#paige feeling alive

[feelingalive]

height difference

(2023)

oof did not remember this sketch

[paigemathews]

Getting close to the end of that list now, but for the February ficlets prompt:

a charmed one with their ex bf in an unexpected situation (gen, again dealers choice of who)

Pairing: Paige Matthews & Glen Belland

Background Pairings: Paige Matthews/Henry Mitchell & Glen Belland/Jessica Belland

"Paige!"

The call was loud enough that several people looked over in annoyance, but Paige couldn't have cared less. Glen swept her into a hug while she laughed against his shoulder.

It'd been ages since she'd seen him, and so much had happened since. He seemed to agree as he pulled back, hands on her shoulders, and demanded, "You faked your death?"

"I can explain!" Paige immediately exclaimed.

"And were working for Homeland Security? When did that happen? And-" Finally noticing Henry standing behind Paige, he furrowed his brow and nodded towards him. "And whose that?"

Stepping back, Paige couldn't help her uncharacteristically shy smile as she introduced him. "Henry, this is Glen, my best friend. Glen, this is Henry. My husband."

"What?" Glen squawked.

[lovetogether]

Speaking of our favorite media, our favorite music artist ever in the whole wide world recently announced the date for her new album :-) we are so excited,

[sobecomesomethingelse]

maybe paige’s god’s name should be vaughan, since one could make the argument that vaughan was the seed of the wound tree

[d3arapril]

PUSH 2 START | p.b

pushin' on my buttons with no hesitation, gas me up give me motivation

pairing: paige bueckers x f!reader word count: 5.4k words of pure filth sorry not sorry warnings/tags: sexual content. VACATION PAIGE!!!, they get drunk and nasty FRRR, dom!paige, oral, fingering, strap usage (yes i finally wrote it), squirting, doggy, spanking, overstim - bro i could literally go on and on, just read it lol. (reminder - don't like it? don't read it)‼️ ᡣ𐭩 this idea quite literally came to me in a dream. this wasn't supposed to be full on smut but obviously i got carried away & ended up writing quite possibly the dirtiest thing i've ever written.... i listened to tyla's album on repeat whilst writing hence the random title. enjoy :D as always feedback & reblogs are appreciated x

“Think I have heatstroke.”

You roll your eyes from where you’re sat on the balcony, distracted from the half eaten packet of lays sat in your lap. You shift in your seat to crane your neck around to look at Paige through the glass doors, sun beaming down onto your skin.

“We were outside for like, half an hour.”

The Greek sun was no joke. You'd both decided to treat yourselves to a last minute vacation, frantically booking one of the nicest apartments you could both find a week prior to departure. Seven days on a Greek island was your idea of heaven and Paige had willingly agreed, claiming she needed some sun.

However, what she wasn't prepared for was the sun being the hottest thing she'd ever felt in her 23 years of being alive– her words.

The blonde groans from where she’s splayed out on the bed. The crisp, white sheets are a nice contrast against her newly tanned skin, body wrapped in a white fluffy towel.

You stand up from the chair, grimacing at the sting of your legs unsticking from the plastic. The packet of lays gets abandoned on the small table before you and your toes burn against the hot tile as you hop back into the bedroom, pulling the door shut behind you.

Paige doesn't flinch when she hears you come in, cheek smooshed against the sheets. She hums in the back of her throat when you scratch at her scalp as you pass her, her hair still slightly damp from the shower.

"You gonna make it to dinner, champ?"

A breath of a laugh leaves Paige as she pushes herself up with another groan, towel loosely tucked around her body. You're busy sorting through the selection of dresses you'd packed when you feel her wrap her arms around your waist, chin resting on your shoulder.

Her head juts towards the white dress hanging up in the closet. "Wear that one."

It's a fairly simple dress- plain white with a racer style neckline and ruffled skirt. You take it off the rail and hold it up in front of you, head tilting as you study it. "Really? It's kind of boring."

"Nah," Paige's hands rub up and down your sides, nose nudging against your cheek. "S'my favourite." She punctuates her sentence with a kiss to your jaw. It's seemingly innocent, but you know the girl well enough by now.

You slip out of her grip, dress in hand, before she can try anything, grabbing a pair of white strappy heels as you go.

"I'm gonna get ready in the bathroom," you're heading towards said room before she can stop you. "Reservation is at 8!"

You're sat on the couch, impatiently tapping a heel against the flooring. You tap against your phone screen to check the time for what felt like the hundredth time– you only had five minutes to get to the restaurant. Somehow, Paige always managed to take so long to get ready. You'd tried to get into the bedroom to see what was taking her so long but the door was locked so you were forced to sit and wait for her like her chauffeur.

You're scrolling through TikTok when you hear the lock click on the door. You huff, grabbing your bag from beside you. Standing up, you run a hand down your dress to flatten out any creases and when you look up Paige is stood in the doorway.

She's got her hair slicked back in her classic bun and she's wearing a white shirt with a simple black crop top underneath. The shorts she's wearing are black, too and she's wearing the Nike's you bought for her. She stands in silence, hands tucked into her pockets as she watches you take her all in.

You slink towards her, heels clicking against the tiles. You're aware you're probably staring at her like she's a piece of meat but you can't find it in you to car when she looks this good, plus it's not like she would complain.

"You're late," you hum, pulling her in by the belt loops. "What took you so long?"

She shrugs, opting to not respond. Instead, her hands reach out to rub down your back. "You look..." She pauses, leaning back. Her eyes start from your heels, trailing up your legs. Her gaze pauses on your chest for a second before meeting your eyes. "Really fucking good."

The pink of her tongue darts out to wet her lips as she takes your hand and holds it above your head. "Twirl for me."

You do as she says, giddily spinning in a circle for her. Her teeth pull at her bottom lip as she watches you, the vanilla from your perfume hitting her like some sort of pheromone. You drive her insane.

"You like?"

"You know I like. We're matching."

Before you can respond, the sudden dread of missing your reservation hits you and you're kicked into gear, eyes widening as you cast a glance at your phone in your hand.

"Fuck, we're late!"

You pull Paige by the wrist as you frantically leave the apartment, locking the door behind you and walking as fast as you could in your heels to the restaurant.

Alcohol in Europe is different to the alcohol in America– it's somehow much, much stronger.

You'd had an amazing dinner, followed by some amazing cocktails. What was supposed to only be one or two turned into arguably too many and before you knew it you were both stumbling back to the apartment.

The front door is opened and shut again faster than you can blink and you're pressed against it before your brain can catch up with you. Your head spins a little when you tilt it up to give Paige access to your neck, dazed smile spreading across your lips.

"Mmmm," Paige all but moans against your skin, licking a stripe up your neck. "Tastes good."

"Might be the alcohol." the words leave you lazily, slurred. Paige pulls back to look at you, eyes glazed over.

"Nah, s'all you."

You pull her in with a hand gripping the back of her neck, lips slotting against hers. It's hot, messy- her tongue slides against yours and you taste the alcohol on her breath. Ordinarily, you'd make a joke about her needing to brush her teeth but you're fully aware you're just as bad so you remain silent, just kiss her deeper and softly moan into her mouth.

When you part from each other you're both panting, string of spit separating the two of you. You lick your lips and it breaks, clinging to your bottom lip. Paige's thumb reaches up to wipe it away, pad of her thumb pressing against you. She just stares at you as she swipes the digit across slowly, smudging the remainder of your lip liner down your chin.

"So fucking fine," she murmurs, eyes trained on your lips. Your tongue darts out to lick at her thumb, smirk forming when she lets out a shaky breath. "You tryna kill me?"

"Maybe." you smirk at her, pushing at her shoulders until she stumbles back. You glide past her and head to the lounge, the blonde hot on your heels.

She catches you by the couch, arms caging you in from behind. You let her, of course. The cat and mouse game is usually fun but when you're this desperate, there are plenty other things you'd rather be doing.

"So many rooms to choose from," Paige whispers against the shell of your ear, "So many places to fuck you in."

Your knees almost give out and you're sure they would've if it wasn't for Paige holding you up, her chest pressed tight to your back.

"Could fuck you here," a flick of her head gestures to the couch.

Her hands find your chest, squeezing at your tits through the fabric of your dress. "Or on the counter, on the balcony."

You're abnormally quiet, nodding at whatever she says. She snickers, hands trailing down further until they reach the hem of your dress. Paige knows that when you're speechless, she's doing something right.

"You want that?"

"Yes."

"Which?"

"All of them."

She spins you around and you have to grab onto her to steady yourself. Her cheeks are all flushed and she's clearly just as drunk as you.

"Gonna let me?"

You feel like you're going to cry from how badly you want it.

You nod eagerly, gripping the fabric of her shirt. You want to rip it off of her, lick all over her tan lines and have your way with her but you let her have this one; you can tell she's in the mood to take control and you'd never be one to deny her of that.

She wrestles herself from your tight grip and flops down on the couch, legs spread and arms wide across the back cushions. You're still stood in your spot, hands now awkwardly by your sides as you wait for her to tell you what to do.

"Take it off."

You lean down to slip off your heels but she stops you with a cough.

"Keep 'em on, I meant your dress."

"But-"

"Off, c'mon."

You stand up straight again, gripping the hem of your dress and pulling it up and off your body. It's a bit of a struggle and you stumble around slightly but it eventually slides off of your head. It drops beside you and you're left in a simple matching white set.

Despite the alcohol coursing through your body, you still manage to feel shy under Paige's heavy gaze. She's still sat in the same position, eyes raking over your body.

"C'mere."

You toe towards her with careful steps, nothing but the sound of your heels clicking against the tile and both of your heavy breaths echoing throughout the room. You're standing between her legs, much like you were earlier, and she still doesn't move from her spot, fingers gripping at the cushions of the couch.

Paige’s gaze remains locked on yours, her lips curling into a smirk as she leans back further into the couch, making no move to close the distance between you. Her liquid confidence oozes with the weight of her stare and the longer she waits the more your heartbeat thuds in your ears.

“Closer." she murmurs, her voice low.

You inch forward until your shins hit the leather of the couch. You try to stop your hands from shaking, try to act like this is any other time you've been in this situation but there's something about having the entire space to yourself that makes this feel so different, so intense.

"Do you plan to do this all night, or?" your voice comes out quieter than you'd intended.

She lets out a laugh, arms reaching forward to pull you in by your hips. You fall into her lap, bracing yourself against her shoulders to soften the impact.

"I just like lookin' at you," Paige licks her lips, glossy eyes looking up at you. "So sexy, you know that?" Her left hand smooths up your torso, grips at the fat of your chest and squeezes.

You whimper pathetically at the contact, your hands moving from their spot on her shoulders to her hair. You mess with the hair ties and pull the bun free, fingers brushing through the blonde strands. Paige hisses when your nails scratch against her scalp, hips pushing upwards against your own.

Her right hand slides around your back and she pulls you down until your chests are pressed together. You kiss her, open mouthed and messy as your tongue laps at hers, grinding down against her. The rough metal of her zipper presses against you through the thin material of your underwear and you whimper against her mouth, eyebrows drawing together at the feeling.

Paige's left hand finds home on your ass, squeezing and guiding you to rock against her. You whimper into the kiss as she uses her hold on you to grind you down onto her harder, tongue pushing further into your mouth. You can feel the heat radiating off of her, can smell the scent of the shampoo she used in the shower this afternoon and taste the alcohol on her tongue. You're practically drunk on her let alone the alcohol, and she's definitely drunk on you, too.

You're so caught up in the moment you're not prepared for Paige to flip you around. You let out a small ah! as she does so, head spinning from the sudden movement. Your back is now against the cushions, leather sticking to your sweaty skin. The blonde slips down onto the tiles in front of you, now kneeling between your legs.

"Hold 'em." Paige's hands are at the backs of your knees, pushing them up until they're almost at your chest. The heels of your shoes knock together and it's a reminder that you're actually still wearing them. You do as she says, clammy hands gripped tight over hers. You watch with bated breath as she slips her hands from your grip, thumb coming to press against your clit through your panties. It's a soft touch but it's enough to make you gush again; what was once a thick white material now a glossy, sheer mess.

"Fuck," Paige breathes. She moves her thumb in small, gentle circles around the clothed area. Your head falls back against the cushion of the couch, mouth open in a silent moan. "This all for me?"

"Always," you murmur, licking your lips as you move your heavy head, eyes meeting hers. "It's yours."

"Yeah it is," Paige nods, her voice coming out strained. She moves to slide her hands up the backs of your thighs and hooks both thumbs into your panties, pulling them up and off your legs until they're hanging around your ankle, exposing your pussy. "So good." she purrs, leaning forward to press open mouthed kisses against you. You suck in a breath when her tongue laps up your slit, nails digging into the skin of your thighs.

She moves slowly at first, and for a moment you wonder if it's because of her own drunkenness, but the longer she goes on the more you're reminded of just how good she is at this. You feel like you're going to explode at the slightest touch, every stroke of her tongue against your clit sending shocks of pleasure through your entire body.

"Paige," you moan repeatedly, her name coming out like a prayer. She hums against you, hands pressing against the backs of your thighs to keep you spread open for her.

You gasp at the feeling of her warm, wet muscle pushing past your folds to languidly dip against your entrance. "Oh fuck, fuck- babe."

She's sloppy with it, a mixture of your juices and her spit dripping down between your ass and onto the couch. You'll scold her for doing this here tomorrow but right now it's your last concern.

Your toes curl when she shakes her head against you, tongue flicking against your clit. "Gonna make me cum," the words leave you as a sob, mouth hanging open. You feel the wetness between your thighs increase even more when you hear her moan, the vibrations shooting pleasure straight up your spine. "Feels so good."

Paige's fingers dig harder into the skin of your thighs as she continues to lap at you. She pushes her tongue into you again and then moves upwards, pressing sloppy kisses against your swollen clit.

"Yeah, right there, please-" you choke on your own words, the feeling of her nose brushing against your sensitive skin making you jolt. You can't stop the loud cry that leaves you as she sucks your clit back into her mouth, tongue massaging against it.

The room is spinning and your legs start to cramp from how hard your muscles are tensed, nails almost piercing into your skin when the chord in your stomach suddenly snaps. You're practically crying, eyes rolled back in your head when it hits you. Paige helps you ride it out, keeping you pressed to the couch whilst she drinks up your slick. You're trembling, stomach rippling from the intensity.

You expect Paige to pull away, lean up and give you a messy kiss like she normally would but instead she slides two fingers up and down your pussy, gathering your wetness on the tips before she's pushing them into you.

"Wait," you whimper, feet kicking in the air. "Babe, wait, I just- I'm-"

"You're good," she murmurs, lips brushing against the inside of your thigh as her fingers slowly pump in and out of you. "I got you, just relax."

You mewl, letting her have her way with you. She starts off slow, fingers curling up deep. The sound is obscene, with every flick of her fingers the wet sound fills the air but you feel no shame, if anything it just turns you on more.

Paige definitely feels you flood her fingers because she picks up the pace, thrusting her fingers deeper into you, curling them with each stroke. Your entire body is coated in sweat, droplets beading against your skin. Her other hand moves from its place on your thigh to spread you wider, opening you up to her even more.

It's all too much; the heat, the way you're spread open for her, the pressure building deep in your stomach. She adds a third finger and the stretch makes you sob, legs starting to shake in your grip.

"I can't," the words spill from you, incoherently. "Please, please I can't."

"Shhh," Paige coos, leaning down to kiss the back of your thigh. "You can, gonna make you cum again."

She curls her fingers and the tip of her middle finger brushes against that spot, her palm pressing down against your clit. The feeling is so intense and you can't do anything but whine, thighs shaking around her.

"So good to me," Paige breathes out, heart hammering in her chest. She watches the way your pussy clings to her fingers, the digits now glistening as she pulls them out of you before thrusting back in. "She loves me, hm?"

You nod feebly, tears slipping down your cheeks, head lolling against the cushions of the couch.

Paige is relentless, fucking her fingers into you with such force you can feel the pressure in your ass. Your legs are starting to burn and so are your hips and it feels like a balloon is being blown up in your stomach, pressure becoming harder to ignore with every pump of her fingers.

"M'gonna cum, fuck, Paige-"

You cum for the second time with a broken sob and you hear it before you feel it, the distant sound of a splash against the tiles below you followed by Paige's load groan. It hits you hard, legs quivering as you squirt around her fingers, the wetness coating the floor. She slips her fingers out quick enough for another gush to leave you, trickling down your ass and onto the leather.

She moans, watching it play out in front of her. It's the hottest thing she's ever seen, her fingers now rubbing against your clit in quick motions.

"Again, again."

"Fuck, I can't-"

"Again." she demands but the word leaves her like she's begging, voice a pitch higher.

It's embarrassing how fast the heat builds in your stomach again, and before you can stop it you're squirting all over again, pussy clenching against nothing as you cry out.

Paige leans down, tongue slipping between your folds to drink you up. You're sobbing, trying to get away from her but you can barely move.

"You're okay," Paige mumbles, soothing her hand down your quivering leg. "I got you, s'okay."

A moment passes, Paige's head resting against the back of your thigh as she strokes her soaked hand against the other. You drop your legs ungracefully, stretching your limbs and groaning when your hips and knees crack after being bent for so long.

"That sobered me up." you whisper, heavy eyelids threatening to close. "Did they put viagra in your drink?"

Paige stifles a laugh, her own knees cracking when she stands up. She holds out a hand you to help you up and you take it with a shaky one of your own. You grimace at the feeling of the wet leather sticking to your bare skin, standing up.

"You ruined the couch."

"Says the one who squirted like a fucking firehose." Paige's hand comes up to push the hair from her face, a bead of sweat dripping down her temple. "S'not my fault I do that to you."

You groan, pushing at her shoulder. "Shut up."

Paige laughs and drops her hands to your hips, walking you backwards towards the bedroom. You stumble a little, bambi-like legs struggling in your heels.

"Get on the bed."

You're pushed backwards onto the bed, bouncing slightly when you hit the sheets. Your chest is heaving, heart still thumping wildly in your chest. Paige is climbing over you, caging you in with her arms and legs. Her lips ghost the shell of your ear,

"Still gotta fuck you in here."

She ducks down and connects your lips, teeth knocking against yours as she does so. Her hips grind down against yours and your hands snake under the fabric of her shirt, pushing it off her shoulders. Paige pulls back to shrug it off of her and throw it blindly behind her, reaching back to pull her crop top off in one fluid movement. She's braless, tan lines from her bikini top prominent against her now tanned skin. The sight alone makes you moan.

You both shimmy up the bed, lips still connected, and when the back of your head hits the pillow Paige's lips are on your neck. You sigh, hand smoothing down her back. Her skin is damp and so is yours, the smell of sex filling the air.

"Please, babe," you whimper, fingers pulling at the waistband of her shorts. Paige hums, sitting up to push them down her legs and kick them off.

"Hmm," she murmurs, fingers sliding over your cheek, thumb resting against your bottom lip. You part your lips, tongue swiping out to lick the pad of her thumb. "You gonna do something for me?"

"Anything."

Wordlessly, Paige pulls off her boxers with practiced ease and begins crawling over you. Her hand rests against the headboard as she steadies herself, the other reaching down to cup her pussy. You lick your lips, eyes flickering between hers and her cunt.

"Please," the word is soft, leaving you breathlessly. "I wanna taste you, please."

"Yeah?" she tilts her head, the pad of her index finger sliding up and down her slit. You watch her gather her wetness and then bring it up to her clit, circling the bud. "Wanna make me cum?"

"Please, please." you grip at her thighs, nails digging into her skin. Paige moans at the feeling, her own hand now moving faster against herself. "Wanna make you feel good."

Paige's hand leaves her pussy and she hovers above you, holding onto the headboard. You lift your head and stick your tongue out, eager for her to sit on you. You whine when she hovers her pussy just above your mouth, tongue swiping out to lick against her folds.

"Fuck, yeah," Paige moans, head dropping forward. Her left hand grips the headboard whilst her right holds onto her pussy, spreading herself open for you. "Yeah, good girl."

The praise goes straight to your core and you moan, tongue darting out again. She's finally sat on your face and your head falls back against the pillow, licking at her cunt like a woman starved.

She starts grinding against your tongue, the slick sounds filling the air. You're making a mess of yourself, saliva dribbling down your chin as you lap at her, tongue dipping inside her.

"S'good," Paige pants, grip against the headboard tightening. "Yeah, like that-oh fuck."

Your tongue flicks against her clit, your thighs squeezing together as a you feel your pussy gush just from making her feel good. She's so warm and wet and tastes so good and you can't get enough, tongue lapping at her clit in quick, harsh motions.

"Keep- fuck- keep doing that," her head drops forward and her hips cant, her movements becoming sloppy as she chases her high. "Right there, yes-"

Her legs start shaking, the muscles quivering under your touch and her hand reaches down, smoothing against your hair. Her hips move erratically, chasing her orgasm.

"Oh fuck, m'gonna cum." she pants, a bead of sweat rolling down the valley of her breasts. "Keep- yeah, yeah-"

Paige cries out with a broken moan, her orgasm washing over her. She's shaking all over, groaning as you keep lapping at her clit. You drink her up, moaning against her pussy.

"Please," she begs, her voice high pitched. "Fuck, I can't."

She's cut off by her own sob, eyes rolling back in her head. The room is filled with her moans, the sound bouncing off the walls and mixing with the obscene sounds coming from where your mouth is.

Paige is squirming on top of you, the sensation of overstimulation sending waves of pleasure through her body. Two can play at that game, you think.

"So good to me," Paige manages to choke out between moans, teeth gritted. "My fucking girl, s'so good."

You're drunk off of her, her words of encouragement only spurring you on. You roll your tongue against her clit, nails pressing down harder into her skin. Paige fights against your grip, hips lifting up as she pants heavily, forehead pressed against the wall.

She shakily moves her hips backwards and away from your mouth, now sitting across your hips. You're breathing just as heavily, the room spinning around you. Your chest is heaving and your eyes are half lidded as you stare up at her, lips red and puffy.

"You're so hot," you mumble, eyes drifting across her chest. The words leaving you before you can even process them.

Paige snickers, running a hand through her hair. "I know."

"So fucking annoying."

"You love it."

And well, she's not wrong. You reach up, cupping her tits and giving them a firm squeeze. Her hands reach up to cover yours, leaning into your grip.

"You want it?"

It takes a moment for your brain to catch up and figure out what she's referring to but when she gestures down to her crotch with a nod of her head, the cogs turn into place.

Paige spots the excitement in your eyes because she sniggers, tongue kissing her teeth. "'Course you do."

She clambers off of you, slight wobble in her legs as she does so. The moonlight dances through the room and you can see the sweat beading against her back, muscles rippling when she digs through her suitcase.

When she turns back she's got the harness briefs dangling from her fingers, skin coloured dildo fisted in the other hand. She wiggles her eyebrows at you and you roll your eyes back at her, urging her to get on with it.

She stands at the end of the bed, slipping the boxers over her feet and up her legs. She fits the dildo into place, bottom lip pulled between her teeth in concentration when she fumbles slightly.

You watch her with bated breath, squeezing at your covered tits mindlessly.

"Keep that on," Paige mumbles, nodding towards your bra. She crawls onto the bed, stopping at your feet. "Turn over for me."

You flip over with a groan, using what little strength you had left to keep your chest flat to the mattress, ass high in the air. Just how you know she liked it.

She affirms your thoughts with a soft moan at the sight of you, moving further up the bed. You feel the plastic brush up against you and it makes your thighs twitch, ass jutting up higher for her touch.

Her hands smooth against your ass, squeezing at the fat of it when you back up against her again. "Someone's impatient."

"C'mon." you urge, shaking your ass just enough to get her to fold. It works, of course, because she moans again- deeper this time. She grips the base of the dildo and slides it between your folds, blunt head nudging your clit. You're still soaking wet, the plastic glistening before she's even put it in you.

"Damn," the word leaves Paige automatically, pupils blown out as she admires your mess. "Ask me nicely and I'll put it in."

You groan against the sheets, fits gripping the cotton tightly. "Please, Paigey."

The nickname gets you a harsh slap to the ass, the impact stinging your skin. You suck in a breath through your teeth but the smirk grows across your lips despite it all.

"Fuck me Paigey, please."

"Shut the fuck up."

She slides in with one smooth motion, intrusion bringing your brows up to your hairline. It stings slightly but the familiar is welcomed, comforting almost.

"Gonna fuck you now," Paige's hands smooth down your back, coming to rest at the base of your spine. "Gonna make you fucking cry."

You strain your neck against the bed to get a peek at her and you're not sure you've ever seen her this wound up before- her eyes are wide, a red flush travelling across her chest and up to her cheeks. She's fucked.

Her hips draw back and then slam back into you, the sound of skin on skin deafening you. She's unforgiving, nails digging into your skin as she uses your hips as leverage to fuck into you. She's grunting with each thrust, bottom lip trapped between her teeth.

"Yeah, yeah-" you whine, eyes screwed shut as the blonde ruins you. You can just about hear how wet you are over the sound of her skin smacking against yours, the recognisable squelch of your pussy getting louder when she grants you with another slap to the ass. "You fuck me so go-ood."

"Yeah?" Paige breathes out, slapping your ass again. Her hand tingles from the force but she ignores it, slapping your other ass cheek with the same hand. "Whose pussy is this? Hm?"

You can barely respond, body jostling against the sheets.

"Is it mine, baby?"

You nod against the sheets, helpless.

Another slap.

"Tell me."

"It's yours!" you cry out, fingers practically ripping holes into the sheets. "Yoursyoursyours-"

"Fuck yeah it is."

She pistons in and out of you at an ungodly speed and it makes you dizzy- so dizzy you don't even feel your orgasm approaching until you're on the edge, threatening to tip over.

"Cumming!" is all you can let out, the word caught in your chest as your spine curls inwards, heels kicking up against your girlfriend. It hits you like a truck, legs spasming and arms stretching out against the sheets as you cream against Paige. You see spots in your vision, eyes crossing as the pleasure consumes you. You feel everything, and then all of a sudden- nothing.

"You good princess?"

You crack an eye open to see Paige laying beside you, propped up on an elbow. She's gently stroking your cheek with her thumb, hair now pulled up into a messy bun atop of her head.

"Did I die?"

She snickers, leaning across to press a kiss to your forehead. "I killed that pussy, maybe."

You release the sheets that's still gripped in your hand to shove the blonde back but she just sticks her tongue out at you, reaching behind her for a glass of water left on the bedside drawer.

"Drink some, you need it."

She holds it to your mouth and you chug it down, dry throat welcoming the fluid. "I seriously passed out?"

"Eh," Paige shrugs, rubbing down your back. "You were conscious, just about."

"Wow," you roll onto your front, ache between your thighs making itself evident. "You did a number on me."

"Same again tomorrow?"

Your palm smooshes against her face, pushing her away with a laugh.

"Your turn tomorrow, Bueckers."

[katemoneymartinsgf]

•pairings - paige bueckers x reader

•summary - reader comforts overwhelmed paige (lil paigey mentioned!)

•a/n - I wrote this late enjoy (everyone be proud i was actually writing.)

~~~~~~

The summer sun poured through the gym's large windows, illuminating the court where Paige was locked in her own world. The rhythmic sound of the basketball bouncing against the polished wooden floor echoed through the empty space, a steady beat that mirrored her determination. It was supposed to be summer break—a time for relaxation and carefree days—but here she was, drenched in sweat, pushing herself harder than ever.

You watched from the bleachers, your heart heavy with a mix of admiration and longing. Even though you had the opportunity to join her on many of her “world tour” trips this summer, you had chosen to stay back and take extra classes, hoping to lighten your course load for the next semester. You wanted to dedicate more time to the team, to be there for Paige, but the decision came at a cost. The time you could spend together felt almost nonexistent, and when you did manage to see each other, it was often in the midst of chaos.

So here you were, late at night watching her practice because you’ll take any time you can get to spend with her. 

As Paige dribbled the ball with relentless energy, you could see the weight of the world pressing down on her. Every missed shot seemed to chip away at her vibrant spirit, the frustration building in her posture. It worries you. She was so used to thriving in the spotlight, but now, the pressure of expectations loomed over her like a dark cloud. She knew this was her last year. She wants to prove herself and get a ring, but its starting to take a toll.

This was the same girl who had held your hand through sleepless nights of uncertainty. When you had to let go of your dreams of playing, it was Paige who sat with you on the bleachers, her laughter a soothing balm against the ache of loss. She would bring you snacks during practice, just seeing her smile while walking up to you changed your mood for the day. With every shared secret and late-night conversation, your friendship had blossomed into something deeper, a love that felt like coming home.

The day she had asked you out was etched in your memory—a perfect mix of nervous laughter and hopeful glances. Under the stars, with the distant sounds of campus life swirling around you, she had leaned in, her eyes sparkling with a mix of mischief and sincerity. “So, what do you say? Want to be my girlfriend?” It had been a simple question, but the weight of it had felt monumental. From that moment on, you were inseparable.

Yet, in your heart, you knew that love wasn’t measured by time spent but by the moments that made you feel alive. And watching her now, it hurt to see the vibrant girl you adored caught in a cycle of pressure and performance, yearning for her to find her way back to the joy that first drew you to her.

“Hey, P!” you called out, trying to keep your tone light, hoping to pull her back from the edge. “How about a quick break love? I brought snacks!” You said pulling up the bag of strawberry tru fru from your bag

She paused, glancing over with a hint of a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Maybe in a bit,  I’m gonna get it eventually!” Her cheerful demeanor felt forced, the strain beneath it cutting deep.

You stood, your heart racing as you approached her, sensing the tipping point was close. “No, seriously. You’ve been going at it for hours, and you look like you might explode.”

With a slight chuckle, she brushed it off. “I’m good, Just need to get in the zone.”

“Good? You look anything but,” you replied gently, stepping closer. “I’ve seen you play baby I know you’re better than this, you aren’t gonna get anywhere if you are in your head. Talk to me.”

For a moment, she hesitated, her gaze drifting to the floor, the conflict in her expression visible. You knew that she held a lot inside, and it was time for her to let it out.

“Please, Paige,” you pressed softly, your eyes meeting hers. “You don’t have to pretend with me.”

she hesitated for a moment, her grip on the ball tightening as she took a deep breathe.

“I'm tired,” Paige admitted, and you could see the walls she had built around herself start to come down. Her shoulders slumped as she set the ball down on the floor, the tension in her body easing just a bit. “Traveling is great, and I’m so lucky and fortunate for everything I have and am able to do. But I’m so tired. I feel like I barely even have time to process my thoughts,between practice, being gone, and with all the drama going on online right now with the team. and sometimes it feels like there’s a weight in my mind—if that even makes sense.”

You felt a pang in your heart at her words. You felt guilty knowing that she was trying to take this on all alone. She sank onto the floor, legs slightly apart, the energy that usually surrounded her dimming. You bent down in front of her, placing your hands gently on her knees. “Then let me hold it.”

“Huh?” she replied, surprise flickering in her eyes.

“Some of this weight on your mind, P. I need you to tell me when things are getting heavy and too much,” you urged softly, your gaze locked onto hers, hoping to convey the sincerity of your words.

She shook her head, a hint of defiance in her voice. “You don’t need that,” she insisted, standing up and dusting herself off. “On top of school, what you do for the team, and everything you do for me, the last thing you need is my shit on top of that.”

You were baffled by her response. “Baby, what are you talking about? You do so much for me, and you think what you bring to this relationship isn’t enough? I’m here because I want to be, not out of obligation. Let me help you.”

Her eyes softened, but there was still a flicker of hesitation. “It’s just—I feel like I’m not giving you enough in return. You do so much for me; the least I could do is figure my shit out by myself.” Her voice cracked, her tongue poking at her cheek as she tried to keep her composure, her head falling slightly.

“Oh, my love…” you murmured, pulling her in for a hug.

Nothing was said for a moment as you held her tight, feeling the tension in her body slowly ease as she wrapped her arms around you, sinking into your touch. You pulled away slightly, your hands taking her face in your palms, gently lifting her gaze to meet yours.

“Paige, you don’t have to repay me for the things I do for you. I do them because I love you, and I don’t expect anything in return. There is nothing more fulfilling than the love you give me. I want all of you, Paige—the good and the bad. So let me take some of the burden off your mind, baby. You won’t owe me anything. Loving me the way you do is payment enough.”

Tears glistened in her eyes as she took a shaky breath, her lips trembling into a small smile. “You really mean that?”

“Always,” you replied, your thumb brushing gently across her cheek.

A wave of relief washed over her as she melted into you, the warmth of your embrace enveloping her like a cozy blanket. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. Seriously, you’re my rock.”

‘’I got you, baby, through everything,” you said gently, leaning in to place a soft kiss on her lips, which she returned gladly.

She pulled away, searching your eyes before a mischievous smile crept across her face. “Everything?” she questioned, and you nodded hesitantly.

“Even my struggling rap career?” She joked 

you pushed away, but she held you tight.

“Shut up, P.”

“I would appreciate it if you addressed me as Lil Paigey,” she shot back, her eyes sparkling with playful defiance.

“Yeah, not happening. Good try, though.” You placed another kiss on her nose before breaking free from her grasp and grabbing the ball.

“Maybe if you beat me in a game of horse…” you challenged, a playful grin on your face.

She took that as a dare, snatching the ball from your hands. “Okay, but I'll go first!” she declared, walking toward the court with a bright smile.

Your heart eased at the sight of your girl radiating happiness, the stress that had weighed her down fading away. This was the moment you’d been hoping for—her laughter echoing in the gym, bringing a sense of normalcy and joy to both of you.

~~~

lmk if you like, it’s how i decide if i’m gonna write more this week :)

[patscorner]

Just A Week Ago

Summary: Paige grapples with death.

wc: 1,642

Contains: crying, death of a loved one, no happy ending

part two

a/n: This is probably the saddest thing I've ever written. Get your tissues ready.

______________________________

It's only been a week, and Paige still couldn't believe it. Just a week ago, you were cuddled up next to her. Just a week ago, the two of you were laughing well into the night, shushing each other through the giggles. Just a week ago, she was driving to your house every weekend. Just a week ago, you were driving home with her after picking her up from practice.

Just a week ago, her hand was on your thigh, singing terribly at the top of her lungs while you laughed at her. Just a week ago, she watched as the headlights didn't stop growing brighter, even as the light turned red. Just a week ago, she awoke on a stretcher, not being able to feel her arms. Just a week ago, she fought the pain and begged to know your wellbeing.

Just a week ago, she watched as the EMT’s gave you chest compression after chest compression, desperately fighting for your life. Just a week ago, she shoved the police, injured and all, to let her go with you. Just a week ago, she watched them roll you into emergency surgery. Just a week ago, she broke down in the middle of the lobby when the doctor told her they did all they could. Just a week ago, you were alive and well.

Until you weren’t.

__________

Now she stood in the mirror, tears in her eyes as she made sure she looked presentable. The week had been a blur. She was there, but she really wasn't. She was lost in her own mind trying to grapple with the fact that you were, in fact, gone, and it wasn't some terrible dream.

Paige wasn't sure what the plans were, even when she was present when they were made. She knew she was supposed to give a speech on the podium, and she knew she wrote one down. Or attempted to. She's fairly certain her mom and teammates wrote the words down.

It can't be real. She can’t have lost you. But she did. She was there when they told her you were gone. She was there.

A knock on her door breaks her free from her thoughts. She can't bring herself to answer, and she allows the person behind it to walk in. “Hey, sweetie, you almost ready?”

Paige doesn't look away from the mirror, but she can tell by the voice that it's her mom. She stares at herself, hands running over the suit she's wearing. It's the same one you'd spotted in the mall over a year ago, and you'd dragged her into the store to try it on, rambling about how sexy she looked. And while she desperately wanted to go home and lay down, she couldn't deny that you were right. She did look good. She didn't buy it then, though. You'd surprised her with it on her birthday, and she complained about you spending money on her.

She hadn't worn it yet, the two of you were waiting for that one special moment. And while you weren't here to share it with her, she thought it was fitting. She knew she'd never have the guts to wear it anywhere else. So dead or alive, she still shared the moment with you.

“Mhm.” Is all she says, taking one last look before turning around to look at her mom.

Her mom smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. “You look beautiful, honey. She would've loved it.” She said, approaching the blonde, fixing the collar once more. Paige closed her eyes to avoid the tears from falling, but it didn't work as tears broke through her eyelids.

Amy wordlessly engulfed Paige in a hug, listening as her little girl broke all over again. Flashbacks of that night at the hospital flash through Amy's mind as she attempts to stay strong for Paige.

Eventually, Paige pulls away, eyes softening as she wipes her mom's tears. “Let's go.” She whispers.

Amy nods, grabbing Paige's hand and leading her out of the room.

_________

Paige had zoned out for most of the speeches. A lot of them were from people who didn't know you and were just offering their pity condolences, just so that they could say they were there.

She snaps out of it when her name is called to the stand. She looks at her mom, who pats her thigh encouragingly. She smiles as she clears her throat and walks to the stand.

“Uh-” She clears her throat again, staring at the notes in her hand. “I'm sure most of you know me, but for those of you who don't, my name is Paige Bueckers, and I'm Y/N's girlfriend.” She pauses. “Or-or was.” she clears her throat again.

“Any-anyway. Uh-” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, just like you'd always tell her to do. It didn't work as well as when you did it, but it helped her enough for her to continue. She looked down at the cards.

“You all know the type of person Y/N was. She was the type where you could tell her anything, and she'd support you, even if it was the dumbest decision on earth. If you were set on the decision, then so was she. She'd give you her advice and opinion if you asked for it, and then she'd leave it to you. Then, if you faced the consequences, she'd give you a look, but she'd never say anything. She'd hold you and wouldn't let you go until you felt better.” she looked up from the cards and glanced around the room.

“That's what she did when I tore my ACL. She was there the whole time, holding my hand, never letting go, unless it was to hand me a tissue.” She laughed a little, but it was getting harder to keep her composure. Fuck it. she ditches her cards, and decides to speak from her heart. That's what she was the best at.

“It's a Sunday. Y/N always loved Sundays. She'd always get all dressed up, even though it was just for church. Today, I would've slept in, grappling with the fact that I don't get to see her or hold her anymore. For the first time, God was the last thing on my mind.”

“She was there for everybody. Even if you wronged her, if you asked her for anything, she'd give it to you. She believed in second chances, even for people who didn't deserve them. She of all people should've gotten a second chance. But that was taken from her, by somebody who she'd probably give one to.” Tears have fallen now, and there was no stopping them.

“The day I asked her to be my girlfriend, she asked me if I trusted her with my heart. If I trusted, she'd take it and keep it safe forever. She kept that promise. She took it, and she kept it, and she locked it in a box. She kept it safe. Unfortunately, she held onto that key when she left.” She reaches for a tissue. “And that I'm forever grateful. I can't think of anybody better than her to have that key.”

“I just hope she uses it to unlock the box when I see her again. She was a beloved sister, daughter, friend, teammate, and girlfriend. She lives in our memory forever. So to Y/N.

I miss you more than life. There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do to hear that little laugh you do. There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do to hold your hand again. There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do to say one more ‘I love you.’ I wish I could take it back. I wish I'd seen the car. I wish I had seen anything. Sometimes I wish it was me who went, but then I remember that then, it would be you up here in tears, and I don't know if I could be happy knowing that you're not.”

“It's only been a week. It's been the longest week of my life. I'll tell you about when I see you again. For now, I'll settle for knowing that you're in a better place, that you're safe and out of harm's way. Don't worry, I'll save your voice in my head. You promised never to leave me. You just left too soon.”

“So to the best girlfriend in the world, we'll save you a seat. You've always got a place at the table, even if you're watching with the angels. I promise never to let you go. I promise to always make you proud. I promise to make it for you. Every basketball shot. Every tear that falls, every game that's won. It's for you.”

“Because even though you're gone, you're still in our hearts. My heart. Even if we can't see you, or talk to you, or hold you, the memories are enough to keep us going. You gave me the best memories, I just never thought that you'd become one yourself.”

“Goodbyes are hard for me. They always have been. I don't want to say goodbye because this one would mean forever. So instead, this is a ‘see you later’.”

“I love you.”

“And to you all, never take family for granted. Because grief is the price we pay for love. So say that ‘I love you’. Because you'll never know when it will be your last one.”

___________

The Huskies play a video at the next game in honor of you. They play with pins on their shirts in honor of you. They play for you. They won the national championship in honor of you. Paige gets drafted to the WNBA in honor of you.

Because even after all this time. you still have the key to her heart.

______________________________

taglist: @wintersstan @bueckerslover @lilia22hicks @fake-intelligences @girlokwhatever @pbloverr @breeloveschris-deactivated20240 @cosmopretty @hellokittyfeenie @averagelobotomyenjoyer @elliewilliamsthang @chelisbae @angelscovee

[ohbueckers]

HEART OF A WOMAN. fuckin’ and arguing, fuckin’ again. after you said we not fuckin’ again, never say never, just say what it is.

07, CHAPTER SEVEN. WE COULD QUIT DELAYING.

ju speaks. rushed to get edit and post this for you guys before i go out tonight but hey, they’re even i guess… the love shown for this fic is UNMATCHED, i love you all. pairing. wnba!paige bueckers x fem!oc. warnings. sexual content… crash out p.

present day, june 2025.

paige: yo why you leave?

fr

you really just gon dip like that after everything i said to you?

read 11:12pm

i stare at the texts, the screen blurring for a second before i blink it back into focus. the strobe of my phone lights up the backseat of ana’s car, where i’m half-sprawled against the leather, her hand creeping up my thigh. my head’s foggy—not drunk, but just tipsy enough to feel audacious. ana’s lips skim along the side of my neck, hot and slow, and i don’t stop her, not at first.

i came straight to her job after i walked out of the game. i wasn’t gonna stay, pace the sidelines all night, pretend i wasn’t watching paige. pretend it didn’t eat me alive when i caught onto everything maya was telling me. showing me. so, i left. let paige have the last laugh (in her own eyes) while i drank my way through ana’s shift.

paige’s texts must mean she’s just now picking up her phone. took her long enough. probably had to say goodbye to maya first. the thought burns, and my fingers tighten around my phone.

“mm,” ana hums against my skin. it feels nice. “you’re so tense.” her fingers trace lazy circles against my inner thigh, lips grazing my jaw now.

i try to fall into it, but i scrunch my face up, pulling away slightly when my phone buzzes again.

paige: i know you saw ts

i do something? 11:14pm

bro answer the phone 11:17pm

i scoff, and ana’s lips pause. she pulls back just enough to look at me, her eyebrow raised. “that her?”

i nod, tucking my bottom lip between my teeth. “keep doing what you’re doing,” i breathe out. she smiles, all thirty two showing as she places a kiss to my lips before dropping to her knees.

paige: where are you? 11:21pm

i don’t think about why that’s her next question, i just stubbornly type back something vague.

nailea: i’m jusr out

paige: don’t play w me

out where?

who you with?

read 11:23pm

nailea: no one

read 11:24pm

i hear her tone through the screen—skeptical, irritated. i wait, expecting her to follow up with another question, but the screen stays stubbornly blank. no more bubbles, no texts.

i furrow my eyebrows, scrolling up the thread, reading her last messages again like i’m missing something. did she give up that fast? doubtful. paige doesn’t give up. she digs in. especially when it comes to me.

ana’s hands tug at the waistband of my shorts, and i lift my hips slightly, letting her pull them down. i yelp, smiling down at her when she pulls me closer to her mouth. my breath stutters as she kisses down low, everywhere but where i need her. she knows what she’s doing, and i almost let myself fully fall.

i almost let it go for the night.

almost.

and then i realize—paige’s last text, the one that asked who i was with—it didn’t feel like just a question. it felt like she knew something. she’s looking at my location.

i fumble with my phone, swiping through settings faster than i’ve ever moved before. the notification pops up immediately after i flick the toggle to off.

i’m probably only making her angrier. paige and i never stopped sharing our locations. not since high school when we weren’t even dating. no matter how bad the argument got, no matter how many times we called for a break up. i can’t find myself caring, though. i’ll match her anger.

you stopped sharing your location with paige at 11:28pm

paige: oh

😂😂😂

ight 11:28pm

imma ask you something 11:30pm

and istg nailea

she takes a moment to type, the text bubble going in and out, almost like she’s bracing herself for her own question. my head falls back against the seat, a shaky exhale escaping me as ana attaches her lips to my cunt, getting straight to work.

you with her?

i am. she knows i am. i don’t know why she’s asking.

nailea: why do you care?

paige: tf you mean why do i care?

are you with her?

somehow, the second ask makes me wanna be honest. the messier, the better. she deserves every ounce of what i throw back at her. my fingers hover over the keyboard, my head foggy from the drinks, from ana, from everything. i feel her pause for a second before her mouth returns to me, a measured dip of her tongue that drags the answer right out of me.

nailea: yuppp

she fucks me sioooo good p

could’ve been you tn

but i’m done

paige: no you’re not bro don’t say shit like that 11:34pm

call me so we can talk? 11:36pm

please baby

nailea: talk? like you talked w maya?

nahhhh i’m good

i know everything

you want her. go have her

paige: nai what the fuck did she tell you? 11:37pm

the part of me that knows better says to put the phone down, but the other part—the one paige always has a hold on—can’t resist. i need her to know what i know. i stare at the messages, my heart twisting in ways i wish it wouldn’t. the denial, the deflection—it’s textbook paige. she’ll never admit it. it’s not enough. it’s never enough.

paige: i told you how i felt

you KNOW how i feel about you???

you think i’d lie about that?

don’t let her mess us up

yes, i do. because you lie about fucking everything.

nailea: you tell maya you love her too?

btw her jeans? unzipped

i think i get the picture

a minute passed. two. three. i screw my eyes shut at the silent confirmation. she really did it, didn’t she?

paige: call me 11:41pm

my stomach drops, but i’m too far gone to care. ana’s hands grip me tighter, and i can’t tell if it’s to keep me grounded or to remind me that she’s the one here, not paige.

i drop the phone, letting it clatter to the seat, paige’s messages lighting up the screen like a flashing red light i refuse to acknowledge. ana’s name falls from my lips now, i let my hand fall into her curls, gripping her hair tighter, letting the anger burn out through her.

“there she is.”

i forget about everything else.

the beach looks perfect tonight, though i’m sure cam planned her and ben’s pre-wedding bonfire down to a tee. the weather, the crowd—everything’s falling into place. i’m happy for her. the fire crackles, sending out occasional pops, and people are lounging on blankets around it, standing, chatting in groups, soaking in the warmth as the sun dips below the horizon. it’s almost like a little piece of paradise.

i force myself to be in the moment, even though my mind keeps drifting back to the mess i’ve been trying to avoid for the past week, nearly two. paige. i’ve been dodging her calls and texts, shutting down every attempt she’s made to get me to talk.

i’ve been doing a fairly great job at it. dodging maya, too. but i spotted them near the pier, paige leaned against the railing, maya going off about something the blonde looks like she doesn’t wanna hear, and i’m right back in it. i furrow my eyebrows, as if squinting hard enough will help me lip-read whatever maya’s laying on her. but i can’t. and it’s infuriating.

oh, and ana? somewhere behind me, i think. i brought her here—like an idiot. i thought it’d help me focus, distract me from paige, but now i’m just starting to think it might’ve been a mistake.

“…you’ve outdone yourself. as usual,” rae says, and i snap my head back over to the conversation in front of me. i take a sip of my cocktail, the condensation dripping onto my fingers.

cam grins, brushing imaginary dust of her shoulders. “ben and i wanted something with everyone since the wedding will be a little smaller.”

i murmur my agreement as i take another drink, and i’m so lost in thought that i don’t notice rickea until she loops an arm through mine, dragging me away.

“hey, back,” i tease, waving away at rae and cam who didn’t seem to mind.

she leans in close, the smell of her coconut lotion wafting as she speaks just loud enough for me to hear. “you wanna tell me why ana is here?”

i shrug, and my eyes scan over the crowd until i finally spot ana by the cocktail bar. too far away. she’s been out of my sight for too long.

“damage control,” i reply, though the explanation feels like a flimsy excuse the second it leaves my lips.

rickea lets out a disbelieving laugh, tugging me a little farther from the group, out of earshot. “you mean paige control?”

the words hit harder than i expect, even in jest. my grip tightens around the glass, nails trying to dig into it. “she’s fine,” i say, but it sounds like i’m trying to convince myself of it.

kea tilts her head, eyes narrowing in that way she does when she’s reading you too closely. “sure she is,” she says, dragging the words out. her gaze shifts past me to the pier, where paige and maya’s conversation seems to have escalated. maya gestures wildly, while paige stands still, her jaw tight.

“it’s not my problem anymore,” i tell her flatly.

rickea stops in front of me, unliking our arms to cross her own, but the smirk stays. “mm-hmm. and ana being here has nothing to do with reminding paige of that, right?”

i nod. “right.”

the lie tastes bitter. because even if it’s true—if ana being here isn’t just about paige—it doesn’t feel that way. not when i feel the same sting of her actions that’s lingered all for nearly two weeks.

rickea studies me for a moment, her smirk morphing into something almost sympathetic, but she doesn’t press further.

“let’s just get you another drink. at the cocktail bar. where ana is.” she speaks in periods, and i shake my head, ultimately agreeing.

i let her pull me along, glancing back one more time at the pier where paige and maya stand like two actors in a scene i don’t want to watch. i catch a familiar set of blue hues already looking my way. ana’s name is still somewhere on my tongue, but it’s the wrong one, isn’t it?

the sun’s fully set now. most people are starting to head towards the house cam had reserved for the night for dinner and games she’d carefully curated. i can’t focus on the bonfire, on the mounds of people who would probably love to talk to me, or the stupidly perfect weather.

she’s over there, somewhere, and i can’t shake the feeling that she’s watching me, even though i know i’m not the one she’s looking at tonight. or at least not the only one.

not with ana here.

i push down the knot tightening in my chest and glance back toward the pier, where maya stormed off to just a few minutes ago. our conversation keeps replaying in my head, and every time it pops back up, it only makes me angrier.

“you’re not being honest with me,” maya had snapped, almost like she was sick of holding it in, and also like she was trying to keep it from carrying to anyone nearby.

“what the hell are you talking about?” i’d asked, leaning against the pier railing. i’d agreed to come over here to talk, and i’m starting to regret it. i didn’t want to be over here.

she gestured vaguely, her face flushed with every ounce of anger she carried. “you know exactly what i mean. you keep dancing around it like i’m stupid! like i don’t see what’s going on between you and nai.”

my stomach had dropped, but i didn’t let it show. “there’s nothing going on, bro.”

maya had then laughed bitterly, shaking her head. “right. that’s why you walked out on me at halftime to go looking for her, huh? that’s why she keeps giving you the cold shoulder every time you’re in the same room.”

she was grasping, but i couldn’t deny that she’d hit too close to home. “you’re imagining things,” i muttered, pushing off the railing, ready to end the conversation.

but then she’d stepped in front of me, her voice lowering. i looked down at her, quirking a brow. “no, i’m not. and you wanna know how i know?” she paused, waiting, and when i didn’t answer, she leaned in just enough to whisper, “i unzipped my pants on purpose.”

those words are still ringing in my ears.

nai walked out on me, angry and hurt, and nothing i’ve said since has convinced her otherwise. now i’m stuck here, catching hell for a mess i didn’t create. i wasn’t sure where it left maya and i, but it was wholeheartedly the last thing on my mind before i left.

i don’t even remember what i said after that—probably something defensive, because i didn’t want to believe it. maya had smirked, though, like she knew she’d hit her mark. “you can’t keep playing both sides, paige. someone was gonna call your bluff.”

i spot nai near the bonfire, rickea by her side. she’s wearing this long, heather grey skims dress that hugs her hips just right. she looks good. too good. she’s laughing, her head tilting back just a little, her hand brushing her hair out of her face, and for a second, it’s like none of it happened.

but i know her. i know the way her fingers curl just a little tighter around her drink when she’s tense, the way her laugh comes too quick, like she’s trying to convince herself she’s having fun. i know the way she’s avoiding looking at me. she’s pretending, and it pisses me off.

but then there’s ana. she’s standing by the cocktail bar, her long legs crossed casually as someone i don’t recognize talks her ear off. she’s everything nai probably thinks she needs right now, and i hate her for it.

ana doesn’t flinch when i slide into the space between her and.. whoever. she just glances at me, taking a slow sip from her drink before setting it down. her smile doesn’t falter, even as her eyes narrow, her stance shifting just enough to face me fully.

“well, if it isn’t the infamous ex,” she announces. somehow, the word ex makes everything remotely cordial i was gonna say fly out the window. “you always this bold, or is tonight special?”

i lean against the bar, letting the corner of my mouth tug into a smirk. “depends who’s askin’.” i glance down, then back up at her. “but you? you’re nothin’ special.”

she laughs, a cocky one, like i’m exactly where she wanted me. “you’re cute,” she says, tilting her head. “but you don’t scare me, paige.”

i furrow my eyebrows, but it doesn’t match the curve of my lips. “scare you?” i chuckle, letting the words roll off my tongue slow. “nah, i ain’t tryna scare you. just makin’ sure you know your place.”

her eyebrows raise. “and what place is that?”

“second,” i say easily, adding a shrug to the jab too. “always second. ‘cause you ain’t got her like i do.”

ana leans closer, her voice dropping to match mine. “you sure about that? ‘cause right now it looks like you don’t got her at all.”

alright.

the words hit where she wanted them to, but i don’t flinch. instead, i lean in just a little closer, my smirk widening. “you think you’ve got her? think she’s moved on?” i shake my head, glancing away from her, as if the ocean is more interesting than this conversation. “she’ll always come back to me, ana. you’re just a pit stop.”

ana doesn’t break eye contact, her smile tight now, but before she can respond, nai’s voice interrupts.

“ana.”

we both turn, and there she is, standing a few feet away, her jaw clenched, eyes not sure where to land, me or her. she ditched her drink, and i look to where rickea is, holding two glasses, and giving me a look like she knows what i’m stirring. i jerk my head up in her direction, as if to say, “what’s up?”

ana steps back immediately, her smile returning like it’s on autopilot. “right here, babe,” she says, moving toward her.

since when is she on babe status? was that another line to get under my skin? it worked.

nai doesn’t even look at me as she grabs ana’s arm, her fingers wrapping tight around her wrist. “let’s go.”

i can’t help myself. “what, no hello for me?” i call out, my voice etched with mock innocence.

nai freezes, her back stiffening before she slowly turns her head toward me. she looks like like she’s trying too hard not to give me anything. “you’re good at one thing, paige,” she says, her tone clipped, like she’s dismissing our talk as soon as it started.

i raise an eyebrow, my smirk deepening. “what’s that?”

“making a mess,” she spits, before yanking ana along without waiting for a response.

i watch them walk away up towards the beach house, and when i’m sure she won’t turn around, i turn towards the bar, stroking my chin.

“another, please.”

the beach feels different at night, quieter in a way that makes everything louder in my head. the waves roll in and out, and the moon is bright enough for me to see out. it should be peaceful, but it’s not.

everyone’s still inside, but after i told cam what happened, she offered me two blankets and a bottle of tequila to clear my head, and i, for one, wouldn’t turn it down. i can hear everyone’s laughter, the music. i couldn’t stay there any longer, let paige stare like she still had access to me.

i dig my fingers into the sand, cool and grainy against my skin, trying to ground myself. it doesn’t work. my thoughts are too loud, too messy, tumbling over each other in a tangle i can’t unravel.

i hear the soft crunch of footsteps on the sand. a pause. then her voice.

“nai?”

i don’t turn around right away, because i already know it’s her. paige. she sounds hesitant, like she’s not sure if i’ll even let her talk. maybe she’s hoping i’ll stay quiet instead.

“what are you doing out here?” she asks, a little too casually.

i finally glance over my shoulder, meeting her eyes for the first time since i stopped her antics by the bar. she’s standing there, a few feet away, her hands shoved in the pockets of her blue jeans, shoulders hunched like she’s trying to make herself smaller. i almost feel sorry for her. almost.

when i don’t respond, she asks another question. “where’s ana?” she takes a seat next to me, and the blanket’s large enough for the two of us. almost like it’s fate again. she wants to know. she’s still jealous, and i can feel the weight of that jealousy in the way she says it. the way she looks at me. like she’s waiting for me to tell her something she doesn’t want to hear.

“she left,” i say, not bothering to explain further. i don’t owe her that. ana has work in the morning, and i wasn’t gonna keep her here any longer as my rebound toy. not while i was already feeling bad about it.

paige exhales, and i hear the relief and frustration in it before she bites down on her lip. she looks down at the ground for a second, like she’s working up the courage to say what’s really on her mind. “look, about earlier… i’m sorry. shouldn’t’ve been bickering with your girl like that.”

i finally turn to look at her. “she’s not my girl.” her lips twitch, like she’s trying not to smile, and it sets something off in me. “that all you’ve gotta apologize for?”

she shifts, close enough that her knee brushes against mine. “that’s not what happened with maya.”

“don’t,” i say, shaking my head as i look away. “don’t sit here and lie to my face.”

“i’m not lyin’, nai,” she defends, leaning forward, trying to catch my eye. she’s almost pleading for me to believe her. “you think i’d do that to you? again?”

“uh? you want me to tell the truth?” i spit, and those seven words shut her right up. “i know. i saw it. her pants were unzipped. she was smiling at me like she got what she wanted. what the fuck am i supposed to believe?”

“me!” paige runs a hand down her face. “me… for once.”

silence. the kind i hate.

“you’re never gonna trust me, are you?”

“no,” i mutter under my breath, closing my eyes for a second, like that might stop the storm brewing inside me. but it doesn’t. it makes it worse. i hate how she’s still able to pull at me like this, how she knows exactly how to get under my skin, how she knows how to feel like home in a way no one else does.

but most importantly, i hate that she can do all these things, make me feel all these things, and still not be a better person for me.

she flinches like i’ve struck her, but she doesn’t back down. “you think you can trust her? ana? you don’t even know her.”

i scoff. “and you wanna argue with me about trust?” i snap, turning to face her fully now. it takes a lot of effort to not yell.

she shakes her head, exhaling slowly. “i don’t wanna argue at all, ma. just wanna have you.”

“just wanna have you.”

the words leave my mouth before i can stop them, and i hate how badly i need her to believe me. it shouldn’t have had to be like this. i don’t want to say it, but i know it’s true. everything else can wait. it’s her. it’s always been her. i just need her to hear me, to feel me—because she hasn’t let me show her anything in too long.

nai looks at me, her eyes softening just enough, and i can see the battle inside her—she’s pissed, but she’s still here. when her lips meet mine, it’s like everything i’ve been holding back for the last week and a half explodes. i sink into her, tasting the tequila in her kiss. everything about this feels wrong, but it feels right too. she’s still here, still letting me touch her.

she pulls back just enough to look at me, her eyes narrowed but warm. vulnerable. it’s a look i know all too well, one i never wanted to see again, but somehow, i’m grateful for it. i hate how much i’ve hurt her, how much i’ve fucked this up, but i’ll be damned if i let her walk away without trying.

“what can i do to make you believe me?” i ask, my voice cracking just a little. there’s desperation there, but there’s also hope—hope i shouldn’t have, but i can’t help it.

“explain,” she whispers, barely audible, her lips still swollen from our kiss.

i don’t even have to think about it. the words spill out like i’d been waiting for the change. “maya knows. she’s… she tried something out, tested you to see if it was true. she knew i was lying to her about us. i didn’t—i didn’t want that to happen. not like that.”

her eyes search mine, like she’s trying to read through me, and it makes me want to break. shit, she’s so close. her body is almost against mine, and the urge to touch her is too much to ignore. before i can stop myself, my lips are trailing down her neck, tasting the skin there, trying to get closer, to make her feel how much i need her to understand.

“i didn’t touch her,” i mutter against her skin, my hands finding their way under her dress, fingertips grazing her hips. “i swear, nai. you’re it. you’re all i want.”

the words are coming faster now, and everything about her—her scent, the way her skin feels beneath my fingers, the way her breath hitches as i kiss lower—it’s too much. i don’t know if i’m trying to make her believe me or if i’m just trying to keep her here, to keep her from leaving me again.

i look up at her, my lips just inches from her own, and i can see the hesitation, the fight still in her eyes, but it’s softer now. she’s softening, letting me in.

“i shouldn’t have made you doubt that,” i whisper, my breath hot against her ear as i lean in closer. i can feel her body trembling under my touch, and it drives me wild. fuck, i’m so close to losing it.

and then i’m kissing her again, this time deeper, more messy. i don’t have time for any more words. all i need is this. her. me and her.

before i know it, she’s guiding me down, her hands threading through my hair as she pulls me closer. she doesn’t say anything more, but i don’t need her to. i can feel it—the way her body moves against mine, the way she breathes my name like it’s the only thing that matters.

and then i’m all the way down in front of her, looking up into her eyes, feeling her breath catch. she’s so fucking beautiful. i don’t care about anything else. just the way she looks at me, like i’m everything she needs, like i’m the only thing that matters.

“fuck,” i murmur, my hands moving up her thighs as i hike her dress up over her hips. i hear her let out a soft gasp as my lips drag over her stomach, leaving kisses in its wake. my fingers hook into the band of her panties, and i look back up at her for confirmation that this is okay.

she’s lost in it, finding my eyes once i stop. i give her a smirk, and she rolls her eyes. “yes, paige.”

“tell me you want it.”

“so badly,” she retorts.

i move more of the grey fabric out of the way before i drop my head again. she spreads her legs further, just enough for me to dip my tongue in between her folds, and sure enough, she’s wet already.

i wrap both of my hands around her thighs, veins poking through from the grip as i pull her closer to my mouth. i suck a little harder, lapping up her juices and pushing it right back in.

she arches her back, indicating i’m doing something right. “feel good?” i mumble, and she meets my eyes, nodding rapidly. i chuckle against her, teeth grazing her cunt, and she jolts.

“shit, paige. don’t do that,” she scolds.

“why not?” i stick my tongue out again, swiping it through her folds slowly before sucking her clit into my mouth. her head falls back, jaw open to let out some whiny, pornographic moan, like she’d been holding it in.

“gonna make me c—ha—ome quicker.”

when i slide a finger in, she tenses up a little, body rising to the sky, not expecting the stretch. “relax, i got you,” i chastised her, diving back in to mouth at her clit. her moans are like music i never wanna turn off, and i’m enjoying myself way too much to think i couldn’t do this for the rest of my damn life.

“paige,” she gasps, biting down on her lip in attempt to refrain from being too loud. i don’t want that. i wanna hear her. my name falls from her lips in a breathless moan, and i groan.

“say my name again,” i purr, finger curling inside her like it’ll drag it right out. “i love hearing it, baby.”

“mm, paigeeeee.” she drags it out purposefully. it makes me smile.

she quickly grinds against my face, hand in my hair pushing me in further. deeper. i place my free hand on her stomach, pushing her dress up as it travels higher, right over one of her tits. she wasn’t wearing a bra.

i groan against her again, continuing my assault on her clit. “you taste so good, nai. so fuckin’ good.” i feel her dripping from my mouth, out her hole, and i know she’s closer to the edge, closer to soaking this blanket up.

she brings her hand up to her chest, embracing her own with mine, adding just enough pressure in the way she likes. “just like that,” she breathed. i added another finger that slid in with no problem, making her yelp out, tightening her grip on my scalp.

“so close, p. just like that,” she repeats.

with one quick curl and movement, i can tell the tension she feels building up in her stomach. i remove my hand from her breast, using it to keep her legs open as she lets go. she repeats my name over and over again. it sounds like sin on tongue.

i stare at her in awe as she finishes on my fingers. they catch most of it, and i dip my head down to taste that too as she falls back completely, chest heaving, dress disheveled.

i give her a moment before i move back up. she stays there, out of breath, not moving once. i place a wet kiss to her lips, and she winces at the sensation, pushing my head away.

“gross!”

i laugh, and my chest warms at her smile, even through the dark. “you were right, you know,” i finally say, leaning to sit up on my elbow, like i didn’t just wreck this girl.

she rolls her eyes. “i always am. about what, though?”

“‘bout me being good at making a mess.”

[aerinaga]

I NEED A PHONE SEX FIC

kiss me thru the phone.

paige bueckers x reader

warnings: smut (phone sex, masturbation)

synopsis: an away game without you being able to go causes heat between the two of you.

the uconn team had left for the ncaa tournament, leaving you in connecticut. paige didn’t wanna leave you, she insisted that you go with her but you had a tight schedule with work.

you thought that it would be a good idea for her to get away first and take a breather with the games she would be playing in. you miss her, but you both had priorities that needed to come first.

you saw new pictures of paige being uploaded frequently. it was no doubt that she was fine as hell. it made you even more jealous with the fact that you can’t be there to witness it. you knew that you were sharing your girl with the entire world, but damn it was difficult.

paige had just arrived at her hotel, she texted you saying that she would just take a shower and facetime you. being the neediest person alive at the moment, you fix your hair and put a little bit of gloss on your lips.

to make things even hotter, you undressed yourself, leaving your underwear on.

a few minutes later, paige calls you.

“hi babymama, how are you?”

“i’m good, just bored. i miss you so much.”

“i miss you even more. just one more week and i’ll be home.”

you had an idea. you got up from your bed, not showing your body just yet. you went to your bathroom, looking at the mirror and fixing your hair. what you really meant to do was to flip the camera on purpose and tell her that it was an accident.

paige was staring at you so intently, admiring you.

thats when you flipped your camera. you saw her eyes slightly widen, a smirk forming on her lips. you flipped it back to your face. “oops. sorry babe.” you tell her, watching the reaction on her face.

“so thats what you wanted to do huh? such a needy princess hm?” her voice deepens, eliciting a soft moan from you.

you rush to your bed, immediately flipping the camera again to your body. your legs were rubbing against each other, hinting paige that you were wet.

“open your legs for me, alright?”

you open your legs to the widest possible, earning a groan from paige. “you’re so sexy just for me.” paige immediately tells you to touch yourself.

your fingers run down your nipples, pinching them just to tease paige. your hand slowly goes down to your heat, landing your fingers on your clit. paige watches you with need, you knew she was doing the same to herself too.

you rubbed your clit in slow circles, a moan coming out your mouth. “i want you so bad p.” paige moans at your comment, throwing her head back. “i’ll fuck you hard and real nice when i get home hm? just keep fucking yourself baby.” your fingers rub faster on your clit, you couldn’t think. you just wanted her.

you inserted two fingers in yourself, pushing in and out. your moans were becoming louder by the second, and you could hear your girl’s breathing fasten thru the phone.

you plunged your fingers at a fast pace, feeling the knot tighten in you. you curled your fingers in, hitting your special spot. “p, i’m gonna cum.” your voice hitting the highest note. “let go, baby. i’m gonna cum too.”

[feelingalive]

A first meeting scenario....

[lupinqs]

CHAPTER FOUR ━━ I’ll Be Here

❀ ━ pairing: paige bueckers x oc (jo jacobson)

❀ ━ word count: 6.7K

❀ ━ warnings: descriptions of injury

❀ ━ links: my masterlist, nobody gets me masterlist

❀ ━ author’s note: i love them this is by far my favorite chapter so far i think my writing abilities have returned

JO FEELS alive out on the court. The rubbery squeak of sneakers against polished wood, the sharp clap of the ball on the floor, the steady rhythm of her breathing—all of it feels right. She’s glad to be back on campus, playing with her team. The off-month of July was nice, but August is already proving to be full of Connecticut basketball—which, frankly, Jo can’t get enough of.

She wipes the back of her hand across her forehead, sweat sticking to her skin. Practice is almost over, and everyone’s moving a little slower now, a little less sharp. Even Paige, who’s usually relentless, has started to show signs of fatigue. Not that Jo would say that out loud—Paige would probably take it as a challenge.

Jo glances at her. Paige is standing at half-court, hands on her hips, scanning the court with that laser focus of hers. Jo’s seen that look a hundred times since she’s got here, and she knows exactly what it means. Paige is plotting, figuring out how to dismantle Nika and Azzi’s defense, and Jo feels a flicker of anticipation.

Playing with Paige is easy. It has been since they first started. There’s something about the way Paige moves, the way she thinks, that just makes sense to Jo. It’s like Paige is speaking a language Jo didn’t even know she was fluent in until they started playing together.

The whistle blows and the ball is in play again. Jo takes off down the court, feet pounding, eyes scanning. Paige has the ball, weaving around Lou with an infuriating ease that makes it look like she isn’t even trying. Jo cuts to the left, then back right, trying to lose Azzi—and doing so—just in time for Paige to send a no-look pass her way.

The ball lands perfectly in her hands and Jo doesn’t even have to think. She takes the shot, her form automatic, muscle memory guiding her. The ball arcs high, spinning just right, and swishes clean through the net.

“Nice shot, Joey!” Paige calls, jogging over to bump shoulders with her.

Jo smiles a little, her cheeks feeling warm. Joey’s never been a nickname that anyone but her family calls her, but ever since that day in Boston, Paige has made it a point to call her it. Oddly enough, Jo sort of likes it. It makes sense that Paige has a nickname for her that the rest of the team doesn’t use, one for just the two of them. Paige is already moving, already focused on the next play, and Jo shakes her head, trying to refocus.

The game continues, and Jo and Paige fall into that easy rhythm again. They’re in sync in a way that’s almost unfair to the other team. Jo drives to the basket, Paige finds her with a perfect pass. Paige pulls up for a three, and Jo crashes the boards for the rebound just in case it doesn’t go in—not that Paige misses often.

And then, on the other end of the floor, Jo sees the opportunity before it even fully forms. Nika’s dribble falters for half a second, just enough for Jo to anticipate her next move. She lunges, quick hands swiping the ball clean, and takes off. There’s a surge of exhilaration as the ball leaves her fingertips in a perfect, arching pass up the court.

Paige is already there, as if she’s read Jo’s mind. She’s fast, faster than anyone on the court, her strides long and confident as she streaks toward the basket. Jo slows, her job done for the moment, and watches.

The ball lands in Paige’s hands like it was meant to be there, and she’s in full flight, her eyes locked on the basket. Jo can feel her own heart pounding in her chest, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. She doesn’t think about how good Paige looks like that—her bright blonde ponytail flying, the concentration set on her face, the fluidity of her movements—but the thought lingers at the edge of her mind anyway, uninvited and confusing.

Then, everything changes.

Paige plants her foot to go for the layup, and it happens so fast that Jo almost doesn’t process it at first. There’s a strange sound—something between a gasp and a groan—and then Paige is crumpling to the floor, clutching her knee.

Time seems to slow. The ball bounces, forgotten, the game dissolving in an instant as everyone rushes to Paige’s side. Jo’s body moves on autopilot, her legs carrying her before she can even really understand what’s happening.

She skids to her knees next to Paige, her heart racing so fast it feels like it might break free of her chest. Azzi and Nika are already there, their faces pale, their hands hovering as if afraid to touch Paige. Jo’s eyes dart to Paige’s knee, and her stomach twists violently. Paige’s hand is clamped over it, her other arm draped across her face to hide her tears, but Jo can still hear the shaky, uneven breaths the blonde is taking.

“It’s my knee,” Paige chokes out, her voice barely audible.

Jo’s breath catches. Her throat feels dry, and for a moment, she’s frozen, unable to force out a single word. The world around her seems to blur, the voices of her teammates fading into a muffled hum. Nika’s saying something, her voice soft but firm, trying to calm Paige down, but Jo doesn’t hear it clearly.

Because all she can think about is her own knee, two years ago, when she felt that same sickening shift, heard that same awful pop. She remembers the way the gym lights blurred as she hit the floor, the way the pain swallowed her whole, and the way everything—basketball, her future, her sense of self—seemed to unravel in that moment.

When Jo briefly makes eye contact at Azzi, she can tell she’s thinking the same thing.

Because now Paige is here, clutching her knee, tears slipping from beneath the arm covering her face, and Jo feels like she’s going to be sick.

Her hands shake as she reaches out instinctively, her fingers brushing against Paige’s. It’s a tentative gesture, one she isn’t sure will help, but then Paige’s hand blindly reaches for hers, gripping it hard. Jo swallows thickly, the lump in her throat making it hard to breathe, and her thumb moves in slow, deliberate circles over Paige’s knuckles.

Jo doesn’t know what to say. She doesn’t trust herself to speak because every thought in her head is jagged and messy, spiraling out of control. ACL. ACL. ACL. It courses through her head like a mantra. Because the way Paige’s knee twisted, the way she fell—it’s too familiar, too similar to Jo’s own injury to ignore.

And if it is an ACL tear, then Paige is done for the season.

Jo clenches her jaw, trying to shove the thought away, trying to be the positive, optimistic girl she is, but it still lingers stubbornly. It feels like Paige just came back from an injury. Jo remembers watching the Notre Dame game last December—she was there, in support for her future team—and Paige had crumpled down on the court in the last minute, crying and clutching at her knee. Jo knows she went through surgery, through rehab, missing majority of the season, being sidelined while everyone else played. And now, to have this happen again—it’s not fair. It’s cruel.

Paige’s whole life is basketball. Jo knows that. She’s seen the way Paige pours everything she has into the game, how much she thrives on the court, how much she needs it. And Jo knows, too, how much it hurts to lose it, to have the game you love ripped away from you when you need it most.

Jo’s hand tightens around Paige’s, and she murmurs softly, almost unconsciously, “You’re okay. You’re gonna be okay.” She doesn’t know if Paige hears her, doesn’t know if the words mean anything, but it feels like the only thing she can do.

Paige squeezes Jo’s hand in response, her grip strong despite the tremor in her fingers. Jo’s heart aches at the silent plea in that touch, at the vulnerability in someone who’s always seemed so untouchable.

Eventually, Aaliyah and Aubrey kneel down on either side of Paige, their voices low and soothing. They coax her to sit up, their hands gentle as they help her shift her weight. Jo, Azzi, and Nika instinctively move back, giving them space, but Jo can’t seem to take her eyes off of Paige. She watches as Paige’s fingers slip from hers, the loss of contact leaving her feeling strangely hollow.

Jo stands, her legs stiff, her hands hanging uselessly at her sides. She watched as Aaliyah and Aubrey loop their arms around Paige’s shoulders, helping her to her feet. Paige’s face is tight with pain, her jaw clenched as she tries to put as little weight as possible on her injured leg.

It’s silent as Paige limps toward the trainer’s office, supported on either side. Jo stays rooted to the spot, her mind racing.

She can’t stop thinking about how this could be it—how this injury could take away everything Paige has been working toward. She can’t stop thinking about how Paige was determined to get that natty this year, how much she told Jo she was the missing piece for them to secure it. She can’t stop thinking about how unfair it all is.

And, most of all, she can’t stop thinking about Paige, about the tears hidden behind the arm draped over her face, about the way she reached for Jo’s hand without hesitation, as if Jo was the only anchor in a moment filled with pain and chaos.

Jo exhales shakily, nails digging into her palms. She knows the team will rally around Paige. They’ll support her, encourage her, do whatever it takes to help her through this. But right now, all Jo can do is stand there, her chest tight with worry and her mind looping endlessly through memories she’d rather forget.

She doesn’t want this for Paige. She doesn’t want this for anyone.

But as Paige disappears behind the gym doors, Jo can’t help but wonder if wanting it not to be true is enough to change anything.

JO SITS cross-legged on the worn couch in Nika, Amari, and Ice’s apartment, her knee bouncing nervously. It’s late, and the soft hum of the TV plays in the background, but she can’t focus on whatever show Ice flipped on. Her stomach twists as shifts next to her, phone in hand. Across the room, Amari and Ice are on the opposite couch, close enough to hear the incoming conversation but far enough to give some space.

Jo appreciates that. They all know how delicate this is, how fragile it all feels. No one wants to overwhelm Paige. She’s been through enough today.

Jo chews on the inside of her cheek as Nika taps on Paige’s contact and hits the FaceTime button. The dial tone seems to drag on forever, each ring stretching her nerves tighter and tighter. Jo adjusts her position, pulling her knees up to her chest, and hugs them as if that’ll somehow ground her.

When Paige answers, the screen fills with her face.

Jo’s heart clenches.

Paige looks tired—no, more than tired. She looks worn down, like the weight of the day has crushed something in her. There’s a forced smile on her lips, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Her hair is pulled back haphazardly, and her face is pale, her features drawn tight.

“Hey,” Paige says, her voice quiet but trying for upbeat.

“Hey,” Nika says softly, her usual bravado muted. Jo stays quiet, her throat dry.

“How are you feeling?” Nika follows up. Her tone is gentle, but there’s a tremble in her voice, like she’s already bracing for bad news.

Paige lets out a long breath, her gaze flickering away from the camera for a moment before coming back. “I’ve been better.”

The words hang in the air. Jo’s stomach twists even tighter.

“What’s the verdict?” Nika asks carefully.

Jo doesn’t realize she’s holding her breath until Paige’s lips part.

“It’s my ACL,” Paige says, her voice cracking just slightly. She tries to steady herself, but the shaky breath she exhales gives her away.

Nika inhales sharply, and Jo can see her eyes immediately begin to swim. Instinctively, Jo shifts closer to Nika, resting her head on her shoulder. She feels like she’s been punched in the gut. She’s been preparing for this answer all day, replaying the moment over and over in her mind, but hearing it out loud makes it real in a way that feels unbearable.

“Oh my God,” Nika whispers, her tears beginning to fall. “Paige…”

Jo’s throat tightens painfully. She blinks rapidly, willing herself not to cry, but it’s a losing battle. The lump in her throat feels massive, her breathing uneven. She isn’t just upset because she won’t get to play with Paige this year—though that hurts like hell—but because she knows what this means for Paige.

Basketball is Paige’s life. It’s her everything.

Jo knows what it’s like to lose that, to have the sport you’ve built your whole world around ripped away from you. The endless months of rehab, the isolation, the frustration, the fear that you’ll never get back to where you were before—it’s hell. And Paige has already been through two other injuries within the last year alone; she doesn’t deserve this.

“It’s okay,” Paige says suddenly, her voice startling Jo out of her spiraling thoughts. Jo blinks, realizing that Paige is watching them both with an expression that’s equal parts exasperated and affectionate.

“You guys, come on,” Paige says, forcing a shaky laugh. “Why are you crying? I’m the one with the busted knee.”

Nika lets out a choked sob-laugh, wiping at her face. “Because we care about you, stupid!”

Jo can’t help the weak smile that tugs at her lips, even as the tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

Paige sighs, her forced smile softening into something more genuine, though still sad. “I’m okay, really,” she says, though her voice wavers. “It sucks. It really fuckin’ sucks. But God has his plans; everything happens for a reason. I’ll get through it.”

Jo’s chest tightens at that. Paige is trying to be strong for them, she realizes. She’s the one who’s hurt, the one who’s whole season has just been derailed, and yet here she is, comforting them.

“You don’t have to pretend to be okay,” Jo says quietly. Her voice is hoarse, but the words come out steady.

Paige’s gaze flickers to hers through the screen, and for a moment, the facade drops. Her shoulders slump a little, and she exhaled a trembling breath. “I know,” she says softly. “But I will be. Eventually.”

Jo nods, though she feels her eyes begin to swim again. She wants to say something, anything, but her mind feels blank, overwhelmed by the weight of it all, the familiarity of this shit.

“Aye,” Nika says firmly, voice steadier now despite her tear-streaked face. “We’re all here for you, P. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. Yeah?”

Paige smiles faintly, her eyes glassy but warm. “I know. Thanks, twin.”

Jo swallows hard, her hand massaging over the scar on her own knee as she fights to find her voice. “We’re gonna get through this together, okay?” she says finally, quiet but resolute.

Paige looks at her for a long moment, something unreadable flickering in her eyes, and then she bore. “Yeah,” she murmurs softly. “Together.”

The call ends a few minutes later, after more reassurances and promises to check in tomorrow. As the screen goes dark, Jo leans back against the couch, her head resting against the cushions. Her chest feels heavy, her thoughts swirling in a chaotic mess of worry, sadness, and determination.

Paige is going to need them now more than ever.

And Jo is going to make damn sure she’s there for her, every step of the way.

THE ROOM is quiet, the only sounds coming from the soft hum of the air conditioning and the occasional murmur of voices drifting in from the hallway. Paige lies on the stiff hospital bed, staring up at the dull ceiling tiles. Her body feels heavy, not from exhaustion but from the crushing weight of the situation. The thin blanket over her legs is tucked too tightly, and she wants to kick it off, but she doesn’t move. It’s not worth the effort.

Her thoughts churn endlessly, looping the same questions and doubts over and over and over again. How is she supposed to do this, how is she supposed to live without basketball for a year? A year feels like an eternity. It feels impossible.

She shifts slightly, wincing at the dull ache in her knee. It’s wrapped up tightly, immobilized, but she can still feel the deep, bone-deep throb of it. The pain doesn’t scare her; it’s familiar. It’s what the pain represents that makes her chest feel like it’s caving in.

Her parents and Drew are here, their presence comforting and supportive. She’s glad they’re here—it means a lot that her dad and Drew flew in last night, and that her mom showed up first thing this morning despite how they all live several states away, over halfway across the country for her mom. But when they all insisted on staying, hovering, she’d encouraged them to go get lunch. She’d thought she’d wanted some time alone.

Now, though, with the silence stretching around her, she regrets it. Being alone means being stuck with her thoughts, and her thoughts aren’t kind to her right now.

Paige tries to steady her breathing, inhaling deeply through her nose and letting it out slowly through her mouth, just like the trainers taught her when her anxiety flares up before big games. The comeback will be greater than the setback, she tells herself firmly, trying to internalize the words that have been repeated to her so many times over the past twenty-four hours. God has His plans. Everything happens for a reason.

But it’s so fucking hard.

Tears prick at the corners of her eyes, but she blinks them back quickly, jaw tightening. She’s not going to cry. Not here. Not now. Her chest feels like it’s been hollowed out, the ache of it sharp and unrelenting. Basketball isn’t just her passion; it’s her identity. It’s who she is.

And now it’s gone.

For a year.

She squeezes her eyes shut, willing the despair away, but it only seems to grow heavier. A part of her wants to scream at the unfairness of it all, but she knows that won’t change anything. She knows what’s coming—the surgery, the long months of rehab, the lonely hours in the gym trying to rebuild herself from the ground up. She knows because she’s been through it before, though she knows this time will be far worse.

A soft knock on the door jolts her from her spiraling thoughts. Her eyes snap open, her heart skipping a beat. She quickly wipes at her face, hoping she doesn’t look as defeated as she feels.

“Come in,” she says hoarsely.

The door freaks open, and Paige stills in surprise.

Jo steps into the room, a small gift bag and what looks to be a card in hand and a hesitant, almost nervous smile on her face. She looks so out of place in the sterile hospital room, like a burst of color in a grayscale world.

“Hey,” Jo says softly, tone warm but tinged with uncertainty.

Paige stares at her for a moment, her brain scrambling to process the sight of her. She didn’t expect this at all. The teams plans are to visit her after the surgery, not before. Paige resigned herself to facing this part alone, just with her family.

But now Jo is here.

And for some reason, Paige feels her chest loosen slightly, like she can finally take a deep breath.

“Hey,” she greets, her voice cracking despite her best efforts.

Jo steps further into the room, shutting the door behind her. “I, uh, hope it’s okay that I’m here,” she says, glancing around awkwardly. “I just thought… I don’t know, I figured you might need some company before… I know your family’s here—I met them—and they, y’know, told me to come up and say hi…”

Her voice trails off, and she shifts on her feet, suddenly looking unsure of herself.

Paige feels a strange warmth bloom in her chest. She doesn’t know why, but seeing Jo here, with that goofy gift bag and that hopeful look on her face, feels like exactly what she needed.

“No, it’s—it’s more than okay,” Paige says quickly, her lips twitching into a small, genuine smile for the first time all day. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Jo’s face brightens slightly, and she steps closer, settling the gift bag on the small table next to the bed. “Good,” she says simply, her voice lighter now.

She settles gently on the edge of the hospital bed, her presence grounding yet unobtrusive. Paige feels the mattes dip beneath her weight and fights the urge to shuffle closer, some irrational part of her craving proximity. There’s something about Jo that feels a safe, like a lifeline, and Paige doesn’t even know why.

She watches Jo carefully, studies her as Jo’s gaze sweeps over her, taking in her entire figure as if searching for the right words. Paige stays quiet, letting her look. It’s easier than trying to fill the silence herself.

When Jo’s eyes linger on her leg—hidden under the blankets, immobile but looming in its absence of normalcy—Paige notices the flicker of something in Jo’s expression. A soft dimming, like a light bulb sputtering. Jo’s usually bright eyes dull just a fraction, but it’s enough to make Paige’s stomach twist.

She doesn’t like seeing that.

Jo exhales heavily, dragging a hand through her hair as if the gesture alone can lighten the mood. “I’m… God, I’m really sorry,” she says. Her voice is sincere and laced with the kind of frustration that comes from knowing words can’t fix anything. “I know everyone’s probably saying that, and I’m sure it doesn’t help, but I really am. I just…” she trails off, shaking her head.

The apology hands in the air, filling the room with a bitter truth that Paige can’t escape. She nods stiffly. “Thanks,” she says quietly, the words trembling at the edges. “It just… sucks.”

Her hands clench at the blanket bunched in her lap, fingers twisting the fabric as she tries to keep the rising tide of emotions at bay. But the sight of Jo, who’s usually so optimistic, looking even slightly defeated by the situation feels like a punch to the gut. Paige can barely handle her own disappointment; she doesn’t need to see it reflected in Jo’s eyes, too.

Jo looks at her for a long moment, and then she nods. “I know,” she says softly. Her voice is low and calm, a salve to Paige’s raw emotions. “I get it. I really do.”

Something about those words ignites a spark of frustration in Paige, a flare of anger born from sadness and exhaustion. Her voice comes out sharper than she intends, cutting through the quiet like a knife. “Do you?”

As soon as the words leave her mouth, she regrets them. The bitterness in her tone feels wrong, feels cruel, and the second she hears it escape herself, guilt tugs at her. This is Jo, the sweetest person Paige knows, who didn’t have to come here but did anyway, who’s been nothing but kind since the moment they met. Jo doesn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of Paige’s frustration, no matter how much everything sucks right now.

Paige braces herself for a reaction—a flicker of annoyance, maybe, or even a hint of anger. But when Jo meets her eyes, there’s no trace of either. Her expression is soft, gentle, almost unbearable understanding.

“Yes,” Jo says quietly, after a beat. “I do.”

Paige blinks, caught off guard by the steadiness in Jo’s voice.

Jo shifts slightly on the bed, her gaze unwavering. “A couple years ago, when I was a junior,” she starts, her tone light but carrying an unmistakable weight, “I tore my ACL. Same leg as yours. Took me out for the rest of the season.”

The words hit Paige like a freight train, stealing the air from her lungs. For a moment, all she can do is stare at Jo, her mind reeling. She feels like an idiot—no, worse than that, a complete dick. She lashed out, accused Jo of not understanding when Jo actually does understand better than most people ever could.

Paige’s mouth opens, then closes again, her thoughts racing. She’s known about Jo for years, followed her on social media long before they were teammates. Jo was the single most sought-after recruits in her class, and Paige had watched her basketball highlights serval times. How had she not known about this? How had she missed something so monumental?

Her eyes flicker down to Jo’s legs, as if she can scan through her leggings for a sign of a scar. Has she ever looked closely at Jo’s knees? She tries to picture it, tries to remember if she’s seen anything, but she can’t. She wonders if it’s because Jo hides it well or if she just wasn’t enough attention.

Guilt settles heavily in her chest, mingling with a fresh wave of sadness. “Jo,” she says softly, barely a whisper.

Jo shakes her head quickly, cutting her off before she can apologize. “It’s okay,” she says earnestly. “Really. I didn’t bring it up to make you feel bad. I just.. I want you to that you’re not at all alone, okay? I know it feels like everything’s falling apart right now, and I know it’s going to suck for a while. But you’re gonna get through it. And you’re gonna come back an even better player than you were before, because I know you, and you will. Okay?”

The words hit Paige in a way that nothing else has since this whole ordeal started. She feels a lump form in her throat, and this time, she doesn’t try to fight it. She lets the tears come, hot and fast, and Jo doesn’t flinch. “Okay,” Paige forces out, nodding through the tears.

Jo lets her cry for a few moments, a bead of silent support. And then as the tears begin to slow, Jo shifts a little, smiling that smile at Paige—wide and easy and damn near perfect—Paige feels her chest loosen some, the tears finally halting.

Jo reaches over and grabs the gift bag from the small table near the bed, holding it up. “Please don’t laugh,” she tells Paige.

Paige blinks at her, still wiping at the tears streaking her cheeks, a soft chuckle escaping despite herself. “Why would I laugh?” she asks, sounding raspier than usual from the crying.

“Just don’t,” she insists, leaning forward to hand Paige the bag.

There’s something so endearing about Jo’s seriousness that Paige finds herself smiling again, the kind of smile that feels foreign right now but also deeply necessary. She pulls the tissue paper out of the bag slowly, dragging out the moment to tease Jo, who’s clearly fighting the urge to rush her along. Finally, Paige reaches inside and pulls out the gift.

A purple dragon Squishmallow.

For a second, Paige just stares at it, her brain short-circuiting at the sheer unexpected of it. Then, a laugh bubbles out of her, surprising even herself. It’s not the kind of laugh that mocks or undermines—there’s nothing mean-spirited about it. Instead, it’s warm and light and laced with something close to gratitude.

“I told you not to laugh!” Jo exclaims, though she’s grinning at Paige.

“I’m not laughing at it,” the blonde defends, though she’s still giggling as she turns the plush dragon over in her hands, taking in its soft fabric and adorable face. “I just… I dunno. It’s cute.” She pauses, then adds softly, “Thank you.”

Jo’s smile softens, and she nudges Paige’s shoulder lightly. “I know it’s dumb, but…” Jo shrugs, leaning back slightly, her gaze flickering to the dragon in Paige’s hands. “When I tore my ACL, my mom get me what she called an emotional support stuffed animal, and as stupid as it sounds, it helped. Like, just having something to hold onto when things got hard, y’know? So, I figured… maybe it could help you, too.”

Paige blinks, her eyes darting to the Squishmallow again, her fingers brushing over its wings. It’s not just a gift; it’s a piece of Jo’s own experience, her way of saying, I’ve been here, and I made it through, and you will too. And somehow, that makes it mean so much more.

And then Paige realizes—Bubbles. The plush turtle that Jo’s always carrying around—the one Paige’s seen tucked under Jo’s arm while she’s lounging on the couch or sitting at the kitchen table, absentmindedly holding it while scrolling through her phone. That’s the emotional support stuffed animal. The thought makes Paige smile again, and she feels something warm and unfamiliar bloom deep within her chest, right around the crevices of her heart.

Jo tilts her head, watching her with a curious expression. “What?”

“Nothing,” Paige says quickly, though her lips curve upward involuntarily.

Jo narrows her eyes but doesn’t press, instead gesturing toward the dragon. “You gotta name it.”

Paige hums, thinking. And then she smirks, holding up the stuffed animal like it’s a crown jewel. “I’m naming her Sunny.”

Jo smiles. “Why Sunny?”

Paige shrugs. “I dunno. It just… fits.”

Jo seems satisfied with the answer, and Paige can’t help but feel a little triumphant. Jo doesn’t have to know the truth—that Paige picked the name because it reminds her of Jo, her own little pocket of sunshine. It’ll make her think of Jo every time she looks at the dragon.

Paige clutches Sunny to her chest, the plush fabric warm and comforting. Her eyes drift to the bedside table, where the card Jo brought in sits, its bright colors standing out. She tilts her head toward it. “What’s that?”

Jo follows her gaze, her expression shifting from amusement to mild apprehension as she leans over and grabs the card. “Oh, right,” she says, shaking her head a little, like she’d almost forgotten about it. She hesitates before handing it to Paige, fiddling with the edge of the envelope. “Um, it’s from Celeste. She saw me in the gym today and told me to give it to you. I thinks she, uh, really likes you.”

Jo’s voice is casual, but there’s an edge to it, a faint curiosity and something that Paige can’t place.

Paige furrows her brows as she takes the care, but she doesn’t open it. Instead, she stares at it for a moment, her stomach tightening. Celeste. Paige doesn’t like this. Not the care, not the fact that Celeste gave it to Jo, of all people, and definitely not the implication that Celeste likes her.

Paige just shakes her head, setting the card back down on the table without even looking inside.

Jo grins, biting back a laugh. “Paige,” she says, her voice lilting, teasing.

“I don’t want a card from her,” Paige says flatly, her tone sharper than she intends. She hugs Sunny a little tighter, as if the stuffed animal can shield her from that.

“She likes you,” Jo repeats, drawing out the words.

“Well, I don’t,” Paige says quickly. She glances at the card again, like it’s something toxic. “It was just casual.”

“Well,” Jo starts, her tone slow and deliberate, her eyes sparkling with mischief, “I don’t blame her. You really seemed to rock her world that one night.”

Paige’s head snaps toward Jo, her face heating up instantly. “Joey!” she exclaims, swatting Jo’s shoulder lightly, her mortification growing by the second. She remembers how she thought Jo was asleep, but then how Jo confirmed the next morning that she was in fact, not asleep. And how she’d heard all of Paige and Celeste’s… activities.

Jo bursts out laughing, and Paige can’t help but laugh too, even as she buries her face in Sunny, groaning. “You’re so annoying,” she mumbles, her words muffled by the plush dragon.

The laughter lingers between them, soft and warm, like a secret bubble in the otherwise sterile hospital room. Jo’s grinning at her, and Paige can’t help but hold onto Sunny tighter, as if clutching the dragon can somehow anchor her to this fleeting moment of happiness.

Then the door opens, and the bubble pops. Paige’s mom steps in, her expression shifting from neutral to outright surprise when she sees them.

“Hi, Mom,” Paige says, smiling at her.

Amy’s gaze flickers between Paige and Jo, her brows lifting as if she can’t quite believe what she’s seeing. She looks relieved, probably at the fact that she’s seeing a genuine smile on Paige’s face for the first time since she got to Connecticut.

“Hi, sweetie,” Amy says, her tone careful, like she doesn’t want to disrupt whatever this is.

Jo stands almost immediately, smoothing her shirt as she steps away from the bed. “Here, I won’t keep you any longer,” she says, her tone polite but casual, the way Jo always is.

Paige feels an unexpected song at the thought of Jo leaving, her laughter fading too quickly. Before she can even think about it, her hand shoots out, grabbing Jo’s wrist. “Wait,” she blurts, her voice more urgent than it should be.

Jo stops, her eyes flickering down to where Paige’s fingers wrap around her hand. She doesn’t pull away, but Paige can feel the hesitation in her stillness, like she’s waiting for Paige to explain herself.

Paige swallows thickly, suddenly hyper-aware of her mom’s presence, the newfound tension in the air. But she doesn’t let go. “Will you… will you be here when I wake up?” she asks, her voice quieter now, almost shy.

Jo’s eyes soften immediately, the hesitation melting into something gentler. “As long as you want me here,” she says, steady but sure, like it’s the easiest promise in the world to make.

Paige’s heart picks up just slightly, and she squeezes Jo’s hand a little. “Of course I do,” she murmurs.

Jo’s smile is small but genuine, the kind of smile that makes Paige’s heart ache a little in the best way. “Then I’ll be here,” Jo says simply.

The words hang between them for a moment, and then Jo steps back, her fingers flipping from Paige’s grasp. The loss is instant and sharp, but Paige forces herself to let go, watching as Jo gives her mom a polite nod and heads for the door.

As soon as Jo is gone, Amy crosses the room to Paige’s bedside, her eyes still wide with something Paige can’t decipher. Then, Amy blurts, “P, she is so adorable!”

“Mom,” Paige says, drawing the word out, her cheeks heating.

“I mean it!” Amy continues, her grin wide and unguarded. “She’s sweet, and funny, and, I mean, seriously, she’s been amazing. She absolutely did not have to come today, but she did. Paige, you are so lucky to have her.”

Paige’s lips curve into a small smile despite herself. Her mom isn’t wrong. Jo has been amazing—more than amazing, if Paige’s chest full of warmth and what she thinks might be fucking butterflies is any indication. She hugs Sunny close, her fingers brushing over the dragon’s soft fabric as she thinks about Jo’s stupid, perfect smile and the way her laughter filled the room like sunshine.

“Yeah,” Paige says softly, almost to herself. “I am.”

JO SITS in the stiff chair of the waiting room, shifting every few minutes as if she can find some magical position that’ll make the tension in her chest ease. The hum of fluorescent lights overhead is steady and oppressive, a constant reminder of how clinical this place is. The occasional sound of a nurse’s squeaky shoes against the linoleum and f the distant beeping of a minute only makes the waiting worse.

Paige’s family is here, of course. Drew, Paige’s little brother, is perched beside her, his legs too short to touch the floor. He’s been playing video games on Paige’s iPad that he’s borrowed, occasionally glancing at Jo with a curious look that makes her feel both self-conscious and oddly endearing. Drew’s nine, all wild energy and blunt honesty, and Jo’s thankful he seems to like her. She’s always been good with kids—she has Mia, so she knows how to be patient, how to meet them where they are—but still, there’s something about being around Paige’s family that feels different. Like she’s auditioning for a role she’s not even sure she’s qualified for. Truthfully, she doesn’t know why she cares so much.

“Rematch,” Drew says, handing her the iPad without waiting for a response.

Jo chuckles, taking it. “You sure? I got you good last time.”

“I wasn’t trying my hardest,” Drew says seriously, though there’s a glint in his eyes.

They dive into the game, and for a little while, it’s easy to forget where they are. Jo even gets Drew to laugh when she deliberately fumbles one of the controls, letting him win. He gloats, much like his sister, but Jo doesn’t mind.

Eventually, though, Drew gets bored, as kids do, and he starts tugging on his dad’s sleeve. “Can we go get something to eat?” he whines.

Paige’s dad, who’s been scrolling through his phone with the same restless energy Jo feels, stands immediately. “Alright, let’s go, buddy. Jo, you want anything?”

Jo shakes her head. “I’m good, thanks.”

And then it’s just her and Amy.

The room feels quieter now, probably because it is without Drew’s chatter, and Jo suddenly doesn’t know what to do with her hands. She folds them in her lap, tracing the edge of her nail with her thumb as Amy turns to her.

“I’m really glad you’re here,” Amy says earnestly after a moment. “I know Paige is, too.”

Jo blinks, caught off guard. “Of course,” she says, quickly. “I’ll always be here. I hope she knows that.”

Amy kids, her expression shifting to something more contemplative. “I think she does. But I want you to know, too. It means a lot to me, seeing her smile.”

Jo tilts her head, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I was with her all day, and I didn’t see her smile through any of it,” she says, her voice tinged with something heavy. “Not until you were in the room with her. And you didn’t just make her smile, Jo. You made her laugh. Really laugh.”

The words settle in Jo’s stomach, setting something alight, warm and unfamiliar. She doesn’t know what to say at first, so she just nods, looking down at her hands as she feels a faint blush creep onto her cheeks. “I just… I like to make people smile,” she’s says finally, almost shyly.

Amy’s smile is knowing, like she sees something in Jo that Jo hasn’t quite figured out yet. “I can tell,” she says. “You’re good at it.”

The compliment sends more heat into Jo’s face. “Thanks,” she murmurs, looking up at Any and offering a small, genuine smile of her own.

Eventually, Bob and Drew come back, and Azzi and Nika arrive, everyone who means so much to Paige, all there for her. Jo’s glad. But, oddly enough, there’s a part of Jo that feels almost… protective? She doesn’t know if that’s the word for it, but it’s almost like she wants to be the one Paige sees first when she opens her eyes. She knows it’s not her place—not even close—but she feels it anyways.

It’s a little weird, if she’s honest.

But as Jo sits there, waiting, she knows, with absolute certainty, that she’ll stay as long as Paige needs her. Longer, even.

[justliketoreadsowhat]

Princess Treatment ✬

✰ 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟, 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 ✰

✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫

"Show Me What Color You're Wearing Again" your voice echoing through the phone speakers.

Paige huffed at your question, fixing the color of her burnt orange button-up. She had been ready to go 30 minutes ago, yet your indecisiveness slowed down the process of her leaving out the door.

"If you want me to change just say that" Her face scrunched up, beaming through your phone screen propped up on your vanity.

"No! don't be such a teenager, I just want to make sure our colors match" color coordination was important to you, especially for a day like this. It had been 3 weeks too long since you two last saw each other. The words "summer break" meant the complete opposite for Paige, her schedule was overly hectic, to say the least, you couldn't recall the last time she stayed in one place for more than 24 hours.

"Awh baby you wanna match with me?! I feel so honored" she teased, twirling the lonesome braid stitched in the front of her hair.

"You've been influenced by KK way too much, don't ever do that again please" The feeling of cringe shivered down your spine.

Throwing her hands up in self-defense "It's whatever you want to make of it, just be ready when I get there" Hanging up quickly you were left to hassle with your thoughts

Ready for what exactly ?

You had no clue

The only information you were given was, to be dressed in nice attire within the next hour, although that was never enough time for you.

No complaints would slip from your mouth though, being tucked away in your condo all alone for weeks drained the life out of you, it felt as if the days were all mushing together, repeating in an endless loop.

You were desperate for a change.

✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫

Swinging open the door, you were met with Paige dressed in all her glory, before you could analyze any further, your body flung towards her with an overlying feeling of excitement.

With arms naturally wrapped around your waist like a 2nd nature, every inch fit so perfectly.

"I missed you so much" Your voice trembled with emotion, taking in her aroma of sweet mahogany and amber. You felt her chuckle against your skin "I missed you more princess"

Releasing her from your death grip, you stepped back revealing the now flattened bouquet of flowers. Trying to stifle her laughter "Yeah um.. these were for you but don't worry bout it I'll get you some more" fiddling with the petals trying to make them look alive again.

Taking them into your grasp shaking your head "No it's okay, they're still beautiful" Looking up at her, your eyes met evenly, too evenly.

Breaking eye contact Paige glanced down at your orange heels that matched her outfit perfectly, "I knew something was off, no way you're ever getting past 5'5"

"So you can make fun of my height, but when I tell you you're not 6ft it's a problem" tilting your head, arms crossed instantly waiting for her rebuttal.

"Lying in my face is insane, I'm actually 6'1 so ion wanna hear nothing!" putting up her "talk to the hand" notion. it was good to see her sassiness never left after all this time.

"Let's get going before the sun goes down" taking your hand gently placing it in hers.

"What's so important about the sun?"

"it makes life possible on earth"

"Paige!"

She laughed at her own antics "Just come on and you'll see" opening the car door for you, pulling down the seat to buckle you in. No matter how many times you told her you could do these simple tasks on your own, she insisted every chance she got. Deep down you loved it but she would never get that confession out of you, ever.

"Can I at least get a hint of where we're going"

"Nah, that would ruin the surprise. Just sit back and look pretty" Her hand patted your thigh "Here you can even play your own music" Pressing the Bluetooth button on the screen display.

Your eyes widened "Oh this must be serious, I never though I'd see the day you let me have the aux"

Paige was very serious when it came to her music, it was like touching a thermostat in someone's house, don't ever touch or change it.

"Alright just don't do too much and play that sappy shit" her eyes adverted to you "You know what I'm talking about"

"You're my biggest hater"

"At least you know I'm the biggest" a smug smirk plastered at her face.

✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫

After a smooth 20-minute drive, pulling into an empty parking lot accompanied by a movie theater, but not just any movie theater. This is where you and Paige first met 5 years ago. Dating all the way back to late 2019.

Hopkins high school girls basketball team decided to take a trip to see the new movie "Us" on a cool Thursday night before they played their next opponent the following Friday.

You on the other hand had picked up a quick shift that night as a ticket holder. The night was slow until the entire in swarmed in gathering around the glass you stood behind.

Nobody caught your eye except Paige. She was talkative, very talkative. She sweet-talked you so well, the entire team got in for free.

She promised she'd make it up to you, 5 years later it's safe to say she did just that.

Surrounded by hundreds of fairy lights and different variations of flowers, roses, tulips, lilies, you name it. The sun shined on them perfectly projecting their vibrant colors.

Parking the car swiftly, you looked at her, tears threatening to form in your eyes. She quickly noticed, swiping a tear that had begun to fall. "Baby don't cry, we haven't even done anything yet" she pleaded, hopeful you'd abide.

"I know but, it's just so beautiful" you sniffled, glancing out the window once more. Eagerly you unhooked your seatbelt wanting to emerge into the theater, before you could open the door Paige grabbed your wrist "Don't even think about it"

Opening the door your feet planted on the ground, following behind her, constantly looking down at the red rose-petal path that led you through the double doors of the theater.

Nobody else was in sight, besides the two of you.

"Where is everybody?" you questioned noticing how bare the concessions were.

She smirked grabbing a bag of popcorn freely "Ion know, probably at home"

There was no way to legally walk into an establishment unless you owned it, or in Paige's case, rented it out. Her humble traits would never allow her to admit her actions, especially when it came to money.

"Come on I already got your snacks for you, the movie is about to start" holding up an assortment of candy and your extra-large slushy you never end up finishing.

"What movie is it!?" your eyes searching at all the advertised posters of the new releases, there was entirely too many to count.

"Just come onn" she dragged, moving quickly down the empty rows of theaters. Following in her pursuit, the sound or your heels echoed through the hallow hallway, turning a corner Piage disappeared into a theater that glowed with a purple ambiance.

Slowly walking up the ramp to keep up with her, the purple glow became brighter, the lights beamed a deep purple, the screen displayed the Disney Pixar introduction you memorized all too well.

"The Princess and the Frog"

"My favorite!!" gushing with excitement you found yourself nearly toppling over your girlfriend. "i never seen this on the big screen before, how'd did you do all this?.. and the- the purple lights it's so beautiful"

She laughed softly at your reaction, stroking your hand in small circles motion "It's only right I do something special for my special girl"

"You're so cornyyy" you laughed pulling her into a sweet kiss. Pulling away her demeanor switched, becoming slightly nervous. "You okay? if you're gonna complain about my lipgloss again I'll change it"

Paige shook her head "No no it's not that" Fumbling through her deep pockets, pulling out a purple heart-shaped velour box "I got you something, so when I'm away you''ll have something to keep with you" her tone soft as she placed the box in my hand.

You swore she could hear your heart pounding out of your chest if it wasn't for the movie beginning to play through the ceramic speakers. Without wasting a second more you opened the box, revealing a ring engraved in a crown, with purple diamonds in each curve, leaf-shaped, just like your favorite Disney Princess.

In awe you looked up at Paige, tears now falling freely, "This is beautiful Paige, I don't even know what to say" you choked.

Wiping your tears with her thumb, she lifted up her other hand revealing a ring placed on her thumb nearly identical to yours, crown-shaped fairly different with a lighter purple tint of diamonds in each wedge. "Every princess needs her prince right?"

Right

[mwahsol]

What do you want from me?

Description: Constant arguments, ignoring each other, miscommunication, etc. After a big fight, you get tired and ask her a question that leads to tears and clarification. Anyway, enjoy(?)

“Say something, got nothing to say now?” She says as she thinks she's got the upper hand, but in the pit of her stomach, she can feel something brewing. Nerves? But what does she have to be nervous about, that blank look on your face? How does she feel like you're looking right through her? No, she's winning, so why does she feel like something bad is coming? No, she's just overthinking. Right?

It felt like hours passed of you just staring at her, why aren't you saying something. As she goes to say something, you beat her to it. “What are we doing?”

Time stops. What do you mean? She's at a loss for words. Her mouth feels dry, all of the words that she braked at you now are words that she regrets, why does her throat feel like it's closing up?

“Paige, what do you want from me?” You ask her. You can't take it. All of the fights, yelling at each other with no end.

“One day we're happy and can't get enough of each other, we kiss, hold hands, we’re in love one day then the next another fight starts and we go to ignoring each other.” There's no way that's true, is it?

“Y/n what are you saying” She lets out scared that she may know the answer.

“Paige, what do you want? Because this isn't healthy, this isn't a relationship.” Looking at you now she notices that you're crying, the beautiful eyes that she could look into forever are crying, and the faces that looks at her with nothing but pure adoration is stained with tears and exhaustion. The face that she holds with care so that she won't hurt you is red and puffy. How did she not see it?

“I love you, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, I love you so much that it consumes me, it eats me alive, but I can't keep fighting with you. I want to be able to come to you and just love you and when we fight it can't be like this. So what do you want? Please I can't take it” Why can't she say anything? Why can't she move? She wants to hug you, she wants to tell you that she wants to fix this but she's stuck. Why? Why now?

You watch her; you can see that she's nervous, but you need an answer. You need to know. You deserve one. “Say something, say anything, fight for me, show me you care.” You scream at her in your head.

You had to ask, it's selfish but you had to, you can't keep going like this. Watching her panic hurts you, all you want to do is hold her and tell her that it's okay and that you're sorry. You could take it back but you don't want to. You need her to tell you even if you sound pathetic. For her, you'll more than happily be.

Why can't she answer? She looks at you like she wants to say something but no words will come out. Why now?

“Maybe we should take some time apart. A few days could be good,” you say, believing it could be good for you both.

“What? No no, we don't need that.” She rushes out scared that if you walk out of her dorm you won't come back. She can't lose you.

“Paige, you can't even answer me. I know what I want, I want you, I've always wanted you through everything, even through all our fights, I fought for you. I know sometimes it didn't seem like it, but I did it all for you. I'm selfish and want you all to myself, but you need some time to think. Maybe the space will be good. Come find me when you're ready to answer me. No matter the answer, I'll be waiting.” Before she can argue and try to make you stay, you collect your bag and shoes, rushing out, but before you kiss her, just in case it may be the last. You pull away to leave her dorm and close the door behind you, knowing if you don't, you'll turn around and run back. It's for the best, you tell yourself, so that maybe it comforts you.

She watches you. How could she stand there and watch you walk out? How could you have thought that space would be good? Why didn't she stop you? Why?

When you kissed her she couldn't react fast enough to kiss you back, if it was one second longer she would’ve kissed you back, she would've held on so that you could see that she needs you, that she wants you. She can taste your tears, even your tears taste sweet to her. Why couldn't she just have told you that she wants you, just you. You are everything she's ever wanted. If you were a drug she would never even think of quitting you.

She can feel herself slowly start crying, as she stands shaking and hyperventilating she feels her crying turn into sobbing quickly. Sobbing over you, the lack of your presence, your tears that she caused, the pleading look in your eyes begging her to just say something, how you rushed out quickly, the kiss that still lingered, how you closed the door before she could even think. She can still smell your vanilla perfume, and the coconut smell of your shampoo, even while you're crying you're still the most beautiful person she's ever seen. Paige Madison Bueckers is completely and utterly in love with you.

She's still sobbing by the time her roommates get home, the only difference is that she's now sitting on a couch trying to calm herself down. KK and Azzi rush over to her trying to ask her what happened. Aubrey rushes to the kitchen to get water while Ice asks if they should call you so that you can help. At hearing your name she's finally able to say something.

“No.” She choked out, “You can't call her, this is my fault.”

“P, what are you talking about?” Azzi asks because they're curious and worried when they walk into their teammate crying alone.

“We were arguing and after a while, she asked me what I wanted and I didn't say anything, why didn't I say anything, I was in shock because I love her so much and she knows I do but the words couldn't come out. Oh god, what if I lost her? Azzi, I can't lose her. I can't do it without her. She said maybe the time would be good and that she’ll wait for my answer but I don't need time, I want her.” She spits out while crying.

“Ok, ok, it's only a little bit of space for you both to calm down and gather your thoughts. She's not gone, and if she's willing to wait for your answer, then that means she loves you too. She's putting your relationship first by giving you time to think because even though she knows you love her, the relationship hasn't been healthy for a while, and she wants to make sure you want to work towards it being healthy, no?” Azzi relays, trying to show Paige that this isn't the end.

“Exactly, and if you mean what you say and want to work on your guy's relationship, this may be good so you can come up with a game plan. Try to see how this could benefit you guys.” Aubrey chimes in, handing her the water making sure she drinks it.

It makes sense but she can't help but be worried that when she goes to give you an answer you won't want it anymore. The rest of the night is a blur to her all she can focus on is how there's reminders of you scattered throughout her dorm. Your pillows and blankets on her bed, your hair ties on her desk because you always lose them and she finds them, perfumes you've left there that she smells whenever she misses you, your clothes lying around, your jewelry mixed with hers, books you've read on her bookshelf, polaroids of you decorate her walls and desk, some of your makeup in the bathroom along with your skincare, you're all around her. You haunt her, all that runs through her mind is how she misses you. She craves you. She prays for you.

Right before she falls asleep she vows you get you back.

You're not any better. As you get to your dorm you feel like you just got hit by a bus, you look like it. As you walk in your roommates see you and try to get your attention to check in on you but all you can do is walk to your room, wanting to be alone. You change into clothes that Paige left there. They swallow you but you don't mind. They smell like her. You can't bring yourself to do anything else, all of your energy has been sucked out of you. All you can think about is Paige, your beautiful girl, how could you leave her like that?

You had to, you love her too much to keep fighting back and forth with her. You exist just for her, you were designed to love her, you breathe for her, and if you could you would crawl inside of her. As your eyes start to shut you wish on every star that she comes to you and tells you that she's ready to fight for you. Every single star is worth her.

As you suggested Paige takes a few days to think, but not about what she wants. She knows what she wants but she wants to make a gesture to show you how much she wants you. Planning has taken her a while but when she was ready to act on her plan she had to almost beg your roommates to help get you out of the dorm. When she heard that you locked yourself in there rarely coming out except to eat it broke her, all she wanted to do was run to you and get on her knees and beg you to come back but she knew that she needed to make it special for you both.

You missed Paige like crazy. You were a bit sad that she hadn't reached out yet but in all fairness, you told her to take a few days and you may have turned off your phone not wanting to hear from anyone.

You slowly started coming out of your room more day by day, after four days one of your roommates asked you if you could get groceries later on in the day so that when she got home she could make dinner.

“Yeah, by what time do you need them?” You ask not wanting to be late.

“Hm probably around 6ish but if you don't mind could you go to the Target 30ish minutes away, I checked if the one near us had the protein powder I need and they don't but the other one does pretty please, I’ll owe you one,” she begs knowing you'll say yes but in reality, she's just trying to get you out of the house so Paige, her teammates, and your other roommate could help them with her plan.

“Yeah, sure, I'll leave like at 4ish, maybe 3:30, that ok?” Thinking about possible traffic, you give yourself some time.

“Yes, thank you so much.” She can't wait to start settling everything up as soon as she sees you leave.

As you check the time it reads 3:16, you get up and start getting a bit ready so you don't go out looking like how you feel, you shower in the morning so now it is just to do a bit of makeup and change. When you feel presentable you start collecting your things to head out.

“Kay, imma head out.” You gave them a heads-up.

“Ok, be safe,” they call out as you shut the door. When they see your car heading out from the window, they call the team to give them the green light to come over and start prepping.

As they start rearranging the dorm to fit the plan they hear a knock and come face to face with the all team.

“Do you think she’ll like it?” Paige asks nervously knowing you'll like it but needing a bit of reassurance from the people who are also close to you.

“You know she will, but hey, remember we know where you live, so treat our girl right, yeah?” Your other roommate tells her while bringing in some flowers, threatening her teasingly, she knows Paige would die before she ever purposely hurt you.

“Yeah, I know, let's get to work so we can finish,” she replies, confident in her plan.

When you're nearing your dorm you're a bit suspicious that you can't hear anything, usually, there's at least some noise from the TV or speaker playing music but it’s oddly silent. You ignore it just wanting to drop off the groceries and go into your room to take a nap.

As you put in your key and push the door open, you're greeted by roses, candles, and flower petals leading to the living room? As you follow them, confused, you see her, Paige, your Paige. Everything in your body wants to run to her and kiss her till you can't breathe anymore, you hold yourself back. The last time you saw each other, a lot of tears were shed, and she never gave you an answer. You had to respect that.

“What are you doing here?” You ask, wanting to appear calm, but in reality, inside, you were jumping up and down, just happy to see her.

“I never gave you an answer,” Paige says while looking at you trying to soak in your appearance. God, you are more beautiful every time she looks at you. Your hair that she could run her hands through, your face that is embedded into her mind, her shirt that you're wearing, how you can tell that it isn't yours showing people that you're hers. She could look at you forever and never get tired of you.

“Yeah, you didn't.” You turn to put the groceries in the kitchen, hoping to hide the fact that you're desperate to hear what her answer is. As you set them down, you come to stand in front of her, your soul focus is her. Even with all the roses, candles, and twinkling lights around you, all you can stare at is her. “Well, Paige, what do you say,” you need to hear her say it. It won't matter unless it is from her.

“Y/n, my sweet girl, you are the love of my life, you're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, I'm blessed that every day I get to wake up next to you, and if I'm not next to you, I look forward to see you. You are the most enchanting person I've ever seen, since the first time I saw you, I never wanted to look away, whenever I play, I make sure you're watching me because I want to impress you and show you how hard I work so that one day when I go pro, you'll still watch me and get that beautiful smile when I score. I can't fathom the thought of ever not loving you. Baby, I can't even talk regularly about you, you make me dizzy with your near existence, I admire you every day. I soak up every detail about you. Whenever I'm not with you, I miss you, during my away games, when you can't come, or just when you’re in a different room, I miss you. For so long, my dream has been basketball then I met you, and I started dreaming about you. When people ask me about you, I cannot help but light up at the chance to talk about you, even coach has told me that my eyes light up when I talk about you. When I listen to older love songs, you come to mind. Every love song is about you in my eyes. I'd give up anything just to be in your presence. The first time you said you love me, right then, in that moment, I found out what heaven is. You asked me what I want, y/n all I want is you, I want you, only you, I want you entirely, no one and nothing else will work. I want to work on this with you, I want to do everything with you, I promise to be better with you, please, baby I can't be me without you.” While Paige went on with her speech, you started crying. You couldn’t believe how much this woman loves you, how much she adores you, how much she's ready to give so that this can work. She wants you just as much as you want her.

“Paige I want you so much,” when you say that she rushed to you, she crashes into you holding you like you could vanish into thin air, she holds you like she’ll never let you go. You hold her just as much.

While you both just hold each other in the middle of your living room, she can feel you laughing. “What's so funny, baby?” She asks curiously.

“Well, I kind of also have a gift for you, but I have to go get it from my room,” you say, legging go of her slowly to go get it, but she's holding you tighter, not liking the idea, “Yeah nah get it another time I'm happy here.”

You giggle, swaying your bodies, “I promise it'll only be like five seconds. Come on, my love.” As you tell her, you cradle her face, sipping away some of the tears that she let out while she was giving her speech for you. Now pouting teasingly, she nods but tells you to be quick. You rush to your room to collect a pink envelope from your vanity and come back to see her sitting on the couch, waiting for you with open arms.

“What's that?” She asks with a smile, having an idea of what it is. You climb in next to her while she wraps her arm around your shoulder you answer, “A letter I wrote for you.”

“Read it to me,” she says, laying her head on your shoulder, ready to hear you speak, you nod your head, opening the letter, and start reading it.

“P I was destined to meet you, I was destined to fall in love with you, I knew it as soon as you said hi to me and asked me if I knew where the theater was. I have loved you for three years, and I will love you for many more. I'll love you even when we're nothing but dust. I believe that we were made from the same star. I fall for you every day, I fall for your smile; your laughter is my favorite sound, and I could listen to your voice forever. You make me feel alive. You have shown me what it's like to be loved gently and have taught me how you love gently. I have memorized the shade of your eyes, how your hair feels, the warmth of your skin, every small scar on your face, your teeth, and your favorite perfumes, I even remember your heartbeat. I crave just to lay down beside you. I love you with every part of my soul. I cherish the nights when we cook together and just laugh. The small moments are things I will never overlook or forget. When your hands hurt, I want to hold them, I want to kiss them better. I want it all for you. I will forever support your dreams, I'll do everything in my power to help you get to where you want. To me, you're everything. If you wish to have a star, I'll steal one from the sky to give it to you. Anything you want, I'll give you. Paige, I love you more than words could ever describe.”

As you finish, you look and see her crying again, “I'm sorry, love I didn't want to make you cry.” You try to wipe all the tears you can.

“No, no, I'm just happy that we both are here together and in love. I never imagined that I could ever love someone this much. Y/n, you're it for me, you know that, don't you? I'll marry you one day and give you my last name that you can wear with pride.” She confesses, hoping you know how certain she is that she will marry you.

“I know baby, I'll proudly wear your name even now. You're it for me too,” you say while looking directly into her eyes so she can also see how much you want it to.

“Good, I'm so grateful for you baby.” You can't help but laugh a little that you were worried a few days ago that she didn't want this, “I'm grateful for you too.”

“Do y'all think they're good?”

“Probably those two are too locked in to give up.”

“Yeah, I was kinda looking forward to making dinner though…”

‘Shut up, let's go get food I’m starving too.” Both of your roommates knew you would work it out, but they weren't patient enough to wait for y'all to get done to go get food.

Soooooo, hey, you guys...anyway, I kinda have an idea for a fic, but I'm still working out a few details, and maybe I'll post it before I go back to editing my old work to be reuploaded. Omg also, I'm about to drop out of school soon to go to cosmetology, so wish me luck, ya girl needs it. <3

Kiss the sun🌞

[taurasiluvr]

girlyyy we need paige w the strap NEOWW💔. also i 🤍 ur writing smmm

here ya go queen cus me too. we all know p's strap game goes super duper hard

your mind was absolutely empty except for the overwhelming sensations coursing through your body. paige's hands gripped your hips with a possessive intensity, guiding your movements as she thrust into you with a rhythm that was both relentless but so perfect. every stroke sent waves of pleasure rippling through you, building higher and higher with each thrust.

"oh fuck, you're so tight," paige groaned, her voice husky with desire. "feel so good, baby."

you could only moan in response, your hands clutching the sheets as you tried to hold on. you couldn't even remember that nope, this wasn't an extension of her, it was simply a piece of plastic but the way paige's face looked right now, proves otherwise.

she looked like she could feel you, nice and tight around her ─ of course, you weren't gonna say anything because right now, you were too fucked out to even think, let alone talk.

the feeling of her strap filling you so completely, combined with the way her body pressed against yours, was driving you wild. every nerve ending in your body felt alive, electrified by the pleasure she was giving you.

paige's pace quickened, her thrusts becoming more urgent as she chased your high. she leaned down, her breath hot against your ear as she whispered, "gonna cum for me, baby?"

"oh yeah," you gasped, barely able to form the word. "yes, paige, please don't stop."

her hand moved between your bodies, finding your clit and rubbing it in time with her thrusts. the added sensation pushed you over the edge, a cry tearing from your throat as your orgasm crashed over you. your body convulsed, every muscle tightening as the pleasure consumed you.

paige didn't stop, continuing to thrust and rub until she felt you begin to relax, your body going limp with satisfaction. she slowed her movements, her touch becoming gentle and soothing as she helped you ride out the last waves of your climax.

when she finally stilled, she pulled out carefully and lay beside you, gathering you into her arms. you were both breathless, your bodies slick with sweat and glowing with the afterglow of your pleasure.

if you enjoyed, any interaction is greatly appreciated!

with love, rylin 𝜗𝜚

[pboogerswbb]

TOO LOST IN YOU - part VII

Paige Bueckers x bartender!oc

Warnings: toxic!p, language, sexual language, emotional rollercoaster lol

Wordcount: 4.2K

A/N: SURPRISE SHAWTYYY! didn't think i was gonna get this done today but i did so here is part 7! ily guys please share your thoughts, it keeps me motivated. ty for all your support :))

(paragraphs in italics are flashbacks)

-

“I love you Valerie.”

Everything stops. The world caves in. The only sound in my ears is ringing, my heart pounding in my head. My chest tightens and stomach twists, the taste of liquor nauseatingly sweet in my mouth. 

None of it registers at first, the blonde’s mouth moving but I don’t hear a word that comes out. Not until her hands land on my cheeks to hold my face, as she repeats the words.

“I love you okay?” 

I blink at her stupidly, finally taking in those three words the girl was telling me. For a second I think it’s a trick, some sort of joke she’s trying to play on me. To make me look like a damn fool like she had many times before. But then Paige’s blue eyes turn red and glossy, a single tear falling down her cheek. The blonde seemed nearly as shocked by this revelation as I was.

“Val, please say something.”

Her voice is weak, pleading, thumbs smoothing over the skin of my cheeks as she watches me. I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. My head feels like a mess, my brain turning more into mush the more I try to understand the girl in front of me. 

Memories of me curled up on my bed, sobbing for a week straight after we first called it quits flash through my head, the way my roommates were bringing me food begging me to eat. The excruciating ache in my chest now only a memory felt realer than anything. If I had to go through that again, it might just kill me. Even if somewhere deep down I could feel it eating me alive - the need to say those three words back.

“No, Paige,” I sigh, pushing her hands off me, our gazes meeting. “Paige you don’t love me, you don’t know anything about love!”

“That’s bullshit,” she says back defiantly, her tear filled eyes stuck on mine. “If you don’ feel the same then just say it, don’ come up with some bullshit reason.”

It hurts me, the crack in her voice when she says it. But the fear is much greater than the way it hurts to do this.

“I’m serious Paige, you’re being stupid!” 

“Look me in the eye and tell me you don’ feel it too Val.”

“That’s not the point-”

“Look me in the eye and tell me-”

“I don’t feel that!” Slips from my mouth, the words so convincing I almost believe them myself.

Paige looks devastated, tears streaming down her cheeks. She brings a hand over her face, hiding from me. For a while we stand there, her sniffling the only sound between us.

She wipes her face, not meeting my gaze as she waves a hand at me dismissively, turning around heading back into the bar.

“Man fuck this shit.”

-

December 2024

“Oh my God, what are you doing Paige?!”

Valerie’s lying in bed, her golden brown hair sprawled out on my pillow, naked body wrapped in the purple sheets as I’m struggling to zip up the mini skirt she had arrived in, much too short for the Christmas party we’d gone to. Though it only took an hour till I was dragging the girl back to mine, the way she’d looked in her outfit drove me up a wall.

“Tryna make a point.”

I look insane, the black mini skirt much too small on my tall frame, Valerie’s sparkly top covering my upper body, looking nothing short of ridiculous on me. The brunette was much shorter and let’s just say the style of the clothes wasn’t exactly… something I usually wore.

“Now where the boots at?” I say panting, finally giving up on the struggle with the zipper of the skirt.

“NO! Don’t touch them, you’re gonna break them!” Valerie yells scooching up on the bed, her face red from how hard she’d been laughing at my absurd behaviour.

“Are you sayin’ I got big feet?” I ask in mock offense, taking my hair down from a bun, messy from the way the brunette in my bed had been pulling on it while I ate her out for the past hour. I would’ve gone for longer but the whines out of that one got so loud Jana and Allie might’ve killed me if I didn’t stop.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” she laughs that bright, clear laugh of hers. The one I swear I could never get sick of. “Now take my clothes off! You look ridiculous!”

“Hollup, my point!” I blurt out and stand still in front of her. “These clothes show waaay too much for me to keep my hands to myself.”

Valerie frowns, trying to hide the smirk growing on her face. “Well I don’t really want you right now, I’ll be honest.”

I scoff loud, picking up a pillow from the ground and throwing it at the brunette. She dodges it while giggling.

“I’m just sayinnn’” I roll my eyes and turn around, half of my ass in my boxers peeking out of the tiny skirt. Valerie bursts into a laugh. “Can’t be acting all innocent when you wear a skirt this short. You knew whatchu were doin’.”

“OKAY fine! I wore it so you’d fuck me! Happy?” Valerie giggles, the infectious sound forcing my mouth to twist into a grin. 

“Happy,” I hum and lean over to kiss her, she dodges me though leaving me pouting.

“Take the clothes off first,” the girl commands.

“Don’t have to tell me twice.”

I quickly undress, throwing the clothes all over my room until I’m only in my white boxers, climbing on top of Valerie and tickling her sides, eliciting loud screams from her.

“Jana and Allie are gon’ throw you out if you don’t learn to shut up,” I joke, letting her push my hands away.

“Then stop tickling me you freak!” She yelps, her sheet covered chest heaving.

“I got some other ways to make you scream ma,” I say, wiggling my brows, pulling the purple sheet off her, my eyes hungry to see more again. The brunette is completely naked, apart from the silky purple panties decorating my favourite part of her. 

“Paigeee!” Valerie whines, but the smile on her face tells me she’s enjoying this. Looking her up and down I shake my head and whistle.

“Goddamn Val, lemme go again,” I groan, my mouth already watering to taste her. 

“Paige I got an early class, I gotta head back,” the brunette under me complains, pushing my head away as I try to kiss her neck.

“No.”

With all my body weight I lie down on top of her, not allowing her to move an inch.

“PAIGEE!”

“Don’t want you to go yet,” I murmur and bury my nose in her hair, letting the scent of coconut comfort me with every inhale. I was itching to ask her to stay over, my lips nearly forming the words. But it was a rule I couldn’t break. I’d already broken far too many just for Valerie.

Truthfully I knew I was obsessed, completely fucked with how I felt about this girl. But I did all I could to push that feeling away. It wasn’t the right time for any of this - maybe if I was someone else I could live my life just to please her, to make her laugh like she had all evening - and God what a happy life that would be. But in this life it wasn’t the task I’d been given. I had bigger worries, a national championship to win. Valerie would be a complete distraction. So I stay silent, trying to make the moment of pretending I’m someone else last a little longer.

Valerie’s blunt nails scratch up and down the skin of my back, my face buried into the crook of her neck.

“When are you leaving for Christmas?” My voice comes out needy but I let it.

“Friday,” Val murmurs, her hand brushing through my hair, forcing my muscles to relax in her arms.

In a moment of utter tranquility I admit.

“I’ll miss you.”

There’s a moment of silence before Valerie’s soft voice mumbles into my ear.

“I’ll miss you too.”

My chest swells with affection, the words forcing a smile to grow on my face. Gently I place kisses on the brunette’s collarbone and shoulder.

“You miss your other girls too?” Valerie’s voice trembles, breaking my heart. I pull back to look at her face, those perfect big brown eyes I couldn’t get enough of.

“No, fuck ‘em, I don even think about ‘em,” I answer truthfully. “I don even fuck with ‘em no more.”

Perhaps I shouldn’t have said that last bit, but it was true - partly. I had barely used my roster in the last two months, my mind completely too wrapped in the brunette underneath me. Only in an emergency did I call any girl up. Shit, I’d even been toying with the idea of just deleting their numbers. Deep down it worried me though, what it might mean for me and Valerie. Maybe it was time. It’s not like I was gonna date her, but no one else got me going anymore. What was the point in fucking them? 

“You’re lying,” Valerie says, a hint of hurt in her voice. She could always see right through me.

“Nah, I’m serious. Ion wanna fuck anyone else, do you wanna fuck someone else?”

She bats her eyes at me before slowly shaking her head.

“Then how about we don’t fuck anyone else?”

With a slight smile she nods. 

-

“Okay okay okay Paige no more, I actually have to go now.”

It was two hours later, the blonde had insisted on one more round that had quickly turned into two. Lying on top of her, I finally climb out of bed, my body feeling worn out. I didn’t mind though, I felt ecstatic - almost embarrassingly so. I knew it wasn’t dating, but it was something more. A beginning of something new for me and Paige. From now on it would be just the two of us, no one else. Deep down I wished it meant something greater, that she was in fact falling for me. But perhaps I was just naive in thinking so. That the way she kissed me sometimes felt like this is more to her than sex.

As much as it hurts my ego to admit, I was into her. Badly so. Maybe even falling for her. Paige had grown on me, she was the first person I thought of when I woke up, and the last before I fell asleep,

“You’re no fun Val,” the blonde whines and I playfully shove her, starting to pull my clothes back on.

“Take that back!”

“Fine, fine…” Paige murmurs and gets up too, grabbing my hand and kissing it. I nearly whimper. “You can be fun.”

Rolling my eyes I pull my hand away and slide on the cropped hoodie and sweats I had brought with me. Paige smacks my butt hard as I’m bent over, looking for socks in my bag, making me yelp.

“Did you take my socks?” I ask accusingly as Paige is throwing on a white tee. 

“No,” she scoffs. “I ain’t into all that.”

Again, rolling my eyes I scoff. My gaze roams the floor trying to see where my socks could be.

“I’mma go get some water baby,” Paige murmurs, pressing a kiss into my temple before she leaves, my heart immediately aching. Just being a room away was far enough to make my body yearn for her.

Frustrated, I huff and get on my knees. Where were these damn socks? Getting onto the carpeted floor of the blonde’s dorm I look under her bed, my sharp eyes roaming all the forgotten junk left there - hair ties, Paige’s own spare socks, and… a bright pink bra.

The moment I saw it I knew it wasn’t mine. I never wore pink and the bra was much too large for me. It was some other girl’s, someone from Paige’s roster owned that bra. Just a week ago I had dug my hair clip out from under the bed and the bra hadn’t been there. Somehow within the week it had appeared, now forgotten.

I immediately feel nauseous, my heart pounding out of my chest. The tears spill from my eyes involuntarily as I get up from the floor, my hands shaking as I try to hold my breath. Like somehow not breathing would make it better, would delay the realisation about to hit me.

She lied. She hadn’t meant any of it. She’s not with anyone else anymore? Bullshit.

Doing everything I can to hold back my tears I quickly gather my things, socks or no socks I had to get out. I rush out into the hallway, quickly putting my shoes on as Paige returns, holding two glasses of water. For me and her.

“Damn I didn’t know you were in such a hur-”

She goes quiet when she sees my bloodshot eyes, my quivering lower lip.

“Valerie, whoa what’s wrong?” She coos, brows furrowing in concern as she sets the glasses down and tries to grab hold of me.

“Don’t touch me!” I tell her, my voice shrill and shaky.

Paige looks at me shocked, clearly unaware where the sudden change was stemming from.

“Yo, Val…”

“See I knew you were a dick but you’re an even bigger liar than I realised. Fuck you Paige and I mean that,” I cry out, defiantly meeting her gaze. I wanted to hurt her the way I felt hurt, the way my heart felt like it had been stabbed repeatedly.

“Baby what’s going on?”

“Do not call me that! Ever again! Matter of fact I never wanna talk to you again, or see you again. Go fuck those other girls on your roster I don’t give a shit!”

With that and before the blonde can respond, I rush out, barely feeling the icy breeze of December, my feelings much too intense to feel anything at all. I felt dizzy, my brain struggling to keep up. I don’t start sobbing until I close the door to my dorm behind me, sliding down against it and crashing onto the floor. 

-

“Hey.”

“Hey, come in.”

Jay looks tired when she opens her door to let me in with a box full of her stuff (surprisingly a lot) she’d left at mine in the past month. It was the first time I’d seen her since her birthday, a couple weeks of me trying to reach her for nothing. She’d finally called me back yesterday and agreed to talk.

“Let me get that Riri,” the blonde murmurs, grabbing the box from my hands. I couldn’t push away the veil of guilt hovering over me. I could feel it in my chest, tightening and making me nauseous.

“Could we talk?” I ask carefully and to my surprise Jay nods. We slip into her dorm room, as I take off my jacket. March had been pleasant and bright, a surprising warmth making way for spring.

I take a deep breath closing the door behind us. I was ready to beg, to get on my knees and crawl for her to forgive me and take me back. These two weeks had given me time to really think, to reflect. Without distractions, without Paige. 

God had I gotten myself into a mess. All because of Paige fucking Bueckers. None of it was sensible really, not at all. Matter of fact the only thing that made sense about this whole situation was me and Jay. And I know with time I’d fall in love with her. At least I felt safe with her. So I was ready to do anything for her to take me back.

Just as I’m about to begin my well practiced speech Jay interrupts me.

“Before you start, I talked to Paige.”

My heart drops, hearing her name already enough to make my mind spin. I stand quietly for a while, just staring at the blue eyed girl.

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Justine hums, looking at the ground, patting the bed next to where she’s sitting. I carefully sit down, leaving some space between us. My mind is racing but my mouth can’t form any words, so for a brief moment I just stare at the hands in my lap.

“Wh- what’d she say?” I ask, my voice a little shaky.

Jay sighs and shrugs. “She wouldn’t tell me anything.”

Good. But surprising. I figured she would’ve said anything to get me to herself, tell her all about what we’d been up to before we got caught. She’s just that selfish, saying whatever for her own selfish reasons. Even telling me she loved me.

“Look, Jay. I fucked up, I really did. But I wanna make it right with us, please let me. I don’t wanna lose you,” I plead my case, taking Jay’s hands and meeting her gaze. She looks at me softly, a sad smile on her face when she pulls her hands back.

“Valerie…” She sighs. “I’m not mad. I was, for a few days but not anymore. Not since I understood.”

I furrow my brows in confusion. “Understood what?”

She takes a deep breath, holding my gaze. “She loves you.”

I scoff, burying my face into my hands. God, Paige was the most manipulative person I knew, even convincing Jay about her feelings for me. I can’t believe she had said that to Jay. How incredibly selfish of her.

“Look, even if she said that she doesn’t actually mean that. Paige says stupid shit all the time, so if she said tha-”

“She didn’t.” The blonde interrupts. I’m once again confused.

“She didn’t have to, I could tell,” Jay explains. I rub my eyes before returning my hands to my lap. “She came over here the day after… everything. Told me that she’d been sleeping with you. That she had convinced you to, and I shouldn’t be mad at you. That it was all her fault, and that she feels like shit about it.”

There’s an uncomfortable knot in my stomach as I listen to the girl next to me, imagining Paige by her door, taking the blame for everything we’d done together. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest.

“Then she said I should forgive you and take you back. That I seem like a good person and I deserve you. That you deserve someone like me, someone that makes you happy and makes you feel safe.”

I swallow loud, my mind trying to wrap around the words coming out of Jay’s mouth.

“She said you’re the most beautiful and most special girl she’s ever met, and that I’m lucky to have you. That I shouldn’t fuck it up like she did, that I should protect you and take good care of you so you can be happy. She kept saying that. How she just wants you to be happy Riri,” Jay sighs looking out of the window. I look too, watching the two birds flying around a branch, chasing each other.

“She looked like she’d been crying. Her eyes were all red and stuff.”

I felt an ache in my chest, a weight on me like I couldn’t breathe. The prospect of Paige saying all that, the most selfish person I knew willing to let me go just for me to be happy, felt unbelievable. Maybe I got some of it wrong, maybe she wasn’t selfish at all. Maybe she really cared for me, or perhaps, maybe she really loved me.

The thought makes my heart swell, my brown eyes welling up. For a moment I dare to dream that Jay was right, that Paige meant every word she said. That she loved me. Paige loved me.

Suddenly I’m crying, tears spilling down my cheeks as I bury my face into my hands once more. The blonde next to me rubs my back comfortingly.

“See, I always wondered why no matter what I did, how much I worked, you just didn’t like me like I liked you. It drove me up the walls wondering,” Jay murmurs while I sniffle into my hands. “Valerie, you love her too.”

And I nod. She’s right. Now that I had the courage to believe Paige really loved me it was impossible not to admit it. I loved her too.

-

“All I care about is money and the city that I'm from I'ma sip until I feel it, I'ma smoke it till it's done And I don't really give a fuck, and my excuse is that I'm young,” KK raps, shaking me harshly, somehow still hyped from yesterday’s win. Bless her but I wouldn’t mind if she was a little less hyped about it.

“C’mon P boogers, sing with meeee!” The girl complains as the song continues playing in the background. With a groan, I push her hands off my black Nike tech, sliding my sleep mask back over my eyes.

“And I'm only getting older sosomebody shoulda told ya I'm on one, yeah, Fuck it, I'm on one!” KK’s practically jumping now. Thankfully Caroline sitting behind us pushes the girl back down onto her seat. 

“Put your seatbelt on!” She commands and I sigh in relief.

“Thank you Lord,” I mumble, leaning my head against the seat. I knew the girl next to me only had good intentions - I hadn’t really been myself since Valerie had turned me down. In fact I’d barely slept, waking up in tears on a few occasions, not able to escape her even in my dreams. 

I tried to bury myself in the game which was the only thing that seemed to work. So for the past 2 weeks all I had done was train - it was fine by me. Because the national championship was only a few games away, barely out of my reach. I had faith in us that it was ours. That Valerie turning me down was God’s plan of reminding me what really was important - the game. Being great.

Still, I hadn’t felt like laughing much. No matter the effort from the girls. I just didn’t feel like it. I didn’t feel anything. The win barely felt like anything either.

“Paige you prolly shouldn’t sleep, we’re almost home,” Ice chuckles and I lift my eye mask, grinning a little. 

“Oh I only put this on so Ion have to see KK’s stupid face,” I joke, making the girl next to me scoff loudly.

“YOO, I wanna sit next to someone else,” she groans, standing up in her seat once more. “COAACH can I sit next to you!” She yells to the front of the bus, making everyone groan. We loved her though, I swear.

“Absolutely not.” Geno says sternly, just when the bus pulls up to Storrs, stopping abruptly. Everyone starts stirring around me, but I just sit there, watching the girls pack their stuff. I let everyone off the bus before me - usually I was one of the first ones trying to get out, too restless to sit still and wait. But I don't care right now. I take my time gathering the things spread all over my seat, carefully packing my backpack and taking my time zipping it up. Trying to prolong the moment I had to step into my dorm room as much as I could.

Everything in there reminds me of her. The pillows still had a faint scent of coconut, the white t-shirt I’d borrowed her that first night we met staring back at me in my closet. After checking twice that no one left anything on the bus, I finally make my way out, rubbing my eyes and stepping out into the March evening. 

When my eyes flicker open I see her, like a cruel mirage of some sort making my knees nearly buckle. Valerie’s standing by the parking lot, staring at me. I can tell from the flush in her cheeks and the way she’s wrapping the jacket around her that she’s been waiting for a while.

My chest tightens when our eyes meet, part of me wants to run, the other to cry. But I stand there, watching her. She looks as beautiful as ever, and I can’t help but let out a sigh of relief getting to see her wide eyes once more. Fuck I missed her.

“Valerie?” I ask, my heart racing so hard I feel lightheaded. I walk to her out of instinct, holding my backpack over my shoulder. Valerie looks at me, gathering courage as she opens her mouth.

“I love you too.”

Before I can process, she’s kissing me, hands wrapped around my shoulders and I instinctually lift her legs off the ground by her waist, my lips pressing into hers desperately. It feels like I’ve been drowning and I’m finally coming up for air, relief washing over me. I don’t understand, and I don’t need to. At this moment all I know is I love her, and Valerie loves me too.

-

taglist: @thaatdigitaldiary @wbbismypassion69 @bueckersfive @onlyhereforpazzi @lovegalor333 @frankoceanlvr303039 @angryflowerwitch@mamixdanni @rosemariiaa @d3arapril @vbueckers @sageworld @makethemhoesmad @sierrale8ne @justliketoreadsowhat@oreo2sblog @sftlyortega @slvt4her @julieloveswbb@vsz333 @faeries-posts @vamptizm @ellapurnellmybeloved @ivorygoal @onlyhereforpazzi @thelightknight21@paigeluvvr@absolutelydreadful@imamartini@lupinqs@authentic-girl03@isurpussygreen@xxloveralways14 @ivorygoal @wcbbfics @numberonepartyanth3m @mtslab @paigesbabygirl @jadasogay @bueckersp @joemamasbib @mrpotscrapa535 @avvwritesstufff @paigesluver

[girlokwhatever]

₊˚ପ⊹˚୨୧⋆ ⋆༉‧₊˚.: ̗̀➛ she loves me, she loves me not,,

part 3 ; back and forth

previous part

paige bueckers x fem!reader (fake dating trope)

it’s been a week since you last saw paige, relentlessly rejecting her invitations to hangout and spend time together.

at first you were able to use the excuse of being sick as you feigned cough over the phone. but after five days, realizing no one else was sick and you sounded relatively fine, she stopped believing you. you only answered her phone calls, typically ignoring her texts and using the excuse of sleeping being the reason you hadn’t ever replied.

she was starting to get annoyed. especially when she saw you out in public with a group of your friends. you lied, and now she caught you red-handed.

she approached your friend group, recognizing a few of them. you were laughing, no cough and no watery eyes from the cold you claimed to have. if anything you seemed great, smile glowing like you didn’t have a care in the world.

“hey, babe!”

“paige- hey.. what are you doing here?” you attempt to keep the cheery tone of your voice alive, smile still plastered on your face.

“i could ask you the same thing.”

“i’ll catch up to you guys later.” you wave yourself goodbye, turning away from your friends in what seems like a loving embrace with paige.

she’s pissed. her brows are furrowed and there’s an evident frown on her lips as she looks at you. you try to come up with some excuse for being here, something to cover up your avoidance of the woman standing in front of you. nothing comes to mind though and you’re stuck in the awkward silence for a few moments.

“are we just gonna pretend like you haven’t been lying to me for a week?”

“i haven’t.”

“right. i can obviously see how deathly sick you are.”

the reality of your behavior started to sink in, guilt trickling into your consciousness. you knew you had your reasons though, even if it wasn’t properly executed.

after the party last weekend everything shifted for you. you knew it could only end one way and figured taking matters into your own hands wouldn’t be too bad. if you pushed her away, maybe whatever was going on between the two of you would fade.

it wasn’t. it consumed paige’s every breath. every thought and emotion. once she figured out you probably weren’t actually sick, her heart sank. she couldn’t understand what was going on with you or your ‘relationship.’ your lack of communication didn’t help much either.

“i don’t really want to talk about this.”

“then what else should we talk about? maybe we should talk about how all my friends are asking where my girlfriend went and i have to make up some lame excuse on why you refuse to talk to me. let’s talk about that. or maybe we can talk about how you’ve completely shut me out. or do you have nothing to say? like you’ve had nothing to say for a while fucking week.”

“shut up.”

“no, i-”

“shut up. bianca is like, ten feet away.”

she’s about to turn her head (amateur move) in the direction you’re looking but you stop her, managing to cup your hands around her face in time. her eyes still wander around trying to catch a glimpse of something, anything, but decides you’re the best view.

even though she’s mad, upset, and honestly hurt that you lied, she can’t feel that way forever when you look like that. you’re looking straight into her eyes like you’re searching for something. paige’s eyes scan over you in your entirety, especially landing on your lips every now and then.

and it’s as if, by some miracle, you understand what her eyes are saying. her eyes are saying something her words can’t and won’t say. without giving yourself time to process your decision, you pull paige in by the sides of her face and kiss her.

it’s surprisingly slow and sweet, only lasting a few seconds. you thought you’d panic into it but it just felt so natural. paige’s hands find solace on your hips, pulling you closer when you part from her lips.

she doesn’t know if bianca is still watching and honestly doesn’t even care. she pulls you into a kiss of her own, this one being much more desperate and heated. you have to grip the back of her neck to steady yourself as she pulls you further into her space. the kiss lasted longer than either of you intended, finally pulling away and fighting for air.

paige is still so close to you, holding your body against hers. she leans in, kissing your forehead, then moves her face down to your ear, “don’t ever avoid me like that again.”

you nod at her words, not taking the time to comprehend how serious her tone is. when you turn your head you catch a glimpse of bianca and she’s already staring back at you, a deep frown settled on her face. you look away from her instantly and focus back on paige, who is still standing in front of you with her hand on your cheek.

“i’m so sorry i did that, i really should’ve asked first.”

“nah, don’t apologize. girlfriends kiss, right?”

you experience a whirlwind of emotions almost instantly. realizing everything that’s happened in the span of five minutes astonishes you undoubtedly. you can’t believe you kissed paige, and even more so than that, you can’t believe she kissed you back. out of her own free will, she pulled you back into another kiss.

paige was probably the best you’ve ever had too, but you don’t really have her.

it’d been a few weeks since the beginning of your scheme with paige. things were starting to go better, get more casual. she was sitting on your couch next to you, your legs draped over hers as you watched a movie together.

you never ended up officially talking about the kiss or the fact that you ignored her. you were thankful that she just let those moments pass because you honestly had no idea what kind of excuse you could make up for either.

paige’s hand brushed through your hair and gently pulled out any tangles as she went. it was sweet, loving even. anyone from an outside perspective would think it to be highly romantic.

“hey, i think im gonna go out with my friends tonight. eva’s trying to plan this friend get-together thing.”

she turns to you, peeling her eyes away from the screen. her gaze flickers between your eyes and lips, something you don’t notice because you’re texting eva back.

paige can’t help but to think about how beautiful you are, especially when it’s her shirt you’re wearing. it’s nothing out of the ordinary, even before your predicament, but it feels much more intimate now.

“that’s cool. where’re yall gonna go?”

“to a club i think. eva’s a party girly.”

“like you?”

you feign a gasp, finally looking at paige. she’s looking back at you with a grin because she loves to tease you and she loves being right.

“like me?! i’m not,” you’re shaking your head in denial. there’s still a smile on both of your faces when you lock eyes. paige’s hand stills in your hair, traveling down to the back of your neck.

she hardly even registers that she pulls your face into her, meshing your lips together. she kisses you, slotting her lips between yours in a delicate moment of intimacy. you kiss her back like it’s second nature to you. you find so much peace and comfort in paige that you practically forget she’s only your friend.

you’re pulling away first with wide eyes and pinker lips. paige also seems to be snapping back to reality, immediately standing up and apologizing.

“shit- princess i’m so sorry. i just forgot-”

you cut her off; the awkwardness of the moment being close to unbearable, “it’s okay paige. i’m just gonna..”

“yeah, you should.. y’know.”

“yeah.. i’ll go get ready. you can um..”

“i’ll just go, yeah. i’ll see you later.”

“see ya.. i’ll, y’know, text you later.”

“sounds good.”

she leaves you to the silence of your apartment, the soft hum of the air conditioning suddenly seeming so deafening. paige’s voice buzzes in your ear as you stare at her spot on the couch. millions of emotions and revelations wash over you like holy water, and finally the stars seem to align for you. you finally have some semblance of understanding as to why.

you feel a tear trickle down your face, rolling over your cheek and eventually down your chin. you sit back down on the couch while more tears continue to fall, a choked sob escaping you before you even register how upset you really are.

you love paige. it was so hard to admit to yourself, guilt creeping in at the thought that maybe, in some way, bianca was right. it had been a long time since you loved bianca, always naturally gravitating towards paige more and you could see how that would hurt her. there was no physical cheating, but mentally you had always been with paige.

paige is the best you’ve ever had relationship-wise, but you can never have her. she’s this untouchable entity, one that could ruin your life if you let her. if you get with her, bianca was right and no one can deny it.

you think that maybe you put yourself and paige in this position on purpose subconsciously because this was the only way you felt like you could have her. maybe it was a form of further.

but now that your situation is actually live, it’s slapped in your face how fake it is. none of those feelings were real for her. it was all a game you two were playing.

maybe you were right. you couldn’t have her.

you wiped your tears away, pulling yourself off the couch and towards your room. you needed to escape into your own form of reality, one that wouldn’t come back to haunt you.

since you’ve finally been able to successfully admit your unrealistic and unrequited feelings for paige, you can begin to move on from them. maybe tonight you could find something to help you move on. or someone.

⍣ ೋ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆‧₊˚ ⋅* ‧₊🀥·˚ ༘

GUYS I WILL SPELL CHECK THIS SOME OTHER TIME

why do i feel like this series makes zero sense

guys if you have genuine feedback pls lmk PLS

like is this even good anymore seriously.