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atlafan · 4 years

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Something New - One Shot

a/n: I’ve been working on this for a couple of weeks, rewrote half of it, and now I feel like it’s good enough to post. I guess you could call this enemies to friends to lovers??? they’re both idiots, honestly lmao, anyways, enjoy biology teacher!Harry (not proofread) reblogs and feedback are helpful!

Warnings: a little bit of angst, fluff, and smut

Words: 20K

Divorced, new home, new town, new job, and a new school district for the kids all within the same year. Y/N had been separated from her husband for a couple of years prior, but when he moved in with his girlfriend, she knew it was officially over. It sucked. She knew she’d look back on it someday and be grateful that they ended things, but right now she wasn’t too happy about it. He got to be a weekend dad with his young girlfriend by his side, and there she was looking like the crazy old hang. It wasn’t her fault for not taking the best care of herself. She was depressed, could you blame her. They lived in one of those towns where everyone knew every little thing about you, so it was time to get out.

Securing the new job was the first on the list. If she could do that then maybe the kids would be more understanding about leaving. Y/N was a database manager for a non-profit organization. She was behind the scenes, and that’s how she liked it. She didn’t have to be the one asking for money or on the front lines vising donors. It was a job she could do anywhere, and she’d get paid well because of the software she knew how to use like the back of her hand.

There was a private school she had seen a job opening for. Normally, she’d be more apt to work for a non-profit, and not just some school for snotty rich kids, but their website made it seem like it wasn’t like that. Their donors gave out scholarships for students all of the time, and staff/faculty could send their kids to the school for free. That was a no brainer. Giving her kids a good education was her dream. The school was a K-12, so that would mean an easy pick up and drop off. After thinking it over, and researching the surrounding towns, she sent in her application.

Two weeks later she got a call for a video interview. She accepted happily. A week after that she was asked on campus for a second interview. Y/N put on her best blazer and nicest blue dress, the school colors were red and blue after all. She even made sure to wear red heels. Y/N spoke eloquently during her interview. She had researched everyone in the development office so she already knew faces and names. They were impressed. She spoke about her experience with The Rasier’s edge, the database management system, and they were awe-struck. She was given a tour of the campus, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The elementary school was a separate building, and the middle school and high school were separate, but connected by two connectors to make one large building. The development office was set up in this cute white house. They shared it with the alumni office, and apparently it was one of the oldest buildings on campus. Although, it was taken of so you’d never know it was old. They even showed her where her potential new office would be. There was a pool and ice rink as well that Y/N got to see. She was impressed. She interviewed the people on the committee too, knowing it was a two way street. She liked what they had to say.

A week or so after that, she was given an offer, a really good offer. Now it was time to talk to her kids. She couldn’t just accept without speaking with them first. Her daughter, Riley, would be going into ninth grade, and her son, Ben, would be going into eighth. Y/N was only thirty-three, she was a young mother, thanks to her ex-husband who was about seven years older than her. A red flag she should have been more wise to, but she was young and naïve, and that’s all that needs to be said about that.

It was a difficult conversation with the kids, but after calming down they had become more open to it. They were upset with their father, and the idea of being a little farther away was sounding really nice. Living in a new home to make new memories in was sounding really nice. Making new friends and having a fresh start was sounding really nice.

So, Y/N accepted the position, and was given a moving allowance. She was able to find a home quickly that was perfect for them. A decent three bedroom about fifteen minutes from campus, so the commute would be easy enough. Riley and Ben took a liking to the uniforms, and since you did all of this over the summer, they’d be able to blend in easily on the first day of school. No awkward ‘walking in halfway through the term’ bullshit.

“When am I supposed to see them?” Your ex had asked you over the phone when you told him you were moving.

“Every other weekend, same as before.”

“So now I have to drive an hour out of my way to-“

“It’s not an hour, it’s forty-five minutes at best. Shouldn’t it be worth it? They’re your kids.”

“You’re taking them from me.”

“You did that to yourself, Joseph. The weekends will stay the same. Be happy our kids are getting a good education. Goodbye.”

She knew she was harsh, but after being cheated on, and left for a younger woman, she thought she earned the right. A week before school started, the kids had gotten their schedules in the mail.

“Who do you have, Riles?” Ben asks her.

“Someone named…Mr. Styles for homeroom, he’s the biology teacher too.”

“Thought you took bio sophomore year.” Y/N says to her.

“Nope, my grades were good, remember? I’m in the honors class.” She smiles.

“What about you, Ben?”

“Um…Mr. Horan. Looks like I’ll have him for pre-algebra.”

“No female teachers for that, huh?” Y/N asks.

“I have a woman for Geometry, Mum, see?” Riley shows her.

“Oh good. Got worried for a second there.” Y/N chuckles.

“Are you nervous to start your new job?” Ben asks her.

“No.” She shakes her head. “I’m actually really excited. The time off has been nice, but I’m eager to get back into it.”

Y/N drops off the kids on the first day before going over to the staff lot. The program support assistant, Millie, is waiting for her with a cup of coffee and a warm smile.

“Morning, Y/N.”

“Hi, Millie.”

“Cream no sugar, right?”

“That’s right, thank you so much.”

“Let me lead you upstairs to your office. You have a meeting with the director of development, John, in about half an hour, and then you’ll have a team meeting with the rest of the people on your specific team, the gift processors, customer service. Then at lunch the development team and the alumni team will get together to welcome you.”

“Oh my, well, alright.” She chuckles.

“I put everything on your calendar for you.”

“Thank you.”

Y/N was used to doing everything herself at work, this was already a breath of fresh air. She hoped Riley and Ben had a good morning just the same.

It takes Riley a moment to find her classroom. She stops short when she walks in when she sees Mr. Styles, and another student walks right into her.

“I’m so sorry.” She says to the boy that nearly knocked her over. “Um, I wasn’t sure if this was the right classroom.”

“it’s okay.” He says. “Are you new?”

“Yeah, I’m Riley.”

“I’m Chris.” He smiles. “Wanna sit next to me?”

“Sure!” She says and sits a few rows back with him.

“Where’d you move from?”

“Just form a few towns over. My mom just got a job in the development office here.”

“Oh, cool! My mom works grounds here.”

Riley noticed that Chris had a rainbow pin on his blazer. She smiles at it. He notices her looking at it.

“I…uh…like your pin.”

“Oh, thanks.” He mumbles.

“My best friend back home has a lot of rainbow stuff in her room.”

Chris nods in understanding. More kids come in and claim their seats. The second bell rings, and Mr. Styles closes the door.

“Good morning, everyone.” Riley’s jaw drops at his accent and deep voice.

“Get used to it.” Chris whispers to her. “A lot of the teachers here are from other countries.”

Riley nods and continues to listen to Mr. Styles.

“Welcome to another year at our fabulous school. You’re officially high schoolers!” He grabs the handbook. “Which means there’s even more rules to follow, so let’s get through this together, yeah?”

Mr. Styles was quirky. He cracked jokes and made Riley feel excited to have him for biology. She turned to look at all of the lab benches in the back. She loved science in general, so this was good.

“Lastly, open house for parents will be at the end of the month. They begin at 6PM, so hopefully I’ll be able to meet all your folks. We also have a really fun fall carnival on campus. There’s games, rides, and it also gives a chance for families to see where you go to school. It’s all a part of our homecoming weekend.” The bell rings and everyone stands up. “Riley, could we chat for a second?”

She nods and looks at Chris.

“I can wait outside for you.” He says to her and she feels grateful. Their schedules were just about the same.

“Um, hi.” She says shyly.

“Hi, dear, so I was informed you’re new, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Well, if there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. Usually we have new students stand up and introduce themselves, but I don’t like making people do that. It’s so forced. I can see you’re already making a friend.” He smiles. “Is it just you that’s new to us? Any siblings?”

“My younger brother is in eighth grade. He has Mr. Horan for homeroom.”

“You don’t say? That’s my best mate, believe it or not. He’s in good hands.”

“That’s good to know. I’m sure it’ll give my mom some peace of mind.”

“I don’t want to make you let, just wanted to give you a more friendly introduction.”

“Thank you, Mr. Styles. See you for bio.”

“See you later.”

Riley was making friends right away thanks to Chris. She had people to sit with at lunch, and she made sure Ben did too. He seemed to be sitting at a full table which was great. Her last class of the day was bio, which was perfect so she’d be near her locker.

“Welcome to honors biology.” Mr. Styles says. “This is a mixed class of ninth and tenth graders. Today we’re going to settle on lab partners, and we’re going to get lab safety out of the way. It’s the bane of my existence, but I need to know you all know how to be safe.”

Chris offers to be Riley’s lab partner even though he had other friends in the class. Mr. Styles writes down who is partnered with who. Then he essentially gives a tour of the classroom. He shows them where all of the lab coats and goggles are, the eyewash station, the sanitation shower, and the other equipment they’ll be using throughout the year.

“Now, in biology, we’ll be learning a lot about plants and animals, and we’ll also get into human anatomy. These subjects can be tough at times to grasp, so please, don’t be afraid to ask questions. I want to make sure I’m explaining things properly. I’m always will to meet after school for extra help as well, or put together a study group.” Mr. Styles explains.

Riley was finding that all of the teachers were really nice so far. She meets Ben after school and they walk over to the staff lot where Y/N was. She had asked to save her lunch hour for 2PM so she could scoot the kids home quick. Her supervisor had no problem with it.

“How was it?”

“Mr. Horan is hilarious, and he’s Irish!”

“Mr. Styles is British! And super nice. I think I’m gonna like it here, Mum. I already made a friend, so I had people to sit with at lunch.”

“Me too!”

It warmed Y/N’s heart to hear that the first day went well. It was all she could have hoped for. She gets them home, set up with a snack, and back out the door she goes. She had a couple of hours left of work anyways, so it was a nice break in the day. The lunch she had earlier with her new colleagues was fantastic. Everyone was welcoming and had no problem showing her the ropes.

When she’s walking to the parking lot around 5PM she notices other people making their way as well. She smiles at a few, and she gets some friendly nods back. She’s parked next to a black range rover, and she was hoping to get to her car before the other owner because she had parked a little too close to them on their driver’s side, but it wasn’t her fault. It was the only open spot when she got back.

“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Shit, she thinks to herself as she approaches. Not a great first impression to make at all.

“Just crawl in on the other side, H.”

“It’s the principle of the thing! They could have scratched it, or-“

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Y/N yells as she hustles over. “I had to bring my kids home, and this was the only other open spot, and the person previously on the other side of me was parked over the line, so I had to squeeze in, and I know it looks like I’m the asshole, but I swear I’m not.” She panics as she gets her keys out of her purse.

“It’s fine, miss, Harry’s just a jerk when it comes to his fancy car.”

“You sure like riding in my fancy car, so I suggest you shut it.” Harry huffs and looks at Y/N, furrowing his brows. “Look, I’ve had to be nice all day, and I’m exhausted, could you just back out so we can leave?”

“I said I was sorry.” She mumbles. Her eyes widen, though. An Irish accent and a British accent. “Shit, I think you’re my kids’ teachers.” She sighs. “Do the names Riley and Ben ring a bell?”

Harry’s features soften and he runs a hand through his hair.

“You’re Riley’s mum?”

“Yes.”

“Seems like she had a good first day. What department are you working in?”

“I’m the new database manager for the development office.”

“Ben was a delight! Laughed at all my jokes.” Niall says and you smile.

“He said you were funny. Riley liked you too, although now I’m not sure why. Taking a long day out on me. I’m sure the first day is a lot, but it was my first day too, and I’m equally as tired.”

“Maybe you should get home then.” Harry says, and she rolls her eyes.

“Nice meeting you both…well, one of you. I’m sure I’ll see you again, but if not I’ll be at the open house.” She gets into her car and carefully backs out, not scratching Harry’s car.

“You were rude.” Niall says as they both get into the car.

“I paid a lot of money for this car. I park far away for a reason, and someone has to park that close to me?”

“She apologized.”

“Good for her.”

“Harry…”

“Ugh, Francie texted me today, and it just sent me into a fucking spiral, and I had to act like it didn’t all day.”

“What?! When did she text you?”

“After homeroom, she told me to have a good first day. I didn’t even respond.”

“You should just block her number.”

“I haven’t quite reached that point yet, but it’s coming for sure.”

“You still shouldn’t have taken it out on that woman.”

“I’m sure she’ll forget all about it. I’ll be nice next time I see her, alright? Can we please just go get a pint now?”

“You’re the one driving, find a place you wanna go to.”

Y/N had successfully avoided the rude Brit that had given her such a tough time on her first day. Riley still raved about him, though. She said he was one of the best teachers she ever had. Ben really enjoyed Mr. Horan as well. He made math fun, which Y/N was grateful for. Ben was never really a good student, but he was doing really well so far.

“I can’t wait for you to go to the open house. Make sure to be super nice.” Riley tells Y/N. “I don’t want my teachers suddenly being mean.”

“It’s not me you have to worry about.” Y/N scoffs.

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing, honey. So, you’ll walk me around to all the classrooms, and you wait outside?”

“Mhm.” She beams.

“Mum, wait until you talk to Mr. Horan. He’s going to tell you the best things about me, I just know it.” Ben says.

“I’m looking forward to it, honey.”

Y/N had a draining day on the day of open house, and she just decided to stay on campus. She ended up taking the kid home at two, and told them she could figure out where the classrooms were herself. She got to have a one on one with Mr. Horan first.

“You can just call me Niall. We don’t need to be so formal.”

“Alright.” She smiles. “You can call me Y/N.”

“Ben’s doing really well so far. I was a little nervous at first, but he’s getting the hang of it.”

“Thank god.” She sighs. “So, he’ll be in ninth grade taking algebra one next year, is that okay?”

“Perfectly okay. A lot of students do that.”

“I just wanted to make sure because my daughter is in geometry.”

“Math isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. I was checking out his other grades, and he’s excelling in history.” She nods.

The conversation goes well. Y/N makes it through all of the meetings, and her last one is with Harry. She hears laughing from inside the classroom. The door swoops open, and a couple walks out chuckling with Harry.

“Ah, Mrs. Davidson, come on in.”

“It’s Miss Y/LN, or just Y/N if you want.” She says as she sits down on the chair near his desk. He sits down on his chair.

“My mistake, Riley’s last name is-“

“Her father’s last name. I’ve changed mine back. We’re divorced, didn’t really feel like keeping it.”

“I’m, um, sorry, I know how rough divorce can be.”

“Yeah? Been through it yourself, Mr. Styles?”

“Just call me Harry, and my parents were divorced, so I know enough about it from a child’s perspective.”

“They’re not too keen on their father right now. Classic situation of him cheating on me with a younger woman, which of course they found out about.”

“That’s weird.” He rests his cheek on his fist. “You seem pretty young yourself.”

She blushes slightly and clears her throat.

“Could say the same to you. I had them young, yeah, things happen. I don’t regret it though.”

“Riley’s been a real pleasure to have in class, and she’s fitting right in. She seems to like biology the best.”

“She loves science.” She smiles. “Think she gets that from me. I was really into math and science as a kid.”

“Guess you being a database manager makes sense then. New job treating you well?”

“Yeah.” She cocks her head to the side with a smirk. “Although, my almost perfect first day was just about sullied by a man you bullied me in the parking lot.”

“Okay, okay, I was an ass.” He sighs. “Thanks for bringing it up by the way.”

“Why were you so nasty to me anyways? I’ve been avoiding you.”

He frowns at that.

“My ex…fiancé texted me and wished me a good first day, so it just ruined my day and I had to keep it all bottled up. You parking that close just brought me over the edge. I apologize.”

“Yikes, I’m sorry. Well, at least you got out of it before you got married. You saved a lot of money and time.”

“It’s alright…” He looks away for a moment. “Are you bringing the kids to the carnival? It’s all part of homecoming weekend.”

“Yes, and they’re really excited. I have to work technically since a lot of donors come back. I mostly just need to be on the ball. Their father is coming too since it’s his weekend with them technically. I guess it’s good for him to see where they’re going to school.”

“If you need a break from him I’ll be working the candy apple booth.” He smiles.

“Good to know.” She yawns. “Jesus, sorry. I gotta say, I’m whipped.”

“Makes sense, it’s past eight.”

“That late?!” She stands up immediately, and so does he. “I need to get home to them. Um, well, this was a much better meeting.” She sticks her hand out for him to shake.

“I agree. Don’t be a stranger this weekend.”

She nods and leaves his classroom. Maybe he wasn’t as big of an asshole as she thought. Y/N’s had her fair share of bad days, he was allowed to have them too.

“It’s like a college campus, this place is huge!” Joseph says once they’re at the football field of the school.

“Yeah, and there’s a pool! I’m trying out for the winter swim team soon.” Riley tells her dad, in a better mood since he didn’t bring his girlfriend.

“It’s really all free for them?” He asks Y/N.

“Mhm.” She nods. “Okay, here all your meal tickets. I have to bee-bop around since I’m technically working. Have fun with Dad.” She smiles and they lead Joseph off towards some of the rides and games.

Y/N meets up with her colleagues and mingles with some of the donors she hasn’t been able to meet yet. She meets back up with the kids later to go on a few rides, and then goes to get food with them. She spots Harry at the candied apples tent, and she goes over there.

“I knew you’d find me.” He smirks.

“I’ve got a sweet tooth, what can I say?” She shrugs.

“You know, me too. Major sweet tooth.”

For whatever reason that makes her blush.

“Um, so I can I have it dipped in caramel and chocolate?”

“A woman after my own heart! I like mine the same way.” He picks up one of the apples from its stick and dips it in the chocolate first. “Any sprinkles or anything?”

“No, the sauces are fine, thank you.”

“So, where’s the-“

“Hi, Mr. Styles.” Riley says as she, Ben, and Joseph approach. “This is my dad.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Riley’s homeroom and biology teacher.” Harry hands you the apple once it’s done, and then shakes Joseph’s hand. “She’s a real pleasure to have in class.”

“So I’ve heard! Nice to hear it straight form the source, though.” There’s an awkward silence. “Um, well, kids do you want an apple?”

“Yeah!” Ben says and tells Harry what he wants.

Harry’s eyes catch Y/N biting into her apple, and how she licks around her lips. He looks a little too long because Joseph notices, and he clears his throat to snap Harry out of his trance.

“You two about ready to hit the road after this?” He asks them.

“Sure.” Riley shrugs. “Bye, Mr. Styles.”

“Have a good weekend, see you Monday.”

Y/N hugs both of the kids, and nods at Joseph.

“So…no kids this weekend?” Harry says to her.

“Nope. It’s funny, I always look forward to the little break, but by the time Sunday night hits I miss them.”

“Any plans?”

“Just relaxing. I’ll probably catch up on some sleep tomorrow. How about you?”

“A few of us are going to the pub after this…if you’d like to join, you’re welcome to.”

“Oh!” She says a little surprised. “Well, that would be great, actually. I haven’t really had time to explore some of the night life around here yet.”

“I could drive us from here if you like. I can always bring you back to your car.”

“You actually trust me to get into that fancy car of yours? I’m shocked.” She smirks, and he rolls his eyes.

“I apologized for that, didn’t I? Can we move on? Let me give you a ride later.”

“Alright.” She smiles. “Sounds like fun. It would be nice to get to know more people.”

“Great, I’ll find you later then?”

“Sounds good.” She walks away with her apple in hand, and he smiles.

After schmoozing with more alumni and donors, Y/N felt pooped. Did she really feel like going out and drinking? She could easily go home, draw herself a bath, and have a glass of fine all on her own. She had socially interacted so much today, and the thought of doing more was draining. Maybe she could go out with Harry another time. She tries looking around for him, but she’s not sure she spots him.

“Y/N!” She hears from behind her. “You ready?” Harry asks.

“About that…I think I’ve changed my mind…”

“How come?” He says with a slight frown.

“I was very social today, so I’m feeling a little tired. I don’t think I have enough pep in me for drinks tonight…but maybe another time?” She clasps her hands in front of her waist, feeling a little nervous all of a sudden.

“Oh, yeah, I definitely get that. Um, yeah, another time for sure.”

“Thanks, well, see you around, Harry.”

“See you…”

“Mum, we’re home!” Ben says Sunday evening as he and Riley come inside.

“Hey.” She smiles. “How was Dad’s?”

“Annoying.” Riley huffs. “I can’t stand Margaret. She, like, tries too hard to be our friends.”

“Mm, well, that’s what happens when a forty-year-old man decides to date a twenty-five-year-old woman. She probably knows how to babysit and be a pal.”

“Doesn’t it gross you out that he’s with someone so much younger?” Ben asks as he plops down on the couch.

“Of course it does. It won’t last long, unless she’s after his money.” She rolls her eyes. “I don’t know why, it’s not like we were living the high life before.”

“Ew, what if he gets her pregnant.” Riley says with disgust. “I don’t want another little sibling, one is plenty.”

“Yeah, and then we’d have to pretend like we’re happy for him. I’m glad we didn’t have to do two nights over there this weekend.”

“Me too.” Riley sighs. “Did you do anything this weekend?” She asks Y/N.

“I just relaxed. Caught up on some TV, nothing special.” She shrugs. “Did you get all your homework done?”

“Yes.” They say in unison.

“Alright, go get ready for bed then.”

Riley and Chris meet at their lockers the next day at school and talk about their weekends. They chat in homeroom about their upcoming biology test. Chris was feeling a little nervous, but Riley was feeling confident. She studied almost all day Sunday. When it was last period, and Harry gave out the tests, her eyes bugged out. She read all of the questions over, and it wasn’t at all what she thought. She looked up at Harry dumbfounded. He was typing away at his computer, answering emails. She walks up to his desk with the test.

��Done already?” He jokes with a whisper.

“Mr. Styles…I don’t know any of this.”

“What do you mean? I gave you a study guide.”

“I…I know you did, but I left it at my mom’s, and so I was going off memory…I think I studied the wrong chapters by accident or something.” Her eyes were about to well up with tears.

“Alright, step out into the hall with me. Did you take notes while you studied?”

“Yeah.”

“Grab them for me.”

He stands up and goes out to the hallway to wait for her. A few of the kids in class were watching, but they get back to their own tests. She hands him her notes, and he makes a few humming noises.

“Right, yeah, you studied the wrong chapters.”

“Ugh, I knew it! So…does this mean I fail?”

“No.” He sighs. “It was an honest mistake, you’ll have to take a makeup exam after school sometime this week, though.”

“I can do it tomorrow! I would just need tonight to study. I could study in class now.”

“Get the rest of your things, I can give you a pass to the library.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Styles.”

“Don’t mention it.”

They both go back inside and she grabs the rest of her things. He writes her the pass and out the door she goes. Chris makes a motion for her to text him before she slips out, and she nods. Tuesday morning, just as Harry was sitting down at his desk with his coffee, he got an interoffice phone call from Y/N.

“Hello?” He answers, voice still deep from sleep.

“Hi, Harry, it’s Y/N.”

“I know…caller ID and all that.” He chuckles.

“Right, well, I wanted to say thank you for letting Riley take her test later this afternoon. She was a wreck last night when she got home.”

“It was an honest mistake. Plus, when I saw how much studying she did I knew I had to give her a chance to just take it later. Do you think she’s prepared enough for later?”

“Oh, definitely. She feels much better. Do you mind if Ben comes to sit in the classroom with her while she takes it? No sense in me zipping him home if she’s going to stay after.”

“Sure, I don’t mind.”

“You’re a life saver, thanks! Talk to you soon.”

“Bye-“ He’s cut off by the sound of the phone clicking on the other end.

Riley stays after class to take her test. Shortly after Ben shyly walks into the classroom and takes a seat. He does his own homework while she takes her test. Forty minutes later, Riley finishes her test, and hands it to Harry.

“I can grade it now if you like since it was all multiple choice.”

“That’d be great.” She smiles.

He looks at his answer key and checks off all her right answers. He writes 92% in big red ink and circles it.

“Well done. I can’t give it back to you until tomorrow, of course, but at least you can rest easy about it.”

“God, what a relief! Guess I’ll be a pro when we reach the chapters I already studied.”

“I bet you will be.”

“Do you mind if we hang out here until our mum’s done with work? She said she was just gonna pull up out front of the building.”

“Sure, I have some other grading to do anyways. In fact, would you like to help? It’s for another class, I could give you the answer key.”

“Yeah!”

Harry sets her up, and he even plays a little music for all of them.

“Mr. Styles?” A boy named Austin walks in. He was a sophomore in Riley’s class. “Thank god you’re still here.” He sighs.

“What’s up, Austin?”

“I was wondering if you graded my test yet? The football coach needs me to fill this progress report slip out. He’s making all of us do it.”

“Oh! Yeah, let me look. I can just tell you your overall grade. Have a seat, it’ll take me a minute.”

He nods and sits down, glancing at Riley briefly. She gives him a small smile and blushes.

“How come you’re here?” He asks her.

“Oh, I needed to make up the test from yesterday. I accidentally studied the wrong chapters.”

“Happens to the best of us.” He smirks. “You’re new to town, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You should come to the football game Friday, since it’s home.”

“Yeah, um, maybe I will.”

“Cool.”

“Alright, Austen, I’ve got your grade.”

He stands up and goes to Harry’s desk.

“Sick, a C+! That’s way better than I thought.”

“Let’s try to keep it that way, yeah?”

“I’ll do my best, thanks.” He walks out of the room and Riley puffs out some air.

“Don’t tell me you have a crush on that guy?” Ben chuckles.

“He’s so cute, I can’t help it. That’s the most he’s ever spoken to me, and now he wants me to go to the game. I have to go Friday, I need to text Chris.”

“If you go, can I go?”

“Sure.” She shrugs. “The more the merrier.”

Riley and Ben had always been close. They were practically best friends. They got a lot closer when their parents were going through the separation/divorce process, leaning on each other for a lot. Harry hear the sound of heels clacking on the floors outside the classroom, and there Y/N is appearing in the doorway looking lovelier than ever. She had a long coat on, synched at the waist, and her hair was down and wavy.

“Hi, kids, ready?” They both get up, and Harry stands as well. “Thanks for letting them hang out for a bit while I finished up.”

“It was no problem. Riley was pretty helpful to me with some grading.”

“How’d the test go?” She asks her daughter.

“Got a 92!”

“Amazing! I think that calls for takeout tonight.”

“You just don’t feel like cooking.” Ben chuckles.

“I’m sorry, are you complaining about getting Chinese food, or?”

“No! Just making an observation.”

“Mhm, okay, let’s go. Have a good night Mr. Styles.” She says to him.

“Same to you.”

On the ride home, Riley gets a text from Chris saying he’s down for the football game on Friday. She sighs with relief, and looks over her mother.

“So…can Ben and I meet up with Chris on Friday? We’d like to go to the football game.”

“A boy asked her to go!”

“Shut up, or you can’t come with me.”

“Hey!” Y/N says. “A boy asked you to go?”

“Well, sort of. He just said I should go if I wanted. I haven’t been to one yet, it could be fun. Chris said the snack bar is pretty stacked.”

“And you’ll keep an eye on your brother?”

“I’m only a year younger than her.” Ben scoffs.

“You’re in the eighth grade, that’s a big difference right now, even if it doesn’t feel like it. What time does the game start?”

“6:30, I think.”

“Sure, you can go. I think that’ll be good for you kids to go to.”

“Awesome, thanks Mum.”

“We’re gonna be there anyways, just ask her to tag along.” Niall says to Harry over lunch on Thursday.

“You make it seem like I wanna date her, I just think she’s cute.”

“Just ask her if she wants to go out with us after, would you?”

“Fine, I’ll give her a call right now.” Harry reaches for his phone, and looks up Y/N’s extension. She picks up on the second ring.

“Hey, Harry.”

“Hi, do you have a minute?”

“Sure! Is everything alright with Riley?”

“Yeah…this isn’t about her. It’s more of a personal matter.”

“Oh…what’s up?”

“Niall and I are chaperoning the football game tomorrow night. All of the faculty take turns doing it. We just walk around and make sure no one’s drinking underage. We were wondering if you’d like to join us. We’d be going to the pub after most likely too.”

“I don’t know if I should. Riley and Ben are going to the game, and I don’t want them to feel like I’m hovering around them, you know?”

Niall gestures for the phone and snatches it from Harry.

“Y/N? It’s Niall. Enough excuses, yeah? You’re coming out with us tomorrow night, and that’s final. You need to get more involved with student life.”

“I’m plenty involved!”

“You import and export donor data all day. I bet your kids won’t care.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Y/N did think about it, and then she asked Riley and Ben how they’d feel if she went. They said as long as she wasn’t up their butts they wouldn’t mind. It made things easier for her to drive them there at least. She watches as they meet up with Chris and essentially run off from her. She sighs and looks around for Niall and Harry, suddenly feeling like a loner.

“Oi, there she is!” Niall shouts, handing her a hot chocolate. “This should warm you up quick. You look cold.”

“I didn’t think it would be chilly enough for gloves.” She chuckles. “Thank you.”

“So, basically we just walk around, but we get to enjoy the game for the most part.” Harry explains.

“Is our team any good?”

“We’re decent, yeah. Think our lacrosse players are better to be honest, but they don’t get as much recognition.”

Y/N nods and takes a careful sip of her warm drink. She walks around with the guys, mostly listening to them talk in their accents. It was sort of fun to see all of the parents, staff, faculty, and students at the game cheering the team on.

“See that one, number 11?” Harry says to her, pointing towards the field. “That’s Austin, he asked Riley to come to the game. They’re in my bio class together. I think she likes him.”

“How can you tell?”

“I catch her looking at him from time to time. I might be wicked and assign them a project to work on together.”

“Teachers actually do that?!”

“Oh, sure.” Niall says. “I switch up the seating chart once a term just so I can pair people up. It’s pretty interesting to see what happens.”

“The students gossip to us all the time too.” Harry laughs. “They have no problem sharing personal information.”

“So…you think he might like Riley back?”

“I have no idea, he sits in front of her, and mostly just takes notes.”

“Is he nice?”

“He’s not a dolt if that’s what you’re asking. Definitely not your classic meathead, not to worry, Y/N.”

Y/N nods, and keeps walking around with the guys. The team wins, and everyone cheers. Riley, Ben, and Chris find her in the crowd of people near the exit.

“Mum, can we bowling?” Riley asks.

“With who?”

“Me, Miss Y/L/N.” Chris says and you raise your eyebrows. “Okay, and some of the cheerleaders and football players, but it’ll be fun! It’s cosmic bowling night. My dad said he could drive.”

“Please, Mum.” Ben pouts, and you roll your eyes.

“Alright.” She sighs, and takes her wallet out of her small sling bag. “Here’s some money, have fun. Home by ten, do you hear me? I’ll be out for a bit myself, just in case you get back before me.”

“Where are you going?” Riley asks.

“I’ve made some friends of my own.” She grins. “Go on, have fun.”

“Thank you!” They all say and head off.

“I can follow you both to the pub.” Y/N tells Niall and Harry, and they all walk to the parking lot.

She feels a little nervous going out with them. She had made a few friends so far, mostly her colleagues that she saw every day. There was this weird divide between faculty and staff, so she had noticed. So, Y/N wasn’t sure how welcomed she would be by the others they were meeting up with. She takes a deep breath before getting out of her car, and meeting Harry and Niall at entrance.

“You’re gonna love this place.” Harry says, putting a hand on her shoulder as they go inside. He leads her to a table where a few people were sitting already. “Oi, everyone, this is Y/N, she works in the development office.”

They all look at her and smile, saying hello. Niall takes his seat, and Harry has you sit between the two of them. Y/N learns the names of some other faculty members. Shane, Lora, and Jess. None of them had Y/N’s kids in class so she could rest easier. She found Harry and Niall to be hilarious, often almost choking on her drinks from laughter. She notices that Harry’s rolled his sleeves up, and can’t help but look at his tattoos. He explains a few of them to her. Around 10:05 she got a text from Riley.

Riley: just got in, thanks again for letting us go, it was amazing! When are you home??

Y/N: soon, baby, thanks for checking in

“Well, I should probably get going.” She says to Harry. “My kids just got home, and I don’t like leaving them alone too long when it’s late.”

“Fair enough, can I walk you to your car?” He says, leaning in a little bit. “Just so I know you left safely.”

“Sure, um, that’d be great.” She throws some bills on the table to take care of her tab. “Thank you all so much, I had a great time.”

“See ya, Y/N!” Niall says with a smile. She misses the wink he gives Harry, and Harry mouths ‘be cool’ at him.

“M’just gonna walk her to her car, I’ll be right back.” Harry says, addressing the group before heading out the door with Y/N. “You’re good to drive, right?” He says as they both walk outside.

“Of course, I only had, like, two drinks. You saw me nursing them.”

“Alright, just wanted to be sure.” He watches her fish for her keys out of her bag. “I’m glad you came out tonight.” He rubs the back of his neck. “You’re a lot of fun to be around.”

“Aw, thanks, you’re fun to be around too.” She smiles, biting her bottom lip. He can’t help but let his eyes drift to it.

“Are you in a rush to get home?”

“Well…I…”

“It’s not like they need you to tuck them in, right?”

“N-no…” She raises an eyebrow at him. “Are you…are you making a pass at me?” She was backed up against her car with him a comfortable foot away from her, but she was starting to feel warm.

“Maybe.” He shrugs, stepping a little closer. “Would you feel uncomfortable if I was?” She shakes her head no and swallows.

“Do you do this with all your students’ mums?” She smirks, gaining some confidence back.

“Well, considering that I was in a four year long relationship up until six months ago, I can confidentially say no.” She opens her mouth and smirks. “And no, I don’t usually do this with colleagues either.”

“So…why with me then?”

“You’re cute.” He grins.

“Harry, I…I’m not really looking for anything serious right now, I’ve just started a new job, I bought my own house, I’m juggling teenagers, I can’t start up a relationship.”

“I don’t think I asked you for that. In fact, I haven’t asked for anything, yet.” He says smugly. “M’not looking for anything serious either.”

“Alright, what do you want from me then?” He shifts his weight to his other hip, and just looks at her. Her eyes widen, and her mouth falls open. She looks around, and steps closer to him, barely any space between them now. “You…you want to have sex with me?”

“Why do you sound so surprised? I think you’ve really got it going on.”

“Seriously?”

“Sure, you really know how to fill out a pair of jeans. Your bum looked awfully cute at homecoming.”

“All this coming from the guy who was about ready to murder me for almost scratching his car.” She scoffs.

“I have apologized for that over and over, but clearly my words mean nothing to you…” He puts his hand on her shoulder. “Maybe there’s something else I could do to make it up to you.”

“You’re my kid’s teacher, Harry.”

“Not after 2PM I’m not. Right now I’m just a guy who wants to fuck you.”

“I can’t go back to your place with you right now.”

“My car’s got tinted windows and a spacious back seat.”

“How…how old are you, anyways? I mean, I’m thirty-three, Harry, and you’re a little baby faced. I’m not one of those people who-“

“I’m twenty-nine. Do you wanna go fuck in my car or not? It’s okay if you don’t, I’m not trying to pressure you, but it’s bloody cold out here and I wouldn’t mind warming up.”

Y/N hadn’t had sex with someone in since the last time her and Joseph had sex, which was a few years ago. She also couldn’t remember the last time she had sex in a car, probably when she was a teenager. Was she really about to do this with some she had just started to become decent friends with? Was this is the only reason he wanted to be friends with her?

“Is the only reason you’ve been wanting to invite me out? To get my pants off?”

“No! I genuinely think you’re nice to be around, but I also wouldn’t mind getting your pants off.” He smirks.

“Okay.” She nods. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

“Really?”

“Quickly, before I change my mind.” He grabs her by the wrist and tugs her towards his car. He unlocks his car and he lets her get in first. He reaches forward to turn the car on so the heat is on and there’s a little music playing. He goes to cup her cheek, and she backs away. “I’m a little nervous.”

“We don’t have to do anything crazy if you don’t want. We could just kiss if you like.”

“I just…it’s been a while for me, you know? Like, a long while, so…I want to, I’m just nervous.”

“How can I help you relax?”

“I guess…um…could I sit on your lap and maybe we could hug for a bit?”

“Sure.” He nods.

She moves to straddle him, and she wraps her arms around his neck. His go around her back, and he rubs her soothingly. He gets a good whiff of her perfume, and it makes him smile.

“Comfortable?” He asks softly. She hums her response and he holds her a little tighter. “I like whatever perfume you’re wearing.” He feels her giggle against him.

“It’s just apple spice.” She mutters into his neck, and moves to look at him. “Nothing special.”

“Well, I like it.” He tucks some hair behind her ear. “Would it be alright If I kissed you now?”

“Yeah.” She smiles.

He licks his lips and presses them to hers. Her eyes flutter closed and she tugs at his hair. His hands squeeze her hips as the kiss deepens. He sucks on her bottom lip, and it makes her whimper. She rolls her hips down on his and he grunts. He kisses sloppily from her mouth, to her jaw, and to her neck. He mouths at her neck, full well knowing he can’t leave a mark, but it doesn’t stop him from licking and sucking a little over the area. She tugs at his hair a little harder and continues grinding against him, feeling his bulge getting harder. His lips move back to hers as his hands roam up her front, hesitating before reaching her breasts. She takes his hands and puts them over her boobs, squeezing his hands over them. He takes over from there, kneading them as best he could over her coat.

She gets frustrated, and get shimmies her coat off. He’s happy to see her nipples peeking through her shirt. He moves to suck on it through the material and she gasps. Her chest was heaving when he came off and looked up at her. Her hands move to unbutton her jeans, and he wastes no time sticking his hand inside. Instead of smirking when he feels how wet she is, he presses his lips back to hers, loving knowing that he was turning her on this much. His fingers move along her folds, and he slips his middle finger inside her gently. He groans when he feels how tight she is.

“Christ, you weren’t kidding. Do you never use anything at home?”

“Who the fuck has the time?!” She huffs as he starts bringing his finger in and out. “M’too exhausted half the time, and even when they’re gone I just do something quick.” A moan leaves her lips when his thumb starts to circle around her clit. Her forehead presses against his, and her eyes pinch closed.

He gets his ring finger inside her as well, and he curls them both up. She moves back and forth on him, riding his fingers. She makes fists with his shirt, and she starts panting. He groans from watching her, and just from the way she feels. He pets against her g-spot, and his thumb works into her clit.

“Oh, oh my god.” She says, biting her bottom lip. “I…I think I’m gonna come.” He doesn’t let up on her, doing his best to get her there. Her whimpers and whines were just egging him on. “Oh, shit, oh, shit!” She cries out as she comes around his fingers. He works her through it, and then retracts his fingers, sucking on them while making eye contact with her.

“Well?” He smirks.

“Do you have any condoms?”

“Yeah, get your pants the rest of the way off.” He lifts her off of him and places her on the seat while he reaches forward into the console, and grabs a condom.

“Aren’t you a little old to be leaving condoms in your car?” She says as he slips her jeans and underwear off.

“Wouldn’t be able to fuck you if I didn’t, would I?” He winks, and undoes his belt and jeans. “Think you’ll be able to ride me reverse, or do you need to go missionary to ease you into it.”

“Don’t be an asshole, I know how to have sex, it’s just bene a while.”

“I wasn’t! I don’t wanna hurt you.” Her eyes widen as he pulls his hard dick from his boxers, rolling the condom on.

“You think you’re the first guy with a larger prick to fuck me? Think I can handle it.”

“Now who’s being the asshole?” He chuckles and grabs her to bring her back to his lap, her back pressed to his chest. He reaches around to rub on her to make sure she’s still wet. “You want this still?”

“Yeah.” She lifts her hips and he lines himself with her, pressing up into center. It’s a tight squeeze, like she thought it would be, but she does her best to relax around him. She nearly shrieks once she’s sat fully on him.

“I’m gonna make you feel so fucking good.” He says into her ear before nibbling on her earlobe.

She hooks an arm around his head while he grips her hips, and her head falls back to his shoulder. He thrusts up into her while rubbing on her clit, and her mouth falls open. She hadn’t felt this good in a long time, this was incredible. She tugs on his hair and helps herself move on him so he doesn’t have to do as much work. He frees up one of his hands to grip and squeeze one of her breasts. She looks up at him and yanks his head down to hers. She licks into his mouth and he moans into her. He sucks on her tongue and her eyes roll back. Between that, his fingers on her slit, and his dick fucking up into her, she was about ready to lose it again. She pants into his mouth as she comes again. He thrusts begin to get sloppy, and then he’s spilling into the condom. They sit there for a moment catching their breaths before she moves off him.

They both get dressed, and Harry throws the condom into a nearby trashcan as he walks her back to her car. Her face was flushed, and she for sure looked like a mess, but she felt good. He cups her cheeks and backs her up against the driver’s side door, kissing her tenderly.

“That was fun.” He says.

“Yeah.” She breathes and looks down at her watch. It was already 11:30. “Shit, I really need to get home. Ben gets worried when I’m out late.”

“Sweet kid.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Well, get home safe and all that.”

“You too.” She smiles and opens her car door. He closes it for her once she’s inside, and she starts the car.

As Y/N drives home it starts to hit her what she just did. She just fucked her child’s biology teacher, who she also happens to technically work with. Never in her life had she done something like this. Maybe in her younger days she would have done something this rebellious, but she had grown up a lot, and she was a professional now. She takes a deep breath before keying into her home. She sighs when she sees the light from the TV coming from the living room. Riley and Ben were passed out on the couch.

“Hey, kids.” She coos. “Wake up, I’m home.”

“Mum?” Ben says sleepily. “Where were you?”

“I…I was out with friends, remember? Um, let’s get you both into bed.”

She turns the TV off as they both slowly make their way upstairs to their bedrooms. Once they’re both in their beds, she goes into her own room, and gasps once she gets a good look at herself in the mirror. Her makeup was smeared, and her hair was a mess.

“Christ, Y/N, what did you do?” She says to herself and sighs.

The next day, Y/N was walking around like she had a stick up her ass. Maybe her body wasn’t quite ready for someone of Harry’s size. Nevertheless, she had to get up and start her day. She got some laundry going, did some dusting, and then made some breakfast for the kids. They both come into the kitchen around 10.

“Can you both put your sheets in the laundry room for me? I’m doing a linen load in a bit.” They both nod as she puts two plates of eggs in front of them. “How was bowling?”

“So much fun!” Riley says. “I actually got a strike, I couldn’t believe it.”

“You did?! How’d you manage that?”

“Um…Austin helped me, you know the one in my bio class? He’s really nice.”

“Riley, I’m happy for you and all, but I don’t know if I want you dating yet.”

“I’m not dating anyone! At least I wasn’t the one who stayed out until nearly midnight doing god knows what.”

“I’m an adult, I can do what I want, that’s one. Two, if you and this boy decide you really like each other, I think it’s only fair I get to meet him.”

“Just because he helped me bowl a ball doesn’t mean anything.” She rolls her eyes.

“What about you, did you have fun?” Y/N sighs as she asks Ben.

“Yeah, I hung out in the arcade, it was sick.”

Just as she was sipping on her coffee, Y/N’s phone goes off. It was in front of Riley and Ben, and Riley furrows her brows.

“Who is it?” Y/N asks.

“Um…Mr. Styles. Why is he calling you?”

“I…I have no idea.” She snatches her phone quickly. “H-hello?”

“Hey, Y/N! Just wanted to see how you were.”

“I’m alright, um, I’m in the kitchen with the kids, could you just give me a second?” She leaves the room and goes down the hall to her home office. “Okay…um, how are you?”

“Oh, I’m fine. I just didn’t wanna be a dick and not call.”

“Well, that’s nice of you.” She blinks a few times.

“So…you feel okay about everything?”

“Yeah! Wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t. Little sore, but other than I’m good.” She chuckles slightly and so does he.

“Well, next time I can be a little gentler…if you’d like there to be a next time, that is.”

“You…you don’t want last night to just have been a one-time thing?”

“Not necessarily, I had a good time with you, and I think you had a good time with me.”

“I just…I don’t know how smart it would be to start something up with my kid’s teacher.”

“Well, you already sort of did…”

“Yes, but I think to continue it would be stupid. I don’t want to do anything that could potentially embarrass her. Riley and Ben are really starting to make friends. They were cool about moving here for me, so I want to be-“

“It’s not like we’re dating, Y/N. No one has to know.”

“As if you haven’t told Niall yet.” She scoffs.

“I mean he was curious as to why I didn’t come back to the bar last night, but I didn’t give him the full details. He knows how to keep things to himself.” He pauses for a moment. “Look, I get it, you’re just trying to be a good mum, I can admire that. But after a certain point you need to remember that it’s okay to do things for yourself.”

“Like fuck a guy in a parking lot?”

“Exactly!” He laughs. “You’re still so young, why not let yourself have some fun?

“Harry…”

“All I’m saying is, if you’re ever lonely, or if you can’t sleep…you can call me.”

“I’ll…I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.”

“Well, I’ll let you get back to them. Probably wondering what we’re talking about.”

“Yeah.”

“Have a good rest of your weekend.”

“You too.”

She hangs up, completely shocked by the conversation she just had with Harry. She goes back out to the kitchen where the kids were waiting with raised eyebrows.

“What did Mr. Styles want?” Riley asks.

“Oh, um, someone left their wallet at the restaurant we all went to last night, that’s all. He was trying to figure out who it belongs to.”

“There was no ID in it?” Ben asks.

“Apparently not.” Y/N shrugs.

At first, Y/N wasn’t sure if she wanted to take Harry up on his offer. She genuinely didn’t want to make things difficult for Riley. When mid-November rolled around, it was time for parent-teacher conferences. These were the more serious one on one meetings before the holiday season to make sure students would be able to pass all of their classes. More often than not Y/N found herself meeting with Ben’s teachers than with Riley’s, but Y/N wanted to check in with everyone to make sure her kids were acclimating to the new school fine. What she wasn’t expecting was for Joseph to want to come to the conferences as well. She got away with blushing a little when they saw Niall. He didn’t make anything awkward, but it was when they made their way to Harry’s room that she was starting to feel like she wanted to vomit. The door swings open and two people walk out. Harry steps out and looks into the hallway, smiling when he sees you, then frowning when he sees Joseph.

“Mr. Davidson! How nice to see you again, please come in.” Harry says, gesturing to step inside. “Hi, Y/N.”

“Hi, Harry.”

“You can call me Joseph.” Joseph says as he sits down and Harry nods.

Harry and Y/N make eye contact briefly, and then he clears his throat.

“Well, I’m not sure why Riley signed you both up.” Harry chuckles. “She’s doing exceptionally well, and not just in my class. She’s a bright girl.” He takes out a few of her lab reports. “The first semester tends to be easier since we’re learning more about plants and those types of organism. Next semester we get into zoology and human anatomy. I always make it known there’s study groups and after school help. I try to make it as engaging and fun as I can. We even play a few rounds of operation.”

This makes you smile as Joseph furrows his brows at Riley’s lab reports. He nods along with what Harry is saying.

“I’m glad she’s doing so well. She was sort of a big fish in a small pond at her last school.” Joseph says. “I was a little worried she’d feel overwhelmed. This transition for them was really abrupt.”

“They had most of the summer to get used to things.” Y/N says, rolling her eyes. “This isn’t a snotty school either, the teacher’s actually help the students succeed.”

“I’m just saying-“

“Listen.” Harry cuts in. “Seems like you two might have some things to discuss that don’t really involve me. Riley’s doing great, and Niall tells me Ben’s doing just as great. Nothing really more to it.”

Joseph nearly had a decade on Harry, but Harry owned this room. Having Joseph be put in his place definitely did something for Y/N. She can’t help but smirk as Joseph sits up straight.

“Yes, well…thank you. We’ll make sure to relay the message to them.” He says and Harry nods. Joseph stands up, as does Y/N.

“Y/N, did you happen to drive separately? An alum emailed me today, and I have a couple of questions about our donation site.”

“Oh! Sure, I can stay a few moments.” She looks a Joseph. He stands there for a moment, looking between the two of them.

“Goodnight.” He says, and out the door he goes.

“So…what’s your question?”

“I didn’t actually have one.” Harry smirks at her and she blushes.

“Oh.”

“You seemed uncomfortable with him here.”

“I don’t exactly enjoy his company anymore.” She sits slightly on his desk.

“I know, shit like that is just awkward. Francie and I still have some mutual friends, and we’ve had to be at a few of the same parties since the breakup.”

“Can I ask…I mean, you said you were together for four years and engaged…what happened?”

“Why don’t we have this conversation over drinks?” He stands up, grabbing his keys and jacket.

“Harry…it’s a school night.”

“And? It’s only seven. Not like we’re gonna be out all night are we?”

“I have two kids at home.”

“You have two teenagers at home. Come on, just one drink and I’ll tell you everything.”

“And then what?”

“Whatever you want.” He winks and leads you out the door.

Y/N texted the kids to let them know she was just grabbing a quick bite, and that she was very proud of their hard work. She followed Harry to a pub, and they grab a booth inside. They each order a drink and munch on some popcorn.

“Alright.” He sighs. “So I was with Francie for four years, and we were engaged for all of five months. It was working out great, we were living together, had a couple of pets, you name it. She works for this tech company, right? So, she got promoted, which was great, but it would have involved her to start traveling a lot, and eventually moving to New York. I didn’t want to move, and she didn’t want to do long distance.”

“Why didn’t you want to move? You could have found another school to work at…”

“It was the principal of the thing! She didn’t even ask, she just expected it, like her job was more important than mine. We started arguing more and more, and when I asked her why we couldn’t just try long distance she said that would make things difficult to start a family, and I said we already had a family, and that opened up a can of worms. She wanted kids and I didn’t. After that we ended it. She took our dog and cat, and left.”

“She took the pets?!”

“Yup! Left me the ring though.” He scoffs.

“Wait…so you don’t want kids?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love kids, I love babies especially. But…I just don’t see myself being a dad.” He shrugs. “It’s a lot of responsibility, a lot of money too. I don’t know if I could take care of someone else. And maybe…when she said it…I had this thought of if I did want kids I wasn’t sure if wanted her to be the mother of them.”

“It took you that long to have that kind of conversation?”

“What about you? Did you and your ex have a proper discussion about it?”

“No, he knocked me up, proposed later that year, and we got married in a courthouse while I was seven months pregnant.” She finishes her drink. “Just like a fairytale. Then when he promised we could have a real wedding, I got pregnant with Ben, and all that money went to him. S’alright, though, it would have been a waste of money.”

“Can I ask why you got divorced?”

“Well, the age difference was one thing. He’s seven years older than me, which may not seem like much, but it was. I felt like I couldn’t talk to him sometimes. Then he decided to cheat on me with some other young thing, so we went from separated to divorced real quick.”

“I’m so sorry.” He frowns slightly.

“Don’t be, it was a while ago. I think things worked out for the best. We’re all doing better now.”

“I think it’s admirable that you’ve turned your life around the way you have.”

“Thanks.” She smiles and he finishes off his drink. Once they pay their tab they head out. “I think it’s too cold to do what we did last time.”

“And I couldn’t persuade you to come back to my place for a bit?”

She looks down at her watch and sees it’s already 8:30. She sighs, biting her bottom lip.

“I…I want to, and if I didn’t have two kids at home waiting for me I would. Maybe…maybe you should find someone else to be your little fuck buddy. I’m not easy to be with.”

“Maybe that’s what I like about you.” He says, leaning forward so his lips brush yours, kissing you quickly before backing away. “Have a good night, Y/N.”

She groans once she’s in the car. When she gets home both Riley and Ben are in their rooms unwinding. She says hello and goes to her own room to get ready for bed. Y/N wonders what she would have done with Harry at his place. How he would have touched her and kissed her all over. She sighs and gets into bed, aggravated as fuck.

It was Thanksgiving weekend when Y/N took her next shot with Harry. The kids spent Thanksgiving day with her, and they had the rest of the weekend to be with Joseph. When Saturday night rolled around she was bored and lonely, so she called him.

“Hi, Harry.”

“Hi, Y/N. Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?”

“I did…although, I have way too many leftovers.”

“You don’t say?”

“Yeah! Um, you wouldn’t happen to be hungry, would you?”

“Starved.”

“Great, well, if you’d like to come over you can.”

“I can be there within the house. Just text me your address.”

He had assumed Riley and Ben weren’t home. He needed to take a quick shower before coming to see her, and she needed to do the same. She wanted to be as fresh as possible for him. When she heard the doorbell, she raced down the stairs to open it.

“So, I can heat up whatever-mph!” He had gripped her cheeks and pulled her into him, kissing her passionately.

“I didn’t actually come here to eat.” He breathes. “Well, I did…but not food.” He smirks and lifts her up. She wraps her legs around his waist and kisses on his neck as he carries her upstairs. “Where’s your bedroom?”

“Last door on the right.” She mumbles into his hot skin.

He gets her in the bedroom, and sets her down. He starts taking his clothes off, and she does the same. He knees onto the bed to hover over her, and he kisses her, sucking on her bottom lip.

“Glad you finally called me for this.” He says as he licks around her nipple.

“You could have called me.”

“Didn’t want to look any more desperate.”

He nips at her stomach as he works his way down, giving her little to no warning before he licks into her. She gasps, gripping onto his hair. She bites her bottom lip as she feels his warm tongue lapping away at her. He sucks on her clit and slips two fingers inside her.

“When was the last time someone made you feel this good, hm? When was the last time someone made you this wet?”

“Wh-whenever the first time we hooked up was.” She whimpers.

“And before that?” He kitten licks at her clit now.

“God, I have no idea!” She moans out as his fingers pet inside her against her g-spot. He struggles to get a third finger in, so he doesn’t bother.

“Tighter than a fucking finger trap you know that?”

“I told you, I don’t make time to-oh!”

He started sucking on her clit again, and pumping his fingers quickly. She was squirming underneath him, panting and moaning loudly. She cries out as she comes, and he pumps his fingers slowly as her hips move along with his motions.

“Condoms?” He asks when he pops up.

“You don’t me to, um…?”

“Another time, I don’t think I’d last very long if you sucked on me.” He had been rutting himself against the mattress. She nods and reaches into her bedside drawer for a condom she toss it to him and watches as he rolls it on. “Roll over.”

She does as he says, and gets on her elbows and knees for him. He grips her hips, and lines himself up with her, pushing inside. It’s a tight squeeze, but he gets in no problem. They both moan out from the feeling. He reaches around to rub her clit, and she collapses onto the bed.

“God, just do what you want with me, Harry.” She grunts, and he moans from behind her.

“You’re so fucking sexy, you have no idea. Come for me, Y/N, come on.”

She cries out into her pillow, and he spills into the condom. Somehow after they both got cleaned up they ended up back in bed together. Harry through his arm around Y/N and pulled her to his chest.

“What are you doing?” She giggles.

“Cuddling you.”

“Why?”

“Because I feel like it.”

She laughs, but doesn’t fight him on it. Then…they fell asleep. It was a total accident, Harry never intended to spend the night. He just wanted to cuddle for a bit before heading out. He was more tired than he thought, and so was she. She nudges him awake.

“Shit, I’m sorry.” He says, knuckling at his eyes.

“It’s okay. Would you like to take a shower with me?”

“I would.” He smiles and gets up with her.

It was the dirtiest shower she had ever taken. He had gotten on his knees to eat her out, and then he lifted her up, fucking her into the bathroom tile wall. She left many scratch marks on his back, and then he came on her stomach. They got cleaned up for real after that, and headed downstairs for some coffee. Just as she was about to offer him some breakfast, she heard the front door open.

“Oh my god!” She whisper screams. “They’re not supposed to be back until later!”

“Be cool, Y/N.” Harry says.

“But-“

“Mum, we’re…Mr. Styles?” Riley says as she comes in with Ben. “What…what’s going on?”

“I should ask you the same. Why’s your father bring you back so soon?”

“We asked if he could.” Ben says. “Can only handle so much of his girlfriend.”

“So…Mr. Styles, um, no offense, but what are you doing here?”

“Well, your mum just so happens to be one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. She had all these leftovers and asked me if I’d like any, and I said yes. I may be a Brit, but I love Thanksgiving dishes. So I came right over. Just got here a couple minutes before you did.”

“Yeah, I was just about to pull the food out. Why don’t you two go put your things away?”

Riley furrows her brows, but shrugs it off, and goes with Ben upstairs.

“You’re quick on your feet.”

“Wasn’t a total lie.” Harry says, finishing his coffee. “I better get going.” She walks him to the front door, and he gives her a sneaky kiss along with a bum squeeze. “See you soon, I hope.”

“Definitely.” She smiles. “Bye.” She opens the door for him and out he goes. She sighs happily, and goes into the kitchen to make a little breakfast.

Riley was a little suspicious after that morning. She spent most mornings in homeroom analyzing Harry’s features. He was his usual chipper self, but there was certainly an extra pep in his step. Then in biology it was the same thing.

“Riley?” Austin was standing in front of her desk, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Oh, hey.” She smiles. “What’s up?”

“Are you free this Friday?”

“I…I think so.”

“Would you wanna go to the movies?” He runs a hand through his hair and she swallows.

“This is gonna sound really lame, but I need to ask my mom first.”

He chuckles slightly at that.

“No worries, let me know if she says yes.”

“I will.” Austin goes to his seat, and Riley looks at Chris who was giving her a thumbs up.

“Alright, if we could all settle down?” Harry says. “Today we’re going over fungi cells so I need all of your attention on me.”

Harry liked attention in general, probably one of the reasons he wanted to be a teacher in the first place. He just happened to also enjoy biology and he was good at explaining it to the youths. During class Riley felt her phone buzz, and saw she had a text from Ben.

Ben: reminder that I have a doctor’s appointment, so you have to wait after school for Mum to come get you

Riley: okay thanks, I’ll just go to the library to wait for her

“Riley!” She snaps her eyes up at the harsh tone from her teacher. “Is that your phone?”

“Y-yes…I’m sorry, Mr. Styles, my brother-“

“I don’t care.” He shakes his head. “You know the policy.” He gestures for her to give it to him.

“But he was just-“

“Is it an emergency?”

“No.”

“Alright then, give it here.” Everyone was looking at her, and it made her face flush. She gets up and walks towards him to hand over her phone. He takes it puts it in his desk drawer. “You can have it back after class.”

She nods, and goes back to her seat. After class she walks out, completely forgetting she had her phone taken away. She gets settled in the library, and gets some homework done. She was there for over an hour until Y/N showed up in a huff.

“Riley Davidson, I’ve been calling you for fifteen minutes!”

“Mum, be quiet!”

“If your brother hadn’t told me you were in the library I never would have found you. Where the hell is your phone?”

“It’s…oh shit.” She says as she packs up.

“What?”

“I forgot that Mr. Styles took it from me.”

“He what?!”

“Ben texted me while I was in class, and I texted back. He caught me, and took it away from me. It’s the policy.”

“I don’t give a fuck, that’s your property. Come on, hopefully he’s still here.”

He was. When they walk in, he was writing something on the whiteboard, furrowing his eyebrows. Looked like it was a chemistry equation. Y/N clears her throat to get his attention.

“Oh, hello ladies.”

“Where do you get off taking my daughter’s phone?”

“Oh! I completely forgot about that. You left right after class, Riley.” Harry goes into his desk and grabs the phone. “Here you are.”

“Thanks.” She says as she swipes through to check any notifications she may have missed.

“It’s the policy, Y/N.”

“What if I got in a car accident and someone needed to reach her? Then what?”

“Did that happen?” He crosses his arms.

“No, but it could have.”

“But it didn’t. There’s no texting in class, no phone use of any kind, actually.”

“Mum, it’s fine, we can-“

“Excuse me, but that’s her property. If I need to get in touch with her, or if her brother does, then she should be able to send a quick text. It’s not like she was scrolling through Instagram.”

“But she could have been.”

“But she wasn’t!”

“Maybe you should hover over a little less, hm? Kids rely on their phones so much because their parents are constantly trying to see what they’re up to.”

Y/N takes her keys out from her purse, and hands them to Riley.

“I’m parked out front, go start the car for me. I’ll be just be another minute.” Riley nods and leaves quickly, knowing how bad it can be to be scolded by her mother. She certainly didn’t want to watch her favorite teacher get bitched out. “You don’t have kids, so I wouldn’t expect you to understand-“

“I have dozens of kids, actually. Ones that come to see me to talk to me about their problems, I’m also always studying trends of the today’s students, so don’t stand there and-“

“Do not interrupt me when I’m speaking.” She says firmly, and he closes his mouth. “You may speak when I’m finished, Mr. Styles. I’m a single mom doing my best for my kids. I will not be lectured in front of my daughter about being a helicopter parents because I’m not. However, I’m doing the job of two while my ex gets to be a weekend dad, who my kids don’t even want to see. It’s my fault Ben texted her at the time he did, alright? I asked him to remind her that I wouldn’t be picking her up until later because I had to take him to a doctor’s appointment.”

“May I?” She gestures that he can speak. “She didn’t need to text him back right then. It’s the school policy to take a phone away if we see it out, I was just doing my job.”

“Well, you should have remembered you took it so you could have given it back to her! I was sitting in the car for nearly twenty minutes waiting for her, I was starting to get worried.” Y/N pouts, and even though this was a very serious matter, Harry couldn’t help notice the blood starting to flow right to his prick.

“I’m very sorry about that.” He puts his hand on her shoulder, and she glances at it before looking at him. “I take ownership for that mistake. I feel terrible that I even caused an ounce of worry. If there’s anything I can do to make it better, please let me know.” His tone was condescending and seductive all at the same time.

She places her hand on his and removes it from her shoulder.

“Have a nice evening.” She says.

“Same to you.” He smirks.

Y/N makes her way to her car, and sighs heavily once she’s in there with Riley.

“Please don’t tell me you just yelled at him. He’s my favorite teacher, Mum.”

“No, we had a very adult conversation, and he apologized for not giving you back your phone when he should have after class.”

“I guess I could’ve waited to text Ben back. I’m sorry I caused all this.”

“It’s not your fault, honey, it’s fine.” She smiles at her daughter and they make their way home.

“I…I was asked to the movies this Friday, can I go?”

“With who?”

“Austin.”

“I’d like him to come to the house first so I can meet him properly. You’ve been hanging out in groups with him. Would this be one on one?”

“I think so. I can ask him if he minds coming inside first before we go.”

“That would be great.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Are you…are you and Mr. Styles, like, seeing each other?”

“What would ever give you that idea?!”

“I just think it’s weird that he was at our house.”

“We’ve become friends, you know I hang out with him and Mr. Horan sometimes.”

“Yeah, but Mr. Horan wasn’t there. It was just you and Mr. Styles, and you both had wet hair.”

“I had showered before he swung by, he must have done the same.” Y/N shrugs. “We’re just friends, honey, nothing more.”

“Okay.”

Y/N could tell Riley didn’t quite believe her, but she knew her daughter wouldn’t press her on it more for now. Not if she wanted to go to the movies with Austin.

“It’s nice to meet you, uh-“

“You can just call me Miss Y/L/N, it’s nice to meet you too, Austin.” Y/N smiles. They were all standing in the front hall. “So…it’s just you two going to the movies?”

“That’s the plan.” He says with an innocent smile.

“Have her home by 10:30, please.”

“Can do.”

“Thanks, Mum.”

“Have fun.” She sighs and turns around to Ben. “What about you? No plans?”

“Not tonight. I was just gonna play video games.”

“Well, if you’d like to have a friend over-“ Her cell phone goes off and she furrows her brows. “One second, sweetie.” She goes into the kitchen for some more privacy. “Harry?”

“Hey, what are you up to tonight?”

“Hanging out with my son…why?”

“Oh, they’re not with their dad this weekend?”

“No, they were with him last weekend.” She sighs.

“Damn.”

“Why?”

“Well, Niall and a few other people were gonna go to this place where you can throw axes, and we thought you’d like to come.”

“That sounds like…fun? Um, but I can’t just leave Ben here alone. I’d feel terrible since Riley’s out.”

“Hey, Mum?”

“Honey, I’m on the phone.”

“I know, sorry, Kyle just texted me and asked me if I wanted to sleep over. I know it’s last minute, but-“

“You can go! You can definitely go, I’ll even drop you off.”

“You’re the best! I’m gonna go pack up my stuff.” Ben races out of the kitchen.

“Guess that just solved itself.” Harry says.

“Guess so.”

“Let me come pick you up. Text me when you get back from dropping him off, yeah?”

“Alright.”

Y/N gets herself ready, and then drives Ben to Kyle’s house for his sleepover.

“Why do you look so nice?” He asks on the way there.

“Well, I made plans with my own friends since you and Riley are out. Is that okay?” She chuckles.

“S’fine.” He shrugs. “Feel like you’ve been going out a lot lately. Are you, like, dating?”

“No, baby, I’m not dating. But I am making good friends, which has been nice. I didn’t have many friends back in our old town. Too many judgey moms.” She pulls up to Kyle’s house. “Have a great time, call me if you need me.”

“I will, thanks!”

She watches Ben go inside, and then she makes her way back home to wait for Harry. She liked his car a lot, and it would be nice to actually go for a drive in it, instead of just riding him in it. Y/N was shocked when she heard the doorbell.

“You didn’t have to come to the door.” She says as she steps outside.

“Sure I did. I may be just trying to fuck, but I’m a gentleman at the end of the day.” He smirks as he opens the car door for her. She rolls her eyes at him, and climbs in.

“This really is a nice car.” She says as she looks around.

“Saved up a long time for it.” He places his hand on her thigh as he backs out of the driveway, and he keeps it there.

“So, an axe throwing place?”

“It’s all the rage right now. You can drink and throw axes, it’s pretty cool. I’ve been once before it’s a hoot.” He chuckles and squeezes her thigh slightly. “I’m glad you were able to get out for a bit.”

“Me too.”

She lets him keep his hand on her leg for the entire ride as they chat over the music. He parks the car, and gets out, jogging around to the other side to open the door for her. She smiles at him, and they both head inside. He even gets them their drinks from the bar. It was starting to feel like a date, especially when she only saw Niall with one other person, some woman she had yet to meet.

“Y/N, this is my girlfriend Anna.” Niall says.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Y/N says to her. Harry comes over and hands her a drink. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. We all set?” He asks Niall.

“Yeah, we all just need to sign the release forms.”

They all sign and are brought over to the axe throwing area. They’re told how to do it, and they get going. Harry and Niall go first, and of course their axes stick. Y/N takes a deep breath, and throws her, but it doesn’t stick.

“That’s alright, give it another go.” Harry encourages her.

“I…I don’t think I threw it quite right.” She says to him.

“Would you like some help?” She nods yes at him and he steps closer to her, putting his hand on her back. “You need to release from this point, okay? Give it all you got.” He steps back and lets her throw it. It sticks and she squeals, turning to hug him. “I knew you could do it!”

Anna hits her target as well. The four of them were having a great time. Once their time is up, they all grab table for food. Y/N checks her phone, it was just about nine. No texts from the kids. She hoped Riley was having a nice time on her date, and that Austin was being respectful during their movie.

“Miss?” The waitress says to her.

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry. Um…” She looks at the menu and then to Harry. Everyone else had clearly ordered.

“She’ll have the same as me, thanks, love.” Harry hands the waitress the menus and then looks at Y/N. “You like turkey burgers, right?”

“Yeah, sorry about that. My daughter’s on her first date, and I was just checking my phone to see if she had text me or anything.”

“You have a daughter that’s old enough to date?!” Anna says, shocked. “What’s your secret, girl? You look fantastic!” She laughs, and so does everyone else.

“I was a young mum, nothing more than that.” Y/N chuckles. “She’s only fourteen, a freshman out with a sophomore boy from her biology class. It’s cute, really, he’s on the football team and she’s been to a few of his games. They’ve been hanging out in groups, but tonight is the first one on one.” She takes a sip of her drink. “Listen to me, it sounds like I’m recapping an episode of The Bachelor.”

“Do you have any other kids, or just the one?” Anna asks.

“I have a son, Ben, he’s thirteen. Niall’s his teacher actually.”

“Yup, great kid. Harry has Y/N’s daughter in class too.” Niall tells her.

“Is that how you two met?” Anna asks, and you smirk.

“No, actually, the three of us met because I parked too close to Harry’s precious car in the staff lot. I work in our development office.” She sips her drink smirking at Harry who had slumped in the booth. “He yelled at me, it was quite the meet cute.”

“Yikes, I’ve never seen Harry yell before.” Anna says. “You’re usually so calm.”

“I’ve had that car for two years, not a scratch on it, and I’d like to keep it that way.” Harry says. “It’s all water under the bridge now.” He puts his arm around Y/N, smiling down at her.

There’s more talking during the meal. Y/N really liked the turkey burger Harry had ordered for her. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. It was about ten, and Y/N wanted to get home before Riley like a responsible adult. She tells Harry this, and he nods.

“It was really nice meeting you, Anna.” Y/N tells her again.

“Same to you, have a nice night.” They all part ways in the parking lot. “Oh, I like her so much better than Francie already.” She tells Niall.

“Me too.” Niall sighs. “But you know they’re not really dating.”

“I know, I know, but this was a very nice glimpse for them to see what a date could be like. They were so cute with each other.”

“I agree, I just think Harry’s still on the rebound. I also don’t think he’s mature enough to be dating a woman with two teenagers. Little kids maybe, but teenagers? That’s a lot to take on. Besides, what if he wants kids? Y/N’s in her early thirties, she probably wouldn’t want more.”

“Isn’t that what Harry and Francie broke up over? She wanted kids and he didn’t.” Anna shrugs. “Let them figure it out.”

Y/N and Harry were parked in her driveway making out. The damn console was in the way, but he was still able to get his tongue into her mouth. Her hands were in his hair, tugging him closer to her even though she knew she needed to get out of the car.

“Harry.” She breathes as he starts kissing on her neck. “I…I need to go inside. I can’t be out here like this when Riley gets home.” She gasps when she feels his teeth nip at her skin, and then he pulls away, almost glaring at her.

“Man, nothing to kill a hard on more than a mention of a student’s name.” He huffs.

“I told you…this might be easier for you if you wanted to fuck someone without kids.”

“Well, I’m kinda hooked on you now, so I can’t do that.” His thumb brushes her bottom lip as he cups her cheek. He leans in to kiss her again. “Do you think we could get together tomorrow since it seems like we can’t fool around tonight?”

“Sure, I have some errands I need to run anyways, so I can add you to the list.” She winks. “I’ll text you.”

“Alright, sounds good.” He chuckles. “I had a lot of fun tonight.”

“So did I, goodnight.” She smiles and hops out of the car. She quickly gets herself inside.

Harry backs out of the driveway just as Austin pulls up with Riley.

“Whoa, who do you know with a range rover?” Austin asks.

“That’s…Mr. Styles’ car.” She swallows as she watches him drive away. “He’s friends with my mom. She texted me saying she was seeing some friends tonight, I guess he drove her.”

“Cool.” Austin says. “I’ll walk you to your door.” He does so, and they linger there for a moment. They hug each other, and he gives her a kiss on the cheek. “Can we do this again sometime?”

“I’d like that.” She smiles.

“Great, well, have a good night.”

“You too. Thanks again.” Her heart soars as she goes inside. She finds Y/N sitting on the couch watching TV.

“How was the movie?”

“Really funny.” Riley plops down next to her. “Where’s Ben?”

“Sleeping at Kyle’s.”

“Oh, nice. So…where did you go tonight?”

“To this axe throwing place. It was fun, look.” She takes her phone and shows Riley a video of her throwing an axe and it sticking to the wooden target.

“Cool! You went there with Mr. Styles?”

“Mhm, and Mr. Horan and his girlfriend Anna.”

“Oh my god, Mum.” Riley gasps. “You went on a double date!”

“I did not.” Y/N scoffs.

“Did Mr. Styles pay for anything?”

“Well…yeah, he did, but he said it was just easier.” Riley gives her a look. “What?”

“Mum, he definitely was making a move!”

“And what do you know about moves, hm?”

“Apparently more than you. You two should go out one on one and see how it goes.”

“I’ve done that with him before.” Y/N shrugs. “We’re just friends, Riley.”

“He drove you tonight, right? I saw him pulling out of the driveway when I got home.”

“He offered to drive, yeah, and I accepted. He’s got a really nice car, thought it would be fun to go for a ride in it.” Y/N blushes slightly, annoyed at her own innuendo. “I’m not dating your teacher, don’t worry.”

“I wouldn’t hate it.” Riley shrugs. “You deserve to have someone, Mum. Dad’s out there with miss thing living what he perceives as his best life, you should do the same.”

“I don’t want to be in a relationship right now.” Y/N sighs. “I don’t have time for it. If Ben hadn’t gone to Kyle’s I wouldn’t have been able to go out tonight.”

“He can stay at home by himself.”

“But I would have felt bad about it. I like being home when you guys are home.”

“We’re not babies, that’s all I’m saying.” She twiddles her thumbs. “Plus, he’s super cute, so-“

“Riley!” Y/N chuckles and throws a pillow at her. “Don’t talk about your teacher like that.”

“He is! I don’t have a crush on him, but anyone with eyes can see how cute he is, Mum.”

“I’ll agree with that, he’s very cute.” She yawns. “Well, now that you’re home I’m gonna go up to bed. Was Austin respectful and all that tonight?”

“Very.” Riley smiles. “He asked me if I wanted to do it again sometime. I’m excited about him.”

“It’s a nice feeling, huh?”

“Yeah.”

Y/N hoped the feeling would never fade for her daughter because she knew all too well how it felt when it does.

The next day, after Ben got dropped off, Y/N told the kids she was going out to run some errands, and asked them to get some chores done while she was gone. She genuinely needed to get some things while she was out, so she did that before going over to Harry’s. It felt odd to be going over to his place in the middle of the day for a dick appointment, as the kids would say, but this was happening. She pulls up to a nice duplex, and she recognizes Niall’s car in the other driveway. She texts Harry that she’s down front, and she sees the front door open on one side. She gets out of her car and greets him.

“Find it alright?” He says to her as he lets her in.

“Mhm, this is a cool place.”

“Thanks, Niall and I bought it together, like, five or so years ago. We fixed up one side and then the other.”

“So he gets one side and you the other?”

“Yup, worked out well. I’ve redecorated recently, for, um, obvious reasons.”

“Right, trust me I know how hard it can be living in the same place where good and bad memories were made.”

“Is that why you came out here?”

“One of the reasons she sighs as she kicks her shoes off. “I needed a fresh start.”

He hums his response as he cups her jaw in his large hands, bringing his lips to hers.

“How long do you have?” He says against her lips.

“An hour at most. I have to go to the grocery store after this.”

“Oh.” He smirks. “You won’t be going to the store after this.”

“Wh-why not?” She swallows.

“Because you’re not gonna be able to walk when I’m done with you.” He bends down and lifts her up over his shoulder and she squeals.

“Harry!” She giggles as he brings upstairs to his room. Fuck, he was strong. “What will I tell my kids when I’m walking funny?”

“Tell them good old Mr. Styles cracked your spine in half, I’m sure that’ll go over well.” He drops her on his bed, and gets his shirt off. She looks up wide eyed at him. “Oh, love, I’m not actually gonna do that.”

“I know, I’ve just never seen your tattoos in the daylight like this. I mean when we showered I sort of did, but…they’re so pretty.”

His features soften and he picks her up again, getting himself on the bed and laying her down. He sucks on her bottom lip as she wraps her arms and legs around him. His hands work to undo her jeans, and he tugs them down past her bum. She kicks them off the rest of the way, and he pets her over her underwear. She moans into his mouth, and his dips his fingers inside, sliding along her slit. She could feel him growing hard against her hip.

“Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you blow me for a bit?”

“Of course! Lay down.”

He gives her a relieved smile and lays back on the bed. She gets between his legs and does his pants. She gets them off and tugs his boxers down. She kisses his tip first, then gives his shaft kisses before licking him up and down. She looks up at him and sees he’s already watching her. She smirks and wraps her lips around his tip, sinking down on him as much as she could.

“Yeah, just like that.” He groans. “Fuck, you feel so good.”

She moans against him and bobs her head up and down. This wasn’t her favorite thing to do in the world, but she didn’t mind do it for it for Harry since he was so attentive with her. She gets him to the brink of coming, and then he pulls her off of him. He gets her naked, and opens her legs up, diving right in. The flat of his tongue sliding up her center to her clit. He sucks both of her lips, one at a time before focusing on her clit again. Two of his fingers slip inside her, and her eyes roll back. He has her crying out moments later, and before she knows it he’s getting a condom on.

“Can I go on top?” She asks.

“Sure.” He shrugs and lays down, his cock stiff and ready for her.

She swings her leg over him, and rubs his tip over her clit before sinking down on his. His hands grip her hips as she moves around in a circle to get comfortable. She moves herself on and off his cock, enjoying the stretch he’s giving her. When she gets a little tired she comes down to him chest to chest, and kisses him. His hands slide to her ass, and he moves her on him. He thrusts in and out of her, and she moans into his neck.

“Like the way I feel like this?” He grunts.

“Yes, fuck.” She mumbles. Her clit was rubbing against him perfectly, and she was trying to concentrate on that. “Don’t stop what you’re doing.” She tugs at his hair and he nearly growls.

He thrusts into her faster and faster, it has her panting and moaning. His tip was hitting her g-spot, so the whole thing was really overwhelming. She moans out his name loudly as she comes, and he fucks her through it. He lifts her off of him, and sets her down on her stomach. He gets behind her and pushes back inside. She gasps, but it feels good. He fucks her from behind until he comes, and collapses on top of her. He holds her for a moment before pulling out and getting rid of the condom. She uses the bathroom, and gets dressed. He throws on a pair of boxers and a sweatshirt.

“Thanks for adding me to your list of errands.” He says to her as they stand in his front hall. She giggles into his chest as he hugs her and kisses the top of her head.

“My legs are working just fine, by the way. But I’m too tired to go grocery shopping now.”

“Well, you only gave me a bloody hour, love, and you made me come really fast.” He pouts. “Can’t seem to last that long with you.”

“Maybe you should jerk off before I come over next time so you can handle it.” She grins and he rolls his eyes.

“You came twice didn’t you?” She nods yes. “Alright then, quit your complaining. Go on, get outta my house.” He pats her bum and kisses her one more time. “Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

“You too.” Y/N drove home with a smile on her face the whole way.

Things were like this most weekends, especially when the kids were at Joseph’s. Harry would come over on Friday night instead of Saturday in case he fell asleep. Plus if he stayed the night that meant they could have sex most of the day Saturday, which was really nice. Y/N was having a lot of fun with Harry. Sometimes they’d meet up with Anna and Niall to go bowling, or catch a movie. In a way it felt like dating, but there was absolutely zero pressure. It was the exact companion ship she had hoped for.

When the holidays rolled around, she got the kids for Christmas, and Joseph got them for New Year’s, which meant Y/N could go to the party Harry was having. Apparently it was an annual thing. There were a lot of people from school there so she felt right at home. Y/N hadn’t had a New Year’s kiss in quite some time, so it wasn’t even on her mind until all of the couples migrated towards each other as it got closer to midnight.

Harry was wandering through his home trying to find her. She was in the kitchen refilling her drink. He lets out a sigh of relief. He could hear people starting the countdown.

“Christ, there you are!” He says to her, pulling her into him.

“You were looking for me?”

“Course I was, who else am I gonna kiss, hm?” They hear everyone yell ‘one’ and he plants one on her. She thought it would be a simple peck since there were people around, but no, Harry full on kissed her. “Happy New Year.” He breathes and then kisses her forehead.

“Happy New Year.” She says faintly as he walks away from her to continue being a good host. She was one of the last people there, feeling drained at nearly two in the morning. She was getting her coat, about ready to say goodbye when he looked at her funny. “What?”

“Where do you think you’re going at this hour?”

“Home.”

“Nope, sorry, m’afraid you’re staying with me tonight. Get that coat off, now.” He crosses his arms over his chest.

“Is that so?”

“it is.” He nods, and she smirks at him stepping closer to him.

“Make me.” She grins and his eyebrows raise.

“Right.”

Before she knows it she’s being picked up and carried to his room. They both giggle as he gets her in his room. He gets her jacket and boots off, and he tosses her one of his bed shirts.

“What’s this for?” She asks as she holds the shirt up.

“To sleep? Can’t fuck you right now, I’m knackered.”

“Oh.” She blushes. “Alright, well, thank you. Um…you wouldn’t happen to have a spare toothbrush and a washcloth then would you?”

“Sure, I’ll pull that out of the linen closet for you, one second.” He leaves the bedroom and comes back shortly and gives her what she asked for.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” He shrugs and starts taking his clothes. “Feel free to use the bathroom first.”

She nods and does so. She liked the way his shirt fit, how it hugged her thighs and just barely covered her bum. She washes up and shyly pads back into the bedroom. He smiles when he sees her, and watches as she crawls onto the bed.

“Well, don’t you look cute.” He pinches her thigh as she settled.

“Oh! Don’t do that.” She swats his hand away and he chuckles, getting up from the bed.

“Back in a tick.”

He shuts the lights off once he’s done in the bathroom, and gets into bed with her. She felt awkward until he yanked her onto his chest.

“You can be pretty forceful sometimes, you know that?”

“Does it bother you?”

“Not really, it’s not like I don’t feel safe.”

“You feel safe with me?” He asks softly.

“I do.” She feels him hold her a little closer.

“I just want what I want when I want it I guess.”

“So I’ve noticed. I like a man that knows what he wants, though, so it’s not like it’s a turn off.

“Aw, so you feel safe with me and you like me. A Happy New Year indeed.” She sucks her teeth at that and it makes him laugh. “What’s wrong, can’t take a bit of teasing?”

“I can, you’re just annoying.” She nudges him and he kisses the top of her head.

“You’re fun, Y/N.” He chuckles.

“Let’s get some sleep so you can fuck me in the morning, yeah?”

“I like the way you think.” He sighs and lets his eyes droop closed.

Y/N and Harry spent most of New Year’s day in his best, and neither of them would have had it any other way.

“Y/N?” One of her student workers comes into her office. “Mr. Horan from the math department is here to see you.”

“He is?” She raises an eyebrow. “Um, alright, he can come in.” The girl nods and lets Niall in. He closes the door behind him. “Is everything alright with Ben?”

“Yeah, this isn’t work related.”

“Oh…alright, would you like to have a seat?”

“No, it won’t take long…um…did you know Harry’s birthday is on the first of February?”

“I did not know that, no.”

“Right, well, I’m throwing him a party at this pub he really likes to go to. He’s turning thirty, you know? Wanted it to be a little more special for him.” She nods and he continues. “He’s shy about his birthday, and he’d never come right out and say it, but I know it would be mean the world to him if you came.”

“Well, of course I’ll go. It’s not like I haven’t been to a party with him before.”

“Yes, but instead of casually coming over to his New Year’s party…you’d sort of be showing up as his lady, you know?”

“What are you getting at here?”

“Come on, Y/N.” Niall scoffs. “He’s crazy about you, can’t you see that?”

“Niall…” She says in a hushed tone. “You know very well that he and I are nothing more than-“

“Fuck buddies, yeah, yeah.” He rolls his eyes. “This has been going on for months, you seriously don’t want more with the guy?”

“No.” She swallows. “I’m getting exactly what I need from him. He doesn’t want more either, what we’re doing works for both of us. Has…has he said something to you?”

“Not in so many words, but he talks about you enough. I think it’s silly to not go for it.”

“Look, if I didn’t have two kids maybe things could be different between him and I, but it’s not that simple. I don’t want more…at least not right now.”

“Alright.” He sighs. “I’ll text you the details for the party, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Oh, and keep it a secret. He thinks we’re going on a bar crawl.”

She nods and out the door he goes. She sighs heavily and shakes her head. Now there would be all this pressure for his birthday. Did she need to get him a gift? And what kind of gift should it be?

“Mum, you look so good.” Riley says sitting on Y/N’s bed when she comes out in a red dress.

“Thank you, honey.”

“And this is for a friend’s birthday party?”

“Yes.”

“Whose birthday?” Riley grins.

“Harry’s.” Y/N sighs.

“Did you get him anything good?”

“I…I got him, like, well, you know how he likes to wear all those rings? So I saw this ring at the store that I thought he might like.”

“You got him a ring?”

“Is it weird? It’s weird right? I just…I saw it and I thought of him, and I-“

“I bet he’ll love it, Mum.”

“Alright.” She nods. “Listen…you’ll be alright with Ben tonight? I…I could either be home really late, or I might not come back until the morning depending on how much I have to drink.”

“He’s setting up some movies and popcorn for us as we speak. We can handle it.”

“Good, okay, thank you.”

“Where would stay if you don’t come home?”

“Mr. Horan has offered me his guest room if need be.” It was a blatant lie but she couldn’t very well tell her fourteen-year-old that she was most likely going to have birthday sex with her teacher.

“Okay.” Riley shrugs and goes downstairs with Y/N. The doorbell rings. “I’ve got it.” She says as Y/N gets her coat on. “Hi, Mr. Styles.”

“Hello, Riley, is your mum ready to go?”

“Mhm, she’s just getting her coat on. Happy birthday, by the way.”

“Thank you.” He smiles and then uses all his willpower to not let his jaw drop when he sees Y/N. He couldn’t even see her dress, but he could tell she’d be a knockout tonight. “Ready?”

“Yes.” She smiles and turns to Riley and Ben. “Don’t be afraid to call if you need anything. I can be home in a flash. I’ll text you later to let you know what my, um, plans are.” She blushes and pushes Harry outside as the kids wave them off.

“She’s not subtle.” Ben says as he plops onto the couch.

“I know, I wish they’d just admit they’re in love and get on with it.” Riley says and starts the movie.

Harry opens the backseat of Niall’s car for her, and then he jogs around to the other side. Niall was driving, and Anna was in the passenger seat. Everyone greets one another and off they go. Harry keeps his hand on Y/N’s knee the whole way, and she puts her hand over his. They smile at each other, but nothing is said. Needless to say he was surprised by there being a party at the pub for him, but he was delighted.

Niall had done really well. Lots of drinks and appetizers going around, good music, and people mingling. There was even a cheesy slideshow of every single one of Harry’s school pictures throughout the years, and Y/N had to fight tears from laughing so hard at some of them. Harry couldn’t have asked for a better birthday, especially with Y/N around. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her all night, and eventually his arm didn’t leave from its place around her waist. No one really paid it any attention. Most people knew there was something going on between the two of them, but it was none of their concern. The single men in the room at the least knew not to hit on her. No one really wanted to get on Harry’s shit list.

There was a table for gifts, but Y/N kept hers in her purse, not wanting it to get lost. She also wanted to give it to him in private in case things got awkward. She had overthought the ring over and over. It was this nice topaz band that she thought he’d like. He said he was always looking for a pop of color in his wardrobe.

“Hey.” He says to her, pulling her into him. “Are you gonna come home with me?”

“Yeah.” She smiles. “Are you having a good time?”

“A great time. Couldn’t have asked to turn thirty with better people.” He tucks some hair behind her ear and she shivers. “Can’t to get you back to my place, though.” He leans in to speak in her ear. “M’gonna mess up all this pretty makeup you’re wearing.” He kisses her cheek and lets her go. She was suddenly counting down the moments until it was time to leave.

When it came time, she helped grab all of the gifts off the table and bring them to Niall’s car. She had texted Riley that she wouldn’t be coming home which she felt slightly guilty about. She didn’t like giving up her weekends with the kids like this. Niall and Anna help get everything inside, and then leave Harry and Y/N alone, drinking water in the kitchen. He comes over to her, putting his hands on her hips, and pulling her forward.

“Have I told you how fucking sexy you look tonight? I’ve had to hold my hand under my jaw all night just to keep it from dropping.”

“Idiot.” She chuckles. “Oh! Wait, I got you something.” She snatches her purse from the counter.

“So it’s not lingerie? Sort of thought you were my gift.” He smirks and she rolls her eyes.

“That wouldn’t be very original, and I don’t find lingerie to be particularly comfortable, sorry, Sport.” She fishes the ring box out of her purse. “Here we are. If it’s weird feel free to just kick me out…I saw it thought you’d like it, nothing more to it than that.”

He takes the box from her, furrowing his brows. His eyes widen as he opens it up. He looks between her and the topaz band several times.

“Are you serious?” He says.

“Y-yeah…do you like it?”

“Are you kidding? I love it! I just can’t decide what finger to put it on.”

“I guessed on the size. You have such fat fingers, so I went with a larger one.”

“Think that’s the first time I’ve heard you complain about my fingers. Better be the last.” He slips the ring onto his middle finger and holds it out. “It’s perfect, thank you so much. You really didn’t have to do this.”

“I know, but I wanted to. Like I said, I saw it and thought you’d like it.”

He hugs her and she hugs him back. He kisses her cheek and works his way to her lips. He sucks on her bottom lip, and she tugs at his shirt. His hands slide down to her ass and he squeezes.

“Fuck, I want you so bad.” He says against her lips, and lifts her up onto the counter.

“Mm-mm, just bring me upstairs, I don’t wanna have sex on the counter again.”

“But it’s my birthday.” He pouts.

“Yeah, and last time we did this my back hurt for, like, three days, so bring me upstairs.”

He sucks his teeth and lifts her back up, carrying her bridal style out to the staircase, and up to his room. He sets her down on the bed and takes her heels off, sliding his hands up her calves and thighs. He pulls her to her feet so he can lift the dress up over her head. He tugs her nylons off along with her underwear, and unclips her bra, leaving her naked in front of him. He licks his lips and kisses her. Running his hands all over her body. She works to get his shirt undone, and pushes it off his shoulders. She undoes his pants and lets them drop to the floor, he steps out of them, and they both fall back on the bed. He grinds his hard dick, still clothes by his boxers, right into her core, and she groans. He continues to grind against her, and she moves her hips along with his to get some extra friction.

“I want you to suck me off while I fuck you with my tongue.”

She nods and they switch positions so he can lay on his back. She gets situated over his face, and she lowers herself on his body. His tongue moves back and forth along her slit before entering her. She gasps just as she’s getting her lips wrapped around him. His hands grip her hips so he can lick into her in just the right way. She moans around his cock as she tries to bob up and down on him. He removes his tongue from her so he can finger her, and he licks up to her other hole, something they’ve done before. She chokes on his dick and pulls off, choosing to pump him instead.

“Shit, Harry, oh my god!”

He moans against her as she comes around his fingers. He pulls his fingers away and laps her up. He rolls her onto her stomach, and he grabs a condom quickly. He rolls it on and spreads her legs wide open. She lifts her hips up as he pushes inside her, and he grabs a pillow to put under her back. He rocks in and out of her as his hands knead her breasts. She wraps her arms around his neck to pull him down to her, and she licks into his mouth. He moans into her as their chests touch and sweat starts to form between their bellies.

“Y/N.” He moans into her ear, and it raises goosebumps all over skin. She wraps her legs around his waist to pull him even closer. He kisses on her neck and she runs her fingers through his hair. “I want you to come at the same time as me, think you can do that?”

“Y-yeah.”

He snakes a hand between them so he can rub her clit and her mouth falls open. They make eye contact the entire time, and they cry out as they come together. He collapses on top of her, and she holds him close, kissing his cheek multiple times. He keeps his head buried in her chest for a few moments. He looks up at her, about to say something, but her phone goes off.

“Shit, it could be the kids…”

“One second.” He pulls out of her with a grunt, and lets her up. She gets up and waddles over to his dresser and grabs her phone.

“Ben?”

“Hi, Mum, I’m sorry it’s so late, but Riley doesn’t feel well. I think it’s her period, but she’s on the floor, like, clutching at her stomach and I don’t know what to do for her…”

“Shit, okay, um, get her a glass of milk and two ibuprofen from the cabinet. I’ll be home soon, I’ll set up a warm compress for her. She gets really bad cramps like me sometimes.”

“Okay, thanks, sorry again.”

“No problem, I’ll see you soon.” She turns to Harry. “I…I’m sorry, I can get an uber or-“

“I’ll drive you, don’t be silly.” He says, already throwing some sweats on. “Do you want something to change into so you don’t have to put all that back on?”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

He gets her a sweatshirt and some sweatpants. Once she’s cleaned herself up they’re out the door and into his car. This time around he holds her hand the whole way, their fingers intertwined and everything. When he turns the car off when he pulls in, she gives him a funny look.

“Don’t look at me like that, I’m coming in, obviously.”

“You don’t need to.”

“I know, now come on.”

They get inside, and poor rile is still laying on the floor sucking milk out of a straw. Ben was sitting on the ground neck to her rubbing her back.

“Mum?”

“Hi, sweetie.” Y/N gets on her knees next to her.

“Feels like someone’s squeezing my insides with a spiked glove.”

“I know, baby, the medicine will work soon, I promise.” She sighs. “Ben, in the bathroom cabinet is where the warm compresses are, could you get one for me please?”

“Yeah.” He stands up and looks at Harry, but doesn’t say anything. Riley sees Harry’s sneakers and turns to look at him.

“Hey, Mr. Styles…”

“Hey.” He smiles. “Not feeling great, huh?”

“Cramps.” She says bluntly.

“Ugh, that’s the worst.” He sits down next to her. “My older sister used to get them really bad, I felt terrible.”

Ben comes back with the warm compress, and Y/N snaps it to get it to warm up, and she presses it to Riley’s lower back. She sighs from the feeling.

“See? Better already.” Y/N says.

“I don’t know what happened. I was fine all night, and then I got up to get some more soda, and I basically fell to the ground.”

“The bad ones can creep up on you unfortunately. I need to get you up to your room.”

“I could carry her…if…if that’s alright with everyone.” Harry says.

“That would be okay.” Riley says. “No one else could do it anyways.”

He helps her up, double and triple checking it’s okay that he’s touching her, and he carries her up. Y.N has Ben clean up the living room before he goes to bed. Y/N goes into Riley’s room after Harry’s places her on her bed.

“All set?” Y/N says to her, brushing some hair away from her face.

“Yeah, thank you.” She yawns. “Goodnight.”

“Night, honey.”

Y/N tugs Harry into her room, and closes the door.

“I’m so sorry, thank you for coming in…I don’t know how I would’ve helped her upstairs, I would have had to make a bed for her on the couch.” Y/N starts tearing up. “There are so many things I can do for them on my own until I’m reminded that there are things that I just can’t.”

“Hey.” He puts his hands on her shoulders. “You’re a great mum and you’re doing what you can. I couldn’t imagine being so young and raising two teenagers. You make it look easy, honestly. You’re amazing, Y/N.”

“You really think so?”

“I do.” He nods.

“Would you…I mean…it’s late, um, would you want to just stay here?”

“It wouldn’t be weird for you?”

“No.” He smiles and starts taking his clothes off. They get into bed together and cuddle all night. He somehow was always exactly what she needed, and it scared her a little. “How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Put me at ease the way you do?”

“I don’t know.” He smiles down at her. “Didn’t realize I did that for you.”

“Well, you do. And I don’t know how I feel about it.”

“Christ, Y/N, just admit you like me as more than just a guy who fucks you good so we can date already.”

“What?” She sits up and so does he. “That’s not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be. You don’t wanna date? I mean we practically already are when you think about it. I’m not seeing anyone else, are you?”

“With your clingy ass? Who would have the time?!” She laughs.

“Oi, I resent that.”

“You ask me to hang out literally every weekend.”

“Yeah, cause I need to get to you before someone else does.”

“Harry…you realize if you get into a relationship with me you’re getting into a relationship with my kids, right?”

“I do.” He nods. “I know it’ll be a lot, but if it means I get to be with you…I think I could be all in with them. I can’t speak for Ben, but I know Riley likes me. I feel like we could make this work.”

“I don’t want more kids…I’m almost thirty-four, I would hate for you to end up wanting kids of your own. That’s not something I can give you, Harry.”

“You know what I’d really like?”

“What?”

“A dog. I’m great with pets, absolutely great. I miss having a pup around. If we get to a point where we feel like that’s the right move, that would definitely be enough for me.”

“I’ve always wanted a dog.” She bites her bottom lip. “Wow, okay, so…we’re doing this?”

“We fucking better be, I think Niall will explode if we don’t.”

They both giggle, and kiss each other. They settle back down to get some sleep, ready for whatever the morning brings.

a/n: if you liked what you’ve read, and are able/want to support me, please consider buying me a coffee.

#harry styles #something new #harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfic #harry styles fic #harry styles x reader #harry styles one shot #harry styles x y/n #harry styles y/n #harry styles angst #harry styles fluff #harry styles smut #teacher!Harry

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theteddylupinexperience · 3 years

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I’ve Got You-Marcus Moreno x f!reader

AN: this is my first fic in a whiiiiile, so I hope you guys enjoy! This is technically a female reader insert, but there are only a couple of pronouns used. Reader has fairly nondescript powers, but in my head it’s kind of a cross between Stranger Things and Carrie. Huuuuuuge huge thank you to @pascalpanic for being so encouraging and the sweetest beta reader ever! Thanks again darling!

Warnings: a couple swears, kissing, anxiety, brief mention of a bad relationship, blink and you’ll miss it Taylor Swift reference, Miracle Guy deserves his own warning, but really this is pure Marcus loving fluff

The room feels tight. That’s the only way you can explain it, it feels as though your lungs are compressed just sitting here. The conference room in the Heroics headquarters has never been your favorite, especially as a new recruit. The constant need to prove yourself to everyone is absolutely overwhelming.

The situation at hand is far from simple, Lavagirl and Mrs. Vox are both away on maternity leave again and the team needs people to cover for them the next few months. Marcus Moreno sits across from you, and flashes you a brief smile. You’re sure he can sense your nerves, he knows you too well. Although he was the leader of the Heroics, he had been the one to take you under his wing when you first joined, explaining that it was normal for your powers to feel like they were controlling you, despite you wanting it to be the other way around. You’d been hiding your abilities since you were a child, but now that you were an adult and allowed to feel everything so deeply, they had shown themselves more prevalently than ever. A week after a blow out fight with your ex, you had found yourself in the lobby of this very building, begging anyone who would listen to help you. The windows had blown out of your apartment when your fight reached its peak, and you were terrified that you could hurt someone.

Your attention is brought back to the room around you when Miracle Guy speaks up. “I just don’t see why we need to bring anyone in, we can handle things around here.”

“Don’t be so full of yourself, Miracle Guy, remember the alien invasion last year?” Tech-No shoots back.

“I remember we were saved by our children, why can’t they join us?”

“Maybe because they’ve got pre algebra during our training times,” Marcus speaks up, the eye roll in his voice palpable. The corners of your mouth twitch up as you try not to laugh. Marcus catches you, and shoots you a wink that makes your heart stop.

“Who do you suggest, Moreno?” Miracle Guy barks. God, he’s annoying, you think to yourself.

“I suggest Firefly,” Marcus says your nickname as though it’s the most obvious choice in the world, and you puff up slightly at his confidence in you. The pride, however, is short lived when you hear Miracle Guy scoff.

“Firefly?? Is that a joke?” he starts, “she’s completely out of control, she could get us all killed.” He sends you a cutting glare as he continues, “Or she could kill all of us.”

The room erupts into argument, you can’t keep straight who’s defending you and who’s agreeing with Miracle Guy. You wouldn’t be able to hear it past the blood rushing in your ears, anyways. You briefly catch Marcus’s eye as you stand up, but you can’t bear to fully look at him. What if he feels the same way? Oh god, what if they ALL feel the same way?

Miracle Guy’s words swirled around in your head as you storm out of the conference room. You manage, barely, to hold your tears back until you are out of sight, not wanting any of his accusations to ring true.

You turn a corner, finding yourself in the children’s area of the Heroics headquarters. You pace up and down the rows of lockers, just stay calm, don’t think about it, just stay calm. You’re shaking, tears finally spilling over.

You still in the middle of the hall, breathing hard and covering your face with your hands as your emotions reach a fever pitch.

“FUCK!” you scream, and every door of the entire row of lockers flies open.

“Firefly?”

You whip around, the doors slamming shut as electricity crackles in the air.

“Marcus?” you whisper. The tension drops immediately from your body, replaced with crushing shame as you realize your boss has witnessed your outburst. “Fuck, I’m so sorry, I just-“ you start, tears slipping hot down your face again.

Marcus looks at you for just a second, and you panic that he’s going to fire you, or worse, be disappointed in you. You go to apologize again, but before you can say anything, he’s crossed the hall to you and enveloped you in a tight embrace.

“Hey,” he starts, petting your hair, but never letting go of you, “Don’t be sorry, okay? I’m sorry. I never should have let that conversation get so out of control.” He freezes momentarily when he realizes what he’s said, and he pulls back, holding tightly onto your arms and looking directly at you. “You are not out of control, Firefly. You are the strongest person I’ve ever met, you have this incredible power within you, and of course it’s going to take time to get down. I have nothing but absolute faith in you,” Marcus promises.

You hazard a look into his eyes, your stomach knotting tightly in reaction to what you fear could be love. Marcus is a magnetic force of a man, someone you’ve been drawn to since the very second you walked into his office for the first time. There’s so much you want to say to him.

“I’m sorry,” is what comes out. “Why?” Marcus looks confused. You huff out a shaky laugh, “I don’t know.” He smiles at your laugh, and your heart swells. The doors of the lockers begin to shake again, threatening to burst open the way you fear your chest might.

If Marcus notices, he doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t tease you, though a flash of a smirk crosses his face before he pulls you into him again. “I’ve got you,” he says. A few moments pass with Marcus just holding you while your breathing settles. “Hey,” he starts again, “come over for dinner? I know Missy would love to see you.”

You giggle lightly, pulling away from him. “Sure, I’d really like that. Missy is the best.”

Marcus feigns shock and offense at your statement, “What about me?”

“You’re okay, I guess,” you concede. Before you realize what you’re doing, you run your fingers through his hair. You watch his ears turn red at your touch, and briefly toy with the idea that he could feel the same way about you. He brings his hand up to cover yours, and brings it down to his mouth to place a kiss to your palm that makes your head spin. He feels like a sunset at the beach, or the first sip of your favorite coffee.

Marcus smiles, showing the dimple you adore so much.

You could cry again at the way he’s looking at you, but this time it doesn’t feel like rage or shame. It feels calm, calm in a way you’ve never felt before. All at once, your emotions are settled and your racing thoughts are quieted.

“What’re you thinking about?” he asks, breaking you out of the trance of his eyes and lips on you.

“I’ve just… I’ve never felt like this before. Not since I was little. You make me feel like I’m home, Marcus, I don’t know how to explain it,” you admit cautiously, noting how the lockers begin to shake again at the rise in emotions.

“Can I try something?” Marcus breathes.

You nod, and the rattling gets louder the harder you try to silence your mind. Your thoughts are everywhere, overwhelmed with everything Marcus, as you try to figure out what he’s going to do.

Before you can ask any questions, or even second guess yourself, his lips are on yours. Your eyes flutter closed, and you melt into the kiss, trying to memorize the way his hands feel on your waist, and his beard feels on your mouth, in case this is all a dream and you’re about to wake up.

The rattling stops immediately, and the hallway is filled with a blissful quiet as Marcus reluctantly pulls away to breathe. He rests his forehead against yours, and moves his hands from your waist to your jaw, to cradle your face in his hands. You are acutely aware of how hard you’re breathing, but also aware of the fact that the hallway is silent despite your heart and mind absolutely soaring after Marcus kissed you.

“How did you do that?” you giggle

“That was all you, sweetheart,” Marcus tells you earnestly, “you’ve been in control all along, I just gave you somewhere to focus that energy.”

You stand on your toes to kiss him again, more fiercely this time, almost desperate as you pour every ounce of love you feel for this man into the kiss. One of his arms moves around to the small of your back as he walks you backwards to rest against one of the lockers. You’re the first to pull away this time, just briefly, to place soft kisses along Marcus’s jawline. He sighs breathlessly at the affection, and gently grabs your shoulders to push you back. He looks deep into your eyes, and you get lost in just how gorgeous he is right now. His lips are red and swollen, his eyes dark, and when he leans down to place a firm, chaste kiss to your forehead you’re sure this is heaven.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about doing that since the moment I saw you for the first time,” Marcus says.

You laugh again, your cheeks burning deliciously from how hard you’re grinning at him, “The feeling is mutual.”

“Are you still coming over for dinner?”

“Can we do that again?” you ask, amusement and affection rich in your voice.

It’s Marcus’s turn to laugh now, and he laughs deep in his chest, tilting his head back, and you take the opportunity to sneak a kiss just below his ear.

Marcus cuddles you closer to him, your head on his chest listening to his heartbeat. He smooths your hair down, and kisses the top of your head.

“We can do anything you want, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

#marcus moreno #marcus moreno x reader #marcus moreno imagine #we can be heroes #pedro pascal #pedro pascal imagine

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all-things-skam · 5 years

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Jens’ season: chapter eight

Saturday, February 22nd

Jens had fucked up. He knew he had fucked up, but watching Lucas leave, turn his back and walk away from him, wasn’t any less painful. Every time he closed his eyes, Jens saw the disappointment and betrayed look on Lucas’ face.

He didn’t even go out with the boys after Lucas left, too upset to have fun with his friends. And, if he had gone, he would've tried to drink his mistake away and Jens knew that it was not the best way to deal with it. Leaning on a vice had already gotten him in trouble and had cost him Lucas, did he really want to make it worse and fuck up even more?

So, he stayed home and laid in his bed, curled up and moping like a teenage girl during her first breakup. He stared at his phone, hoping to see Lucas’ name on the screen. A message, a call. Anything. Sadly, he only got texts from the Broerrs group chat, asking where he was and if he was still coming or not.

Jens didn’t reply nor opened their messages, he just let them roll in.

When morning came, a gray light casted into his room through the still open curtains, dimly illuminating the foot of his bed. Jens didn’t know what time it was, but he could make out his mother and sister’s voices outside his door, Lotte calling out about a lost doll she wanted to take over to a friend’s house.

In other times, he would’ve laughed and called her a messy person, but Jens didn't have the heart to tease his sister.

Extending his hand across his mattress, he reached for his phone, the battery flashing 10%, and dialing Lucas’ number. It was the fifth time he called the Dutch boy since last night and, just like the first time, it went to voicemail.

Jens sighed. If only Lucas would give him a second chance. To explain. What was there to explain though? He couldn’t just say that he was out of weed and took a Xanax instead. While it was true, that it was how it started, it wouldn’t be good enough of an excuse for Lucas.

He had promised himself after messing up with Jana that in his next relationship, he was going to be more honest. Jens seemed to have forgotten about that promise... Him and Lucas had not even been together two weeks and already he had lied to him and driven him away.

Shit, he deserved a trophy for the shortest relationship ever. Even Robbe’s relationship with Noor lasted longer than that.

Afternoon seeped in and Jens felt himself slipping into desperation, craving any interactions from Lucas. He had been trying to find some way of getting a message through to Lucas, trying everything. He continued to call and text him - despite getting no replies. He even went back to their old ways and sent him a DM via Instagram, but there was still no response.

Jens let out a desperate sigh. Even a 'read' check mark would be better than this radio silence. He was about to put his phone down, he felt it vibrate in his hands, messages from his friends flashing on his screen.

Aaron: Hey so what time are we meeting up for Jana’s party? Amber said the girls are taking her out to pre-party and then we should all come by later

Moyo: Lets meet at 9 and then go over

Moyo: We can pre-game at Robbe’s?

Shit. Today was Jana's birthday party - and Jens had completely forgotten about it. She was eighteen now. The big eighteen as they used to say. Jens remembered when they were in middle school and used to dream about this big day - and future party. Now that the time had come, her birthday date had completely slipped from his mind, no longer relevant to him anymore.

Aaron: Jens, you coming or you'll bail on us again?

He ignored the messages from his friends and stared at his ceiling. There was no way he was going to Jana’s party. He didn't feel like seeing her. Or anyone. He was feeling like shit and most likely looked like it too.

Plus, after ending things between them for good a couple weeks ago, Jens doubted she'd want to see him at her party. Nothing good could come from him going and, with the way he was feeling, it was just a recipe for disaster.

Jens clicked out of the chat and pulled up a contact. Robbe was the only person who responded 'present' when Jens needed someone. Someone to empty his feelings to and make everything seem right again. He dialled Robbe’s number, biting his lip as he waited. It rang three times...and went to voicemail.

Fuck, where was his best friend when he needed him?

Monday, February 24th

He saw Lucas in the halls on Monday. And, once Jens saw him, he couldn’t seem to be able to look away, eyes memorizing every feature of that beautiful face, knowing that he wouldn’t see it as often - nor as close - anymore.

A stupid smile formed on his face, only to fall and turn into sorrow seconds later. A week ago, Lucas would’ve turned in his direction and smiled - and maybe Jens would’ve blown him a kiss, making Lucas blush. But, today, Lucas had his back to him.

His beautiful curls were covered by a hoodie, denim jacket on top, as he fished something out of his locker. A textbook, probably.

A part of him wanted to go up to him, but Jens didn't want to be that creepy ex - that's what they were now, were they? - who stalked the other at school just to talk to them because their numbers are blocked. This was wrong and twisted.

So, Jens stayed away and kept his distance, giving Lucas the time and space he needed.

Tuesday, February 25th

After skating his sadness away at the skatepark, Jens opened his textbooks and worksheet and began his homework. He didn’t feel like doing school work right now, but it had to be handed tomorrow so he had no other choice.

There was a light knock on his door, followed by his mother's sweet, calm voice - and the smell of fresh baking. ‘’Lotte and I baked some cookies, want some?’’ she asked, poking her head through the doorway.

Homemade cookies? On a Tuesday? That was unusual. After a shift at the hospital, Fenna usually had just enough energy to prepare dinner and do some small chores.

‘’Maybe later,’’ Jens responded, eyes on his homework, trying to concentrate on Maths instead of Lucas.

‘’It’s peanut butter, your favorites. Lotte insisted we made them for you,’’ Fenna explained, tempting him, thinking he’ll change his mind.

‘’I’m not hungry. I’ll get some later.’’ Jens forced a smile. He didn’t want to sound ungrateful, but he just wasn’t in the mood.

Fenna frowned at the second refusal and stepped in, sensing something was up with her son. It was unlike Jens to refuse peanut butter cookies - and to hide in his bed all weekend. She thought he might be getting sick, but he didn’t look nor sound sick. It was something else.

She sat on Jens’ bed, trying to keep herself from making comments about the mess around his room. When will those kids learn to clean and tidy up?

‘’Need any help with that homework?’’

Jens shook his head. ‘’Unless you aced algebra when you were in high school, I doubt you can help me.’’

A small laugh left her lips. ‘’You must’ve got that from me, then. I was bad at Maths.’’

‘’Thanks for the skills, I guess?’’

‘’Other than struggling with your Math homework, anything new? How is Robbe? I haven’t seen him around in a while. How is his mom doing?’’

‘’Mom…’’

Fenna shrugged. ‘’What? Can’t I just catch up with my kids and show interest in their lives and what they are up to?’’

‘’I guess.’’

‘’Finance issues have been a big concern these past months, but you’re important too. Why don’t we invite Lucas for dinner this Friday?’’

At the mention of Lucas, Jens’ heart clenched painfully. He had just introduced him to his mom last week and it went so well - she adored Lucas - and now he was going to announce to her that they were no longer together.

‘’I...it’s too late. We’re not together anymore.’’ Jens’ eyes filled with water, the realisation of he and Lucas’ break up fully sinking in.

Seeing the tears in her son’s eyes, Jens’ mom did what any good mom would do and pulled him into a hug. At first, Jens didn’t respond to her hug, but he gave in as she started stroking his hair, soon feeling his tears saturate the shoulder of her shirt.

It was the first time in a long time that Jens had crumbled like that and cried in his mother’s arms. He hadn’t done that since their family dog died when he was eight.

Heartbreaks had never been something Fenna had to help her son through. Jens didn't cry over girls - it was usually the opposite. But, seeing the situation reversing, Jens’ mom understood how much Lucas must’ve meant to him.

She held her son and felt his pain, trying her best to comfort him. ‘’Give him time,’’ she said, hope in her voice. ‘’Time fixes things. Look at your father. He’s on the right track.’’

Jens lifted his head from his mother's shoulder, wiping his tears away, getting serious. ‘’About that... Mom, there’s something I need to tell you.’’ He paused, dragging time.

Fenna furrowed her eyebrows.

Wednesday, February 26th

Jens thought seeing his friends would do him good, that he’d feel a little better, but he was still feeling like shit. He watched as Robbe and Aaron were animatedly talking about a new vlog idea, Moyo joining in and adding to their idea.

‘’What do you think, Jens?’’ Robbe asked.

He shrugged.

‘’Anyone want beers?’’ Moyo offered everyone, getting immediate nods from Robbe and Aaron. ‘’You?’’ he asked Jens, who shook his head.

‘’I’ll pass.’’

The three boys exchanged a look, surprised.

‘’Do you have a fever, bro?’’ Aaron said, laughing and checking the raven haired boy’s forehead only to be swatted away by an annoyed Jens.

‘’Yeah, when do you ever refuse a beer?’’

‘’I don’t feel like drinking tonight. Is that not allowed?’’

He slumped into the armchair and looked down, picking at a loose thread on his hoodie. Not only was this hoodie his favorite, but Lucas had worn it a couple times - looking adorable as hell in it - and, if Jens brought the collar close enough to his nose, he could smell the faint scent of Lucas’ cologne.

‘’Is...is it Lucas?’’ Robbe asked hesitantly, almost whispering the boy’s name. He didn’t want to out Jens to Aaron and Moyo, but he had a feeling that Lucas had something to do with his best friend’s mood. He recognized the symptoms of a broken heart.

Jens stopped playing with the thread and nodded.

Aaron frowned. ‘’Lucas? As in the Dutch kid? The one you invited to the bar last Friday?’’ he asked, making sure they were talking about the same person.

‘’Yeah...’’

‘’What happened?’’ Robbe continued.

While ignoring the question and putting up a front would be easier, these were his best friends, his broerrrs. He didn’t need to hide behind his walls anymore, not with them.

‘’I fucked up and...I think we broke up.’’

‘’Wait, you’re gay too?’’ Aaron said confusedly, putting two and two together.

’’Who’s gay too?’’ Moyo asked, returning with the beers, handing one each to Aaron and Robbe before sitting back on the couch and cracking it open.

Jens sighed, pushing his head in his hands. ‘’I’m not gay...’’

Moyo choked as he took a sip of his beer. “You too?”

Jens groaned in annoyance. “I’m not gay, I’m bisexual. There is a difference,’’ he explained. ‘’But that’s not what this is about. I fucked up and now Lucas completely pushed me out of his life. I tried calling him, I sent texts too, but he’s purposely ignoring me. All because I took fucking Xanax…’’

Robbe blinked, alarmed at the infamous drug. ‘’Xanax? Jens, that shit is dangerous-’’

‘’I know. Don’t worry. It cost me Lucas, I’m not taking that shit again,’’ he said with the most serious tone.

Despite his promise, Robbe wasn’t fully reassured. Xanax addiction was very common among teenagers and young adults, Robbe was worried his best friend had slipped into that rabbit hole. ‘’You should’ve called me-’’ he started, but Jens cut him.

‘’I tried calling you on Saturday, but you didn’t answer. I don’t blame you for spending time with Sander, I’m happy for you two, but sometimes I really need my best friend. Especially when I fuck up this bad.’’

‘’Why did you tell us sooner?’’ Moyo asked, speaking for everyone.

‘’Because I don’t like venting about my problems and I’d rather try solving them by myself than bothering people. Including you all. It’s nothing personal, it's just who I am. And, as if it wasn’t enough, Lucas isn’t the only thing that’s not going right in my life. Things are pretty shit at home too.’’

‘’You’re not alone with problems, you know? We all have our struggles. My dad and I still aren’t getting along, Aaron is failing classes and is worried he won’t graduate with us and Moyo...can’t get any girls,’’ Robbe explained, adding a touch of humor and teasing his friend.

Moyo shoved him. ‘’Hey! I have more serious problems than girls…’’

The three boys laughed, lightening the mood. Jens had been so confined in his own bubble of sadness these past few days that he forgot the best remedy for heartbreaks: your friends. Not everyone can count on their friend to lift their spirits and make them feel better. Not everyone has friends they can count on, friends who are always there for them. But Jens was one of the lucky people who did and he promised himself that he would never forget it again.

‘’We’re bros, right?’’ Moyo asked, looking at him. The raven haired one nodded. ''Next time, come to us, okay?''

''Noted.’’ Jens flashed him a smile. ‘’Moyo? Maybe I'll reconsider that beer.''

Thursday, February 27th

The bell rang and dismissed class for lunch. Jens was waiting for the guys when he spotted Robbe and waved him over. They exchanged their classic fist-bumps and started walking in the direction of the lunch room.

''I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. You were right. I'm always with Sander. I need to get better at balancing my time. So...I decided that this weekend will be a best friends weekend. Just you and me.''

Jens scoffed. He was flattered that Robbe wanted to make time for him and spend time together like the old days, but he didn’t want to stand in Sander’s way. ''You don't need to cancel your plans with Sander for me. I’m fine, Robbe.’’

The brunet shook his head. “You are important too and, it’s true, we don’t spend time together anymore. I miss you too.’’

Jens rolled his eyes. Robbe was such a sap sometimes.

“How are you feeling after yesterday? At least Aaron and Moyo took it better than when I came out.”

“Okay, I guess.’’ Jens shrugged, not wanting to get all emotional at school. ‘’It still really sucks to see him everyday and not-”

Jens stopped speaking as Lucas reached them, ignoring Robbe and looked at Jens directly in the eyes, looking a little on edge. ‘’Do you have anything on you? Weed or whatever,’’ he asked, skipping greetings.

Jens’ heart jumped in his chest, seeing Lucas was so close to him for the first time in a week. He was so close that he could smell his cologne and see the light freckles on his face. Lucas wore that pink sweatshirt Jens loved so much and he just wanted to grab his face and kiss him, run his fingers into his curly locks. But he couldn’t. They weren’t together anymore, Jens had lost that privilege.

Lucas repeated his question, impatient. ‘’Jens?’’

‘’I… They’re in my locker,’’ he responded. I couldn’t keep them at home anymore, he almost added. ‘’Why?’’

‘’What’s your locker code?’’

Jens’ frown deepened. ‘’I don’t understand-’’

‘’The cops are here. They're raiding the school for drugs and shit,’’ Lucas explained, dead serious.

Panic rose inside Jens’ head. The cops? He was totally fucked. What had he been thinking selling drugs on campus? The last guy that worked this area got busted and now he was going to be next.

‘’Give me your locker number and I’ll take care of it.’’

Jens shook his head. ‘‘I can’t ask you to do that-’’

‘’I’m offering.’’

As much as he didn't want Lucas to do this for him and risk himself, Jens had no other choice. If he went to his own locker to get rid of the drugs, he would fail to not look suspicious. He was already freaking out as it was, there was no way he'd succeed smoothly.

Why was Lucas offering him his help though? Why did he come to him to warn him about the cops raiding the school? Jens didn't understand.

Jens nodded, giving Lucas his locker number as a last resort.

Friday, February 28th

Michiel. Jens had completely forgot about him. With everything that happened this past week, Michiel and the pusher job had slipped out of his mind. Michiel, on the other hand, hadn’t forgotten about him.

Jens was on the bus ride home when he felt his phone buzz in his jacket’s pocket. He pulled it out, assuming it was Robbe asking when he was coming over, but it wasn’t his best friend.

Michiel: Haven’t seen you in almost three weeks. Where’s my cash?

Shit. Jens’ eyes widen, staring at the message. What was he going to do?

Lucas had flushed everything down the toilet yesterday and there was nothing left. Not even a couple pills. Jens still had some money at home from what he sold since his last visit to Michiel’s, but the rest had been swallowed by his school’s toilet and he had no way of getting it back. They must be all dissolved by now.

As the cops were raiding the school, getting rid of the pills sounded like the best idea, but didn’t he think of the consequences it would bring.

Telling Michiel wasn’t an option. He trusted him and if Jens told him he almost got busted at school, Michiel will end their business. There must’ve been over 100€ worth of narcotics in that bag, there’s no way Michiel won’t notice the missing money.

Jens’ backpack was packed, resting at the foot of the bed, ready to take and go when Robbe will get back from Sander’s. Although they said it was a best friends only weekend, Jens told Robbe it was okay if he went to his boyfriend’s for a couple hours. After all, a couple hours won’t change anything to their plan.

To kill time, Jens had turned on his laptop and started filling in descriptions and putting up pictures for everything he wanted to sell. He didn't have much to sell, just some video games he didn’t play anymore, a pair of rollerblades he never wore and more, but there was no other solution. He had to pay for the pills Lucas threw away.

Hopefully, people will buy his stuff.

There was a knock on his door and the handle jiggled, slowly opening.

‘’Lotte, Mom told you to go to bed two times alread-’’ Jens interrupted himself, his breath catching as he saw Lucas standing in his doorway instead of his sister. ‘’Luc?’’

He put his laptop aside and stood, his feet taking him to the Dutch boy embarrassingly fast. Standing in front of Lucas, Jens just stared at him, suddenly not knowing what to do, getting flashbacks from that first time he picked up Lucas from the train station.

‘’What are you doing here? I thought it was your mom’s weekend?’’ he asked, surprised to see him.

Lucas shook his head. ‘‘I called her from the train station. I told her a boy I really liked needed me,’’ he explained. Lucas’ eyes were soft when he looked up, blue irises meeting Jens’ brown ones, the bags under them not going unnoticed.

A flush of pink spread on Jens’ cheeks and he looked away. Lucas still liked him. Hearing this confirmation made Jens' heart swell and gave him a sliver of hope for them. Maybe he hadn't lost Lucas completely.

‘’I’m sorry.’’

Jens frowned, looking up at Lucas confusedly. ‘’What are you apologizing for? I’m the one who fucked up.’’

‘’And I’m the one who left when you needed me most. I broke my promise to you. I said I’d be there for you, yet I ran away.’’ The brunet reached for Jens’ hands, taking them into his own. ‘'I'm sorry, Jens. I made a mistake and it took me time away to realize it.''

‘’I was in the wrong too. I shouldn’t have taken those pills in the first place. I didn’t lie when I said I was just selling them. It was the truth, but two days later, I found myself desperate enough to reach into the bag and take one.‘’

Lucas shuddered, getting uncomfortable with their current subject. ‘’I know you’re probably thinking I overreacted, but Xanax is a big deal to me and not without a reason.’’ He paused, taking a deep breath, about to unveil a dark secret. ‘’Before my mom was diagnosed with Schizophrenia, they misdiagnosed her. The psychiatrist said Schizophrenia is tricky to diagnose fully and they often don’t get it right the first time. They gave her a bunch of new pills to try out and one of them was Xanax. She quickly got addicted and it sent her to the hospital. We...I almost lost her.’’

After all those times Lucas expressed his opposition and fear regarding Xanaxs, it didn’t cross Jens’ mind that there might have been a deeper reason than what you see in headlines. That something traumatizing might’ve happened to Lucas or a close one. Jens felt dumb now. If he had known, he wouldn’t have tried it. He never meant to freak Lucas out.

‘’When I saw you taking one, I panicked. I saw flashbacks before my eyes and I was scared that I would have to go through this again, that it would happen to you. So, I ran away and pushed you away instead of helping you and being there for you. I thought I was doing the right thing and that staying away and cutting ties with you would spare me from going through this again, but I realized that leaving you might cause more damage. I was raised and taught to support my loved ones through their struggles and I let you down.’’

His hands had begun to shake into Jens’, scary flashbacks and emotions clouding his mind, voice faltering. Seeing Lucas’ reaction, Jens pulled him into his arms, holding him close. In response, Lucas tightened his arms around Jens, pushing his face in his chest. His hold was a bit too tight, forcing Jens to draw shorter breaths, but he didn’t say anything. He let Lucas take the comfort he needed.

‘’It’s over. I’m not taking them anymore. After losing you, I realized it wasn’t worth it.’’

While it made Lucas happy that Jens was no longer taking Xanax - or any kind of benzodiazepines -, stopping for someone else wasn’t the correct way to recover, it was a recipe for relapses.

He pulled back and looked up at Jens. ‘’You can’t do it for me; you have to do it for yourself. You have to want to get better for yourself, not someone else. Otherwise, it won’t work.’’

‘’I know.’’ Jens ran his hand through Lucas’ curls, brushing away his fringe from his eyes. ‘’But losing you is what made me realize that taking those pills wasn’t worth it. It’s the truth, Luc. Whether you believe it or not. They don’t make my life better the same way you do. They don’t make me feel as good as you do. Nothing does. I would be a fucking idiot to chose them over you.’’

Lucas was looking back at him as he listened, reading the honesty in Jens’s eyes as his own heart was filling with warmth. A small smile tugged on his lips. Lucas knew he shouldn't accept it and that it wasn't healthy to be someone's anchor - not like that -, but hearing that Jens wanted to recover because of him and not for him was different. It changed everything.

‘’Do you want to stay the night?’’ Jens offered as they broke from the kiss, not ready to leave Lucas again. He was still wearing his jacket and Jens wanted nothing more than to tug it off his shoulders and take him to bed to cuddle.

''Are your parents okay with this?'' He had never slept over and didn’t break a rule or get on Jens’ parents’ bad side for sleeping over.

Jens almost rolled his eyes, settling for a small snort instead. ''My mom is rooting for you, I doubt she'd say no.''

A smug grin spread on Lucas’s lips. ‘’I'll stay, then. I came here straight from the train station so I have my bag with me.’’ Lucas motioned to his backpack by the door where he dropped it when he arrived, tired of carrying its weight around.

‘’Does that mean you’ll stay for the whole weekend?’’

‘’We’ll see.’’

An hour later he got a text from Robbe, saying he was on his way. Shit. Jens had completely forgotten about their best friends weekend. He had otehr things on his mind since Lucas showed up.

Turning back to look at the boy in his bed, he smiled and gave him a light kiss on the head.

Jens pulled up the camera app, sending Robbe a quick picture of a sleeping Lucas as explanation, his face barely visible in the darkness of Jens’ room. Seconds later, Robbe wished them a good night and Jens put his phone away.

‘’I love you,’’ Jens whispered, watching Lucas’ relaxed, sleeping face, so grateful and blessed for having him back.

Eyes closed, Lucas smiled and kissed Jens’ bare chest, making the latter still, realizing Lucas wasn't asleep. ‘’I love you too.’’

#jens's season #jens stoffels #Lucas Van Der Heijden #vds #van der stoffels #lucas x jens #jens x lucas #skam nl

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excorcismic · 4 years

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so i , hylia , seem to be the ceo of impulsive decisions and yes percy was definitely one of them and no i do not regret it because HOLY HELL i’m excited to actually write him here . it has been . . . a while . a long while , so i am terribly sorry if i’m rusty !! but as i try and tackle to rp to-do list i’ve made before work tomorrow the FIRST THINGS OF MANY is to get the ball rolling with percy , and what better to do that with via a plotting call !! read more if you like & then react / like this if you’re interesting in me coming to you for plots w/ this dude .

IN A CANON NUTSHELL : i’m pretty sure everyone is generally familiar with at least the premise of the percy jackson series - but just in case !! perseus “percy” jackson grew up until the age of twelve thinking he was a mere mortal with his lovely mom & awful stepfather , biological dad lost at sea , until he gets attacked by his pre-algebra teacher turning into a winged monster and , fast forward , he’s taken to a camp made up entirely of children between the greek pantheon & mortals , camp half-blood . at first he’s unclaimed , until a few days later the god poseidon claims him which is . . . kind of a big nono ! considering hades, zeus, and poseidon took a vow to not conceive any demigods after wwii . zeus also broke that oath but zeus is a hypocrite and we don’t like him . the rest of the series carries on with percy saving the world a few times , fulfilling a prophecy that ends with taking down the resurrected kronos , then gaea when she rears her ugly head and . . . yeah . if you’re a demigod you don’t know peace and percy . . . would much rather be a mortal . but like , life i guess .

IN AN ALUCARD NUTSHELL : so to start , besides the whole demigod thing , percy’s life isn’t all that unchanged - except he’s an actual mortal this time around . again grew up super close to his mom , however she disappeared when he was twelve years old and now her case has gone cold . moved out at sixteen since four years alone with his stepfather were unbearable , and has been living with friends ever since and trying to just . get out into the working world so he can support himself / live on his own and eventually try and reopen up the case to find his mother . up until now though he’s had a shit ton of trouble keeping jobs ( always some freak accident that gets him let go ) but he’s always been good at swimming so community center lifeguard is the best possible thing for him .

BUT OOOOOOOH YOU WANNA PLOT WITH PERCY SO BAD OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

OKAY SO . I’m still a liiiil bit head empty as I’m writing these so I’ll probably add more stuff later on but as of right now !!

okay so I mentioned Percy’s been pretty much living with his friends ever since he was sixteen - so I’d like some former roommates and current roommate(s) ! the amount of time he’s stayed will vary - some maybe for only a few months for whatever reasons , maybe a few for a year or so . we can talk that stuff out !!

SO PERCY , never really been the type to have a lot of friends though . he’s always been one of the more outcasted kids , so maybe negative school connections ?? maybe kids who he’s gotten into fights with , intense rivalries , ex-friends - just give me people that wouldn’t stand him back then . he wasn’t a bully , never went out of his way to attack anyone , but he wasn’t one of the people everyone got along with . he’s probably punched and gotten punched by a few people .

old neighbors that haven’t seen him since he left home !! just some folks that knew percy & his mom and haven’t seen him ever since he left his stepdad . that stuff .

maybe some parental figures ?? because percy honestly kind of needs that guidance and . yeah .

exes !! again , he’s been around a lot of places so he’s probably dated a few times . not sure how serious of relationships these would be , probably nothing too long-term but definitely has had a few relationships . percy’s bi he’s a bicon and i will accept nothing else

folks who want to try and push percy to do more than what he’s doing right now , maybe trying to get him to go back to school or get a different job than what he has now since . . . he’s still kind of just floating and scraping by in preparation of wanting to build up more . he wants to get rich enough one day to where when he finds his mom she doesn’t have to work a day in her life and neither does he , but you can’t really get there if you’re workin’ as a lifeguard for the rest of your life , so .

former and current coworkers - i’ve established before that percy has been through a LOT of jobs so definitely people that have briefly gotten to know him through them and also now ! maybe those coworker connections also led to things like maybe they briefly dated or maybe percy crashed on their couch a few times - again , we can build off of that stuff .

regular attendees of the community center that percy works at , just some folks he knows by name and recognizes or go to see him or some shit idk there’s gotta be SOME people who come by regularly idk

folks trying to help percy find his mom - because . . . that’s his top priority right now . he just wants her back that’s it :(

maybe kind of like a band of thieves / lost kids group connection of sorts ?? just some folks around percy’s age who haven’t had the best hand dealt to them by life and they all just kinda take comfort in that together , hang out at abandoned places or in cheap areas and just . kinda live . that stuff .

idk again i’m running on a spent brain so i am SOOOOOO sorry but pls let’s get creative and come up with stuff !! i . will def get around to doing more stuff for him tonight i might just starter interacting before i get his intro up but until then YESSS LET’S PLOT STUFF love u guys <3

#dhq.plots #missing person tw #yes i was too lazy to make plotting post icons #and yes i just want to look at booboo stewart so #░ ★ abt . ❛ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ·s ɴᴏ ʙɪɢ sᴜʀᴘʀɪsᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀʏ / percy jackson

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percabeth4life · 4 years

Text

I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher

First Chapter || Previous Chapter || Next Chapter (coming soon) || AO3

And we’ve reached canon timeline!

Ms. Dodds clearly has something out for me.

I can tell.

She watches me with narrow eyes, a dangerous look on her face.

I can feel the magic that clings to her, it feels like the strange itch of a curse, but not quite.

There’s an almost buzz with her, cloudy and indistinct.

I really don’t like her either.

Thankfully I’m good enough at Math to do alright in her class, or I really fear what she would do to me.

But as it is, I’m very worried.

“There’s been a theft.”

Triton was worried, he hasn’t contacted me since that letter.

“Keep your head down.”

I miss him, is he okay?

“Stay away from the ocean.”

I’m worried and scared, what’s going on?

“Don’t contact me.”

I need to tell someone about Ms. Dodds, I need to do something.

“Stay safe.”

What am I supposed to do?

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

Ms. Dodds almost seems to follow me around, I don’t dare use my waterbending outside of my room nowadays.

I haven’t used it much outside of my room anyways, but I played with the water in my cups and spilled some people’s drinks when they were rude.

They deserved it.

Nancy is more than happy to try to get me in trouble with Ms. Dodds though, it’s annoying. I’m not sure how to keep off her radar when Nancy tries to blame everything on me.

I’m just really glad for all of Triton’s lessons now. Triton might not be here, but his lessons still help me.

“There will be enemies you cannot match. They will be stronger than you, you will lose in a fair fight.”

Triton taught me a lot.

“There are two main paths to take. They depend on the situation.”

I don’t know if I’m treating the situation right, but I’m going to do my best.

“If you have no choice but to fight, anger them. Make them angry, mock them, tease them, attack their pride, their honor, their hair. Do whatever it takes to throw them off. An angry enemy is a dumb enemy.”

I smiled in the face of Nancy’s accusations and did my best to always be around at least two other people. I will have an alibi this year. There won’t be a repeat of previous year’s situations.

“If you can though, try to defuse the situation. Manners, sweet smiles, agreeing with them in everything they say. Don’t antagonize them, be the kindest, sweetest, most well-behaved person you can be. Make it so they don’t want to fight you.”

Ms. Dodds is scary, and I want Triton, I want the sea, I want home.

But I have to stay here, so I smile and nod and say yes ma’am and I hide my power.

I acted as ordinary as I possibly could.

I don’t think it’s working.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I tried to read the ex-cursed book from first semester. It’s all in Latin though? I can’t read it very well, just picking out certain words here and there. How annoying.

The paper felt old, but it doesn’t look it? It doesn’t seem to have any power in it anymore, at least I don’t feel anything other than the constant buzz around me.

Oh well, I’ll have to get better at reading Latin to read this book I guess.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I talked with Carl the fish a lot, while researching how to make him human again.

At this point I think I just need more power, the person that cursed him is stronger than me, so I have two options for undoing the curse. I could pull the curse apart at its base, but that would require me understanding how the curse was laid, and what the exact nature of the curse is, and so many details.

I learned a lot about curses, I’m so glad I had these books before whatever happened on the solstice.

The curses can be of different natures, woven ones where the curse is weaved almost like making a cloth, layered ones where it’s parts are all laid on top of the other, overwhelming ones where they just force their will on the subject, and twisting ones where they shift the nature of the object, that one is usually done for objects already enchanted though.

If you know the nature of the curse you can pick it apart, pull at woven ones until the fabric of the curse comes undone, peel the layers up one by one for layered ones, slip underneath and yank the overwhelming ones off (though it’s recommended to be sure of your skill to counter those), or just re-twist the twisting ones back to their original nature.

I thinks this one is either twisting or woven, but if I mess up doing the careful way of unwinding it then I could make it worse. Twisting a woven curse tightens it and makes it harder to undo and pulling a twisting one does the same.

So, I was probably going to do the second way, which is just plain overpowering it. But that requires a lot of power, especially if it’s twisting or woven. Those two are the hardest to undo through sheer power.

Ugh.

But Carl was at least nice to talk to, he helped me stay calm even though I have no idea what’s going on.

I should figure out how to make a bubble of water to bring him with me. That would be easier then leaving him with Gabe. I doubt it’s safe for him there. It was only safe last summer because Gabe didn’t find out about him till the very end of the summer.

Yeah, I’ll look into making a way to carry Carl.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I frowned over the book on healing, and the medical kit spread out in front of me. I want to get better at healing, unfortunately I need to figure out the tools.

I picked up one of the tools, this is just the basic set but it’s so varied.

Okay, so this is treated seaweed, for binding the wounds that you can’t heal all at once. This is purification stone to cleanse the wound to make it easier to heal. The slim shell knife is for working with the wound? And for cutting the seaweed to the right length. There’s an antibacterial mix, made from… something. I don’t know how this is made, I should probably learn.

The shell paste that hardens into a cast is cool though. And the spider crab thread is cool. I didn’t know the spider crabs made thread but looking through the manual it says that’s what the thread is from. Maybe there’s a mythical one I don’t know about? There’s also a jar of enchanted fish, enchanted to sleep until you open the jar, to eat dead skin.

There are also the basics, like in any land first aid kit. Tweezers, scissors, painkillers (though these are made from a fish with paralytic abilities that cuts off pain, it’s cool), and a thermometer (though again, it’s a type of coral that’s very sensitive to changes in temperature and enchanted to live).

Then there’s some stuff I’m not sure about? I don’t know if land kits have them, the one at home doesn’t.

There’s a large soft blanket made of woven sea grasses (so soft) that has one side woven with coral shielding, the kind that keeps in heat, a type of woven mix of sea grass stuffed with anemone puff that cools rapidly when exposed to water.

The manual shows how to use it all and one of my extra books shows how to combine them with healing. It’s interesting, I just wish I had someone to practice it on. I’ll just have to try it with minor injuries that I get?

I sighed, oh well. It’ll come in handy some day I’m sure.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

Mr. Brunner is acting strangely as well.

I saw Mr. Brunner and Ms. Dodds talking, well, actually it sounded more like threatening each other from where I was standing.

I still don’t know if Mr. Brunner is safe, but he doesn’t have the itch of a curse on him. So maybe he’s okay.

He certainly seems safer than Ms. Dodds.

Mr. Brunner has started teaching us how to hold swords during lessons.

I don’t like any of the swords, they don’t feel right.

But some of them have that feel to them, a buzz in my head. They aren’t normal, they definitely have magic of some kind.

The one Mr. Brunner uses has the most powerful feeling, and it reminds me of Elei’s trident, made in the ocean of her power. Made of her.

I’m pretty sure that sword is of the ocean.

I pretend I don’t know that Mr. Brunner has what’s likely the essence of a being of the sea, even though it makes me ache. It’s just like Elei’s, what if there’s a being out there missing their essence?

I smile and nod again, hiding my fear, my worry, my anger.

Triton will be upset if I fall apart just because I can’t see Triton.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I stood at the edge of the pit again. This time there was someone else there, though I can’t see them.

I could feel something I hadn’t noticed before, sliding sand, soft and soothing, prickling over my hands, pinpricks of warmth and a feeling of numbness. The feelings together are strange, a bit uncomfortable, but they don’t bother me too much.

“-rry Master. I couldn’t get it to you, but I won’t fail again! I will find a way to let it reach you, I swear it.”

“Your failure has put back our plans by quite a bit, I now must expend energy to keep the wayward god under my control, I do not have the power to spare yet.”

“I know, I- I have no excuse. I failed you because of my own arrogance.”

The voice murmured something, I think it’s the Thalozan language, which is really, really, old but Triton knows a few words and taught me them.

I have no idea what the voice is saying though, I just recognize the sounds.

“I will make arrangements, return to your sleep.”

“Yes Master.”

There was a faint whisper, then the other presence was gone.

There were more faint murmurs in the other language, possibly Thalozan? Before it suddenly went silent.

“Ah, I see you’ve returned little Half-blood.”

“It’s Percy,” I reminded.

The low chuckle returned, “Indeed.”

I heard a faint murmur, “Fainter, less than before, not sure,” before he hummed, “How-“

I woke up.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I hate the stupid detention I’m stuck in.

I didn’t do anything! But Nancy Bobfit decided to blame me for stealing something, and my alibi didn’t work.

I have to clean the classroom for this detention, I’m pretty sure I’m just supposed to sit quietly in a room and listen to a lecture for an hour, but Ms. Dodds doesn’t go by normal rules.

So, I’m stuck in that room, with a rag and a spray bottle, reluctantly cleaning the room.

I’m staying polite though, I’m not going to let Nancy ruin all my hard work at making Ms. Dodds not kick me out at the first opportunity.

I sprayed the desk and wiped it down, this is nowhere near as hard as cleaning the river. I’ll be fine.

“Now honey,” Ms. Dodds started, “You know why you’re here yes?”

Ms. Dodds was apparently an expert at torture.

A faint buzz nudged at my senses.

The next hour was spent with her subtle implications that I’m a horrible thief, shouldn’t be in the school, brings shame to everyone, am a horrible person, and am probably cheating and she just couldn’t prove it yet.

It was getting harder and harder to resist the urge to lash out. But I need to keep my temper.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I blinked in the room I’m in, looking around.

I’m back in the undersea palace, Oceanus’s palace.

I’m in my probable dad’s palace.

…

I should look around.

For… research… yeah.

I promptly left the room to explore more.

It’s pretty, I like the walls, covered with glittering murals. I passed an opening and stared in awe at the dark waters filled with lantern fish and other glowing beings.

I decided I like it, it’s comfortable in a different way than the places I’ve been with Triton.

“Back again I see.”

I whipped around to see Oceanus there once more.

“Er… Hi.”

Dumb, stupid, idiot, don’t just say hi!

I quickly twisted my hand into the proper motion of respect.

Oceanus’s lips twitched.

“Perhaps introduce yourself first this time little half-blood, you have the unfortunate habit of disappearing before you can.”

“Ah, yeah… sorry.”

He raised an eyebrow, looking at me expectantly.

“Oh uh, I’m Percy Ja-“

“Oceanus! Who is that presence? Where does it keep coming from!?”

I decided I should resign myself to being entirely unable to ever introduce myself to my probable dad.

Maybe he just hasn’t gotten a chance to see me in a while? So, he doesn’t know what I looked like?

I hope so.

“Tethys, my love, that presence would be this young Half-Blood.” Oceanus motioned to me.

I bit my lip but ignored the pang in my chest at Oceanus calling Tethys his love, of course he would! Tethys is his wife, even if my mom is amazing and incredible and deserves the whole world, Oceanus wouldn’t have married his wife if he didn’t love her.

The Titans didn’t do that nonsense like the gods did.

The mermaid that approached was familiar, it’s the one I saw in my first dream to the undersea palace. A feeling of just general clean washed over me, curling currents swaying over my skin, interrupting the cold deep currents that I hadn’t even realized I felt.

Her tail the flowiest of any, glittering brilliantly in silvers and blues.

“Oh? The little half-blood from a few months ago.”

I quickly gave her the proper motion of respect.

Her lips twitched like Oceanus’s, “And who might you be little Half-Blood?”

“I’m Percy Ja-“

I woke up.

Why me.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

We’re going on a fieldtrip!

I hate fieldtrips!

Yay!

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I sat next to Grover, resisting the urge to drown Nancy.

Murder is bad, murder is bad, murder is ba-

Another sandwich piece in Grover’s hair…

Maybe murder wasn’t so bad.

“Don’t, you don’t need to get in trouble with Ms. Dodds here, she has it out for you.”

Grover was holding my arm.

He clearly could tell that I’m ready to fight Nancy.

I scowled but stayed seated.

“She needs to get some taste, peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches in your hair? She might as well just toss her lunch in the trash.”

“Ha just stay calm and hope Ms. Dodds doesn’t see anything.”

I sighed, “Fine.”

It’s probably for the best that Grover stopped me, Triton would be disappointed in me if I let my temper win over in a fight that I can’t win with it.

You’re not supposed to get angry, you’re supposed to make your opponent angry.

I sighed and forced myself to not snap and drown Nancy with the water from my waterskin when she threw another piece of her sandwich at Grover.

This was going to be a long fieldtrip.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

See, I like fieldtrips, in theory.

They could be really fun! But things keep happening on them and well… I’m extremely wary of fieldtrips now.

I tried to not be worried, Mr. Brunner is running this trip after all.

I’m still not sure if he’s trustworthy, but he still doesn’t seem to mean me any harm. Grover nervously wrung his hands now that we were out of the bus.

Ms. Dodds walked right behind the two of us, I worked very hard to keep a happy expression on my face. Don’t need her getting on us about being suspicious or something. That would be bad.

We walked through the museum, Mr. Brunner leading us.

I smiled as I studied the different displays. It wasn’t as cool as what’s under the sea, but it was still pretty impressive.

Oceanus’s palace was cooler though.

My eye twitched as annoying students kept talking and interrupting Mr. Brunner. I was having a hard time hearing his explanation.

I resisted the urge to tell them to shut up, that would get a look from Ms. Dodds, and I did not need that.

Mr. Brunner moved on to talking about some funeral art, explaining the significance and-

“It’s just a naked guy on a wall,” snickered Nancy.

I sighed, “It’s not just a naked guy on a wall, it’s a stele, as Mr. Brunner said it’s a column of stone that has the image of the god that the girl that it once served as the gravestone for worshipped. Honestly if your brain wasn’t the same size as a jellyfish’s then you’d know that Nancy.”

The group laughed as Nancy flushed, glaring at me. Mr. Brunner paused in his story.

“Did you have a comment Mr. Jackson?”

“No sir, sorry for interrupting.” I flushed slightly, whoops.

He nodded then pointed to one of the pictures on the stele, “Perhaps you’ll tell us what this picture represents?”

I brightened, “That would be the Titan King Kronos, the Titan of Time and Agriculture, eating his kids the gods.”

Mr. Brunner nodded, but made a motion with his hand, “And he did this because…”

I bounced on my feet, resisting the urge to smile, “He got a prophecy that said his child would overthrow him, so he ate his children to prevent it. But then his wife, Rhea the Titaness of motherhood, gave him a rock instead of feeding him his youngest, Zeus. Then Zeus grew up, raised in secret by some nymphs, and he tricked Kronos into throwing up-“

“Gross!” A few kids muttered.

“-his other kids by feeding him a mustard and wine mix. Then the gods got together and ended up over throwing him. They cut him into a lot of tiny pieces and threw the pieces into Tartarus.”

Behind me, Nancy Bobofit mumbled to a friend, “Like we’re going to use this in real life. Like it’s going to say on our job applications, ‘Please explain why Kronos ate his kids.’”

“And why, Mr. Jackson,” Mr. Brunner started, “to paraphrase Miss Bobofit’s excellent question, does this matter in real life?”

Grover snickered softly, “Busted.”

“Shut up,” Nancy hissed, her face even brighter red than her hair.

Just more proof to me that Mr. Brunner wasn’t human, I could barely hear her, and I was right next to her.

“Because we can learn from the mistakes of the past to improve ourselves in the present, and it’s also just very interesting.”

Mr. Brunner nodded, though he didn’t seem fully pleased, “That’s very nearly correct Mr. Jackson. Full credit. Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine, which made him disgorge his other five children, who, of course, being immortal gods, had been living and growing up completely undigested in the Titan’s stomach. The gods defeated their father, sliced him to pieces with his own scythe, and scattered his remains in Tartarus, the darkest part of the Underworld. On that happy note, it’s time for lunch. Ms. Dodds, would you lead us back outside?”

The class drifted off to follow Ms. Dodds. Some of the girls were holding their stomachs, most of the guys were shoving each other and acting like doofuses.

“Mr. Jackson,” Mr. Brunner’s call stopped me from going too.

I paused, turning to him, nudging Grover onward.

“Sir?”

Mr. Brunner looked at me solemnly from an ancient gaze, another point towards him not being human.

“You must learn the answer to my question,” he said seriously.

I chewed my lip, I know what it means, but I also can’t know more until Triton says so. He said it’s dangerous, so I would listen.

“Yes sir.”

“What you learn from me,” he continued, “is vitally important. I expect you to treat it as such. I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson.”

I wanted to get angry, it’s unreasonable of him to hold me to higher standards than the rest of the students. It’s frustrating! I tried as hard as I could, and he was a better teacher than many I’d had, but…

I glared at the ground as I nodded, I tried so hard to learn all the names and match them to the proper facts and make sure it was spelled right. It’s so hard to do in English!

I don’t know who he is, if he’s safe or a threat, but I’m so frustrated that he’s holding me to these standards and no one else.

He told me to go outside and eat my lunch as he stared at the stele mournfully.

I wonder if he killed the girl?

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I stepped outside to see Grover waiting for me right by the door.

I idly noticed Nancy and her friends (I know it’s shocking that she has any) standing nearby too. A storm was forming outside.

We started walking past the fountain, right next to the stairs.

“Detention?” Grover asked as we reached the stairs.

I put my hand on the fountain as I took the first step, “Nah, not-“

“Whoops.”

And Grover was falling.

Nancy laughed, her hand out.

Grover was falling.

My vision went red, roaring in my ears as I yanked.

A scream from Nancy, a cry from Grover.

When I could see again Grover was alright, if soaked.

Nancy was gasping for breath in the fountain, looking like a drowned rat.

The other students were gaping.

“The water-“

“It just reached out-“

“Did you see that?”

“Percy pushed me!” Nancy finally gets the air to speak.

I ignored her, moving to check on Grover.

He coughed, rubbing his butt, but otherwise seemed okay.

My chest loosened. Thank goodness.

“Now honey-“ Ms. Dodds had appeared.

I glared up at her, did she not see what just happened.

“Come with me,” She said.

“Wait!” Grover yelped, “He was just trying to help me!”

Ms. Dodds looked down at him, “Violence is never the answer Mr. Underwood.”

“But-“

“You – will – stay – here.”

I shook my head when Grover looked at me worriedly, pulling my waterskin out of my bag and fingering my trident charm.

“Hold my bag? I’ll be back soon.”

Ms. Dodds turned and walked back up the stairs, “Honey, Now.”

I swallowed and followed, shooting my deluxe I’ll-kill-you-later stare that Triton helped me master at Nancy.

I looked back to Ms. Dodds and was unsurprised to see her at the top of the steps.

The buzz around her was weakening, and the itch of the not-curse was getting stronger. She’s going to attack me.

I walked up the steps regardless, better away from everyone.

She kept going deeper into the museum. When I finally caught up we were back in the Greek and Roman section.

She stood with her arms crossed in from of a big marble frieze of the Greek gods. She was also growling low in her throat.

I swallowed.

“You’ve been giving us problems, honey,” She snarled.

The buzzing was fading, the itch making me want to scratch my arms.

I raised my chin, slid my “princely” face on, and responded, “I’m sorry for any problems I’ve caused Ms. Dodds.”

I held the waterskin tightly, one finger pressed on the lid.

“Did you really think you would get away with it? Or that a simple apology would pardon the crime?”

She looked angry, furious. Her face was creased, I could almost see the change that was starting, the buzz was almost non-existent.

“I don’t understand Ms. Dodds, what crime am I being accused of?”

Thunder boomed as the storm that had been brewing outside broke.

“We are not fools Percy Jackson,” Ms. Dodds continued. “It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess, and you will suffer less pain.”

I frowned, there was only one thing I know that has happened lately that she could be accusing me of.

A theft.

Of what, I don’t know, but she seems to be blaming me for it.

My heart sank.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry, I- I don’t think I did whatever you’re accusing me of.”

“Is that your final answer?”

I twisted the lid, “Yes ma’am.”

Then the buzz was gone, and the itch grew almost unbearable.

Her eyes began to glow and then her fingers stretched, turning into talons. Her jacket melted into large, leathery wings.

She turned into a fury!

Uh oh.

I flicked the lid off in one quick move, but before I could call the water, Mr. Brunner wheeled through the doorway of the gallery, holding a pen that positively sung with magic.

“What ho, Percy!” he shouted, and tossed the pen through the air.

Ms. Dodds lunged at me.

I dodged, snatching the ballpoint pen out of the air. I know this tone of magic.

The sword of the sea was in my hand.

Ms. Dodds spun towards me with a snarl and murder in her eyes, “Die honey!”

I went by the instincts that Triton had drilled into me, letting one hand flick out to send a water whip snapping around Ms. Dodds and yanking her to the side the other bringing the sword down right into her shoulder.

It passed clean through her body with a hiss.

She exploded into yellow powder, vaporized on the spot.

All that remained was a claw.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I walked towards the entrance of the museum again, a buzz was itching at my senses, the same buzz that surrounded Mr. Brunner and Ms. Dodds. Only much louder and much more spread out.

The pen that was a sword that was a pen that was of the sea was clutched in my hand.

I was shaking.

That was the first monster I’d actually fought, the empousai from before doesn’t count.

Triton was going to be furious.

I paused before opening the doors, taking a moment to choke back the sob that wanted to break out.

I want to go home, I want Triton, I want my mom.

I hate this, I hate this, I hate this.

I closed my eyes and pulled the “princely” face on.

I can break down later, to Carl. He won’t judge.

I swallowed once more and took a step forward, opening the doors.

Grover was sitting by the fountain, still wet from me using the water to slow his fall.

Nancy Bobofit was standing soaked from her swim in the fountain, grumbling to her ‘friends’. When she saw me, she gave me an ugly grin.

“I hope Mrs. Kerr whipped your butt.”

I frowned, “Who?”

The buzz grew worse.

“Our teacher. Duh!”

I frowned, is this a spell? Because I killed Ms. Dodds they replaced her with a spell?

The buzz had settled across all the students, but it was still itching at me. I really wanted to cover my ears, it wasn’t quite a sound by it was extremely disconcerting.

I turned away from Nancy, I was too angry with her anyways.

If I stay near her I might try to recreate turning Carl from a guinea pig to a fish.

I focused on Grover, who sucks at lying and who didn’t have an irritating buzz about him.

“Where’s Ms. Dodds.”

He faltered, looking away.

“Who?”

I held back the urge to roll my eyes or scream or cry.

“Nevermind.”

I snatched up my bag and slipped the pen into it. It’s of the sea, and Mr. Brunner gave it to me willingly. If he wants it back, he can ask. Then he can answer my questions.

I sat down on the fountain and pulled out my lunch.

This year is a trainwreck.

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let-it-raines · 5 years

Note

Hi sweetheart!💙 Can I request a prompt? Maybe something to do with high school sweethearts being reunited years later when they've both grown? Happiness but with angst!

Emma’s fingers never stop tapping against the steering wheel as she drives down the two-lane road that’s lined with trees flush with deep green leaves, the summer blooms coming into full effect as the middle of June rolls in. This place has always been beautiful, scenic even in the darkness of night, and she knows that if she takes a left just up the road there’s a small lake where she used to spend her summer afternoons and evenings after she got off of work at Shrimpy’s down by the beach. That’s still the dumbest name for a restaurant, especially for a place that’s specialty wasn’t even shrimp.

It was lobster rolls.

This is Maine after all.

But they’d all go out – she, David, Mary Margaret, Ruby, Killian, sometimes a few stragglers – and spend time at that lake on days when it was a little too crowded at the beach to spend their nights there. No one ever went there, no parents or cops or obnoxious middle schoolers who had just gotten their curfew extended, and they had the place to themselves. There was this fallen tree there, one where the weather and overuse had worn down the middle to feel like a smooth seat, and it sat just over the water so that her feet would dangle and her toes dip into the water. That was her favorite spot, especially on nights where the sky was clear and she could see the stars, and a good half of her favorite teenage memories came from sitting there and talking to her friends before diving into the water without a care in the world.

The other half of her best memories came from sitting on this little flat part of the roof on the Jones’ house. It was just outside of Killian’s bedroom window, probably why he chose that bedroom when they moved here in middle school, and on nights when she could sneak away from her foster home, on the nights where Ingrid went to bed early, she’d find herself sitting on that little patch of roof with Killian’s thigh pressing into hers as they talked about anything, everything, and all that laid in between those two extremes. The two of them met on his first day of school here, the lanky British student who was the talk of the town being seated next to her in their pre-algebra class, and he kind of just…well, Killian Jones stuck.

He stuck with her through that class, through all of their classes that year, and when they moved to Storybrooke High the next year, they stuck together even when they didn’t have classes together. It was odd, really. She didn’t have a lot of friends, never really had. For the first ten years of her life she’d been in Portland, but then her foster parents decided they didn’t want to be foster parents anymore and she lived in a group home before she moved in with Ingrid in Storybrooke. It’s difficult being the new kid, especially the new kid without parents, and it took her awhile to find her place in Storybrooke. It’s not a huge city, not like Portland or Boston, but it’s big enough that one can feel small amongst the crowds. And when she wasn’t (isn’t) the most outgoing person in the world, making friends became all the more difficult. But then came another new kid, one with only a mom for a parent and with a different accent, and suddenly she had a friend. And when they got to high school and Killian joined the baseball team, suddenly she had David too. With David came Mary Margaret and with Mary Margaret came Ruby, and while there were others, those were the people she was closest to.

And then one day at the end of sophomore year after a playoff game, their team winning, Killian pulled her into his arms for a hug and kissed the living daylights out of her before he put her on the ground. It wasn’t her first kiss, not even her second, but of all of her firsts with different guys, she’ll always remember that one. That was the one that pressed the start button to fall in love with her best friend.

They’d been happy. She’d been happy. She was loved and felt loved for really the first time, and then, like in every cliché high school movie, high school ended. But there was no riding off into the sunset. There was one last summer together before Killian went to basic training for the Navy and she moved to Boston for college. They’d tried to stay together. Of course they did. They were in love, helplessly really, but time and distance apart separated them emotionally more than it did physically. It’s a funny thing. He was her best friend for six years, her boyfriend for two and a half, but in a year it all dissolved through missed phone calls, unanswered letters, and cancelled weekend visits.

They talked still, but it wasn’t nearly enough. There were strained, more depressing conversations than happy ones, and after one fight, one that had her face red and her eyes wet, she ended it.

She ended them.

Life moved on as it always does, and she finished out college, got a job as an investigator at a law firm, and fell in love with Neal because she wasn’t supposed to pine over her high school boyfriend.

Neal, who she lived with for three years and who cheated on her with an associate at their firm for one of those years. He was an asshole, but she loved him so his betrayal hurt. It hurt even more because, really, it was the first time one of her relationships crumbled by someone actively hurting her. She’d had her heart broken before, badly, and as bitter as she was toward Killian, he didn’t actively set out to break her heart. He loved her and never cheated on her and…he was good to her, but the timing was off. The timing will always be off most likely since they’ll never be back together, not that she’s ever even considered it.

It was ten years ago, and they’ve moved on and grown up. They’re not teenagers anymore who are experiencing the thrill of first love. They’re adults. They’ve been through things. And even if they hadn’t, the last she heard he has been dating someone for a few years, probably a pretty serious thing. Killian’s never done anything half-hearted. Meanwhile she broke up with Walsh five months ago and hasn’t wanted to look at a man since.

Well, seriously. She’s done with romantic entanglements that are only going to end up hurting her. She’s fine looking at a hot guy at the bar when she’s had a drink or two and is feeling pretty good.

But having to come back to Storybrooke to spend a long weekend with all of her childhood friends and with her ex-boyfriend has her thinking all of these saccharine sentimental things on her drive into town.

She’s nervous. Ruby is her best friend outside of Elsa and David, and she’s absolutely over the moon that Ruby’s getting married. But this is a big thing for her to be back in town when it’s been a good few (five) years, and an even bigger deal for her to come back knowing that Killian will be around for the wedding. He’s Graham’s best man, and she can’t stop fidgeting her fingers against the wheel thinking about seeing him in person instead of in a picture online.

The years have done him well. She likes his beard.

She is not going down that route. They can be friendly, she knows they’ll be friendly, but she’s not letting old feelings form into new ones. It’s simply one weekend, and then everything will go back to normal.

By the time she gets downtown it’s ten minutes until midnight, and she pulls into the parking lot behind Ruby’s apartment, putting her car in park and shooting Ruby a text that she’s here.

Ruby: Apartment 3B. It’s unlocked.

Ruby: Get your ass up here.

She chuckles to herself as she throws her bag strap over her shoulder and grabs her bridesmaid’s dress from the backseat of her bug before heading toward the staircase and quickly making her way to Ruby and Graham’s apartment despite the heaviness in her legs. Ruby said that it’s unlocked, so when she gets to the door she doesn’t bother knocking and walks inside only to come face to face with the person she was least prepared to see despite mentally preparing herself for weeks now.

He’s standing directly in front of the door, his arm half in a black leather jacket, and his lips are parted, mouth gaping open as his eyebrows practically reach his hairline. His hairline that’s covered in long hair that falls over his forehead and curls over the nape of his neck.

Shit.

This is so much worse than she thought it would be. Her heart very well might explode, and that’s not her being dramatic at all.

She’s missed him.

His lips press together before curving into a smile, no, a smirk, and she can’t help her small chuckle. That is so him. “Did you miss me?”

“You got old.”

Wow, smooth Emma.

He laughs, shaking his head from side to side before shrugging on the rest of his jacket and stepping forward to wrap his arms around her while she lets hers fall to his back, hands pressing against his shoulder blades. She can feel the change in his body, the more developed muscles, but mostly all she’s focused on is just how incredibly warm he feels. He was always so warm, even when it was freezing outside, and it’s nice that even when everything else changes, some things stay the same.

She could go for a little normalcy even if this is the exact opposite of what she expected to happen. Well, not opposite, but a solid ninety-degree rotation.

“You smell like flowers.”

“It’s my perfume. You smell like rum.”

“I was here drinking my sorrows away because I knew I was going to have to deal with my ex-girlfriend for four days.”

“Shut up, you ass,” she scoffs, slapping the back of his head before pulling back to look at him and the crystal clear blue eyes that she could never forget no matter how much she tried. “I’m the best ex-girlfriend that you have.”

She expects him to laugh at that, to make some sort of quip since that seems to be tonight’s mood, but he softly smiles, his eyes crinkling in a way she’s never seen, and she swears for a solid five seconds that he’s getting ready to kiss her.

But that’s insane. That would never happen. They’re getting along for sixty seconds, but they’re not getting back together. She’d be delusional to do that. And he’s dating someone else. She…she needs to go to bed before she does something stupid.

“Jones, you’ve got to share Emma with me. She’s here for me and not for you.”

“Aye, I know, love,” he laughs, dropping his hands away from her body and stepping to the side, the loss of heat immediate until Ruby tackles her, pretty much smothering her in her embrace.

“I have missed you. You cannot leave me for that long ever again.”

“The road works both ways.”

“So it does, but I came to Boston three months ago.”

“And I’m here now.”

“True. Your ass looks fantastic in those jeans.”

“Oh my gosh,” she groans, pulling back from Ruby until she’s walking around the room to wrap an arm around Graham’s waist, greeting him. “Hey, Mr. Groom. How’s Storybrooke treating you?”

“Lots of drunk and disorderly calls. Most of them from my fiancée.”

“Hey,” Ruby scoffs, plopping herself down on an armchair and crossing her ankles over each other on the ottoman, “I disagree with that. I get drunk in disorderly in my home, and the only kind of calls you get from me are booty calls.”

“And at that,” Killian groans, stepping the door again, “I’m leaving. I’ll see you lot tomorrow at lunch. I’m glad you’re safely in town, Swan.”

She nods her head and smiles, none of the other words she wants to say passing through her lips, but she says none of them as she sits down on the leather couch that must have been one of Graham’s things. Killian waves his hand before ducking outside, the wooden frame pulling into its slot behind him.

“So,” Ruby hums, nudging her foot into hers at the same time that Graham sits next to her on the couch, “do you want to talk about that long ass embrace you and lover boy just had or do you want to talk about how I need you to sew some beads onto my dress?”

“Do I have a choice as to either one? I already knew all of you were going to be hounding me about him this weekend.”

“What can we say? You’re here alone. He’s here alone. It’s fate.”

“Wait. He’s here alone? What happened to – ”

“They broke up,” Graham explains, which only shocks her a little since he’s never been one for gossip. Then again, maybe it doesn’t count as gossip. Maybe he’s simply stating a fact.

“When?”

“About five months ago, I think. He doesn’t really talk about it.”

“Is he okay?” she wonders aloud as she settles down on the couch. “I mean, they were together for a long time.”

“It’s Killian, Ems. He doesn’t share his feelings.”That’s not true in the slightest. Killian always shares, even if it takes a little nudging, but then again, that might have only been with her. He might not share with everyone else. Hopefully he still talks to Liam, that he has someone to talk to because she knows first-hand just how deeply Killian Jones feels, and him breaking up with someone is something that’s going to make him feel.

She knows that pretty intimately, too.

They all catch up for a while before her tiredness gets to her and she has to go to bed, promising to wake up in the morning and fix the missing beads on Ruby’s dress. They really probably need Mary Margaret for that, but she’s pretty handy with a needle and thread. Ruby has the day off while Graham’s at work for half a day, so the two of them spend their morning making sure that everything for the wedding is all covered. Ruby’s pretty low key, but it’s surprising how much goes into a wedding without anyone realizing it.

Seriously. It’s a lot.

“What are you wearing to the lunch?” she asks Ruby as she smooths out the wrinkles in her dress, watching the blue material flow out from her waist. “I can’t decide because I’ll probably wear the same thing to the rehearsal.”

“I’m wearing a white dress, Ems. I don’t think you can do the same.”

“I mean, I could. I look really good in white.”

“Oh my gosh,” Ruby groans, plopping down on her bed, “you’re ridiculous. You need to wear the green dress. It’d show off your legs.”

“Is it not too tight?”

Ruby winks. “There is no such thing.”

“That’s not true because I’ve worn Spanx, and that’s definitely too tight.”

“You’re wearing the green dress. It’s my weekend, and what I say goes.”“That’s kind of power hungry.”

“It definitely is, and I have no shame.”

Emma wears the green dress, and it does show off her legs and literally every other curve of her body. It makes her feel confident all morning until she walks into the café where they’re having the luncheon and Killian’s eyes land on her. He studies her, very obviously so, before turning away and scratching behind his ear. He’s nervous, and she doesn’t know why.

She wants to know why.

She’s turning into a teenager when she told herself that she would not do this.

And despite the fact that there are thirty people at this lunch, she still ends up sitting right next to Killian. No part of her is under the impression that it’s not due to Ruby, Belle, and Mary Margaret’s scheming, and as the day goes on, she wonders just how long they’ve planned on pushing she and Killian together. Because if she had to think, she’d bet that Ruby has put more effort into this than the wedding.

Conversation is steered toward her job as an investigator in Boston and Killian’s as a Naval trainer in New York. She didn’t know that he was doing that now, that he wasn’t being deployed anymore, and all this does is make her further wonder just how much she doesn’t know about Killian now.

Is his favorite movie still Star Wars?

Does he still have a weakness for strawberry milkshakes even though he consistently orders the healthiest item on the menu when out for dinner?

Does he still sleep flat on his back at night, very rarely stirring unless there’s a loud noise somewhere?

How much time does he spend watching baseball? Does he ever go to the batting cages? Does he coach a little league team? He would be the type of guy to coach a little league team in his spare time.

What about his mom? How is she doing? Does she still hate Emma’s guts even though she’s no longer dating her son? And why in the world did she hate Emma to begin with?

Mostly, though, is he happy?

The person she used to know better than anyone in the world, even if it was when they were teenagers, is a practical stranger to her now, and that absolutely breaks her heart. She doesn’t even know if he’s happy.

“Emma,” Ashley laughs, bringing her out of her thoughts, “who was it that almost got arrested for using a fake ID to buy beer?”

“Will. It was always Will.”

“It was the bloody cheap stuff too,” Killian adds in. “He risked his life for bad beer.”

“If he wasn’t late, he’d tell us that the beer was worth it,” David sighs.

“It definitely wasn’t.”

They all seem to fall into those old memories, something that seems to happen when more than three of them get together, and it’s a good time even if she can sense the awkwardness of the people who are new to their group of friends. She knows a little about being on the outside looking in.

It seems that lunch melds into dinner even though she spends her afternoon putting together floral arrangements, and after they’ve practiced walking down the aisle three times (which is two times too many), they all settle down to dinner with what seems like every single person that Ruby and Graham know.

And this is just the rehearsal dinner.

People go absolutely crazy over weddings.

They also get drunk.

Which is exactly how everyone seems to be as toasts are made and excessive speeches are given. Some of them are a little sloppy, others hilarious, and then some downright sentimental. She thinks she likes the ones that are a combination of all three the best. Ruby and Graham have a lot of people who love them, who want to celebrate them, and even if she is in her own little bitter world trying to figure out why her stomach won’t stop uncomfortably twisting and turning, she’s happy for the two of them. They deserve happiness.

“Hey, guys,” David yells when dinner is finished and everyone is lounging on the restaurant’s deck over the beach.

“What?” Will gripes, his voice as unpleasant sounding as usual even if he’s not an unpleasant guy.

“If memory serves, we have an unfinished game of kickball.”

“No freaking way,” Emma laughs, hitting at David’s right shoulder while Mary Margaret does the same to his left. “You want to go play kickball?”

“Why not? When are we ever all going to be in the same place again?”

There’s a collective murmuring, a general agreement, and then Killian is looking her dead in the eye as he speaks. “Game on.”

Ashley has to run to the general store to get a ball since none of them have a key to the beach stand and aren’t about to get arrested for stealing a ball (Graham would totally arrest them even if he’s partaking in the thing), but everyone else heads down to the beach, kicking off heels and taking off nice jewelry to leave on the pier before they step into the sand. Ruby hooks her arm into Emma’s elbow, needing a little bit of guidance from her overindulgence, until they all wander down to their old spot behind Shrimpy’s. There’s an argument over teams, especially because some members are missing and there are a few new ones, but after it’s all settled, they split up and take their positions.

This tradition is one of the most ridiculous things, but there’s always this special kind of magic in small beach towns where no one really has to worry about anything. And for teenagers who couldn’t get into local bars because the owner always knew their age, they had to get creative in how they spent their nights.

Kickball on the beach was a pretty common one.

And she was damn good at it.

She also wasn’t usually wearing a dress this tight. Doesn’t exactly make for good movement. She’ll figure something out.

“You lost some speed in your old age, Swan?” Killian taunts from his spot by the water, a bit of the moonlight reflecting off of his skin.

“I’ve gotten better with age, which is more than some people here can say.”

“You mean, Dave, right?”

“Shut the hell up, Jones,” David yells back, kicking up at the sand and bouncing the ball back and forth between his hands.

“I’m on your team here.”

“Semantics.”

“Can you throw the ball?” she whines, moving her feet around in the sand and wishing that her dress wasn’t quite so tight so she could have more movement right now. She still can’t believe that they’re all out here doing this. “Some of us have to be up early tomorrow.”

“Don’t remind me,” Ruby groans.

“It’s for your wedding.”

“I know, but I want to sleep.”

“We’ll have mimosas in the morning,” Ashely adds in as she moves off of the frisbee that they have marking third base.

“Now, that, I can get behind.”

“What about waking up on our wedding day knowing we’re going to get married?” Graham shouts across the beach to Ruby.

“Eh. That comes after mimosas in things I’m excited about.”

“Priorities.”

“I know.”“Roll the ball, David.”

“I’m trying.”

She shakes her head back and forth as her feet sink a little further into the sand, a breeze from the ocean wafting up to blow the loose curls around her face back. She feels ridiculous, but she feels…happy. This is exactly how things used to be, all of them out here by the ocean with a kickball and each other. The clothes are a little more expensive, the alcohol definitely more expensive, and they’ve all got a wrinkle or two on their faces. But they still have dumb conversations, still have that teasing back and forth, and she recognizes all of the smiles on everyone’s faces.

She’s missed this.

She’s missed them.

And the simplicity of it all even when she knows that there’s nothing simple about the dynamics and relationships among all of the people spread out across the sand with only dim lights from shops and the flashlights on their phones helping the moon to illuminate them.

David rolls the ball, the red rubber moving over the white sand, and like she’d just played the game yesterday, she swings her right leg out, angling the ball between first and second base knowing that August is far too drunk to have any kind of coordination, and watches it fly.

And she takes off.

It’s difficult to run on the sand, that particular skill not coming back to her quite yet, but she thinks she’s just about to get to the base when she Killian is in front of her. He’s always been half a step faster than her, his height helping him out, and before she can move around him, he’s wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her into the air. She squeals, unable to help herself, and her world is flipped upside down, literally, as she’s heaved over his shoulder with her face against his back and her ass in the air.

Probably very literally too. This is a short dress. Damn Ruby for making her wear it.

“You asshole,” she scoffs, hitting against his back with her arms.

“You say that about me quite a lot, love. You used to be more affectionate in your names.”

Well, she sure as hell is going to ignore that right now.

“This is cheating. You cannot pick me up to get me out.”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Killian calls out, walking further out into the water as she watches his feet become damp, his rolled-up navy pants getting hit with ocean water, “is what I’m doing against the rules in our book?”

“No,” everyone shouts back at the same time that she groans. Damn rule book and damn rules that they made up as teenagers.

“Especially,” Graham adds on, his feet coming into view, “if you’ve been tagged by the ball.” And then she feels rubber against her back and a loud call of “out” before everything goes underwater.

Asshole is the exact right word to describe Killian Jones right now.

When she comes up to the surface, her lungs gasping for the air that was knocked out of her, she can feel water dripping down her hair and onto her shoulders, her dress clinging to her body and yet somehow falling off of her shoulders. Killian is only a few feet away, his hands pushing his hair off his forehead to rest on the top of his head, and from the way his shirt is still dry, she knows that he didn’t go under the water.

He just threw her in for no good reason.

“It’s a nice night for a swim. Don’t you think so, love?”

She smiles, all of the spite she can muster pressed into it, before slowly rising out of the water to get closer to him. Without thinking she presses up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, aligning the two of them along every inch of their bodies as the tip of her nose brushes against the tip of Killian’s. She can feel his breath on hers, feel the warmth of it and smell the salt of the ocean, and feel all of his muscles underneath his clothes and the heat of his body. It’s exhilarating, different, and yet it feels exactly like it used to, especially when Killian’s left arm wraps around her ass, yanking her up a little more while his right tentatively threads into her hair, each touch warming her more than the one before.

The blue of his eyes is illuminated by the ocean instead of being drowned out by it, but all of the sudden she feels like waves are crashing over her and taking her under only for her to never come to the surface again.

“Emma,” Killian whispers so quietly that she knows only she can hear it from the way his lips ghost over hers.

“Yeah?”

“I – ”

“You’re holding up the game,” Will shouts, the ball landing against Killian’s back before splashing in the water, and all of the sudden the magic spell that was surrounding them is gone, the translucent walls turning back into bricks and furthering the divide in between them.

Killian’s eyes flicker to hers, but she’s already looking away, her legs uncrossing from his back until her feet are in the damp sand, water covering up to her waist. When her arms fall from his neck, that loss of heat instantaneous, she moves away from him as quickly as she can, her lips numb, and for the rest of the night, everything is muted. Every noise, every conversation, every kick of the ball. One of her best friends is getting married in less than twenty-four hours, and her only focus is on the fact that she nearly kissed her ex-boyfriend.

That she wanted to.

She can’t do that.

-/-

The wedding day goes by in such a blur that she’s not actually sure what happened. That might be because she didn’t sleep the night before, but that also might be the mimosas she had with breakfast. But Ruby is beautiful and happy, and that’s honestly all that matters. She watches one of her best friends exchange vows to get married, and even though Ruby and Graham definitely use a little too much tongue than what is usually deemed appropriate, it’s likely the most real wedding she’s been to, none of the odd staleness that usually accompanies these things.

And by the time the reception rolls around, all she wants is to get flat out drunk.

But she doesn’t do that.

She eats her dinner and has one glass of wine, dances with Ruby and her friends a bit, and by the time Ruby and Graham leave, she takes off her shoes to exchange them with a pair of slippers, a nice look under the red of her gown, and decides that instead of awkwardly going back to Ruby and Graham’s apartment (they should have thought that one through when making plans for her to stay in town), she’s simply going to wander around town for a little while. Things have changed a bit. Maybe she should look at all of the changes.

There are no changes that she really cares about, and she ends up driving to the lake, pulling up just in front of it with her headlights shining on Killian Jones sitting on the overhanging tree. She should have known. They’ve always done things similarly.

They make quite the team.

Killian’s already seen her. There’s no way he hasn’t, so after taking a deep breath, she turns off her car and gets out, using her phone as a flashlight as she wanders to the tree to join him, having to keep her balance a little as her dress is a bit of a different attire than what she usually wears out here. They don’t speak, don’t acknowledge each other until she sits down next to Killian and he holds out a flask. Of course he carries a flask with him when they were just at a wedding with free alcohol.

She thinks she might need the rum looking at him out here still dressed in his tux but with his suit jacket discarded, his bowtie gone with his shirt unbuttoned two buttons too far, and his white shirt damply clinging to his skin with suspenders over them.

Suspenders should not do it for her like that. Damn.

“You realize you were going to be hearing the sounds of love making had you gone back to the apartment?”

“Yep.” She accepts the flask and takes a swig, letting the rum burn down her throat. “Where are you staying this weekend?”

“My mum’s.”

“Ah.”

“What?” he laughs, knocking his shoulder into hers, “you’re not interested in thinking about spending time with the number one member of your fan club?”

“She probably still had a voodoo doll of me.”

Killian throws his head back and barks out a laugh, the cords in his neck straining before his fingers brush over hers so that he can take the flask back. “You’re right. She probably does. It doesn’t matter that I’ve slept with other women now. She still hates you for making me a sexual being.”

“I knew it! I knew that’s why she hated me. Also, I totally wasn’t the first girl you slept with.”

“First one my mother knew about.”

She clicks her tongue, not really sure what to say about that, and it sure as hell doesn’t explain why she asks what she asks next. “How have you been, Killian? For real?”

“I’m good,” he sighs, his tone not matching up with his words. “I like my job, my apartment. I’ve got – I think I’ve done pretty well for myself, though I did think I’d spent a lot more time on the sea instead of simply training gangly eighteen-year-olds. I – how are you? How’s Boston?”

“Cold.”

“That happens.”

“Yeah, I – I like my job, too. It’s really interesting. My roommates are, like, awesome. You would love Elsa. The two of you would definitely give me shit all of the time, but you’d do it in the way that you do where you act like you’re being nice about it.”

“Teasing you has always been one of my favorite things in the world.”

“Don’t I know it?”

Silence falls between them, just the sounds of bugs flying around and leaves rustling in the wind filling the air, and she doesn’t know what to say, what to do. She came here to be alone, and yet she’s here with the one person who has been consuming her thoughts all weekend.

Really, for the past decade.

“Am I allowed to say that I’ve missed you, Swan?” he whispers, the words so light that she barely hears them when she’s so deep in her own thoughts.

“You’re allowed to do whatever you want.”

“Emma.” Her head twists away from him. She can’t look over at his face, at the blue of his eyes, but she allows him to run his fingers down her forearm until the rough pads of his hands are interlacing with the soft pads of hers, fingers holding on tightly like nothing has changed. “I miss you.”

“You don’t even know me anymore.”

“I’d like to.”

She doesn’t say anything else, not quite yet, and even if she shouldn’t, she leans her head to the side and rests her cheek against his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his skin spread through her while his thumb keeps rolling over her knuckles. She’s missed how he does that, how good he is with his touches so that she knows what he’s thinking without him actually saying it. Not every guy is one to show physical affection outside of wanting sex, and now she knows that mostly means they’re assholes.

Despite what she keeps saying, Killian Jones is not an asshole.

“It’s a wedding weekend, KJ. We get all sentimental, emotional. There’s alcohol and old memories involved and people looking nicer than usual, and I can pretty much guarantee that eighty percent of people at that wedding think we’re fucking right now.”

“Swan, I don’t think it’s possible for me to look nicer than usual.”

“You’d be surprised.”

If she could look at his face, she knows that his brow would be raised all the way to his hairline, but her eyes are currently closed as she feels his lips press into her temple.

None of this can be real, can it? How does that still feel so good?

“Alright,” he huffs, and she can feel the breath of air that he lets out, “so it’s a wedding weekend. Everything is hazy and weird and different, but what happens when it’s not a wedding weekend anymore? Would you allow me to try to talk to you again, to get to know the Emma Swan that I haven’t talked to in a little over eight years. Because it’s been eight years for us, not ten.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“I’m asking you if you’ll pick up the phone when I call you? Nothing more, nothing less.”

Nothing more, nothing less.

“I think I could manage to answer the phone every now and then.”

“Good.”

-/-

“No, no, I’m serious,” she laughs, putting her bags of groceries on the ground so that she can unlock her apartment door, “I really did go on a date once where the dude told me that the freckles on my face were signs of past lives, and that he thought I could have been his mother. I mean, that’s weird on a lot of levels, but the weirdest is that he was okay dating his mother.”

“Swan, that did not happen.”

She pushes open the door with her hip, placing her phone between her ear and her shoulder as she picks up the paper bags and walks in, nodding to Anna and Elsa as they look at her. “It really did. I mean, creepy, right? And I felt bad because this dude thought I was his dead mother, so I suffered through the rest of the date.”

Killian laughs on the other end of the phone, one of those laughs that she can tell comes deep from his belly, and she shakes her head as she puts her box of poptarts away. She shouldn’t have bought them, but she wanted something sweet. “That may be the kindest thing you’ve ever done.”

“Well, I didn’t marry the guy, so obviously I broke it to him at some point.”

“Eh, I don’t know. You two could be meant to be.”

“Shut up.” She closes the cabinet before opening the fridge and putting her grapes away. “How are all of your eighteen-year-olds today?”

“That sounds absolutely horrible if you don’t understand the context.”

“I do understand the context.”

“They’re good, having the time of their lives.”

“I’m sure. Getting yelled at by you is a lot of fun.”

“You’re the only person on the planet who thinks that’s true even if you know for a fact that I do not work in basic training. There is no yelling.”

“That is so not true.”

“Aye, I know,” he chuckles. There’s a faint noise behind Killian, and she hears him mumble a few words that she doesn’t understand. “Swan, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah, talk to you tomorrow.”

“Bye, love.”

The call ends, and she puts her phone down, shuffling through the rest of her groceries and putting them away as she hums along to whatever song is stuck in her head. She really doesn’t know any of the words, but it’s catchy.

Oh wow. She sounds old.

“What do you guys want to do for dinner?” she asks Anna and Elsa. When they don’t say anything back, she turns around to see them sitting at the island, their mouths gaping open and their chins resting on their hands. “Um, what are you two doing?”

“When do we get to meet your boyfriend?” Anna squeaks out only for Elsa to slap her arm. “Ow, what?”

“We were supposed to be more delicate than that.”

“I’m sorry! I couldn’t wait any longer.”

“What the hell are you guys talking about?”

Elsa rolls her eyes before sitting up straighter on the barstool, the teasing smile on her face fading away while Emma’s stomach rolls. “We love you,” she starts out, and Emma already knows this is going to be bad, “and understand that you’re not the most forthcoming with personal things.”

“Like you don’t talk about them at all,” Anna adds in only for Elsa to cut her eyes at her sister.

“And that’s fine, sweetie, but for the past four months, you have come home every day talking to Killian. And when you don’t come home talking to him, he calls you before you go to bed. When you leave your phone around the apartment, it’s always buzzing with a text from one Killian Jones. You’re smiling all the time and laughing, and we’ve both watched blush rise on your cheeks while staring at your phone. So we were kind of wondering…when are we going to meet this guy?”

“You’re not,” Emma blurts out, her mind still kind of reeling over everything Elsa just said. Has it been four months? Her birthday is in two weeks and they started talking again in June, so yeah, she guesses it has. But every night? They don’t talk every night. There’s no way. “He’s not my boyfriend. I mean, he was, but that was eight years ago. Now he’s just a friend.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Anna gasps, her leg shaking with excitement, “Killian Jones is your high school sweetheart?”

“A little bit of college, too.”

Anna groans, throwing her head down on the countertop. “That is so romantic, and you’re not even taking advantage of it.”

Emma could leave the apartment right now to get out of this conversation, and no one would stop her. So why is she staying?

“Anna, just because I dated someone when I was a teenager doesn’t mean that I should date them again. First loves are not forever loves.”

“But they can be.”

“Anna,” Elsa scolds, shaking her head from side to side, some kind of silent sister communication happening. “Emma, we don’t mean to pry. We really don’t. You simply seem so happy, and that’s all we want for you.”

“We’re not dating. That’s not…no,” she huffs, blinking several times as her eyes sting. “We broke up a long time ago because the distance was too much and we were fighting over it. I’ve been hurt so much that I don’t think I can do anything like that again. We’re just friends.”

Lies.

All lies.

Her phone buzzes, and she looks down at it to see Killian’s name pop up.

Killian Jones: Have a good night, darling.xoxo

-/-

She does not at all think about how much she likes Killian Jones that night.

She especially does not think about the fact that she’s falling in love with him again.

Or for the next two weeks.

-/-

The low rumble of voices echoes outside of her bedroom door, and she cracks an eye open as if that will help her hear better. It doesn’t, but it allows her to at least wake up a little more. It’s still dark outside, no sunlight shining through her windows, and there’s no way in hell that Anna or Elsa have someone over at…three fifteen in the morning. Kris isn’t back in town for another week, and Elsa has sworn off all men after her last breakup.

What the hell?

Curiosity wins out over exhaustion, and she rises from her bed, her head pounding a little bit, and cracks open her door to try to get a better look out into the hallway.

Dark hair and blue eyes and lean legs and a ridiculous amount of chest hair.

Killian Jones.

What the ever-loving hell?

“Killian?”

“Swan.”

His eyes literally light up as he smiles, and she swears that this must be a fever dream or something. It has to be. What other reason would he have to be here?

But then he’s crossing the hallway, coming closer to her, and the details of him become clearer. She can see the scar on his cheek, the freckles on his nose, the curls of his hair, and the brilliant blue specks in his eyes that can’t be seen from far away. None of that convinces her it’s real until arms are wrapped around her shoulders and solid warmth is pressed against every inch of her.

He smells like Killian.

Because he is Killian.

How could it ever be a fever dream?

“What are you doing here?” she mumbles into his neck, refusing to pull away as his hands run up and down her back and her nails claw into his hair. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“Traffic was bloody awful.”

“You drove here? What in the world?”

Killian releases a sigh that she feels down to her own bones before he pulls back the slightest bit so that she can see the blue of his eyes again. What the hell is her stomach doing? Twisting and turning and…fluttering? It needs to stop.

(She doesn’t want it to stop. This is perfect.)

“Well, someone is turning twenty-nine, and I couldn’t miss that, could I?”

“You did not drive down here for my birthday. That’s ridiculous.”

“I mean, I may have had another reason.”

“What’s your other reason?” she laughs, sliding her hands up his chest until her fingers curl around bits of his chest hair, disbelief that this is all real still consuming her as Killian smiles down at her.

If she has to be woken up early in the morning, she wants to wake up to see that smile that she loves so damn much.

“That, darling, is something you’re going to have to wait and see. Let’s get you back to bed. I wouldn’t want you to be cranky in the morning, and we both know how you get when you don’t get you sleep.”

“Says the man who barged into my apartment at three in the morning.”

“I think the interruption of sleep was worth it.”

It is.

-/-

In the same way that she woke up on her nineteenth birthday, she wakes up on her twenty-ninth birthday in Killian’s arms.

It’s better this time.

This time, somehow, she knows that it’s different, but it’s right.

Growing apart was something she once dreaded, something that broke her heart, and while she still believes that first loves do not have to be forever loves, sometimes people come back together (or stay together) and work things out again if it’s truly right. She didn’t know who Killian was for eight years, had her own life in that time – as did he – but they’re falling back into place as easily as they always have as Killian makes her laugh and smile and feel that overwhelming sense of calm that he usually brings with him.

As Killian makes her happy simply by being exactly who he is, changes and growth and all.

-/-

He’s in Boston because he got a job teaching at the Naval College.

Killian is moving closer to her, and her stomach cannot handle the fluttering that’s happening. Because that’s definitely what is happening.

She loves him. There’s no denying it now. She doesn’t think she’d even want to.

-/-

They kiss again for the first time in a little over eight years, and it’s like coming to a home where there are no nerves or obnoxious relatives far too interested in your life choices.

It’s just Emma and Killian and no one else as his lips slowly glide over hers in a softness that is familiar and brand new all at once.

She could get used to that.

She does.

Every day for the rest of her life.

-/-

Their friends play kickball on the beach the night before their wedding.

She and Killian are on the same team this time.

#cs prompts #cs fic #cs ff #captain swan fic #captain swan

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