like a normal person you get revived, patched up with tar by your shady uncle, and go on a vengeful rampage for like 15 years. don’t piss me off.

so now it’s Orbit vs. Cashew which is more of a mass emotional hysteria between those two frenemies if anything. then, it’s Fishroll, Pink Doctor, Sigh, Yams, and the entire village vs. The Bad Girls Club.

when Naruto fights these troglodytes you’d think it would be a typical battle of one wins one loses but OF COURSE ITS NOT ITS NEVER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCE.

Naruto, the same kid who can control some of the most powerful ninjutsu, the dude who is besties with the fox demon in his mind, the orphan who had every right to become the villain, wins his fights not with bloodshed but by TALKING? no, don’t look at me. for practical reasons, i do not exist as this moment.

Naruto and company are all out there kicking ass and winning because why wouldn’t they. wanna know who’s not winning? Weasel because Sasuke found him and merked his blind self. yeah, Itachi let Sasuke kill him. wtf, who wrote that in? someone explain family therapy to these two before i call the police.

so when the Bad Girls Club are no longer a club aka hella hella dead or gone and that weird emotional thunderclap between Kakashi and Obito is done you’d think that’s a wrap. you’d think that’s it because everyone got what they wanted. well you’re wrong, sorry love.

because Naruto is STILL SNIFFING OUT SASUKE LIKE A BLOODHOUND WHOS ON THE PROWL.

i wanna point out that throughout the entire series Sasuke has made it clear he doesn’t want friends and Naruto basically said “well we’re married so to bad” and cuz of this whenever he did run into Sasuke it was always a fight. the constant back and forth between these two of betting on losing dogs, yin and yang, self-destruction, self-realization, and strength gain leads you to think Naruto will kill Sasuke because he couldn’t save Sasuke from himself.

that doesn’t happen, of course it doesn’t. that’s normal circumstance and we don’t do that here. have you been listening? don’t get me started fam I’ll punch walls.

Sasuke, the same dude who’s been against any form of emotional connection since day zero, suddenly faces the guy who’s been standing up for him despite all the destruction and death. what’s Sasuke do? admits he’s always lowkey cared for Naruto and the others. im leaving the function, i slipped on my own tears on the way out.

my Jonas brother in Christ, what? Sasuke, babe, get out of my house and be so serious.

i may not have a lot of muscle but i have unbridled female rage, a lot of questions, and a broken flat iron to help me find the god damn answers.

so yeah, he says “teehee oops”, helps rid of the remaining baddies, him and Naruto get matching missing limbs, and all is mostly forgiven.

what do you have left at the end of all this bullshit? traumatized kids who grow up, become something, get married, some have kids, and we never actually got the boyfriends we deserve. Sasuke is still trying to be Jesus of Suburbia, Naruto has a son who’s name sounds like Burrito.

i can not make this shit up, this series goes every direction yet also stays in a circle. if I showed any of the episodes to a victorian child or a modern day old person their heads would explode and it’d feel like chernobyl all over again.

what lessons did we learn by the end of the anime. one, don’t try to destroy the world when your crush dies in your teens. two, mind your business. three, seek family therapy before attempting murder. four, being gay is great and helping the homies is greater. and five, don’t get me started.

yall ever love an anime and/or show so much it becomes irritating? cuz i do.

anyways, it’s a great anime. good animation, relatable characters, amazing development of the world and people in it. i recommend it to everyone and yes it’s weird but we will ignore that. if you want weirder, watch One Piece.

thank you for coming to my yap session.

(again, unedited. sorry for mistakes, i might fix them later)

[broskiblurbs]

Ring on the Brain (A Tom Holland FanFiciton)

Words: 3238

Summary: Tom has been asking to marry you, but you have some concerns. Perhaps, a trip to the ER when he is in the States will change your mind.

Disclaimer: Mild cussing, mention of blood, and lots and lots of dialogue. Also, probably a few grammar mistakes. Sorry, not sorry.

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

It’s crazy how much a person could change in the matter of four years, or even two. Four years ago, you were a sophomore in college, struggling to keep up. Friends didn’t flock to you like you had expected. Turns out you have to actually talk to people to make the whole friendship thing happen, who knew? So, you were pretty lonely, but you were okay with that. Well, you did have your boyfriend, who was always needing you, leaving room for no one else in your life.

Two years ago, you were graduating college with your best friends, Sam and Harry Holland. Sam and you were partners for class that neither one of you cared for and needed Harry’s photography skills for a project, since then, the three of you were inseparable. They had just helped you get out of an abusive relationship with your now ex-boyfriend. You were absolutely thriving.

Now, you were practically a part of the Holland family. You came over to their house every Sunday for brunch, went to all of Paddy Holland’s baseball games, and were invited to every vacation. Not only that, but the eldest brother, Tom Holland, had taken a fancy to you and you to him. It kind of happened suddenly. You had just gotten out of a relationship with your ex and he had just been dumped by Zendaya, so at first it was a rebound thing. It was never supposed to be more than that, but feelings got in the way. The twins weren’t exactly happy about it, which you understood. Sam took it the hardest. He wouldn’t even look at you for a month, and even now, your friendship isn't the same. Harry on the other hand was disappointed, but supportive. 

For the last few weeks, Tom kept mentioning the idea of marriage. He was ready to tie the knot and spend the rest of his life with you, however, you weren’t quite there yet. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to marry Tom, quite the contrary, that was everything you ever wanted. It was the fame that was bothering you. You weren’t sure if you could deal with him being gone for weeks at a time for filming or the constant flirting from girls. Not to mention, the never-ending invasion of privacy. There was also Sam to think about. You were just finally getting him to open up again. Did you really want to erase that progress? 

It was a sunny afternoon in the Holland’s backyard. You were sipping some lemonade in a purple lounge chair watching Paddy practice baseball with some of his friends and family. You always loved the feeling of the sun rays soaking into your skin.

“You look like you're enjoying yourself,” a voice said. You push your sunglasses to the top of your head to see who was talking. It was Harry, who was setting up a chair to sit next to you.

“I love afternoons like this. I could lay in the sun forever,” you reply, gleefully.

“Speaking of, did you ever put on the sunscreen my mom gave you?” He asked.

You knew he already knew the answer to the question, so you gave him an innocent look and said, “Oops.”

“Pfft. Americans,” he murmurs.

“Hey!” You give him a light slap on his shoulder, causing him to chuckle. “You are so quick to use the whole ‘Americans’ gimmick. You know, most Americans wear sunscreen. It’s just a me thing.” 

“Alright, alright. I’ll give you that one,” he responded. “How’s everything with Tom?”

Tom was currently filming in the States for the new Spider-Man film. It was a lot of moving around with him. You moved to London with him this past year and you have been going back and forth a lot, so you decided it was best to stay here this time to give your mind and body a rest. 

“We’re good.” You beam a smile at your friend.

“He told me about the whole marriage thing,” he revealed.

“Did he?” Harry nodded. Feeling guilty you start to say, “It’s not that I don’t want to! It’s just that-”

“I know. He told me that too. He understands. I don’t, but it’s whatever”

“What do you mean you don’t understand?” You ask, getting defensive.

“You’re worried about him going off for filming and the fans, which I get, but aren’t you already dealing with that? I mean look at you now. He’s in a different country filming and here you are, enjoying yourself with his family. You are already practically married to him. The only difference being a certificate.”

“But, Sam-”

“Who gives a shit about what Sam thinks. I get it, you're his friend, but he’s never going to fully be okay with you and Tom. He needs to start being your friend and get the fuck over himself and be there for you and his brother.” Harry sees the stern look you give him. “Okay, fine. Then maybe, talk to Sam about it first. He might be more open about it then.”

Looking for an escape from this conversation, you stand up and say, “I’m going inside to get another lemonade. Do you need anything?” Harry shakes his head. You turn to head to the kitchen, but a striking pain hits the side of your head and causes you to fall over.

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Harry asks frantically and rushes to your side.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” The ringing in your head says otherwise.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N. The sun was in my eyes,” Paddy apologizes. This is when you see the white baseball laying right next to you.

“It’s okay, Paddy. It happens. I’m alright,” you reassure him. You unsteadily stand back up.

“Let me take a look, love,” Nikki Holland, the boys’ mother, insists. She carefully moves your hair out of the way to examine your head. “It's red and already starting to swell up. We might want to take you to the hospital, just in case.”

“No, we don’t have to do all that. I’m okay,” you smile, but everyone is giving you a disapproving look. “Really, I am fine.”

“Y/N, it’s a head injury. It could be serious,” Sam interjects.

“It’s not. You don’t have to worry about me. Paddy, keep practicing. You got a mean throw.” You notice the sun is getting a bit bright for your eyes, so you put your sunglasses back on.

“Should we at least let Tom know?” Harry asks.

“No!” You demanded. “He will just get all worried for no reason. He needs to be focused right now. I’ll tell him about it once he gets home and we can all laugh about it.” They finally gave up and continued their game, but had moved further away so no one else would get hurt.

Dominic Holland, the father of the Holland boys, had grilled steak for dinner, which you loved. He always made the best steak. You were helping Nikki clean up when your headache started to pound even worse, which you didn’t even know was possible. Nikki had noticed you were now clenching to your head.

“You okay, dear?” She asked. You could feel your dinner starting to rise in your throat. Sam and Harry, who were just by the bonfire with Paddy, were now next to you.

“Gonna. Be. Sick.” You try to get the words out and rush to the trash can next to the silver grill. You start to throw up, ridding your stomach of the delicious steak. 

“Y/N, you need to go to the doctor,” Sam insists. 

“No! I fine. Me good.” You slurred out. 

“We aren’t asking,” Harry forces and grabs your arms.

“No!” You yank yourself free. You try to walk away, but your vision blurs and you are on the ground before you know it.

“Y/N!” Harry yells, his voice full of worry. Dominic and Paddy are now on the patio, watching the events unfold in front of them.

“Honey, get the car ready to go, I’ll stay here with Paddy,” Dom says to his wife. She nods in agreement.

“I want to go. After all, I’m the one who did this,” the youngest urges.

“I know, son, but it’s already going to be crowded. She’ll be alright.”

“No,” you barely manage to whisper before going out cold.

“She’s out.” Sam panics and checks for a pulse. He sighs in relief, picks you up, and carries you to the car.

Thankfully the hospital wasn’t as busy and was able to see you immediately. Nikki offered to wait in the waiting room, while Sam and Harry were with you. You were still knocked out, which seemed a bit obsessive for an apparent concussion. 

“Her CT scan showed that she has a brain hemorrhage. It’s not anything that is a huge concern yet, but if we don’t act soon, it could be more damaging. I think the safest option is surgery. We will just relieve the pressure and drain the blood in her brain.” The doctor notices the scared looks on the twins face. “It’s not as scary as it sounds. It’s not a hard surgery. We would have to shave the hair where we make the incision. Won’t even be able to tell the difference.”

“How is it a brain bleed? Our little brother threw a baseball. We just thought it would be a concussion,” Sam said.

“Well, any type of head injury could cause one. Not to mention, if she has had previous head injuries that didn’t heal properly could cause one very easily. So, would you like to do the surgery?”

“Yes, please,” Harry agreed.

“Alright, I will say it might take a bit before an OR opens up, but once it does, we will prep for surgery.” The doctor gives the boys a gentle, reassuring smile before heading out of the room. 

“Oh my god, she’s going alright, right?” Nikki worries about the news her sons just gave her.

“The doctor seemed confident,” Sam reassured.

“Poor girl. How far away is Tom? He’s probably a mess right now,” Nikki asks, causing a panicked look on Harry and Sam’s faces. “What?”

“We might’ve forgotten to call Tom,” Harry admitted.

“Oh no! I thought you guys would have informed him. He’s probably wondering about my text.” Nikki starts to dig out her phone.

“What did you say?” Sam asked.

“‘Everything is going to be alright. We are with her, hoping and praying.’” She read.

“I’m going to call him.” Harry pulls out his phone and calls his brother. A nervous gulp could almost be heard as Tom greets him.

“Enjoying staycation? Miss me already little bro?” Tom’s voice rings through his ears.

“Not exactly,” Harry replied.

“What was Mum talking about? In that weird text she sent me?” He questioned. The little brother took a deep breath.

“Don’t freak out-”

“You can’t start like that. Now, I am freaking out.”

“Shut up, you dyke and listen,” Harry urges.

“Harry!” He heard his mom yell.

“Sorry, Mum.” He takes another deep breath. “We are in the hospital. Paddy accidently hit Y/N in the head with a baseball.”

“What?” Tom’s voice is full of concern, which sends a pain to his heart. It was just then when Harry could hear voices in the background; Tom was still on set. “Is she-she going to be okay?”

“I think so, she’s going to go into surgery once a room is available,” He answered.

“Surgery? Oh no,no,no,” Harry could hear his brother’s voice cracking. He was on the verge of crying, if he hadn’t started. “I’m on my way. I will be on the first flight out.”

“Tom, I’m so sorry.” The sound of the call ending interrupted his apology. Harry turned back to his family. “He’s on the way.”

“What did he say?” Sam asked.

“Not much. He was on set, but he’s on his way.” A tear left Harry’s eye.

“Oh, sweetie” Nikki came to hug her son. “He was so worried. We should have told him as soon as it happened. We sh-should have taken her to the hospital,” Harry cried out. Sam buries his head in his hands.

“Shhh, there was no way we could’ve known” She coddles her son.

“He wants to marry her, like he’s waiting for her approval and he’s going to propose!” Harry let slip, which caught Sam’s attention. “What if he doesn’t get to now? What if we lose her? What if I lose her? She’s my best friend.”

“He wants to marry her?” Sam repeats. Harry nodded.

“Y/N was afraid of how you would react. That’s why she hasn’t given him an answer. She doesn’t want to lose you, again,” He informed his twin.

“I-I don’t want to lose her either.” Sam, feeling overwhelmed by everything, continued, “I never wanted us to fall apart or anything. It’s just, Y/N was our person. She was one thing Tom didn’t have and when she told me that she had fallen in love with him, it was like he had taken her away. It’s stupid, but it made me bitter.”

“Sam, honey, we can’t control who we love,” Nikki responded.

“I know, Mum. I’m going to go check on her.”

By the time Tom arrived at the hospital, you were well into surgery and the early sunrise was peeking from the windows.  His hair was ruffled from the many, many times he ran his hands through his curly locks. His eyes were red and puffy and his cheeks were stained from his salty tears. He had bags underneath his eyes; he was severely jetlagged and going on the 20th hour of being awake.

“Is she-is she alright? I got here as quickly as I could. Please, please tell me she’s okay,” Tom cried. Nikki immediately hugged her.

“She should have been out hours ago,” Harry muttered, but his older brother caught it.

“Harry.” Nikki gave her son a stern look that said, “He doesn’t need to know that now.”

“No, no, no. This can’t be happening,” Tom continued to sob.

“She’s going to be alright,” his mom reassured him.

“When did it happen? When did she get hit in the head?” He moved away from his mother’s hug.

“Yesterday afternoon,” Sam answered, readjusting in his very uncomfortable seat. 

Tom did the math in his head and anger rose in him. “Why did you guys wait so long to tell me?”

“She told us not to. She didn’t want you to worry and she kept insisting it wasn’t that bad. She didn’t pass out till hours later,” Sam responded.

“Pass out!?” His voice thundered through the waiting room, causing a lot of strange looks.

“Tom, honey,” Nikki tried, but he didn’t want any of it.

“I could’ve been there for her,” he whispered and finally sat down. “I see now. How could I be a good husband if I can’t even be with her in the fucking hospital.”

“It isn’t your fault,” Harry comforted.

Few minutes later, the doctor came out to the waiting room, where the Hollands were aweing at a tiny black box in Tom’s hand. “Excuse me,” the doctor interrupted. The Holland family redirected their attention, anticipating news. “I’m sorry about the wait. There were some unexpected complications, but she was able to pull through. She will make a quick and easy recovery. She might be dazed and confused for a few days. I suggest she take it easy for a while.” Tom could feel the weight lift from his shoulders. Everyone took a deep breath of relief. “By any chance, are any of you Tom?”

“I am.” Tom stood up and shoved the box back in his pocket.

“When she was coming off the anesthesia, she was calling out for you. You guys are more than welcome to see her.” Sam and Harry got ready to come see you, but their mother stopped them, suggesting this should be a time for Tom to see you alone.

When Tom saw you, his heart sank. You had IVs and monitors hooked up to you and stitches on the side of your head, yet you were still the most beautiful person in the world to Tom. A weak smile instantly formed your face when you saw Tom. He slowly inched his way to you, scared if he moved too quickly he would scare you. Once he reached you, he gently moved a piece of hair in your face.

“Hey,” you say softly. He didn’t respond, but with a kiss to your forehead as joyous tears escaped his eyes. “Why are you crying?”

Tom couldn’t help but giggle at you. “I was just so scared I was going to lose you, love.”

“You thought you could get rid of me that easily,” you joked. He laughed with you.

“Do you need any water? I could maybe get you some ice chips.”

“I don’t want you to leave me,” you say, softly. 

Tom grabs your hand, “Then, I won’t go anywhere, love. I’m sorry I couldn’t be here for you when everything went down.”

“I want to marry you,” you announced, which caught Tom off guard.

“What?”

“I want to marry you, Tom,” you repeat with more confidence.

“Oh, darling. You don’t have to make that decision right now. The doctor said you might be confused and-”

“I’m not confused,” you interrupted, sitting up more straight. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you!” Tom’s eyes glisten with love and excitement.

“Is that what you really want?” Tom asked, making sure it isn’t the drugs or the surgery that’s causing this.

“Yes, is it not what you want?”

“Yes! More than anything. You have no idea; I’ve been waiting for this for weeks,” He responded eagerly.

“Do you have the ring?” you questioned. Of course Tom had the ring. He bought it a year ago and kept it on his person for the last few weeks. He wanted to be prepared for this moment, granted he didn’t think it would be in a hospital. He even had it in his pocket at this very moment, since he was showing off the ring to his mom and brothers moments before.

“I’m not proposing to you in a hospital. You deserve better than that.” He scoffs.

“So, you do have the ring?” You investigate.

“Maybe, but that doesn’t change my answer, silly.” 

“What if that’s what I want? I want it to be official. You could propose to me in a landfill and I would say yes,” you begged. “Please.”

 You gave him the eyes. The eyes he could never resist. He gave you another kiss on your forehead. He slowly got on one knee, pulled the tiny black box out of his pocket, and exclaimed, “Y/N, today, I was terrified I was going to lose you forever. I was scared I wouldn’t get to even tell you goodbye. I never ever want to feel like that again. Now, more than ever, I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Would you give me the honor of marrying you?”

“Yes! A million yes!!!” You jump on him, forgetting about your IVs. “Ouch. I accidentally pulled one out.” Tom gives you a concerned look. “Oh well, it’s fine.” You lock your lips with his, anticipating becoming his wife.