#second chapter is ready and will be posted on monday :)

[damnfeelings09]

Animals AU - Shadow's version

A.N: Hello! Chapter 1 is finally here and I'm really proud of it. I decided to use the inspo from the video I posted days ago and this is what I got. I'm planning around 10 chapters for this one. Also RED PARTS ARE STALKER THOUGHTS, and GREEN ARE YOURS. With that I'm out and don't forget to lock your windows at night, he might be watching.

NFSW: blood, stalking, fear, weapons, fighting, bad lenguage, smut. +18

“Baby I'm preying on you tonight

Hunt you down eat you alive

Just like animals…”

“So... you got a boyfriend?” said the voice on the other side of the phone. You had no idea who you were talking to. Stupid? Probably. Exciting? Hell yes!

“Why? You wanna ask me out on a date?”  you asked in the most captivating tone possible.

“Maybe…” he said, a smug, seductive smile forming on his face. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

“No.”

“You never told me your name.”

“Why you wanna know my name?” you laughed. This conversation had been the most interesting part of your week. You had no idea who you were talking to; it was a stranger. An unknown number, written on the front page of the psychiatry book you had checked out from the library, along with a note that said, "Call here to have fun." Too tempting not to try. You were in your last year, your grades were perfect, and you had been accepted for an internship at the GUN Hospital next year. Everything was going grat, a little fun couldn’t hurt, right? Mailo had tried to convince you that it was a bad idea to call, but in the end, your curiosity won over your good judgment. The first time the call came in, you hung up after a second. Scared, your heart racing, before you could do anything else, the incoming call screen appeared. Soon, you found yourself trapped in his deep voice. Damn, anyone with that voice had to be fucking hot, and if not, you could always close your eyes and listen to his voice until you came.

“I wanna know who am I looking at” You froze, cold sweat dripping down your neck. Quickly getting up from the bed, you looked out the window. Outside, darkness reigned, only the trees and the other side of the sidewalk were barely visible. It was impossible, but when your skin tingled, you knew it was real—there was someone out there. He was out there, watching you. You heard laughter coming from the phone and immediately hung up. With your heart racing, you ran through the house, making sure all the doors and windows were shut, all alarms and lights on. Going back to your room, you locked yourself in the bathroom. This would be a long night.

The alarm woke you up, sore and with a swollen face from the bad night, you got ready for the day. You hated Mondays, but this Monday, in particular, was terrible. You hadn’t slept at all and had hidden like a coward in your bathtub. You had allowed the psycho phone man to gain power over you, and even more, secretly, you’d enjoyed it.

“Someone didn't have a good night,” said Mailo as you both were walking down the main hallway.

“I slept in the tub” you mentioned as you craned your neck to the side trying to find that sweet spot that would make your vertebrae settle or end your life, whichever came first.

“Ouch why?”

“Ah...” You couldn't tell him what had happened. You'd be branded stupid, and scolded by your best friend, it would be a humiliating “Let a friend crash last night” you lied.

“Which friend bunny? The imaginary one?” you heard as he laughed at you walking into the gym, slamming the door in your face. Stupid, sexy Shadow.

“Fuck you sombrita” You abhorred the day your paths had crossed. 2 years ago Shadow had arrived, with a glowing recommendation letter from Commander Maisland they let him enroll in any course he wanted because he would be “the salvation of the world”. Yeah right, that moron couldn't save anyone.

According to gossip, he had been on the resistance team back in Angel’s Island. Surprising to many, even to you until you met him. You were coming back from vacation, in a hurry to get to your anatomy class, you missed breakfast and had to run from the parking lot to the classroom in less than 10 minutes. When you arrived you sat next to Mailo, but during the whole class you could not pay attention, the class was too boring and your attention could not focus on the vascularization of the femur. You settled into your seat and taking advantage of the fact that the light was off, you closed your eyes, heading for dreamland. A hand wrapped around your hair pushing you, causing you to knock onto the table and woke up. You turned around, behind you was a hedgehog with jet black fur and red tips, looking at you with amusement, covering his mouth to keep from laughing.

“You have something on your forehead,” he said, letting out a laugh. You raised your hand and took your pencil; it had stuck to your forehead after the blow you had given against the table. That day you had earned a scolding, an extra job and an enemy.

Shadow was a bastard, with airs and graces. Taunting you whenever he could, pissing you off and competing with you every chance he got. It wasn't like there was much of a chance, he was the ultimate lifeform, at least that was what every professor called him. You hated the moment you found out you would be together once again. The self-defense and advanced martial arts class had run out of instructors, so they had put the two groups together and now you were forced to see him 3 times a week. “It will only be 6 months” you said to yourself as you and Mailo walked in.

Your group consisted of 12 people. 7 for self-defense L1, including you, Mailo, Grant, Susane, Alissa, Roger, and Dalia. The other 5 were supposed to be from advanced martial arts. The instructor, Agent Rios, called them to the center of the gym where the mats were. Quickly, you took off your shoes and tied your hair in a high ponytail. "Listen up, the university doesn’t have the budget to hire more instructors, so I’ll be teaching both levels. However, you’re not the only groups I have, and to make things easier for me, I’ve decided to pair one advanced person with the level 1s. I’ll call out your names and you’ll pair up with your partner on one of the mats, then I’ll tell you what we’ll do next."

"Oh hell no…," you thought. “Alissa and Rene, Roger and Rouge, Dalia and Ivana.” "Hello, God? It’s me again. I know I haven’t been very good, and I really don’t care what you think, but please, don’t let me..." You begged. You really didn’t want to be with him. Anyone but him.

“Susane and Richard, Miss Moon and Shadow, Mailo with me. Alright, that’s everyone. Now, pair up and start warming up. I’ll be back in 10 minutes."

“Excuse me, professor, is there a possibility of changing my partner?" you said, walking behind him. "It’s just that Mailo and I…” “Listen Miss Moon, I saw you last semester. You’re terrible and have no strength. That hedgehog is your best option if you want to pass the year, now if you excuse me" Agent Rios walked past you. Now you had no other choice but to try. The self-defense class was mandatory for all students, even if you weren’t planning to pursue a career in the battlefield there was no getting out of it.

“Great, now I’ll have to worry about two psychos.” You thought as you walked back to the mat where Shadow was waiting for you.

[justallihere]

i've been talking about this for two months now, but we're past onyx storm and i'm finally far enough into this fic that i'm almost ready to start posting, which means. . .

dead on arrival chapter 1 will be coming your way on feb 3rd!

this is a bones-inspired modern au, and i'm in love with every moment of it so far. i can't wait to start sharing it with you, but in the meantime, here's the summary - and below the cut, a longer look into the first bit of chapter 1

Violet Sorrengail is a forensic anthropologist good with only one thing: dead people. Their bones speak a language only she can hear, but the living aren't quite so easy to understand - particularly one FBI Agent Xaden Riorson, who does everything possible to get under her skin. When an unexpected murder victim washes up in DC, the ensuing investigation brings them closer together despite her every effort to stay away, and she's forced to decide if the careful distance she keeps around her heart is really worth it.

There was a dead body.

That was what the text message said anyway, the one that interrupted Violet Sorrengail’s music with a cheerful little ding and made her flinch. It popped up on the screen of her car—from FBI Agent Xaden Riorson.

7:03 am There’s a dead body. I’ll pick you up in 10. 

When she read it, she rolled her eyes. Of course there was a fucking dead body. That was the only reason he ever texted, called, emailed, or otherwise contacted her. There was a steady stream of texts from him dating back six months, from their first case together, all variations of: Got a body. On my way to pick you up. Any updates on the case? Why aren’t you in the lab? I have new evidence for you. Never so much as a hello or a how are you. If his neck was more easily reachable, she would have strangled him by now, but as it was, he stood about fifteen inches taller than her, and Violet hated both high heels and step stools, so he got to keep breathing. For now. 

A bark came from the passenger seat. She spared a glance at Tairn and found the dog was already glaring at the car screen, as if he knew exactly who had texted. He held a special sort of contempt for Xaden Riorson that Violet didn't think he'd ever shown anyone she knew, and he'd been her service dog for almost three years.

She was stuck at a red light, so she took a fortifying drink of her coffee and then plucked her cell phone out of the second empty cup holder to respond. 

7:04 am  it’s 7 in the morning on a monday y tf do u think i’m in the lab already. i’m 20 min away 

Riorson hated shorthand text. Violet normally didn’t do it, but once, in a hurry, she’d typed bc instead of because, and it was the first thing he’d commented on the next time he saw her. She’d made it a point ever since to shorten as many words as possible. 

7:04 am  Then I’ll pick you up in 20. Washed up from the Potomac at a park in Alexandria a couple hours ago.

Sounded lovely—and unstable for her, given it had rained the entire weekend before and she could break or dislocate just about anything with a single wrong look.

It took her twenty-two minutes instead of the promised twenty to get to the lab, and she felt confident Riorson was losing his mind. He had a thing for punctuality that bordered on compulsive. Sure enough, he was already there, his government-issued SUV parked next to her usual spot. He stood outside it, leaning against the closed driver’s door, wearing a sleek black suit and aviators, not a strand of dark hair out of place. He looked the perfect picture of professionalism, were it not for the tattoo on his left arm that wound from wrist to jawline. The early morning sun gilded his brown skin, and he looked almost ethereal. It was both infuriating and unfair how beautiful he was, but he made up for it by being a complete and utter dick most of the time. 

Riorson was too composed to show any outward signs of impatience, but Violet was sure he was counting the seconds it took her to gather her coffee, her phone, and her bag and climb out of her own car to join him. Instead of waiting for her to round the car and open the passenger door, Tairn followed her out of the driver's side, his leash trailing. She didn't bother to pick it up; he stuck close to her side regardless, his nose nearly against her thigh.

“I need to go inside and get waders,” she informed Riorson instead of offering any polite greeting. She knew he certainly wasn’t going to offer her one. She skirted around the back of his car to the passenger side. She was wearing jeans and a white sweater and sneakers—not exactly appropriate attire for investigating a dead body on a riverbank. “I’ll be right back.” 

“Your waders and boots are in the trunk, and Sloane has the rest of all your fancy tools and equipment. She rode ahead to the scene with Rhiannon.” 

Well, that at least answered the question of which intern was on the schedule today. And hopefully Rhiannon was far enough ahead of them that she’d be done with her preliminary analysis by the time Violet got there. If this was the FBI’s problem, and Riorson wanted Violet there, then the remains were presumably in bad shape. 

Violet opened the back door for Tairn and stood back as he jumped inside, settling on the nice leather seats without a care for his claws. There were scratches in the material already, but Violet was sure most of them came from Xaden's own dog, Sgaeyl. She wasn't a service dog like Tairn, but Riorson had brought her around a few times, usually when a case called them in on a weekend or late at night. Tairn used his teeth to tug his leash closer when it dangled, and then sat back on his haunches, looking at her expectantly. She shut the door.

Violet climbed into the passenger seat, dropping her bag at her feet and her coffee in one of the cup holders, then buckling her seat belt as Riorson climbed in next to her, starting the car without a word. 

He was seemingly allergic to music, so they almost always rode in silence. Violet was never quite sure why he felt the need to drive her to crime scenes. She could just as easily get herself there, or hitch a ride in the forensics van with Rhiannon or Ridoc. But since the very first case, he’d insisted, and he was about as much fun to argue with as a brick wall, and some things simply weren’t worth the energy to complain about. 

Every so often, Tairn would make a little chuffing noise in the back seat, but he didn't actually lean forward and alert, so she ignored him. He was always restless and grumbling around Xaden. Despite his relative youth, he acted remarkably like an old man.

"So why are we going to Alexandria?" Violet asked skeptically as Riorson weaved expertly through the early morning DC traffic, heading the opposite way Violet had just come from. She had a charming, spacious house in Georgetown she'd received as a gift from her father, with a secluded backyard and even a small heated pool. As one of the most renowned forensic anthropologists in the world, she made good money, enough to cover the utilities and the property taxes and insurance with ease, but it was still far too rich of a neighborhood for her; she never could've afforded it outright. There had been questions for a while about where the money came from for her father to afford to buy her such a place, if it had been earned through legal means, but after six months of investigating when she first got the deed, everyone had stopped looking into it, and she'd been able to finally move in with no problems.

She'd been there for three years now with no additional issues. She suspected that was her mother's doing, but Lilith Sorrengail had never admitted it outright.

"Because that's where the dead body is?" Riorson offered dryly without taking his eyes from the road.

Violet huffed, and Tairn echoed the noise behind her. "It's in Virginia," she said, like it should've been obvious, because it should have. "What makes this the FBI's problem? Shouldn't local police get first dibs?"

"They don't want it," he answered. "The remains are in bad enough shape that we need you, Sorrengail. Do you really think Alexandria PD has the resources to investigate this?"

"Do you really think I know anything about the resources Alexandria PD has?" she countered. She didn't, and she didn't want to. That fell into the pile of things that were very firmly not her problem. Her brain had a lot of room, but local police jurisdiction wasn't really something she bothered to make space for. Riorson gave her bodies, and she told him how they died. That was her job.

He did look at her then, a brief, cutting glance from the corner of his eye. "I thought you knew everything."

She rolled her eyes. "Obviously not, Riorson."

A little smirk curled up one corner of his mouth, but he didn't say anything else.

Violet spent the rest of the car ride braiding her hair. She kept it long, and she liked to wear it loose, but her work didn't often lend to it. When she was younger, her older sister, Mira, had braided it into a crown for her when she'd gone through a phase of reading only princess books, and had taught her to do it herself as a teenager. It had quickly become her signature style in college and while she completed her PhD; it was the easiest way to ensure it was all out of the way while she was in the lab or on the university's body farm, studying decomposing remains. Beyond its practicality, she just thought it was pretty, especially because the ends of her hair were leached of all pigment, so the silver strands looked interesting all weaved together.

It was a challenge in the car—she had to lean forward to flip her hair over and start the plait at the back of her head, which didn't do great things for her heart rate—but it wasn't the first time she'd done this and it wouldn't be the last. She had hair ties and pins in her bag that she held between her teeth until she needed them.

By the time she was done, they'd reached the crime scene. The park was right on the Potomac River, and already blocked off with yellow tape. Riorson eased the SUV around a group of civilians standing and tittering as they watched the FBI forensics team as they gathered evidence. Violet couldn't find her own people among the sea of navy jackets, so they must have been closer to the river.

She hopped out and paused when her head spun, bracing a hand on the open door. Tairn barked, scratching at the door she hadn't yet opened for him.

"You good, Violence?" Riorson paused, leaning back down to look at her through his own open door. His sunglasses slid down his nose, revealing dark eyes and long, thick lashes.

She lifted her head enough to glare at him. "Don't call me Violence."

[stardustrebels]

More of You- Chapter 5

Pairing: Joel Miller x fem!reader

WC: 1.7k

Rating: 18+ for eventual smut, MDNI

Series Masterlist | Blog Masterlist Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Tags: No outbreak!AU. Coffee shop meet-cute with a slow-ish burn. Sickly sweet fluff with eventual smut. Joel Miller just deserves a good life, you know? Joel and reader have a teeny tiny age gap- Joel is 42, reader is mid 30s. Sarah is 19. No use of Y/N, minimal descriptions of reader. She has hair long enough to tie back and she wears skirts and dresses.

A/N: Joel Miller’s very bad no good morning pre-chapter 1. I just want to give this poor lonely saddie daddy a big hug. Of course, like a moth to a flame, the man’s drawn in by exemplary woodwork and the promise of good coffee. I hope you enjoy!

The first time Joel Miller saw you, it was a Monday. 

The kind of Monday that he guessed was going to be shitty from the moment he opened his eyes. He woke up half an hour before his alarm went off and stared at the ceiling, cursing the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, like the day had already gone wrong. 

The sun had barely risen, casting a faint orange glowing beam across the room through a gap in the curtains and straight in to his face. He groaned, slapping the top of his alarm before it even had a chance to sound. 

Seconds after he stood up, he stubbed his toe on the edge of his bed frame, cursing under his breath before limping his way to the bathroom. 

He got dressed and made it downstairs without further injury, sulking as he entered the kitchen, hoping to at least have a decent cup of coffee before leaving the house. He opened the cabinet and reached up to where the coffee tin usually sat. The coffee tin that wasn’t there. The coffee tin he’d forgotten to pick up a replacement for at the store yesterday. 

He gripped the edge of the counter, letting out a frustrated sigh and hung his head momentarily in silent defeat.

It was the type of Monday that would make anyone want to climb back in to bed and try again tomorrow. 

It also happened to be his birthday. 

And despite everything else that had happened so far, that fact was hands down the worst thing about today.

Sarah had left for college two weeks ago, and this was the first birthday he’d spend without her since she was born. 

The first time she called after he’d dropped her off, she said she would come back to spend his birthday with him. He’d insisted that she should be focusing on making friends and having fun, not worrying about her old man. After some back and forth, she’d relented, settling for sending him a picture of a hastily written I.O.U for ‘one amazing birthday celebration’ on a pink post-it note after they’d hung up.

In lieu of any coffee to drink, he leaned against the breakfast bar with a glass of orange juice and sifted through the small pile of birthday cards until he found the one with Sarah’s handwriting on it. The card had an obnoxiously large badge on the front- ‘it’s my birthday’ emblazoned on it in giant red letters. He huffed a laugh at it, shaking his head. 

Inside, she’d written that she’d told her Uncle Tommy she wanted picture evidence that he had worn the badge to the office. He sent her a text, despite knowing she wouldn’t be awake for hours. 

Thanks for the card, kiddo. And the badge. Not sure it’s clear enough though, could be bigger. Love you.

He placed the badge securely in his jacket pocket, ready to pin on his shirt when he got to the office. He figured if he didn’t, he’d never hear the end of it. 

By the time he left the house that morning, Joel felt unusually lonely. He’d been doing fine the last couple of weeks, or at least that’s what he told himself. 

The day after he dropped Sarah off, he’d realised just how quiet the house was without her. He had immediately thrown himself in to work, spending long days at the office, doing out-of-character site visits and offering to take Tommy’s client meetings. Anything to stay busy. 

By the time he got home every night, he had just enough energy to heat up some dinner and fall in to bed. It felt like the old days, when Sarah was younger. The days where he would work every hour God sent just to keep a roof over their heads, making himself sick with stress. Except this time around he didn’t get to see her little smiley face every morning to remind him that it was all worth it. 

Joel tried to ignore the little lump in his throat as he climbed in to his truck that morning, earlier than he would normally leave. The house felt emptier than it ever had. 

The traffic on the way in to the city was a nightmare, and he had to park a couple of blocks further away from the office than he usually did because of road closures. By the time he found a spot and turned off his engine, he was utterly miserable, the idea of trudging to the office against crowds of other commuters did nothing to improve his mood. He grabbed his jacket and slammed the truck door shut, muttering to himself.

He groaned inwardly as he immediately hit the don’t walk signal at the first crosswalk. As he waited, the building on the corner next to him caught his eye. He took a moment to admire the dark wood and worn decorative trim around the windows. He squinted through the bright morning sunshine at the sign above the door. Harrison’s it read, in gold handwritten letters. 

The crosswalk signal sounded, but he didn’t move. He glanced through the pane of glass in the wooden door. It was a coffee shop. He hesitated a moment, standing on the sidewalk as people brushed past him. The faint smell of fresh coffee wafted out as the door opened and closed in front of him. He glanced at his watch; he had meetings stacked like bricks and emails waiting to be answered, but he could spare a little time. 

“Screw it, why not?” He muttered under his breath, pushing open the door. A bell chimed above him as he stepped inside.

The place was cosy; not too modern but not stuffy either, with dark wood floors and mismatched tables and chairs. Shelves filled with old books lined the walls, peppered with sepia-toned photographs and various pieces of historical- looking memorabilia. Eclectic but not overwhelming, 

He ordered a black coffee at the counter, unable to return the barista’s cheery smile as he paid, and decided to settle in a seat near the window, thinking how nice it might be to just watch the world go by for a little while.

He stared down at his wrist, at the watch that Sarah had fixed for him all those years ago. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it meant the world to him. He missed her. Missed the sound of the music drifting from her room, the clatter of her hurried footsteps when she was late for school, the terrible movies she made him watch, even the endless chatter about her friends, classes, and the soccer team she was part of.

He knew that this was the way it had to be. She was nineteen now, finding her independence and figuring out who she was outside of their little family unit. That had always been the goal, hadn’t it? To raise her to stand on her own two feet. She needed space to grow, to succeed and stumble, and she needed to do it without him hovering. He knew that.

Still, it didn’t make it any easier. 

The barista arrived with his coffee, pulling him from his thoughts. He muttered a thanks and took a sip, letting his eyes scan the other customers around him. 

Then he saw you. 

As soon as he laid eyes on you, it felt like everything around him exploded in technicolour and the world snapped in to sharp focus all at once. You were sitting a few tables away, staring at your computer screen, entirely engrossed in whatever was on it, oblivious to anything going on around you. 

Joel’s heart was suddenly thrumming in his ears as loud as waves. Everything surrounding you seemed vivid, bathed in the yellow glow of the sunshine streaming in through the window. 

A lock of hair slipped over your shoulder as you tilted your head, causing a gentle shadow to fall across your face. You tucked it back behind your ear with delicate fingers, focus unwavering. You were the the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. 

He blinked, the thrumming in his ears was joined by an unfamiliar feeling swelling right under his sternum. His palms felt sweaty and goosebumps started to spread up his arms. He felt hot and cold. He needed air. 

He downed his coffee, grimacing at the stinging heat against his tongue, grabbed his jacket in one hand and the empty coffee cup in the other to place back on the counter as he passed it, making every effort not to draw any attention to himself. 

He pushed past a queue of people waiting for their coffees and out of the door, bell jingling behind him as he stepped back in to the morning air. He sucked in a deep breath. The feeling in his chest- the one that had hit him like a freight train - was still there. 

He braced his hands on his hips, head tilting back to stare up at the pale blue sky. A little voice in the back of his mind pointed out it looked bluer than it had before.  

“Get it together, Miller,” he muttered towards the heavens, willing his pulse to stop racing.

It wasn’t like him to get flustered. He wasn’t the kind of man who let his emotions run away from him. He’d just had a tough morning, that’s all. He mused that this might be brand new biological perk, unlocked with another year of his 40s. 

He took another deep breath, willing the tightness in his chest to ease as he began to walk, eyes fixed on the concrete in front of him as he passed the windows.

By the time he made it to the office, he’d convinced himself that the strange feeling had been because of his bad morning and the sudden change in temperature from the coffee. A delayed reaction. A ‘funny turn’, as his Grammy used to say, nothing more. 

He stopped outside the glass doors, frowning at his faint reflection in them. He reached in to his jacket pocket and took out the badge Sarah had sent him. He pinned it to his shirt and took a deep breath. 

Weirdest damn birthday I’ve ever had he thought as he pulled open the door and walked inside. 

Next Chapter

[goldenseresinretriever]

Snitches Get Stitches: Chapter 6

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Part of the San Diego Dogfighters universe

Summary: Jake Seresin, golden boy of the NHL and Captain of the Dallas Stars makes headlines when he unexpectedly signs with newly-formed San Diego Dogfighters. When your future seems at the verge of crashing down, you receive the opportunity of a lifetime to become the team physician for the Dogfighters. You never expected to be working directly with your favorite hockey player. Jake has a secret and you have a job to do. Will he be able to trust you enough to help and will you be able to trust him with your heart?

Series CW: 18+ ONLY, swearing, violence, sports violence, medical stuff, blood probably, angst, fluff, (eventual) smut, forbidden romance, sexual harassment, suggestive language, medical inaccuracies, hockey inaccuracies etc. No use of Y/N.

Word Count: 3.3k

A/N: This is a repost of my completed series, Snitches Get Stitches. It was originally posted in October-November 2023, and was lost when my blog was deleted.

Previous Chapter // Series Masterlist // Next Chapter

You pull onto Jake’s street at 7:05 on Monday morning, barely suppressing a yawn. You’d originally planned to show around eight since the two of you weren’t expected in until nine but Jake had texted you last night asking you to come over earlier because he “needed help with something.” He’d also explained that the garage would be open for you to park inside. You know that has nothing to do with safety since no one in this neighborhood looks desperate enough to steal your piece of junk on wheels, so you wonder absently if Jake’s ashamed of having said vehicle parked in his driveway. On second thought, maybe it’s simply a privacy measure in case the paparazzi come snooping for a peek into his personal life.

As you catch sight of the familiar beachfront property, you note that the garage is, in fact, open. You suppress a snort, rolling your eyes as you pull into the garage and see the newly added, hand-painted wooden sign at the front of the space designated for you. Bright green letters announce it as “the carrot patch” complete with crudely painted carrots adorning the rest of the plank. You absently wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into. After your conversation with Jake on Saturday night, you’d agreed to be friends, but part of you is starting to become lightly concerned with exactly what Jake’s definition of friendship looks like.

You park and head back to the front door, ready to tease Jake about the sign when he opens the door and every thought in your mind flies out the window. He’s wearing an apron that says “Grillmaster” in flaming text over his pajamas.

“Mornin’ Bugs, ready for business?” His grin is wide and infectious and you roll your eyes. It’s way too early for him to be so cheerful.

“You’re in a good mood.” His eyes dance playfully as he wraps his free hand around your arm, the other wielding a spatula, pulling you inside where Pudding dances around behind her owner, just as excited to see you. You drop down to give Pudding a big hug, not minding as she slobbers all over your scrubs. Jake moves past you towards the kitchen. Pudding pulls away from you, dancing on her toes as she looks back to make sure you’re coming with them.

The kitchen smells amazing and you watch Jake as he flips pancakes with one hand and sips coffee with the other. The scene is endearingly domestic as he looks up from the pan to where you’re awkwardly standing in the doorway. He smiles, using his chin to direct you to the barstools across from him as he asks, “How do you like your coffee?” He nods in the direction of the coffee machine to his right.

“Oh…” You hesitate as you sit down on one of the stools. “I don’t.” You give him a nervous laugh. “I’m a matcha girl.” He just nods, smiling at you.

“Duly noted, Bugs. We can stop somewhere on our way in.”

You shake your head, waving him off. “It’s fine, Jake. I don’t need one every morning, I only really make one when I have time.”

“We have time today.” He gives you a gentle shrug as he passes you a plate with three pancakes.

“Thanks.” You blush softly at the fact that you’re here, sitting in Jake’s kitchen, discussing your favorite morning beverages while he’s cooking you breakfast. “Speaking of time, why’d you ask me to come over so early? You mentioned you needed help with something?” You take a bite of the pancakes and barely suppress a groan at the tangy burst of blueberry that coats your tongue. “Jake, these are amazing.”

He chuckles at your reaction before he sighs, leaning on the counter slightly. “Pudding needs a walk and I’m supposed to be on leg rest so…” He trails off and you can tell he doesn’t like having to ask you.

“Sure thing, Jake, I can take her out.” You reach down to scratch Pudding’s ears where she’s sitting on the floor next to you. “You don’t mind, do you, Princess Pud? We’ll go on a walk while your dad gets some rest, yeah?” She snuggles up to your hand and you don’t think she minds at all. “I’ll finish these up and we can get going.” You pause, thinking. “Jake who took her out over the weekend?” You’re trying your best to keep the accusation out of your tone, but you ARE his physician after all. He just chuckles in response.

“Javy did, don’t worry. I’m adhering to all your rules, Bugs.” You nod.

“So you talked to him?”

“Yeah, I talked to him. He deserved to know before the rest of the team. We usually tell each other everything, at least until now. He’s my best friend…” Jake looks at you ruefully. “I can’t lose him.” The TOO is implied in his eyes and your heart aches.

“How’d he take it?” You ask carefully.

Jake’s face lightens at that as his lips curve into a smirk. “He offered to move in.” You choke on your pancakes, giving him a bewildered look. Jake offers you a glass of water you hadn’t noticed him fill. After washing down the chunk of pancake lodged in your throat, you’re back to glaring at Jake.

“And you didn’t think to take him up on that?” You were here in his kitchen at 7 am and you could be asleep in your bed. Jake’s face twists in disgust.

“Just because he’s my best friend doesn’t mean I want to live with him. The last thing I want is for my house to become a revolving door for puck bunnies because he refuses to grow up. And if any of them saw me?” He shakes his head. “News of my injury getting out before we make an actual PR announcement sounds like a nightmare and a lecture from Zam that I’d rather avoid.” He shudders. You nod slowly. He’s not wrong. Javy Machado may be a sweet person and a good friend but the man was notorious for being more than a little cavalier in his personal life. He was frequently pictured leaving games or bars with a woman or three on his arm.

Admittedly, however, Jake had been similar during his early years. He and Javy were a dynamic duo on and off the ice from college through their time together in Arizona. Both had been surrounded by women and yet neither had ever been in public committed relationships. After leaving the Coyotes, however, Jake had seemingly aged out of his playboy ways. While his popularity had only continued to skyrocket once he joined the Stars, the photos stopped.

“So,” you start and Jake arches an eyebrow in your direction to let you know he’s listening as he flips another pancake effortlessly. “You used to be like Javy, and who would blame you, you’re a celebrity, but why’d you stop I guess? Was it just what you said, you grew up and Javy didn’t or…?” You trail off, not really sure why you want to know, but hey if a secret wife and child are about to walk into the kitchen to help themselves to pancakes, you’d like a heads up.

Jake shrugs. “I guess I ‘grew up’ if that’s even what you call it. In the beginning, it was so exciting, all the attention, the women, et cetera but at the end of the day I’m in this gig to do one thing and that’s play hockey.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you’re good at it then.” The comment slips out before you can stop it and Jake smirks at you.

“Damn Bunny, you a fan?” Your heart skips as he shines the full force of that charismatic media smile on you. You can’t let him get to you, though.

“Contractual obligation, remember?” You wink. He chuckles at you bantering back.

“You gonna keep that excuse up and the next thing you know, you’re wearing my jersey opening night.” He winks back and your cheeks are flaming. Little does he know it wouldn’t be the first time you wear his jersey. You’re not sure how to respond so you give Pudding’s head a muss and stand up.

“We should get going. Be ready to go when we get back or else we’re going to be late.” Jake chuckles at your deflection but waves the two of you off, collecting your empty plate and depositing it in the sink beside him, replacing it with his own.

***

When you and Pudding get back from your walk, Jake is on the couch, attempting to tie the shoe on his bad leg, awkwardly bent over the straightened limb. He’s clad in a Dogfighters tee and athletic shorts. What really throws you for a loop is the plastic tiara on his head that proudly reads “Passenger Princess.” You roll your eyes before crossing the room to drop into a squat by his foot. He looks up, surprised, as you take the laces in your hands, tying them for him, before sitting back on your heels.

“You ready to go, Passenger Princess?” You quirk an eyebrow at him, a smirk tugging at your lips, but his face is still an expression of quiet awe.

“Y-you didn’t have to do that.” His cheeks are dusted with the prettiest shade of pink. Your smirk melts into a soft smile at the sight.

“Yeah, but I wanted to. Plus, you’re a princess right?” You give his knee a gentle pat over the brace as you stand, smirking at the tiara. “You ready to go?” You hold out your hand to him and he doesn’t hesitate to take it, not breaking eye contact as he lets you help him up. You grab the strap of the duffle bag next to him, making to hoist it onto your shoulder before it almost takes you down. You’re off balance and about to tumble when Jake grabs your waist. “What the actual fuck do you have in that bag, Jake?” You stammer out as you try to ignore how your heart is pounding against your ribs. You convince yourself that it’s from the almost-fall and not because you’re currently pressed chest-to-chest with Jake, your head craned back to look at him due to the awkward angle.

“Bricks.” He half chuckles the words out but you can tell he’s flustered from the sudden movement too. “Here, I’ve got it.” He rights you, sliding his hand under the strap of the duffel, fingers brushing your shoulder as he transfers it to his own.

When you get to the garage, you face off with Jake’s truck once again. You shift nervously, not breaking eye contact with the behemoth. “Are you sure we can’t just take my car?”

“Nope.” He pops the P. Before going to open the door for you, tossing his duffle bag into the back. “Come on, Bunny, up you go.” You head over, defeatedly and Jake swings you up into the driver’s seat. You know you should probably just ask if he has a stool or something you can keep in the car but a small terrible part of your brain is addicted to the feeling of his hands on your hips, warm and solid, and the way the muscles in arms ripple as he swings you up like it’s nothing. While you’re lost in thought, he’s gotten in himself, before he holds out his hand to you, palm up. “Here, let me see your keys.” You pull them from your purse before tossing it into the back with Jake’s bag. He expertly slides a ring with two keys onto your larger collection. Attached to them is a green puffball with bunny ears that makes your lip twitch as he hands the keys back to you. You tear your eyes away from the keychain to examine the new additions to your keys. The spare fob for the truck, you half expected but the smaller key next to it is a surprise.

“Jake, you did not just give me your house key.” You look at him, incredulously. He shrugs like he gives out his house key to just anyone.

“You’ll be coming here every day, I might be in the shower and I don’t want you waiting outside. Plus, what happens if I fall and I can’t get up? Or some other kind of emergency. It makes sense.” You hate to admit that he’s right because it feels odd. You’re his doctor, and maybe his friend and now you have the keys to his car and his house. “You can argue with me later, Bunny, and I look forward to it, but we’re going to be late if we don’t get going. Turning the keys in the ignition, your eyes bug out as you see the numbers on the dash clock. He’s right. You curse under your breath as you pull out of the garage and Jake reaches over you again to click the remote for the door.

***

You make your way through the training area, towards the locker room. Jake’s called a team meeting to let them know what’s going on with leg and he invited you to come for moral support. Some of the guys, including Jake, are still lingering back in the gym, wrapping up their morning workouts. Your eyes are drawn to where he’s seated on a weight bench and doing bicep curls. “Hey, Hungman!” Your head turns to where some guy from the second line is calling out to Jake, your eyebrows twitching in annoyance.

“It’s Hangman.” You do your best to control your irritation as you correct the other man. Jake turns to where you’ve just come in.

“Really? Well, maybe you just haven’t gotten all the information, doc.” The other man smirks at you, wiggling his eyebrows at you. “Because he’s most definitely Hungman.” He laughs at his joke. It’s not original by any means. It’s one of the many nicknames Jake’s attractiveness has earned him from thirsty puck bunnies. “Or do you prefer Bangman, huh Captain?” He rounds on Jake, expecting him to join in on the teasing but Jake shuts it down coolly.

“Just ‘Captain’ works, Lennox.” His green eyes are cold and shuttered and you fight the urge to cross the room and put your hand on his arm. He sets down the weight in his hand, standing. “Let’s go, we’ve got the meeting in five.” He makes no move to wait for the other man, heading over to where you’re waiting by the door, the ice in his gaze thawing as he gets closer. He doesn’t make any move to touch you and you appreciate his restraint because you can tell that he wants to in the barely there twitch of his muscles. “Thanks.” His voice is so quiet that you almost miss it.

“Don’t mention it.” You glance up at him, briefly. “We’re a team, right? We stick up for each other.” His mouth tugs up at that.

“Always.” He agrees and leads the way to the locker room. Most of the team has already gathered and are sitting on the benches. You linger by the door, present but not intruding. Maverick gives you a smile and a nod from where he’s standing in the back next to a grumpy-looking Cyclone, Zam, Nat, and the rest of the staff. Jake’s chatting with other members of the team as you wait for stragglers. Zam makes her way over to where you’re standing, grabbing your arm and dragging you over between her and Natasha.

“So,” she whispers, raising her eyebrow conspiratorially. “Word from Nat who heard from Javy is that you’re driving Golden Boy to work? What’s that about?” Nat looks just as curious.

You shrug nonchalantly as if it’s that simple. “He asked me to.” You nod towards the front of the room. “He’s actually about to explain that. Well, sort of.” Zam’s eyebrows fly straight up her forehead as she and Nat turn their attention to where Jake’s clearing his throat, standing at the front of the room. Every eye in the room is on him, but not on his face. He’s wearing shorts today and his knee brace is on display.

“So, I should probably just get straight to the elephant in the room,” Jake says and he’s wearing his biggest and brightest media smile, Zam should be proud. “I tore my MCL in June during playoffs. It’s been left untreated for the past two months until last week.” Chaos breaks out. The guys are shocked and next to you, Zam drops her clipboard as Nat’s lips are pulled tightly into a thin line. Silence falls again as Jake tells his team the same story he told you last week and the mood in the room shifts to somber. “I didn’t come to San Diego to half-ass this. Hockey has and is always going to be my first priority and that means being the best player and captain that I can be. I know I haven’t done the best job as either recently but I want to ask for the chance to start over. I’m going to be working with Bugs to heal as quickly as possible and if everything goes well, I’ll still be able to play in the season opener. Since I can’t be on the ice, I’m delegating leadership to our alternate captains, Machado and Bradshaw. Still, feel free to come to me with stuff, but they’ll probably be more available.”

Zam elbows you, jerking her chin towards the front of the room, indicating that you should say something. You begrudgingly squeeze your way to the front and Jake gives you an encouraging smile as you stand next to him. “I’m in the process of scheduling official tests to confirm my hypotheses but as of right now, my professional opinion is that Jake should be able to play in the opener or at the latest be able to come in by the second week. He’s going to be just fine.” You smile and pat his arm, gently. You and Jake field some questions from the team before he squeezes your shoulder in silent thanks as you head back to your spot in the back. Jake wraps up the meeting and Maverick and Cyclone start to head to the front of the room to make some closing remarks when the door to the locker room opens.

The room falls silent as Tom Kazansky steps inside, propping the door open behind him. He’s the owner of the Dogfighters and this is the first time you’re seeing him in person. He’s just as much of a hockey legend as Maverick and Cyclone and you think fondly of your dad as your heartbeat speeds up at the sight of Iceman. “Hey team,” he greets warmly. “Glad I could catch everyone together! I have an announcement to make.” He rubs his hands together. You glance at Zam and she shrugs. She’s just in the dark as you are. “There’s been some concerns raised about the current coaching situation we have here.” Your fists clench in silent fury. You know this is Cyclone’s doing and sure enough he’s wearing a satisfied smirk on his face as Maverick looks nervous next to him. Zam’s face is a mask of quiet rage as she does the same. Iceman’s eyes dance with humor, however. “So I’ve made the decision to bring on an assistant coach.” Murmurs rise among the players. Sure, most teams have multiple coaches but everyone can tell that something bigger is going on right now. “Without further ado, let me introduce you to your new assistant coach.” Iceman smiles, extending his hand to the open door. Your hearing goes muddled and you don’t hear the name he calls because you’re so dumbstruck by the woman who walks through the door. “…though you probably know her best as Dare.” Iceman claps the woman on the shoulder.

She’s wearing a smart navy blue suit and her hair is flawlessly pinned back from her face, the gray streaks in it tasteful. Her eyes glint as smiles out at the dumbfounded team. “Assistant Coach Dare Mitchell, reporting for duty.”

[runningincircl3s]

Nothing Ever After

Noah Sebastian x Reader x Vinny Mauro

The End, Part 1

chapter warnings: alludes to sex? i wasn't really in the mood to write actual smut rip, and alcohol use!!

wow... we're finally here... i wasn't sure how many parts i was going to make the ending as i wrote it as one big chapter then split it into three parts but the last part is soo much longer than the others, so i've combined the first and half of the second part here, so there could possibly be one or two more parts, we'll see :)

also i really want to post the next part this week too (possibly valentines day?) if [untitled next fic] is ready by then as it is kinda a sequel to this :) but i can't talk about that yet. happy monday!! <3

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

“Good morning, birthday girl.” Noah beamed, a card in one hand and a rather large gift bag in the other. “Can I come in?” 

“Can you let me wake up first?” You smiled, still half asleep as you held your hotel door open, squinting at the light coming in from the hallway, “Come in, I’ll quickly pee then I’ll be right back.” You groan, still blinking the sleep away from your eyes. 

You let Noah in, and he sat down on your bed, getting comfortable as you went to the bathroom. After peeing, washing your hands and attempting to fix your hair, you walk back out and sit yourself down opposite Noah, crossing your legs as you smile up at him. 

“I know it’s an unwritten rule that you open your card before your gifts, but in this case I think it’s best you have your gifts first. I can't wait to see you open them!” He grinned, pulling the rather large bag up onto the bed, handing it to you. 

You wondered when he had gotten the time to not only shop for your birthday gifts but to wrap them too? You reached to pull the first one out of the bag, he watched your face as you opened it, and smiled at your reaction. 

“That’s sick!” You grinned, it was a Sleep Token hoodie, one that you had your eye on from their latest merch drop, but by the time you went to obtain it, it had sold out. “How did you know I wanted this one? I never even said anything about it!” You shook your head in disbelief. 

“It looked like something you'd wear...” He smirked, “C’mon! Open the next one!”

"Okay, okay!"

You smiled as you reached for the second gift, it was a lot heavier than the last, and your face screwed up in confusion as you pulled away the paper, almost having a heart attack as you held the box in your hands.

“This isn’t what I think it is...” You felt your eyes begin to fill with tears as you inspected the box, “Noah, you didn’t.” 

“I did.” He smiled proudly, “You've been complaining that your old laptop was broken and when you’re at home you won’t have Rick’s to borrow so…”

“You got me a macbook? Isn't this the newest one too, I-” Your bottom lip quivered, “Noah, I can’t have this.”

“Well I bought it for you, so yes you can.” He laughed, “C’mon you’ve still got another gift!” 

“Noah, please, I'm still trying to process this one!” You laughed, before Noah pulled you in for a hug, “Thank you so much, I don’t deserve that-“

“Yes you do! You’ve worked your ass off for us on this tour, and that piece of shit you call your laptop deserves an upgrade don’t you think?” 

“Thank you.” You repeat, “Really Noah. Nobody’s ever gotten me something like this before.” 

“Well you’re gonna love your next gift then.” He grinned, and you couldn’t help but wonder what it was. 

As you opened your next gift, your heart sank to your stomach as you see it’s a velvet box. However, when you realise it’s a little too big to be a ring, you were left even more puzzled.

“What?” You gasped as you opened it, feeling your eyes fill with tears.

It was your dream necklace, one that no matter how many paychecks you got from your old job at the bookstore, you weren’t able to afford. You’d wanted it ever since you saw it on display at a store not long after your 16th birthday, telling Bryan how when you finally get your dream job, this would be the first thing you would go out and buy. You were surprised it was still being sold 11 years later. 

“How did you know?” 

“Bryan might have mentioned something to me about it...” he confessed, “And whilst you were at Vinny’s family party for the weekend we tracked down the store and I bought it. The guy who works there said we were lucky we came when we did because he was ready to get rid of it, apparently it had been there for 15 years.”

“Stop.” You said, unable to hold back the tears anymore, “You don’t know what this means to me, Noah… Nobody’s ever put this much thought into a gift before… Even if Bryan did help you out.”

“I’m glad I can raise your standards,” he smiled, “Oh, and we’ve got plans tonight so if you were doing anything else, you better cancel now."

"We do? I didn't have anything planned..."

"Yep," he smiled, "It’s a pretty long drive there too so I’ve rented a car, we should probably leave in the next couple hours to get there on time.” 

“Where are we going?” You asked, taking the necklace out of the box and handing it to him, and he helped clasp it around your neck. 

“It’s a surprise!” 

“But then what do I wear? Are we talking about a walk on the beach? Dinner?... Skydiving?”

He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to give anything away. 

“There’ll be people dressed up… There’ll also be people in more casual wear… If that helps?”

“...Dinner or event?”

“Event.” He nodded. 

"Cool. And do we have time for me to thank you for these gifts?" You said, a smirk tugging on your lips as you reached out, your hand brushing his upper thigh.

"Oh, I'm sure we have plenty of time for that."

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

“You’re really committing to this? You won’t tell me where we’re going?”

“And ruin the surprise?” Noah raised an eyebrow, “Why would I want to do that?” 

“You’re kidnapping me on my birthday!” 

He gave you a look to say ‘really?’, before parking the car. As you looked around, you realised you were at a familiar music venue, one the guys played at around the start of the tour, and there were fans lining the streets, most appeared to be wearing sleep token merch?

“Noah?” You felt your heart racing in your chest, “No… You couldn’t have…”

“Couldn’t have what?” He asked, taking the keys from the ignition, a smug look on his face. 

“You’re fucking lying…”

“Hey, I haven’t even said anything,” he laughed, watching as you looked towards the entrance, “Oh, we aren’t going in there.”

“What?” Your heart sunk in your chest, “Can you please just tell me what the hell is going on!” 

“In time”. He smiled, getting out of the car, and you quickly followed behind him.

He led you towards the back of the venue, you both knew your way around which was helpful as you walked down the halls. Everyone you passed who seemed to be the band’s crew seemed to know Noah, which was no surprise. He was Noah fucking Sebastian. 

All of a sudden you spotted none other than iv, dressed in his stage attire, as you passed by the dressing room. This had to be a dream, right?

“What is happening?” You asked again, but Noah still just stood and shrugged. 

“Just thought we’d come back here, I think I forgot a pen in the greenroom.”

“But we passed the greenroom?!”

You continued to follow him as he talked to a member of staff at the venue, who then took you up some stairs, to a balcony with quite possibly the best view of the stage. There were already fans beginning to flood the venue, some rushing to the barricade and some more unbothered, standing further back. 

You forgot the staff member was still present until you heard Noah thank him, before asking for a couple bottles of water.

“This show was fully sold out within hours, no more tickets were even released. How the fuck have you done this?”

“I had people who owed me favours…” He shrugged, pulling his hood up as fans began to look point up at you two. 

“What are you, the mafia?” You laughed, standing further back so you weren’t in the light, “And out of anything you could’ve asked them for… It was for this?… For me?” 

“Y/n,” he shook his head, a chuckle leaving his lips, although there was no humour in his tone, “I would do anything for you, you know that.” 

“Noah…” You pouted, weeks- months of built up guilt finally bringing tears to your eyes, “You shouldn’t have…” Your voice was barely above a whisper, and you couldn’t bring yourself to make eye contact with him. 

“Two bottled waters?” The guy returned, and you thanked him as he handed them over to you. 

���──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The crowd began to quieten, the support acts had long cleared the stage and the preshow music had stopped. You felt each hair on your body stand on end as the stage began lighting up blue, and the intro to the night does not belong to god began playing. 

You swallowed hard, trying to keep your composure, but as Vessel rose up on the stage and began to sing you couldn’t hold it in anymore. You had never cried so much on your birthday before.

His voice was even more powerful and unreal in person. You smacked your hand over your mouth as tears began to fall, the atmosphere was like nothing else, and for the last few months you had been used to this, but this was something else entirely. 

Noah noticed your reaction, a small smile on his lips as he put an arm around you, holding you close to him as you both enjoyed the show. 

You could barely see the stage through your tears, and you barely had a voice to sing along with, but that didn’t stop you. 

Like lovers entwined

I know for the last time

You will not be mine

So give me the night, the night, the night…

You were too lost in the moment, the time was passing too quickly this evening and you didn’t want to let it slip. This was quite possibly the best night of your life, seeing one of your favourite bands with your favourite person. You felt content for the first time in your life.

However, at the intro to ascensionism, you knew you were going to make some bad decisions tonight. And as the song was almost at an end, it all hit you at once. You had a strange feeling in your chest, one you couldn't begin to explain, like everything would soon be fleeting, even though you knew it wouldn't.

I know what you want from me, you want the same as me 

You turn to Noah, feeling too many emotions to even process right now. 

“Thank you.” You told Noah, “Thank you so much, for everything. For having me on this tour, for putting up with all my shit.” You looked up at him through your teary eyes, and he smiled back down at you. His thumb wiped your tears from beneath your eyes before cupping your cheek. “Thank you.” 

My redemption eternal ascension setting me free 

“This is my thank you to you,” he said, “All the guys know you badly wanted to be here tonight… I mean not everyone can say their favourite band’s playing a show on their birthday. And you’ve been working so hard, I need you to see how much we- how much I appreciate you.”

So i’ll take what i want then leave 

“I love you.” You cried, your eyes meeting as you confessed to him, “I love you, Noah. Fuck, I’ve loved you for so, so long.” 

You felt his hand tilt your chin, your lips crashing into each other as the songs tempo picked back up again, sending chills through your body as you kissed Noah back harder, with more passion than ever. 

You make me wish I could disappear 

You kissed him like it was the last time, your hands finding his face as you poured every ounce of love, fear, and longing into the moment. His hands slid to your waist, pulling you closer, anchoring you to him as if he couldn’t bear to let go.

“I love you.” You whispered against his lips as you pulled away. “I've been thinking and... I’ll do it.” 

“Do what?” He chuckled, brushing your cheek with his thumb.

“What if I ditch Black Veil and move to LA with you…” You grinned, “I’ve been thinking about it ever since your friend James from Thousand Below reached out to me a couple weeks ago, he asked if I was booked and I said yes but I… I don’t want to do it Noah, I don’t want to go back home and wonder when am I ever going to see you again-”

“Hey,” he gently placed his hand back on your face, cupping your cheek, “Let’s worry about this later, but for now… Let’s enjoy the rest of the night, yeah?” 

You make me wish I could disappear 

Maybe everything with Vinny was just temporary, it was just fun, just a fling. You’ve known Noah for years, you’ve loved him for years. 

But if you really did love him, why was Vinny even in the picture?

Before you could think any further, Noah’s hand slid down and held you at your waist, before leaning down to whisper in your ear. 

“I’ve booked us a hotel for the night, I packed a bag for you while you got ready. Just us, no interruptions for the night. I want to show you how much you really mean to me.”

His words sent a shiver down your spine, the promise of the night ahead sparking something deep within you. But even as you leaned into him, letting his love and warmth envelop you, the weight of your choices lingered at the edges of your mind.

You needed to step up and fix your mess.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

You giggled as you both rushed in and shut the hotel door, shedding your clothes and leaving them in a pile on the floor. You backed up onto the bed, pulling Noah down with you before your lips met. His hands explored your body, before they came to rest on either side of your head, holding himself up over you. You couldn’t help but look at his biceps, you couldn’t believe how fit he had gotten over the last few years, it made you weak in the knees. 

“My eyes are up here, doll.” He smirked, pulling back as he noticed you had become distracted. 

“I know,” you smiled softly, “Have I ever told you how fucking hot you are.” 

“Hm, maybe a couple times,” he teased, “I’ve caught you staring at me from across the room a few times, don’t think it goes unnoticed, baby.” 

The pet name only made the ache between your thighs worse, and he could tell he was having this effect on you, and he was loving it. 

“Everything okay?” He smirked, and you nodded your head.

You both stayed like this for a moment, neither of you saying anything, neither of you doing anything. 

“You didn’t say it back earlier…” You swallowed hard, bracing yourself for if this conversation took a turn for the worse. 

“It’s not obvious enough?”

“I-”

“I love you.” He said, a soft smile on his face as his hair fell over his eyes, his chain dangling from his neck, “I never I was capable of it, I thought anybody would ever mean so much to me but… I love you, y/n.” 

“Then show me.” You smirked.

… 

Hours passed, and when the two of you finally reached exhaustion, Noah threw the used condoms in the bin and collapsed beside you on the bed, pulling you closer to him to rest your head on his bare chest. 

You pulled the sheets over the two of you, feeling a little self conscious now that you had come down from the high of your 5th orgasm. You both felt so at peace, like you could spend the rest of your lives together like this. 

His fingers combed through your hair as you traced the outlines of his tattoos, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest beneath you. 

“So, you really want to move in with me?” Noah said, breaking the comfortable silence in the room. 

“Well, I was thinking of getting my own place but if you’re offering…” 

“Maybe we could find a place together? All my friends have moved out, I don’t see the need for me to have that whole place to myself. We’ve spent the last three months together pretty much every day, I think we could make it work.”

“Really?” You asked in surprise, “I’d love that, Noah.”

“Me too,” he smiled, his fingers gently tracing shapes on your shoulder, “And you want to turn down Black Veil for Thousand Below? You said that was your dream, I don’t want to get in the way if that’s what you’ve been wanting? Please don’t feel like you have to do that for me.”

“I know, but you know how they say to never meet your idols… I’m just worried that if I start working for them they might turn out to be assholes or something.” 

“Like us?” Noah raised an eyebrow. 

“No!” You chuckled, “I mean… I love those guys, I’m such a big fan but maybe I just want it to stay like that, y’know? And I like the thought of touring with a smaller band.”

“I understand, I just don’t want you to have any regrets.”

“I won’t.” You said with a smile.

“I think maybe you should wait another week, then decide on what you really want to do. ”

“Okay, but I’m sure it’s what I want,” you sighed and as you looked up you saw Noah yawn. “Are you tired?”

“What do you think? I know my stamina’s definitely improved over the years but three rounds seems to be my limit,” he confessed, “I might take a shower and then go to sleep… Wanna join?”

“You bet.” You grinned. 

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The car ride back to the city you were staying in was comfortably quiet. The world outside blurred into streaks of orange and pink as the sun began to set in the horizon. You sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window whilst Noah’s playlist played, but mentally you weren't here, you were still caught in the events of last night. You hadn’t stopped replaying the moment you told him you loved him, over and over in your head, and the moment when he said it back.

But now, in the quiet hum of the car, you weren’t sure what you felt, or what he was thinking. It was almost as if you felt shy around him again, something you had not felt since you first met him.

You good?" Noah asked, his fingers tapping absently against the steering wheel in rhythm with the music. His other hand found your knee briefly, a simple touch that sent warmth through you before he returned it to the wheel.

You smiled, nodding.

"Yeah. More than good. Thank you for everything last night... It really meant everything to me, Noah."

"You don't need to thank me. You deserved it. And you deserve this too."

Before you could ask what he meant by that, he parked the car?

You didn’t recognise where you were, but followed him down the street and into a venue.

“Noah…” You turned to him, your heart racing. “What’s going on? There’s not another concert, is there?”

“You’ll see.” He smirked.

This was definitely the smallest venue you’ve been in for a very long time, and you couldn’t help but wonder what on earth was going on, where was he taking you?. 

When you reached the end of the hallway, Noah opened the door, stepping aside to let you go in first. The entire room was pitch black, so you slowly took a step forward, and then...

“SURPRISE!” 

Everybody shouted, and the lights were soon switched on, lighting the room with different colours that shone off the balloons and streamers that decorated the walls. The guys and crew from both bands were here, even Shae and the others’ girlfriends were here. There was a table off to the side loaded with snacks and a beautiful cake in the centre.

For a moment, you were completely frozen. Tears pricked your eyes again, but this time they were tears of happiness and gratitude.

“Oh my god…” You whispered, turning to Noah, who stood behind you with a proud grin on his face.

“Happy birthday.” He said, leaning in to press a kiss to your forehead. 

Angela was the first to pull you into a bone-crushing hug, followed closely by Bryan and Folio, who handed you a glass of champagne.

“You’re one lucky girl,” Angela said, nodding toward Vinny, who was chatting with Ricky. You noticed he was the DJ, and you couldn’t help but chuckle to yourself. Typical. “He’s been planning this for the last week.”

You glanced over at him, feeling your heart swell, but that guilty feeling was still weighing on you.

“He has?” You smiled to yourself, “Any excuse for him to get up there and DJ.” 

“Well, that’s Vin.” She chuckled, “So how was last night? Noah told me he took you to see Sleep Token, I don’t think he’s told the others he was with you.”

“He didn’t?” You furrowed your eyebrows, but before you could say anything else, another pair of arms wrapped around you.

“Happy you day!” Vinny smiled, and Angela took this as her cue to leave, smirking as she did so, “So what did you get up to yesterday?”

“Oh, well one of my friends from home got tickets to see Sleep Token and decided to surprise me with them for my birthday,” you smiled, cursing yourself for lying, “It was pretty sick.” 

“Cool! I hope you had a great time," he smiled, "I got you a gift, it’s still at the hotel- Actually I got you two, one to open in front of the others and one for later.”

“Oh…” You couldn’t help your cheeks heat up as he said that, but he reassured you it wasn’t anything "like that." 

“I better get back over there,” he motioned to his laptop which Justin was currently in control of, “Cute necklace by the way.” 

Your fingers ghost over your necklace, the necklace Noah gave you. You shook it off, you were going to have a good night tonight and nothing was going to ruin it! You would leave all your problems for tomorrow.

“Y/n! We’ve got gifts for you over here!” Bryan smiled, waving you over to a table that was full of gift bags and presents. 

“Guys,” you pouted, “You didn’t have to do all this!” 

“We know,” Matt chuckled, his hand on Alyson’s waist, “But we wanted to.”

Shae hands you her gift first, explaining how it was a joint present from her, Justin and Ryan. 

“Awh this is so cute!” You grin as you unwrap it, revealing a self care hamper. It was full of your favourite snacks, candles, skincare items and a little note that reminded you to take time for yourself. “Thank you guys so much!” 

You get up to hug each one of them, and before you could even pull away from Ryan, Folio’s handing you his gift bag. 

“This one’s kind of from all of us,” he motioned to the Bad Omens guys, “I hope it’s okay, I didn't have much time to think of something…” 

You took the gift from the bag, it was a Bad Omens shirt, and all the guys had all signed the back with littles notes, but at the top- in Folio’s massive handwriting- wrote “VIP FOREVER!”

“This is more than okay!” Your eyes softened as you pulled Folio into a hug, “This is incredible, thank you so much guys. This is now officially my most prized possession.” You said with a chuckle as you folded it and placed it back into the bag.

“That’s not all from us!” Matt announced, pointing to a wrapped present on the table, “That one’s from us too.” 

You reached over, taking it from the table and beginning to unwrap it…. It was a scrapbook?

“Look inside.” Nicholas smiled, and so you did. 

The pages were full of candid photos from the last three months, with dates, funny captions and inside jokes written inside. You could feel the tears beginning to prick your eyes again, yet you tried your best to hold yourself together. You just couldn’t believe how thoughtful everybody was, you hadn’t just made friends on this tour, you had found your family. 

“This is so sweet,” your lip quivers as you put it back down on the table and wrap your arms around Matt. “Thank you.” You whisper, and he chuckles as he pats your back. 

“Here’s mine,” Ricky smiles as he hands you his gift, wrapped in a deep purple paper, “I would’ve gotten something more meaningful but like Folio it was pretty short notice, I didn’t know the others got you gifts until this morning and-”

“It’s okay! I didn’t even expect anything!” You smiled, taking the gift from him. 

You gasped as you unwrapped it, it was a framed sheet of paper with handwritten lyrics from your favourite Motionless song, and one of his picks.

“Oh, Ricky!” You looked up at him with teary eyes, “Now this takes the top place of my prized possessions.” You chuckle as Rick pulls you in for a hug. 

“There’s still mine, Chris’ and Vin’s to go!” Angela announces, handing you her gift, “C’mon, I can’t wait to see your reaction to this!”

"You didn't?" Ryan groaned, giving you the impression he knew what it was going to be.

As you opened it, you gave her a look to say ‘what is this?’

“It’s a tour survival kit!” She grinned, “Read the little notes, I spent ages on them!”

You can’t help but laugh as you read out the notes stuck to each item in the basket…

Headache relief pills (for when Vin’s around), your favourite snacks (WARNING: don’t share with the guys), mints (to give to the guys in the mornings, coffee breath ew!), a mini first aid kit (for when you trip over a cable, or Rick falls off the stage again), a stress ball (to squeeze or just through at Vinny, works either way!), room spray (two words, Folio's socks), polaroid camera film (use this for actual memories girl, not blackmail material!!), there was also a sticker that read “I <3 hot drummers” and another one that said “I <3 Noah Sebastian”, and a photo of the two of you from the night you stayed at her apartment, with a friendship bracelet. 

“This is actually amazing, what the hell?! I love it so much!” You didn’t know how to express how this made you feel, it was both so funny and so thoughtful.

“Good luck trying to top this.” She smirked at the others as you wrapped your arms around her.

“I will.” Vinny stated proudly, walking back from his DJ setup, “Mine's the one in the red paper!"

You nodded, placing Angela's gift back on the table and reaching for Vinny's.

As you unwrapped the paper, it revealed a box. And inside the box was...

"Vin, it's a couple rocks?" You laughed, looking up at him.

"No, it's a couple pet rocks!" He grinned, noticing they were upside down and flipping them over, "Look, it's us as rocks!"

You couldn't help but laugh at what appeared to be your hair sharpie-d onto your rock, and his onto his.

"Pet rocks?" You laughed, watching Vin shrug.

"Rick wrote out lyrics from a song two hours ago and you're criticising my rocks?" He sighed dramatically, "A lot of effort went into these by the way! Nobody seemed to have any sharpies and I couldn't find the right colours in any stores-"

"No, I love them, Vin," you smiled, "Thanks for the rocks. I'll take good care of them."

"You better!"

The rest of the night was going very well, you were up dancing with some of the guys and their girlfriends, Vin was doing great as the DJ, and you and Noah even shared a kiss (behind everyone's backs).

But now, you were happily sat down with Angela, sharing a plate of food when Shae left Justin and began to approach you.

“Y/n… Uh, I think there’s something you need to see.” Shae said, her tone calm, yet rather serious. 

“What’s up?” You asked, your eyes widening, "What have they done?"

“The guys? They haven't done anything but... Have you been on twitter this afternoon? Or any of your socials?” 

“No… Why?”

“Oh my God,” she frowned, “I don’t want to scare you-”

“What is it?!” You raised your voice slightly.

“Is everything okay?” Angela asks, watching as Shae slowly shakes her head.

“Have you seen it?” Shae asks, and Angela screws her face up.

“Seen what?” 

“Fuck,” she groans, before taking a deep breath, pulling her phone out of her and handing it over to you, “Read this.” 

You and Angela both begin to read the tweet, and your heart sinks to the bottom of your stomach, the world around you stops, you sit there frozen in fear.

← Post •••

@/MotionlessInWhiteTea:

Why I think Y/n Y/l/n shouldn’t be working in the scene, a thread

Disclaimer: The majority of this is simply rumours, but there is also photo evidence. Personally I think she has been acting very unprofessionally during this tour and I haven’t seen anyone talk about it. So here’s what I have to say.

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

@rumoured-whispers @collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard @lma1986 @thisbicc @dominuslunae @miss570 @miamore0570 @jilliemiw86 @itsyaboinoah @kait16xo @discocowgirly @rainy-darling

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

[rosinchenbroetchen]

"Cooler than me?"

"Nah, that's impossible."

Summary: You are friends with Hobie, but you would like to be more than that. Thinking that he isn't the type to want a romantic relationship, you keep your feelings to yourself- or try to.

an old sfw Hobie Brown x reader fic, first posted on ao3

this is the first chapter, the second one (a retelling from Hobie's perspective) can be found here. can be read as a stand-alone, though.

Word count: 2262

Just after the math teacher announced a test for next Monday, the bell rings, excusing all students from the lesson.

Some have already packed their things and are walking straight out the door while others are hastily stuffing books and pencil cases into their bags before leaving as well.

Bag on your back and ready to leave, you stand up before your gaze falls on Hobie, your friend, who is sat next to you in maths.

He is slumped over his desk and staring into nothingness, perhaps contemplating how to miss as much school as possible without serious consequences.

"Hey, Hobie!"

"Hm?"

"Class is over, come on!"

You go over to his desk and start picking up his things and packing them into his bag, which is plastered with accessories and pins. He doesn't move, only following your movements with his eyes.

"Come on, now."

You offer him your hand, which he takes and lets you pull him up from his seat. When you release his ring-clad hand from your grip, he reluctantly does the same thing. He slings the bag over his right shoulder lazily. Because the math teacher is waiting for the two of you to leave to close the door, you usher Hobie out of the classroom.

You make your way out of the school, pushing past the many other students who are rushing to get their buses.

It has become a habit for you and Hobie to walk back home together.

You sigh, recalling the moment the two of you became friends.

It was a rainy afternoon. You were taking quick steps that could almost be defined as running when you saw a tall, lanky boy in front of you. The accessories on his jacket, the spikes and his unique hair reminded you of the boy who sat next to you in maths, but you couldn't be one hundred percent sure. Unlike you, he didn't have an umbrella with him. Instead, he was letting the rain sink into his clothes. He was walking quickly, too, or maybe his legs were just longer than yours, but you quickened your pace to get a better look at him; the piercings, the rings, yes it was definitely Hobie!

When you were right next to him, he looked down at you, confused, yet seemingly recognizing you. Not quite sure what to say, you held your umbrella over him and yourself and stayed silent for a while. When you looked over at him, he was smiling.

"Sorry if this is awkward, I just thought- We know each other from our math class, right? I didn't want you to freeze out in the rain."

You cringed at your explanation.

Hobie simply nodded.

Ever since that afternoon, the two of you had walked home together and started meeting outside of school.

"Hey, you listening?", Hobie asks as he waves his hand in front of your face.

You blink and shake your head, getting back to the current situation.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

"I asked if I could stay at yours for the weekend."

Yes, that had become a habit of yours too. Almost every weekend (and also during the week sometimes), Hobie would stay at yours. The situation in his home wasn't too great. That is all he had told you, and you didn't want to invade his privacy by asking questions, figuring that he would tell you more once he was comfortable.

"Yeah. Haven't asked my parents, but I'm sure they're ok with it."

Hobie nods and keeps walking with his hands behind his neck, looking up into the sky.

The two of you walk the short distance to your house and enter.

Because he often leaves his toothbrush, pyjamas and hoodies at your place anyway, he doesn't need to get anything from his house.

The both of you take your shoes off and you have to suppress a giggle upon seeing Hobie shrink by at least 3 inches after taking off his platform boots.

After asking your mother if Hobie could stay the weekend, she only nods, having already prepared more lunch than usual because she has been expecting Hobie.

As always, Hobie devours the food in front of him like a starving animal, yet he is still well-mannered; after lunch, he politely offers to wash the dishes together with you, which your mother appreciates.

You are a bit annoyed that he included you in his offer, but still clean the dishes with him.

Dishwashing with Hobie, of course, includes a change of clothes at the end because your current ones are wet and soapy.

After changing your clothes, you let yourself fall back into the bed, staring at the ceiling with nothing to do. Hobie copies you.

"Got any ideas?", Hobie asks, turning his head to look at you. You do the same thing, staring into his beautiful eyes, which was something you could do all day and not get tired-

"Uhh, not really. Study maybe?"

Hobie groans, rolling over so his back is turned to you.

"So that's a no?"

"Hm."

"You know we have to."

"We don't have to."

He rolls to his other side, now facing you again with a grin on his face. There are only two inches between your lips and his and you can't help but stare at his pierced lip, wondering what it would feel like to kiss him. Does he have his tongue pierced, too?

You swallow, not knowing what to say. You want to give a snarky reply, but your head is filled only with him. His voice, his pierced face and ears, his hands and smooth, dark skin. The way he plays his guitar, the way he speaks and the way he dresses.

You simply shake your head and look back at the ceiling, hoping he hasn't noticed the nervousness behind the grin on your face.

If he has, he isn't showing it. He flips onto his stomach and starts poking your arm. He is always a little annoying when he gets bored. He gets bored quickly.

"If you're that bored, then studying would be an efficient way to spend your time, no?"

The poking stops. You get up and search for your math book. You can almost feel him roll his eyes once you turn your back to him. Hobie closes his eyes before he feels you sit down on the bed.

"Did you pay attention in class at all or should I explain it to you?"

"Enlighten me."

A snort escapes you before you open the book and start 'enlightening him'. You know he is smart, just not very willing to listen to some stuck-up, old teacher who will get mad at people not even half his age for not understanding a topic that he has studied for years.

While you explain, he is lying on his stomach, face supported by his hands and you wonder if his neck is going to be sore- if it will be, you'll gladly give him a massage. His eyes stay glued to your lips. Occasionally, he nods, looking up into your eyes before his gaze darts back to your lips.

The only thing that is missing for him to look like some fangirl watching a video of her favourite singer is him kicking his legs in the air.

A small smile creeps onto your face at the thought, but you keep explaining. When you are done, you ask:

"Do you understand now?"

It is an unnecessary question. Hobie is smart as fuck, he probably doesn't even need anyone to explain it to him, but you want to hear his answer.

"Yeah. You're good at explaining things, you know that?"

"Oh, really?"

Hobie doesn't hand out compliments often, so you appreciate his words.

"Of course, I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true, would I?"

He smirks. He is right. He never minces his words, always saying exactly what is on his mind, even if it isn't what people want to hear. You admire that about him.

"You're right. Think you'll ace the test now?"

"If I'm even showing up, yes."

"You can't just leave me hanging like that! I'm not going to survive a math lesson without some company." Your company.

You dramatically let yourself fall onto your back into the soft mattress of your bed.

"I'll think about it."

You don't know whether his smile means that he has already decided for or against showing up on Monday, but you hope for the former.

Hobie starts playing with his lip piercing, a sign that he is, yet again, bored.

"I'm bored", He states flatly.

"Then think of something we could do."

We could kiss.

The thought came to your mind too quickly and you know you are down bad. You can't help the questions that follow:

Is he a good kisser?

Maybe.

Has he kissed someone before?

Probably.

Would he even want to kiss me?

Probably not.

You sigh. He is so cool, way out of your league. Hobie doesn't seem like the type to want a romantic relationship, anyway. He has talked about how much he dislikes labels.

"You know that guy that sits next to you in maths?" Hobie asks out of nowhere.

"You mean yourself?"

Hobie shakes his head. "No, no. Your other side."

"What about him?"

"I think he likes you."

"What? Why?"

"He's always ogling you. You've never noticed?"

You huff. "Well, I am busy listening to the teacher most of the lesson." And if not, I'm looking at you, Hobie, not some other guy.

"Hm. You'll have to pay attention to him next time."

"Pff. I Don't think I've ever really interacted with him. I think he'll get over it pretty quickly. Besides, I have my heart set on someone else already."

Shouldn't have said that around him.

Hobie grins before sitting up. You notice that he furrowed his brows, which makes his grin seem fake. He leans over you, still smirking weirdly.

"Who? Do I know them?"

It's you.

"No, I don't think so."

"Well, then tell me. Come on!"

"Oh, I'm starting to notice I shouldn't have told you."

"Exactly. Tell me!"

He seems less energetic than usual. Did he not sleep well?

"Well, he's, uh, tall, handsome and very cool." You make a point by drawing out the vocals of the word 'very'.

"Cooler than me?" Hobie jokes. You can sense that something is off.

"Nah, that's impossible."

"And what's his name?"

"That's not important."

Shit, now he's suspicious.

"Hm? If it's not important, you could just tell me, no?"

"I- I don't know his name."

You break eye contact, looking at the math book that you had laid on the pillow.

Hobie squints his eyes before smirking. He has always been good at reading people, but especially you.

"You're lying."

You sigh in defeat, knowing he probably already has you figured out. You are too occupied with your own embarrassment to notice that Hobie is just as nervous as you.

"Yeah, I am."

"Why?"

Because it's you I like. Only you.

...

"I like you, okay? I didn't want you to know because I know that you see us as friends."

Angry at yourself, but also at him for making you admit your crush, you sit up, almost bumping heads with him if not for him pulling away.

"That's not true."

You look back at him, confused.

"What's not true?"

"I... I don't just see us two as friends. I know I've said that I hate labels, but it's different when it comes to us two. I don't know why, but I wouldn't mind labelling myself as something like your partner or boyfriend or whatever, I don't care about these words, but what I know is that I wanna be with you."

During his confession, he can't make himself look you in the eyes, instead looking down at his lap. Now, his eyes are nervously searching for yours to watch your reaction.

You think for a while.

Fuck it.

You pull Hobie towards you by his wide band T-shirt, which makes him look like he is drowning in it and hug him tightly. He happily reciprocates the hug, leaning down to nuzzle his head into the crook of your neck. You copy him. His hair tickles your nose, but you don't care, hugging him even more tightly.

After what feels like an eternity, you pull back. He reluctantly does the same thing, gazing into your eyes with a sappy look on his face. You take your hands from his back and cup his cheeks instead. He starts to lean in, looking into your eyes for permission. You nod and he closes his beautiful eyes, leaning in to kiss you. Now, you have an answer to two of four questions: he is, indeed, a good kisser and he does, indeed, want to kiss you. You don't care if he's kissed a thousand or no people before because right now all of his attention is on you. The pressure of his piercing feels a little weird, but you don't mind. He slowly pushes his tongue into your mouth and you find out that, yes, his tongue is pierced as well. When the two of you pull away, you feel that the cheeks in your hands are warmer than before. Yours are, too.

Hobie is smiling, and you think it's the first time that you have seen him smiling genuinely instead of a cocky grin or smirk on his face. It suits him.

"I'll totally go to school on Monday. Just to see you, though."

[sammyunhinged]

A Guide to Playing Matchmaker For Your Boyfriend

Mature | 3/6 chapters | 53k | WIP | Read on Ao3

Chapter three has been posted! Chapters up every Monday/Friday.

When Ravi incidentally finds out that Buck is questioning his sexuality, he offers him support, being the only person in Buck’s life that understands the particular intricacies of realizing you’re bisexual. In the process, Ravi learns that Buck just wants to date a guy, some relationship where he could discover himself and get comfortable in sexuality. Something short-term and casual. Ravi thinks he might be the perfect option. AKA what if Buck dated Ravi instead of Tommy.

Featuring: buddie endgame, with casual relationship Buckravi, Ravi POV, first kiss, getting together, mutual pining, bisexual Ravi Pannikar, demisexual demiromantic Eddie Diaz, and Ravi Pannier being a good friend

Duh-ding. Recognizing the chime, Ravi instinctively checked his own phone but didn’t see the bright orange H∞ked logo on his lock screen. He tossed his phone back down on the bed he was occupying in the 118’s bunk room and closed his eyes, thinking nothing of it. 

It was the middle of the day so the bunkroom was deserted. Ravi was pulling doubles again—the apartment he was trying to renovate at the moment was costing a little more than he’d anticipated—so he’d snuck off to get a couple of hours of sleep. He’d expected to get some rest unless they got a call. That was until…

Duh-ding. 

He heard it again and then some indignant mumbling coming from one of the beds closer to the door. Ravi flipped over in the bed to see Buck peering up at his phone, tapping frustratedly, trying to get the constant chiming to disappear. 

“Need some help?” Ravi asked, propping himself up on his elbows and looking back at the other man. 

Buck looked up at him, wide-eyed. “Uh, no. I got it, Ravi. Thanks.”

Ravi nodded and laid back down, glancing over every few minutes or so when a duh-ding would sound throughout the room. Buck was clearly a popular match, and Ravi wasn’t exactly surprised. He was attractive, fun, and a firefighter; most people wouldn’t be likely to turn that down.

H∞ked was one of the newer queer dating apps. Calling it a “dating app” may have been a misnomer. It seemed to be primarily used for hook-ups and flings. Ravi liked the variety of options it gave for the type of relationship you were looking for, hence people flocking to it for casual encounters, but it wasn’t perfect. The near-inability to turn the chiming off was one of those imperfections. He wasn’t shocked to hear Buck was struggling with it, he’d gone through the same thing in the days after he’d downloaded it. 

After a few minutes, Buck sighed and looked over just in time to catch Ravi’s eyes. Ravi looked away, quickly, but he’d been caught, so he swung his leg around the side of the bed and leaned down so his elbows rested on his knees. 

“Hooked is a pain,” he remarked sympathetically. “They make it nearly impossible to either change the notification sound or turn it off completely, which personally, I think makes no sense considering what it is but…” Ravi finished his sentence with a shrug.

Buck knit his brow slightly and looked over at Ravi for a second before holding out his phone. Ravi stood up, walked to the other side of the bunk room, and grabbed the phone from Buck. He sat down at the end of the bunk that Buck had been lying in. He had to press an absurd number of buttons, going deep into the settings on the app, but, eventually, he got it turned off and handed the phone back to Buck.

“Thanks, man.” 

“Sure thing,” Ravi said automatically. 

He got ready to stand back up but Buck stopped him. “Look, Ravi, nobody knows…” 

Continue reading on Ao3!

[hazel-eye-coffee-shop-girl-blog]

Limelight Series - Chapter 5

Happy Monday! So this chapter 5 of Limelight is a bit longer than the last couple of ones for a few reasons.

1) I felt after reading the first draft of this chapter that I was ending on a downer conclusion, which I really didn’t want to do.

2) This longer version gives a wide range of emotions which I think make for a fun reading experience. We get some swooning times with Jensen, some angst, some laughs, and then ends on a cliffhanger, but I think it’s a more manageable one.

I want to thank you all for reading this story and going on this journey with me and a big thank you to @hobby27 for sending in the ask/message for this story.

All your likes, reblogs, comments and ask to be on the tag list are appreciated and helps my confidence grow as a writer.

I am thinking this story has one more chapter to it, but I am really liking these two, so I may come back to them from time to time.

If you haven't read chapter four, click here to read it and then come back to read chapter 5.

This series came way of a message/ask from @hobby27 she asked:

"I would love something with Jensen and reader. He sees her when he’s at a convention and he’s bonkers for her. She isn’t so interested in a relationship with him because of the fame. So he has to woo her. Make her understand that he’s not a typical movie/tv star. Slow burn."

So I give you the Limelight series- It's a Jensen x reader (plus size, curvy girl) story, Jensen meets the reader in a bar, he falls fist, she is reluctant of course, but secretly she fell for him the second he walked through the door. So can a small town girl and a celebrity make it work?

Warnings for the whole series: language, multi-pov and switching between the pov mid chapters (sorry I can't help it), Jensen coming off aggressive for a hot second but then cooling off. Some douche side characters and some lovable ones, body shaming, angst, fluff, swoon, Jared is there and Micha is mention.

This story takes place an AU where Jensen is not married but Jared is and has kids.

This chapter is 4K+. Feedback, likes and reblogs are always welcomed. Please don't post as your own work, this is my work. If you would like to be added to my tag list, just ask, I am always happy to add you.

Thanks!

Next Morning

Your 5 am alarm goes off and fills the dead silence of your darkened room with that of the standard chime tones that progressively get louder and louder before you slap the phone and shut the alarm off. Fuck, why does 5 am come so goddamn early, you think. Your brain quickly catches up and reminds you why you have a splitting headache about your date with Jensen and the makeout session to end all makeout sessions.

You bolt up in bed and silently pray your alarm doesn't wake him. However, for him to hear the alarm, he would have to be in your bed, and he's not. Being the gentleman he is, he insisted that he take the spare bedroom since he didn't want to drive back to the city at such a late hour and didn't want to rush things with you. 

You are thankful he suggested the sleeping arrangements since you were also not ready to share a bed with him. Getting up and finding your navy plaid robe to wrap yourself in as you head out of your room and down the hall to Jensen. 

The door is open, and you see that his bed is already made up, and the sound of the coffee pot pulls you to the kitchen. He's there with his back to you, searching in the fridge. 

"I told you I didn't have much in the house." You say, startling him, as he quickly turns around to face you. You give him a smile, walk over to him, and grab two coffee cups from the cabinet. 

"Yeah, you don't." He jokingly agrees and shuts the fridge door. "Guess we will just have to go out then." He says, leaning in to give you a kiss. 

You quickly turn your head so his lips make contact with your cheek and not your lips. "Well, that's different from last night." He says with confusion, wondering what had changed in the few hours apart. He thought you two were on the same page when you went to bed last night.

You quickly turn to face him and give him a reassuring smile. "Sorry, I haven't brushed my teeth yet. As soon as I woke up, I came to find you." You reach behind him and grab the coffee to pour him and yourself cups. 

"I just assume you wouldn't want to taste my nasty morning breath, is all." Bringing the steaming mug to your lips, you start to blow in it to cool it slightly. 

Jensen waits for you to take a drink, and he does the same. Once you set the mug down, he pulls you to him and touches your lips. "I could never not want your lips on mine. Morning breath or otherwise." He states, after breaking from you. "So where do we get breakfast? Rosie's?" He questions, leaning up against the counter and drinking his coffee.

You take a moment, taking him all in. His casual demeanor, just hanging out in your kitchen drinking coffee on a Saturday morning, makes it seem as if this is a regular thing that you two do. 

"How can you make me weak in the knees one minute by kissing me and declaring you love my morning breath and, in the next breath, casually talk about where we're going to get breakfast from?" You question, wrapping your arms around yourself and wondering how this guy is real and how he is still single if he uses lines like that one on women?

He gives a short laugh, " Well, first of all, I love that I make you weak in the knees with my kisses. I will definitely use that to my advantage in the future. Second, you make me feel like myself. I can be myself around you. I don't have to put up a front or be 'on,' as I call it, when I am around other famous people, my management team, and fans." 

He sets down the empty mug in the sink and pulls the robe tied to him and you along with it. 

"Lastly, I don't use these 'lines' on other women; you're the only one I have felt this way in a very long time, " he states, giving a chase kiss. 

You let your head fall onto his chest. "Oh my god, I actually said that out loud! I am such a dork!" Your voice muffled as you talked into his chest, embarrassed to even look up.

Jensen gives a short laugh that shakes his torso. "Don't be, you're adorable. I love that you say what's on your mind. It's refreshing." He replies, rubbing his hand on your back. "Now, where can I take you for breakfast, and do you prefer pancakes or waffles?"

****

You decide on breakfast in the city, actually in the hotel lobby, since Jensen needs to get back for an 8 am panel, and you need to do some work at your studio anyway. Of course, Jensen insisted that you ride with him and that he could bring you back home once he was done for the day. Still, you won out with the argument that there was less chance of the paparazzi snapping a photo of you leaving his car and printing another salacious story about you two if you drove separately.

Jensen must have called ahead while driving, as the hotel was ready for you two once you arrived and made sure to have a corner booth in a private area waiting for you. Getting to the booth and sitting down proved most challenging for Jensen. Fans have camped out around the lobby and flock to him as soon as he steps in.

You entered the lobby a few moments after him, and although he gives you a pleading, 'I am so sorry about this look.' You knew better than to try and intervene or save him. He has Quinn holding the fans back at arm's length, and you start walking towards the restaurant when Evan approaches you. 

"This way, Miss. Y/N," Evan says in a serious, low voice, lightly placing a hand on your elbow and guiding you through the restaurant, bypassing the hostess station and going to the private area behind.

"This isn't necessary; I am a big girl and could have found my way." You quip, pulling your arm back from his touch. Jensen is the only one who you will let manhandle you. Hoping he will leave as soon as you get to the table.

"Sorry, it's my job. You don't have to like it, but I am here for Mr. Ackles's and his protection." He replies, keeping his face stone cold and neutral, showing no emotion or feeling whatsoever.

You take your seat facing away from the entrance, not needing to watch the mob that is still going on in the lobby. "Well, maybe you should go out there and help Quinn. I am fine with sitting by myself." Picking up the menu, you fake look it over as if it was the most exciting thing you would read today.

"My brother can handle it. Mr. Ackles asks that I stay with you."

Oh fuck, so they are brothers. "I don't need a babysitter, and your conversation skills are something to be desired, to say the least. Lest we forget you and I didn't get off on the right foot a few days ago." You quip, remembering that he was the one who was disappointed in the fact Jensen and Jared had dragged them out to a bar in the sticks.

You pull your eyes from the menu to see his face has fallen, and he looks genuinely upset by your words. 

"That wasn't my finest hour, Miss. I am sorry about that. I was a bit buzzed and tired from working all day." He starts to explain to himself, "That's no excuse. I was off the clock but acting not professionally at all."

He is genuine in his apology. "It's fine. Nothing I haven't heard before." You reply, it's best to put it in the past and move on. It's not like you will see him again after this weekend, nor will you see Jensen again. 

Losing your appetite suddenly, you look at your phone and see it's 1/2 hour to 8 am. Fuck, he's never going to make it to his panel if he doesn't get in here. 

"Is there a back way out of here?" You ask, getting up from the booth and quickly glancing at the lobby. The crowd has not let up, and although you want to stay and have more time with Jensen, you also know you've lived in this fairytale long enough.

You look back to Evan, and he seems slightly panicked and confused. “Yes, through the kitchen. The back door opens to the alleyway." He says pointing to the kitchen behind him.

"Great, thanks." You say, making your way past him, stopping and turning back. 

"Tell Jensen…I had to…something came up, and I am sorry." You give him a nod and turn back to walk out of the restaurant and out of Jensen's life. 

****

You put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode as the back door to the restaurant shuts behind you in the alleyway. Letting out the breath you had held ever since you got up from the table. Your lungs feel on fire as you walk the few blocks from the hotel towards your studio, your second safe haven.

Holding back the tears you felt coming on as soon as you had walked away from the table, you keep your composure until your studio door shuts behind you, and you can finally cry it out.

Sliding down to sit on the wood floors, the feeling of the world's weight is somehow off your shoulders, even though you're more miserable than ever. 

Why did you let him get under your skin, into your heart, and make you feel something again? How could you think this would have ended any differently? 

He wasn't going to give up everything for you. You wouldn't wake up and be OK with living in the spotlight, having your every move watched and analyzed by every stranger who picks up a gossip magazine. To compete with fans for his attention, becoming resentful over time, and learning to get along with the bodyguards.

“Fuck!!!!” You yell out, slamming your head against the door and your fists into your thighs. You have never been more thankful this studio was sound proof in your life. 

You sit on the floor for a few hours. You have no energy to move or do anything; you just sit with your thoughts, thinking about him, replaying your conversations repeatedly. Remembering his lips on yours, feeling his body against yours, how you wish you could just get over your insecurities and just be with him. Stop being too rational and thinking about the long game.

You're probably overthinking, thinking he's heartbroken by your leaving. You're sure he's not. Maybe he's happy you decided to walk away so he didn't have to. Ultimately, he keeps his face and looks like the good guy.

A knock at your door pulls you back from going down that dark thought process of him just using you. God damnit, you really don't want to see anyone. 

Keeping quiet, you hope whoever it is will just leave. But they keep knocking. Finally, you get up, dusting your pants off and wiping your cheeks; you take a deep breath and open the door.

****

"What the hell are you doing?" James questions, giving you a look of confusion and slightly pissed off. 

You're taken aback by his attitude. " Excuse me?" you ask, keeping the door slightly closed as you stand in the slightly open doorway and not letting him in.

"I said, what the hell are you doing? You up and leave Jensen in a restaurant with no explanation. And then don't answer your phone while he calls and leaves you dozens of texts and voicemails. The man is out of his mind!" He states he is trying his best but failing to keep his voice reasonable. 'Are you going to let me in or what?' he asks, not waiting for an answer as he pushes his way through.

You're slightly stunned by his tone. James is not one to get pissy with you. Even at his worst, when you two have fought before, he's always the level head of the two of you. 

"Do come in," you quip. Shutting the door behind him, you turn to see he has made his way to the couch. 

Giving the cushion a light pat next to him, you leave and sit down. "Explain yourself." He states after a few moments of silence.

"What? I told Evan that I had to go. Oh, did you know Evan and Quinn are brothers? Besides, Jensen was busy with his fan, and he wasn't going to make it to have breakfast with me and his 8 am panel. So I figure…." you start rambling but then let the conversation drop off. 

James obviously knows what happened or some version of it. "How did you get rope into this?" You question, now wondering why and how he was here?

"Jensen called me when he couldn't reach you. He was, and is, worried about you, " he said, handing me my phone. 

I click it open to see a dozen text messages from Jensen and his voicemails. Begging for you to let him know you are alright, asking for a simple yes or no. Seeing the distress you caused him, how could you be so selfish. 

You're sure he hasn't been himself all day, and the fans have probably noticed. Another reason for them to hate you. "Fuck…what have I done….he probably hates me!" You state to no one. 

Sliding open the text chain, you can quickly send a reply.

You: I'm so sorry. Please don't be mad. I'm fine. I hate that you have been worried about me. Please, I'm fine. 

Jensen: I am not mad. I want to talk. Please, can we talk tonight?

The thought of talking with him about something that can't be changed. You either need to learn to live with or live without this. What more is there to say?

Jensen: Y/N… Please, talk to me.

You know he won't let up. 

You: Come by the studio tonight when you're free. 

Jensen: I will see you at 7, thank you.

You close the text chain and set your phone on the side table. You look up to see James waiting for an explanation. 

"Spill, don't leave anything out. You owe me that much since I had to drive into this god-awful city." He quips, giving you a smile and wink to let you know he wasn't mad that he had to drive in.

"Fine, but I think we need a drink or something," you reply, getting up from the couch and heading for the door.

****

You talked everything out with James over a pint of margaritas and the best greasy tacos, chips, and queso on this side of the Mason-Dixon line. 

"Girl, he is in love with you! how can you not see it!" James exclaims, finishing off his third margarita and pouring the rest of the pitcher into your glass. 

"Can I get another one!" he states, holding up the empty pitcher and motioning to our waitress.

The restaurant is dead, so his outburst through the quiet restaurant is jarring.

"Keep your voice down!" You hush him and give the waitress a sympathetic smile as she picks up the empty pitcher and plates. 

"I promise a hug tip is coming your way," you say to her, hoping it will comfort her.

She gives you a smile, "You're fine, really. If you guys weren't here, I would have to be in the back cleaning. Please take all the time you want." She states, turning and walking back towards the bar.

"She is sweet and a good worker. You should see if she is looking for a second job. She would be…" You start to divert the conversation away from you and your impending relationship with Jensen. Was it a relationship? You've been on two dates and made out a bit.

James can see right through your antics and cuts you off. "No, we are not discussing my need for more staff at the bar. We are here to talk about you and Jensen. So spill why you are sabotaging yourself, " he states, leaning back in the booth, plucking a chip out of the basket.

You let out an audible sigh. God, you hate talking about yourself and your feelings especially. 

"Ok, OK, OK, I am just being a realist. It's never going to work out between him and me. It's just not," you state, hoping that will suffice.

"And why do you think it can't work? He's crazy about you. You've said that you have fun together and feel like yourself around him." Throwing your words back at you. 

James has that perfect recall to remind you what you said when you were happy. Taking a smug drink, he knows that he's right, that you have been happy these last few days.

Ugh, taking a beat, you pour yourself a drink and down it. Fuck, thinking about this is one thing, but saying it out loud.  Running your hands through your hair, you let out another sigh before finally saying it. 

"Because he's….him, and I am nobody. Why would he want to be with someone who can't deal with being in the spotlight, someone that everyone will judge him for being with." Taking a beat, you know, was a lot. Even hearing you say it and putting yourself down like that, you know it's not good, but reality hurts, right?

The waitress comes by, silencing you before you plunge the last dancer in you. "Do you guys need anything else?" She says sweetly, giving you a smile.

"No, just the check will be fine, thanks." You reply, trying your best to be upbeat, but you know you're falling.

"OK, sure. Is it on one or…." She drops the sentence, unsure if we are together or just friends. 

"Together." Both James and I say at the same time.

She snickers, pulls the check out, and sets it in the middle of the table. "Whenever you're ready, I will be back."

You quickly grab the check, but James beats you to it. "What are you doing?" you ask, feeling that you should be the one to pay since we talked about your problems the whole time.

"It's on me, girl," he says, pulling out his credit card and handing the check and card to the waitress. 

“Now, where were we? Oh yes, you lying to yourself and me about why you and Jensen wouldn't work."

"Look, I just know he is in one class, and I am in another, OK. God knows I am not the prettiest girl he could have on his arm or live up to his typical model arm candy." You mumble out.

"Oh, hell no! Y/N, don't you ever think you're not beautiful, OK." James tries to keep his anger and voice in check at a reasonable volume. 

"You are beautiful, a knockout. Do you think he's been slumming it with you these past few days? That once this conference is over, he is going to forget about you and move on to the next town and next girl?"

"Yeah, in a nutshell, that sounds about right." You reply, knowing that James will always come to your defense, especially when it comes to you putting yourself down.

"Has he ever done that? Has he ever come off as a douchebag player?"

"Well, no, but…"

"Exactly, so why would he start now with you? There is a reason why he's never been with anyone long-term."

"Oh, do tell, what is that reason then? And when did you become such an expert in all things Jensen Ackles love life?" You question, wondering where this enlightenment knowledge is coming from.

The waitress stops James from answering, coming back with his card. "Thanks again, guys…and for the record, I think you and Jensen make a cute couple," she says, giving you a smile and wink. 

You're stunned by her comment. She either listened in on the conversation or recognized you from the tabloid. Either way, it was nice of her to say such a nice comment without prompting. 

"Umm…" you're about to thank her, but she doesn't wait for your response. Turning back to head towards the kitchen.

James quickly signs the bill and leaves a generous tip. "See, someone else thinks you and Jensen should be together," he quips. 

Sliding out of the booth. "Let's go, got to get you back to the studio." He states, heading for the door.

****

The walk back is short, and James doesn't pick up the conversation, which you're OK with since talking about this in the restaurant was one thing, but out on the busy street, where anyone could hear, yeah, not going to happen.

Back at your studio, you open the door and walk in, but James stays in the doorway. 

"What? You're not coming in?" you ask. Looking at your phone, you see that you still have a few hours until Jensen should show up.

"I am going to go. You need time by yourself before he gets here, that's all."

"OK, but you never answer me about his love life. Why do you think it's all fake?"

"I mean, come on, his management team has to be behind it. I am sure it was all for publicity; he had to show up with someone." He takes a pause, and you can tell there is more. You give him your perfected stare-down that always gets him to talk. 

"OK, fine, Micha told me, alright!"

"What!? When did you talk with Micha? And why were you talking about Jensen's dating life with him?" You question, now wondering what James said and what Micha knew. Did he know about you baling on Jensen today? Fuck, what did the other cast members think?

"Look, Jensen came through. Micha and Jared showed up at the bar the other night, and we hung out and talked. They both knew that Jensen was out seeing you, and I may have come off a little bit like a protective older brother…"

"What the hell did you say, James!" Now, I really feel your cheeks red from embarrassment. God, why do you do this to me!

"No, it's fine. I just asked if Jensen was a good guy or a player. I keep it very cool and casual. OK, I didn't act all 'I got a shotgun in my truck, and I know how to use it' mode." 

"Ugh, OK, fine, I can't be mad at you for caring." You conceded, knowing that he was coming from a good place and that you should be so lucky that he cares for you like a friend so much that you do not want to see you get hurt.

"So what else has got you wanting to put the breaks on this and shut him out?" He asks, leaning against the door frame. 

"I don't know if I can get used to being second place to his fans. And I would never ask him to choose between me or his career. The idea of having people follow me around taking photos, digging through my past and personal life."

"That's true; it would be something that you would have to get used to, but it's also something that you and he need to discuss and work through. You can't just drop him for something he can't completely control. Do you think he likes having to sneak around or keep you waiting because he can't escape a group of fans? I am sure he would have rather spent his morning with you."

"You're right. I need to be honest with him, tell him what I feel, and see where he is with everything. Come to some understanding."

"Exactly." James phone goes off, and he quickly looks at the incoming text, 

"Oh, I have to go. I am meeting someone," he says cheekily, giving you a smile and wink.

"Would it be Micha?" You question, now wishing he would stay so you could start grilling him about his interactions with the superstar.

"Maybe…come here", he says, slipping his phone back into his pocket. He reaches for you and brings you in for one of his best hugs. Holding you tight against him, the feel of him, the pressure of his arms around you, helps ground you. 

"You got this; just be honest with him," he says in your ear.

"I will," you say back, holding on for a few more seconds before letting go.

To Be Continued......

Tags List:

@ladysparkles78 @smoothdogsgirl @n-o-p-e-never @stoneyggirl @lmhf1 @kr804573 @deansimpalababy @livingdeadblondequeen @winchesterwild78

[howlinchickhowl]

It's been a minute since I played tag! (And also apparently since I've made a tumblr post from scratch because I could not for the life of me find the make a new post button 😑) I'm getting in on this one early before too many people tag me in it and I get overwhelmed, but thanks to @gardenerian and @gallawitchxx for waving me over.

Under a cut because I am a talkative little so-and-so today

name: howl 🐺 (aroo)

age you are mentally: I am a thousand years old I'm a newborn baby i'm ready to retire I'm not ready for senior year to be over I've seen too much the world is brand new i hate not being in control i cannot be put in charge i'm only small! you understand.

top 3 fics that came out last year (that you can remember at this point lol): being the most predictable bitch alive and second and thirding mel and bee when I say OLD HABITTTTTTSSSSSS by @whatthebodygraspsnot , guaranteed to satisfy by @catgrassplantdad and this one didn't come out last year but it was UPDATED last year to my great and incredible joy and I may have been so excited I forgot to comment on the new chapter which I will be doing immediately after I re-read it but Selfless Acts of the Illegal Variety my beloved, by @abundanceofnots

add in any authors who you read all of their things: I have not been able to do a lot of reading the last couple of years but certainly folks whose works get me real excited are those above, ray, jessie, and ellie, then of course @gallawitchxx @gardenerian @iansfreckles @whatwouldmickeydo @suzy-queued @the-rat-wins @captainjowl @sam-loves-seb @biblionerd07 (and if @gallavichy ever decided to start writing again I would legit leave my job in the middle of the work day to go somewhere private and scream and then read whatever it was)

fave artist/band/singer/group your discovered last year (has to be new to you, not new): Last year for the first time in maybe a decade I bought a ticket to a concert that no one had asked me to accompany them to, so I think I'm gonna have to say Remember Monday, petty queens.

one thing you learnt last year that you’re taking into 2025: sometimes asking for help is the only way to get to the finish line.

was it a good year or bad year? indescribably bad.

is there anything superstitious you do to try and continue that vibe or absolutely change it? i'm not really a superstitious guy? I feel like the only way you change the vibe is just by straight up changing it.

fave WIPs you're following into this year: I am not up to date on what is being updated, but I am always praying for updates on a few things - Elevator Music, Selfless Acts (again! I'm greedy!), Let The Bodies Do the Talkin', Things Beyond Mistake, Tender Hearts and Other Maladies - can you believe before this fandom I literally would never read a fic unless it was finished? and now I'm surrounded by all these amazing works I never would have known the joy of if I had kept that nonsense up! Read WIPs folks! It's joyful!

are you doing any January ‘get healthy’ things? I wouldn't call it a 'get healthy' thing, but after several years of living on everyone else's schedule I am choosing this January to try and 'be healthy' by listening to my body and not do anything it doesn't want to do.

more random questions ~~ did you consider yourself an avid reader before you found fanfic? for sure, I am the bookish girl to fic monster pipeline. She is me.

do you read books as well as fanfic? yes (but not as many as I used to!) or no: fanfic or die -- I struggle to read books when I am struggling, so I end up reading fic instead, but I am always reaching for a book, even if I don't end up reading it. So far this year though I'm on my third book so far!

what are you doing to survive this january so far? Sleeping, eating, saying yes when I want and no when I want, sleeping some more, taking my dog for a walk, ignoring my bank balance, reading, writing.

woo tag game! We did it! I am tagging everyone who I have tagged in the body of the post, as well as @heymrspatel @callivich, @sleepyfacetoughguy @mickeyheartian and @gallavichsuperfan , and everyone who has tagged me in a game this last year, I see you keeping me in your hearts and minds and I appreciate you!

[victoria-daydreams]

The Hare and The Tower

Okay, so I know I just straight up peaced out from updating this story with no warning and I really apologize for that, but after the last chapter the engagement with the story had dropped off pretty significantly and I felt discouraged. Like, I didn't even have writer's block, I just didn't feel like writing another chapter at that point. But now, I'm feeling inspiration again and ready to start posting. So, I present to you a snippet of the next chapter of The Hare and Tower. I'm in graduate school now and I have a midterm paper due by Monday, so don't expect the full chapter to be out until sometime next week.

Taglist: @dogmatic255 @sidechrisporn @amethystwonders11 @ladysindar @sweetwanderlust05 @newandykes @helloimlateforeverything @loveofvernonslife @stitchattacks @dariequeen @kishie8 @girlonfireice @snowymarvel1205 @greenlightower @harrypotteranna23-blog @ipostwhtifeel @poisonedcrowns @ninacutebee16 @watercolorskyy

A terrible dread washed through Jesmyn as she approached the carved, oak door ahead of her. The corridor was far too dark, too quiet. Her body felt heavy, and the air was akin to molasses—each step closer seeming to take a greater effort than the one before. Fear, panic, and apprehension coiled and collided within Jesmyn, the onslaught of emotions created a horrible churning, stomach twisting vortex.

Coming to a standstill just outside of the door, she reached out with a trembling hand to knock on the door, but froze in mid-air.

"I've been informed I'll be traveling to Driftmark with Princess Rhaenyra. We sail at dawn," Jesmyn informed quietly, her hand limply dropping back to her side.

Standing outside of Otto’s bedchamber door, a shiver ran down her spine for the night seemed colder than most. Jesmyn could only stare at the warped flaws in the wood, waiting for a reply, but ultimately was met by silence. Jesmyn strained her ears for a sign of movement behind his door, for she knew he was awake, and he knew that she knew it as well. With each passing second, Jesmyn felt her heart turn into lead, sinking down further and further in her chest.

She remained silent for a few more moments.

"I'm here to bid you farewell Husband, as we part on our separate journeys," she continued, placing her hand on the door. "You are angry at me, this I know," she stated, releasing a shaky breath. "But I will not depart without speaking these words. I love you Otto," she said, spreading her fingers out against the door. "Despite the harsh words we traded, my heart remains yours. Should anything—"

Forcefully, the door swung open drawing a startled gasp from her as the heat of husband’s gaze burned into her own. Otto's expression was unreadable as ever, his jaw was set tight while his mouth a thin line. They held each others stare for a few seconds, both waiting for the other to say something. Jesmyn broke first.

"I will not let our last words be ones we regret," she said firmly

Another long, uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Still, Otto only stared at her, an act which only began to draw Jesmyn's ire. She knew her husband well enough that she didn't expect an immediate reconciliation, but the hope was there in her mind. To her, this silence she was being subjected was bordering on ridiculous, did he not comprehend her words? She was set to sail on the unpredictable waters of the sea.

"I see," Jesmyn said softly, with a nod. "I shouldn't have came. I'm sorry for disturbing you," she apologized, dropping her eyes from him to the floor. "May sleep find you well, Husband," she wished, before turning away from Otto.

Wrapping her arms around herself, Jesmyn walked back down the corridor to her own chambers.

"You posses both beauty and brawn,"

A velvety voice broke through the silence, lingering in the air like a caress. Jesmyn froze in place, mid-step, before slowly turning back around. Once more, her brown eyes stared at Otto's blue and for the first time she finally noticed the tiredness around his eyes; the way his face was paler than usual. Their argument had taken its toll on him far more than he would let on.

"It's why I was so keen on securing your hand in marriage," Otto continued, deeply exhaling as he moved towards her. "Yet, your intellect fails you when it comes to Rhaenyra," Otto noted, coming to a stop in front of her. Leaning down, he pressed his lips against Jesmyn's hairline. "Knowingly or not," he uttered, before kissing the top of her head and lingering there for a bit.

Otto drew back and pushed the few loose hairs from where his lips had touched.

"Otto," Jesmyn whispered, leaning into his embrace.

But as quickly as his embrace came, he retreated from her, like a wave being pulled back into the sea. Entering his chambers, Otto spared one last glance at Jesmyn before he shut the door with quiet click.

[acphengene]

Chapter 11 - Go on darling (written)

₊ ⁺ pairing: Jay x fem!reader

₊ ⁺ genre: brothers bestfriend!au, college!au, neighbors/strangers to lovers!au

₊ ⁺ warings: mild angst, lowkey parent manipulation, sibling death, strong and suggestive language, smut

₊ ⁺ synopsis: you move from sydney australia to seoul to get your degree, what will happen when you spill coffee on a handsome stranger?

₊ ⁺ taglist: open - updates every monday and friday - might update on other times if i want a chapter out sooner rather than later

₊ ⁺ word count: 3,8k

₊ ⁺ note: our first written chapter! it's the only one for a while, so i really hope you enjoy it.

&lt;- previously - masterlist - next ->

You had posted the photo of your dress on instagram, and stood in the bathroom of your apartment, biding your lip in suspense. 

You hoped that he wouldn’t see it. You hoped that you got to see his face as his eyes landed on you for the first time, wearing one of your own creations. And for a few seconds you considered if it were better to delete the photo. 

Incredibly enough you felt relaxed and ready for a night wearing the highest of heels. It felt like you had been running around after the guys, steaming shirts, finding jewelry, styling hair. Normally this work would’ve been one for a small army, but you had a vision, and for that to come true, you needed to be the one to do this. 

A small knock on the bathroom door pulled you from your daydreams of how the night might progress. You hoped that your hard work would pay off, and that people would compliment the guys for their looks. and you hoped you might get a chance to dance with a certain heir. 

“Can I come in?” Jungwoon asked through the door. 

You felt how you were suddenly very aware of the design you had made, you were suddenly aware of all the hours you had spent over these last few weeks, and how afraid you were that people wouldn’t find the dress as beautiful as you did. 

“It’s open!” You called back as you decided to figure out what earrings would look good with your updo. It was a desperate attempt to keep yourself busy as her friend entered the room. 

The door slowly crept open, and the catlike man suddenly stood in its opening. 

“Oh…” he almost whispered as you came into view, but the sound was still loud enough for you to hear. 

You looked at him, worry painted all over your face. Was it too much? Was it not enough? Did it hug your figure in all the wrong places? Did you need to get rid of the gloves?

He caught on instantly, and sent a huge smile your way, one that quickly calmed your beating heart. You had never been more beautiful than you were right now, and he had never been prouder of you. 

The four of you all matched. It had been your intention that you would all look like you’d belong together, like pieces of a puzzle. But was it too obvious? Maybe not even obvious enough that all the pieces belonged to the same ‘mini collection’. 

“You look so beautiful” he walked towards you and before you knew it he had pulled you in for a hug. “God damn you’re talented!” He almost screamed. 

You heard the sudden movements of your two other besties' bodies, one clearly falling off the couch, and before you knew it, they were standing in the door opening to the bathroom. 

“Oh wow!” Sunoo said with huge eyes, his hands slowly creeping up to cover his shocked face. 

Niki didn’t speak per say, he just took you in, analyzing the design of the dress with a sly smile on your lips. 

“Everyone is gonna fall in love with you tonight” He then said, a smile reaching his eyes as he pulled Sunoo close to his chest in pure excitement. The two of them couldn’t help the laugh that escaped them. 

“Well we better get going. We don't wanna be late!” You said and hurried past the three men, all of them following close behind, making sure that they didn’t step on the trail of your dress. 

_____ 

Before you knew it you had arrived at the gala. It was a private event, only a few paparazzis and journalists were allowed out front. Still you couldn’t help the constant bounce of your legs as you were sitting in the limousine, waiting to be dropped off. 

Jungwoon laid one of his hands on your knee to calm it. “You need to stop doing that.” He had always found it incredibly annoying whenever you began, but he also understood that it was a way for you to calm your own nerves. 

You nodded, and he sent you a small smile for reassurance. Hoping it was enough for you to finally calm down a little

“It might be your first red carpet, but something tells me it won't be your last” Niki said, as he offered you his arm to hold, right before the door of the limo was opened. He had always been your biggest cheerleader, and in some ways you saw the younger man more as a brother than as a friend. 

“Don’t focus on the lights, if you do they’ll end up blinding you” he whispered in your ear, right before the lights started flashing.  

People were yelling at Niki, yelling at you, yelling at the boys, bombarding you all with questions. And for the first few seconds you found it hard to focus. But as soon as Jungwoon had offered you his other arm to hold, you felt more relaxed, and decided you might as well enjoy the moment. 

Before you knew it, Niki had given you to Sunoo, separating the two of you from one another. He sent you an apologetic smile and said: “I’ll have an interview in a few, so I���ll see you guys inside okay?” You saw a flash of worry in his eyes, but you quickly gave his hand a little squeeze of reassurance. 

“See you inside,” Sunoo said as he sent Niki a smile that was quickly returned.  

“Don’t worry, I’ll sing your praises to anyone who asks me who I’m wearing!” He yelled as he neared the red carpet stairs that led to the entrance. And before you could even answer him, he was halfway to the top, the lights following him wherever he went. 

Niki had been born for the spotlight. He somehow fitted in on this red carpet. It was as much a performance for him as being on stage was. 

You posed for a few photos with your best friends, and before you knew it, you were completely content being the focus of all the blinding lights. Especially when your biggest supporters were right there with you. Making you smile and laugh through it all. 

“Let’s go” Jungwoon said, and the two men started leading you towards the tall stairs, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. 

As soon as you were able to see the doors you spotted him. There he was, as beautiful as ever. 

His hair was dark and swept away from his face, leaving his forehead exposed with just a strand of hair out of place. His lips were curled in a smile as he looked at his father who was speaking to a journalist. 

Him and his parents stood a few meters closer to the door, cameras and microphones and phones all looking in their direction, all trying to get the latest scoop on one of Korea’s most influential families. It suited him somehow, this life. Like Niki, he belonged here. 

He knew you were there before your eyes had found him. It was as if the air had shifted around him. As if he was gravitating towards you, but he had decided not to scout for you before he knew you were closer. 

As you stood tall, on the arms of your best friends he finally allowed himself to look at you, instead of just admiring what he could out of the corner of his eye but he quickly realized that had been a mistake. 

In the middle of a sentence his trail of thought completely stopped. You now occupied every cell of his body, and the only reason he was still breathing was because his heart had to keep beating for you. 

He could hear how the now panicked journalist tried capturing his attention, he could feel how his parents too had turned their heads to figure out just what had stolen his attention. 

“Excuse me” was all he could utter, and he had quickly left his parents behind for the sudden appearance of this mystery woman. 

He stopped before you and the boys, his eyes never leaving yours, a bright pink coloring his cheeks. Cute. 

He didn’t trust himself enough to utter a single word, instead he took a bow, it was deep, it was respectful. And it hid his face from you for just a second, and he hoped that would be enough for him to pull himself together. 

You saw how the lights of the cameras started flashing even brighter, and if to protect you Sunoo took a step forward and gave him what most would most likely call a bro hug, and soon after Jungwoon did the exact same thing. You could see the hesitation in his movements as he tried to decide how to greet you. 

He wanted to do something personal, and if it were up to him he had swept you up into his arms and taken you somewhere, where the two of you could finally be left alone. Somewhere he could finally lose himself in you.  

You decided the best course of action might just be a small wave, it was simple, and in the end it didn’t draw too much attention to the two of you.

But before you got a chance to do exactly that, one of his arms snaked around your waist and pulled you close. His lips then rested for no more than a millisecond on your cheek, it was so fast, so fleeting that you for a second doubted if it even happened. 

“I’m glad you guys could make it” his eyes were scanning the boys outfits. “You all look absolutely amazing,” he said as he slowly let go of your waist. 

If it was up to him, he would keep his arm snaked around you all night long

His eyes sparkled, and he knew exactly why that was. He had come to realize that it had everything to do with you. 

“It's all thanks to this one!” Jungwoon said as his arm snaked around your shoulders, pulling you a little closer. Jay smiled in response to the friendly gesture. 

“You really did an amazing job Y/N…” Once again he completely forgot what to say as his eyes caught yours. 

“Thank you” you said, as your chest filled with pride over his praise. For some reason it felt special coming from him. He was still just a stranger, but he was one with class and style. 

“I better get back to my parents, I’ll see you guys inside when I’m done” 

He turned around and walked away from you, shaking his limbs in the hopes that it would make your lingering perfume disappear from his suit. 

“That went better than expected…” Sunoo said, but your eyes couldn’t concentrate on anything but him as he walked away. 

“Do you think we need to carry her inside? I mean she’s practically pudding in his hands, I’m not really convinced her legs will be able to carry her” Jungwoon said, earning him a laugh from Sunoo and a hit of his arm from you. 

The inside of the building was magnificent, perfectly lit with candles everywhere. Tables were scattered all over the place. The sudden fear of being seated with people you didn’t know hit you, but being your brother's sister, you hope that meant you would be well taken care off. 

“Y/N!” You heard your brother call out for you, and you quickly found him seated in a bar with what you could only assume was the remaining men of his friend group. 

They were both handsome, they both radiated power and money. But their eyes were kind, just like your brothers, and just like Jays. 

You sat down between your brother and Sunghoon, as Sunoo and Jungwoon quickly started a conversation with Heeseung. 

“So you’re the little sister huh?” Sunghoon said, a smirk painted on his lips as his eyes scanned your figure in the sparkling dress, and unlike when his friend looked at you, you suddenly felt the need to cover up. 

“I am” you said, trying your best to seem as confident as possible. Jake laughed at the little powerplay that was unfolding before him. He knew both of you well. Sunghoon wasn’t one to give up without a fight, and you had to be one of the most stubborn people he had ever met. 

“Hoon if you’re hitting on my sister we’re gonna have a problem” Jake then said, as he sent a wink your way. 

You returned it with a little chuckle. He had always done that, protected you from the men of the world, especially if those men were his friends. He was the protector your father never was, he was the most important part of your family. 

He quickly raised his hands in defeat. Laughing at your brother. 

“Why is your bestie calling me over?” Jake then said with furrowed brows, right before he drowned the last of his champagne. 

You turned towards the large dancefloor, and saw Niki waving your brother over. You knew exactly what that was about, and you couldn’t help but smile. 

“How should I know I know, Niki can be a little all over the place, but maybe don’t let him wait? He’s talking to Min Yoongi after all” you said and quickly saw the panic in your brother's eyes. 

“See you guys later!” he almost yelled as he ran towards the youngest of your friends, leaving the spot next to you free. Sunghoon was quick to grab the seat, forcing your attention to be on him alone as he was now seated next to the wall. 

He liked to hold the sole attention of the women he talked to. Even the ones who were forbidden fruit. Hell, that made it even better if you asked him. Despite his fuckboy tendencies Sunghoon was more loyal than most when it came to his friends, he would never dare to pursue you if Jake had told him no. But the spark in you had caught his attention. 

He didn’t really know why, he only knew that there had to be a reason for it. 

“It’s a lovely dress” he said and took in the sight of the fabric clinging to your curves, this time admiring the design instead of the body the fabric was hiding for the world. 

“Thank you” you answered and let your hands run down your thighs, desperate to soothe yourself. 

The ballroom was cold, and the lack of both a coat and alcohol in your system definitely didn’t help. And Sunghoon made you nervous. 

Sunghoon couldn’t help but chuckle. He stood up to remove his jacket, but it was as if something caught his attention, freezing him in his place. 

You didn’t dare to turn around, whatever wordless conversation he was having, it seemed private, and you didn’t want to disturb it. 

Jay had caught his best friend's eyes. And Sunghoon could almost feel how his twin flames heart fell, at the sight of him wanting to drape his jacket over your shoulder. At no point did Jay look at his friend, his eyes were only focused on you. 

Sunghoon saw how he instinctively had started removing his own suit jacket, how he had left the conversation he was having behind, without any regards for the old and dusty CEO’s that tried to capture his attention. You were all he saw, so he backed down, and instead just held on to his jacket, telling you a lie about how the champagne had made him feel hot.  

He couldn’t help but smile and shake his head at his best friend. That fucking idiot. He thought to himself. 

“Jay” he said, as his friend was standing directly behind you. 

“Hey” Jay answered. 

Sunghoon then saw how your eyes found his friends as soon as he entered your vision. He saw the involuntary way you started smiling, how your whole demeanor became more relaxed as soon as Jay's signature scent of ‘black orchid’ hit the two of you. 

“May I?” he asked as he towered over you, and looked at his suit jacket, signaling his intentions. 

“Please” you answered. It was no more than a whisper, some might even have called it a whimper, and Jay felt how his heart started beating even faster than it had just done, and his cheeks were once again painted with a subtle pink color. 

Sunghoon couldn’t help but roll his eyes, and chuckle silently at the sugarsweet interaction that was happening before him. 

You loved the way Jay’s heavy suit jacket surrounded you. You loved how the smell of him suddenly was the only thing your senses could pick up on. 

Jay smiled at you, hands lingering on your shoulders. Sunghoon just stood there observing the two of you. He didn’t dare breathe, he had a feeling that that was all it would take for the two of you to retreat back to the people who had already decided they were gonna close off their hearts for one another. 

“Y/N, this is Sunghoon,” Jay said, finally acknowledging his best friend. “He’s my best friend” 

Sunghoon smiled at his words; “don’t forget the love of your life” 

Jay laughed, and you couldn’t help but smile at the sound. 

“We all need one of those,” you stated.

Sunghoon couldn’t help but feel relieved by your words. His worst fear had always been that Jay would end up with someone who didn’t quite understand the bond that the two boys had. But if you did, and if Jay did in fact want you as bad as Sunghoon expected, he would move heaven and earth to help the two of you. 

“We do, don’t we?” he said and patted his best friend on the shoulder and then suddenly pulled him in for a hug. 

“It’s her, isn’t it?” Sunghoon whispered in his ear. 

Jay pulled away a little and looked at him with big and choked eyes. 

“Don’t you dare lie to me Jongseong. I’ll always keep your secrets. But I think you might need to prepare her, your parent are walking over here as we speak” 

Sunghoon quickly smiled at you and then excused himself. 

“He’s something else” you stated and couldn’t help but chuckle. 

Earning you an instant smile. 

“He really is,” he responded. 

Then he stretched his arm out, offering his hand to you. You took it and looked at him with skeptic eyes. 

“What are we doing now Park?” you asked, as you got on your feet. The height of your heels prevented him from towering over you, instead you were able to look directly into his eyes. 

“Well don’t freak out now, but my parents are on their way over here, and I thought my mother deserves to see the dress that you’ve made” once again his eyes were sparkling as he looked at you. And you couldn’t help but think that you could get used to him looking at you like that. 

And then the severity of his words hit you. His mother. She was a talented business woman, a designer, and your all time idol, and here you were, sitting with her son's jacket flung over your shoulders as you smile as an absolute idiot and cling to his every word. 

“Shit!” you whisper yell as you pull off his jacket as fast as you possibly can, and throw it back in his face. 

The jacket hit Jay in the face, and he couldn’t help the surprised laugh that escaped him as he pulled it from his face. He just looked at you with complete shock and admiration. 

His father then coughed to capture his son's attention, an accomplishment that hadn’t been easy that night. 

“Mother, father, allow me to introduce you to Sim Y/N, Jake's sister” he said, eyes never leaving you. 

You bowed at the two parents, one they returned quickly. 

“Your Jaeyun’s sister! How come we’ve never met you dear?” his mother said and gave you a polite hug, as she kissed each of your cheeks in a greeting. 

“Y/N just recently moved back here from Australia” Jay answered on your behalf. 

“I’m pretty sure the woman can speak for herself Jong” his mother then said, as she sent her son a look. 

You laughed. 

“Ah let him be a gentleman in front of her my love” his father then said as he pulled his wife a little closer as she rolled her eyes at her husband. 

“Your gown is exquisite Y/N” his mother then stated as she looked you up and down, taking in all the little detail and the fine hand stitching. 

You felt the instant heat in your cheeks, and your eyes quickly found the floor, afraid to meet her eyes. 

“Thank you, so much… it means a lot coming from you!” you said as you once again bowed. One that the host once again returned this time with the kindest of smiles. 

“It’s her own creation mother, Jake encouraged her to give it a go when I invited her and her friends” Jay then said. 

His mother saw how her son stood a little taller when he talked about you, she saw how his hand involuntarily stretched every tenth second, as if he was trying to suppress the urge to take yours. And the actions brought a smile to her lips. 

“Well sweetheart, you need to tell me all about your creative process!” she then said. 

You bit your lip, a trait it seemed that you shared with your brother, and looked at the beautiful man who stood by your side. He felt pride in his chest. He felt at home with you so close to him. 

“Go on, darling” he didn’t catch the pet name before it had already rolled off his tongue. 

He wanted to curse at himself, he wanted to take it back at once. But when he saw how your eyes suddenly got bigger, how the words were suddenly caught in your throat and how you fluttered your lashes at him, he knew that he would call you darling for as long as you would allow him. 

His mother then took your arm and let you away from her son, generally wanting to get to know the young woman who had captured her son's eye. 

His father laughed as the two women left them alone. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this, Jong,” he said. 

“Like what?” Jay said, and looked at his father with a raised brow, once again pulling his jacket back on. 

He laid a hand on his only son's shoulder, much like Sunghoon had done earlier. “You look at her, the same way I looked at your mother when I first met her…” 

Jay laughed, “dad, please stop. It’s not like that” it was now his fathers turn to laugh. 

“Oh but it is, don't deny it, and most importantly, don’t let her go because you’re afraid” 

He then left his son alone with his thoughts.

________

₊ ⁺ Taglist: @addictedtohobi @deobitifull

(please like and reblog the post, it means the world to me, my ask is also always open for feedback or theories)

[blackbird-brewster]

Friday Monday Fic Recs

What I've Been Reading:

JJ/Emily, Tara/Penelope || Rated: E || WC: 43,369 Author: @swpf

Why I Love It: This is such a great read! The introspective look at all of these women is both refreshing and titillating. I love both of these ships and watching two couples try (and often fail) to get the other pair together is one of my favourite fic tropes.

Tara/Rebecca || Rated: E || WC: 3132 Author: swpf

Why I Love It: If you want my full essay about how perfect this look at Tara/Rebecca is,, check the comment section of the fic. In the meantime, just know this is a beautiful piece that explores what it was like for Rebecca to watch Tara diffuse a bomb in the field in 17x06 and how that led to them getting back together.

Tara/Penelope || Rated: T || WC: 14,714 Author: swpf

Why I Love It: Hot butch mechanic Tara Lewis, need I say more?? This AU is delicious. The interactions between Penelope and Tara are so enthralling, I couldn't stop reading. This is an incredible little AU full of hilarity and queer joy. (And Queer Joy 😏)

JJ/Emily/Tara || Rated: E || WC: 1376 Author: Anonymous

Why I Love It: Je T'Emily smut!!!!! This is just extremely sexy.

Tara/Emily || Rated: T || WC: 1103 Author: @mammothluv

Why I Love It: The balcony scene in 13x16 is one of my favourite Temily moments in canon. This was a beautiful take on that scene and just a really wholesome fic. I'm always a sucker for Temily fluff.

What I've Been Writing:

Tara/Penelope || Rated: E ||WC: 13,268+ (WIP)

Notes: After this 'one-shot' evolved into a three chapter fic, I've decided to continue exploring this dynamic. There is definitely more to come, after putting together an outline of where I want this one to go, I think it could be around 8 chapters in total. Stay tuned for more hot, sexy, Dom Penelope!

[UNTITLED HOLIDAY FIC]

JJ/Tara || WC: TBD

Notes: It's that time of year again! This year's holiday romcom will focus on JJ/Tara! In the same vein of Homo For the Holidays, I'm planning for this to be a festive, Hallmark-esque, tropetastic, romcom fic.

[Ready To Be Loved - A Fooled Around Interlude]

Derek/Luke, Luke/Spencer || WC: TBD

Notes: This is the second installment of my three-part Fooled Around expansion! I'm so excited to share this look at how Luke and Derek came to be a couple. I've wanted to explore their relationship more ever since I wrote FAAFIL - Part 2. Not sure when this will be ready for posting, so just keep an eye out!

ICYMI:

JJ/Tara || Rated: G || WC: 1932

Summary: In the Jareau-Lewis household, there was a Halloween tradition of rotating who got to choose the family costumes each year. This year, it was six-year-old Michael's duty to choose the theme of their costumes…

More CM Fic Recs Under Cut

Past Friday Fic Recs:  [Friday Fic Recs - Tumblr] || [CM Fic Recs - AO3 Collection]

My Fanfic Master Lists: [JJ/Emily] || [Tara/Emily] || [JJ/Tara] || [Tara/Rebecca]

2023 Rec Lists: [JJ/Emily] || [Tara/Emily + Other Femslash]

2022 Rec Lists: [JJ/Emily] || [Tara/Emily] || [Other Femslash]

[canirove]

In The Name of Love | Chapter 6

Author's note: Since next Monday is Christmas day, I will be posting the chapter that should be up that day on Wednesday, which means that next week you will have new chapters on Wednesday and Thursday 😊 Also sorry about this chapter being a bit meh and on the short side, but I think I am making up for it on the next one 😁 Also, to those of you who are just reading this and don't follow me, happy holidays and merry christmas to those of you who celebrate! 💜

Previous chapter | Next chapter

Masterlist

Good luck tonight! Hopefully it won't rain, because those clouds look so bad… (📸) Also look at the sea. Back home it doesn't get like this  (📸) The food here is just 🤤 (📸) You have fans who aren't teenagers 😱 (📸) I wonder if they'll think I'm one too (📸)

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"And?"

"Nothing yet" I sigh. "This was a good idea, right?"

"It was" Emma says, giving my hand an encouraging squeeze. "Traveling to the other side of the country to watch him play is so romantic!"

"I don't care if it is romantic or not. I just want to explain everything to him and for things to go back to the way they were."

"Who would have thought you would end up missing a teenager's dick, uh?" she laughs.

"I should have brought Silvia with me" I reply, rolling my eyes.

"But sadly, she's too busy with Pau finally being back, so you'll have to deal with me" she smiles.

It's been a month since that stupid engagement party, since Pedri and I had that argument, since I last saw him in person. And I've felt like shit every single day.

I should have been honest with him. I should have opened myself to him, share all my fears. But I couldn't. I was too much of a coward, and because of it, I may have lost the person who managed to finally make me close a chapter of my life. The person that gave me what I needed to finally let go. 

But I'm ready now. I'm ready to tell him everything. And that's why Emma and I are here, though her first plan was a bit stalkery.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"I just sent him a good luck message before the game and he has left me as read. Again" I sigh. 

"At least you know he hasn't blocked you."

"Yeah, I guess. But I can't keep living this, I have to do something."

"Why don't you just show up at his house and don't leave until he listens to you?"

"I can't do that, Emma. He'll end up calling the police."

"Then why don't you go watch him play at the Camp Nou? Maybe his friends can help you corner him somewhere so you can talk."

"That isn't such a bad idea, you know… Though they are going on international break after tonight's game." 

"Then let's go watch him play with Spain! You could even wear his shirt, I'm sure he would like that. You aren't allergic to that one, are you?"

"I'm not, no" I laugh. "But I don't know where they are playing and when. And there may not be tickets left."

"Then let's find out" she says, taking out her phone and starting to type.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

A couple of hours after that conversation, and mostly thanks to Ferran, we had it all ready. We would be spending the weekend in La Coruña, a city in the West of Spain where the national team is playing, and where, hopefully, I will find a way to convince Pedri to let me explain myself. 

"Is it him?" Emma asks when my phone buzzes.

"Oh my God" I gasp. "It's him, he has replied!" I say, my hand shaking.

"What does he say?"

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

Val, what is all that? 

Are those photos real?

Yep

Are you here? 

In La Coruña? 

And wearing my shirt? 😳

I am

Wait a second

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"Emma, he's facetiming me."

"Then pick up!"

"How do I look?"

"For the love of God, Valeria. Who cares? Pick up!"

"Ok" I say, taking a deep breath. "Hello" I smile.

"Show me around."

"What?"

"Show me around, Valeria."

"Don't need to be so rude, Pedro" I say, moving so he can see where I am. Emma and I had sat down on a bench not too far away from the stadium to kill time until we can go inside.

"You are here. You… Why?"

"Well, Emma and I had a free weekend and wanted to disconnect from the kids, we saw an ad about the game, we had never been to La Coruña, and we said, why not?" I shrug.

"Let's go disconnect from the kids by watching other kids play" Pedri chuckles.

"Asensio isn't a kid."

"Then why are you wearing my shirt?" he asks, arching an eyebrow.

"It was the only one left in the shop" I shrug again.

"Sure" he laughs.

"It was yours or Morata's, and you know how I feel about him."

"I do, yes" he laughs again. God, I had missed hearing him laugh. "Anyway, I gotta go, we are leaving the hotel now."

"Ok."

"Thank you for coming to the game."

"Of course" I smile. But he doesn't. He's gone serious again.

"Bye, Valeria."

"Bye" I say before he hangs up.

"That went well, didn't it?" Emma says.

"Did it?" I sigh.

"It did! You had a little moment there, so there still is hope."

"I guess, but he kept calling me Valeria and… Wait" I say when my phone buzzes again.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

Don't forget to send me your good luck text. 

It is the last thing I always read before warm up

I won't. I promise 😊

❤️

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"See? There still is hope!" Emma says, grabbing my arm and squeezing it. She's actually hurting me, but I don't care.

Because there still is hope.

[minnieearsposts]

So this post is just a little bit of a life update for you all as many of you probably know my fics have been on a bit of an unscheduled hiatus due to a lot of of life events I’ve had going on (ie. Applying to residency, my dissertation, my upcoming wedding, two losses in the family etc.) I wanted to try a bit of an update for moving forward as I’m finally starting to find time again to work on the things I love!

This weekend, I will be posting the second chapter of Weak!

Then on Monday, I am hoping to post an update for Ready to Run.

Wednesday evening where I will be posting way down we go

Thursday will the third installment of the wedding series Thinking Out Loud

Friday will be Would That I as well as the return of Daylight

I am putting this in writing to hold myself accountable as I get myself back on track and get some of these fixed out to you all who waited so patiently while I figured my life out thank you all for your continued support and as always, I would love to know what you think💕

Minnie

[anguishedlurker]

Don't Shoot; It's me! No, the other guy! (#38, fake body swap)

HI Y'ALL welcome to my ecto-imposion fic! I'm the writer of course and my wonderful artist was @astravis , and @thesilentbard plus @dragonsdomain he;ped me out with betaing! Check them all out! Buckle up, because this is just the first chapter! And maybe look at the ao3 posting

Of things Danny should have predicted, Skulker and Technus teaming up one day was going to land pretty high on the list.

It all started so normal, too! Getting multiple ghosts at once wasn’t uncommon anymore, and Skulker appearing? Must be a day that ends with Y.

Technus, though...

“I’ll pelt you yet, whelp!” Skulker bellowed, having been ineffectually brained with the remains of a lamppost.

Technus was thusly absorbing the lamppost's remains into his suit, adding yet another object that would qualify as a taser in the right circumstances.

“AND I, TECHNUS, WILL USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO-”

“No, really, do you ever shut up?!” Danny cut him off, meanwhile diving behind the remains of- ooohhh this was that vegan place Sam liked. He was going to hear about this one for weeks.

“Your disrespect remains immeasurable, child.” Skulker growled, not wasting time in obliterating what was left of the building.

“YEAH, WHAT IS HE? CHOPPED LIVER?”

Danny didn’t pay this mind, throwing some potshots at the both of them as he skittered away for new cover.

“He’s a mecha pain in my- AAA”

We interrupt this smart comment for debris! Debris; A mark of your failure to protect.

Debris wasn’t a new threat, but regardless? That was going to bruise.

Danny was ready to punch them to paste barehanded if it’d get this fight to stop. Skulker already had a weapon making shield borderline painful to maintain against blasts, and with Technus in tow couldn’t be trusted to not get a random power-boost.

Meaning this needed to end, now!

However, “now” would have to be sometime after Technus’s blasts stopped slapping him down like an especially annoying kitten.

“Ah, finally showing cowardice whelp?” Skulker taunted, lazily aiming one of his guns as Danny darted somewhere over an alleyway.

“I prefer to call it intelligence!”

“RUNNING WILL NOT HELP YOU HERE, PEST!” Technus borderline giggled.

Clearly, Danny thought as a piece of roof exploded behind him.

… That one might’ve been that weirdo occult shop that was trying to set up without him noticing. Couldn’t say he’d miss it, if nothing else.

It was really starting to look like “damage control” meant doing some damage himself to cut this short.

He was absolutely going to hear it from Sam once he was done here, as it wasn’t like ecto-ice was easy to clean up. (God knows what's IN that Danny!)

Somewhere in the distance the Fenton GAV wailed, a bad sign for all participants.

So… one shot to do this, maybe two… Eh. He’s had worse odds before!

One last sacrificial rubble pile to buy a second, aaand-

“I DO BELIEVE WE MUST CUT THIS ONE SHORT! SKULKER, IF YOU WOULD?”

“It's a pleasure to use this new toy.”

Danny didn’t even get time to throw an icicle at them.

The rubble exploded, and then Danny exploded, flung across the street like a sack of potatoes and making several things give an upsetting crack on landing.

Screw bruising at this point, he’d be lucky if all of this managed to heal before Monday.

Note to self: Never ever let Technus Skulker pair up ever again.

“FASCINATING RESULTS!” Technus beamed as Danny groaned his way onto his feet.

“Your move, whelp.” Skulker growled, gun pointed at Danny.

“That little toy? Ha, it barely even-!”

And see, there’s many things about Danny’s powers that would never be properly explained to his friends. How intrinsic they all were by now, above all else.

A running start and pathetic hop into the air didn’t actually mean much for flying; by all accounts Danny could go from zero to sixty in a standing position.

So, the raw humiliation of that pathetic hop- intended to be a full assault launch- landing him in a kneeling position took a second to process.

It was just so impossible.

The metal on Skulkers helm twisted to a smile as the gun gave a shrill whine.

Technus giggled as he absorbed a car into his already overburdened monstrosity of a mech, clearly thinking this fight was done.

The GAV siren had never been so loud.

There was really only one choice: Run. Run for his life.

The street lit up behind him, adrenaline carrying him much faster than he had any right to be on foot.

“RUNNING AGAIN, WHELP?” Technus shouted, much too close for Danny’s liking.

“That’s Skulker’s thing!” He shouted back, at a total loss for anything witty.

“I’ve done no such thing as run, child!”

“I THINK HE MEANS THE TERM WHELP.”

Oh good, yes! Get distracted!

“Your thievery of my vocabulary will not go unpunished; yet, for now, we have our prey-”

“UNPUNISHED? WE ARE ALLIES! TO RAISE YOUR HAND IN VIOLENCE AGAINST ME NOW WOULD-”

“Not right now you imbecilic-”

The blasts behind him were slowing down immensely already, buying him a slide around a corner with enough lead to shove himself between buildings.

Still, even with this he wasn’t exactly well hidden.

His options, in this fine back alley, were… A broken mirror, two cardboard boxes, and a dumpster.

…

The dumpster was uncomfortably moist as he shoved himself in and closed the top, and the smell- is this the nasty burger dumpster??

Slowly the town map in his head adjusted. Eugh… Desperation carried him farther than he thought.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE’VE LOST HIM!?”

“The shot must have suppressed his signature. The tracker will be borderline worthless unless we are on top of him.”

Oh, good! Truly, a fair trade for his powers! And once he was done being sarcastic, probably the single blessing he’d get out of this.

“I WOULD CALL THAT EVEN LESS THAN BORDERLINE.”

“Your worthless insistence on semantics is duly noted.”

The bickering continued into the distance, followed shortly by the GAV wailing and his father pointedly screaming.

“Rotten ghosts, molecule by molecule would be too good for you!”

“Phantoms not re-appearing on the radar, but keep an eye out regardless. Who knows what cloaking tactics it’s come up with this time. To the right!” His mom warned, getting fainter and fainter (in the wrong direction) as the GAV sped after Technus and Skulker. Or wherever the altered signal was leading them.

One would think it’d only work the once...

Danny was left to contemplate the situation in silence. Nothing would get done in the dumpster, sure, but hey, uncomfortably moist? More like comfortably hidden.

But beyond that being cowards talk, he reeaallly couldn’t sit there and trust that his parents or even Valerie would pull through on this one.

Okay, well, first task; Phase out of the dumpster.

An action that should be on the same level as ‘flex your jaw’, and yet, Danny was no less uncomfortably moist in sauce juice by the end of his attempt.

The whole thing was unpleasantly reminiscent of the Fenton crammer, minus the shrinking. Powers suffocated to the vaguest wisps in the back of his skull, borderline hallucinations to his futile attempts to use them.

Still stuck in the dumpster, Danny mentally conceded to plan B; Phone a friend.

Tucker was, unfortunately, out at a tech event for the weekend. Which meant it needed to be Sam.

Sam, who was stuck appeasing her parents today in exchange for the stunt with Ms. Hoffman last week.

Somewhere in the distance shots sounded off, indicating that someone had found his two enemies.

Danny didn’t have high hopes as he popped open the dumpster lid and shakily dialed. First of all it’d require Sam to already be out of the dreaded social situation, and secondly it’d mean he got a stroke of good luck if she picked up either way.

His anxiety collapsed to resignation as the ring tone meandered on, leaving him to ignore the layers of irony and humor in his ringtone having been changed to Mystery Skulls’ Ghost.

Pink blasts flashed in the sky from somewhere distant, meaning either Vlad got involved or Valerie had shown up- one more likely than the other.

“Hi! If you don’t know who this is, you shouldn’t have called anyways, and if you do and I didn’t pick up then I’m ignoring you specifically and your voicemail better give me a good reason to call back. And Tucker, if that’s you, I’m not paying for that. You know I’m not. Stop asking. Leave a message after the-”

Danny didn’t wait any longer to hang up. No voicemail would ever be secure enough to risk actually leaving one, and leaving one wouldn’t even speed up the response time.

An especially bright pink and green flash washed over what was probably half the town, and a large crash sounded from several different points in the area.

Now down the phone a friend option, Danny elected to revisit and modify plan A by throwing his leg over the side of the dumpster instead.

You know, the lame way to exit.

None of his bones liked him as he hit the ground, the wind in his metaphorical sails really not keeping up with what he needed to be doing.

Even with the self deprecation heavily suppressed, the situation didn’t really brighten outside of the dumpster. How, precisely, would boxes aide him here? Box Ghost was still pretty peeved over the whole cardboard-boxes-dissolve-in-water solution...

A thoughtless attempt to transition between forms left a suspiciously glass-like popping noise to ring in his ears and leave him fallen face-first onto the ground.

The most intact piece of mirror sat across him, dimly processing as unsafe for workers to be near as the gerbil controlling intelligent thought in his head took a smoke break.

… Seriously, why not have just tossed the thing into the dumpster itself? It’s right there!

The gerbil returned from its smoke break as Danny took in his reflection somewhat, the wheel powering his thoughts creaking back to life.

The crammer had slowly stripped him of every Phantom attribute until only Fenton remained, while right now the present cause to all his woes seemed to have merged his clothes straight down to his hoodie and left every other feature untouched.

It was… weird.

And deeply irrelevant, actually. He needed to either try calling Jazz (ugh) or haul himself home to see if he can’t glue a solution together (different ugh).

Time to shove himself back up to kneeling and pick the gravel out of his teeth (hrng).

While he was at it, it might be a good idea to start a list of cameras that’d need their footage wiped. Even if Fenton’s clothes weren’t incriminating he just didn’t need-

There was an ecto gun by his head, the safety giving a click as it was turned off.

“Would you like to beg?”

He knew that voice- by god did he know that voice. Valerie had to be on that hoverboard just out of his field of view.

He had to have missed some sort of movement while slumped forward by the mirror- it’s not like he wasn’t in enough pain for reality to start blurring.

But that didn’t help, did it? Because he was readily identifiable as Phantom to a girl who wanted half of him dead(er), with zero powers or wit to throw at the situation that wouldn’t just get him shot faster.

But what would help!? She didn’t have any interest in listening to Phantom, barely had any in listening to Fenton, though her lethal intent would at least be lower!

Somehow, someway, the gerbil in his head clipped through the wheel's geometry and resolved to never return.

“Don’t shoot, Val, it’s me! Danny!”

The gun got MUCH louder in response

“Well, Danny Phantom, I think knowing my name-”

“N-No! Fenton!”

He could hear the dial-up noises in Valerie's head, he himself stuck on trying to process how royally he just screwed himself over.

“Let’s suppose, for just one second here, that I don’t believe that.”

“L-look Val, belief doesn’t have much to do with the fact that I’m like, super harmless right now. Literally what would I gain by telling you that?”

He could feel her eyes stare even harder, dissecting his identity in this new light.

“Time.”

Well, he had a good run…

The alleyway promptly exploded, leaving Valerie to skitter off to who knows where as she swore worse than any adult Danny had had the displeasure of listening to.

Danny himself was left hyperventilating in the dust, promptly hopping back into the dumpster and burying himself in the worst effort towards hiding he’s probably ever managed.

“I TOLD YOU IT WOULD BE HIGHLY UNLIKELY FOR HIM TO HAVE HIDDEN HERE.”

“Disappointing, and unexpected. The chase is far more important, but what distracted her?”

“I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO MATTER. YOU MAY HAVE SAID PRACTICALLY ON TOP, BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT IN THE ALLEY IT’S SAFE TO SAY HE’S NOT-”

“Move it or lose it, socket-licker. One of our high value targets is running.”

“YOU ARE ONE TO TALK, SHORTSTOCK. INSULTS ASIDE, I WAS GETTING THERE.”

Skulker’s “No, you weren’t. And you’re lucky we’re working together you-” got fainter as the two continued to completely miss his idiot self hidden just under the surface of two tonnes of food slime.

This was now the second time Danny was in the same dumpster, and honestly? He STILL didn’t want to leave!

He couldn’t cave to the desire this time either- trying to out his identity to Valerie in a last ditch effort to save his hide was officially going to go down as one of his dumbest decisions ever.

He couldn’t even think of anything funny his friends would mock him with this time. It was stupid all the way down.

Feet to the ground, eyes peeled for enemies- gone for now.

Time to unbend his pride and beat his mile run record while trying to call Jazz. Hey, multitasking!

He was going to lose his mind over this one. Even without his personal missteps this was bad.

“Hi, this is Jasmine Fenton! Hopefully I can get back to you soon, but for now, please leave a message after the-”

Click.

Two options, he pondered as he did a running slide past the corner grocery store.

One: Jazz was doing tutoring and had her phone off.

Or, possibly, two: Their parents loaded her onto the GAV and didn’t take no for an answer.

He didn’t hear her earlier trying to scream advice in an attempt to circumvent the danger their parents posed to everyone, but was it even a Tuesday for her to be busy with tutoring? Or maybe she does tutoring on Thursdays…

None of it mattered obviously. He had to get to Fenton Works ASAP.

There wasn’t strictly much that could help him, but he couldn’t imagine anything going even more wrong by using the splitter to try and get some part of him functioning again.

At worst, he’d have two people to drive the Speeder so he/they could gun it to Frostbite and see what could medically be done.

This totally didn’t gloss over every logistic and science issue ever, no sir!

And even if it did, what kind of options was he supposed to come up with right now!?

One more cut through an alleyway and Danny was in the home stretch towards Fenton works.

This moment was of course the same one a massive crash and crunch of metal sounded off a block away. Maximum.

Before he’d had the saving grace of a hiding spot. Now? Not so much! All it’d take was for Skulker or Technus to remember that they could fly above buildings and-

Well there went his survival odds!

The second after, Valerie flew above their heads, shooting down at them even as they launched onto his street.

And, for as distracting as she was, he couldn’t say his odds just got any higher.

Danny nearly took the door off its hinges trying to get in faster than anything could shoot at him, barely in before the street was awash in pink and green.

Just because he knew he couldn’t get blamed for this (mostly) didn’t mean the sense that he was so dead over this stopped creeping in.

“I, TECHNUS, WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT-” Technus screamed, caving the door in with a broken lamppost, Technus himself soon followed suit, seeming to have shed most of his mecha well before the door- though he was losing more in an effort to get in with ease.

“If this is about the extended car warranty-!” Danny shouted back, trying to bolt for the basement. Or literally any of the house defense buttons- screw that they’d target him too!

“I WOULD NEVER SINK TO SUCH LEVELS, PEST!” Technus cut him off, the severed mecha parts bursting into and spreading wires and metal throughout the house in seconds.

Skulker didn’t waste time squeezing through besides Technus, grinning even as he was focused solely on the street outside.

“The basement.” Was all Skulker said before the option was gone from him, tangled in too much metal and wire to ever think about it again.

Danny wasn’t going to get time to think about this one, bolting upstairs instead as the door frame exploded into pink.

“All of you-”

Valerie interrupted herself with a gunshot to Technus.

“, rat bastards! No respect for-”

Skulker, now.

“anyone or anything! This is a house!”

Danny, now. He could feel it burn through both his shirt and suit even as he passed the last few steps to the second story.

Thank god for adrenaline.

Dashing down the hall as Technus and Skulker both roared into action, he performed the best running leap he’d ever managed to grab and pull the chain for the ladder.

Of course, having leapt for this privilege in a house meant for his dad meant he kept sailing through the air as the ladder slammed down behind him.

That was fine! Valerie was still distracted, just roll and climb! So easy.

So easy to corner himself on a roof with no options except to jump if he wanted off.

The fight continued on beneath him as he stared over the side, his world totally silent otherwise.

Grasping for inane details in the hopes one would matter, he saw nothing of use.

The day was bright, and clear. The town was quiet. If he turned slightly, he could pretend the wake of destruction didn’t exist.

But then he’d be ignoring the wires spilling out his front door, a shell of a car deposited in the center of the street- seeming to host most of the mess as a battery.

Valerie swore worse than ever below.

Nothing could help him right now. He was stuck either standing or jumping.

Or well, maybe he could at least do something about the gaping wound in his side… that might be good.

Slowly and carefully he stripped his hoodie off, noting that the hole was smaller than he’d been mentally giving it credit for.

His side still dripping as he dropped it unceremoniously, he realized that this was a dumb plan and that he couldn’t do anything anyways.

His side wasn’t a spot he could tourniquet. Pressure only helped so much in ghost form, as even with bones he was notably more squishy(?) than a normal human.

The fighting paused for one brief moment, before getting ten times worse, Valerie inadvertently teaching him new slurs for ghosts.

Danny looked over the edge of the building again, reaching for his pocket with a prayer.

…

“Hi, this is Jas-”

Click.

…

“Hi! If you don’t know-”

Click.

…

…

“You have reached this 🌟Too Fine🌟 of a voice mail-”

One last click off, phone thusly tucked back into his pocket.

Danny stood alone over what was closer to a three story drop than a two story drop (stupid vaulted ceilings…), and quietly sat on the edge as the fight below went silent and stayed silent.

Hand to his side regardless of if it’d help, he watched the car-battery-wire mess power down and simply waited.

Sure, he could jump, but the adrenaline was winding back down. He was already hurt, bad, in multiple ways. Valerie could fly and right now he couldn’t. There was nowhere on the street to hide and even if there was plenty of places the street over he wouldn’t get that far.

He was dead meat any way he went.

He could hear the ladder clack behind him as Valerie hauled herself up.

“What a surprise! All nice and ready for me.” Valerie huffed, immediately standing at the ready with a gun. Danny only just copped a glance before turning back towards the view.

Odd, no suit nor hoverboard. Maybe Technus had managed to hit her just right and made it shut off.

“Yeah. They go through the portal at least?” He asked, barely looking back as he gripped his side a little tighter.

“And here I- what? Um. Yeah, to my knowledge.” Valerie stuttered slightly, the earnestness of his question seeming to trip her worse than Danny’s previous bomb drop.

“Good. Lock the portal when you go back down. My parents will probably open it up by next week, but hey! Stops everything for now.”

Her steps towards him slowed to a crawl, and he could sense the caution and the suspicion even as she continued regardless.

God, he was really doing this. It occurred that he could still just shove himself off the edge, but he couldn’t think of anything that could possibly solve. Guns can be pointed over roof edges.

“Uh. Thank. You? B-But no uh, tricks or-”

She stopped by his side, gun still pointed as her eyes tracked across the roof for the surprise that simply must be coming.

“Valerie, I’m really sorry you think I could ever hurt you, but I’m out. Injured and done. It’s you or it’s splatting on the pavement. Dunno how much bounce back I’ve got left right now.”

“Any last… uhm-”

This is a super stupid way to die. But he’s pretty sure he’ll be a grease stain if he jumps, which is even stupider.

“I guess... Tell Sam, Tucker, and Jazz not to beat themselves up over it.” He hummed, finally looking at Valerie again.

He wondered how much of this mess the town behind him was seeing.

The gun shook silently before lowering and turning away.

“You are him, aren’t you?” Valerie asked softly, gun already dropping from her hands.

The gun dropped with an uncomfortable clatter as Danny gave the least shaky and uncomfortable smile he could manage, Valerie's eyes not even seeing him as she fixated on his stained hoodie.

“Phantom was never this sweet.”

Valerie clearly hadn’t focused on the words, so lasered onto her revelation that Danny’s brief twitch was entirely missed.

He couldn’t even be insulted right now; there was a certain amount of venom their fights had always had.

Silence extended further as Valerie only barely looked back up at him, still shaken.

“Thanks, I think. But uh. What now?” Danny asked, genuinely not sure. He just had to accept that insults to his other half could be addressed later.

How a reveal would go had always haunted him slightly, and this was probably a better ending than most of the realistic ones.

But even then, those fantasies always ended when she understood.

Valerie snapped to at the question, standing straight and returning to her facade of confidence.

“Helping. How’d they even do this to you?”

“Technus made Skulker a new gun, I think. It goes downhill from there.”

Carefully, Danny slid himself back onto the roof. He was struck with the sense that sudden moves would still get him killed, somehow. This was.. Too easy, almost.

Anxiety or not, the pain was also holding him back.

“Figures that those assholes would do this. Don’t suppose there’s an obvious way to fix this?”

“Not really? I mean… there might be something in the basement to help, but outside of that it’s not like I’ve got options beyond to sit here and suffer. Maybe see if Frostbite knows anything.”

“The basement, huh… Oh, thaaat’s why Skulker growled something out about it. Maybe we can-”

The GAV started wailing again, suddenly.

The offending vehicle was only streets away, and if he focused hard enough he could almost hear his dad yelling about having fixed something or other.

Farewell pain, hello adrenaline!

He was going to be so sick after today. He could just feel it.

“Bail!” He shouted, running back towards the ladder.

“What!?”

“Do you trust my parents not to shoot on sight!?”

The look of fear was immediate.

“Oh, god! Bail!”

In total agreement it was borderline a fight for the ladder and to get down to the first floor.

The wires hadn’t disappeared, leaving them precariously stood on the mess next to the kitchen.

“What’s your plan, Danny?! It’s their house!” Valerie hissed, eyeing him and the wires cautiously.

“WINDOWS ARE ALWAYS FAIR GAME!” He screeched, launching into the kitchen.

The voice of doubt in his head pointed out that it was incredibly lame for all his best executed moves for today to be so fundamentally stupid in nature.

Regardless, lifting the stand mixer and tossing it through the back window in one single uninterrupted motion, punctuated by the shattering of glass, was probably the smoothest thing he’d do today.

“YOU COULD HAVE OPENED THE WINDOW-”

“NO WE COULDN’T HAVE!” Danny yelled back, already launching himself through the opening regardless of potential cuts.

“WHAT?” Valerie screeched back, lingering before following suit.

“The Fenton Family Home Defense System locks the windows upon activation, with or without shutter activation! Even when it turns back off they’re stuck until you do a manual unlock!”

He was already bounding through the backyard, sailing himself over the fence without a second thought.

“Danny, in what world does that make sense!?”

Valerie was close behind.

“The one where my parents designed it! And the one where you’d then be stuck in a house with more weapons than people!”

“Danny, your parents are still nuts for locking-!”

“Losing battle! Pick and choose! Keep running!”

Valerie’s laugh was clear, like bells as they continued across town.

The stress was obviously getting to her- yet it was almost infectious. This was insane!

Eventually, well after they’d gone from a residential area back to business, he was yanked into a new back alley, Valerie still grinning as she caught her breath.

“And what about the door?”

“Also locked.”

She missed a beat before speaking again.

“So, what, not even the doors work until you do a system reset? That’s stupid.”

Danny had to laugh at himself right now.

“No, I just don’t remember the passcode! That door is pretty normal.”

“But you can’t leave without a code from the inside?”

“Normal for my house!” He giggled.

They were left with wheezing laughter over a near miss that wasn’t that funny to begin with.

Eventually Valerie’s hand left his shirt collar, moving to push him back slightly. Intimacy time over.

“Okay, Danny. Your parents are nuts and we don’t trust them not to shoot. Where are we going?”

“Well I could always hide in a dumpster again, but outside of that I don’t have any ideas. Sam’s busy and Jazz… well, is it Tuesday or is it Thursday, actually?”

Valerie gave him the blankest look imaginable for his question.

“It’s Saturday.”

… Well then!

“Okay, well, Jazz is tutoring. Probably. So she’s busy.”

“And Tucker, since you seem to trust your friends with this one?”

... What?

“Uh. At a tech camp somewhere in-”

“Got it. The basement might help, you said?”

Right, back to topic.

“I cannot stress that ‘might’ part enough. We’ve got a lot of weird stuff down there that’s come in handy in really stupid ways before.”

“Okay, well, that’s not great. You got an idea on how to get your parents out of the house?”

“Not in the slightest.” He admitted, shrugging as he spoke.

“Superb. Just fantastic. Okay, maybe we could camp at my place for an hour? At least until... or. Hm.”

Valerie finally lost her focus on him, looking to the side in thought.

Danny had to give credit where it was due that they were screwed in a different way, now.

Valerie’s fast turn saved his hide so he was certainly much farther than he thought he’d get, but there wasn’t much they could throw at his parents to make them disengage with the mess of wires Technus left behind. It was now valuable research material, at best.

Delightful.

“My place is probably for the best. Christ, that’s a distance to go.” Valerie muttered.

“Not to interrupt, but yeah actually. How are we getting there? Is your suit broken, or…?”

“Broken is a strong word. It self repairs, but yes, I’m grounded right now. And though I care about you, the huntress getting seen towing Phantom would not be good.”

There it was again, slighter than before but still present. The slight dissonance in how the situation was getting viewed.

Easy to shrug and move on though, right?

He probably shouldn’t.

“So… not to-”

“Look, we need to start moving. You’ve got a hat or something?”

“Man, I wish.”

“Okay, okay… shitty question, but Phantom can fly. Obviously. What can you do right now…?”

Uh.

“Uh. Nothing? Look, the blast- I think… Sorry, but what do you think happened? I just-”

Valerie’s eyes narrowed a touch in preemptive insult.

“Calling my explanation the abridged version gives it too much credit! I just want to make sure you understand what happened, and what you’re asking??”

Best cover he could’ve used, honestly.

Valerie cringed in on herself, obviously realizing something.

“Uhm, sorry, I didn’t mean to… Look, sorry. I know being in his body is probably really weird? But my place is over in Elmerton, and it’d be really helpful if one of us could… I’m sorry.”

She’d dodged the real question, but still managed to give the answer Danny needed.

In… this body…?

Oh. Oh boy.

[chrissbluehat]

Nervous

part 1

Pairing : y/n and Chris Sturniolo 

Summary: you lived a pretty standard life, you kept to yourself mostly, and never felt you drew the eyes of anyone. Though this always felt conflicting when comparing yourself to friends. This was until a boy came into your life and flipped it completely around.

Sorry I kept forgetting to post this, hope you enjoy

Warnings : none

I have the window down, the evening breeze running through my hair. Jenna is driving me back to my house. As we travel all I can think about is the interaction I had with Chris earlier. The whole thing felt like a fever dream, it all felt a little too pleasant as if I was thrown straight into a book with no warning and the chapter was re-enacted around me. I didn’t understand why he would have gone out of his way to talk to a girl he didn’t know before then, maybe his drink got to him and he was simply bored. The thought of him felt suffocating, my thoughts were then broken by Jenna catching my attention. “Are you good? The way you’re staring is starting to creep me out a bit”, I can hear her laugh a bit, and I give her a half smile.

“Yeah I'm okay”, Jenna nodded at my response and looked back at the road. I contemplated telling her about my conversation with Chris but I didn’t want to make it into a bigger thing than it was, I mean it was just one conversation. I wasn’t hiding it, it simply just was not that big of a deal, I thought to reassure myself. 

She drops me home and I head straight up to my room, quietly, since it was late and I knew everyone would have been asleep. I slump onto my bed, thoughts all still on one person. Is this what it feels like to like someone? This feels like a form of torture, I needed a break but I couldn’t get one. My mind was not free of that brunette and I honestly wasn't sure it would ever be. I change quickly and get into bed, thoughts still captured.

The rest of the weekend wasn’t much different. I saw him in everything I did, it was starting to become exhausting. The worst part was that he probably hadn’t given a second thought since departing from that bench and that hurt more. I mean there was no real reason for him to remember that, it probably wasn’t even significant to him remotely. My days ended the same, with him plastered around my mind similar to the way girls had posters of their celebrity crushes around their room, when thinking about it that way it became slightly comforting.

On Monday, I got up slightly earlier. Usually I stayed in bed until my mum came in and yelled that i’m going to be late. I started getting ready straight away. Shower and then skin care that I kind of just had for the aesthetic. I then put on more make-up than I usually would, it wasn’t heaps, just mascara and a tinted lip gloss rather than my usual bare face that I was too lazy to cover up. I found an outfit that was reasonable, a simple brandy graphic tee and jeans and I went down for breakfast, my mom gave me a weird look. She usually would if I changed anything about my appearance, but I ignored her and had my breakfast and started walking to school. 

Once in homeroom, I took my seat. Fortunately they were assigned which removed the anxiety of having to make sure no one has taken your unassigned seat each day. A couple minutes later my friend Maisie came in, she sat just in front of me so I had someone to talk to through that period. As we were talking a bunch of guys arrived late making an unnecessary amount of noise, I looked up to see who it was and then I spotted him, the guy that had consumed my thoughts all weekend. How I even let him slip my mind was beyond me. I looked over at him, but he didn’t even glance in my direction, I could tell that his eyes didn’t even search for mine. He headed over to his seat before the teacher came up to him and one of his other friends and made them hand out something with each of our names on it as some kind of punishment for arriving late rather than just giving them the usual detention, I guess she was tired of signing for them. They made their way around the classroom and Chris then walked towards me.

“Are you Y/N?” I nodded my head and took the paper, in the moment I felt crushed. He didn’t even remember my name. I wanted to crawl into a ball and hide from everyone but I knew I couldn't do that, so I acted as natural as I could and pretended that that comment didn’t bother me in any way. I thought about that moment for the rest of the day, it distracted me all day and I paid no attention to anything else. I practically ran home so that I could finally wrap myself in my bed and sob over a boy that I barely knew. My feelings about him confused me. I was confused as to why I was so sure I would be significant for him to remember, I'd built up a big moment for no reason and I felt utterly pathetic for it. 

He continued consuming my thoughts but not in the way I had previously enjoyed when he appeared in my mind. The cold memory was on replay as if on a bad vhs tape, I couldn’t escape it. Every time I saw him all I could hear was his voice asking for my name. I tried to replace it with the memory from the party but that file was damaged and wouldn’t fill in the void the way it once did.

After the first week I had nearly given up hope, that was until I caught him glancing at me. I caught his eyes and he quickly turned back around. I put my head down smiling to myself. After that we communicated in looks and quick glances from across the room and in between classes in the hall. It started off once or twice a day and began to grow more frequently. We were both conscious to do it when our friends weren’t looking and their attention wasn’t on us. When I thought of him I now saw flashes of his pretty blue eyes and the way his hair gently draped over them, this slowly started to eat away at the negative memory and replaced it, the thought of him no longer hurt. 

After the first glance I'd become a little bit invested in him, to the point where I found myself searching for him anywhere. This search started off at the sports games that I was forced to go to, though the thrill of him maybe being that washed out the annoyance. Though after a couple games I discovered that he’d never go, which I thought was off considering his friends were all there. There was one time that I thought he’d come for once only to realise that it was someone that looked exactly like him, I then discovered there was another. I’m honestly shocked that I never realised that there were triplets here, luckily they each have pretty different hair so I now know how to tell when it’s Chris and when it’s not conveniently. I searched for him online. In the weeks that we started noticing each other, I became tempted to just message him, I had found him online after stalking through his friends' accounts. 

It wasn't too difficult to find, he used to post a lot but I'd noticed he hadn’t updated it in a couple months, I also noticed that he posted with his brothers a lot, it was easier to tell them apart when they were next to each other, which was helpful. After looking for a way to message him I ended up coming to the conclusion that it was better to not interact with him there, just so I didn’t come off as overbearing too early on. I’d wait for him to give me a signal first. I then searched for him in conversations. In homeroom one day I overheard his name being mentioned by Maisie and some girl that I wasn't really familiar with. I knew she was linked to Chris's friends though. I heard her refer to him as weird and kind of peculiar. 

“Yeah since he quit lacrosse he’s been a bit off, like he was a bit much before but now I forget he’s even there”,

“Literally, and when you do realise he’s just acting all moody and miserable, like why drag yourself somewhere if you’re going to ruin it for everyone else”, Maisie scoffed. I furrowed my eyebrows at her words. I wasn’t sure why I felt so offended for him. I mean I didn’t know him, we were barely even friends. My eyes slowly wandered over to him, and I realised he already had his eyes on me, making me smile a bit. I often wondered how long these glances would last before he either lost interest or spoke to me again, little did I know one of those options would happen a little faster than I thought.