#set & trent | nothing grows here. | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

pdriesta · 4 months ago

Text

CHAPTER FOUR

“even when it’s bad, i love you”

pairing — trentxblack!girl

genre — angst, angst and more angst

word count — 10k

summary — y/n and trent's once strong relationship is strained by his growing distance and her unexpected pregnancy. as they clash over their future, y/n faces the painful choice of leaving behind the love and they love they worked so hard creating. will they overcome their struggles and rebuild their love, or will their fractured bond break beyond repair?

an —i've become so attached tho this couple i could write about them forever. also, thank you to everyone who waited, let me your thoughts!!

masterlist

the soft morning light filtered into the kitchen, casting a golden glow over the countertops as y/n stirred a pot of oats absentmindedly. the gentle hum of the kettle filled the air, the scent of cinnamon and honey mingling with the early quiet. her mind wandered to the therapy session the day before, the vulnerability of it all still weighing heavily on her chest. she hadn’t slept much, tossing and turning with thoughts that wouldn’t settle.

trent padded into the kitchen, his bare feet barely making a sound against the floor. he hesitated by the door, watching her as she moved about the space, and for a moment, he almost turned around. but he took a breath, gathering his courage, and walked toward the counter, his fingers nervously tapping the surface. it had been longer than either of them wanted to admit since they’d gone out—since they’d done anything just the two of them. and now, standing in front of her, trent found himself fumbling for words in a way that felt foreign and awkward.

"uh, morning," he mumbled, his voice quieter than usual, as if he was testing the waters.

y/n turned slightly, offering him a soft, tired smile. "morning."

the air between them felt thick, heavy with things left unsaid. y/n didn’t push, didn’t ask him what was on his mind—she knew him well enough to see that he was already deep in thought. instead, she returned to stirring the oats, giving him space, but her heart beat a little faster in her chest. she could feel the weight of something unspoken hovering in the air.

trent swallowed, glancing down at his feet before looking back up at her. he opened his mouth, closed it again, then let out a quiet sigh. “so, um…” his voice cracked slightly, and he cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “i was thinking… maybe, i mean… we could… maybe go out? later? like, uh… on a date? with me?”

his words came out in a jumbled rush, and for a second, y/n wasn’t sure she heard him right. her hand stilled on the spoon, her eyes widening in surprise as she turned fully toward him. it had been a while—far longer than she cared to admit—since they’d gone out together, just the two of them. the question caught her completely off guard.

“you… you want to go on a date?” she asked, her voice soft, almost disbelieving. she wasn’t sure she’d heard those words from him in what felt like forever.

trent’s cheeks flushed, and he let out a nervous laugh, his eyes dropping to the floor. “yeah… yeah, i do. i mean, if you want to. i know it’s been a while, and we’ve had a lot going on, but… i was thinking maybe we could… i don’t know, just spend some time together. nothing big, just… us.”

y/n blinked at him, her heart swelling with a mix of surprise and affection. she hadn’t expected this, not after everything they’d been through lately. things had been tense, difficult, and there were days when it felt like they were barely holding on. but here he was, standing in front of her, shy and fumbling over his words like he hadn’t been her boyfriend for years. it made her heart ache and warm all at once.

she set the spoon down and took a step closer to him, her eyes searching his face. “you’re asking me out?” she teased, a small, tentative smile pulling at the corners of her lips. “on a date?”

trent chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck again. “yeah… i guess i am. i just… i miss you. i miss us. and i thought maybe we could, you know, start small. do something normal, like we used to.”

y/n’s heart softened at his words, and she felt the sting of tears prick at the back of her eyes, though she didn’t let them fall. he was trying—really trying—and it meant more to her than she could put into words. without saying anything, she reached out, resting her hand on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm.

“i’d love to,” she said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. “a date sounds perfect.”

trent let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he looked down at her with a shy, grateful smile. “yeah? i wasn’t sure if you’d… you know…”

y/n shook her head, stepping even closer until there was only a breath between them. “i want to, trent. we need this… i need this. it’s been a while.”

trent’s hand came up to rest on her waist, his thumb brushing gently over the fabric of her shirt. “i know… i’m sorry it’s been so long. i just thought maybe we could go to a café or something… maybe walk around the botanical gardens after. nothing fancy, just… us.”

her smile grew as she looked up at him, feeling the warmth of his presence envelop her. “that sounds perfect,” she whispered, leaning into his touch. “i’m really glad you asked.”

trent’s shy grin turned into something softer, more familiar, as he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead, lingering there for a moment. “me too,” he murmured against her skin, the warmth of his breath sending a shiver down her spine.

they stood there, wrapped in the quiet intimacy of the moment, the weight of their struggles easing just slightly. it wasn’t everything, but it was something—something real, something hopeful. and for the first time in a while, y/n felt like maybe, just maybe, they were going to be okay.

the afternoon sun streamed through the bedroom window as y/n stood in front of her closet, her fingers absently trailing over the fabric of her clothes. her mind wandered as she thought about the date trent had asked her on earlier. it had been so long since they had done anything just the two of them, and though the thought of it made her heart flutter, there was still that nervous knot in her stomach—things hadn’t been easy between them. they were still figuring it all out.

she pulled out an oversized cardigan and a pair of baggy jeans, soft and comfortable. with everything going on, she wanted to feel at ease, especially if they got pictured. her hand instinctively rested on her still-flat stomach, a quiet reminder of the life growing inside her. the thought of their baby made her smile, a small, secretive smile, even amidst the uncertainty.

after pulling on her clothes and slipping into some sneakers, she gave herself a once-over in the mirror. nothing fancy—just like trent said. simple, comfortable, but still hers. the oversized cardigan hung loosely around her, and she pulled it tighter around her frame, the fabric soft against her skin. it wasn’t anything special, but it felt right.

she made her way downstairs, the soft thud of her footsteps against the wooden floor announcing her arrival. as she rounded the corner into the living room, she spotted trent standing by the window, his back to her, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his joggers. he was wearing that white shirt she loved—the one that fit him just right, accentuating his broad shoulders. her heart did a little flip at the sight of him, so familiar yet so new, like seeing him for the first time all over again.

trent turned around at the sound of her steps, and when his eyes landed on her, they softened, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "you look beautiful," he murmured, his voice low, almost shy.

y/n’s cheeks warmed at his compliment, and she smiled back, shaking her head slightly. "it’s just a cardigan," she said, her voice light, playful.

trent shrugged, stepping closer to her, his gaze never leaving her face. "still… you look beautiful." his eyes briefly dropped to her stomach, then back up to her eyes, something tender and unspoken passing between them.

she glanced at him, taking in how effortlessly handsome he looked in his joggers and that white shirt. it wasn’t anything fancy, but she didn’t need it to be. he was trent, and that was more than enough. "you know," she said, her voice softening as she looked him over, "you always look good in white."

he smiled, a little bashful. "you think?"

"mm-hmm," she hummed, stepping closer to him, her hand brushing against his arm. "always."

they stood there for a moment, the silence between them not uncomfortable but familiar, like the calm before something new. then, trent reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers gently. "ready to go?" he asked, his voice warm, but there was a hint of nervousness there, like this date really mattered.

y/n nodded, squeezing his hand in return. "yeah. let's go."

the café they chose wasn’t far—just a small, quiet place tucked away from the busier streets. they ordered their drinks, something simple, and sat at a table near the window, sunlight streaming in around them. it felt… easy. normal. y/n sipped her tea, watching trent across from her, and for a moment, it felt like they were on their first date all over again.

trent must have been thinking the same thing because he smiled, a soft, nostalgic smile, and said, "this feels like our first date all over again, doesn’t it?"

y/n laughed quietly, setting her cup down. "yeah, except this time, we’re living together… and we’re having a baby." her voice was light, but there was a weight to her words—like they were stepping into something bigger, something more real.

trent’s smile softened, and his eyes met hers across the table. "yeah… plus a baby," he repeated, the words lingering in the air between them. his hand reached across the table, his fingers brushing against hers. "does that still feel crazy to you?"

y/n nodded, her hand slipping into his, their fingers locking together. "it feels unreal," she admitted quietly. "sometimes, i still can’t believe it… that we’re going to be parents."

trent looked down at their joined hands, his thumb gently tracing the back of her hand. "yeah… i think about it all the time. it’s… scary, y’know? but also exciting. like, i’m scared i’m not gonna get it right, but i want to try. i want to be everything our baby needs."

his honesty touched her, and she squeezed his hand gently. "you’re going to be amazing, trent. i know it. and we’re going to figure it out together. we’ve already come so far."

he looked up at her, a small, grateful smile tugging at his lips. "i don’t know what i’d do without you," he murmured, his voice soft, sincere. "i’m just glad we’re doing this… that we’re trying. i’ve missed this—missed us."

y/n’s heart swelled at his words, and she smiled, her fingers tightening around his. "me too," she whispered. "i’m glad you asked me out today. it feels like… like we’re getting back to something we lost for a while."

trent nodded, his eyes warm as he looked at her. "yeah, it does… it feels good. like maybe we’re finding our way back."

they stayed at the café for a while, talking about little things and big things, laughing softly as they remembered their early days together. there was a tenderness to it all, a quiet rebuilding of something fragile but strong, something they both wanted to hold on to.

later, they found themselves walking through the botanical gardens, the soft hum of the wind through the trees filling the quiet spaces between their conversations. y/n walked beside trent, her hand nestled in his, her heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time. the early stages of her pregnancy were still fresh, still filled with a sense of disbelief and uncertainty, but being here with him, in this moment, it felt… safe.

they hadn’t been like this—easy, natural—in so long. too long. since before the argument. the argument that made her leave. the one where he said she wasn’t ready. the words still echoed in her mind, sharp and painful like they had just been spoken. even now, there was a part of her that hadn’t fully forgiven him. how could she? she could still see the frustration in his eyes, the way his jaw clenched, his voice low and cutting, telling her she wasn’t ready to be a mom. that neither of them were.

her fingers tightened slightly around his as the memory threatened to surface fully, but she pushed it down. now wasn’t the time. it never felt like the time.

but trent felt it too. he always did. his thumb brushed over the back of her hand as if to offer some quiet apology, but it wasn’t enough. it never really was. he had never really said it—not in the way she needed. she could feel his eyes flicker over to her, like he knew what she was thinking, like he was waiting for her to say it.

"do you think," y/n began softly, her voice breaking the silence, "we’ll be good parents?"

trent glanced at her, his grip on her hand tightening slightly, and for a second, the question hung in the air, the weight of it settling between them. "i think we will," he said after a moment, his voice gentle but sure. "it won’t be easy, but… i think we’ll figure it out. we’ve always found a way, right?"

y/n looked up at him, her heart swelling with affection, but there was still that doubt, that ache she couldn’t quite shake. "yeah, we have," she agreed softly, but her voice wavered. she hesitated, her eyes dropping to the path in front of them. "but i’m scared though. sometimes… sometimes, i wonder if i’m ready for this. for all of it."

the words came out quietly, but the meaning was loud, clear. and she knew he felt it too. trent stopped walking, turning to face her fully, his hands gently cupping her face as he looked down at her, his expression softening. "you’re gonna be an amazing mom, y/n. i know it."

she wanted to believe him, wanted to feel the comfort in his words, but there was still that part of her—small, bruised—that remembered how he had looked at her that night, how he’d questioned everything, including her. her throat tightened at the memory, and before she could stop herself, the words slipped out. "you didn’t think so before."

his face fell at that, his brows furrowing with regret. "y/n…" he started, his voice low and pained. "i didn’t mean that. i swear, i didn’t."

"but you said it." her voice was soft, almost fragile. "you said i wasn’t ready."

trent’s hands dropped from her face, and he sighed, the weight of the past pressing down on him. "i know," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "i said it because i was scared. i didn’t know how to handle any of it. i thought… i thought pushing you away would make it easier. but it didn’t. i just… i’m sorry." his voice cracked, and she could see the sincerity in his eyes, the apology she had needed for so long finally spilling out. "i never should’ve doubted you."

her chest tightened, and she looked down, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. "you hurt me, trent. i didn’t expect you to be okay with everything right away, but… you saying that? it made me feel like i couldn’t do this. like i wasn’t good enough."

"you are," he said quickly, his voice breaking as he stepped closer to her, reaching for her hands again. "you are good enough. you’re more than enough. i hate that i made you feel like that. i was wrong, and i’m so, so sorry."

she met his eyes, her vision blurry with unshed tears. she had needed to hear those words, even if they didn’t take away the hurt completely. she had needed to hear him say that he was wrong, that he believed in her. because she wasn’t sure if she even believed in herself yet.

trent’s voice softened, filled with emotion. "you’re gonna be an amazing mum, y/n. i know you’re scared, but so am i. we’re in this together. i promise, we’ll figure it out. and i’ll be with you every step of the way."

her tears finally spilled over, and she didn’t bother to wipe them away as she nodded, leaning into his touch. "i just… i don’t know how to be a mom. what if i mess everything up?"

trent shook his head, pulling her closer, his forehead resting against hers. "you won’t. you won’t mess it up. you’re gonna be incredible because you care. because you already love our baby. and that’s what makes you ready. more than anything else."

his words sank into her, and she let out a shaky breath, her fingers curling into his shirt as she held onto him. the tears flowed freely now, but they weren’t just tears of sadness or fear. they were tears of release, of letting go of that weight she had been carrying for so long.

"we’re gonna be okay," trent whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "we’ll figure it all out. i believe in you."

she nodded against him, her tears wetting his shirt, but he didn’t care. he just held her tighter, pressing soft kisses to the top of her head. as they stood there, surrounded by the quiet beauty of the garden, y/n felt something shift between them—something fragile, something mending. they were still healing, still figuring out how to be whole again, but this… this was a start. and for now, it was enough.

the morning sun streamed gently through the curtains, casting a warm, golden light across the room. y/n stirred from sleep, her senses instantly alert to the familiar, comforting presence beside her. trent’s steady breathing and the soft rustling of the sheets were reassuringly constant.

since y/n sleepless night, their relationship had started to shift in subtle, beautiful ways. trent had made it a habit to bring y/n flowers, small tokens of his affection that brightened her day and filled the room with the sweet scent of blooming petals. each bouquet, whether it was a single daisy or a vibrant arrangement, was a testament to his growing commitment to their healing process.

this morning was no exception. as y/n opened her eyes, she noticed a vase of delicate lilies on the bedside table, their white petals opening gracefully. she reached out and gently touched one of the flowers, a soft smile forming on her lips.

trent, already awake and propped up on one elbow, watched her with a contented smile. “good morning,” he murmured, his voice warm and tender.

“good morning,” y/n replied, her voice filled with a sleepy affection. she turned to face him, her eyes soft and appreciative. “thank you for the flowers. they’re beautiful.”

“anything for you,” trent said, his gaze holding hers with a sincerity that made her heart swell. “i thought they’d add a bit of sunshine to our morning.”

y/n’s smile widened, her fingers brushing against his cheek in a tender gesture. “you’re really good at this, you know. at making things better.”

“i’m trying,” he admitted, his eyes reflecting the depth of his feelings. “i want us to be okay. to be more than okay. i want us to be happy.”

their mornings had taken on a new rhythm since their talk. y/n found herself enjoying small, everyday moments with trent that deepened their connection. she cooked his favorite breakfasts, prepared with care and love, and found joy in the little things that reminded her of their bond.

a few days ago, she had surprised him with his favorite homemade pie, something they used to bake together on lazy weekends. the simple act of preparing it had been a nostalgic reminder of their early days together, filling their home with the comforting aroma of cinnamon and apples. trent had been overjoyed, his face lighting up as he took the first bite.

now, as they lay together, the old dynamics of their relationship were slowly reawakening. their conversations were filled with laughter, their touches were more frequent and intimate, and the distance that had once been a chasm was narrowing.

trent reached out, his hand finding hers beneath the covers. “i’m really glad you’re here,” he said softly. “it feels like we’re getting back to the way we were. maybe even better.”

“me too,” y/n agreed, her fingers intertwining with his. “it feels different now. not just about the physical part but… the closeness. the way we’re reconnecting.”

trent nodded, his gaze tender. “it’s like we’re rediscovering each other, piece by piece. and even though nothing has happened between us yet, it feels like we’re closer than before.”

“i feel that too,” y/n admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “it’s like we’re building something new, but with the same old love.”

their mornings had become a sanctuary of sorts, a time when they could simply be together, sharing their hopes and dreams while savoring the comfort of each other’s presence. the intimacy they were rediscovering was more profound than physical touch—it was an emotional closeness that bound them together in a way that was both healing and reassuring.

trent leaned in, his forehead resting gently against hers. “i’m so glad we’re doing this. that we’re making it work.”

“me too,” y/n said softly. “i love you, trent. more than words can say.”

“i love you too,” trent replied, his voice filled with a deep, unwavering sincerity. “and i love you too, my little one. i’m here for you. always.”

as they lay together, the warmth of their shared space enveloped them, a silent testament to the journey they were on. the road ahead was still uncertain, but the small steps they were taking each day brought them closer to a future filled with hope, love, and renewed commitment.

their next therapy session began with a familiar quiet between them, a quiet that had settled into their lives like a third presence. y/n sat beside trent, her hands folded neatly in her lap, her thumb idly rubbing against her palm as the therapist’s voice brought them into the conversation.

“so, how has the week been?” the therapist asked, his eyes moving between the two of them.

trent spoke first, his voice calm but guarded. “it’s been good. better than it was before, for sure.”

y/n nodded in agreement, but there was something unsaid behind her eyes, something that hung in the air between them. “yeah, it’s been… nice. different, but in a good way.”

the therapist leaned forward slightly, sensing the undercurrent in her words. “different how?”

y/n shifted in her seat, her fingers tightening for a brief moment before relaxing. “we’re... spending more time together. like, really together. and i think we’re figuring out how to be close again without... rushing it.”

trent glanced at her, his eyes softening. “we’ve been taking things slow, but i feel like we’re getting back to... us.”

the therapist nodded, a small smile forming on his face. “it sounds like you’ve made a lot of progress. intimacy is about more than physical closeness, and it seems like you’re rediscovering that connection. would you both agree?”

y/n hesitated, her gaze lowering to the floor. “i do,” she said quietly, but there was a tension in her voice, a hesitance that trent noticed immediately.

he shifted in his seat, turning to face her more fully. “what’s on your mind?”

she swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest as she debated whether to speak the thoughts that had been weighing on her for so long. “it’s just... i’ve been thinking,” she began slowly, her voice wavering slightly. “about why things felt so off for a while. why we weren’t... you know... intimate.”

trent’s brows furrowed, his confusion evident. “we’ve talked about that, though, haven’t we? i told you it wasn’t because of anything you did.”

y/n nodded, but the uncertainty remained in her eyes. “i know. but... i guess part of me thought that maybe the reason you didn’t want us to have a baby was because you didn’t want me anymore.”

the room felt impossibly still in that moment, the weight of her words sinking into the air like heavy stones. trent’s face fell, a mixture of shock and hurt crossing his features as he stared at her.

“what?” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “y/n, no. that’s not... that’s not what it was.”

she blinked, her eyes glistening as she tried to explain the swirling emotions that had consumed her. “i just... we hadn’t been together in so long. i didn’t understand why you were pulling away, and it made me think that maybe... you weren’t attracted to me anymore. or that i wasn’t enough for you.”

trent shook his head, disbelief etched into every line of his face. “no, baby, no. that’s not it. that’s never been it. i’ve always wanted you. i never stopped.”

the therapist, sensing the depth of the conversation, stayed quiet for a moment, allowing them to speak freely.

“then why did it feel like you didn’t?” y/n asked, her voice breaking slightly. “i mean, you wouldn’t even talk about having a baby with me. you just shut down, and i didn’t understand. i thought... i thought it was me.”

trent ran a hand down his face, his shoulders slumping as the weight of her misunderstanding hit him hard. “it wasn’t you,” he said again, his voice strained. “it was me. i’ve been going through my own things, and i didn’t know how to deal with it.”

the therapist leaned in slightly, his voice calm and steady. “trent, what were you going through?”

trent exhaled deeply, his hand running through his hair as he tried to find the right words. “i didn’t feel like i was good enough,” he admitted, his voice raw with vulnerability. “not for y/n, not for football, not for anything. everything that was happening on the field... the criticism, the pressure, the media... it just got to me. i started losing confidence, and every time i came home, i felt like i wasn’t... enough for her. for us.”

y/n’s eyes softened as she listened, her heart aching for him. “trent, why didn’t you tell me?”

he looked at her, guilt flashing in his eyes. “i didn’t want to make you worry. i thought if i just... pushed through it, it would go away. but it didn’t. and then when you brought up having a baby, it was like... i couldn’t even handle what i had on my plate. i felt like i wasn’t ready. and i didn’t want to let you down.”

“you didn’t let me down,” she whispered, reaching out to take his hand. “but it hurt. it hurt not knowing what you were going through. it hurt thinking you didn’t want this... didn’t want me.”

trent squeezed her hand, his grip firm and grounding. “i’ve never stopped wanting you. not once. i just... i was so stuck in my head, i didn’t know how to get out.”

the therapist nodded, his voice gentle but firm. “trent, it sounds like you’ve been carrying a lot of this burden alone. and y/n, it’s understandable that you felt hurt by his distance. but now that we’re talking about it, this is a moment where you can start to understand each other again. trent, your feelings of not being enough were never about y/n, but it’s important to acknowledge that your silence made her feel rejected.”

trent nodded, his eyes filled with remorse. “i know. and i’m sorry for that. i should’ve talked to you. i should’ve told you what was going on in my head instead of just shutting down.”

y/n’s thumb brushed over the back of his hand as she gave him a small, understanding smile. “we’re talking about it now. that’s what matters.”

the therapist leaned back in his chair, his expression warm. “this feels like a big step forward for both of you. trent, opening up about your struggles with self-worth is a huge step, and y/n, being able to express how his distance affected you is just as important.”

he paused for a moment, letting the weight of their conversation settle before continuing. “your homework this week is to continue building on this communication. intimacy is more than physical closeness—it’s about feeling secure in your relationship. you both want that, and now you’re taking the steps to rebuild that foundation.”

trent nodded, his gaze fixed on y/n. “i want that,” he said softly, his voice filled with sincerity.

y/n smiled, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks. “me too.”

they left the session feeling like a weight had been lifted, the beginnings of something healing starting to bloom between them.

and for the first time in a long time, it felt like they were truly moving forward.

the soft glow of the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a golden hue over the room. y/n sat on the couch, her feet tucked beneath her, her hand resting gently on her growing belly. she was scrolling through her phone, aimlessly browsing, when she heard trent’s familiar footsteps padding down the hall.

he appeared in the doorway, his gaze immediately softening as it landed on her. a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he moved towards her, his eyes dropping to her belly before flicking back up to her face.

“morning,” he murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to her temple. his hand instinctively found its place on her belly, his thumb stroking the fabric of her shirt where their baby lay growing.

“morning,” y/n replied, a playful smile creeping onto her face as she felt his touch linger. “you’re up early.”

“couldn’t sleep,” trent said, his voice still heavy with sleep. “plus, i didn’t want to miss my two favorite people this morning.”

y/n laughed softly, rolling her eyes. “you’re getting soft on me.”

“i’ve always been soft for you,” he quipped, his voice low as he shifted closer. his fingers moved in gentle circles on her belly as he lowered himself beside her, his hand never leaving her. “and this little one...”

he leaned down, his lips brushing against her belly. “morning, baby. daddy’s here.” he whispered the words like a secret, his voice tender and filled with warmth.

y/n’s heart melted at the sight, watching him so absorbed in the moment, talking to their baby like it was the most natural thing in the world. “you know, they can’t hear you yet.”

trent lifted his head, his lips curving into a smirk. “don’t care. i want them to know i’m always talking to them.”

he placed another kiss on her belly before sitting up, his hand resting on her leg now. “how are you feeling? everything okay?”

“i’m good,” she reassured him, leaning into his touch. “a bit tired, but nothing new.”

he studied her for a moment, his eyes flickering with something suggestive. “you should be resting, though. you’re carrying my child, after all.”

y/n laughed, catching the playful tone in his voice. “oh, so it’s your child now?”

trent grinned, shifting closer, his fingers gently brushing over her thigh. “our child,” he corrected, his voice dropping. “but you’re doing all the work right now, so i figure the least i can do is take care of you.”

he moved his hand further up her leg, his eyes locking with hers in a way that made her heart race. there was something in the way he looked at her now, something more confident, more assured, like he was finally embracing all the love and desire he’d been holding back.

“and how exactly do you plan to take care of me?” y/n teased, her voice light but her heart pounding as he closed the distance between them.

trent’s eyes gleamed with mischief as he leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. “i have a few ideas,” he murmured, his lips grazing her skin in a way that sent shivers down her spine.

before she could respond, he shifted, lifting her effortlessly onto his lap. his hands slid up her sides, his fingers tracing the curve of her waist as he kissed her neck, slow and deliberate. y/n tilted her head, giving him more access, her body instinctively melting into his.

“trent,” she breathed, her fingers threading through his hair as he kissed a path down her neck.

he pulled back slightly, his eyes dark with intent as he looked at her. “what?” his voice was low, teasing, like he knew exactly what he was doing to her.

“you’re unbelievable,” she whispered, her lips curving into a smile.

“and yet, you love me,” he said, a cocky grin spreading across his face as he brushed his lips over hers, barely touching but enough to drive her crazy.

“unfortunately,” she teased, rolling her eyes as she tried to suppress the smile that tugged at her lips.

trent laughed, pulling her closer as his hands rested on her belly. “you know, i’ve been thinking...”

“dangerous,” y/n quipped, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

he grinned. “i’ve been thinking about how lucky i am. that you’re here, that you’re mine, that we’re having a baby together. i never thought i could feel this much for someone.”

y/n’s teasing smile softened at his words, her heart swelling. “you know, you’ve gotten really good at this whole talking-about-your-feelings thing,” she said, leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek.

trent shrugged, his eyes twinkling. “therapy, i guess. or maybe it’s just you.”

she raised an eyebrow, smirking. “smooth.”

his hands tightened on her waist, pulling her closer again. “i’m serious, though. i love you, y/n. and i love our baby. more than i ever thought possible.”

her heart fluttered at his words, her fingers gently tracing his jaw. “i love you too, trent. more than you’ll ever know.”

he kissed her then, slow and deep, his lips lingering on hers as his hands cradled her belly, as if he was holding both her and their baby in his embrace. it was moments like these that reminded her just how far they had come, how much they had rebuilt.

when he finally pulled back, his forehead resting against hers, he smiled. “you’re stuck with me, you know.”

“lucky me,” she whispered, her voice filled with warmth.

“lucky us,” he corrected, pressing another kiss to her lips before adding with a smirk, “now, about those ideas for how i can take care of you...”

she laughed, pushing him playfully. “you better get going to training before you’re late.”

trent chuckled, standing up and pressing one last kiss to her belly before heading towards the door. “i love you both.”

as he left, y/n couldn’t help but smile to herself, feeling the flutter of their baby inside her, knowing they were finally where they needed to be.

trent’s footsteps had barely echoed down the hall before he suddenly stopped, turning back on his heel and reappearing in the doorway. y/n looked up from her spot on the couch, eyebrows raised in playful confusion.

“forget something?” she teased.

without a word, trent strode back over to her, his eyes dark with something intense, something she hadn’t seen in a while. his hands slipped around her waist, pulling her up against him before she could even protest. the warmth of his body pressed into hers, his touch igniting a familiar spark deep within her.

“trent, what—” she started, but he cut her off, his voice low and husky as he leaned down, his lips just brushing her ear.

“do you feel how bad i need you, baby?” his breath was hot against her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

y/n’s breath hitched, her heart racing as his words settled between them. the intensity in his voice, the way his hands gripped her hips like he was afraid to let go—it made her feel dizzy. she could feel the desire radiating off him, his body hard and tense against hers, like he’d been holding this back for far too long.

“trent…” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

he pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, his expression serious now, though the heat between them was undeniable. “i never stopped wanting you. not for a second,” he murmured, his thumb brushing her cheek, his gaze never leaving hers. “i know things have been… complicated. but that hasn’t changed. my love for you hasn’t changed.”

y/n swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in. she could see the vulnerability in his eyes, the raw truth of his admission. it wasn’t just physical—it was deeper than that, the emotional connection they were slowly rebuilding, now laid bare between them.

“do you feel it?” trent whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “how much i need you?”

y/n could only nod, her heart swelling as she rested her hand over his, which was still pressed against her belly. “i do,” she whispered back, her voice trembling. “i feel it.”

trent smiled softly, kissing her forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment before he pulled back again. “but nothing’s gonna happen until you trust me. fully. until you feel safe with me again.”

his words hung in the air between them, and y/n felt a lump form in her throat. she knew he was right—that they needed to rebuild the trust between them before taking that next step. but still, the way he held her, the way his body pressed into hers, it was hard not to want more.

“i know,” she said softly, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. “i’m getting there.”

trent nodded, his expression softening as he pressed a kiss to her neck, this one gentler, filled with reassurance rather than urgency. “good,” he murmured against her lips. “because i’m not going anywhere, baby.”

he pulled back with a teasing grin, stepping away from her slowly, his hand reluctantly dropping from her waist as he backed toward the door. “but until then…” he smirked, his eyes glinting with mischief, “you’re gonna have to be patient.”

y/n’s jaw dropped, and she let out an exasperated laugh. trent! you can’t just leave me like this!” she called after him, her tone a mix of frustration and amusement.

trent winked at her, his hand on the doorframe as he shot her one last smirk. “oh, but i can,” he teased, his voice low. “patience, baby. i’ll make it worth your while.”

and with that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving her standing there, hot and bothered, her heart pounding in her chest.

y/n groaned, throwing her head back as she called after him, “i hate you!”

his laugh echoed down the hall, and she heard him shout back, “ i love you and our baby!”

as much as she wanted to be annoyed, a smile tugged at her lips. even with the teasing and the heat between them, she couldn’t deny the warmth that spread through her chest at his words, at the way he was still making her feel loved, desired, and cherished.

trent’s fingers lingered on the measuring tape as he carefully adjusted it around y/n’s growing belly, his face etched with concentration. “you look so beautiful,” he murmured, his voice full of admiration. but as his eyes flicked between her and the tape, his brows furrowed slightly. “still... i don’t know, you don’t seem that big yet.”

y/n gave him a look, her eyebrow arching. “are you saying i’m not fat enough for you, trent?”

his eyes widened in panic, shaking his head quickly. “nah, nah, baby, i didn’t say that!” he stepped back, hands raised in mock defense, knowing full well he was stepping into dangerous territory. “you’re perfect, just… perfect.”

y/n narrowed her eyes at him, her lips curving into a sly smile. “i want you to say it. go ahead—tell me i’m fat.”

trent’s jaw dropped. “you’re serious?” he hesitated, looking between her and her belly. “you really want me to say that?”

“mm-hmm,” she nodded, crossing her arms, challenging him with her gaze. “say it.”

trent swallowed hard, trying to find a way out of this one. “well… i mean, you’re… pregnant.”

y/n’s glare intensified, and she took a step closer, her eyes fixed on him. “that’s not what i asked, trent.”

he rubbed the back of his neck, clearly flustered. “okay, but—i’m not calling you fat. not happening. you’re literally growing a human inside you, and you look amazing.”

she pursed her lips, unimpressed. “i swear, trent…”

he gave her a soft smile, stepping closer and placing his hands gently on her belly. “baby, you’re stunning. you’re carrying my child, and you look absolutely perfect. i’m not calling you fat because you’re not fat. you’re just... you.”

y/n huffed, but the teasing smile on her face betrayed her. “you always know how to talk your way out of things.”

trent grinned, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “just telling the truth. but no way i’m calling you fat. you’ll thank me later.”

she rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her growing belly. “you’re lucky you’re cute.”

trent dropped the tape, pulling her closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “you’re the lucky one. you’re literally growing my baby.”

y/n leaned into him, resting her head against his chest. “i guess that’s a pretty fair trade.”

as the morning moved on, they finished up and got ready to head to their appointment. as they drove, the radio softly played in the background, trent’s hand gently resting in hers. occasionally, he would lift her hand to his lips, brushing soft kisses over her knuckles as they neared the clinic.

“you nervous?” he asked, his voice soft.

y/n shook her head slightly, smiling at the warmth of his hand in hers. “not nervous… excited, i think. i always imagined i’d have a daughter first,” she admitted, her tone thoughtful.

trent chuckled, giving her hand a light squeeze. “oh? already planning for more of my babies?”

y/n shot him a look, laughing. “you play too much. i need to get this one out first before we even think about more.” she glanced down at their hands, a thoughtful smile playing on her lips. “but honestly… now that i’m having a baby, it doesn’t matter to me. boy or girl, i know i’m gonna love them the same.”

trent nodded, his expression serious for a moment. “yeah… me too.” he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “but… if i’m being honest, i’m kinda hoping for a daughter.”

y/n raised an eyebrow, turning to him with a teasing smile. “oh? and why’s that?”

trent grinned, his eyes soft as they met hers for a moment before returning to the road. “because i want her to be like her beautiful, strong mummy.”

y/n’s heart melted at his words, her fingers tightening around his. “you’re too sweet,” she murmured, feeling her chest warm with love.

trent chuckled, glancing at her again. “just telling the truth.”

they fell into a comfortable silence as the clinic came into view, both of them wrapped up in the excitement of what was to come. trent pulled into the parking lot, cutting the engine before turning to her, his hand still in hers. “no matter what happens in there, girl or boy, you know this baby’s gonna be so loved, right?”

y/n smiled, leaning over to kiss his cheek softly. “i know. and they’re gonna be so lucky to have you as their dad.”

trent’s face softened, and for a moment, the world outside the car didn’t matter. it was just them, building their family, one day at a time.

“ready to go find out if we’re having a mini trent or a mini y/n?” he asked, his voice filled with anticipation.

y/n nodded, taking a deep breath. “let’s do it.”

the sterile smell of the clinic did nothing to calm y/n’s nerves as she sat on the exam table, trent beside her, their fingers still intertwined. her stomach fluttered—not from the babies, but from the overwhelming mix of excitement and fear that always came with appointments like these.

trent leaned over, kissing the side of her head gently. “you okay?”

she nodded, but her voice was quiet. “yeah. just… nervous, i guess.”

he squeezed her hand, offering her that comforting smile that always managed to ease her tension. “no matter what, we’re in this together. i’ve got you.”

before y/n could respond, the door creaked open and the sonographer stepped in with a friendly smile, setting up her equipment. “good morning, you two. ready to see your little one?”

y/n’s breath hitched, and she nodded, trying to relax into the table as she lifted her shirt, exposing her belly. trent held her hand a little tighter, his own nervous excitement evident in the way he kept shifting in his seat.

“this gel might be a bit cold,” the sonographer warned, spreading the substance across y/n’s skin. she shivered at the chill, but trent’s thumb rubbing gentle circles against her hand kept her grounded.

the wand moved over her stomach, and for a few moments, the room was filled with the quiet hum of the machine. y/n’s heart raced in her chest as she focused on the screen, waiting, holding her breath.

then, the rhythmic sound of a heartbeat filled the room, and y/n’s eyes welled up immediately. she glanced at trent, who was staring at the screen, his own eyes wide with awe. he didn’t say anything, but the way his grip on her hand tightened said everything.

“there’s your baby,” the sonographer pointed at the screen, and y/n’s heart swelled, seeing the tiny figure moving ever so slightly. her breath hitched, her emotions overwhelming her as a tear slipped down her cheek.

trent leaned in closer, brushing his thumb across her hand. “that’s… that’s our baby.”

y/n blinked away her tears, her gaze locked on the screen. “our baby,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

but the sonographer’s brow furrowed as she moved the wand slightly, adjusting the angle. “hold on a second…” she murmured, her focus intense on the screen. y/n’s heart rate spiked at the sudden change in the woman’s demeanor.

trent must have noticed too because his grip on her hand tightened further, his body tensing. “is something wrong?” his voice came out more urgent than he intended, the concern clear in his tone.

the sonographer smiled softly, shaking her head. “nothing’s wrong,” she assured them, her fingers moving the wand again. “but… i think i see something else.”

y/n’s breath caught in her throat as she glanced between trent and the screen, her heart pounding harder than ever. “what do you mean?” she asked, her voice shaky.

the sonographer’s smile grew wider, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “well, it seems you’re not just having one baby.” she paused, turning the screen slightly toward them so they could see more clearly. “you’re having two.”

for a moment, the room fell silent. y/n’s eyes widened, her brain struggling to process what she’d just heard. two. she turned to trent, her hand trembling in his. “two?” she repeated, almost in disbelief.

trent’s face was frozen in shock, his mouth slightly open as he stared at the screen. “we’re… we’re having twins?”

the sonographer nodded, clearly enjoying the moment of surprise. “that’s right. two healthy babies.”

y/n’s breath left her in a shaky exhale, her heart soaring as tears filled her eyes once again. she hadn’t expected this—not in her wildest dreams. the sheer magnitude of it hit her all at once, and she let out a small sob, covering her mouth with her free hand.

trent, still in shock, slowly stood up from his chair, his eyes locked on the screen, tears brimming in his own eyes now. “twins…” he whispered, almost to himself, before looking at y/n, his face breaking into the most heartfelt, emotional smile she’d ever seen on him. “we’re having twins.”

trent’s face was frozen in shock, his mouth slightly open as he stared at the screen. “we’re… we’re having twins?”

the sonographer nodded, clearly enjoying the moment of surprise. “that’s right. two healthy babies.”

y/n couldn’t hold back the sob that escaped her lips as she turned toward him, her emotions bubbling over. “twins,” she repeated, her voice shaking with disbelief and joy all at once.

trent reached out, brushing the tears from her cheeks before cupping her face in his hands, his own tears starting to fall. “i can’t believe it,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “we’re having two babies, y/n… two.”

as the sonographer resumed pointing out the two little figures on the screen, trent’s mind flashed back to a moment a few weeks ago—y/n sitting on the couch, her feet resting in his lap as he gently massaged them. she’d been exhausted, her pregnancy getting rougher with each week, and she had sighed dramatically, teasing him. “good luck getting another baby out of me after this,” she’d said, her voice both playful and serious. “i doubt i could handle another pregnancy.”

trent had laughed, but now… now he couldn’t help the smug, satisfied grin pulling at his lips. two babies, he thought, barely able to contain his joy. i got two pregnancies in one. his heart raced, his chest tight with overwhelming love for her and their babies.

the sonographer gave them a few moments before continuing with the scan, pointing out the two little figures on the screen, explaining what she could see. but y/n could hardly focus—her mind was spinning with the reality of what was happening. twins. she was carrying two lives inside of her.

trent wiped his eyes, his hand still firmly clasped in hers as he kept staring at the screen. “we’re gonna need a bigger house,” he joked with tears in his eyes, his voice laced with awe.

y/n laughed, her heart full as she squeezed his hand. “and a lot more nappies.”

“so many nappies,” trent agreed, grinning through his tears.

“twins,” y/n repeated again, as if still trying to wrap her mind around it.

trent leaned closer, whispering in her ear, “remember what you said about not handling another pregnancy?”

y/n’s eyes widened slightly before a soft laugh bubbled out of her. she shook her head, playfully swatting at his arm. “oh, shut up.”

he grinned, barely able to hold in his excitement any longer. “guess i got two pregnancies in one,” he teased, raising his brows with a cheeky smile.

y/n groaned, rolling her eyes with a small smile playing on her lips. “i knew you were going to say that.” she reached over, giving his head a light push, her playful energy returning now that the initial shock had settled.

trent chuckled, still holding her hand as they finished up the scan. the joy was palpable, their shared emotions making the moment even more special. he kissed the back of her hand softly, glancing at her with a warm, loving smile.

“you know,” he began, leaning in closer to whisper, “i think this means i win. two babies, first try.”

y/n laughed, shaking her head in mock exasperation. “oh, please. you’re never going to let this go, are you?”

“absolutely not,” trent replied with a grin, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. “i’m too proud of myself.”

as they left the clinic, y/n playfully nudged him again. “well, have ffun changing every single diaper.”

trent’s smirked. “baby, we established i am amazing. i'm about to be best diaper changer you've ever seen!”, there was no hiding the joy radiating from him. “since i am such an ‘overachiever.’”

“maybe next time we aim for just one baby?” y/n teased, shooting him a look.

trent winked, wrapping his arm around her waist as they walked to the car. “oh, i don’t know… let’s see how we handle these two first.”

they both laughed, the excitement and love between them palpable as they drove home, their hearts full with the anticipation of their growing family.

y/n couldn’t stop touching her belly, her heart bursting with love for the two little souls growing inside her. trent kissed the top of her head, his arm wrapped protectively around her as they made their way out of the clinic, both still in awe of what they’d just discovered.

“i love you,” he whispered as they reached the car, pulling her close, his lips brushing against her temple.

“i love you too,” she whispered back, her voice thick with emotion.

trent pressed his forehead against hers, his voice quiet but full of wonder. “and i love our babies. all of them.”

y/n smiled, her heart swelling with happiness. “our twins,” she whispered, the words feeling so surreal on her lips.

they stood there for a moment, lost in their emotions, before finally getting into the car. as they settled in, y/n leaned her head back, still processing the news. suddenly, she glanced at trent with a playful smirk.

“i should’ve known with how competitive you are,” she teased, rubbing her belly gently. “getting me pregnant with not just one, but two babies? now my body’s never going to be the same.”

trent’s eyebrows shot up, and he turned to her with a grin, but he could see the slight nervousness behind her joke. he leaned over and kissed her cheek lovingly, his lips lingering on hers for a moment. “your body is already perfect,” he murmured against her lips. “and you’re carrying our children. that’s the most beautiful thing i’ve ever seen.”

y/n’s cheeks flushed, her heart swelling at his words. “you don’t have to say that just because i’m freaking out.”

trent leaned back with a playful grin. “oh, i’m not just saying it. i mean it.” his hand reached for her belly, gently brushing his thumb over it. “i’m in awe of you, baby. and after this, i’m sure you’ll look even more beautiful than you already do.”

y/n rolled her eyes, playfully swatting at his arm. “you’re just trying to flirt your way out of me calling you an overachiever.”

trent laughed. “i won’t deny that. but, if it makes you feel any better, i think two babies are the perfect number.”

“perfect?” she raised an eyebrow, teasing. “are you sure? because if you think my body’s changing now, wait until i’m carrying around two babies at once. you won’t recognize me.”

trent gave her a smoldering look, his eyes darkening slightly as his fingers trailed lightly over her hand. “oh, i’ll recognize you,” he said, his voice low. “and trust me, i’ll love every single change, every curve, everything. you’re carrying our babies, y/n. nothing’s ever been sexier to me.”

her heart fluttered at his words, and she couldn’t help but laugh softly. “you’ve gotten so smooth lately. is this all because of therapy?”

trent shrugged, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. “maybe. or maybe it’s just the truth.”

y/n shook her head, her heart swelling with love as she leaned over and kissed the corner of his lip. she pulled away, trent kissed the back of her hand gently. “i can’t wait to meet our babies.”

y/n nodded, her smile soft but full of emotion. “me neither. i love them. already.”

the soft hum of the tv filled the room, but y/n wasn’t really paying attention to the movie. the glow from the screen cast shadows across the living room, but the only thing she was aware of was the man sitting next to her.

trent was so close, his arm resting along the back of the couch, his fingers lightly brushing her shoulder. it was such a familiar gesture, yet it carried a different weight tonight, an unspoken promise in the way his touch lingered. every time she shifted, every time she moved, she could feel his eyes on her.

he was always watching.

and it wasn’t just tonight. she’d noticed it for weeks, the way his gaze would flicker down to her lips whenever she smiled, or the way his body would tense when she walked past him in the kitchen. it was like he couldn’t help himself, but at the same time, he was holding back, waiting. always waiting.

y/n had seen it during their therapy sessions, too. the way his jaw would tighten whenever their counselor brought up the more vulnerable topics, but it wasn’t just the emotional distance he was struggling with. it was the physical. she could see how his eyes would drift to her body, how he’d get distracted, staring at her hands or her legs, sometimes even in the middle of talking. she could practically feel the tension radiating off him whenever they were in the same room.

but he never made a move. not once.

he was waiting for her.

and y/n knew it. she could feel it in the way his hand would twitch as if he was stopping himself from reaching out, in the way his breath would catch whenever their arms brushed. she felt it now, too, with the way he was watching her so closely, his dark eyes tracing every movement she made, like he was holding himself back from something he craved.

her heart started to race as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, catching the way his gaze flickered down to her lips again, this time lingering. he didn’t even bother pretending he wasn’t staring. and for the first time, y/n realized—he was giving her control.

trent alexander-arnold was waiting for her to make the first move.

the realization made something flicker inside her, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. it was liberating—having the upper hand, knowing he wanted her so badly but still holding back, letting her take the lead.

she turned her body slightly, leaning into his side until their knees brushed. his arm tightened around her shoulder, pulling her a little closer without thinking, and she could feel the tension in him—the way he stiffened at her touch, like he was trying to keep his composure.

but he was crumbling.

slowly.

“i miss this,” y/n whispered, her voice barely audible over the movie, but loud enough for him to hear.

trent’s fingers stilled against her arm, and for a moment, she thought he hadn’t heard her. but then he exhaled slowly, his breath warm against her skin. “me too,” he admitted, his voice rough around the edges, like he was trying to hold something back.

they fell into silence again, but this time, it felt heavier, more charged. she could feel his heartbeat beneath her hand, steady but fast, and her own pulse quickened in response.

she knew he wanted her. she could see it in the way his eyes darkened, the way his breathing picked up ever so slightly whenever she leaned a little closer. and she wanted him too—more than she’d let herself admit until now.

the air between them crackled with tension, and y/n couldn’t take it anymore. she was tired of the space, tired of the waiting. she could feel his restraint, how desperately he was holding himself back. but she didn’t want him to wait anymore.

she wanted him. she needed him.

slowly, deliberately, y/n slid her hand up, her fingers grazing the back of his neck as she shifted even closer, her body now fully pressed against his. she felt the way he tensed under her touch, his breath hitching, but he didn’t move. he didn’t take control like he usually did.

he let her.

and it felt like power.

her fingers curled around the back of his neck, pulling him down to meet her halfway, her lips crashing into his in a kiss that was long overdue. trent inhaled sharply, his body stiffening for a moment before he gave in, his arms wrapping around her waist as he kissed her back with an intensity that took her breath away.

he was surrendering. completely.

it was unlike any kiss they’d shared before, and y/n could feel the difference. it wasn’t just about desire—it was about trust, about letting go, about allowing her to take the lead in a way he’d never done before.

her lips moved against his, slow but hungry, as if she was trying to make up for all the time they’d lost. his hands roamed her back, but he kept his touch light, gentle, almost hesitant, like he was still waiting for her to guide him.

and she did.

y/n deepened the kiss, her fingers tangling in his hair as she pressed herself even closer, feeling the warmth of his body seep into hers. trent let out a low, quiet groan, his control slipping with every second, but he still didn’t take over. he was letting her have this moment, giving her the reins.

and it was intoxicating.

when they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathing heavily, their foreheads resting against each other as they tried to catch their breath. y/n’s heart was racing, her entire body buzzing from the intensity of the kiss, but it wasn’t just the kiss that had her feeling so breathless.

it was the way trent had let her lead. the way he had surrendered so completely, something she had never seen him do before.

“you were waiting for me,” she whispered, her lips barely an inch from his as she spoke.

trent’s eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, he just looked at her, his gaze heavy with emotion. “yeah,” he admitted softly, his voice raw and vulnerable. “i didn’t want to rush you.”

y/n smiled, her heart swelling with affection for him. she could see the restraint, the patience in his eyes, and it made her love him even more.

but she wasn’t going to hold back anymore.

“you didn’t,” she murmured, her thumb brushing the nape of his neck as she leaned in again, her lips hovering just above his. “i was ready.”

and with that, she closed the distance between them once more, capturing his lips in a kiss that was softer, but just as full of emotion. trent melted into her this time, his arms tightening around her waist as he kissed her back with a tenderness that made her heart ache.

this wasn’t just a kiss. it was a promise. a promise that they were going to be okay. that they were going to rebuild everything they’d lost, piece by piece.

when they finally pulled apart, y/n rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heartbeat as it slowly returned to normal. trent’s fingers traced gentle patterns on her back, and for the first time in a long time, everything felt right.

they were going to be okay.

y/n lingered, her lips brushing against his in soft, playful pecks, each one more deliberate than the last. she smiled against his mouth, her fingers curling at the back of his neck, pulling him just a little closer.

“don’t make me wait again… unless i ask you, alexander-arnold,” she teased, her voice barely a whisper, the warmth of her breath fanning across his lips. “you better kiss me forever.”

trent let out a low chuckle, his arms tightening around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. “forever, huh?” he murmured, his voice deep and gravelly, his lips curving into a smirk. “no pressure then.”

but there was something in his eyes, something deeper than just the playful banter they always shared. something raw, almost desperate, like he needed her to know how serious he was.

because now that he had her back—really back—there was no way he was letting her go. not again.

“nah,” he whispered, his fingers tracing the curve of her jaw as he looked at her, his expression softening. “i could never make you wait, y/n. not anymore.”

there was something final in the way he said it, a vow etched into every word.

she grinned, her thumb brushing over his lower lip, watching as his eyes fluttered closed at her touch. the intimacy of it, the way he surrendered to her with just the lightest caress, sent a thrill through her chest. she had never seen him like this before—so completely open, so vulnerable.

but it wasn’t just vulnerability. it was deeper than that.

trent opened his eyes, his gaze locked onto hers, and for a moment, it felt like the entire room faded away. it was just them—two people, lost in each other, connected in a way that went beyond anything physical.

he leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers, their noses brushing together as they shared the same breath. “i’ll never forget what your lips feel like,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “it’s a part of me now. you… you’re a part of me.”

y/n’s heart stuttered at his words, her eyes filling with unshed tears. she could feel the weight of his confession, the way he poured every ounce of himself into those words. and it wasn’t just the kiss—it was everything. the love they had fought so hard for, the bond that had been tested time and time again, and yet here they were, stronger than ever.

“trent…” her voice was soft, barely audible, but he heard her. he always heard her.

“i mean it,” he murmured, his fingers tangling in her hair as he held her close, like he was afraid to let go. “you’re in every part of me, y/n. i feel you even when i’m not with you. i always will.”

and she knew he meant it. because she felt the same way.

every time he touched her, every time their eyes met, it was like she was tethered to him—bound in a way that went beyond the physical. there was something in his touch, in the way his hands moved over her skin, like he was tracing the map of her soul, learning every inch of who she was.

it wasn’t just desire. it was something deeper, something that had been building between them since the very beginning, something that had only grown stronger with time.

“i feel you too,” she whispered, her fingers running through the short curls at the nape of his neck, her touch gentle but sure. “i don’t think i ever stopped.”

he exhaled, a shaky breath escaping him as he pulled her closer, pressing his lips to her temple in a soft, lingering kiss. “i missed you so much,” he whispered against her skin, his voice thick with emotion. “i don’t think i realized how much until now.”

y/n’s heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice, and she pressed another soft kiss to his lips, feeling him melt into her touch. “i’m here,” she whispered between kisses, her lips brushing against his with each word. “and i’m not going anywhere.”

trent’s eyes fluttered closed as he let her words sink in, his fingers gripping her waist like she was his lifeline. he kissed her back, slow and deep, as if he was trying to pour every emotion he felt into that one kiss.

it was different from before—less frantic, more deliberate. he wasn’t holding back anymore, wasn’t waiting for her to take the lead. he was kissing her like he needed it, like he needed her, and y/n couldn’t help but respond in kind, her fingers tangling in his hair as she deepened the kiss, feeling the heat of his body against hers.

this was them. this was what they had always been—two people who fit together in every way, who found strength in each other even when everything else felt like it was falling apart.

and in that moment, y/n realized something—trent had always been hers. even when there had been distance between them, even when things had felt uncertain, he had always been hers. and now, after everything, he was finally showing her that he was ready to be hers in every way.

when they finally pulled apart, both of them breathing heavily, y/n rested her forehead against his, her lips brushing against his in a soft, lingering kiss.

“i'm not joking. you better kiss me forever,” she whispered again, teasing, but there was a softness in her voice, a vulnerability she couldn’t hide. because she meant it. she needed him, in a way that went beyond words.

trent chuckled, his hands resting on her hips, but there was something deeper in his laughter, something raw and honest. “i will,” he promised, his lips brushing against hers in another soft kiss. “forever.”

but it wasn’t just a promise—it was a part of him now, something he could never forget. because the feel of her lips, the way she kissed him like she was claiming every part of him—it was etched into his soul.

and he knew, in that moment, that he would never be the same.

because she wasn’t just a part of his life—she was his life.

94 notes · View notes

cialovesklopp · 1 year ago

Text

une journée a trois ➻ k.mbappe

summary – they had always been two. but now that they were about to be three, they were starting a new journee. the path of parenthood. ah, the joy of pregnancy

pairing – kylian mbappé x amara imani (oc)

warnings – a somewhat detailed description of childbirth, pregnancy, mentions of morning sickness, labor, breastfeeding

word count — 10.1k

author's note – i guess this is my last official chapter for the mon amour series before i am officially starting my trent fic and the first spin off to this series. i will also be taking mon amour to wattpad where i'll add some more social media since here it came a bit short. there will be a lot of redecorating for my fics in the next time. as a heads-up: i don't know anything about childbirth, my entire knowledge is from google so i am very sorry if i got something wrong. hope you enjoy <3

( masterlist )

it wasn’t supposed to happen like this. she liked to have her life planned out to the finest detail. she wasn’t organized to the smallest but she liked to live her life in a certain order. so this was not supposed to happen now. there was no in-between for her situation. either women were happy or their lives were destroyed right now. and yet she found herself between the two scenarios.

she had been careful. she had put her career first and it had worked in every damn relationship she had ever had (which had not been a lot). she had made it clear that the success of her career was the most important thing and after the whole evan fiasco, she had sworn to herself that no matter how many times she fell in love, she would never lose sight again of her priorities. and it had worked till now.

it was a small mistake that led to her situation now. a moment of a certain emotional weakness that was the reason why she found herself in the bathroom on the floor with her back leaning against the bathtub as she stared into nothing.

kylian had introduced her to a new world of love. one where longing became sometimes too hard and the moment they found each other again, all rational thoughts were thrown out the window. he had shown her what love really felt like and that it was so much more than just endless fights and screaming matches. so… of course she had lost sights of her priorities and acted after her emotions when her heart had missed him too much.

her situation resulted from a sudden stay in the same city. he had been there to play an important match, she had two nights in that same city to tour and overwhelm her fans with her music. it had been three months that they hadn’t seen each other in person so the moment they had known they were at the same place, all sane thoughts had been thrown out the window. they had missed each other too much to even think about anything else than be close again. feel the other again. and now, not even two months later, she found herself on the floor in the bathroom with a stick in her hand. a small piece of plastic that held the weight of the world. two small blue lines that seemed to throw everything out of order. there seemed to be life growing inside of her now.

she wasn’t crying but rather staring into the air. her eyes held no emotion as she held the positive test in her hands. somehow it didn’t seem to set in that she carried life now in her body. that someone was breathing inside her and had their own heartbeat. it appeared surreal to her. the realization that one of her biggest fears had become true.

amara didn’t fear his reaction. that was probably the least of her problems. he had always expressed his desire for children, no matter at which point in his career he would be. he would support her, no matter what. she was the problem.

there had been warnings for this situation. women with so much potential that had been destroyed or ruined because of a child. and it wasn’t just an empty warning. she had seen it with her own eyes. linda, evan’s mother, had been the proof she had needed. a beautiful woman, beautiful and intelligent — a cunning lawyer who was at the peak of her career. but her pregnancy had ruined her and had turned her into a housewife. the vision, evan had always had of her. being pregnant just before she was about to start the second leg of her tour was the most unfortunate moment, this little gift could have come. it threw all plans out of the window.

she absolutely did not want to become one of those women who were at the peak of their career and then got it ruined by an unplanned pregnancy. it was her biggest fear. especially because she was living on the high of it at the moment. everything was going well, — she was breaking record after record — and now everything was about to stop. because she knew she would never bring it over her heart to kill the small human that seemed to be growing in her. it was a part of her now. and she could never take that decision alone.

time passed and she still found herself in the same position, her mind still processing the news. she didn’t notice kylian coming home from training and calling her name. her senses picked up his smell and noticed his presence but her brain felt disconnected to the outside world. her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting and complicated thoughts she just couldn’t work through.

if he was surprised to find her in the bathroom, he didn’t show it. kylian called her name but there was no response except an occasional small hum. the room felt smaller and the atmosphere was uncomfortable with the big news looming over them.

“cherié, tout va bien?” he asked her softly, eyes filled with worry as he kneeled a bit down and remarked how hers seemed to just stare into nowhere with a numb expression in them. she didn’t find the strength in herself to say her fears out. it was paralyzing her from deeply inside and forming a big lump in her throat that prevented her from being vocal. instead she only handed him the positive test, the two lines glowing dimly under the bathroom light. — honey, is everything okay

there was a confused expression on his face that turned into a mix of shock and slight happiness. but any emotion disappeared when he was met with her expression. “this is a surprise,” he said out loud and turned towards her. “are you happy?” his question hung in the air but she couldn’t find an answer.

“i don’t know. i don’t know what i’m going to do.” she admitted, her voice quiet. there was a certain nervousness and fear that underlined her voice, portraying the weight that she carried on her shoulders now. there were so many possibilities and challenges, so many hills and rocks they would have to climb now. she wished she was fearless like all the other women that were over the moon when they got the positive news.

“i was about to leave for a whole year. the second part of my tour is starting in a month. and now i’m…” her throat became dry as the lump became bigger. the words seemed stuck, as if speaking them out would actually make it real. “i’m pregnant.”

she didn’t have to say more for kylian to understand her. that’s just how they were. he seemed to comprehend that she wasn’t mad at the pregnancy. after all, she adored children. she was amazing with them and they both knew they wanted kids. she just feared the impact it could have on her career.

“je ne sais pas quoi faire,” she mumbled under her breath, her lips barely moving. “it wasn’t supposed to happen now. everything was going soo… well, i guess. i don’t want it to end. i don’t want to lose my career.” — i don’t know what to do

he let out a sigh, his back sliding down the wall as he sat down next to her. one hand still held the positive test while the other wrapped around his girlfriend’s waist, pulling her closer to him. “why would this ruin your career? you’re the most successful artist i know. nothing could ruin this now.”

“you’re supposed to say that. but you haven’t seen that pregnancy does to women. i don’t want my career to be ruined, not with the way the world treats women. how am i supposed to be a good mum and a successful woman in the music industry?” she shook her head and put it down on his shoulder, resting it there. she appreciated his efforts to comfort her but he was a man— they would never truly understand a woman’s suffering, no matter how hard they tried.

“we could stay home both if you want that. i take a break from football and i could be home for the both of you,” he suggested and amara looked at him incredulously. it was strange for her how he had accepted it so quickly already, that they were about to be three while she still struggled to comprehend the situation.

she shook her head firmly. “i could never ask you to stop for me. i know how much you love football. it’s your life. this is a me-problem.”

“une grossese n’est pas un probleme d’une personne. tu n'es pas seule. je te promets que rien ne va se gâcher. ta carrière est remarquable est elle le sera toujours. no matter what you do,” he consoled her, pressing soft kisses on her temple. “je t’aime tellement. mais ça, c’est ta decision et tu es la seule avec le choix. soo… are you happy?” — a pregnancy is not a problem of one person. you’re not alone. i promise you, nothing is going to get ruined. your career is remarkable and will be

— i love you so much. but this is your decision and only you can take it.

she shrugged, the unexpected twist in her plans still burning through her mind. she just couldn’t understand how there was a small human being growing inside her now. something that was breathing inside her. even though it felt unreal — and all at once she knew what she was going to do. what she would have to do now. her world would revolve around that little human being now. and she would do everything in her power to love that little baby that was living inside her. even if it the feeling of surrealism would never truly leave her.

maybe her mind should have adapted to it by now but it still felt disconnected to the situation. as if she was living two lives now. they hadn’t told anyone yet, preferring to keep it their little secret for the moment. especially because they still hadn’t settled in on the idea of getting a family addition.

kylian had noticed her struggles. how she couldn’t work around it. he would find her sometimes in front of the mirror, staring at her stomach. and even then it looked like she still hadn’t made her peace with the situation. amara had come up with several excuses why she had been going softer on training and why she avoided her pr for the second leg of the tour so much at the moment. kylian seemed to have calmed her down a bit about the pregnancy but the fears and rocks it would bring still hadn’t been overcome. even more when she still didn’t feel a thorough connection to the baby in her stomach.

the first ultrasound had been their reality check. that whatever they had been dancing around, was actually happening. there was a grateful look in her eyes when kylian grabbed her hand while their doctor applied the cold gel on her. it was terrifying for her to say the least. their nurse was friendly, nice — she must have sensed amara’s nervousness with the way she had been trying to calm the singer down. it had been risky getting an appointment but kylian had made sure to be extra careful. to make sure that nothing would come out to the press. the least she needed right now was for the time that should’ve been the happiest in her life to be without any media presence.

hearing the heartbeat was a sharp reminder that they weren’t alone anymore. the sound appeared to be precise evidence of life within her, the real confirmation for her pregnancy. it was a new experience for them, a new chapter that was starting soon in their lives. the impending parenthood that was installing its way into their life. several emotions were rushing through them as they made contact for the first time with their baby. and yet, despite the huge importance of the moment, amara’s emotions refused to truly correspond to the situation because of a missing connection between her and the baby.

she looked at the ultrasound screens, her eyes specifically fixing the point the doctor had shown them was their baby. she was registering the moment but struggled to find an emotional place for it. and it wasn’t because amara didn’t love the growing human in her body enough. there was no lack of love or commitment. her brain was just going into panic mode and refused to acknowledge the incoming changes. an automatic self-defense response from her mind who thought it needed to protect her. because even if she knew her career was good, it didn’t take away her fear of having all of that ruined.

as the doctor left them to offer them some privacy, there seemed to be just them now and the sound of a heartbeat. amara didn’t have to look at kylian to know that his cheeks were probably hurting from smiling so much. that his eyes were probably a bit teary from hearing the heartbeat of their unborn child. his hand found hers and he subconsciously intertwined them, his mind still clouded by all the emotions running through his body. she smiled at him, happy to know that at least he seemed to be able to form a special memory with the moment. for her, everything still felt surreal.

and the feeling of it did not leave her, not even in the night.

they were in bed, cuddled together under blankets when amara suddenly woke up from a slight movement. she turned a bit to look at kylian but her boyfriend still seemed to sleep peacefully. as she felt it again, amara looked down and found kylian’s hand on her stomach. casually laying there all protectively. and somehow, it was exactly what she needed to realise that it would be okay.

a small smile formed on her face and she put her hand on her stomach too. this was going to happen and she would be prepared for it. she wasn’t sure whether babies could already hear but it was stronger than her. the urge to promise her baby the world.

“i don’t know whether i’m going to be a good mum to you,” she began softly, speaking low to not wake up kylian. “but i can promise you, you’ll be in good hands with your dad.” she chuckled, the thought of kylian playing with a small mini-him or mini-her exciting her. “i’m sorry that you’re stuck with a mum who doesn’t know what she wants. but i’m trying. i’m trying for you… to be the best version of myself that you’ll need.”

they began slowly, the changes. at first barely remarkable and now they were plainly obvious. life seemed to radiate from her. she possessed a kind of positive aura around her that even the blind could see. she had truly grown into the start of her pregnancy as she entered her second trimester.

amara found herself balancing her life before and during her pregnancy. she had to get used now to the fact that her body was adapting for the small human being in her stomach and that it included good and bad changes. she had overcome her struggles with the pregnancy and the lack of emotion she had had towards it. now she suddenly felt overwhelmed but happy. nearly excited to start this new chapter.

she was four months pregnant and with that also came the first differences that made this pregnancy real. that made it more than just a statement on a paper. a small, noticeable bump had formed on her stomach — it wasn’t very big but remarkably enough that it had made them nearly cry when they had seen it. now kylian’s hoodies had become her go-to attire to hide the small curve on her stomach. his sweatshirts engulfed her completely, serving as a comfortable shield for her womb and a cover up. after all, they still hadn’t told anyone and the little human growing in her body was still their secret.

and just as she progressed into her pregnancy, so did the unfortunate changes like morning sickness or strange food cravings. instead of spending her mornings in bed, spooning with her boyfriend, she now found herself hung over the toilet as soon as the sun came up, with kylian holding her hair. he whispered sweet encouragements and gentle circles which was now a habit for them every morning as she finished her first trimester to enter the second. it was exhausting, crucifying even and drained her. the doctor had told them it would stop soon but she found no change. she would just have to endure it.

even worse were the sudden food cravings. eating had already become hard enough with nothing staying in her body but her strange food cravings made it ten times worse. strawberries were her first sacrifice that came with nurturing life followed by sushi and chinese food. now even the slightest smell of take-out food had her running to the toilet. it was hard and what made it even more hard was the fact that she couldn’t ask anyone for advice other than her doctor.

they hadn’t told anyone of the pregnancy. she had canceled the second leg of her tour without any reason other than the “personal reasons” she had stated in her statement. it had been a heart-wrenching decision, stopping to travel around the world and illuminate people with her music but it was necessary. another sacrifice for her new life she was entering. they had left the world — including their own families — in the dark as they chose to live in their small pink bubble, far away from the harsh reality. amara would never admit it but she was glad. grateful that she didn’t have to share what was supposed to be the happiest time of her life with the world. she wanted it to be their private little moment.

pregnancy did not only change the way they lived. it changed them completely. amara knew kylian loved her but he had changed his love language. he had gone from sweet words and giving gifts to affection and touching her constantly. it had started small, with small caresses on her back and intertwining their hands subconsciously to gentle circles drawn on her hands now soft strokes. and most of them were always centered around her stomach. it was his new way of expressing his unconditional love that was now not only directed towards her but also towards the tiny life growing inside her. they had adapted to parenthood together and it made her fall in love even more.

especially when he talked to their small little miracle when he thought she was asleep. it had started as small confessions towards their baby and had turned into full one-sided conversations now. it warmed her heart when she listened to him, heard how he expressed some of his fears — that amara found were completely unreasonable— and talked about how excited he was. no matter which gender their little bundle of joy would have. only they mattered to them, her, him and the small unborn baby. their bubble was complete.

but the couple knew that their bubble would burst soon and they would rather be the ones to do it than an outsider. after spending one month at home, shielded from the outside, she had decided to come out. and her first official appearance was no other place than kylian’s match. her parents had surprised her with a visit and both knew, they couldn’t hide it any longer now. they hadn’t exactly spoken about a way they would announce it but it was clear that they would have to share it with their families now.

along with her parents she was seated in their usual reserved spots for the families of the players, next to them kylian’s parents and his brother with his children. she played with kylian’s nephew, bouncing him on her lap while her mind wandered off to thinking about how it would be in a few months. when she would be cheering him on with their small bundle of joy.

their eyes met and she watched his smile grow bigger as he spotted her with his nephew — no doubt, the same image of her with their baby was running through his mind. again, there was an overwhelming sense of pride and excitement. amara turned to her mother, who had redirected a question towards her, wondering why her daughter was glowing so positively. and all she could do was grin. they would know later.

though later appeared to be very close as their secrecy came to an end with the opening score. he had hit a beautiful goal after dribbling his way through the penalty area and instead of hitting his usual celebration, he went for the ball. there were shocked gasps around her along with a roar of cheer when he ran around with the ball under his shirt and sent a heart her way. everyone instantly put the pieces together — after all there weren’t many possibilities what it could signify — and immediately they all turned towards her.

“don’t tell me…” her mother trailed off in shock and amara nodded, grinning widely.

“surprise,” she exclaimed, a cheeky smile adorning her face. she lifted the sweatshirt a bit and revealed her four-month old belly that she had been hiding for the past month now.

fayza immediately pulled her into a hug, kissing amara’s temple gently. “félicitation ma fille. oh je suis tellement contente.” — congraulation, my daughter. i’m soo happy

one by one, they hugged her, all expressing their felicitations. even the others that were around to support their player on the pitch threw a happy congratulations towards her.

“how far along are you?” her father asked her, pulling his daughter in for another hug.

she smiled into the hug, the feeling of home spreading through her body. “nearly five months now. i finished my first trimester a few weeks ago.”

“now it makes sense why you couldn’t go out with me,” alice realized and amara sent a wink in her direction.

“how could you keep this from us?” her mother asked in a shocked tone, looking at her daughter incredulously. “amaghị m ma m ga-akụ gị maka idobere m ya ka ọ bụ naanị nwee obi ụtọ. ihe a abughi ihe i zonari nne gi ada.” — i don't know whether i'm supposed to hit you for keeping it from me or just be happy. this is not something you hide from your mother.

amara shrugged. “it was our little secret.”

𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌

amara.imani and k.mbappe

liked by liyah_clark, achrafhakimi and 26.304.752 others

amara.imani secret is finally out. the reason i had to cancel the second leg of my tour. i’ll back soon but in the meantime, baby imani-mbappé is coming

view all 293.753 comments

liyah_clark the audacity to not tell your best friends that we’re becoming aunts

graceywood can’t believe she hid it from us 😔, i think we don’t mean anything to her anymore

amara.imani I APOLOGIZED ALREADY

amara.imani i even told you the gender, what more do you want?

username project mbappe is officially starting

username man really said, i’m starting my own mini-me

psg félicitation a vous deux ❤️💙

equipedefrance félicitation de toute l'équipe de france

username news of the year

antogriezmann félicitation mon frère

sza i can’t waittttt

kipembe3 la bébé de la team va avoir un bébé, trop hâte

paulpogba kyks le daron, qui aurait cru

cynthia_e so excited to become an aunt to this angel

username please say sike

username i don’t wanna lose my (imaginal) wife

username omg now it makes sense why she was always spotted in sweatshirts

kehlani ohh i’m gonna be auntie kehlani soon 🥹

charles_leclerc new member to the amara imani squad

landonorris best news of the week

graceywood auntie grace is ready for her duties

liyah_clark auntie liyah and uncle charles report for duties too

username i’m not even mad anymore she canceled her tour

username fr, i’m too excited for this

achrafhakimi finally. it was so hard keeping it a secret and not telling you i knew

amara.imani how did you know?

achrafhakimi you never decline a glass of red wine

username omg they’re gonna be parents 🥹🥹

tchaga_ felicitations a vous deux. je vous souhaite le meilleur

k.mbappe 🫶🏾

the news had spread like a wildfire and even people who weren’t interested in the football or music industry knew that amara imani was pregnant. their names had been mentioned in every article for three weeks straight, wondering over the gender of the baby and when exactly it could maybe arrive. her phone was now silent everyday to drown out the constant vibrations of notifications. it was spammed with articles and posts mentioning her — everyone had something to say about her pregnancy.

even players she hadn’t ever interacted with had slid into her dms to wish her and kylian well. not to forget the french national team who had called to congratulate them as well. they had instantly launched a group call, to also include those who played overseas and wished their two friends well. everyone bombarded her with questions about the impending arrival of their baby — their new protégé as they liked to call it now. a warm feeling spread through her body as she thought about the way, their baby already had so many uncles that loved their coming bundle and would help them. they were a big family after all.

as she advanced in her pregnancy and her bump grew bigger, kylian also grew more protective around her. he didn’t allow her to lift a finger to do anything around the house anymore except go to pee. he cooked now and send his mother to drop off food when he was busy or away for a game. his chauffeur had now become something like their housekeeper, occasionally checking in on her when she was home alone. kylian had even hired her a personal shopper that would go shopping for her when she didn’t feel like online shopping. he was doing everything to protect her from doing too much.

and amara understood where he was coming from so she couldn’t even be mad at him. after their latest doctor’s appointment, where they had been told that there was a risk of giving birth prematurely, her own fears had reappeared again. they had never truly left her but now they were living in her brain again. her pregnancy had already been complicated with her uterus apparently refusing to grow to give the baby more space. she had been told it was a protective response of her body after a certain kind of trauma she must have endured — a trauma that her body now refused to live again so it took protective measures. she had been ordered two weeks of bed rest and after that, to do the most to go easy on her body. spare it from hard work.

seven months into what should have been the happiest time of her life and she found herself afraid of her own body and what could happen if she gave birth prematurely. she had worked through the fears concerning her career and now she would have to manage the fears of not being ready to give birth.

and adding to that fear that hovered over her now, pregnancy had also become harder for her. what had seemed to be a small curve before now looked like a midsized watermelon shoved into her stomach. the toll on her body became more prominent now — daily ingestions of vitamins, eating twice the amount of what pregnant women usually consumed — measures like that had become routines for her. she had been warned of a complicated pregnancy but none of what she had been told measured up to what she was feeling.

nonetheless, her pregnancy was also marked with good moments, happy moments where both just got ready for parenthood. moments that had put light on the situation they were living in at the moment. painting the room had been a day where they had created lots of memories they cherished. the singer had been visiting friends of hers who had been staying in the city of love and had come home to find kylian with a screwdriver in his hand while achraf was reading him the instructions for the crib.

“you’re supposed to put it like this.”

“i’m doing that. it won’t go in.”

the two hadn’t even noticed her arrival their focus laying purely on the crib. turned out, he had left training early and had dedicated the entire day to constructing the crib and getting the room finished. her heart had grown twice its size that day. there were so many memories they had already created in that room (looking past their messy make-out session because she was feeling horny) and painting the room of their coming bundle of joy was just an addition to that.

the realization of parenthood and their new addition to the family had somehow wriggled into their lives. during her first trimester, she had pushed the thought of pregnancy at the back of her head, hoping to procrastinate everything that concerned it. now she was excited for the arrival of their little bean and was planning each detail as finely as she could. they were navigating their way around it with the new flow of emotions they were experiencing. as she progressed and her bump became bigger, so got the question about the name their unborn child would carry. it was clear to both of them that their baby would not carry a double-name; they held no importance if the only place where they appeared was on official documents. they would settle on a single name their baby would be known through the world.

he had the entire world scream his name and wear it on their shirts to express their support for him, she had people sing her music all over the world and express themselves to it. both names carried big weighs all around the world and no matter which name it got, there would always be expectations that would have to be reached. yet she sensed that it was more important for him — the matter of the name. so they chose mbappé for their last name. but the problem of the forename still linged.

that’s how they found themselves awake in bed at four in the morning with the question of the name preventing them from sleeping (in addition to amara craving for tacos at two in the morning). they were surrounded by baby name books while their phones had websites for baby names open.

“what do we think of kylian mbappe jr?” he proposed jokingly, grinning at her as he stole another of her sweet potato fries.

she rolled her eyes. “of course, why not? and while we’re already at it, why not instantly start project mbappe and put it into the academy instantly after i give birth?”

he held his hands up on surrender. “it was just a suggestion.”

“a stupid one,” a small giggle left her lips as she declines his proposition. she was kind of glad that he wasn’t stressing so much about the pregnancy as much as she was now. one of them needed to be the easy parent and she knew it was just in her nature to be the stricter person.

“what about… malouanne ?” he read out loud from his phone which earned him a pillow thrown his way. “what? it’s a mix of the names marie, louise and anne. fits perfectly if you ask me.”

“as beautiful as the name may sound, do you want our kid to be bullied at school?” amara instantly retorted back, continuing to read in her book to find a name.

that was how they spend the night, searching for names that would fit their little human and create their identity. the question of the name was always a difficult one because somehow nothing seemed to fit. nothing was enough for their baby. they were looking for a name that just screamed their bundle of joy; that upon hearing it would immediately make them think of it.

“should we add a middle name?” he asked her, putting his phone down to look at her. his hand instantly placed itself on her stomach, stroking it gently. “should we give you a middle name,” he asked softly towards the stomach. a smile made its way on his face when he felt a kick at the spot where his hand laid and amara hissed slightly.

“i think we need a middle name,” kylian told her slyly. “our little bean clearly agrees with me.”

“they agrees on everything with you. i swear i have a daddy’s girl in my stomach.”

her boyfriend grinned at her, cradling her stomach. “well, they are their father’s child” his grin widened when he felt a kick again.

she shook her head in disbelief but knew he was right. bidding him goodnight and placing a last small kiss on his lips, she waltzed a bit around to find the perfect position to sleep in. with her belly growing, so did the matter of finding a good position to sleep in but the huge pregnancy pillow that kylian had bought her seemed to help. still it didn’t take away the ordeal of finding the position. she was nearly asleep, her mind already drifting away when kylian finally closed the books and turned off the light. his hand wrapped around her waist to feel closer to her as he got comfortable in bed.

she had nearly missed his suggestion, already dozing off when she heard his voice. it was barely above a whisper but loud enough to hear.

“i think ada would suit her perfectly as a middle name in case it’s a girl. the perfect mix of you. and you said you wanted to honor your mother.”

needless to say that she fell asleep with a smile on her face. one problem less now in what was supposed to be the happiest time of her life.

a sharp pain shot through her body. she had been seated on the couch, excitingly watching kylian play when suddenly all she could focus on was the feeling of agony that spread through her body. she tries to ignore it but it’s stronger than her. her hands immediately go down to hold her bump as she leans forward, pain rushing through her entire body and making it impossible to think. her mind is consumed with the feeling of crucifying agony and she can’t think of anything else.

as quick as it comes, it subsided again and she takes a deep breath, trying to regain her composure— before it starts all over again. her first thoughts are that she’s experiencing preparation labor — the famous braxton hicks, that her doctor had warned her of and that she had been victim to during her seventh month. but this pain felt different. the match had been long forgotten as she found herself on the floor, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. her body felt weak, too heavy for her to carry to even try to sit up. the salty substance of her eyes had already started to stain the white carpet and she was able to taste her tears. her eyes travel around the room, as she looks for her phone and desperation fills her as she sees it on the other side of the room, charging. she tries to get up, to at least manage to crawl to it but another pain prevented her.

her eyes close, too weak to have them open as soft sobs leave her trembling lips. she’s wallowing in pain, hoping that someone will find her; that kylian will come home soon. she had always been afraid of giving birth in bad conditions, especially as she was early and her due date was supposed to be in two weeks. her arms wrapped around her stomach as she tried to comfort herself by whispering sweet encouragements, hoping that they would at least help her calm down a bit. but the pain did not leave her.

she doesn’t know how long she’s suffering in agonizing pain when she suddenly hears the apartment door opening and someone entering. pearls of sweat are running down her forehead as she’s compressed to the floor, her arms hugging her belly close to her. the solitude had amplified her situation, made it worse as fears had taken over her mind; the fear of having to give birth alone. and she couldn’t be mad at kylian. after all, the due date was supposed to be in two weeks and even that was much earlier than expected. she tries to ignore the pain and at least try to lift her head to see who just came in but the waves of pain that stream through her body are stronger. like electric waves rushing through her body and hitting her everywhere.

it’s his driver that gives her a bit of hope again when she hears his voice. he immediately rushed towards her, kneeling down as he took in the scene.

“i don’t… i don’t want to give birth..” she managed to croak out, pain preventing her from speaking clearly. her voice was filled with agony as small sobs left her lips. "je veux kylian.” — i want kylian

there was no hesitation, no time to panic or doubt. she was sobbing as she tried to catch her breath while he swiftly retrieved his phone to dial the emergency services. while his other hand held the phone, the other was softly stroking her back, hoping to transfer some solace to her. a bystander would have interpreted the scene in front of them completely different but right now, it comforted amara. calmed her down knowing she wasn’t going through this alone anymore.

he also called kylian but he soon realized it was of little avail, when his eyes caught the screen where the camera had just zoomed on the french striker. the feeling of desperation now seemed to have caught onto him too as he quickly grabbed amara’s phone to place another urgent call. this time to his brother who had not been selected for the match. their call was not very long, only sharing the most important details. his heart lightened a bit when he saw the sudden substitution of kylian. but the feeling of relief was as quickly gone as it came when his eyes fell on the woman next to him, who seemed to take the pain harder with every second that passed.

staying conscious started to become hard for her. she felt a bit of relief when the medics had finally arrived, instantly carrying her to bring her to the closest hospital. but he was still not there and it freaked her out. she couldn’t give birth alone. not without him. there was chaos around her, several voices as she was rushed into the hospital and yet her brain only focused on one thought: she needed him here. she had been put into a private room to not attire a lot of attention as they were aware of her identity. they had told her she would soon be ready for the next phase of this journey but she didn’t want to start it. not without him so even though her body was killing her, she held onto the pain till he would be there.

they tried to calm her down as her contractions intensified but it was to no avail. she needed him to be there and hold her hand. be her sanctuary to guide her through her fears. every reassurance that was spoken to her didn’t mean anything to her cause they weren’t whispered by his lips. she wanted him and no one else.

kylian had instantly run to the changing rooms to get his things as soon as he had been informed of the news. there was confusion at first, when he suddenly saw his number on the changing boards but the small explanation from his coach was enough to suddenly hug enrique and rush out as quickly as possible.

there was no time to care about any traffic rules. she was more important. they were what mattered now. short messages had been sent to his families to inform them of the situation before he ran into the hospital, looking to support his girlfriend during this important moment. he didn’t care whether he hadn’t parked right or how many speed limits he had crossed, all he wanted was to hold amara’s hand.

from the reception desk he had instantly been taken to her room where he rushed to her and engulfed her into a close hug. he had seen her in so many states before but this was new to him. unknown territory like each time he went to play on an adversary’s side that he had never crossed paths with. his heart hurt as he took in her appearance; her face scrunched together because of the crucifying pain, the sweat pearls that rolled down her face along with her tears and the small sobs that left her trembling lips. amara was truly in pain.

“t’es- tu est la…” she managed to croak out before another sharp flash of pain shot through her, making her scream in agony. — you’re … here

he wiped her tears from her face and pressed a soft kiss onto her cheek, able to taste the salty taste of her tears. his heart broke as he thought about all the time she must have spent here without anyone close to her and in pain. she had always been scared of facing labor alone, just the thought of it made her doubt everything but he had always been able to calm her down. promises had been exchanged when she had longed for the reassurance that no matter what came, he would always be there for her— in this moment. she would never have to go through this alone.

“je suis venu le plus vite possible,” he mumbled, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. hoping that the solace and feeling of warmth the act usually transferred would calm her down a bit. she cried again, this time though she wasn’t sure whether it was due to his presence or the pain that her body had to endure at the moment. — i came as quick as possible

he lifted their intertwined hands to meet his lips and pressed a kiss on it. “je te l’avais promis. je serai là.” — i promised you. i will be there.

she nodded, another contraction hitting her and preventing her from speaking. her body was overwhelmed with emotions; pain, fear. comfort all present in her body. a bit of solace had been found from kylian being there but the feeling disappeared when the doctor came in agan. when she announced that it was showtime and should have to push now. there was no going back, no time to have second thoughts. it was all happening in this instant now.

labor was hard. jolts of pain were shooting through her body in short periods and each time she had to push through them. she didn’t care if the entire hospital heard her screams or whether she was breaking kylian’s entire hand with the amount of force she was squeezing it. she couldn’t see anything except pain. and what her desperate even more was the fact that nothing seemed to change.

the nurses and doctors were telling her that she was doing a fantastic job but she still felt as if she hadn’t even pushed once. as if nothing had changed. no matter how much she pressed.

“you’re doing so well ma belle,” kylian encouraged her as another of her screams pierced through the room. “you’re so close.”

“why doesn’t it feel like this?” she yelled out in pain, tears streaming down her cheeks. she was hot, her forehead was sweaty and her body felt weak. she couldn’t push anymore.

“miss, you’re nearly done. we can already see the head,” their doctor tried to motivate her. “we just need two more big pushes.”

her surroundings drowned out as she gathered all the strength that was left in her body to push. everything around her became blurry, colors, shapes, persons. her mind was too tired to make her sight clear and she had no energy left anymore to try to focus.

“we need one last push,” they called out to her as she nearly broke down on the bed.

“i’m tired, ky,” she cried tiredly. her eyes barely open. she looked desperately at him. “it hurts so much. i can’t do it anymore. i just want this to be over but it hurts so much,” her sobs left her body and his heart ached as he listened to her.

“t’es la femme la plus courageuse que je connais. et je vais pas te mentir, je ne sais pas dans quelle douleur tu es. mais je sais que tu es la seule à pouvoir le faire. bientôt on aura notre bébé dans le main. one last push and it’s over, okay?” their eyes mirrored every emotion present in the room. the fatigue but also the exhaustion. pain but also love: there was everything. — you’re the strongest woman i know. and i won't lie to you, i don’t know what the pain you’re in feels like. but i know you’re the only one who can do it. soon we’ll have our baby in our hands.

amara nodded as she took a deep breath to push again. she’s clutching kylian’s hand with every last remaining strength as he continues to encourage her. the pain she’s feeling now was much higher than what she experienced the last five hours. suddenly she feels everything. as if her senses have been amplified. there was a sharp pain accompanied by an agonizing scream and suddenly there's a new voice in the room.

she’s asked to hold her arms out as kylian’s eyes fill with tears and all of sudden she’s holding her baby. their little girl. the joy of their life they’ve been dying to meet.

her eyes are filled with tears as the realization hit her. all the pain is suddenly forgotten, as if it never existed. now her body’s only consumed with happiness. she’s crying hysterically as her baby continues to let out cries. the sign of life. that everything was going well. she didn’t need to look at him to know that he was crying as well.

every of her muscles is feeling exhausted when they take their new child away to do its first medical care. kylian himself wasn’t one to often feel very emotional but when he had been asked to cut the chord that had connected amara and their bundle of joy for nine months. she’s finally here and he suddenly understood the feeling of surrealism that amara had told him about.

after the first checks had been done, their daughter had been placed into her arms again. and somehow she must have had still some liquid in her body as her eyes began to water again when she truly held her daughter for the first time.

“she doesn’t seem like a faith,” amara whispered, holding her daughter who was covered in a soft, fluffy, pink blanket. she had opened her eyes for the first time and again, a few years left her eyes when she stared into her daughter’s beautiful eyes. they had her eye shape but all she saw looking into them was kylian. she had inherited her father’s eyes. the fact that she could reference to kylian as dad now spread a new kind of warmth through her body.

“no. it kinda feels wrong,” he agreed. as he gently trailed a finger over her delicate face, he couldn’t help but fall more in love with the woman in front of him. he had always known that he would always love her, no matter in which reality they found themselves. and he had fallen in love with every one of her versions. and now he found himself falling for her new role. he had fallen deeply for amara in her role as mom. he couldn’t believe he had ever doubted. she was perfect. “what was the second name we chose again?”

“are you talking about anaïs?”

kylian’s smile grew bigger as he continued to stare at his daughter. he had learned the meaning of infinite love with amara but the term of unconditional love. it was this small human that taught him what it meant. what people were talking about when they talked about loving someone unconditionally. “yeah. i think she looks more like an anaïs.”

and looking at her, amara understood. she had stopped crying and was looking at her, as if she was taking in her new surroundings. she had been removed from the safe comfort of her mother’s womb and had now to get used to the outside. “anaïs-ada mbappe. welcome into the world.”

she pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before turning to look at kylian and both smiled. they had done it.

“t’es prête papa?” she asked him teasingly and motioned for him to step closer. “take off your shirt. it’s your time now.” — are you ready papa

she was tired. exhausted. there was fatigue written all over her face and yet her face still wore a smile as she watched kylian take off his shirt to have his first skin-to-skin with their daughter. he gently took anaïs out of her hands and sat down on the bed next to her.

he had her cradled against his chest, the warmth of his chest spreading was a connection between them. an expression of love sacred to only them. their phones were vibrating but they ignored it. only their little family mattered now. “salut ma princesse,” he whispered to her softly as she wrapped her hand around his finger. “moi, je suis ton papa. et je t’aime tellement.” — hello my princess. i’m your dad. and i love so much.

their tiny miracle was held in his warm embrace as time around them seemed to pause. no one else existed in their bubble that shielded them from reality going on outside. it was only them. and somehow, as they held their daughter in their hands, the idea of parenthood didn’t seem so scary anymore. amara fell happily asleep, knowing that they were going to do this chapter together.

𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌

amara.imani and k.mbappe

liked by achrafhakimi, graceywood and 28.763.541 others

k.mbappe bienvenue au monde anaïs mbappé

comments were turned off by the user

it was their first day at home. and with the first day also came the first night and the first cries.

it still felt so unreal to them how they had left their home as two and had come back with another person. their family addition that represented the proof of their love. putting her down for the first time in her room filled the air with a warm atmosphere. there was so much love around them as she placed anaïs in her bed after putting her to sleep. a small light of the nightlight they had bought cast a yellowish glow around the room, revealing a few of the fine details they had put into the room. their eyes did not leave their daughter, they were too much in awe of what they had created.

she’s woken up by anaïs’ soft cries in the night. a quick glance at the small clock next to the bed told her it was just one in the morning. she’s tired and every bone is begging her to stay in bed but her motherly intuition prevents her. turning, she saw kylian still sleeping profoundly next to her as she gets up to calm down their daughter.

“you’re hungry, aren’t you,” she asked her daughter in a gentle tone as she picked the small baby up and sat down with her on an armchair next to the crib. she thanked kylian’s brilliance for having had the idea of installing one next to the crib. “ça va, maman est là. maman va s’occuper de toi,” she soothed anaïs’ cries as she got ready to feed the little human in her arms. — it’s okay, mummy here. mummy is gonna take care of you

just as she had predicted, hunger had been the cause for her awakening as she watched anais latch onto her breasts, hands grabbing onto each side. her cries quickly subsided as the little girl got fed while amara tenderly stroked her cheek. she waited for a bit longer after making sure anais had burped and rocked her little princess back to sleep before joining her own bed again. she couldn’t even find it in herself to be mad at the way kylian was sleeping so profoundly, as if he hadn’t heard her cries. it was her first time experiencing motherly intuition and tending to her responsibilities. she placed a soft peck on his forehead before falling asleep again, her mind drifting away before she had even truly placed down her head on the pillow.

the second time anais woke up, it was kylian who tended to her needs. amara stirred, ready to get up but the french striker tells her to go back to sleep. that she was already exhausted enough and her body needed some rest. after changing her diaper, he instantly took off his shirt before picking up his daughter and putting her close to his chest. immediately her cries stopped when she felt her father’s warmth and comfort as his fingers gently brushed against her head. they stood in the same position for the next thirty minutes before anais fell asleep again, their small bond blossoming through moments like this. amara’s still heavily asleep when he slips back into bed again, wrapping his arm around her waist to find sleep again.

but his sleep didn't last for very long before they heard her cries again. this time though they had managed to find three more hours to sleep with the clock indicating that it was already eight in the morning. amara was about to get up to look after their daughter when kylian grabbed her hand, motioning for her to stay in bed.

“you went last time,” amara muttered tiredly, already looking for her slippers but kylian shook his head.

“go back to sleep cherie,” he interjected, putting a shirt on. “you need it more than me.”

“your holidays are over tomorrow. if anyone needs sleep it’s you.”

he shrugged, standing up and ready to go look after anais. “and you just gave birth a week ago. repose toi un peu,” he convinced her and she nodded, knowing it was useless to argue with him. she gave him a last kiss before closing her eyes again, fatigue instantly taking over. she didn’t know what had been the matter this time but since her cries quickly stopped at the sight of her father, she knew he had everything under control, her instincts could relax as she slept a bit more. — get some rest

she woke up to an empty bed the next morning. it’s the feeling of coldness next to her that managed to bring her out of her sleep even though she was still tired. she knows that kylian must be around somewhere with anaïs but she enjoyed staying in bed for the first time since she gave birth. regain all her forces.

there was an instant smile on her face when she saw her daughter in kylian’s hands while walking out their bedroom. her heart grew twice its size when spotted them on the sofa with kylian talking to her and anaïs having her eyes wide open. as if she was understanding or at least trying to follow what her father was telling her.

“regarde qui s’est réveillée,” he said softly to his daughter, noticing amara’s presence. “tu as vu maman?” — look who woke up

— did you see mummy?

“vous êtes trop beau ensemble,” she greeted him with a kiss as she sat down next to him and reached for their daughter. anaïs calmly got comfortable in her mother’s arms, not making much of a fuss as she got ready to eat. — you’re too beautiful together

she had a fond smile adorning her lips, looking at her daughter. this tiny human being that changed their lives around. even though she was only a week old, they could already recognize that she was her father’s photocopy. that she would be his except for the shape of her eyes. the one thing anaïs had inherited from her.

“t’es la femme la plus forte que je connais. je ne sais pas comment t’as fait. comment tu fais…,” he told her completely in awe which made amara chuckle. — you’re the strongest woman i know. i don’t know how you did it, how you do it

“et toi tu es l’homme le plus beau, magnifique de toute cette terre. no one i would rather have than you as the father of my baby. — you’re the most beautiful, amazing man on this earth

“she makes everything better,” kylian chuckled as he got up to prepare breakfast for them.

amara nodded, softly cradling her daughter while she breastfed her. her small little hands were placed firmly (as firm as they could be for a one week old) as she drank the breast milk.

“weird how i’m ready to go to war for someone i’ve practically known a week. and yet she’s the answer to everything.”

he understood that feeling better than anyone. if the world turned around him before, now his world turned around her. he was ready climb mountains, cross jungles or put the world on fire if it was necessary for his daughter’s happiness. he would do anything for her. “i love you two more than anything.”

his eyes held that famous sparkle as he spoke and amara leaned in to place a kiss on his lips. in the span of a week their lives had changed and they had been thrown into the world of parenthood. the one thing no matter how much one studied, there was never the perfect preparation. one would never know how parenthood actually worked out till they were parents. it was a new path to life.

amara and kylian had each other to overcome the hills and rocks that may have been put onto their way. anaïs was the confirmation of what they had always been. a family. their bubble was finished and perfect now. they had everything they needed.

taglist: @lorarri @aechii

#kylian mbappe #kylian mbappe x reader #kylian mbappe fluff #kylian mbappe fanfic #mon amour #amara imani #kylian mbappe imagine #kylian mbappé x reader #kylian mbappe fanfiction #kylian mbappe x singer! oc #kylian mbappe x amara imani #kylian mbappe x black! oc #kylian mbappe x black reader #kylian mbappé #kylian mbappé x singer! oc #kylian mbappé x black! oc #kylian mbappé x oc #kylian mbappe one shot #kylian mbappe series

386 notes · View notes

heyjudeb · 7 months ago

Text

Lake Secrets - Jude Bellingham

Chapter 1: Green is my Favorite Color

Summary: Grace Alexander Arnold, an architecture student, looks forward to a quiet summer at her brother Trent's lake villa. Her plans change when Trent's best friend, Jude Bellingham, arrives with his family. As Grace and Jude spend more time together, a secret romance begins to grow. Amidst the peaceful lake and family gatherings, will their hidden feelings last, or will they fade away with the summer? Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings: fluff, slowburn,

Note: This story will start of slow, emotional and angst parts will come in the next chapters, let me know if you like it

“Mom, this room is perfect,” I remarked, turning to see her unpacking her suitcase on the bed. “The view of the lake is incredible.”

She smiled, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. “I’m glad you like it, Jude. We’ll be spending quite some time here.”

I nodded, shifting my gaze to the peaceful lake outside my bedroom window. It seemed like I had lucked out with the best room in the villa.

When Trent suggested we spend a few summer days here with our families together, I hesitated. We’d never planned trips like this before. But I could use a break, and Mom seemed to like the idea.

“Honey, they’re waiting for us outside for the barbecue. They’ve already started,” Mom interrupted my thoughts. “I better go help Diane with the setting.”

“Okay, Mom. I’ll be down in a bit. Just need to get changed.” She placed the last bag on my bed and left the room.

The fresh air and the natural surroundings were already having their effect on me. I truly needed this break. After quickly changing my clothes, I headed out of the room. The corridor stretched long and narrow, each step echoing with a soft creak. The villa must be huge, with everyone having their own room. Trent, Jobe, my parents, and Trent’s sister all shared this floor with our bedrooms. Family photos adorned the walls on both sides, with many capturing Trent as a baby. I found myself pausing at Grace’s photos too. In every one, she wore a wide smile.

Among Trent’s family, she was the one I knew least. I’d seen her a few times at the stadium, cheering for her brother, but that was about it. Perhaps it was best to keep it that way, I thought, feeling strangely drawn to her. Those green eyes in the photos didn’t help shake the impression of her beauty. But she was Trent’s sister—nothing more.

I stepped out into the villa's backyard, facing the calm lake where everyone was chatting or busy with something. Our dads were at the barbecue, grilling meat.

"There you are, mate. What took you so long?" Trent handed me a beer and gestured to the spot next to him on the couch.

"Had to change quickly," I replied, sitting down beside him.

Across from us, Grace and her mom were deeply focused on a sketchbook she held proudly. Flipping through its pages, she eagerly showed her something, and she smiled, patting her shoulder after each page. “These are amazing, sweetheart. You’re doing a great job.” “Come on, Grace. She’s our mom, of course she’s going to say good stuff. Let me be the judge of that,” Trent teased his sister, who shot him an annoyed look before handing him the sketchbook.

As Trent scrutinized the pages with all the seriousness he could muster, Grace turned her gaze towards me. A light smile crossed her face as she waved. “Hey, Jude. How are you doing?”

Gosh, she’s beautiful. She seemed a bit nervous as she looked at me. I recalled Trent mentioning that his sister was shy and preferred her comfort zone with people she knew well, rather than joining large gatherings like this one. She hardly knew any of my family members that well. “Hey, Grace.” I smiled at her, noticing her shoulders relax slightly in response. “I'm doing well. By the way, I love this place. You guys must have so many memories here. I could tell from the photos in the hallway.”

“Yeah, this house has been around since I was 5, so I've spent part of every summer here for over a decade,” she replied softly, her voice kind. Her green eyes and blonde hair added to her angelic presence.

“Hmm, I think I’ve seen this building before. Are you sure these are your original ideas, sis?” Trent teased, stroking his chin playfully and raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, they are!” She retorted quickly, snatching the sketchbook back from him. Trent burst out laughing and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I’m kidding. These look amazing, sweetheart.” .....

Everyone seemed too full to move after the feast we devoured. Trent’s family was clearly excited to host us, ensuring every dish was served to perfection. My family looked like they were having a blast; Jobe and Trent were constantly cracking up together, seated next to each other at the table, leaving me next to Grace.

I kept telling myself it was just her stunning looks that drew me in. After all, I barely knew her. Was that a problem? If things were to develop between us, it could jeopardize my friendship with Trent. I decided to use this time to relax, enjoy myself with the Arnolds, and leave it at that.

“Let’s play a game, guys,” Trent announced, rising with his wine glass in hand. “I’ll get the cards. Who’s in?”

Jobe immediately agreed, and I nodded in his direction. Grace hesitantly said yes.

“You boys and Grace can play at the other table over there,” Diane suggested, getting up to clear the plates. “I’ll handle this and bring some fruit.” My mom joined her, refusing to let her do all the chores just because we were guests.

“Have you played Uno before, Jude?” Grace asked as we made our way to the table.

“Yeah! I always keep a pack of cards with me when I travel with the team.”

“So, you’re good at it?!” She sounded defeated already, causing me to chuckle softly. “I can never seem to win.”

“We’ll see how bad you are,” I teased, winking at her. She responded with a playful eye roll. “I’ll give you some tricks on how to win.”

As the cards were dealt, Grace kept echoing my advice on how to improve her game. It was endearing to see her across from me, legs crossed in oversized pajamas and a black t-shirt. We played a couple of rounds, and she consistently came close to winning, but Jobe and I managed to steal every victory. Trent, being the sore loser he was, demanded another game after each loss.

“Come on, Trent. They’re too good at this. Just accept defeat, bro,” Grace urged, looking frustrated at the impending loss.

“Fine, this will be the last one, I promise. I can't have this guy remind me of this moment at every chance he gets” Trent relented, pointing at me. I laughed at his outburst and shrugged my shoulders.

I signaled to Jobe to let one of them win this time. Grace seemed intensely focused, her stack of cards dwindling as she neared victory.

“And… UNO!” She exclaimed, clutching her last card to her chest and wiggling her toes with excitement. I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.

Knowing she had a red card, I strategically didn’t change the color when my turn came, I wanted to let her win.

“I won! I won!” Grace jumped from her seat and threw her arms around my shoulders. “Thank you for the tips, Jude.”

“Alright, alright! Let’s call it a night. I’m beat,” Trent grumbled, tossing his cards on the table and standing up. Such a sore loser.

Grace released me as she realized what she’d done. “Sorry, I got carried away.” ....

I jumped into bed, feeling tired from the day's activities. The bed was soft, and the sheets smelled of lavender. All the lights were out, the only illumination coming from the backyard porch light and the moon over the lake, casting a serene glow. The view was like something out of a painting.

My eyelids grew heavy, and I was ready to give in to sleep. Trent and I had planned a morning run by the lakeside to stay active during the vacation.

A soft, almost inaudible knock disturbed my drowsiness. Thinking it might be my mom, I quickly got up and opened the door with half-closed eyes.

There stood Grace.

"Hey," she said, already regretting her decision to knock. "I'm so sorry, I thought maybe you were still awake."

I placed a hand on her forearm to reassure her. "Hey, don't worry. I was awake anyway. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," she smiled, her voice quiet. "The thing is, I use one of the drawers for storage in this room." She looked at me, making sure I was okay with her entering. "I need to get something from there. Is that okay?"

"Of course! Anything you need." I quickly stepped aside, motioning for her to come in.

Grace walked in quietly, moving toward the drawer. The soft moonlight highlighted her features, making her look almost ethereal. I expected her to take something essential, like clothes or skincare products. Instead, she took a vintage looking book and handled it with care.

"Got it," she whispered, turning to me with a grateful smile, holind it behind her back quickly. "Thank you, Jude."

"No problem," I replied, trying to ignore how my heart seemed to beat a little faster in her presence. "What book is that?" I really wanted to strike out a conversation with her. She seems like the type of person who would read a lot.

"Well, it's a poem book" she said softly, holding it close to her chest. "It's Bukowski's 'Love is a Dog From Hell' book".

"That's nice," I said, approaching her slowly. She looked even more beautiful under the illuminating light. Being shorter, she had to look up at me, and I could see her eyes even more clearly. "Do you enjoy reading?"

"Yeah," she replied, feeling comfortable to continue after my question. "Especially when I can't sleep. I basically memorized this book a long time ago, but I still like it."

A part of me wanted to tell her how captivating her eyes were, but another part urged me to stay silent. After a brief pause, she seemed to decide it was time to leave.

"I'll just go now," she said, walking slowly toward the door. She turned to face me before leaving. "Thank you again. Have a good night, Jude."

"Good night, Grace," I replied, watching her as she left, feeling a mix of emotions I couldn't quite place. After she left, I crashed onto the bed, determined to fall asleep this time. Our brief interaction brought me a sense of comfort and excitement, the thought of getting to know her more easing my mind. I slowly drifted off to sleep, her captivating eyes lingering in my thoughts.

Gosh, her eyes are beautiful. Suddenly, green became my favorite color. .......... Coming up next: Chapter 2: You Can Trust Me Warnings: fluff, slowburn, emotional moment, anxiety I would appreciate a comment letting me know if you like it or not. It will motivate me to continue writing. Thank you :)

#jude bellingham #jude bellingham fanfic #jude bellingham imagine #jude bellingham x reader #jude bellingham x you #football imagine #football players #kylian mbappe x reader #trent alexander arnold #trent alexander x reader

87 notes · View notes

allgoodnamesrgoneee · 28 days ago

Text

✨ New Patreon Upload! ✨

Hey everyone! I’ve just uploaded a new Trent fic on my Patreon, and you definitely don’t want to miss it!

Head over now to check it out and show some love! 🙌

📖 Link in bio! ✨ Let me know your thoughts after reading! 💬

The Flower Shop Diaries: Petals and First Glances

Masterlist

𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 — The one where you work at a flower shop and Trent becomes your favorite customer.

𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 — Trent Alexander-Arnold x You

𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 — 10.4k

Warnings! FLUFF!! so much fluff, you have a little brother, he's so good with kids,

Preview

**********

You love mornings.

There’s a sort of magic in how they unfold, unhurried and tender. The world feels softer then, like it’s taking its first deep breath of the day, and you can breathe a little easier, too.

It starts with the city outside—a low, comforting hum of cars passing, tires brushing against rain-washed pavement, the occasional distant bark of a dog, or the chirp of a sparrow flitting by. Sunlight filters through the shop’s wide windows in golden beams, scattering over the counter like a dusting of pollen.

And then, of course, there’s the smell.

That familiar, earthy blend of damp soil and blooms, mingling with the bold, slightly bitter aroma of your coffee—strong enough to cut through the lingering sleep in your head. To chase away the migraines that have been plaguing you lately. To wake your senses, bit by bit, and welcome you to another day.

And so, on cue, you reach for your mug and take another sip of the scalding brew before setting it down. You wrap your hands around your mug, savoring the warmth against your palms. For a moment, you let yourself simply exist.

Here, amongst the vivid reds of roses, the cheerful yellows of sunflowers, and the soft whites of baby’s breath, you can pretend for a while that everything is blooming, even if parts of you feel wilted.

This morning, like so many others, you lose yourself in the rhythm of your work. Hands moving methodically, you restock the display of sunflowers and daisies near the window. Your fingertips brush against the velvet petals as you arrange them, coaxing the display into something that feels welcoming and vibrant.

With every flower, you imagine the life it will touch. You picture the person who might pick it up, bring it home, and enjoy its simple beauty. Perhaps it’ll become part of a bouquet, a surprise gift that brightens their day. Perhaps a bride will walk down the aisle clutching it tight.

There’s comfort in imagining the joy these flowers will bring, even when it feels like joy is in short supply for you.

In fact, there’s something to be said for the comforting ritual of work.

For the ease of knowing what you must do without having to think about it too much. The way it pushes aside the constant hum of worry in your head that’s been growing louder with time, like static on the radio. The way it brings a sense of purpose to your day, even when other things feel out of control.

You have a gift for this work.

A knack for choosing flowers that complement each other in the perfect way, and for crafting arrangements that bring their own, unique rhythm to any space they grace. And so, you throw yourself into this morning routine, letting the world outside shrink away for a few more precious minutes.

The soft chime of the bell above the door pulls you from your thoughts.

It’s a familiar sound, one that usually signals the arrival of one of your regulars—Mrs. Lin, maybe, here for her usual bunch of lilacs, or Mr. Harris, clutching a bouquet of peonies for his wife of forty years. They're the only ones that ever come by this early. Your mind already starts to form polite greetings as you glance toward the door.

You look around the shop, taking in its familiar tidiness.

The shelves are lined with carefully curated bouquets, and the air is filled with the delicate aroma of roses, daisies, and freshly watered soil. There’s an order in the back you need to finish, but nothing that feels urgent. With a soft sigh, you smooth down your skirt, a habitual gesture that brings you comfort, and wander toward the front counter.

But the man who steps inside isn’t a regular.

**********

-Bianca🌻

#footballer x reader #trent alexander arnold x reader #trent x reader #trent alexander arnold #trent alexander imagines #trent alexander x you

18 notes · View notes

sithwitch13 · 9 months ago

Text

AEW Double or Nothing 5/26/24

Love Thunder Rosa's Elvis gear

I think Thunder may murder Deonna over this

Fuck it has been 25 years since Owen what the fuck

Ok but which one did Schiavone not think was a big man

Gates/Cage of Agony have really been growing on me

I'm so dumb I just realized Ospreay's robe is supposed to be an Assassin's hood. The shiny colors and feathers obscured that for me

Bryce standing up to Wardlow and then Wardlow's face as he backed away lol

Jesus this is amazing

Cole's back! Now please stay intact for a while

SCREAMING

New look MJF variant!

Aww MJF got to say fuck, good for him

...just realized I halfway thought the Gunns had doge memes on their gear

THE JUICE IS LOOSE

I wish I could feel something other than apathy for Serena Deeb.

I continue to love everything about Mariah May and her involvement in this storyline

Okay Trent is using a different song and now my psychic damage is slightly lessened

Return of the Pixies!

Rocky with the jacket I'm gonna cry 😢

At least they're not d4s

BRYAN KEITH ON A PPV CONGRATS TO US ALL

Idc Bryan Keith involved in anything is a major win for me

WTF DID THE TABLE LEGS GO THROUGH THE FUCKING TABLE JESUS CHRIST

Accidental strap match thanks to Mox's arm wrap

TAKESHITA DOING THE DEATH RIDER AAAA

BROOD BROOD BROOD BROOD

GOTH BLOOD PERVERT HOURS

JESUS CHRIST

Fuckign rude, Jesus is RIGHT THERE

GANGREL FUCK YES

TIME FOR MERCEDES AND WILLOW

Giant friendship bracelet!

Wait when did Taz get here? Was I so excited that I missed Taz?

That fucked so hard, I'm so happy for us all

Nooooooo I knew it was coming but noooo

Oh damn reminds me I've been wanting to rewatch The Warriors

Swerve in that Warriors gear is working for me on every level

Nooo Nana has done nothing wrong ever in his life

Swerve moves like a sexy big cat, I love him

The House Call is becoming one of my favorite finishers ever

So someone's getting set on fire right?

The fucking robes lol

FINAL COUNDOWN JONES

A FUCKING BUS?!

WAIT DARBY'S FACEMASKS HAS THUMBTACKS?!?!

TONY KHAN AGAIN?!?!?!

FLAMETHROWER'S BACK

EXPLODIKG CHAIR?!???

THUMBTACK SHOES

JESUS HE IS A PIÑATA

HOLY FUCK HE PINNED DANIELSON

Jesus christ what a night

#aew double or nothing

6 notes · View notes

desirepathzine · 9 months ago

Text

The Magic of Sara Landry

As a tween, I was so fascinated with electronic music. Nothing could bypass the television static in my brain and get me through tasks and trials like those methodical beeps and boops. My first brush with it was The Social Network soundtrack, composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. I didn't know music could sound like that, elicit that sort of feeling.

This grew into a love of industrial, EBM, and aggrotech as I grew into my dancing years, going out to clubs that would play the sledgehammer hits of Nitzer Ebb and the mesmerizing arppegiations of VNV Nation.

"Techno" when and where I was growing up was largely relegated to blasting "Sandstorm" over and over again and the occasional Skrillex remix. In my classically trained family, why would you be interested in someone whose job was to stand at a Macbook and press a few buttons? I didn't really think of the aforementioned

But in the last year, as I look for new horizons to make my nascent workout plans hit a little harder, I discovered so many amazing DJs and electronic wizards who curate incredible sets and bring the energy that can carry me through even the laziest of days. HORSEGRL, Brutalismus, Dana Montana, all amazing, but my favorite and most admired is the inimitable Sara Landry.

Sara first came across my radar thanks to a dear friend. They both have ADHD, and my friend loved her openness and approach to living with the challenges that ADHD can present.

Sara is sincerely open and honest about how her particular bag of neurodivergence affects her work and music, something her growing legion of fans connects with, deeply. One of my favorite pictures of her is during her incredible all-night Knockout set where she is surrounded by sweaty dancing patrons holding a sign that reads, "WE'RE HIGH ON ADHD". She is very playful with her audience, even as the music she spins is breakneck, intense, hardcore, noisy, techno.

And what beautiful noise it is. It's always a treat to both hear something new, whether just a song that was not on my radar or a Sara original from her Hekate label, and the familiar classics flipped through her own vision in her sets. Landry gained attention on TikTok for playing Noise Mafia's insane edit of MIA's Paper Planes during a Boiler Room set, as well as her Perfect (Exceeder) flip that emerged on the internet just as that track resurfaced for the smash SALTBURN soundtrack. Good timing? Yes. But would we have noticed even if that song wasn't rising back up into the charts? I think so.

Techno fans and followers are often talking up 'the energy' of going to a rave or a DJ set. Such woo-woo hippie talk can sound maybe even a little corny to those of us who have been outside of it, but after watching a Landry set, I totally believe in it. Sara even says as much in her various interviews, noting that she likens her performances to reiki, “where people are taking in my energy and releasing what does not serve them.” (DJMag, April 2024). She's here to serve as a conduit, taking us to higher, heavier, and more chaotic places.

Her aforementioned Boiler Room set has over five million youtube hits, and I would warrant about 15 of those are mine. My room has never been cleaner, my workouts have never been easier, and my Apex Legends competitive ranking has never been higher. The last twenty or so minutes of that set are spellbinding, a live looping segment that takes the already high energy so high that you assume the roof of the Boiler Room must be somewhere in the stratosphere.

Within all of the witchy aesthetics and breakneck beats, here is someone living with their neurodivergence, finding what works for them, being open and approachable about how their mind works, and thriving. Some might find it counter intuitive that such a light worker plays such chaotic music, dresses exclusively in black with dark dramatic eye looks, and makes silly TikToks in their downtime, but Sara Landry is bringing a searing white light of energy wherever she goes.

#sara landry #techno #zine #essay #music #digital zine

2 notes · View notes

hjcoolartnerd · 10 months ago

Text

TDA Rewrite Episode 4: Beach Blanket Bogus

Previous Episode: Riot on Set

Recap Voice Over:

"Last Time On Total Drama Action.... He was a bou, she was a girl. And Last Week on Total Drama Action, a shocking team redistribution pitted them against one another. Our heroine made a fundamental romantic comedy error picking Duncan first and leaving her boyfriend Trent feeling kind of ouchie. Shockingly Ezekiel wasn't the last person picked for the teams thanks to Eric who persuaded Gwen to pick him over Bryan." Chris laughs "With Brothers like Eric who needs Enemies right? Meanwhile two men made an illegal alliance and Duncan's bad thespian skills Trumped Izzy's, well, madness. It was all too much for Chef's tender heart, and Izzy, uh, Kaleidoscope, was clearly a bit too nutso, even for this show. Will Duncan Break up Gwen and Trent's barely there relationship? Will Bryan gain an Ally against all odds? Will the new lock keep Owen out of the craft truck? Will Ezekiel get booted soon after avoiding 3 eliminations? Will my nonfat vanilla soy latte ever get here?" Chris glared at someone off camera. "All the answered... answered right now in another tear-jerking episode of Total! Drama! Action!" The camera pans back showing off the full film lot as the camera fades to black.

[Intro]

Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine, You guys are on my mind. You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see, I wanna be famous.

I wanna live close to the sun, Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won, Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day. Cause, I wanna be famous!

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na! I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous (Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!) I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous (Whistling in tune)

[End Intro]

The Camera fades back in right outside the Craft Services tent were Eric and Justin were meeting lucky for them they were alone. "Justin... I know with all this Million Dollar madness has been a bit.... draining that we haven't had Time to properly address what happened last season." Eric said in a low tone mentioning the fact that The two of them had kissed right after Justin made Sadie and Katie go into a cave. Justin looked at Eric with a smoldering gaze, his trademark charm oozing from every pore. "Eric, my dear, it's not the madness of the million dollars that's been draining me," he purred, a sly grin playing on his lips. "It's the electrifying tension between us that's been keeping me up at night." Eric let out a sigh, his voice tinged with regret. "Justin, since we arrived on this film lot, our interactions have been next to zero. And now, to make matters worse, we're on opposite teams." Justin flashed a dazzling smile, his dimwitted charm shining through. "Ah, Eric my friend, but isn't it true what they say? Absence makes the heart grow fonder... or in our case, the drama grow juicier!" He winked playfully, oblivious to the depth of Eric's concerns.

"I have to admit, sometimes I worry that maybe I'm not as focused on the game as I should be. But then I see Justin, and all those worries just melt away. How can I concentrate on strategy when he's standing there, looking as handsome as ever? It's like he's the only thing I can see sometimes, and I can't help but feel like the luckiest guy in the world to have him in my life." Eric said with a look of concern flickering across his face before he returned to his usual lovestruck demeanor.

"Winning is everything in this game, and I'll do whatever it takes to come out on top. Even if it means manipulating my boyfriend, Eric." He paused, a smirk creeping onto his lips. "And hey, if I need to turn on the charm with Lindsay, Beth, or even Ezekiel to get ahead? Well, that's just part of the game, isn't it? Sorry, Eric, but in this competition, it's every man for himself." Justin chuckled softly,

After that interaction between the guys they went inside of to the Craft Services tent Eric went to do the line to get his slop of the day while Justin returned to his table , Eric Lined up behind Heather as Chef place brown slop on Heather's plate "Now I know how starlets stay thin?" She said disgusted with the food. Harold approached her "I wish Chef would let me in to the kitchen" he said looking at her "I got me some mad culinary skills" Eric raised his eyebrow as Heather looked at Harold "Do you mind? I was talking to my slop!" She told him as she walked away She took a seat and saw Lindsay and Beth trying to pick a table as they just flat out walked the other way Ezekiel following Behind her. She frowns as she looks down "This seat taken?" Bryan asked sitting across from her "Oh Bryan... Great" She sighed "You want to know what's your biggest problem?" He asked as He tried to eat the slop "Enlighten me" She crossed her arms "You did you evil acts in plain sight last season" Bryan said "As a Outside observer... You could have been a bit more down load with your plans." He added "and have a social game that way even if people did saw you as mean, they give you props for your good strategy" She looked at him "Oh really? how do you know?" She glares "That's my plan at the moment... but my team is completely useless..." Bryan sighed "Lindsay is so dumb! Beth is just a waste of a teammate, Owen is a farting machine that got lucky last season, Trent is a bad captain for the team he chose and Cody... also useless... I'm surrounded by loons!" He crossed his arms frowning his voice low. Before smile a bit "But I have a plan for today for my team..." He said "Oh do tell" Heather asked him crossing her arms "Well, I got to keep playing my goody boy act and have the team trust me but also be half bossy... We need leadership and I'm going to shape them into a better team. I did it in out high school basketball team i can do it here." He smiled proudly

"Honestly, talking with Bryan is just another reminder of the target on my back. Sure, we might share a similar exterior, but deep down, I can't help but feel like I'm constantly under scrutiny." She sighed, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Maybe he's right about toning down the theatrics, but it's hard not to feel like I need to prove myself at every turn. With teammates like Gwen, Leshawna, and the rest of this sorry bunch, it's clear that I'm the one with the biggest target on my back." Heather paused, a hint of determination creeping into her tone.

"Playing the good guy act might not come naturally to me, but if it's what it takes to manipulate this team of misfits, then so be it." He shrugged nonchalantly, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Sure, they might be useless in a challenge, but they're like putty in my hands. All it takes is a little bit of charm and a sprinkle of authority, and suddenly, they're following my every word." Bryan chuckled softly, his voice dripping with confidence.

Lindsay, Ezekiel and Beth sat with Justin each to his side as Ezekiel just sat across from Justin. Each girl had a plate, Lindsay holding Bacon and Beth holding Fakon. "Justin Look!" Lindsay called "I brought you bacon" She smiled at him "I brought you faken" Beth began "Tofu's good for you heart" She added "Pig is good for his hair!" Lindsay said "Holy crap! I love his hair!" He hugged justin "ladies, please. I accept both you offerings" Justin smiled smoothly and then looked at Ezekiel before smiling "Just staring at these three cuties around me is enough to get my fill of food" He told the three but his gaze was straight on Ezekiel. Ezekiel's face turned a deep shade of red as he squirmed in his seat, his shy demeanor evident as he tried to respond to Justin's compliment. "Uh, uh, g-golly, thanks, Justin. That's, uh, mighty nice of ya to say," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. He fidgeted nervously with his hands, avoiding direct eye contact with Justin as his cheeks continued to burn with embarrassment.

"Uh, so, lately I've been feelin' kind of strange, you know? My face keeps gettin' all hot, and I can't figure out why. At first, I thought maybe I was gettin' sick or somethin'. You know, like a fever or whatever." Ezekiel shrugged, his brow furrowed in confusion his face red.

Justin began eating as The girls and Ezekiel stared at Justin. As He winked at them, which made Ezekiel almost choke and and Beth gasped and fell.

"If only making friends with a guy as gorgeous as Justin was as easy as making this friendship bracelets." Beth said playing with the bracelet that broke and she almost choked on a bead.

Eric sat with Duncan and Gwen as Trent poured salt on his eggs as the cap broke and lots of salt poured on it. Duncan laughed at it. "Ah, Sorry about the morning Assault!" He said laughing Gwen smacked Duncan "Thie grade called. You're due back in class." She smiled at him "Real mature. Don't you know it's bad luck to spill salt?" He grabs a bit of salt and tosses it back and it hits Heather on the face. She screams in pain "Nothing a little pepper won't fix" He tried pouring pepper when it does the same Hehe grabbed spinch and tossed it back hitting heather again as she begind sneezing like crazy and runs off creaming and sneezing. Duncan walked to Trent's table laughing "Are you still gonna finish those eggs, bro?" He asked as he took a bit of Trent's egg. going from 9 to 8 bites. "Are you Nuts! Now I only have eight pieces left?" Trent reacted as Eric raised his eyebrow, since Trent was starting again with his 9 obsession. "Am I nuts?" Duncan asked him confused "Dude, you are officially capital W weird!" He added Gwen walked to the table "which is good, because i happen to really like weird "She defended before taking a egg bite "There now you have 7 which is an odd number again. Isn't thant kind of better?" she asked. "Abso-Gwenly." Trent replied smiling at her. Cody frowned as Bryan now knew a way to manipulate Cody. Just then a whistle was blown! "Hang onto your coconuts, players." Chris said holding a surfing board "We're going back to the beach" He said "Whooo!" Owen cheered "Ever seen one of those 1960s surfer movies, where the kids get up to neato fun before the big bonfire twist a thon and the bully kicks the sand castle in the nerdy guys face?" Chris said "Uh, excuse me, but was that even English, eh?" Ezekiel asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. "I mean, I ain't never heard nothin' like that. Neato fun and bonfire twist-a-thon? Sounds like a whole heap of jibber-jabber to me." He scratched his head, clearly struggling to make sense of Chris's colorful description. The others shared the same sentiment except Harold who nodded. Heather continued Sneezing. "I Agree with Homeschool here, Grandpa, We haven't" Duncan said with his arms crossed. "Well, get ready to recreate one, Junior" Chris said "two challenges followed by a tie breaker if necessary, So grab your swimsuits!" Chris said walking out of the tent as the cast follwoed him. Dj was going out when Ched stopped him "If the sand castle thing goes down, make sure you are the kicker, not the kickee." He whispered to DJ.

The cast are in the Surfing set which was freezing cold and to add more to things they were all in their swimsuits. "When did you guys move the beach to Antarctica?" Lindsay asked as everyone was shaking with cold she had a bottled of sunscreen on her hands trying to squeeze it. "As some of you can see, we're actually in the shooting studio" Chris began "And The Ac's cranked because?" Duncan asked "All the cameras and Light get so hot, they could melt Chef's heart" Chris explained "And the network told my agent sweaty wasn't a good look for me. " He continued "Your first challenge, Hang ten this deck into the big blue without swallowing tail in the soup." He said "What did you just asked me to do?" Leshawna asked glaring at him "Trent runs to her "He means who ever stays on the surfboard the longest wins." Trent calmed her. "Exact-a-mundo, groovy cats." Chris said as Bryan cringed "Who's going first?" He asked "The team that wins will get a half hour head start on the next challenge and given tonight's reward, you should be fighting harder than justin's abs over who gets first shots" He added as no one stepped forward but thank to a frozen bit of sunblock that squirted from Lindsay's Bottle Harold stepped forward. "We have a volunteer!" Chris announed as Herold looks down.

Harold get on the surfing board geting ready "<ad surfing skills activate" He said as he got ready "And please welcome the return of some season one fan favorites," Chris smirks "The Sharks!" He announced as a shark Jumpped out and Harold went up to protect himself hanging from the equipment. "my booty and I are out!" He said "Your booty has an opinion?" Leshawna asked "That's a big job for such a saggy, sad little thing" Heather said "I'll have you know, this is a selfless act!" Harold told them "my lady fans couldn't handle the loss of this perfect behind!" He added "and by lady fans he means his mother" Heather threw another jab as Bryan tried not to laugh "Hey Sharks, look, Bacon and faken" Harold said pointing to Owen. "Breakfast should last all day, no?" He asked as Bryan rolled his eyes at him. as Sharks begged for Faken and Bacon.. Harold tried to dismount but ended up getting hurt in the process. "Way to stick the dismount bro" Chris said as Heather Duncan and Gwen laughed. Gwen and Duncan fist bumped as Trent got jealous and Insecure. "Aw..." he said "Friendship bracelet "Beth said holding up a bracelet with Trent's color scheme he takes it and starts hitting his head with it 9 times. Beth looks at him as she back away, Eric rolls his eyes at that. "Did you ever noticed Trent's a little weird?" Beth asked Lindsay and Ezekiel. "Eh, well, I reckon I didn't rightly notice, Beth," Ezekiel replied, his tone earnest but somewhat hesitant. Yet Lindsay didn't really get what she said "Did you say Tyler's here?" She smiled wide "That's Amazing!" Beth looks at Ezekiel "Okay lin, Tyler is not in the game anymore" She told her "Eh, well, uh, nope, Lin, Tyler ain't in the game no more," Ezekiel chimed in, trying to clear up the misunderstanding "Oh right...." Lindsay sighs "I must have a dental block about the whole thing." She said frowning Beth back away from her too.

Lindsay then took her turn on the surfboard managing to stay for a while until Chris changes the scenery to a Farm during a tornado and he cranks up a fan that makes Lindsay hit the wall. Other people took their turn, DJ, and Bryan and the Cody, Owen, Gwen Heather and Leshawna and justin but all the failed, luckily now there weren't any sharks. when it was Ezekiel's turn. He tried to stay as much as he could on the board "Yo! this is tricky eh!" Ezekiel exclaimed as he tried to maintain his balance, "Go Zeke!" Lindsay shouted "You can do it!" Beth also shouting encoring him "Lindsay! Beth! He isn't even in our team!" Bryan shouted at them before composing himself "You shouldn't be cheering for the enemy." he added. Yet still Ezekiel failed to stay long. Then It was Eric turn and he also had troubled with staying up, and He was being shot Seagulls instead "Zeke was right! This is Tricky" He said trying to claim his balance "Stay on the board Eric!" Harold Cheered. "You can do it, eh!" Ezekiel called "Can I shoot the seagulls at him chris?" Bryan asked trying to hurt him "Sure why not" Chris smiled as He took the gun and started shooting erratically. making Eric loose his balance. and fall

"Bryan's little stunt of asking to shoot the seagull shooter? Diabolically genius. It's about time someone shook things up around here. Looks like the game just got a whole lot more interesting." Heather said smiling impressed.

Lastly it was Duncan's turn to prove himself and he managed to stay on the surfboard, even avoiding Seagulls, sharks and Lindsay being throw to him causing the first win to be to the Gaffers. The team celebrated and cheered. Eric smiled and High fived Ezekiel. Gwen and Duncan high-five making Trent get jealous again and turning weird "If you at home like weird" Chris said staring at the camera "You'll love what's coming up next!" he said "I'm telling you, sometimes being weird is cool" Trent told Chris "Delusional. So sad." the camera then fades to black.

Soon the camera fades back in to show everyone at the film lot entrance all wearing their regular clothes "Welcome back to Total Drama Action" Chris said "Where against all advice to the contrary, the players have changed out of their bathing suits. Hope You like swimming in your jeans" He said shrugging "Right, because we are totally going to the beach for real this time." Heather said with sarcasm "The bus is just kate." She finished just as a bus horn blares. "You were saying?" Chris said

"Chris actually told us the truth for once?" Owen said sounding shocked "what's next? Being treated with actual respect?"

Beth was standing in front of the Bus door as Eric and Ezekiel were about to enter "I made you two Friendship bracelets, They match your outfits" She said smiling. "Thank you Beth! You didn't have to" Eric said smiling "It's the least I can do! You are helping Ezekiel on you team" She smiled at him as eric entered "here is yurs Zeke" She handed Ezekiel his bracelt"Uh, gee, thanks, eh! This, like, totally rocks! This and the necklace Lin gave me? I feel like, you know, part of your friend group now," Ezekiel said with a shy smile as he go inside the buss and sat next to Eric. Once everyone is aboard the bus it drove towards a familiar sigh. Camp Wawanawkaw. "Yes Campers, We're actually back to your old Stomping grounds, Total! Drama! Island!" he said as everyone looked at Chris. "If you neeed to take a moment and reminisce about the great times you had here.." Everyone but Bryan burst out laughing at what Chris said making him glare at everyone "Fine! We'll skip the good memories montage. Screaming Gaffers, you've got a 30 minute head start on...." He said "the sand castle building contest! To be judge by our resident king o' dunes. Make like prop masters, guys, and give me something awesome," Chris said smiling "I really don;t want the tie breaker to have to go down. I don't think legal quite approved it yet." The gaffers start their sand castle building and they work as hard and fast as the can following Harold's Instruction, While the majority went around with buckets and water Ezekiel was with harold Proving his worth. "Wow I never expected to say this but you are quite a hard worker Ezekiel" Harold said "Aw, shucks, Harold, thanks!" Ezekiel grinned, his cheeks flushing slightly at the unexpected praise. "I guess I just like gettin' my hands dirty and all, you know?" He shrugged modestly, feeling a sense of camaraderie with Harold as they worked side by side. Harold chuckled, clapping Ezekiel on the back. "Well, keep up the good work, buddy! With your help, we're gonna build the best darn sand castle this beach has ever seen!" He gave Ezekiel a thumbs up, impressed by his dedication and enthusiasm. They continued and they were almost finishing their Sand Castle. Chris counted down the Head start for the Gaffers and now the Grips could start their castle as the began to panic as, Trent give his idea as they build an awful castle with 9 of everything. and Sadly it broke when he placed the 9th tower causing Bryan to blow up at Trent realizing real thoughs because h couldn't take his team of idiots "Are you kidding me, Trent?!" Bryan exploded, his usual calm demeanor shattered in a moment of frustration. "Nine towers? Are you trying to sabotage us? We're supposed to be building a castle, not a joke!" His voice rose in anger, his eyes blazing with fury as he let out his pent-up frustration. "I can't believe I'm stuck with a team of incompetent fools like you!" Bryan's outburst echoed across the beach, leaving a tense silence in its wake, with no way to fix the damage his harsh words had caused. The grips gasped and Glared at him even if he was right for the Trent thing, he still was harsh and called them incompetent. So the team worked on the castle making it out of paper Mache and sand, Bryan sat to a side as no one wanted to work with him for his out burst. While the grips build their prop sand castle, The gaffers sand castle was under attack by sea gull and it broke down on the wrong moment causing the win to go to the grips. Prompting chris to tell them to go get fire wood befpre starting the tie breaker.

As Eric, Harold, and Ezekiel gathered firewood, Harold couldn't help but commend Eric. "You know, Eric, I gotta hand it to you," he said, nodding appreciatively. "Last time, you had Gwen pick Ezekiel for her team, and I gotta say, it turned out pretty well. The guy's got some good things to bring to the table." Ezekiel's face turned a shade of red as he shifted awkwardly, his shy demeanor evident. "Uh, th-thanks, Harold," he stammered, his voice soft and hesitant. "I-I'm just, uh, here to do my best and help out however I can." He continued gathering firewood, feeling a little flustered by the unexpected praise but also touched by the recognition. "Well... You saw how better it was to Have Zeke over Bryan.... The out burst he had today means he will be going next when they Grips lose" Eric said as he shrugged " Besides, I think Zeke Deserves a Second Chance and who knows people might get to actually like him" Eric added as Ezekiel smiled and blushes abit feeling like things were going right "Thanks, eh!" He said as the continued gathering fire wood. After Picking Wood Chris admit he wanted alone time, He then tells them what the Tie breaker was and it was a Dance off. So it was Leshawna vs Trent. the two began dancing and Leshawna was a horrible dance which meant that the Gaffer would lose the challenge but something unexpected happened, Trent had a idea thanks to owen that he should let Gwen win because thats what she wanted and with that he faked a leg Injury to have the gaffers win, Which it proved sucessfull but what no one had suspected was that Chris told them that despite being a reward challenge the producers told the to also make it an elimination which shocked the Grips. Since the bus was broken they had to have the ceremony in the old campfire.

It Becomes night and The Gilded Chris Theme begins to play. The grips enter the campfire and each take seats. as They Wait for Chris to start speaking as He walks to the center stage while Chef did a drum roll "And now, it's your turn to cast your votes" Chris said with his smile "and determine who will stroll down the walk of shame" The grips glance at the Lame-o-sine and all exchange glances. Chef walks to them with the voting devices "Here is your Voting devices where you will determine who will be strolling down the make shift walk of shame." He smiled as everyone casted their votes and someone handed Chris and Envelop. "The remaining players are safe...." He smiled "Cody, Justin, Owen" He called as Chef tossed the Gilded Chris to them. "Lindsay and Beth!" He added as the caught their Gilded Chris, Leaving Trent and Bryan shocked and confused "Two nominees," He smirked "That last Gilded chris goes to...." He extend the drama. "Wait!" Bryan stopped everything "Can I get one last Confessional before I take the boot?" He knew he was going due to his out burst "Since this my first elimination ever i should get some confessional right?" He said shruging "Sure fine what ever." Chris said "Go ahead." He said as Bryan ran but not towards the outhouse insted he headed to where the Gaffers where enjoying the rewards and he pulled heather aside "Heather I need your help!" he looks at her "Im getting the boot but im not ready to leave... and I think i should start with the Switch..." He said "Remember i highschool when i humiliated Eric by acting like him? Im going to make him take the boot for me. and That way you can hvae an alliance menber" He said as she ponders for a minute "Mhm and If you win i get 50 percent of the million?" She asked "Yes!" He said "I just need this favir! I need eric distracted. So i can hit him with a cocunot and Take him out!" He said as Heather agreed. So the two set their plan in motion Heather pretended to enjoy the reward as Eric felt something or someone sneaking behind him near the small forest. "Weird? Whats going on" he muttered leaving the reward area to check it out. He was unaware of Bryan hiding holding Mr. Coconut. Once Eric was in Bryans sight he hit him unconsious with Mr. Coconut. He changed their clothes and With heathers Help the two pretended to excort 'Bryan' to the elimination ceremony "Chris we found Bryan sneaking around" Heather said. "I pieced out that maybe he was voted off." She added "OH i almost didn't caught. he is Sneaky,," He laughs as The grips exchange glances "Take him to the Lame-o-Sine" He added as Eric and Heather excort Bryan to the lame-o-sine they pushed him inside and closed the door on the unconscious guy. "Well, well, well, looks like the tables have turned in my favor," he began, his voice tinged with satisfaction. "Switching places with an unconscious Eric? Genius move, if I do say so myself." He leaned back in his seat, a smirk playing on his lips. "Now I get to continue playing the game as Eric, while the real Eric heads home in my place. Talk about a win-win situation." He chuckled softly, reveling in his own cunning. "With a stronger team and a clearer path to victory, nothing's gonna stop me from taking home that million," Bryan declared confidently, his eyes glittering with ambition. "And if anyone thinks they can outsmart me, well, they've got another thing coming."

Chris pauses Bryans Confessinal and smirks at the Camera "justin playin with Lindsay and Beth and now Bryan Having his brother take his spot in the Lame-o-sine" He smirked "Two evil geniuses in two different team with different strategy? If you want to know what happens next stay tuned to Total! Drama?! Action!" The camera fades to black

[Outro]

[End Outro]

TDA Exclusive Scene: 'Bryan' on the Lame o Sine

Next Episode: 3:10 to Crazy Town

A/N: I am sorry if this chapter is abit rushed. I wanted to Hurry this one and publish it. I skipped the gwen and Trent scene because yeah... and focused on Harold seeing that Ezekiel might be a good guy, because He would have need an Ally since Eric is out now, so stay tuned for the next episode.

4 notes · View notes

noneoftheirbusinessff · 3 months ago

Text

Layla

Monday Morning, Los Angeles.

The alarm on her phone continued to ruin her peaceful and much needed slumber. Why couldn't the weekend extend itself long on her behalf she thought to herself. Sunday brunch and mimosas were the constant reminder that she needed to slow her ass down. A small headache formed on the right temple of Layla's head. Soon a groan slipped from her mouth as she reached over to her nightstand to turn off her alarm.

Layla Richardson was a beautiful, smart, driven, and kind young music executive making waves within the ever-changing music industry and the growing independent scene. She completed college with honors and held a long list of recommendations from previous internships she completed throughout undergrad.

Not only was Layla successful. She is cultured and represents her mixed culture proudly. Her swirl of ethnicity attributed to her beauty and allowed her to stand out. She has doubled the spiciness.

"Man I really don't want to go in today" I mumbled to myself as I forced myself up and out the comfy Queen-sized bed. "It's one thing that I have to work before vacation comes" I mumbled to myself. As Layla dragged her feet to the bathroom. Her phone began to ring loudly. She turned to her nightstand and reached out to answer the call that was interrupting her morning ritual.

"Hello?" I answered as I was trying to wake up. "Girl" A familiar voice rang out on the other end. "So that's how you greet your best friend for over 9 years!?". I instantly smiled and shook my head. "Hey Jazz. What's up girl!" I greeted my best friend on the other end. "What's up is we'll be in paradise in 7 days!" Jazzy exclaimed as Layla did a quick little dance in bed. "I know! I still want to shop for some pieces. I need my options," I said as I could already picture Jazz rolling her eyes at me. It wasn't Layla's fault that she needed options for every occasion. She took pride in being the fashionista out of her friend group. "I'm not even going to say anything" Jazz replied then chuckled. "I was calling because word on the street is Trent's triflin' ass is bringing more people with him," Jazzy said with full attitude.

"Who else could T bring? Here he goes" I said as I knew my other friend Trent was stirring some bullshit and we haven't even left. Jazzy and I met Trent in undergrad and he was notorious for bringing unwanted guests with him to places. We still haven't forgiven him for some of the shit he's pulled. "I'm about to hit his line now!" Jazzy snapped as I shook my head and laughed. As I waited for the scuffle to happen. I walked towards my bathroom and mentally prepped for my morning routine.

"He-Hello?" Trent's scratchy voice said as the call clicked over so we were all on the line. "Nah wake your ass up Trenton" Jazzy snapped. "What did I do?" Trent said as he cleared his voice and yawned. "Cut the crap. Who are you bringing with you on the Mexico trip?" Jazz demanded as I muted my end to cackle as Jazzy was going to rip Trent a whole new ass. "Don't start tripping on me now J. I just invited my boys. They already sent payment so please relax J" Trent calmly said. "Welp there's that" I said to myself smiling.

"Oh, so you have nothing to say Lala" Jazz said as her tone dripped with saltiness. "Damn y'all gonna set me up like that? Lay you in on this?" Trent said throwing me in the mix. "I'm Bennett and I'm not in whatever you two going through," I said dismissing the current debacle. "Whatever niggas! Get off my phone and Trent I'll be expecting the payment by the end of the day" Jazz said then ended the call.

I set my phone on top of the counter and turned on the shower. Another day of trying to make it to Friday.

~~~

I checked my lip gloss in my compact mirror before sliding it back into my Telfar large purse. "Good Morning Ms. Layla" the front desk girl greeted me. I smiled and waved at her as I walked towards the elevators. As the elevator doors opened, I walked on and pressed my company's floor which was high on the 15th floor. The city's landscape always welcomed me with the tall buildings stretching high up. The elevator dinged when it finally reached my destination.

"Good Morning Layla" my coworker Erin greeted me with a coffee and a smile. "Thank you girl" I replied back then reached for the coffee. "So...do you want the bad news first or good news?" She asked as she was preparing to dump some bullshit on me. Monday was certainly doing its big one. "You know me. Hit me with the no chaser" I said then sipped my toasty hot coffee. "Okay so the budget for next quarter's project got cut but there's an opportunity to recover from another investment," She said as I sighed in defeat. "Okay go on". "The good news is we secured the interview with Israel Jones and got you VIP passes for his press release event," Erin said as both of our smiles grew. "YES!" I exclaimed loudly then quickly covered my mouth. "Thank you, Erin! You're the best" I said then proceeded to my office.

Another secured win for myself to add to the accolades.

Jazzy

As soon as the three-way call ended. Trent immediately called me back with an instant. I sighed and answered, "Hello?". "What's your problem Jazz?" He snapped. "Nothing but you know you're wrong for not telling us that you're adding more people to the trip," I said as I sat at my home desk and opened my MacBook. "Nah fuck all of that. Speak up Jazmyne," He said in that familiar tone that gave me shudders.

The thing about Trent is we've been dealing with each other intimately on and off since graduation happened. So that's been a solid 3 years and counting. Layla had zero clue and we both agreed to keep it like that. I'm not sure how I feel about Trent and clearly, he's playing the field.

"Jazz just say you got jealous that you thought I was going to bring another girl along" He coyly said. "Do whatever you please Trent. It's not like you're my man or fucking me" I said as my tone dripped with attitude. So fucking what if I slightly made an assumption. You just don't have sex with your friend and try to parade another female without any clear form of communication. "Fuck. Let me come over to apologize and drop the money off" He offered. Nah, he wasn't going to get off that easy. I knew how this interaction could play out.

He was going to bat those greenish-blue eyes and pout his plump pink lips. I'm not falling for that. Nope. Not me.

"At least let me drop the money off. It's cash" He finally said since the silent treatment was working in my favor. "Fine," I said then hung up the phone.

I needed this Mexico getaway desperately. A break from reality.

#fanfic #fanficsport

0 notes

luminousvision · 10 months ago

Text

change the menu

“Life’s too short to bet long,” Mick said.

“Mick,” Ario warned.

“Got that on Madison Ave, didn’t you? I saw the banners,” Trent said. “Catch all the people who can’t see past one paycheck.”

“Madison? Ashley Madison?” Mick asked. Trent giggled.

“I’m only letting that pass because Shelley isn’t here,” Ario said. He was a senior principal who set the rules. “And Mick, let’s talk about something else today.”

A waitress approached carrying a circular tray at eye level. “Oysters? We also have sashimi: salmon and yellowtail.”

Mick and Trent each took an oyster and slurped them. Ario waved his hand and took a sip of wine.

“The dinner menu,” the waitress said, leaving three black folders on the table.

The three of them sat in a round booth with thick burgundy upholstery, lit by a chandelier with a thousand crystals. Around them were pairs and trios of nice clothes and faces carved by long creased lines, softened ever so slightly by the glasses of wine.

“I rather liked coming here. Made me feel like someone,” Trent said. He took a menu and open it.

Ario looked at him without turning his head. Mick watched the dozen twenty-somethings lounging on the leather couches. They were laughing.

“Doing anything fun this weekend?” Mick finally asked. Nobody answered.

“I might get back into gardening,” Ario said. Mick and Trent looked at each other.

“I didn’t know you had a garden,” Mick said.

Ario took out his phone and began to scroll. “I started one when I first moved out to Long Island eight years ago.” He showed them a picture of freshly tilled soil and another with rows of sprouts.

Mick took the phone. “Wow, what did you grow?”

“Well, nothing much. I never had the time to water them.”

“You’ll have more time now, right?”

Ario slammed his fist on the table. The four faces playing billiards looked in their direction. The booth went silent.

The waitress eventually stopped by and rescued them from their silence. “Any questions about the menu?” Two black folders lay untouched.

Ario cleared his throat. “I’ll have the soup.”

“Today, we have the pumpkin—“

“That’s fine,” Ario said.

“I’ll take the lobster and garlic pasta,” Mick said.

“The spring salad with filet mignon, please,” Trent said. He placed his menu on top of the other two. The waitress took all three.

“Mick, aren’t you tired of it?” Trent asked.

“Tried everything else already.”

“What if they change the menu?

“They never change the menu.”

Trent tapped the table. “True. They’re going to lose members.”

“It’s not like we—“ Mick began, but covered his mouth mid-sentence and glanced warily at Ario who was looking out through the window wall at an evening slice of New York. Reflective steel and glass structures cast long shadows against orange sunlight. Two skybridges were packed.

“I found this from eight years ago,” Ario said. He held out his phone. A man in a smart suit smiled from a young, smooth face. He held the shoulders of a seated woman holding a girl who clearly didn’t know she was in a photograph.

“Looks like a long time ago,” Mick said. Trent kicked him lightly underneath the table.

“It was,” Ario said, nodding. He heaved a great sigh and hung his head. “I’ll be back.”

Mick watched him until he disappeared around the corner. He leaned toward Trent and lowered his voice.

“How bad is it?”

Trent made a face. “You saw the trades. Don’t be stupid.”

“Everything else this quarter was okay.”

“We’re hosed, man. I guess it could be worse.”

Mick shook his head. “Poor Ario.”

“Yeah, that was everything,” Trent said. “Put your money where your mouth is,” He impersonated in a deep voice.

“Short until the cows come home,” Mick said in the same tone. He sighed. “It works until it doesn’t.”

“So they say.”

“You think he can come back from this?” Mick asked.

Trent didn’t say anything.

The waitress arrived with two plates and a bowl. Trent asked for more wine. She returned a minute later with a bottle.

“The soup is getting cold,” Trent said.

Someone screamed. A group huddled by the window. Others rose from their seats to take a look. Trent shrugged. Mick slid around the booth to join the growing crowd.

Dozens of people on one skybridge were looking down at a larger crowd gathered in a tight circle. Mick couldn’t see what they were looking at.

“Did anyone see that happen?” asked a woman in front of him.

“They need to raise the railings,” a male voice said.

Mick waited, but more people gathered below the skybridge. The onlookers around him dispersed. He returned to the booth.

“What was that?” Trent asked.

“I don’t know. Something happened next to the Chase. Bunch of people.”

Trent looked at the bowl of soup. “Should we keep waiting?”

“Let’s start,” Mick said, picking up his fork. “Ario never let his food go cold.”

0 notes

utilitycaster · 2 years ago

Text

Wizard Breakdown Tracker: Mighty Nein Reunited, Part 1

GUESS WHO'S BACK

BACK AGAIN

SOUP WIZARDS

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

Hello and welcome to the return of the Wizard Breakdown Tracker, a late Campaign 2 feature that I realized just now I should have also done for EXU Calamity, but also good news, it's all, eventually, 10/10, pretty much all the wizards die except for possibly Volucia who noped the fuck out to Cael Morrow, and Maya Agrupnin who was Assigned Wizard By Patia. There. EXU Calamity Wizard Breakdown Tracker.

Every D&D game is better with wizards. As Liam O'Brien once said, "what's sexier than wizards? nothing." Now, to be fair, he also once said rogues were the best class when you and I and Brennan Lee Mulligan all know it's paladins; but we can all agree re: the sexiness of wizards. It is my hope that we have more wizards in the future, but for now, we shall cherish the wizards we once had, and that we briefly have again.

Because we're not touching base in this two-shot with a large number of our erstwhile arcane allies and antagonists, and in the service of a joke at the end of this post, we are including our Wizard PCs this time! Let's begin.

Lady Vess DeRogna: She was not in this episode nor mentioned but she WAS in The Nine Eyes of Lucien and she WAS talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, etc. No spoilers for that here. Just wanted you to know that Lady Vess DeRogna is still dead. But like, probably 7/10.

Ludinus Da'leth: Per Beau, the Assembly's gotten awfully quiet lately, and per Caleb, Astrid's been trying to set him up with a professorship, which Ludinus can't really spike because he did offer the Assembly seat to Caleb first so it's weird to say that he's qualified for propaganda minister and not transmutation professor. The Mighty Nein have made this slippery motherfucker sweat so hard that apparently he started making deals with the Feywild. 6/10.

Trent Ikithon: Hey Trent! Bitch.

As previously stated, 9/10.

Astrid Becke: Trent's in jail and she's apparently doing pretty well and is either happy to help Beau's investigation, or helping Caleb without realizing that Beau really wants this. Probably the latter, but we love to see a complicated morally gray queen flourish, though I suspect she's having Beau-like growing pains into her new and fancy job. 4/10.

Yussa Errenis: You can just sense, from his brief response to Jester, that he absolutely knows that the Mighty Nein saved his ass twice and that he will need to call them if he gets trapped on the moon in 7 years, but also he is sleeping, dammit. Secretly glad they keep in touch; really unamused at having 14 people dripping seawater in his tower, because Tidepeak is really more of a turn of phrase. Also if he knew Veth was starting up a camp he would be very slightly hurt she hadn't asked him to teach anything but also if she asked him he would 100% turn it down. 2/10. Never change, king.

Essek Thelyss: We could get all poetic about the yearning but realistically, he's still at the outpost, getting more and more twitchy but also managing to visit Caleb regularly. Possibly hooking up? But that might just be a reference to the bit and general vibe of the episode. Anyway he's probably feeling kind of bad, but hey! We know he ends up in Uthodurn eventually, and then gets to go back to Aeor only to be part the most simultaneously intense and oblique confession of love of all time. So probably 6/10 but buddy! It gets so much better, and pretty soon no less!

Caleb Widogast: There's good meta to be had about Caleb Widogast, six months later, and you are NOT going to find it here, in a post that's about shaking up wizards in an empty Pringles can. Well, at least not much. As indicated above I think this is likely pre-Aeor excursion with Essek; but Caleb feels like he is tentatively and hopefully building a life. It's slow, and it's a little quiet and small right now, but the fact that he's able to do so on his own is itself an immense victory. He probably gets to have lunch with Beau and dinner with Essek at least once a week each, he has a little cottage and his tower, and he's already becoming a beloved teacher. And he leveled up! 3/10. We love to see it.

Veth Brenatto: Jitters about her camp notwithstanding, she's fucking thriving. They're working on the apothecary but in the meantime she's finding a balance of what she loves to do professionally while still staying with her family, she's keeping in touch with the rest, and she's absolutely on point, astute, and hilarious this whole episode. And she is definitely using Tenser's Floating Disk for sex purposes. 1/10. It's Veth Brenatto's world; we're just living in it.

Allura Vyesoren: Pending, depending on what sword Yasha brings out next episode and whether Caleb turned in the staff. TBD/10.

Bonus!

Warlock Breakdown Tracker

Fjord (Stone?): Oh honey.

It's at least five simultaneous breakdowns and they're recharging with each rest like his spell slots. You know how one of the Uk'otoa temples had a hydra? It's a metaphor, or whatever. 10/10.

#critical role #critical role spoilers #wizard breakdown tracker

253 notes · View notes

tommyspeakycap · 3 years ago

Note

hi! can you write some dad!andyrobertson please?! I love your writing so much!! <333 something about him with a daughter please 💕 DILF DILF DILF !

oh he's 100% a dilf - and here you go!

a fathers woe

andy struggles with the prospect of his baby growing up as the little girl asks if she can get married

“Daddy?” Andy heard his daughters sweet little voice, “Can i ask you a question.” Andy knows immediately there is another question set to follow, but he cannot help himself from the typical dad response that falls out his lips before he can stop it. “You just did, love.”

You snigger, shaking your head as you dip the little nail painting brush back into the pot before returning it to your daughters foot to finish painting the last of her toes bright pink per her request. “That’s not funny, daddy.” She scolds, frowning. Andy swallows his laughs, nodding his head and holding his hands up in apology. That seems enough for your daughter, who turns back to her sticker book as Andy and you share a look with silent laughter. “Don’t touch them for five minutes.” You instruct, closing the nail polish and kissing your daughters head.

“Course you can ask me a question, lovely. Go on?” Andy hums after giving you a kick kiss before you disappear upstairs. Andy back to grating cheese over his homemade pizza as he hears his daughter crunch her way through the apple slices in her bowl as she lays on her front on the large marble top of the kitchen island, head propped up by her elbows. “Why did you get married to mummy?” She asks sweetly, not looking up at him as she speaks. Mila continues to colour in her little liverpool colouring book, only occasionally stopping to stick on a coloured or sparkly sticker over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s head. Andy purses his lips, tilting his head slightly in thought as he pushes the two trays of pizza’s into the huge oven.

“Because we love each other very much.” Andy replies casually, shrugging as does. He isn’t exactly sure where the question has come from, but he’s sure he’ll be soon to find out considering she’s very young and doesn’t tend to beat around the bush at all. “Is that all?” She asks curiously. Andy mocks hurt with a quirked eyebrow and a scoff that his daughter doesn’t pick up on. With his back pressed against the kitchen counter and ankles crossed over each other, he observed his little girl with the same level of curiosity she had in her question.

“Well, yeah. People gets married for lots of different reason. Me and your mum wanted to be husband and wife, we love each other very much and there’s lots of…” Andy pauses, trying to think of a way to explain the legal benefits of marriage to Mila without completely confusing her young mind. “Homework.” He concludes, somewhat triumphantly proud of his quick thinking. “Adults have lots of homework to do to buy houses and stuff like that. Sometimes that’s easier too when you’re married.” He tries to explain, watching her nod along. Her reception school homework is nothing difficult of course, but she doesn’t enjoy it and it’s difficult to her, so she grasps the concept generally. “But you should never marry anyone just to make your homework easier.” He adds sternly. “You should only marry someone you love.”

“Okay.” She nods, little eyebrows still furrowed. “So does that mean i can marry-”

“No.” Andy interrupts firmly, standing up straight with an immediate frown set into his features. Mila protests with a pout, “But daddy you didn’t let me finish!”

“Still no.” He retorts, offering her a tight lipped smile. “That’s rude, daddy.” Mila chides, sitting up to cross her legs in a basket and frown at her dad in the very same way he’s frowning at her. “Boys are rude.” Andy quips, “That’s why you should never marry one.”

“Mummy married you?” She challenges, cocking one eyebrow and crossing her little arms.

“That’s different.” Andy brushes off, turning away from his daughter to busy himself with sweeping the grated cheese off the counter with one hand into his other hand to flick it into the bin. “How?” Mila protests, making him roll his eyes with his back to her. She is just like you; persistent, usually right and a true powerhouse. She doesn’t give up easily and she almost never backs down. She’s you with the very best of his flaws sprinkled through. And his volume. She is just as loud as he is, much to your dismay.

“Because me and your mum love each other.” Andy says. “Well i love-”

“No you don’t.”

“Daddy you didn’t let me finish! How do you know?” She argues, clearly getting frustrated a little at her usually very easygoing dad. “Because you’re too young.” He responds, seemingly simply.

“You’re not being very kind, daddy.” She grumbles, evidently irritated. “I’m telling mummy.” She slides to the edge of the island countertop, clambering down onto the her little stool before leaping gracelessly down and running off yelling out for you.

Andy sighs to himself, dropping his head into his hands as he slumps down at the island on one of the comfortable stools. He can hear her voice and yours, but not what either of you are saying until it goes quiet and you both appear again the doorway. The little girl year old holds onto your hand tightly.

“What do we say when we haven’t been very kind, Andy?” You prompt, eyebrows raised and an ever so slightly teasing glint in your eyes that’s barely suppressed on the lips that fight a smirk. “I’m sorry, Mila.” Andy apologises, standing off his seat to crouch down on one knee. “Could i give you a hug to say how sorry i am for not listening to you properly and not answering your questions nicely?”

The little girl nods, letting go of your hands to shuffle over to her dad, allowing him to engulf her little body against his large one, almost completely shrouding her from your view. After a moment, he lifts her up and places her back on the kitchen island where she was sitting.

“Daddy was upset because you’re my little girl and you growing up is scary for me to think about.” He admits, swallowing thickly. You and Andy have been practicing a very honest manor of parenting. You sometimes feel let down by the childhood you had and you want to give her better, making sure she has emotional stability and the opportunity to know she can share her feelings whenever. Mistakes will happen, it’s how we respond to them that is important. You want her to be healthy physically and emotionally. It’s one of the most important parts of being a parent, in your opinion.

“It’s okay.” Mila replies sweetly, pressing a little kiss to his cheek. “I don’t want to marry any boys anyway. Mummy reminded me how gross they are. You’re the only boy i love daddy.” She shrugs, smiling like the little angel she truly is. “Good. Now come here.” Andy pulls her back into his arms, turning to you to give you a wide eyed look and a mouthed “thank you!”

She wriggles from his arms after he attempted to press kisses all over her and runs off giggling to hide from him elsewhere in the house and probably look for her soft football; the only one that’s allowed indoors after you smashed a lamp with one of Andy’s footballs and both you and Mila agreed to tell him it was the dog who broke said lamp with the football.

“You’re a lifesaver.” Andy groans as he walks towards you, wrapping his arms right around you and he pressing his lips onto yours firmly. “Mhm, i think i bought you a few more months.” You giggle, your nose bumping against his as he laughs along with you. He groans again, burying his head in your shoulder as your hand gently scratches the nape of his neck comfortingly. “Wanna make another?” He mumbles, pressing a gentle kiss to your shoulder through your hoodie.

“Cheeky bastard,” you jab your thumb into his ribcage slightly, words spoken between gentle laughter as you shake your head. “Seriously though?” He retorts, pulling back a bit to rest both his hands on your waist. He rests his forehead against yours, closing his eyes as he takes in your proximity and natural scent contently. “Let’s make another. We could try for a boy?”

“It doesn’t really work like that.” You giggle, eyes crinkling with your smile. Andy rolls his eyes playfully. “So?” He shrugs, pecking his lips against yours again, “You in?”

You shake your head, pressing your lips against him only broken by your smile. “Course i’m in and oi!” You swat at his wandering hand, dipping beneath the waistband of your leggings, “Not right this second you filthy man!”

Andy throws his head back with a loud, playful groan that’s broken up by his laughter when he heads you giggling before you press a gentle kiss to his exposed neck. “I love you.” You smile, watching his eyes sparkle as he turns his face back to you. “Yeah yeah yeah, i love you too.”

“Rude, daddy!” Mila chimes as she appears in the kitchen again, only having heard the end of he conversation.

“Sorry,” the scolded man retorts, immediately knowing the correction his daughter wants him to make to his prior words to you; “I love you more.”

Mila nods, smiling up at you clearly proud of her intervention for her very adored mother in the name of girl power, bumping her little fist against yours before she turns back to her dad, who wouldn’t change anything about this moment for the world, to give him a very tight lipped response.

“Much better daddy. Don’t let it happen again.”

#andy robertson #andy robertson x reader #andy robertson imagine #andy robertson imagines #footie fics #football fics #footballers fics #football imagines #footballer imagines

162 notes · View notes

pdriesta · 27 days ago

Text

CHAPTER FOUR

"baby, i'm talkin' crazy, i need you right in my space"

pairing — trentxblack!r&b artist

tropes — fake dating, enemies-to-lovers

warnings — sexual tension, toxic relationships, mature themes (minors dni)

word count — 9k

summary — y/n, a rising r&b star, is stuck in toxic situationships, with tabloids constantly overshadowing her music. to fix her image, her team pushes her into a fake relationship with liverpool’s trent alexander-arnold. both reluctant, they soon realize keeping things strictly business isn't so simple. will pretending to be in love stay a game, or turn into something real?

an — we’re getting somewhere. or are we?

masterlist

y/n threw another folded wedding invitation onto the growing stack with a sharp flick of her wrist, her movements still heavy with frustration. she grabbed another card, but her hand trembled slightly, and she let out a loud sigh, leaning back on her hands.

zaia, now fully lying on the couch with her legs tossed over the armrest, had a bowl of strawberries balanced on her stomach, lazily munching as she observed y/n. her gaze flicked to her for the fifth time in a minute, eyebrows knitting in curiosity. finally, she couldn’t hold back.

“okay, seriously. what is wrong with you?” she set her glass down and swung her legs onto the floor, leaning forward. “you’ve been folding these invitations like you’re mad at them. they didn’t do anything to you. spill.”

“nothing,” y/n said quickly, though her voice cracked slightly, betraying her.

zaia narrowed her eyes. “don’t lie to me, y/n. you’re my best friend, but i will fight you if you’re mad about jadon while folding my wedding invitations. do not bring that man into my sacred marital process.”

y/n scoffed, though her lips twitched at the absurd threat. “it’s not jadon.”

zaia raised an eyebrow. “then what? because you’ve been in a mood all afternoon. girl, i know something happened.”

y/n sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat. “it’s trent.”

“trent?” zaia repeated, sitting up straighter. “what did he do? because the last time i checked, you were flirting and texting nonstop. the vibe seemed immaculate.”

“well, apparently, it wasn’t,” y/n snapped, sitting up and crossing her arms. “because he rejected me.”

zaia froze. “wait—what? rejected you?”

“yeah.” y/n laughed bitterly. “he actually had the audacity to act like I was reading too much into things. like I imagined all of it.”

zaia blinked, struggling to process. “hold on. the same trent who’s been facetiming you, texting you, and practically falling over himself to spend time with you?”

“yep.”

“the same trent who’s been flirting with you so much that even jadon started noticing?”

“the one and only,” y/n replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

zaia sat back, utterly baffled. “wow. the nerve of men. i mean, what even is his excuse?”

“he said I’m ‘complicated,’” y/n said, rolling her eyes.

zaia frowned. “complicated? girl, you’re a hot R&B star. of course you’re complicated. but that’s not an excuse—it’s a selling point!”

y/n groaned, burying her face in her hands. “it’s just... ugh! my ego, zai. i don’t even know if I like him that much. but to be rejected like that? by someone who was literally pursuing me?”

zaia hummed, her tone thoughtful. “so... you don’t actually like him?”

“no!” y/n said quickly, then hesitated. “i mean, not really. it’s not like i’m in love with him or something. it’s just... he played me, zai. and it’s embarrassing.”

zaia tilted her head, studying her friend. “okay, but real talk. aren’t you still technically... seeing jadon?”

y/n flinched, guilt flashing across her face. “i mean... kind of? but we’re not, like, exclusive or anything.”

zaia smirked knowingly. “mm-hmm. but you’re sitting here all worked up about trent, folding my wedding invitations like a woman scorned.”

“shut up,” y/n muttered, her cheeks burning.

“look,” zaia said, leaning forward and placing a hand on y/n’s knee. “you’re y/n. you’re a hot, talented, world-famous singer. why are you even wasting time on these guys? you should be out there looking for a husband, not playing these little games with boys who don’t know what they want.”

y/n laughed softly, though it was more out of exhaustion than amusement. “a husband, huh?”

“yes, a husband,” zaia said firmly. “these guys? jadon, trent? they’re just passing through. they’re like appetizers at a fancy dinner. nice to look at, fun to taste, but not the main course.”

“you’re ridiculous,” y/n said, but her lips twitched into a small smile.

“i’m just saying.” zaia shrugged, picking up her wine glass again. “you’re too good for all this nonsense. let them chase you if they want to, but don’t lose sleep over it. you’ve got bigger things to focus on.”

y/n sighed, leaning back against the couch. “you’re right. as always.”

“damn straight,” zaia said with a grin, raising her glass in a mock toast. “now, stop abusing my wedding invitations and let’s get back to folding them like civilized people.”

y/n laughed, finally letting go of some of her frustration. but deep down, a small part of her couldn’t stop replaying trent’s words in her mind. complicated. messy. was that really how he saw her? and if it was... why couldn’t she stop thinking about him?

y/n found herself standing in front of a door she knew all too well, her heart heavy and her mind a jumbled mess of emotions she couldn’t untangle. she stared at the wood grain, her fingers hovering just above the doorbell. she hadn’t even realized where her feet were taking her until she was here, at jadon’s place—her safe place, whether she liked it or not.

her hand trembled as she pressed the doorbell, the faint sound echoing inside. within seconds, the door swung open, and there he was—jadon. his dark eyes immediately scanned her face, his expression softening when he saw the distress written all over her features.

“y/n,” he said gently, his voice carrying that familiar warmth. “what’s wrong?”

the dam broke at his words, her shoulders slumping as tears she didn’t even realize she was holding back threatened to spill. she tried to speak, but all that came out was a shaky breath.

“hey, hey,” jadon said softly, stepping aside to let her in. he didn’t push for answers, didn’t bombard her with questions. instead, he guided her inside with a hand on her back, leading her to the couch. “sit down, yeah? i’ll grab you some water.”

her throat felt dry, the words caught somewhere between her heart and her lips. instead of answering, she stepped inside, brushing past him as if that might help her escape the ache in her chest.

jadon closed the door behind her, watching her closely. “is this about trent?” he asked after a beat, his tone knowing but not unkind.

she froze, her back to him, and he took that as his answer.

“come on,” he said, his hand lightly brushing her arm to guide her toward the couch. “sit down. tell me what’s going on.”

she sank into the cushions, her shoulders slumping as she buried her face in her hands. the room was silent except for the faint hum of the tv in the background, but even that felt too loud against the whirlwind in her mind.

“he rejected me,” she finally whispered, her voice barely audible. “he—he pulled away, like i wasn’t worth it. like i was just... too much for him.”

jadon’s jaw tightened, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes. “he really said that?” he asked, his voice calm but edged with quiet frustration.

she shook her head, tears spilling over despite her best efforts to keep them at bay. “not in so many words, but i could tell. the way he looked at me, the way he said... everything. it’s like he changed his mind about me, and i didn’t even see it coming.”

jadon leaned forward, his hand resting gently over hers. “y/n,” he started, his tone soft but firm, “you know i don’t like seeing you like this. and honestly? it pisses me off that he’s making you feel this way. you’re better than this. you’re better than him.”

she looked up, her eyes red and filled with unshed tears. “don’t, j. don’t make this about him.”

“why not?” he shot back, his voice low but steady. “because it is about him, y/n. he’s the one who couldn’t see what he had right in front of him. he’s the one who made you feel like you weren’t enough. that’s on him, not you.”

she swallowed hard, his words hitting her in a way that felt both comforting and unsettling. “i just... i didn’t want to be alone tonight,” she admitted, her voice cracking slightly. “and you’re the only person i could think to call.”

jadon’s lips curved into a small, bittersweet smile. “you know why, don’t you?” he asked, his tone softening. “because you always know where you stand with me. despite what it looks like, i’ve never played games with you, y/n. i’ve never made you guess how i feel. i always follow your lead”

she let out a shaky breath, her chest tightening at his words. she wanted to believe him, to let his reassurance fill the void trent had left behind, but there was a part of her that couldn’t let go of the rejection.

“i know you’re hurting,” jadon continued, his fingers brushing against hers. “but don’t let him make you think for one second that you’re not worth it. you’re more than worth it. and if he can’t see that, then... maybe he doesn’t deserve you.”

his words were like a balm on her wounded pride, his presence grounding her in a way that felt almost too easy. she leaned into him, her head resting against his chest as his arms came around her, warm and secure.

“i don’t know what to do, j,” she whispered, her voice muffled against his shirt.

“you don’t have to do anything,” he said, his tone gentle but resolute. “just let me take care of you tonight. no pressure, no expectations. i just want you to feel like yourself again.”

she closed her eyes, letting his words wash over her. it wasn’t love—it wasn’t even close—but it was comfort. and right now, that was enough. at least, that’s what she told herself as she let him pull her closer, his touch steady and sure.

but deep down, as much as she wanted to believe his reassurances, she couldn’t stop the thought creeping into her mind: why couldn’t trent see her the way jadon did? and why, even now, was she still hoping he would?

jadon let out a slow breath, his hand still resting on hers. “maybe he can’t see what’s right in front of him, but that doesn’t mean you’re not worth it. you are, y/n. and i’ll remind you every day if that’s what it takes.”

she leaned into him, the warmth of his embrace wrapping around her like a shield against the storm in her mind. she didn’t know what the future held, but for now, in jadon’s arms, she felt safe. seen. wanted.

even if it wasn’t love, it was enough.

the next morning, y/n shifted slightly, trying to ease herself out of jadon's embrace without waking him, but his arm tightened around her waist. his voice was soft, groggy, but still teasing. "trying to sneak off already, beautiful?"

she froze, her lips pressing together. "just... didn’t want to wake you," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

jadon sat up slightly, propping himself on one elbow to look at her. his hair was a mess, his expression a mix of sleep and concern. "you don’t have to overthink it, y/n. i told you, you always know where you stand with me. no guessing, no games."

her heart twisted at his words, guilt threading through her chest. she wanted to believe him, to let those words comfort her the way they were meant to. but in the back of her mind, all she could think about was trent—his words, his distance, the way he made her feel like she wasn’t enough.

she managed a small smile, hoping it masked the storm inside her. "i know, j. you’ve been... amazing." her voice cracked slightly on the last word, and she hated how unsteady it sounded.

jadon's hand found hers, his thumb brushing against her knuckles. "hey," he said softly, his tone steady but warm. "you don’t have to say anything if you’re not ready. i just... i hate seeing you like this, like someone’s made you doubt yourself. you don’t deserve that."

her eyes welled up, and she blinked rapidly, turning her face away. "it’s not that simple, j. i thought..." she trailed off, biting her lip to stop herself from saying more.

"you thought he was different," jadon finished for her, his voice calm but edged with frustration. "and he’s not. i get it. but don’t let him make you feel like you’re hard to love, y/n, because you’re not. you’re incredible, and anyone who can’t see that is blind."

his words hit her like a wave, warm and reassuring, but they didn’t erase the hollow ache in her chest. "you make it sound easy," she whispered, her voice fragile.

jadon sat up fully now, his hand cupping her face, forcing her to meet his gaze. "it’s not about easy. it’s about knowing your worth. and you’re worth everything, y/n."

her breath hitched, and she nodded, even though the doubt still lingered. jadon's sincerity was overwhelming, and yet her mind kept circling back to trent—the rejection, the uncertainty, the way he made her feel small even without meaning to. she hated how much space he still took up in her thoughts, how much power his actions still had over her.

"thank you," she said finally, her voice shaky but genuine. "i mean it. you’re... you’ve been everything i needed."

jadon leaned back slightly, his trademark grin slipping back into place, though it was softer now. "that’s what i’m here for, beautiful. to remind you of who you are, even if you forget sometimes."

she laughed lightly, the sound hollow to her own ears. "i don’t think i’ve ever been as lost as i am right now."

"then let me help you find your way," he said simply, no hesitation in his voice.

y/n wanted to believe him, wanted to let herself fully sink into the comfort he offered. but deep down, she knew this wasn’t about finding her way—it was about running from the fear of rejection that had been carved deeper into her soul. jadon had been her solace for the night, but he couldn’t fix what was broken inside her. only she could.

and right now, she wasn’t sure she was ready to face it.

y/n tugged at her earrings, checking her reflection in the mirror for what felt like the hundredth time. her fingers were tense, tugging at the silver hoops as if they’d snap from the pressure. her outfit was a perfect contradiction—stylish yet understated, carefully put together to look like she hadn’t put in any effort at all. but the truth was, she had. too much.

it wasn’t for him, she told herself for the tenth time that evening. not for trent. but even the thought of his name made her stomach churn, her frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. the nerve of him—to flirt with her, to text her like he couldn’t go a day without hearing from her, to kiss her like she was the only woman in the world... only to turn around and act like none of it mattered. like she didn’t matter.

her grip tightened on her phone, and she took a deep breath. there was no way out of this dinner. their schedules had aligned for once, and skipping it wasn’t an option without raising questions. still, she wasn’t going to make it easy for him.

trent sat at the restaurant, his jaw set as he glanced at the clock on his phone. she was late—not surprising, given the way she’d been acting lately. every interaction with her over the past week had been short, distant, and clipped. her messages came hours late, if they came at all, and when they did, they were devoid of the warmth he’d grown used to.

he shouldn’t care. it wasn’t like they were anything official. she should be happy, he told himself, his leg bouncing under the table. she can be with jadon now. isn’t that what she wanted? isn’t that why she’s acting like this?

but the thought didn’t sit right. it didn’t explain why he felt a pang of something—jealousy? irritation?—every time her name flashed on his screen, knowing her messages would be curt. or why he’d spent the past week replaying the way she looked at him that night at the club, the way she melted under his touch.

his train of thought was interrupted when she walked in, and for a moment, his breath hitched. y/n had a way of commanding attention, even when she wasn’t trying. she looked effortlessly beautiful, but there was something guarded about her demeanor, like she’d wrapped herself in a layer of armor.

“you’re late,” he said as he stood, his tone light but edged with something he couldn’t hide.

“and you’re observant,” she replied, breezing past him to take her seat.

trent blinked, caught off guard by her coolness. “everything alright?”

“perfect,” she said with a tight smile, flipping open the menu as if she hadn’t just brushed him off.

the tension between them was thick enough to cut with a knife, and the meal began in stiff silence. trent tried to make small talk, commenting on the menu, asking about her recent work, but every attempt was met with a short, disinterested response.

by the time the appetizers arrived, he’d had enough.

“so, this is how it’s gonna be?” he asked, setting down his fork and leaning back in his chair.

y/n didn’t look up. “what’s that supposed to mean?”

“you’ve been acting like this all night—no, scratch that, all week,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “if you didn’t want to come, you could’ve just said so.”

her eyes finally met his, sharp and unyielding. “oh, please. like i had a choice? we have appearances, remember? it’s not like i’m here for the company.”

trent’s jaw clenched. “you know what? fine. if you’re still mad about the other night, just say it. at least then we can stop with this passive-aggressive nonsense.”

y/n let out a bitter laugh, setting her napkin down. “you think this is about me being mad? you’re the one who’s been playing games, trent. one minute you’re all in, the next you’re acting like i’m some kind of inconvenience.”

“maybe you are,” he said, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

she froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. the hurt flashed across her face for only a second before she quickly masked it. “wow,” she said, her voice trembling with barely restrained anger. “you really know how to make a girl feel special.”

trent exhaled heavily, running a hand down his face. “look, i didn’t mean it like that—”

“no, you meant it,” she interrupted, her voice sharp. “and you know what? you’re right. everything about me is complicated, trent. i’ve got baggage, issues, whatever you want to call it. but don’t sit there and act like you’re above it all. you’re no saint.”

he leaned forward, his tone quieter but no less biting. “this is why i stopped... whatever this is. because with you, it’s always something. always drama. always more than it needs to be.”

the words hit her like a slap, and for a moment, she was too stunned to speak. when she finally found her voice, it was cold, clipped, and dripping with disdain. “you know what? you’re right. i am complicated. and you? you’re a coward. but don’t worry, trent. you won’t have to deal with my ‘drama’ anymore.”

she grabbed her bag, her grip tight on the strap as her fingers curled into it, her entire body rigid with anger. her breath was shallow, chest rising and falling with the intensity of the moment. trent’s eyes followed her, but he didn’t move. he stayed planted, his gaze lingering as she stood, her chair scraping against the floor with a harsh screech.

“y/n—”

“no, this date is over,” she snapped, cutting him off, her voice trembling with a mix of fury and hurt. she didn't even wait for him to respond before she turned, her heels clicking sharply against the floor as she stormed toward the door.

trent didn’t move to stop her. he couldn’t. part of him wanted to, wanted to run after her, say something, make her stay, but the words stuck in his throat, heavy with the weight of everything unsaid. instead, he watched as she disappeared out the door, his chest tightening with a strange emptiness.

he stayed there, alone with the lingering silence, and he couldn’t shake the thought that maybe, just maybe, she was right. maybe everything between them had been a game all along. but what stung more than anything was the sinking feeling that he’d just let something real slip through his fingers without ever truly knowing how to hold on to it.

trent stood outside y/n’s house, his hand hovering over the doorbell. the soft glow of the hallway light did little to calm the storm inside him. he’d spent all night replaying their argument, her voice tight with hurt, the way her eyes had brimmed with tears she tried to hide. he hated himself for the things he’d said, for the things he didn’t say. he’d come to fix it, to explain himself, to tell her he was sorry.

but when the door swung open, it wasn’t y/n standing there. it was jadon.

trent froze, his jaw tightening as his eyes flicked over the other man. jadon leaned casually against the doorframe, his usual smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as if this wasn’t the last place trent expected to see him. he was wearing sweats and a t-shirt, looking entirely too at home.

“trent,” jadon greeted, his tone easy, like they were old friends instead of whatever this was. “didn’t expect to see you here.”

“yeah, clearly,” trent bit out, his voice low and controlled. his gaze darted past jadon into the apartment, searching for any sign of her. “is y/n here?”

jadon shrugged, leaning his shoulder against the frame like he had all the time in the world. “she’s in the shower.”

trent’s chest tightened at the casual way jadon said it, as if this was normal, as if he was always here. “and you’re here because…?”

jadon raised an eyebrow, his smirk deepening. “because she wanted me here. anything else you wanna ask?”

trent’s fists clenched at his sides, his mind racing with a thousand questions he couldn’t voice. instead, he forced himself to keep his tone steady. “what’s going on with you and y/n?”

jadon’s expression didn’t falter, but there was something sharp in his eyes, a flicker of satisfaction as he straightened up. “we’re friends,” he said simply, the word dripping with a familiarity that made trent’s stomach churn.

“friends,” trent repeated, his voice flat, skeptical.

“yeah,” jadon replied, his tone light, almost teasing. “you know, the kind of friend who shows up when she needs someone. the kind who doesn’t make her guess where she stands.”

trent’s jaw tightened, the words hitting harder than they should have. jadon’s ease, his confidence—it grated on him, like salt in a wound. he wanted to call him out, to ask what the hell he was really doing here, but he couldn’t. not without giving away just how much it bothered him.

“look,” jadon continued, his voice calm but pointed. “if you’re here to talk to her, maybe come back later. she’s had a rough couple of days, and honestly? i don’t think you’re helping.”

trent’s chest burned with frustration, the unspoken accusation in jadon’s words cutting deeper than he wanted to admit. he glanced past him again, as if she might magically appear and explain everything, but the sound of the shower running only reminded him how out of place he felt.

“right,” trent said finally, his voice colder than he intended. “tell her i stopped by.”

jadon’s smirk softened into something almost pitying, and trent hated it. “sure thing,” he said easily, stepping back into the apartment. “take care, trent.”

the door closed before he could say anything else, leaving him standing there in the dim hallway, his heart pounding with a mix of anger and something dangerously close to jealousy. he turned on his heel, walking away with a stiffness in his step, the questions swirling in his mind louder than ever.

he’d come to apologize, to make things right. but now, all he could think about was the way jadon had looked so comfortable, so sure of his place in her life. and trent? he wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

he didn’t even know where he was going. his heart was pounding in his chest, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts, all of them leading back to one thing: it was too late.

he should’ve been more clear. he should’ve told her what he wanted, instead of pulling away and leaving her confused. and now, seeing how comfortable jadon looked, how at ease he was in her space, trent realized with a heavy weight settling on his chest: y/n didn’t feel the way he felt. she was already getting what she needed from someone else.

trent slammed his hand against the steering wheel when he got to his car. he wasn’t going to wait around anymore, hoping she’d come to her senses. he’d made his choices, and she had made hers.

and maybe it was for the best.

but it still hurt.

trent sat in his car, the engine idling but his mind far away from the present moment. he hadn’t expected it to feel like this. he hadn’t expected the ache in his chest, the gnawing sensation that left him hollow when he saw y/n with someone else. but he couldn’t blame her—he had drawn the line, built the wall between them. he couldn’t fault her for finding comfort in someone who had never made things complicated.

you made your choice, he reminded himself, gripping the steering wheel tighter. but even as the thought echoed in his head, the reality felt harder to accept than he’d imagined.

she doesn’t know I know, he thought bitterly. she doesn’t know I saw them. she doesn’t know it’s already too late.

with a sigh, he threw the car into drive and pulled away from the curb. there was no point in pretending anymore. they weren’t together. not anymore. y/n had made her choice, and he had to respect that.

trent approached her with that same charged energy she’d felt all night, his jaw tight, his movements deliberate. she could tell something was brewing behind his sharp eyes, and she braced herself.

“you gonna keep giving me attitude, or are we actually going to talk about whatever’s eating you?” he snapped, stopping a foot away from her.

y/n tilted her head, feigning nonchalance even though her pulse quickened. “what makes you think it’s about you?”

trent huffed a laugh, low and humorless. “don’t do that. don’t act like you haven’t been throwing daggers at me all night. just say what’s on your mind.”

“fine,” she said, crossing her arms. “you want to talk? let’s talk about how you’re the one who’s been stringing me along, acting all interested one minute and then pulling back the next. what do you even want from me, trent?”

“i’ve been stringing you along?” he repeated, his voice rising. “are you serious right now? you’re the one jumping between me and jadon like it’s a game.”

her expression faltered, confusion flickering across her face. “what are you talking about?”

he took a step closer, his eyes blazing. “i came over the other day. to your place. to apologize for how i handled things. guess what i saw?”

her lips parted, but no sound came out. she didn’t need to guess. the realization hit her like a truck.

“yeah,” he said, his tone biting. “i saw him there. with you. i left before you even knew i was there because, honestly, what the hell was i supposed to say?”

y/n stared at him, her mind scrambling for a response. “trent, it’s not—”

“don’t,” he interrupted, holding up a hand. “don’t stand there and try to explain it away. i saw what i saw.”

“he was just—”

“spare me,” trent cut her off, his voice sharp. “you don’t owe me an explanation, y/n. but don’t act like i’m the bad guy here. i’m putting boundaries in place because you’ve already put yourself in a mess i’m not interested in being involved in.”

her shock quickly gave way to indignation. “a mess? is that what you think of me? of my life?”

“what else am i supposed to think?” he shot back. “you’re running back to someone who doesn’t respect you, and then you’re angry at me for stepping back. you don’t see how that looks?”

“i’m not running back to him!” she snapped, her voice shaking. “you don’t know anything about what’s going on between us.”

“then enlighten me,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “because from where i’m standing, it looks like you’re holding onto something that’s only dragging you down.”

y/n clenched her fists at her sides, her anger boiling over. “you don’t get to judge me, trent. not when you’re the one who’s too scared to even admit how you feel about me. at least jadon’s clear about his feelings. he doesn’t hide any chance he gets.”

trent’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. “you think this is about me being scared? i’m not scared, y/n. i’m choosing not to get involved because i know how this ends. i’m not interested in being someone’s rebound, and i’m not interested in competing with him.”

“you’re not competing with anyone,” she said, her voice cracking.

“aren’t i?” he challenged, his voice lower now but no less intense. “because it sure as hell feels like it.”

she looked away, unable to meet his piercing gaze. “it’s not that simple,” she said quietly. “things with jadon are… complicated.”

trent exhaled harshly, running a hand over his face. “complicated,” he repeated. “of course, they are. everything with you is complicated.”

she flinched at the bitterness in his tone. “i know what it looks like, okay? but when things are good with him… i remember why i fell for him in the first place.”

trent’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, her words slicing through him. he wanted to say something, to ask her why she couldn’t see the damage she was doing to herself, but the words lodged in his throat.

he looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before finally speaking. “are you in love with him or something?”

the question hung in the air between them, heavy and suffocating. y/n hesitated, and in that hesitation, trent felt his chest tighten. her silence was confirmation enough for him.

when she finally answered, her voice was barely audible. “i don’t know.”

trent nodded once, his jaw clenching. “right,” he said simply, his voice flat.

she wanted to say more, to explain herself, but the look in his eyes stopped her. it was a mixture of disappointment and resignation, and it made her stomach twist painfully.

the silence between them stretched on, neither of them knowing what to say. and for the first time that night, y/n felt like she’d truly lost something she couldn’t get back.

trent's frustration hit a boiling point, his words tumbling out without restraint. “you know what, y/n? maybe you like the drama. maybe that’s why you stay in this mess. it gives you an excuse to never take responsibility for yourself.”

y/n’s face twisted in anger, and she took a step closer, her voice razor-sharp. “and maybe you think too much of a yourself to admit that you’re no better than he is. at least jadon doesn’t pretend to care and then push me away the second things get real.”

trent’s jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring as he took in her words. he opened his mouth, then closed it, his hand twitching at his side. finally, he snapped, “you know what, y/n? forget it. i’m done.”

she threw her hands in the air, her laugh bitter and disbelieving. “of course you are. running away again—classic trent.”

she turned on her heel, her shoulders rigid as she moved through the crowd. the pulsing bass of the club seemed to echo her anger, and she didn’t look back. but trent couldn’t let it go. something in him twisted, a knot of frustration, desire, and the raw, unspoken feelings he’d been burying for far too long.

before he could stop himself, he was chasing after her, weaving through bodies until he spotted her heading toward a quieter corner of the club. his hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and spinning her around.

“what the hell is your problem—” she started, but he cut her off.

“what did i tell you about that attitude, y/n?” his voice was low, dangerous, his grip firm but not painful. her eyes widened slightly, her breath hitching, and he stepped closer, crowding her against the wall.

“you’re such a brat, y/n,” he said, his tone laced with both frustration and something darker, something that made her heart race.

her eyes narrowed, defiance flashing in them. “and you’re an asshole, trent.”

he smirked, leaning in until their faces were inches apart. “maybe. but you’re the one who keeps pushing me, aren’t you?”

she opened her mouth to respond, but before she could get a word out, his lips crashed against hers. the kiss was anything but gentle—it was raw, desperate, all the tension and unspoken words between them finally finding release.

y/n gasped against his mouth, her hands instinctively gripping his jacket. trent didn’t pull back; he only deepened the kiss, his hands sliding to her waist, pulling her closer. her resolve melted, her anger dissolving into the heat of the moment as her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt.

“i told you not to push me, y/n,” he murmured against her lips, his voice rough and breathless.

he kissed her again, his lips trailing down her jawline to her neck. his movements were deliberate, each kiss igniting a fire under her skin. she felt his breath against her neck as he whispered, “you drive me crazy, you know that?”

her knees felt weak, her mind a haze of sensations as his hands moved to grip her hips. “trent,” she managed, her voice shaky but firm.

he pulled back slightly, his lips brushing against her skin as he spoke. “tell me to stop, y/n. tell me, and i will.”

but she didn’t. instead, her hands moved to his chest, gripping his shirt as if to anchor herself. his lips found her collarbone, and her breath hitched, her head tilting back against the wall.

“you’re impossible,” she breathed, her voice tinged with frustration and longing.

he chuckled softly, the sound vibrating against her skin. “and you’re stubborn as hell.”

just as his lips found hers again, the reality of the situation hit her like a bucket of ice water. her mind snapped back into focus, and she pushed against his chest, breaking the kiss.

“i... i can’t,” she stammered, her voice barely audible over the pounding music.

trent froze, his hands still on her waist as he looked at her, his expression a mix of confusion and frustration. “y/n—”

“i have to go,” she said quickly, stepping away from him. her lips were swollen, her heart racing, but her mind was screaming at her to leave. without another word, she turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving trent standing there, his chest heaving as he watched her go.

the car ride was quiet, the low hum of the engine filling the silence as y/n stared out the window, watching the city slowly fade into the countryside. she hadn’t expected trent to bring her out of manchester, much less to a small family restaurant tucked away in what felt like the middle of nowhere. the smell of jerk chicken and spices hit her the moment they walked through the door, the warmth of the place wrapping around her like a blanket.

she glanced at him as they were led to a secluded table in the back, her curiosity bubbling up. “so... why are we here?” she asked, folding her arms across her chest.

trent leaned back in his chair, his eyes steady on her. “we needed privacy.”

her brows furrowed as she looked around the cozy restaurant, the walls decorated with photos of jamaican beaches and families. it was clear this place meant something to him, but she wasn’t sure what. “privacy for what, exactly?”

trent hesitated, running a hand over his jaw, a telltale sign he was gathering his thoughts. “for us. for this... conversation we need to have.”

y/n’s stomach twisted at his words, her appetite disappearing before it even had a chance to surface. “fine,” she said, her voice steady even though her nerves were anything but. “let’s talk about it.”

trent leaned forward slightly, his forearms resting on the table. “look, y/n, i’m sorry for everything. i don’t know why, but with you, i can’t help but say the wrong things.”

she scoffed, her arms tightening across her chest. “hurting me time and time again isn’t some accidental slip of the tongue, trent. it’s a choice.”

his face tightened, like he’d been struck, but before he could respond, she continued, her voice sharper now. “do you even realize how badly you’ve treated me? how you made me feel like i was a joke? you jumped to conclusions about me, about jadon, about everything, and you rejected me based on signals you sent. and then—then—you kissed me in that club like none of it mattered. do you have any idea how hard it is to not get whiplash with you?”

trent’s jaw clenched, his gaze dropping to the table for a moment. “i know,” he admitted quietly. “clearly, i’ve never done this before. i don’t know the 101 on fake dating, y/n.”

she let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “this isn’t about fake dating, trent. this is about how you’ve made me feel. you pushed at insecurities you knew i had about relationships. you made me feel small, like i wasn’t good enough.”

his hand twitched as if he wanted to reach for hers but thought better of it. “i’m sorry,” he said again, his voice heavier this time. “i swear i didn’t mean to. what i do know is... since i kissed you, i can’t get you off my mind—more than usual. your lips, your body, the way you felt against me... it’s all i’ve been thinking about.”

y/n’s heart skipped, but she shoved the feeling aside, her eyes narrowing. “so you just want to fuck me? is that supposed to woo me? because that’s just lust, trent.”

he exhaled sharply, frustration flashing in his eyes. “it’s more than that. i can’t describe it, but it’s more.”

she sighed, leaning back in her chair as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “i can’t keep up with you. i can’t just move on from how you’ve treated me so far.”

trent nodded slowly, his jaw working like he was biting back whatever he wanted to say. “i know. i don’t expect you to just forgive me overnight. but i want to fix this.”

for a moment, they sat in heavy silence, the sound of clinking plates and quiet laughter from other diners filling the space between them. y/n rubbed at her temple, trying to make sense of everything he’d said, everything she felt. but before she could respond, he shifted gears, his tone softer.

“what about jadon?”

her head snapped up, her eyes narrowing. “can we not?”

“why not?” he pressed, his tone edging on frustration. “you seemed close.”

she frowned, crossing her arms again. “because he has nothing to do with this.”

trent’s brow furrowed. “nothing? i saw him at your house.”

y/n froze, her heart skipping a beat. “what? when?”

“a few weeks ago,” he said, watching her carefully. “he was there, and you were... in the shower.”

her stomach dropped. jadon hadn’t told her trent had been there, and now the weight of the revelation hit her like a truck. “are you serious?” she muttered, her voice tight.

trent leaned forward again, his elbows on the table. “why was he there, y/n?”

she shook her head, her frustration bubbling over. “why do you care? it’s not like we’re anything. you made that very clear with your boundaries.”

trent’s eyes darkened, his voice dropping low as he leaned in. “i don’t want boundaries. i want you.”

the words hung in the air between them, and y/n’s breath hitched. she blinked, taken aback by the intensity in his tone, the rawness in his expression. “what?” she whispered, barely able to get the word out.

he sat back slightly, his gaze steady. “end it with jadon.”

her head snapped up, her eyes narrowing. "it’s not that simple.“trent... there’s nothing to end. it’s not that simple."”

"why not?" he challenged, leaning forward. "if it’s making you feel this way, if it’s messing with your head—why not just end it?"

"because..." she hesitated, her words faltering under his intense gaze. "it’s not just about me, trent. things are complicated. you said it yourself—I’m complicated."

his jaw clenched, and he sat back in his chair, his arms crossing over his chest. "the way i see it, real or fake—when i laid my lips on you, y/n, you became mine."

her breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest as his words hung in the air. she tried to muster a response, but nothing came out. instead, she stared at him, her mind racing.

"you can’t just say things like that," she finally managed, her voice shaky.

"why not? it’s the truth," trent shot back, his voice calm but resolute. "i’m not the one dragging this out, y/n. you are."

she let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "he’s leaving, okay?" she blurted out, her voice rising slightly. "he’s going to germany, and i just... i just need to sort things out, okay?"

trent’s expression hardened, his lips pressing into a thin line. "you’re holding onto something that’s already slipping away. and for what? to spare his feelings? to avoid your own?"

"it’s not about sparing anyone’s feelings," she snapped, glaring at him. "i’m trying to do the right thing."

he shook his head, his frustration evident. "and where does that leave you, y/n? stuck in the same cycle, over and over again."

she looked away, unable to meet his eyes. "if i’m so complicated," she said quietly, "why did you do that? why kiss me?"

the question hung in the air, and for a moment, trent said nothing. then, he leaned forward, his voice soft but steady. "why? because i couldn’t stop myself, y/n."

her cheeks flushed, and she looked down at her hands, suddenly feeling exposed. "you’re the most difficult man i've met," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"and you're the most difficult women i've ever met" he countered, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

trent’s eyes darkened, and he leaned closer, his voice low. "even with all that... it doesn’t make me want you any less, y/n."

her breath hitched, and for a moment, she thought he might actually kiss her again. but instead, he pulled back slightly, his gaze never leaving hers. "figure it out, y/n. because i’m not playing second to someone who doesn’t even know what he wants."

the words hit her like a punch to the gut, and she nodded, swallowing hard. "i will."

"good," trent said, his tone softer now. "because i know what i want. and it’s you."

the intensity in his voice left her speechless, and as he stood to leave, she realized just how much she’d crossed a line she couldn’t uncross.

she stared at trent, her eyes wide with disbelief at the words leaving his mouth. gone was the quiet, gentle trent who used to let her vent about her frustrations, her career, and, yes, even jadon. the man in front of her now was brimming with confidence, his tone sharp and unrelenting.

y/n blinked, the audacity of his demand pulling her out of the swirl of emotions. she leaned back, crossing her arms as she looked at him, her tone sharp. “you said i was a problem. now i’m supposed to drop everything for you?”

"so, you'll be my problem, not his," he said, leaning forward, his voice low and steady. "either way, last night already confirmed what i know."

her brows furrowed as she crossed her arms, trying to steel herself. "and what exactly do you think you know, trent?"

he smirked, leaning back slightly, the casual arrogance in his demeanor only fueling her irritation. "you want me just as bad as i want you."

she scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "yeah, right. keep dreaming."

trent's smirk only grew, and he tilted his head, watching her closely. "your body told me a different story, y/n. you can deny it all you want, but I know the truth."

her breath hitched, and she froze, absolutely stunned by the shift in his demeanor. the quiet, patient trent she had grown used to was nowhere to be found. this trent was bold, unapologetic, and completely unwavering in his confidence.

"excuse me?" she managed to choke out, her voice barely above a whisper.

"you heard me," he said, his tone softer now but still laced with an undeniable intensity. "last time, in that club—you didn’t pull away because you didn’t want it. you pulled away because you’re scared. scared of what it means."

her heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing to find a rebuttal, but she couldn’t deny the truth in his words. her reaction last night had been instinctual, driven by emotions she wasn’t ready to confront.

"you’re so full of yourself," she finally said, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to sound strong. "you think you’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?"

trent leaned closer, his eyes locking onto hers, leaving no room for escape. "i don’t have to figure it out, y/n. you already told me everything i needed to know."

she shook her head, her frustration bubbling over. "you’ve changed," she said, her voice laced with disbelief. "where’s the trent who listened to me complain about work? who let me vent about jadon without judging me? you’re not that guy anymore."

he smiled faintly, the softness of it contrasting with the sharpness of his words. "maybe i got tired of pretending i don’t care about you. maybe i finally decided it’s time you see me for who i really am."

her stomach flipped, and she didn’t know if it was from anger, confusion, or something else entirely. "this isn’t you," she said weakly, more to herself than to him.

"you don’t know me as well as you think you do," he said simply, his eyes never leaving hers.

and just like that, the dynamic between them had shifted entirely, leaving her questioning everything she thought she knew about trent—and herself.

and with that, the conversation shifted, the weight of his words pressing down on her as they finished their meal, the tension between them lingering like a storm waiting to break.

as the night wound down, the tension between them seemed to settle, though it never truly disappeared. they left the restaurant in a comfortable silence, the kind that felt heavy with unspoken words but not unbearable. trent walked her to the car, opening the door for her like it was second nature.

the drive back to her place was quieter than before. the earlier emotions had worn her down, leaving her subdued, her gaze fixed on the passing streetlights. trent stole a glance at her every now and then, trying to decipher the thoughts running through her mind.

when they finally pulled up to her building, y/n unbuckled her seatbelt but made no immediate move to leave. instead, she turned to him, her features soft in the glow of the streetlamp outside.

"thanks for tonight," she said, her voice quieter than usual but no less sincere. "for... everything."

trent nodded, his fingers drumming lightly on the steering wheel. "you don’t have to thank me. i meant what i said, y/n."

she smiled faintly, her eyes lingering on him a moment longer before she leaned over. he froze as she placed a soft, lingering kiss on his cheek, the warmth of her lips sending a jolt through him.

when she pulled back, he blinked, feeling his face heat in a way he hadn’t felt in years. it wasn’t just the kiss itself—it was the tenderness behind it, the softness in her eyes. he was so used to her sharp edges, her fiery words, the way she’d dig her heels in when they argued. this version of her—gentle, warm—caught him completely off guard.

"goodnight, trent," she said softly as she opened the door, stepping out before he could fully process what had just happened.

he watched her walk to her door, pausing only to wave briefly before disappearing inside. sitting there in the quiet of his car, trent touched his cheek, the spot where her lips had been still warm. he exhaled deeply, leaning back in his seat, his chest tight with emotions he couldn’t quite put into words.

she always managed to throw him off balance. but tonight, it wasn’t her sass or stubbornness that had him reeling. it was the way she let her guard down, even if just for a moment. and he realized, as he sat there replaying the evening, that she had him more hooked than ever.

y/n's home felt colder than usual as y/n paced near the window, the faint street lights flickering against the glass. she wasn’t sure how this conversation would go, but the weight of it pressed heavy on her chest. jadon was leaving for germany tomorrow, and despite all the ups and downs between them, she owed him a proper goodbye.

the knock at the door came softly, almost hesitant. when she opened it, jadon stood there, hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket, looking as boyish and familiar as ever. for a moment, it reminded her of better times, the easy comfort they used to share before everything got so complicated.

"hey," he said, his voice low.

"hey," she replied, stepping aside to let him in.

they settled in the living room, both of them keeping a careful distance. the silence between them was heavy but not hostile, and for that, she was grateful.

"so," jadon started, leaning back against the couch, "i guess this is it. back to dortmund."

she nodded, biting the inside of her cheek. "it’s what you need, though. a fresh start."

he gave her a small smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "yeah. but it’s not just for me, you know. i think it’s for us too."

her brows furrowed, and she shifted uncomfortably. "what do you mean?"

"i mean," he said, sitting forward, elbows resting on his knees, "we’ve been stuck in this loop, y/n. hurting each other, trying to fix things, and then hurting each other all over again. maybe it’s time to let it go."

the words hit her harder than she expected, and she blinked quickly, willing herself not to cry. "so, this is you ending it?"

he shook his head, his gaze soft. "it’s not about ending anything. it’s about moving on the right way. you’ve got your own thing going on here. i’ve got mine back there. but that doesn’t mean i don’t care about you."

her chest tightened, and she looked away, focusing on the floor. "it’s just... it’s hard, jadon. you’ve been a part of my life for so long."

"i know," he said gently. "but you’ll be fine. you’re strong, y/n. stronger than you think."

jadon sat back against the couch, exhaling deeply as he ran a hand through his hair. "y/n," he started, his tone softer now, "you’re worth so much more than this... than being in some non-exclusive, undefined relationship. i should’ve realized that sooner. i’m sorry for hurting you, for making you feel like you weren’t enough."

her eyes widened slightly at his words, her throat tightening. "i’m sorry too," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "i didn’t mean to keep going back and forth with you. i guess... i didn’t want to be alone."

jadon gave her a small, understanding smile. "i get it. but you shouldn’t settle for less than what you deserve just because you’re scared of being alone. you’re better than that, y/n."

his words sank in, and she nodded, unable to meet his gaze. the weight of their shared history made the moment feel heavier than she anticipated.

he hesitated for a moment before adding, "but i need to ask you something."

she looked at him, her brow furrowing slightly. "what?"

"trent," he said plainly, watching her reaction. "is he treating you right?"

her cheeks flushed instantly, and she shook her head quickly. "it’s not about trent," she said, her voice defensive.

jadon tilted his head, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "i can tell, y/n. the way you talk about him, the way you look when his name comes up—it’s the same way you used to be with me."

her blush deepened, and she crossed her arms over her chest, feeling caught off guard. "jadon, stop. it’s not like that."

"if you say so," he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "but if it is, just... make sure he’s good to you, alright? you deserve that. and if he’s not, well," he paused, leaning forward slightly, his smirk fading into something more serious, "you know where to find me."

his words were surprisingly genuine, and she felt a pang of gratitude amidst her embarrassment. "thank you," she murmured, her voice soft.

jadon smiled, the tension between them easing slightly. "no problem. i just want you to be happy, y/n."

they sat there in silence for a while, the weight of the past years settling between them like a soft hum. and for the first time, she felt a sense of peace about letting go.

but as she walked him to the door and watched him leave, the reality of trent’s words from earlier came rushing back. the way i see it, real or fake, when i laid my lips on you, y/n, you became mine.

she pressed her back against the closed door, her skin still burning from the way trent had looked at her, the way his words had cut through her defenses. she didn’t know what to make of it all, but one thing was clear: whatever this was with trent, it was different. and it terrified her.

70 notes · View notes