#should not have thought this up before dinner

[ds-angel1]

dealer!rafe x brainwashed!reader

cw: drugs like lots and lots, ODing, mention of SMUT(18+), hospital, mention of puking, reader is basically kidnapped lmaoo, handcuffs, incorrect medical talk and drug talk

wc: ~ 1.9k

a/n: first req that I´ve fulfilled!!!! working on all the others rn, I PROMISE!! also, I´m reworking my masterlist cause it ain´t working :3

here’s the intro/drabble to them!

Your heart slammed against your ribs, erratic and desperate, a caged animal gnawing at the bars. The world teetered, flickering in and out of focus as your eyelids fought to stay open, to cling to consciousness, but it was slipping, sand spilling through your trembling fingers. A thick, suffocating warmth coiled around your limbs, seeping into your bones, poisoning you from the inside out. It slithered through your veins like a viper, whispering in your blood, coaxing your body toward surrender.

Move. You had to move.

But your body wasn’t yours anymore. The command never reached your muscles, and they lay useless, dead weight against damp sheets that clung to your fevered skin. A pitiful sound, yours, barely a breath, drifted from your lips as you forced your head to the side. Just a little. Just enough.

The door. Rafe’s door.

The dark frame swam in your vision, shifting and blurring, the chaos beyond it melting into a meaningless smear. The world shrank, closing in, the edges curling like burning paper. Black dots bled into your sight, multiplying, spreading, and devouring. Your chest stuttered, lungs gasping, body writhing in its final, feeble protest.

But it was useless. The fever of overdose wrapped its fingers around your throat. And this time, you lost.

Darkness swallowed you whole.

_

Rafe exhaled sharply, the sound bordering on a growl. The hospital chair groaned as he pushed himself up again. Paced again. The relentless, jittery energy under his skin refused to settle, clawing at his ribs, rattling in his skull. His teeth ached from grinding, his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, nails biting into his palms.

The dull hospital light did you no favors. It cast you in shades of ghostly white and sickly yellow, illuminating every fragile line of your body against the stiff sheets. Your arms were riddled with IVs, tubes feeding you life drop by drop, undoing what he’d done.

He should have been worried. He should have been fucking devastated. Instead, he was livid. Not at you. No, never at you. At himself. Because he had done this.

He had forgotten.

Forgot the way he pressed those pills into your palm that morning, his fingers brushing yours with something almost gentle—before he shoved them past your lips himself. A prelude. A sedative. A quieting. He forgot the way they melted on your tongue, dissolving into something heavy, something thick, something that made your heartbeat drag in your ears like a slow, drowning metronome. How your breath turned to syrup, each inhale a weight you could barely carry. How it made it easier for him. How it made you easier.

He forgot the way his fingers curled around your throat, a slow and lazy pressure, just enough to make your vision blur at the edges while he worked himself between your thighs.

He forgot the way he tilted your chin up later, the rough pad of his thumb dragging over your lip as he held the joint to your mouth. Smoke in. Obedience out. His way of keeping you quiet, pliant, while he murmured something about dinner, something about how you needed to stop fucking whining. How the tendrils of gray curled toward the ceiling while your thoughts were shot clean through, splattered against the walls of your mind before they could form into anything useful.

And he forgot, of course, when he was fixing his cufflinks, adjusting the crisp white collar of his shirt, black suit clinging to him like sin itself. How he lined up neat little rows of coke for you, a final insurance policy against your clarity, against your ability to recognize the shape of his absence.

He hadn’t thought much about it.

Not until your body was convulsing in his passenger seat, bile dripping from your chin, your breath coming in shallow, failing gasps. Not until the doctor stood before him now, murmuring things like irregular heartbeat, overdose risk, weeks without substances.

No drugs. Five to six weeks. Maybe forever. He almost laughed. Did they think that was enough time for you to grow a spine? To find your way out?

No. You wouldn’t leave. You couldn’t leave.

His jaw twitched, his fingers flexing. The thought of you outside his walls, beyond his control, out of his grasp, no, no, that wouldn’t do. That wouldn’t do at all.

He had carved you out of nothing, molded you into something beautiful, something his. And you would stay with him. Locked away in that vast, hollow mansion. Lost inside the walls he built around you. Forever.

No matter how many bruises, handcuffs, or locks it took.

_

You woke up slowly as if being dragged out of the depths of something thick and suffocating. Consciousness seeped in like a slow, unwelcome tide, bringing with it the dull, throbbing ache in your skull, the rawness of your throat, the stiffness of your limbs. Your tongue felt like sandpaper against the roof of your mouth, and the air was stale, thick with something unidentifiable, something oppressive.

The first thing you saw was the ceiling, a high, vaulted expanse of white. It was unfamiliar, but the scent in the air, the underlying trace of expensive cologne and something darker, something purely him, told you where you were before you even turned your head.

Rafe’s house.

Panic unfurled in your gut like a coiled serpent finally roused. Your pulse stammered, adrenaline cutting through the remnants of whatever fog still clung to your mind. You tried to move, to sit up, but resistance met your wrists, cold, unyielding metal.

Handcuffs.

The realization came slow, sluggish under the weight of exhaustion and withdrawal. Your fingers curled into fists, nails biting into your palms.

“Oh, good. You’re awake.”

His voice. Silky smooth, laced with amusement, the kind that slithered under your skin and made you feel small. You turned your head, muscles protesting the movement, and there he was. Sitting in the chair beside the bed, legs sprawled, fingers tapping idly against his knee. His blue eyes locked onto yours with quiet intensity, with possession.

“Rafe,” your voice cracked, barely more than a whisper.

His lips twitched, something like satisfaction flickering across his face before vanishing just as quickly. “You had a rough night.”

Your stomach twisted. Flashes of memory stabbed through the haze, your body convulsing, the taste of bile, the cold, sterile lights of the hospital. The tubes, the machines, the doctors murmuring over you. Overdose.

You swallowed, throat burning. “Let me go.”

He let out a short, almost incredulous laugh, shaking his head. “Not happening, sweetheart.”

You pulled against the cuffs, metal biting into your skin. “Rafe, please—”

His eyes darkened, his jaw ticking. “You almost fucking died.”

The words were sharp, slicing through the thick air like a blade. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, his gaze pinning you in place. “You think I’m gonna let that happen again?”

Your breath hitched. “It’s my life.”

His hand shot out, fingers curling around your jaw in a bruising grip. “No,” he murmured, voice low, lethal. “It’s mine.”

A shiver raked through you, whether from fear or withdrawal, you weren’t sure. The air between you crackled, heavy with something unspoken, something twisted.

He exhaled slowly, loosening his grip but not pulling away. His thumb brushed over your cheek, almost tender. Almost. “This is for your good,” he said softly. “No drugs. No leaving. Just you and me.”

Your stomach churned. The implications sank in like weights dragging you under.

No escape. No control. No freedom. His world. His rules. Forever.

_

The first few days were hell.

Your body rebelled against itself, convulsing in fits of tremors so violent they rattled the headboard, muscles twisting in agonizing spasms. Sweat soaked the sheets beneath you, drenching your skin, your clothes, and your hair. Fever burned through you in waves, relentless, scorching, leaving you shivering in its wake. Your stomach clenched in protest, empty but still heaving, the dry retches leaving your throat raw and useless. Every inch of you ached, skin too tight, bones brittle, your blood screaming for something, anything, to quiet the chaos.

Rafe was always there.

Perched in that chair, watching. Sometimes silent, sometimes murmuring things you couldn't understand past the static in your brain. Occasionally, he'd press a damp cloth to your forehead, his touch ghosting over your fevered skin, deceptively gentle. Other times, when the withdrawal had its claws in you deep enough to have you sobbing, begging, he'd grip your chin, force you to look at him, and simply say, "No."

No drugs. No relief. No escape.

By the end of the first week, the worst of the sickness had passed, but the craving, the gnawing, insatiable hunger for something to take the edge off, remained. Rafe was prepared for that, of course.

The handcuffs stayed. When he had to leave the room, he'd bind your wrists to the bed frame, ensuring that even if you wanted to claw your way out, you couldn't. When he was there, he left one hand free, just enough movement to allow you to eat, to drink, to touch him when he demanded it. Just enough to remind you that your freedom was in his hands.

"You're getting better," he'd say, running fingers through your hair, his tone almost soothing. "You’ll thank me for this someday."

_

Week two brought exhaustion, a bone-deep fatigue that left you hollowed out. The worst of the shaking had faded, but your limbs still felt like lead, your head thick with cotton. Time became a meaningless blur of waking and sleeping, fading in and out of coherence. The world outside might as well have ceased to exist, there was only this room, this bed, Rafe’s presence looming, omnipresent.

By the third week, your body had begun to function again, but your mind was sluggish, slow to piece together reality. Rafe made sure of that. The meals he brought, the water he pressed to your lips, they were laced with just enough to keep you hazy, and compliant, but never enough to make you crumble like you did again.

No drugs for 6 weeks, bullshit.

"You don’t need that shit anymore," he murmured one night, his lips brushing your temple as you lay curled beneath the covers, weak and pliant. "I'm all you need."

Somewhere between weeks four and five, the desperation set in. The fight in you flickered, weak but present. You started resisting. Pulling against the cuffs until your wrists bled, refusing to eat, spitting venom in every word you could manage. Rafe met each defiance with patience, a maddening, knowing smile like he was waiting for you to burn yourself out.

And then, he started rewarding your obedience.

A free hand. A warm bath. A walk through the house, always with his hand gripping your arm, always with a reminder murmured against your ear: "You behave, you get more. You fight me, you lose."

By week six, you had lost track of time. Your mind, your body, they weren’t your own anymore. Your voice barely belonged to you, your words carefully chosen to avoid punishment, your movements dictated by his expectations. The cuffs remained, but now, they were more of a suggestion than a necessity.

Because Rafe had won.

And when he looked at you, running a thumb over the bruises on your wrists, his lips curved into something satisfied, something triumphant as he shoved two little pills into your open mouth.

"See? I told you, sweetheart. You were always meant to be mine."

[pineconepie]

More Vincent!! >:)

TW: Kidnapping, injured reader, parental yandere, infantilization, murder (not major characters), developing Stockholm syndrome(?)

...

Its been a few weeks ever since Vincent kidnapped you (or "adopted you" as he likes to put it). For the first few days, it was hell trying to get comfortable around your new "dad". It took even longer to feel safe at the Cryo estate, and get adjusted to the people there.

Most of them were surprisingly not that scary once you got to know them.

For the first time in a while, you felt happy, once you adjusted. Sure, being forced to act like a baby against your will was humiliating and embarrassing. But, at least Vincent could be a lot worse.

"Comfy, pumpkin?" he chuckles, ruffling your hair.

You're nestled against him, watching some kid's movie on TV while nestled up against his side.

He seems so much happier now, too. Well, at least now that you've finally come to terms with your fate and given in to him. There weren't a lot of options in this scenario. If you tried to run away or tell anyone outside the Cryo organization, Vincent would have probably killed them.

That thought scares you as well as makes you sick to your stomach, but there isn't much you can do.

"Yeah," you mutter, eyes slipping shut. "'m tired."

Vincent shifts slightly. You feel a light kiss being pressed into the top of your head. "Then I guess it's nap-time, huh? I..." He's interrupted by his phone ringing. His expression quickly turns into a scowl as he checks the caller ID, and answers it after sending you an apologetic look. "Phoenix, this better be urgent."

"Heeey, Boss, Scarlet Syndicate is kinda screwing us over right now." There's sounds of yelling in the background. "They wanna speak to you."

Your eyes widen. Scarlet Syndicate, the same group that forced you into working for them.

Vincent rubs the bridge of his nose. "Then they're idiots. Fine. Tell them they're gonna get what they wished for. Send me the location and I'll be there soon." He hangs up before Phoenix has a chance to reply back. Sighing, he turns to you with a sad smile. "Looks like we'll have to cut cuddle time short. Dad's so sorry."

"They're the ones who held debt over my head. What if they want me back?" you question, dread making your chest tighten. "What if they want me dead? They're probably so angry at me.." Your lip trembles, remembering how cruel they were to you.

He pulls you into a firm hug, rubbing soothing circles on your back. "Oh, kiddo... don't worry about that, alright? If those bastards so much as come near you, they will meet a very bloody fate," he growls, squeezing you even tighter. He buries his face in your hair. "Dad's gotcha. As long as you stay under my protection, they won't lay a finger on you. Hell will freeze over before I let anyone take you away from me."

You nod anxiously. "I trust you."

He kisses your forehead again before slowly pulling away and standing up from the couch. "I'm gonna put you in the safe room while I'm gone, alright?" He doesn't wait for your response, dragging you to the safe room.

Despite trying to seem calm, you can tell he's angry. Extremely angry. Vincent is gripping you tightly, but not hard enough to cause pain.

Once you're in the safe room, he makes sure it's fully locked up.

"I should be home before dinner," he assures you.

"Wait," you rasp. "What if something happens to you?"

Vincent places his hand on the side of your head, stroking his thumb over your cheek. His smile seems a lot warmer when you're the one receiving it.

"You really think I would leave you alone after all the trouble I've went through to have you with me?" he teases, letting out a quiet chuckle. "No worries, sweetie. I'm always gonna find a way to make it home. Even if I have to dig myself out of a shallow grave."

With one last kiss pressed into your forehead, Vincent turns around and walks away, leaving you locked inside the safe room.

...

Vincent arrives at the warehouse where the meeting is taking place, being escorted inside by Phoenix. Inside the main room, he sees the Scarlet Syndicate goons waiting for him and Vincent wastes no time getting to the point.

"What the fuck do you bastards want?" he spits.

Flint, the boss of Scarlet Syndicate, puffs his cigar. "You know exactly what I'm here to ask," he sneers. "Did you not bring the kid with you?"

"Kid? I don't know what you're talking about," Vincent replies nonchalantly, smiling menacingly. "But if I did, what is it to you?"

"Their debt is far from paid off, Bauer," Flint grumbles. "As long as they breathe, we own them. So I was thinking, either you give them to us, or you can pay off the debt yourself." He blows out some smoke. "For a millionaire such as yourself, it doesn't seem like it'd be an issue for you, especially seeing as you've gone soft over them. I've heard the rumors."

Vincent glares darkly at him. "First of all, you're gonna need more than your cronies to keep you protected when I lose my patience." He smiles threateningly. "And second of all, I think I've got a counter-proposal. How about I just shoot you in your face instead?"

In a flash, everyone pulls their weapons on each other.

"Enough!" Flint huffs. "I gave you an option to do it willingly. Now we have no choice but to use brute force."

Vincent is prepared to have bullets flying his way, but instead a smoke bomb is dropped at his feet.

As soon as Vincent realizes this, he covers his mouth and nose, eyes searching wildly to see the culprit, but to no avail. Then he notices Flint is gone along with his cronies.

Once the room clears, the Cryo members notice their boss is seething.

"Go find them!" he barks, scowling furiously. "I want every single one of those bastards dead by sunset." He notices Quinn on her phone. "Quinn! What the hell are you doing?!"

"Your place was broken into," she hisses back.

That gets Vincent's attention. The blood drains from his face as realization dawns on him. They just wanted to draw him out so they could get their hands on his baby.

Never in the past couple of years has he ever been so frantic, scrambling to his car and flooring it back home.

...

As soon as he makes it back to his penthouse, his worst fears are confirmed. There's signs of struggle in the hallway, as well as bloodstains on the carpet.

The safe room door has been busted open somehow. Vincent's stomach churns and he feels rage beginning to bubble up. Not only had someone dared to trespass on his property, they also had the audacity to steal you.

His kid. His everything.

He screams your name while searching for you, even though he already knows it's useless.

After tearing apart the penthouse and finding no trace of you, that's when his panic begins to set in.

"No, no, no..." he rasps, fingers tangling in his hair. He punches the wall and kicks down the nearby table in rage. Vincent stands there staring down at the mess he made.

He feels his chest constricting and tears beginning to flow. He grabs one of the fallen chairs and smashes it against the wall.

Then his phone rings.

Fumbling to grab it out of his pocket, he answers it, wiping his tears away in anger.

"What?!" he barks, voice cracking.

Instead of Phoenix, Quinn, or Trenton, he hears...

"Hello again, Vincent."

It's Flint.

Vincent feels like he's about to snap right then and there. He grips the phone so tight he almost breaks it. "What did you do?" he asks with grit teeth, fighting back the urge to sob. He hasn't felt this way in a long time, and he despises that.

But it hurts. You're gone again... It makes his heart ache knowing you're back in that organization's grasp, likely terrified.

Flint cackles. "I'm sure your kid wants to know the same thing. I told them how your greed was too strong to save them. So! I have a new set of options. Either you can come here and give me the money, or... well, I think you can imagine what'll happen next."

Vincent squeezes his eyes shut, exhaling. "Just tell me where you want me to bring the cash," he whispers, rubbing his hand over his face.

...

You try to ignore the cuts and bruises marring your skin. It's hard to, given your only distraction is the brick wall in front of you. You would cry, but after crying the whole ride here, you feel numb.

There's only fear and dread in you.

You're tied to a chair, arms bound behind your back and legs attached to the front legs of the chair, ankles secured to them.

They've taken you away from Vincent and brought you back here.

Back to the Scarlet Syndicate headquarters, which is really just some rundown warehouse.

Just when you're beginning to wonder if you had been abandoned to starve and die down in this dingy basement, the door opens.

To your surprise and relief, Vincent descends down the stairs with two suitcases.

"Dad!" you exclaim, hope blossoming.

He ignores your cry, approaching the table Flint sits at. With an angry scowl on his face, he sets both suitcases down, opening them up so the man can see.

You peer over as well, shocked to see that there's millions worth of dollars in each suitcase. Probably even more than the debt.

"There, I've met your demands," Vincent hisses. "Now let them go."

Flint cackles, standing up. "My, my. I'm surprised you actually showed up. Thought for sure I would be seeing them dead. Seeing as you don't hold much care for anyone besides yourself."

"Save the monologue," Vincent snaps. "And give them back before I put a bullet through your brain."

Flint nods, untying you from the chair.

Once you're untied, you rub your wrists, wincing at the soreness. Immediately, you rush over to Vincent, wrapping your arms around his midsection and hiding your face against his coat.

He holds you tight. "It's alright. Dad's here."

Flint pouts, taking another drag of his cigar. "So let's let bygones be bygones?"

Vincent forces a smile. "Sure thing." He rushes you out of the warehouse, keeping you cradled in his arms until you reach the car, which is farther away than you had anticipated. You're just grateful he has so much upper body strength. After buckling you in the backseat, he checks your pulse and presses kisses all over your face. "My poor baby," he whispers tearfully. "Did they hurt you bad?"

"My head hurts. And my entire body feels like its on fire."

Vincent pulls you into another firm hug before letting go. He wipes his eyes furiously. "Oh. That reminds me." He pulls out a walkie-talkie and holds it to his face. "Trent. Now."

You hear a loud explosion coming from somewhere nearby, looking out the window to see the warehouse in flames.

You jump a little.

Vincent chuckles weakly, placing his hand on your head. He reaches into the glove compartment and produces a juice box. You hadn't even noticed he carried them around in his vehicles.

He pushes the straw through the tiny hole and hands it to you.

"I think some ice cream is in order once we get back home," he whispers, leaning forward and pressing another kiss onto your forehead.

"But didn't you give them money?" you question, furrowing your brows in confusion as you take small sips of the juice. "You just blew up a bunch of it..."

He laughs. "Don't you worry about that. It wasn't real money," he snickers, patting your head one last time. "But you don't need to think about any of that adult stuff anymore." His smile falters for a split second, examining your injuries once again. "I'll also need to call a doctor once we're home. And then maybe put you in a tower like Rapunzel."

You manage a small laugh. "You're silly."

His smile returns as he shuts the door and settles himself into the driver's seat. "Don't tell anyone else, you're the only one who knows that." He grins at you through the rearview mirror.

Never did you think you'd be okay driving away with your captor from a burning building with possible casualties inside, but... after what you've been through, it's kind of difficult to care anymore.

[writer-freak]

Twst birthday headcanons

Characters: Leona, Vil, Idia, Lilia and Cater

A/n: So today is my birthday!!!! And I wrote some headcanons for my favorite twst boys and how they celebrate with you <3

Leona Kingscholar

You wake up with Leona's arms around you, sunlight barely shining through the curtains because he made sure they were drawn shut the night before. He’s not a morning person, and if it were up to him, you wouldn’t get out of bed at all.

"Tch. You’re already awake? Go back to sleep, it’s your birthday. No one’s expectin’ you to be up this early." He grumbles, pulling you closer.

Eventually, after lots of coaxing (and maybe a few bribes in the form of kisses), you are able get out of bed.

Leona’s not the type for big parties, but he does something thoughtful in his own way, like making Ruggie organize you a romantic picnic in the botanical garden. He doesn’t even complain when you take loads of pictures with him.

The day ends with you lying in bed the same as that morning, Leona holding you in his arms, muttering one last “Happy birthday, herbivore,” before drifting off to sleep.

Vil Schoenheit

Vil insists that you start your birthday right, which means waking up in silk sheets, with a a perfect breakfast that is perfect in taste, aesthetic and nutrition because you only deserve the best.

He personally supervises every step of your morning routine, making sure your skin is flawless and that you’re as radiant as ever. "It’s your day, and I won’t have you looking anything less than perfect."

You’re going to to be pampered the entire day (even more than usual). A shopping trip? A spa day? A private dinner with an exclusive menu? He’s thought of everything.

His gift is something incredibly personalized, maybe a fragrance he designed just for you, or a limited edition item from your favorite brand.

At the end of the night, he sits with you on the balcony, sharing a quiet toast to another year together. "My darling, every day with you is a gift. But today, the world itself should celebrate you."

Idia Shroud

The morning starts with you waking up alone, only to find that Idia technically never slept. Instead, he was up all night setting up the ultimate birthday gaming experience for you.

"G-Good morning! Uh—sorry if I woke your up, but look! I made a whole list of games that fit your tastes, and we can play all day, no interruptions."

He isn't the type for regular parties but maybe he set up a virtual surprise where NPCs from your favorite games wish you happy birthday.

His gift? Probably something like a customized controller, or even him buying you any game skin you want. He tries to act nonchalant about it, but his ears are burning red when he gives it to you.

At the end of the night he shyly offers you to lean against his shoulder while you continue gaming. "I-It’s fine if you wanna sleep here. I mean it’s your birthday, so… whatever makes you happy."

Lilia Vanrouge

You wake up not because of an alarm, but because Lilia is already hovering over you, grinning mischievously. "Rise and shine, birthday star~!"

He’s so excited. Probably already made breakfast especially for you (though whether it’s edible is another story).

The whole day is a bit of chaos and fun, he drags you to some kind of adventure, even if it’s just sneaking into different parts of the campus for fun.

His gift is maybe something sentimental like a charm with protective magic or a handwritten letter filled with reasons why he loves you.

The night ends with him humming a soft melody for you, coaxing you to relax. "Another year older, another year more wonderful. You’ll always have me by your side, my dear."

Cater Diamond

You wake up to your phone blowing up, Cater’s already posted a barrage of cute birthday messages and pictures for you. "Gotta make sure everyone knows it’s your special day, y’know?"

He wanted to really make your day special for you so he hid little gifts all over for you to find. Each one has a cute note attached, making you feel extra appreciated.

His actual gift? A scrapbook filled with memories, photos, little doodles, messages from your friends. He loves seeing you smile while you look at each of the pages .

At the end of the day, he insists on a sunset selfie, just the two of you, with the golden light making everything look unreal. "This one’s for the memories, babe. Here’s to another year of being iconic together!"

Divider by: @saradika-graphics

[mywritersmind]

umm I don't really have an idea in mind (sorry) but id love to see an ex!franco fic!!

THAT PRETTY BLONDE - FC43

summary : In which some drivers are checking out a girl and when Franco goes to meet her, they already have been introduced. In fact, they’ve had years of knowing eachother.

listen up : franco x ex! no warnings! thanks for the request i love the idea of franco and his ex so here’s smt short!

words : 1135

⋆｡‧˚⋆

“What’re you staring at?” I elbow Lando while Oscar, Isack, Kimi, and Carlos are completely locked in, their eyes on something in the distance.

“Mate…” Isack hits my chest, “Hottest girl ever.”

Kimi nods as if he has a chance with anyone over eighteen, “Mamma mia...”

“Right there. In the white.” Lando points to a girl in the crowd, her back is to us and I immediately understand what they’re talking about.

I can’t even see the girl's face but she’s already stunning. She’s in a blue mini skirt and a white top that falls just before her waistband. She's slim, her legs long, definite model quality. Shit, I see one attractive girl and suddenly i’m a model scout?

She flips her hair to her back, long and blonde. “Ay…” I mumble, “I’m going to talk to her.”

“No way!” Lando interjects.

“Come on Colapinto leave some for the rest of us.” Isack rolls his eyes as I grin and push past Oscar who looks more curious than hot for her.

I stick my tongue out at them as I walk backwards, turning around and walking straight up to her. I clock the William’s mechanics already, the familiar faces nodding to me.

“Hey…” My voice trails off almost immediately, the second the girl turns to me, my mouth goes dry.

Her smile drops at the same time the mechanics walk away, “Y/n.” I choke out, staring at my ex-girlfriend in the face. What the actual fuck.

“Franco.” Her voice makes me physically shiver, the same one that used to sweet talk me. I recognize it all too well. She’s not smiling, her expression neutral as she checks me out, “Thought you weren’t driving this season.” She says it as if it was the most casual thing ever.

She pops her hip, raising a brow. God I used to love when she would do that.

I never have issues talking to women, unless it’s her. I don’t know why, just something about her made me so nervous, especially after the breakup. “I’m uh… just here in case.” I scratch the back of my neck, looking past her at the guys who are staring.

“Right.” She smiles softly, moving her arm up so her fingers tug at a curl in my head, “You look good.” I swallow, ultra aware that she hasn’t touched me in over a year.

I can’t breathe. “Thanks. You look… You know you look good Y/n.” She laughs, nodding. She always did. “I like your hair.”

“Really?” She twirls it around her finger, “Kinda miss the brunette.”

“So, you’re here.” I eye her badge and swallow, “With william’s?”

I swear on my life she’s doing this on purpose, “Mhm… I was invited. It’s not too weird… is it?”

“Well considering you broke up with me before I became a william’s driver…” Shut up Franco. Shut up.

She rolls her eyes, “Don’t pull that. You know why we broke up.” Me. Of course it’s me. I nod as she glances back to the guys who pretend to be doing anything but staring at her. “Could you tell your friends that if they want to look at me, they can talk to me first?”

I let out a dry laugh, “Not a chance they’ll be doing either.”

“Hm, still possessive I see.” She tilts her head, smirking.

“You got a boyfriend I should be worrying about?” She shakes her head slowly. Good. “Then yeah, they’re not getting close.”

She smiles in the way that she used to, “Look I gotta go…” I spent this past year thinking about her, wondering if I would ever see her again, yet here she is. At a bloody race with the team I should be on.

“Right. Maybe we can catch dinner sometime?” I don’t know why I say it, it literally just comes out of me.

But thankfully, she doesn’t scream in horror, just grins wider, “If you’re lucky, Colapinto.”

I nod and start walking away, “I’ve got a good feeling about this one.” The second she turns away, I slowly walk back to the guys.

I cannot believe she’s here. “What the hell!?”

“There’s no way you pulled her in that amount of time.” Carlos raises a brow.

“Who is she!?” Kimi asks, “Yo, Colapinto! Details!”

I groan, slamming my head against the wall as they all go quiet. I breathe in, then out, my eyes squeezed shut. “She’s my ex.”

They freak out. Oscar laughs out loud while Carlos just shakes his head. “Excuse you!?” Lando shakes me.

“You’re fucking kidding!” Isack argues.

“I wish.” I say, looking at the group of shocked men, knowing i’m about to have to explain that the one girl I ever truly loved, broke up with me because she thought (she knew) I wasn’t doing enough. “Oh I really fucking wish.”

“Mate… how’d you not recognize her!?” Lando’s laughing now.

“She was brunette…” I groan at the memory of my beautiful brunette girlfriend who used to party around argentina and kiss me against club walls. “and I didn’t expect the fucking loss of my life to be here!”

“Shit. I can’t believe you fumbled her.” Oscar shakes his head, making me frown.

I cross my arms, “She broke my heart, thanks.”

Lando raises a brow, “Oh?”

“She dumped you!” Kimi giggles, “This is the best news I’ve ever heard. You think she’d go for me?”

I punch him in the arm, making the younger boy flinch, “She is way too old for you. And she’s my ex!”

“I don’t see any issues.” He shrugs, making me blink. He fucking wishes.

“Shut your trap, Antonelli.” Lando laughs, “Franco. Is she single?”

“Mate!” I swear, “Not you too!”

He laughs, “For you! There’s no way you’re fucking up this opportunity.”

Carlos nods, “You believe in fate?”

I eye the man in blue, “I believe that she’s in your garage all weekend…” I smile and clap him on the shoulder, “I just have to visit my best mate!”

He laughs, shaking his head. He’s about to say something but goes suddenly quiet when someone walks up. It’s her.

Everyone shuts up.

“Fran.” She calls me by my nickname, thoroughly twisting the knife, “Call me tonight, yeah?”

I think I might faint.

The sharp pain in my side is caused by Isacks elbow, forcing me to nod as they all check her out, “Of course.”

She looks at all of them, laughing a bit before waving, “See you.”

“Bye…” Half the guys say! I slap all of them.

“Oh Fran…” Lando mocks her, batting his lashes, “Please come take me out and-”

“Shut it!” I start walking away.

“Where are you going?” Oscar asks.

“I need to figure out what i’m going to wear!”

[reverieblondie]

Bad Dream

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Warnings: Nightmares, Mysterious passes, Breaking and entering, Panic attack, Breaking washers, Bucky touches your underwear (whoops...)

Summary: You and Bucky are not only neighbors but friends for months now. You two are close... but are still finding out new things about each other...

Word Count: 2,613

A/N: This was inspired by an amazing request got from an anon. I loved the idea so much that I can see this being turned into a full series if enough people like it! Just let me know! I look forward to feedback like always! and request are always open!

"So... What am I eating?"  

Bucky says almost suspiciously as he looks at the macaroni noodle on his fork.

"I can not believe you are so picky," you say, rolling your eyes before taking a delightful bite of the casserole dish you made. Once swallowed, you point your fork accusingly toward Bucky. "It's called tuna mac. It's cheap to make but delicious. Now you can either eat it, or I will stop being such a friendly neighbor and stop sharing my dinners with you."

Bucky chuckles before giving you his signature smirk, "If that's the case, don't come knocking on my door when something of yours breaks again." 

You huff, he doesn't play fair. 

He watches as you pout and sigh before he takes the macaroni and tuna mix into his mouth. When he eats it, his eyes bulge slightly. "That's actually really good?"

"See, you just need to trust me, neighbor. It's something my mom used to make. Boil noodles, mix up the sauce, and top with cheese. It tastes better than it sounds." 

Bucky smiles as you ramble on. When you look over at him, he looks back to his plate, mixing it around as he makes a face before eating more. "That's true. This is way better than that chicken we had last Thursday."  

"Hey! We agreed to forget that monstrosity!"

Of course, Bucky laughs at your dramatics, and you can't help but echo it back. Thursday night dinners have become your favorite tradition since moving in; no matter how shitty your week could have been, this always lifts up your spirits, even just a little bit. Most people in your building seem to avoid Bucky; they won't join him in the elevator or even greet him in the mailboxes. They judge his past... but who are you to judge? Though getting to know him didn't happen instantly, it happened because of an accident you might have caused…

You have been fighting with these washers and dryers since you moved in. And now here you are fighting again with the washer. The stupid thing won't spin, and it's starting to flood with water. You paused the cycle and knew that you should just ask the maintenance guy for help, but that has the risk of being blamed for it being broken.

Distracted, you don't notice someone walking in to use the other machines. Honestly, it's surprising someone else is up this late just to do their laundry. So much for not running into anyone while you're dressed in your lazy day pajamas—no bra just to add to the pending embarrassment… Trying your best to keep your head down and fix the machine as silently as possible, you didn't realize that your rattling around has definitely drawn attention. 

Until a shadow is cast over you. Turning slightly, you look up at the imposing figure and see your next-door neighbor. James Barnes... Ex Winter soldier and a current Avenger... 

His head tilts as he stares down at you, "Problem?" 

This is the first time you have really seen him up close… he's much taller than you thought, and his eyes are the clearest shade of blue… While you're silently coking, Bucky shifts on his feet, his scowl deepening as he continues to stare. Mentally, you chastise yourself for being rude and pull your hand from the filled drum to offer him a handshake, stumbling out your name in the process. This was a mistake, however, because you ended up splashing the super soldier with washer water… -Shit… 

"I'm sorry, and yeah, I'm just trying to get this washer to work… they never want to act right… old machines acting wonky, what's new?" You huff a laugh, but Bucky keeps looking at you unamused… ah yes… he's an old machine, you idiot… 

You quickly take another step closer in panic mode, "Oh! But not all old machines! My grandma had a vacuum for like 20 years, and it never crapped out on her!" -what are you even saying? 

Buck just further scoles you, keeping his eyes locked on yours. Honestly, it's a bit intimidating—his intense stare locked onto you. Then there's the fact that his glare doesn't roam—it's just set on your eyes. Plus, you're just rambling on, and he's just watching you like you have lost your mind! You can't afford to move again… 

"Why don't you just call for maintenance?" he says in a confused tone, his brows knitting together.  

You give him a gentle smile, "I don't want to be blamed for breaking it…" 

He doesn't seem too impressed with your excuse as he rolls his eyes, but to your surprise, instead of walking away, leaving you to struggle, he places his laundry down and begins to investigate the machine. 

You step closer to him, "So you're going to help me?" you chirp.

"I'm going to try, but if it breaks further, that's on you…" -Okay can't really blame him for that..

"Fair enough, neighbor." he only seems to hum at that before continuing his investigation. 

He does his diligence checking everything out; while he does that, you're doing your own checking out. It's not like you're trying to be a perv.... but curiosity always gets the cat in the end, so you allow yourself to check him out a little. His back faces you, and it's incredible how sturdy it appears; you can even see how the muscles ripple with every move despite it being hidden underneath his t-shirt. Then his narrow waist that draws your attention down the length of him, and his arms bulging with every move as it roots around on the inside of the drum. The dark metal arm is so eye-catching you can't help but stare even though you know you shouldn't... If you were caught, you would be modified by how rude it would be. But you can't help yourself from admiring how pretty it truly is… and the craftsmanship is impeccable… 

"I think something is just caught if I can unwrap it…" With another pull and a slight groan, he rips out what was caught. Surprisingly, it's Small... red and- 

Bucky holds up the dripping wet material, and now that he has it unscrambled, you are mortified... Of course, out of everything to get tangled up and caught, it had to be your thong. Turning it about, Bucky looks at the material confused, unsure, until he meets your mortified eyes and flushed face. It must suddenly click for the man that he's holding a stranger's underwear because, with the inhuman speed, he's met with realization and he's practically throwing your underwear at you like it would bite him. 

The flush of his neck and the way he suddenly does not meet your eyes tells you he's thoroughly embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, ma'am…" Ma'am? Wow, now he's talking to you properly; he really is embarrassed...

It's quiet for a moment as Bucky awkwardly shifts on his feet. Then you can't help yourself any longer, and you laugh. You laugh so hard you all but fall over yourself, and to your shock, Bucky breaks from his mortification and joins in on your laughter.

The moment lasted for a while until you were both on the verge of tears. As you wipe away your tears, you catch him smiling, and it's like looking at a completely different guy. If people saw this, they wouldn't be avoiding him, that's for sure. 

With the washer fixed, you could finish your laundry cycle as Bucky moved to start his. As you're turning to thank your helpful neighbor, he is gone? Scanning the room, you see him leaving, shit! 

"James!" You shout without thinking. He pauses before turning back with a small smirk. 

"Don't tell me you broke something else." 

He's… teasing you? A grin spreads to your face, "I wanted to thank you for helping me out." 

He shrugged, "It's no problem. But call me Bucky; when you say James, it makes me feel old." With that, he walked off. 

Days later, you were still troubled by the feeling you didn't get to properly thank your neighbor for saving your panties from doom. So you did the only thing you could think of. Making him food. Make sure debts and gratitude are always paid... it's something you picked up from both your parents, but where your dad made sure to do it with favors and money, your mom would always pay by making desserts and meals. So, in your situation, you decided on a platter of brownies.

The look on his face when you knocked on his door was priceless. Of course, he accepted, and thus, the cycle between you two started. You would have a favor, Bucky would help, and then you would make him a meal or dessert. Over time, Bucky's grumpiness was replaced with friendliness, and your friendship got stronger. Even though you had fewer favors, you two continued the tradition of eating a home-cooked meal together once a week until suddenly, it was odd if you were not seeing him.

Like now...

It's been three weeks since you last saw him. It's honestly so lonely in the building without him around. Sure, he's not talkative all the time, and there are still things you know you two have not shared, but it's undeniable this closeness you feel to him.

You just hope you get to see him soon, or you will be forced to break something and force him to come back…

It's another quiet night. It should be a night that you rest easy, drifting far off into dreamland. But you just can't seem to fall asleep. Perhaps it's the fault of a certain super soldier's absence. As you lay pondering whether you should just force yourself to rest or get up and do something until you're tired…

Then, loud bangs from the neighboring wall interrupted the stillness. On instinct, you freeze and try to listen to where the crashing is coming from. 

Bucky's place... but that's odd; he's not home. Or did you just miss him? Another crash makes you second guess that it could be a break in… 

But who would be dumb enough to break into a super soldier's apartment?

Apparently, you are...

It is technically breaking and entering, but is it bad if you do it for a good reason? What if someone is wreaking his place? What if he's in danger? What will you do if you actually run into someone? You will deal with that once you encounter it…

You ignore that for now as you concentrate on picking the lock... You hated it then, but you're now thankful for the skill at times like this. It clicks with a few more twists, and you're now sneaking through the threshold.

It's the same place you have been in multiple times, but tonight, you see the crumble of blankets on the living room floor, the flipped furniture, the mess of wreckage. Then you see the more heart-aching sight in the room's darkness. 

Bucky usually stands tall and has that sly smirk for you with some greeting. Now, he is crouched so small, disheveled, and trembling. Those ocean-blue eyes clenched tightly...

A step towards him immediately has him on the defense, ready to pounce.

But he pauses at the sight of you, confused, rightly so. But you're more distracted by how the outside lights reflect on the streams down his cheeks.

You're about to say something, but his hoarse voice cuts you off before you can, "Get out!".

You should really listen, but as he sinks back to the floor, your feet feel like lead. With a swallow and a steadying breath, you step closer. He should understand by now that you're not one for listening. 

Closer now, you can take in his sweat-drenched body and matted hair and how he tries to stop shaking... Thousands of questions flock to you; you just swallow them down. Slowly, you sit close enough to be noticed but not enough to touch him…

Settled beside him, you hold your hand towards him on the floor, making a silent offer. "I'll stay for as long as it takes..." 

It could take minutes or hours. There is also the chance of him lashing out, but you will just be silent and patient and let him feel your presence and hear your calm breaths.

You're there for a couple of minutes until a clammy warmth touches your hand. Looking down, you can tell the shaking has stopped a little. You spread your fingers and let him lace them with his own. 

"I... don't know what to say..." he mumbles, but you shake your head before meeting his eyes.

"You don't have to explain... We all have scars... Bad dreams. "

"Every night I have bad dreams... Sometimes, I just randomly shake awake."

"Other times, you just lay there waiting for the sun to rise."

The look he gives you tells you he's shared the experience. You shrug and look out the window, "Like I said... bad dreams."

As you two sit there, his shaking slowly stills, but your hand's grip only tightens. 

"I'm sorry..." It was such a silent whisper that you almost didn't hear it. Bucky, tired, and a wreck, brought back memories you thought were packed away. 

"Don't be sorry. Let's just work on getting you cleaned up. Are you good enough to rinse off?"

Bucky nods before standing up... He walks towards his bathroom but pauses just short... He has his own set of questions he wants to ask... One of them is clear to you... are you going to stay... 

"I'll clean for a bit and will brew some tea for, when you get out. Okay?" 

He gives a short nod before disappearing. You start placing what you can remember being placed before. It takes you a minute to get everything back in its place. Sure, this place was a mess, but you have had to fix the fallout of worse. Once done, you move on to the kitchen to brew the tea. As the water heats, you just listen to the muffled sound of the shower. Does this happen often? And if so, how have you never noticed before?

Bucky takes longer to wash off than you expected, but ultimately, it's a good thing he took the time for himself. When he finally comes out of the bathroom, he's only in pajama bottoms, a towel resting on his shoulder, and fixing his metal arm back into place. His hair is still dripping wet when he finally plops down on the couch. For a long moment, he's still thinking of what to say, but you just slide the peppermint tea over to him.

Bucky gives a small thank you before he lifts the cup, letting the smell waft to his nose and the cup warm his hand. When he finally takes a sip, you feel like you can breathe again. While he works on his tea, you notice the drops falling from his hair and landing on his skin, causing him to shiver. He didn't even bother to dry his hair, huh? Carefully, you take the towel from his shoulder and softly start to dry his wet hair away. Bucky looks at you curiously as you focus on the task before you. 

"Why are you so good at this?" 

"Like I said, everyone gets bad dreams. Some worse than others." 

He hums before slightly chuckling, "Is that also why you know how to break into apartments?"

The playful tone in his voice makes your heart squeeze, and you can't help but grin, "You're not the only one with secrets, soldier boy." 

[roc-haze]

Not sure if you already made your choice, but my vote is make them along the same "universe/stablished relationships" pls

If Not For You | WillNE

Can be read as a one shot, but follows the structure of the Best Part series!

In which Will turns 29.

———-

Will woke up to his favourite smell in the world - freshly brewed batch brew and the faint scent of Y/N’s perfume lingering across the bed sheets. The sound of the newest Sam Fender vinyl travelled down the hallway, where she could be heard humming along.

Deciding to fight the sleep he so desperately needed post charity match celebrations, Will pulled the covers back and made his way down the hallway. Turning the corner, he was met with balloons, streamers and a handmade “Happy Birthday!” sign hanging all across the living room. Hearing her boyfriend enter, Y/N crossed the room.

“Happy birthday, darling!” she stood in front of him, resting her hands on his chest.

“You really did all of this for me?” Will smiled at her, gently pulling her closer. “I haven’t seen streamers since I was a kid.”

“You only turn 29 once.” Y/N placed a sweet kiss to his cheek, grabbing his hand and pulling him through to the kitchen, where a massive spread of breakfast foods lay. “I know you mentioned you don’t have too many birthday breakfast traditions, so I thought I would pass on one from my family.. if that’s okay?”.

“Sweetheart, that is more than okay.” He kissed the side of her head. “Tell me about this one.”

Y/N went through and shared her birthday tradition - each year in her family, she and her siblings got to pick whatever they’d like for breakfast. Each year, her siblings would all vote for several items so that no one was left out. “My brother likes pancakes, whereas my sister is more of a scrambled eggs kinda girl, so we would just end up with 3 separate dishes and we’d share…. Think of it as a breakfast buffet but with no real flow.”

Will laughed. “Knowing what you and your sister are like, I have a feeling you bullied your brother into participating.”

“Yeah well, we should be celebrated for putting up with him for yet another year.” Y/N grinned, pulling a seat out for Will. “Ladies first.”

“Oi!” He tried to act offended, his grin a dead giveaway.

As they sat tucking into their breakfast, Will turned to look at his girlfriend. “Are you gonna wish Lux a happy birthday?”.

“Yeah I will later, we’ve got that padel competition to go to,” she responded, hand covering her mouth as she chewed. “Did we get him a gift?”.

“No, I was thinking our presence would be the present.” He quirked an eyebrow up at her, the two of them falling into a comfortable silence. A few minutes later, Will started giggling to himself.

“What’s so funny?” Y/N asked, trying to suppress her own laugh.

Will went to answer, before the giggles truly overtook him. “Don’t you… think it’s funny… that you clearly have a type?”. Y/N sat quietly, unsure of what he meant. “Tall, brunette, fit YouTubers born on the 11th of March.” A smirk took up real estate on his lips.

“Oh, fuck off!” Y/N laughed, picking a pancake up off of the plate and throwing at him.

She was met with absolute howling, Will teasing her something chronic. Although she tried her best to pout at the teasing, Y/N couldn’t help but laugh along. “Don’t tell Cal I traded him in for the younger model.” She was sure half of London could hear Will cackling away.

—

A morning of walking along their local coffee shop strip, opening heartfelt homemade gifts and lunch at Will’s favourite Japanese restaurant had ensued. They’d had to race to Cal’s inaugural padel extravaganza, accidentally tipsy on saké. After embarrassing themselves with a severe lack of hand eye coordination, a takeaway dinner and night of board games awaited them.

In the early evening, the YouTube crew had dwindled. They sat around Cal’s apartment, reflecting on the intense padel game. ‘Intense’, aka a lot of yelling, swearing and not actually hitting the ball. Chip had offered to umpire, but actually spent the whole time filming Bach and Arthur, finding their bickering more entertaining than umpiring.

Will, George, Chip, Freezy and Cal found themselves sitting on the couch catching up as Y/N, Becky and Sabina cleaned up the dishes from dinner and giggled over glasses of Prosecco.

Chip sat fidgeting, fighting the urge to ask what was an otherwise inappropriate question. He looked between Will and Cal, before blurting out “don’t you guys think it’s weird that you’ve dated the same girl?”.

Cal’s face morphed into one of confusion. “How the fuck do you know about that?”.

Freezy laughed. “How do you think? Harry.”

Will and Cal exchanged looks, before Cal ultimately beat him to it. “I don’t think it’s weird. None of you would’ve known if it weren’t for Harry, but since you’re all so interested, we went out for a little while and it was giving off more of a platonic vibe. Will and Y/N are different… it feels like the real thing.”

Will’s eyes softened, looking his friend in the eye. Thank you, he mouthed. He had known how rough it had been for Cal having to give up.

Freezy looked to Will. “And you’re okay with it? You’re okay with everyone being here?”.

“Well, fucking obviously mate. Lux and I have been friends for a long time. She’s the love of my life. They’re friends. Happy days, really.” Will nonchalantly announced to the group.

A wide grin spread across Cal’s face. “Did I just hear you correctly? Love of your life?”.

Will returned the grin. “Yeah, mate. She’s the one.”

George broke the comfortable silence. “Must’ve been the mullet that got her.”

Across the room, the girls roll their eyes at the cheering coming from the boys sitting on the couch.

Their last girls evening had resulted in Y/N and Sabina getting insanely wine drunk and opening up about their relationships - Y/N spilling the beans about her now not-so-secret summer fling with Cal. Becky had supervised, in tears of laughter as the other two girls desperately tried and failed to hide the true extent of their intoxication.

“You know Y/N, I’m so glad you’ve ended up with Will. I don’t know how to explain it but he just… gets you. It’s like he’s able to read your mind.” Sabina spoke sincerely, squeezing Y/N’s hand.

George, as if sensing they were having a heart to heart, slyly left the boys to come hang out with the girls. Slotting himself in between Becky and Y/N, he wrapped an arm around each of them. “My favourite ugly stepsisters.”

Both girls laughed, but Sabina stood with her jaw dropped.

George immediately began to apologise. “No Sab, I didn’t mean that really. It’s the name of our group chat.” Becky and Y/N stood cackling as George tried to justify bullying his best friends.

“Are you guys taking new recruits? I wanna be a stepsister.” Sabrina pouted, looking to the trio.

Becky grinned. “The more the merrier… or more rounds to buy.”

Y/N found herself looking amongst the room, basking in the total joy that seemed to radiate. For the first time in a while, she knew she was exactly where she was meant to be.

—

Just before midnight, Y/N and Will lay in bed, the faint sound of TikTok and laughter filling the silence. Y/N locked her phone, turning to face Will. Seeing her silent call for attention, he copied her movements.

She spoke quietly. “I have something I wanna tell you.”

“I’m all ears.” He sat up, resting his head in his palm.

“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Y/N sat, misty eyed. “I have felt myself getting a bit teary all day thinking about you and how I can’t wait to celebrate and create new traditions every year.” She paused, looking Will in the eye. “I just cannot believe that I have found someone who loves me the way you do… you are all I have always wanted but hadn’t felt I deserved.”

Will shared the same look, his eyes glistening from unshed tears. “I was literally thinking the same thing about you. All day, I’ve felt like a kid again. Like I’ve actually been really savouring my birthday and it’s got that childlike magic to it. If you weren’t in my life, I’d probably be sat here having a conniption over turning 30 next year.” She laughed. “Thanks for being here, darling. For loving me the way we both deserve.”

Placing a sweet kiss to his lips and wiping the few tears beneath her eyes, Y/N sat up in bed. “I have one last thing for you.”

“I don’t think it‘s possible for you to make today any better.” Will spoke sincerely.

“Close your eyes. I’ll be back in one second.” With that, Y/N made her way to the kitchen. A few moments later, she called down the hallway. “Are your eyes closed?”.

“Screwed shut, sweet.” Will had sat up, hands covering his eyes. He felt a dip in the bed, signalling his girlfriend had returned. “You can open your eyes now.” He slowly opened his eyes to see her sat with a singular cupcake, a lit candle in the middle of it. She softly began to sing ‘happy birthday’, her voice filling the room.

The clock read 11:59. Will blew the candle out. He dipped his thumb in the icing, raising his hand to Y/N’s mouth and smearing it across her bottom lip. She laughed as he placed gentle kisses along her jaw, eventually kissing the icing away.

Will met her eyes, speaking with total sincerity. “What a fucking privilege it is to get old with you.”

——

A/N: Hey friends! Apologies for the lack of content, it has been a pretty intense couple of weeks for me. I had intended this to be out on Will’s birthday but totally missed it (shoutout to the Australian time zones)!

Thank you so much for engaging, liking, commenting and reblogging these stories. I’m glad you guys enjoy reading my stuff as much as I love reading the plethora of wonderful fics on here.

So whether it is Wednesday or Thursday for you - wishing you a fantastic day ahead. Anddddd…. Happy AusGP week to those who celebrate!! ❤️

[maskedcrawford]

Hidden Secrets

G-Dragon x Reader

Summary: You tell Jiyong about your pregnancy and things are great, till they aren't.

Warnings: ANGST my friends. Loss of a baby and delivery of it. Not a lot of comfort in this chapter. Please read at your own risk.

A/n: I'm so sorry y'all. However, I do have a plan, don't give up on it yet. I'm so sorry though. I'm happy to give a summary if anyone need's it. Take care of yourselves! <3

Chapter 8

Hidden Secrets Masterlist

Chapter 9- Still Life

Jiyong is a nervous wreck all day.

“Why wouldn’t she just tell me though, why would she go to the doctor?”

“Maybe she just wants to be absolutely sure before she tells you, that way she doesn’t get your hopes up or she doesn’t scare you,” Daesung explains to his friend.

“Just give it time, Ji. It can take a few days to get the results back.” Taeyang says calmly.

“Do you know how hard it is trying to act like I don’t know a thing,” he asks his friends. They all give him sympathetic smiles.

“You’ll know soon enough and then it won’t be a secret anymore,” Seunghyun mentions.

-

That night Jiyong decides to give you a call. You’re making dinner when the phone rings.

“Hey, baby,” you coo and Jiyong’s palms are sweaty and nervous. He’s walking back to his hotel room.

“Hey, have you heard from the doctor today?” You take your bottom lip between your teeth. You’ve barely had time to process, still unsure of your future.

“Not, not yet. It should be in the next couple days though,” you lie. You give him a plastic smile, one that doesn’t reach your eyes. He doesn’t seem to notice.

“Can I tell you something?” he asks as he shuts the door to his room.

“Anything,” you smile as you continue making your dinner, now for 2.

“I think it’d be amazing if you are,” he mumbles.

“If I’m,” you pause and take a deep breath, “Pregnant?” you look at the phone and he nods.

“Yeah, I mean a mini you or me running around,” you can hear the joy in his voice at the thought of a baby. You shut your eyes for a minute.

“Well, at least I know you wouldn’t freak out if I am.” You try to laugh off.

“Listen, I don’t want to sway you, but if you are, just know we can do it. We can figure it all out.” He almost sounds as if he’s pleading.

“What if we can’t?” you ask turning off the stove.

“Why wouldn’t we?”

“Ji, IF we have a baby, I mean, I’d be here by myself with it all day everyday if you’re on tour, you’d be gone most of the pregnancy, I don-wouldn’t,” you quickly correct, “want to do this alone. And yet even if you’re here, I’m still the one carrying it.” You sigh and his face briefly looks fearful before he covers it with a look of understanding.

“You just tell me what you want and we’ll figure it out. But please, either way. Just tell me.” You nod at his request.

“Well I still haven’t heard anything so I may not be,” you feign a smile and he purses his lips, doing his best not to let it slip that he knows.

“Listen, I’m kind of tired, I’m gonna lay down. Goodluck at your show tonight,” you say before ending the call before he can say anything else. You sigh and feel a few frustrated tears fall from your eyes. You walk to the bathroom and look at yourself in the mirror, your hands placing around your stomach.

“What are we gonna do? I mean, I’m not ready for you,” you talk to it.

“I know your Appa,” the words leave your mouth before you can stop them and you feel a tug in your emotions. The weight of the situation is finally sinking in. You were actually pregnant with Jiyong’s baby.

“Your Appa says we can do it,” you whisper as you look down at your tummy.

“But I don’t know if I can be the Eomma you need,” you cradle your stomach. You suddenly feel another tug at your heart strings as tears well up in your eyes. There really is a small growing human inside of your body, one that while small, you slightly feel connected to.

-

The following morning you make an appointment with your obgyn and luckily she has an appointment available that same day. You get yourself ready and show up to the appointment. You go in and she informs you that you’re now 4 weeks along. You see the ultrasound monitor and what looks like a tiny little bean on the screen.

You take a deep breath as reality slaps you in the face. Everytime you think you’ve dealt with it, reality keeps making it more and more real.

“Do you want to talk about your options,” she asks carefully.

“So you mean to tell me that, that’s in here?” you ask in disbelief as you point to your stomach, your eyes never leaving the monitor. She nods with an understanding smile.

“Yep.”

“Mine and his dna,” you whisper to yourself.

“Wait, options, what options?”

“Well, if you want to terminate, the options is still there. Or you could look at adoption if you aren't sure you want to keep it,” you feel a nauseous feeling in your stomach at her words. You shake your head.

“N-no I don’t need to know about that. What I do need to know is how the heck do I take care of it while it’s growing and when would I be due?”

“Well, you’ll need to listen to your body, rest, don’t over exert yourself, take your prenatal vitamins. And if you choose to keep it we’ll need to see you once each month until your 28 weeks.” She informs you. You nod your head.

“And by the looks of it, it’d be around Nov. 8th of this year,” your heart skips a beat and you smirk to yourself. 8. Of course his child would be due on the 8th.

“Thank you,” you say as she stands up.

“You can find vitamins at your local shop,” she mentions before leaving out the door.

You sit there for a moment, waiting for the pictures. The nurse comes back in and hands them to you. You smile and thank her before staring at them.

“Oh, wait,” you call out just before the door shuts. The woman walks back in.

“Am I ok to travel? My boyfriend’s out of town and I want to go see him. Give him the news in person.” You smile a little.

“Yeah, as long as you take breaks, listen to your body and get what you need before you leave you should be fine,” the woman informs you. You nod your head and smile. For a moment, the world doesn’t feel so heavy, I mean you all ready knew Jiyong was going to be accepting of the news.

You go to the store, getting the necessary things you need for the little bundle in your stomach and then you decide you should figure out a way to break the news. You examine the baby aisle and notice cute little shoes, your heart melts at how tiny they are.

“You’ll be in these running before we know it,” you giggle to yourself as you reach for you non showing stomach. You pick up a pair of the tiny shoes and that’s when the idea hits you. You get another test. You find a cute wood plaque and a box to put the three things in. You rush home to take the test and sure enough 2 pink lines show up like they’re supposed to. You can’t help but feel a little excited to give him the box.

The next two days pass by painfully slow, but it’s finally the night before you leave and you get a call from your boyfriend like every night.

“Please tell me you heard something today,” he whines.

“I did, and I’ll tell you about in person,” you say nonchalantly.

“Jagiya,” he whines.

“Just tell me what’s going on. I’ve been freaking out,” he runs a hand through his hair.

“Wait, why?” you look at him dead in his face over the phone.

“Because I just want to know what you know. It’s important to me."

“You’ll know soon enough. I fly out around 2 am tomorrow morning. I’ll be L.A before you know it.” You can’t help the little giggle that escapes your throat.

“Yeah, all right,” he says giving up.

“At least let me see my baby.”

“I’m right here, Ji.” You cock your head to the side.

“My other baby, ya know, Zoa,” he smirks. You roll your eyes playfully as you find her and show her the phone.

“Look Zoa, it’s your Appa,” your heart flutters at the name slightly as you get more used to the idea. Unbeknownst to you, his heart does the same. He baby talks the cat who sits there purring. You two hang up for the night and you get some much-needed sleep.

-

Jiyong is an anxious mess the whole day.

“Dude, quit pacing!” Taeyang stops him dead in his tracks placing his hands on his shoulders.

“I can’t help it,” he sighs.

“She’ll be here soon and my whole life is really going to change. I just don’t know how, yet.”

“It’s going to be fine, man. We have a couple of days to rest and with her flying in it sounds like that’s what y’all need. Just some time together.” Jiyong would never deny that he missed you. Heck the man would let the whole world burn down if it meant you were safe in his arms, he’s crazy about you. But seeing you also meant you finally telling him that life as he knows it right now is possibly over.

The day passes painfully slow, Jiyong mainly staying stuck in his hotel room, just trying to mentally prepare.

There’s a knock on his door late that night and he opens it to see your smiling face!

“Jagi!” he shouts and pulls you into the tightest hug he can, careful with your stomach. His lips find yours instantly as soon as he pulls you into the room. You giggle against his lips.

“I missed you too,” you say on his lips as they continue to devour you. He pulls back and rests his forehead on yours.

“Oh, baby, you have no idea how I’ve missed you,” your heart warms at his words.

“So,” he says after a beat of silence.

“Can you tell me now?”

You chuckle and walk him over to bed. You grab the gift-wrapped box from the suitcase you packed and hand it to him.

“A present?” He looks at you genuinely confused.

“Just something I picked up; it made me think of you.” You smile as you get down on your knees in front of him, desperate to see his reaction.

His hands carefully pick up the delicate shoes as he inspects them, tears in his eyes.

“Fuck, we’re having a baby,” he says quietly, voice cracking slightly. You nod with a grin on your face. He looks into your eyes and pulls you in for another passionate kiss, but this time he takes his time, savoring the moment of pure bliss.

“We’re having a baby,” he chuckles to himself and you smile at his reaction as you run your hand through his hair.

“Like, its actually real now,” he breathes.

“Now?” you ask with a tilt of your head as you gaze at him lovingly.

“Oh, yeah,” he rubs the back of his neck, “I sorta found the positive pregnancy test in the trash before I left.”

“What? There was no positive test, Ji.” You pull back confused.

“Yeah, it was faint, but there was a line.” He says as he stands up to get the test from his bag. Sure enough, as you hold the test in your hands there was a little, faint, pink line.

“How did I miss that?” you ask yourself feeling a tinge of guilt.

“Hey, hey, you know now.” He comes over and holds you.

“Everything’s going to be ok” he kisses your forehead.

“I’m not going to lie, I’m still freaked out,” you say quietly.

“I mean, this means everything changes. Everything,” you say with tears pricking your eyes. He gently rocks you back and forth.

“It’s going to be ok.” He whispers in your ear with a smile on his face.

“I also have a surprise for the guys,” you inform him as the two of you lay on the hotel bed. He can’t stop staring at the sign.

“They all ready kind of know. I mean they seen how stressed I was at the airport.” He says sheepishly.

“Dang it, I wanted to surprise them too.” You pout.

“You still can,” you brings you close, “How do you want to do it?”

“I actually called ahead to your favorite place here and made a dinner reservation for 6.” He smirks.

“That’s cute.” He smirks at you with pride in his heart.

“I thought so. The waiter will bring out a desert and it’ll say “Congratulations,” on the plate in little bean’s place.”

“Which reminds me,” you say as you hop off the bed.

“Here’s this from the doctor’s office.” You show him the sonogram pictures and a tear slips from his eye straight down his cheek.

“Our baby,” he whispers as he brings you closer to place a hand on your stomach. He gives it soft kiss and looks up you. You have the biggest grin on your face as he gazes up at you, completely and totally in love.

“I wonder who’s eyes she'll have. Who she’ll look more like,” he begins to dream about your baby.

“She?”

“Of course, it’s a girl. I can feel it.” He says assuredly. You giggle and roll your eyes.

“We’ll find out soon enough if you’re right.” You say as you lay down next to him. You lay on your back, Jiyong goes down to talk to your stomach.

“Don’t worry, jagiya, I’ll make sure you have everything you need. Clothes, shoes, the best of the best and your eomma is going to be so taken care of she’ll barely notice you’re there.” He winks at you.

“Hey, tell him or her,”

“Her,” he smiles to himself and you shake your head.

“Tell her to quit making me so sick every day then I won’t hardly notice,” you tease. He chuckles as he lightly rubs your belly and is already smitten with your unborn child.

-

The next night you’re out to dinner with the gang and you and Jiyong keep sharing knowing glances.

“All right, what’s going on you two?” Daesung teases.

“Yeah, why are you treating us to dinner and you both have shit eating grins on your faces?” Seunghyun asks with a quirked brow.

“And why is there an extra seat at the table?” Taeyang asks, his smile knowing as he points at the empty spot beside you. That’s when the waiter brings out everyone’s desert, including a plate of chocolate syrup spelling out Congratulations! They all break out into fits of joyful laughter as everyone hugs each other.

“Group hug!” Daesung calls out and suddenly you’re all up out of your seats being smushed together.

“She’s going to have the best uncles,” Jiyong says with a kiss to your forehead.

“She? You already know it’s a girl?” Seunghyun asks quite surprised.

“No, but he’s dead set that it is,” you explain and he nods.

“You’d be a good girl dad,” Taeyang compliments.

“She’d definitely have no shortage of clothing,” Daesung teases and you can’t help but giggle.

“Leave me and my daughter alone,” he defends playfully. Your heart is full while you take in the memory of everyone being so excited and happy for you.  

-

He flipps when he feels your little bean kick for the first time.

“Can the guys feel?” his eyes light up like a Christmas tree. You giggle and nod your head yeah.

“Guys you have to feel this!” All the guys tentatively put their hands on your stomach and it happened, the baby kicked and you braced yourself for the new feeling.

“Is it amazing?” he sighs as looks at you.

“It feels weird,” you giggle. He's constantly talking to the baby about tour and music and how he was going to teach ‘her’ everything he knows. Always making sure to slip in little comments about how well you were doing taking care of ‘her’. He would find himself absentmindedly rubbing your stomach whenever he could, feeling her little feet kick his hand every now and again.

“She’s going to be football star, someday,” he jokes.

“You’re loving this,” you mention, “The whole thing. You can’t for him or her to call you Appa for the first time.” He flushes at your words, hiding his face from you as he laughs.

“Sue me, I’m excited,” he says as he peeks at you.

He basically became obsessed with the two of you. Constantly talking to your little one, making sure you’re comfortable and making sure you get home to Seoul for any appointments, going to the few that he can, and being on the phone with you the whole time when he can't. Even talking to the doctor to be sure you can fly back out and make sure he’s doing everything he can to help it go smoothly.

“I swear, the minute you can’t fly I’m coming home,” he says as you get in the car to drive back to house you two share.

“Baby, I’m fine.” You smile at him before looking down at your bump.

“Its literally fine. She said I can fly out to see you so I’ll be leaving tomorrow just like we planned. Make sure Taeyang get’s the email from the doctor. We were able to get good pictures today and we’ll be finding out the sex as soon you guys come back on break!” you squeal and his smile stretches from ear to ear.

-

Taeyang is at yours and Jiyong’s house setting everything up with Seunghyun and Daesung.

“Come on, man, what’s she having.” Daesung asks for the thousandth time.

“I’m not telling you. They wanted it to be secret so I’m keeping it a secret.”

“It’s not like we’ll tell them,” Seunghyun chastises.

“I don’t care, I’m doing my job,” Taeyang says as he hangs up the final blue balloon. The guys groan in response but help finish setting up. The gender reveal set up is close to being done and you two arrive back home.

“I’m so excited,” you squeal as you look at yourself in your dress. Your dress hugs the bump that’s forming on your tummy and Jiyong comes up in behind you wrapping his arms around the two of you, resting his head on your shoulder. You lean back against him and stare at your reflection in the mirror.

“You’re going to be the best mommy ever,” he whispers and kisses your cheek.

“You think?” you grin at him and peck his lips.

“I know,” he says before leading you outside. All the guests including friends and family for both of you are arriving and they each congratulate you. There’s a mix of guesses as to if it’s a boy or a girl, you guess it’s a boy while Jiyong is going from what he firmly believed from day 1, that it’s a girl.

After a while of mingling and playing some games it’s finally time.

“On the count of 3,” Taeyang announces and you and Jiyong share a quick look.

“Here we go,” he says as he leans down to peck your lips. Your bounce on the balls of your feet with slight excitement as the crowd starts counting.

“1… 2… 3…” the explosion goes off behind you.

You squeal as you hug Jiyong and he picks you up twirling you around.

“I told you!” he says excited. You smile and give him a passionate kiss as the confetti falls and smoke clears.

“Holy crap we’re having a girl,” you say to yourself. Your head begins to feel a little dizzy as you put a hand on your forehead.

“You ok? Hey, come here sit down,” he motions you to a chair.

“What’s wrong?” Seunghyun asks as he see’s you sitting down and rushes over to check it out.

“I’m just overwhelmed with emotion.” You giggle as tears are falling down your cheeks and Jiyong grabs a tissue.

“This is just like when you cried at that cat food commercial,” he teases.

“Hey, those kitties were cute and with every purchase of food part of the money goes to help shelter cats!” you defend, “It was beautiful.” He chuckles.

“Yes, it was, it was a totally rational response.” He says and you roll your eyes playfully.

That night the two of you sit in bed going over a list of girl names.

“What about, Abigail?” you both look at each other and shake your head.

“Too plain,” Jiyong says.

“Nova?” he suggests.

“What is she, a golden retriever?” you joke and he chuckles.

“Bo-min?” you consider it for a moment.

“It’s not horrible, but not my favorite.” You sit in silence for a moment before you gasp.

“What about Chae min,” his smile is huge at your name.

“It’s perfect,” he grins and kisses you.  

-

It’s a month after the gender reveal and you hit the 28-week mark. You’re at home resting while Jiyong is back out somewhere in Europe touring. You were fixing up the nursery, putting the rocking chair in the corner when you felt a sharp pain in your stomach.

“Easy girl, I’m not made of steel,” you say as you chuckle and rub your flesh. You continue on and you feel it again, this time the pain is more sharp and intense.

“Baby girl,” you breathe out a laugh, feeling nervous. You finish putting some things away before using the bathroom. That’s when you notice the spotting.

“Oh shit,” you curse in disbelief as you stare at your underwear for a moment. You call your ob’s office and ask to speak to the doctor immediately.

“Yeah, I’m having sharp pain and I’m spotting,” you say your nerves a total wreck. Your body feels shaky and your breathing is rapid.

“What about movement, have you felt any less movement than usual?” You had been so consumed by trying to get the nursery together, what you could of it, that you honestly weren’t sure.

“I-I don’t know, I just know I’m bleeding and,” you suck in a sharp breath, “Fuck,” you say under you breath.

“Come on in, we’ll get you in today,” the doctor says and you immediately grab your keys.

Upon arrival to your doctor you don’t have a chance to sit down to wait before they’re rushing you back.

“What’s going on?” You ask nervously.

“Just wait, we’ll know soon enough,” one of the nurses informs you.

“Is she ok?” your voice is frantic but no one will answer you.

“Lay back for us,” you do as the doctor says and she puts the monitor on your stomach, the room is dead silent, and you can see the look on the doctors face is concerned as she moves against your stomach. You listen to the monitor, hearing nothing.

“What’s happening,” your tears are falling from your cheeks now onto the table as your fear is being realized.

“We can’t find the heartbeat,” she says solemnly. She continues for another few minutes as your own heart is beating so fast you fear you might pass out.

She pushes down slightly harder on our stomach, the baby doesn’t move.

“Have you noticed any less movement the last 24 hours?” the doctor asks as she wipes off our stomach. The stress of the situation clouds your memory.

"I-I don't really know," you sob.

“We’ll have to induce you,” she stands beside you giving you a sad look.

“But if she’s born now she won’t make it,” your denial kicks in along with the anxiety.

“Ms. Y/l/n,” the doctor says gently, “She’s gone, we need to deliver her,” your heart breaks in that moment and you let out a blood curdling scream as you sob uncontrollably in the doctor’s office.

“No, no, no check her again, do something, do anything, please I’m begging you!” Your voice is desperate and broken. Yet still in disbelief that this is now your reality.

The doctor sits with you for a minute, doing her best to console you.

“We’ll get you scheduled,” she says as you’re still shaking on the table.

“What did I do wrong?” you ask desperate for answers.

“We don’t know the cause, yet. So as far as we know, it wasn’t anything you did or didn’t do.” She tries to reassure you before leaving. You shakily stand up and get yourself to the parking lot, everyone around you stares but you don’t care. You sit in your car and sob once again. You drive yourself home once you can compose yourself and lay on the couch. You had to tell Jiyong.

You give him a call that night.

“Hey, bab- what’s wrong!” He asks frantic once he see’s the puffiness of your eyes and the redness to your face.

“Baby I-I need you to come home right away,” you whimper with a weak voice.

“What happened, y/n,” his voice is terrified, but stern.

“I-I’m so sorry, I swear I did everything I could,” the tears begin once more and Jiyong is helpless just staring at you. Behind him the guys hear the commotion and while not crowding him, they step up to listen.

“Baby she’s gone,” you say through your sobs and he stands there, motionless, taking in the information you relayed to him.

“I’ll be home as soon as I can be,” he hangs up and immediately starts looking at flights.

“Ji,” he hears Taeyang say.

“Man, I’m,” he holds his hands up.

“Thank you but I can’t right now. She needs me,” his voice cracks and he sniffles as tears fall from his face. He gets the next flight home and it’s the longest few hours of his life. He sits on the plane, shaking his leg the whole time. Finally the plane lands and he’s dashing out of it racing home to you. He walks in the door to find a deserted living room. You're in your shared bed in his room.

He sets his stuff down and climbs in behind you. The fear of how he feels creeps in as you turn to face him.

“Baby I swear I thought I did everything right, I’m so s-sorry,” your eyes are filling with more tears as he shushes you and pulls you into him.

“It’s ok, it’s all going to be ok,” is all he can say as he lets a few of his own tears slip out.

“Jiyong I swear I,” you keep trying to defend yourself, voice weak and defeated.

“Shh, stop it. I’m not mad at you,” he says.

“I killed,” you begin

“Y/n, stop,” he warns, “No you didn’t, stop blaming yourself right now.” He kisses the top of your head and holds you. You aren’t sure how long you lay like that, but by the time you two separate it’s dark outside.

“They want to induce me in two days,” you say as your hands fall to your stomach, as if cradling her will somehow bring her back and keep her safe. Jiyong takes a long deep breath and sighs.

“I’ll be right here with you, the whole time.”

-

It’s the day of the induction and your nerves are a mess.

“I can’t do this,” you tremble.

“Baby you have to, it could hurt you if we don’t,” you see his eyes gloss over, like he’s dissociating as bad as you want to. The doctor takes you back into a room and gives you the drugs necessary for delivery.

“All right, give me a push,” she says as you hold Jiyong’s hand give her a big push. After about half an hour you’re done, and you don't hear her cry like a healthy baby and your heart breaks into a million pieces.

You see the tiny lifeless body in her hands. You also see the umbilical cord in a knot as the doctors cut it. You realize she suffocated. You’re forced to push out the placenta, and the whole time your tears are flowing.

“Wait, let me hold her!” you cry once you’re finished with the process. They hand you the precious baby girl’s body. Jiyong takes a minute before he can look at her. She has his nose and mouth, your chin and eye shape.

“I’m so sorry baby girl,” you sob as you rock her and Jiyong can be heard sniffling. He wipes his tears away and you let him hold the tiny body.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispers as he kisses her forehead and sobs full on now. You can’t help but put your hand on his arm. The two of you sit on the bed with your daughter’s body, trying to process and say goodbye.

“We need to take the body,” a nurse gently interrupts.

“Chea Min” you correct coldly.

“Her name is Chae Min,”

“I’m sorry,” is all she can say and you reluctantly hand over your precious baby girl.

If you enjoyed and would like to support me, buy me a coffee

Tags: @loveesiren @mashtatosworld @natalicss @multifanxtvshows

Chapter 10

[frotees-corner]

Little vignette on how (my canon) Rook fell for Lucanis, because it's been running circles in my mind. ---

Rook couldn’t sleep.

The reason for her insomnia was probably still awake, too, given that he willfully drowned himself in coffee to avoid a good night’s rest.

“Oh no, he’s hot,” she had thought when he burst out of that crystal prison in a shower of glinting ice shards and glowing purple wings, going on to slaughter a handful of Venatori cultists within seconds - all without even drawing his blade.

By all rights, the man should have been an emaciated shadow when they found him in the Ossuary. But no, he had to be clever and resourceful and perfectly capable of reclaiming his own equipment even before they arrived.

“Oh no, he’s funny,” she had thought when he started making jokes about murdering for coffee and throwing quips at their companions almost as soon as they reached the Lighthouse.

He had just learned that his grandmother had been brutally murdered and his home was under foreign occupation after escaping a hellscape where he had been tortured for the better part of a year. 

The man ought to be desolate or furious or simply numb - instead of being amiably funny.

“Oh no, he’s kind,” she had thought when he started to clean up their kitchen and dining area to turn it into something comfortable and inviting, and proceeded to buy personalized gifts for everyone the moment he found time to stroll down his hometown’s streets in peace.

He had just returned from having nothing but his own thoughts and the demon his captors had forced on him for company (aside from the agonized screams of fellow prisoners and the taunts of his tormentors), but he reacted to their companions’ wariness with grace and compassion.

And then he cooked, insisting to make sure that they all started eating proper meals instead of whatever they could scrounge together whenever Bellara was too distracted to make dinner.

She knew she was in trouble, but she couldn’t keep herself from falling.

[keelt9]

WINTER TRIANGLE

> The multicolor lights in her eyes are the only thing he needs to know it, know it is true. <

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

Pt.II // Main Masterlist

The bed sunk as the moonlight got through the curtains. The soft pull around her waist makes her wake up with a soft smile on her face, followed by a cute peck on her cheek as his face hides in the curve of her neck.

“Gorgeous.” Joe whispers right to her neck, his breath makes her giggle.

She put her hands over his, around her waist.

“You came back early.” She turns around in his arms, opening her eyes.

The first thing she sees is that cute smile and big sparkly eyes, around his neck the planet necklace hanging on, instinctively she bites her lip touching softly each small ball.

Joe lost his focus seeing her, among the moonlight biting her lip; he just smirks, calling for her attention.

“Oh, I forgot.” She pulled him with her free hand by the back of his neck right to her lips.

A tender but slowly kiss that makes him want more. 

“Congratulations.” She whispers to his lips.

Joe giggles and approaches her to kiss her one more time, as she pushes him as he lays back on the bed making a space for her to sit in his lap.

It's been 2 years since they met on a rainy day in July. Joe went to an observatory in Florida, just for fun and curiosity; that day Y/N had an unusual but successful meeting with the director of it. As the planets align and the fact he was wearing sunglasses in a dark room makes her laugh.

He wrongly confused her with someone who works there, and actually she couldn't care less, gladly explaining everything he wanted to know. By the end of the day an embarrassed Joe invited her to dinner and apologized.

A few dates, games and runways turn a friendship into a 8 month relationship, full of love, joy and fun.

Still, both of them are reluctant for people to find out about them; they're enjoying their privacy and intimacy, so sacrificing things like ceremony awards, presentations, etc is a normal thing. 

“Hmh, this is a deserved award.” Joe nods with her stuck to her chest.

“Nice suit.” She said sitting properly admiring the half open blazer and the curly hair. “I thought I would see you until tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, the party ends early and I have good friends willing to help, who casually stop by here.” Joe choke his head seeing his shirt on her and for what he can feel just panties and nothing else.

Y/N observes the clock over the night table, 4:57 am. 

“You should be tired.” Joe closes his eyes, in fact he is.

She unties the knot of the blazer as Joe lifts his eyebrows.

“You won but you're tired and I had a really early meeting.” She stretches to take out one of his shirts from the desk next to him where she keeps them.

Joe clicks his tongue. “You don't have so much luck Joe.”

A messy change of clothes full of stolen kisses and naughty caresses made him fall asleep the second he felt her hand over his chest and her head next to him.

A soft kiss on his forehead barely wakes him up, the sunlight starts to get through the window, still she reassures him, it's ok, she just wants to say goodbye before leaving the house.

The big smile when she arrived at the facilities is the clear sign, good things happened last night and Mary knows that.

“Yes, a minute.” Mary interrupts one of the guys at the meeting who is questioning someone about sensor things. 

Mary grabs Y/N by the arms pulling her right to her office. 

“Jesus! He arrived earlier, huh?” Mary is a good friend from work and besides her mom, the only person who knows about Joe.

Mary closes the lids seeing her friend taking the fields she could need with what will be pretty sore cheekbones.

Mary sighs, crossing her arms. “I had so much envy of you.” Y/N laughs. “Of the good ones, I'm so happy for you but ahhh!”

Y/N grabs her hand squeezing it. “Today begins your holidays?” 

Y/N shakes. Joe and she match their schedules for taking a couple of days after the Super Bowl, one more week of work and then she will have two weeks of full time of Joe.

“Next week.” Mary jostle her. “What?”

“Nothing, just happy to see you like this.” Points to head to toes. “All flustered, eyes shining and full of energy.”

The knock on her door distracts them, the same guy appears on the frame, lifting some files.

“Ready in 3.” Both girls nods, it's time to work.

After a long day of work, she can barely wait to go home knowing Joe is home, a surprise is waiting for her too. It could be a reservation in a fancy restaurant with a romantic dinner, a runaway to a coffee shop far away from everything and everyone, just the two of them talking and laughing for hours in what seems an endless runaway or a just home made dinner.

The point is he always finds ways to make something that looks so simple into a magical moment.

When she parks in front of her house the lights out calls for his attention, this is definitely unusual. 

Until she opens the door and the faint lights of candles distribute carefully around all the place, illuminating softly all the house, at the end of the main hallway, next to the stairs a 6’4 man is standing with a bouquet of flowers and arms open, ready to hold her in the moment she wish.

Y/N let all her things fall to the ground while Joe hugs her letting her face hide on his chest and his big arms carefully surround her.

“Hi there.” Joe whisper to the top of her head making her hold him tighter,

If someone told her there would be days when she feels so drained after a long day and the only thing she could need is this man, a long hug and soft kiss on her lips, she would be dying of laughter. 

Today, she has two of those things and feels all the troubles and her headache are fading away.

“Long day?” Y/N nods, lifting her face just for Joe to kiss softly her lips.

“It seems a two week off for them means squeezing me until the last drop.” Joe laughs close to her face. “But this is such a big help.”

“Well, I have a few things left, so I hope I can be helpful.” This time she laughs, splitting a little bit of him. 

She sees the bouquet in his hands, touching the petals of a red flower. “This is such a nice detail.” 

“And I have a few more plans.” Joe didn’t give her any chance to replay before carrying her in one subtle movement that made her gasp. “First we need a bath.”

Y/N smiles as she grabs the bouquet tight as both of them go up straits, where Joe already has a hot bath and a room full of sweet essences and a lifetime moment.

After coming out wrinkle as a raisin for being for so long in the bathtub, they put on their pjs, just when she was ready to get into the bed, Joe pulled her, making her smile. 

“How cool is a home movie theater?” She lifts her eyebrows with a incresign curiosity. 

“A lot of planning.” Joe nods, moving his eyes around the place. 

“I had a lot of time this morning.” She giggles as he grabs her hand going downstairs. 

In the backyard, of course he has everything ready. A small tent settles with a comfy couch and big projector at the back, all the wall is the screen. At the left, a small stand as they are in the movie theater, popcorns, candies, drinks, ice cream from all her favorite flavors and food, their favorite.

“You know I’ll be enchanted with that sofa and that T.V.” Y/N points to the living room.

Joe shakes his head, clicking his tongue. “I know.”

He’s about to walk when she stands still inside of the house, making him turn around grabbing his face and kissing him long and slowly.

“You’re incredible.” He blushes, she loves to make him blush. “Thanks.”

This time both of them walk to the soft couch, not before taking a few snacks beside food, spending hours with the sound of the movies in the background while they talk about everything and nothing at the same time.

Reaching midnight Y/N is laying in Joe's chest watching “Pacific Rim.” one of her favorite movies. 

“See, the ocean is way too scary.” Y/N points to the screen where you can see the big Kaiju coming out of the breach, as the three big robots are waiting for them.

Joe giggles, that’s one of their main topics everytime something about the space or ocean gets in their way.

“To be someone who works in all the space things, you’re pretty reckless about the things out there.” Y/N laughs so hard making her sit. “Let me tell you one thing, if they come, I’ll for sure, will lock you down.”

“Why?!” Joe takes another sour patch rolling his eyes. 

“You’re capable enough of trying to sit and talk nicely with them.” Y/N feels her stomach hurt for laughing this much. “No way, they could steal you.”

Joe loves to make her laugh to the point tears appear in the corner of her eyes, for him it is the most beautiful sound in the world.

Y/N gets to calm down and drinks a little bit of water, she remembers something; one more time the movie will leave it behind. 

“Now that you mention it, talk nicely.” She straddled him at the level of his waist. “Can I know it now?” 

Joe knows what she’s trying to do, the first time he was so easy to fall, but with time he created some resistance to this.

“Y/N…” He complains staying focused on the fact that if she knows, the whole surprise will be screwed.

“Ok, just tell me…” She thinks of something he could say to her that would be helpful for knowing where the hell he will take her in the vacations.

“Nothing, I won’t tell you anything.” Joe kisses her hand after lifting her from his chest. “Can you please wait another week?”

Both of them know she can't. She hates surprises because left so many things at the leeway, if she had some clues about what could expect it better. 

“Of cou…” Joe needs to focus on other things or that deep eyes and half smile will get him in trouble.

He chooses the physical way out, he sits too pulling her to kiss her. 

Joe has created resistance; she is…still working on that.

Easily she let her arms go around his neck pulling him closer, as they left each other breathless. By the time Joe was about to reach the side of her shirt, she stopped his hands and split from him. Both pairs of eyes with dilated pupils and lungs trying to recover some air.

“I have neighbours, you know?” Joe scoff kissing the top of her nose. 

“Right.” Y/N gets over him, hearing her heartbeat in her ears. 

But Joe is a man that solves.

He laughs because he waits until she walks to the small stand dragging her inside of the house turning everything off; just the moonlights help him to not stumble when they walk up to the main room, between long kisses and caresses until they close the door and let those feelings consume them in all the possible ways.

Joe hates the mornings where he woke up first, that only means it’s time to go one more time, as this morning.

Y/N lay next to him, her face on his arm, one hand in his abdomen and the other holding his hand, breathing in slowly as the sheets covered most of her.

He tingles his finger with her already missing her, but it’s only one week more, after that it will be two full weeks just for the both of them.

“You have to go, huh?” She whispers to his arm, still eyes closed.

“Sorry.” This time she opened her eyes with a press smile and kissed his arm.

“I know, it’s ok, get ready, I’ll make breakfast.” She stands picking Joe shirts from the floor.

Joe smirks seeing her doing a quick ponytail before checking her cell phone. It's Saturday, but it's common for her to go to work from time to time. 

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” Y/N blush putting her head backwards seeing Joe laid in the bed.

“I won’t go over there, otherwise, you’ll be late.” She opened the door. “Again.”

After a quick breakfast and a few cleaning around the house, Joe goes down with his backpack ready; he must be in NOLA for a week of public persuasion.

She is a computer with a few fields next to her. The moment he lost her from his view and they’re in the house, he only had two options. She is working or she is probably cleaning something she broke, stained or cut. 

As he approaches he sees a lot of numbers, letters and symbols on the screen as she keeps typing some more, he kisses the back of his head.

“That is something the UFOs would decipher in a bit.” Y/N laughs with her fingers flowing over the keyboard. 

She stands turning around, admiring the view, Joe with his sunglasses on and bags in his hands. 

He gives her a soft peck on her lips. “Last chance to go to NOLA with me.”

She smiles, shaking her head. “Have fun roasting people on T.V.” 

He laughs hugging her tight. “Take things calmly, and don't worry about the suitcases, I’ll have everything under control.”

Y/N clicks her tongue, Joe is smart as hell, he knows if he tells her what kind of clothes she must pack she will spend the week trying to find and eliminate places in her free time.

She clicks her tongue before nodding. “The last thing you can do is leav…”

Joe grabs her face, kissing her like she won’t see her in a month, as she pulls him by his hoodie, feeling she must hold onto something.

“Breathless.” Joe said, breathing in. “Got it.”

Kissing her one more time, she laughs right to his lips. 

“Your hoodie!”

[aro-of-argentum]

Red Dahlia- Chapter 5

WC: 5,353

Notes: We're starting to get into the longer chapters now, Reader gets a new present, more Marcy content, Alfred is a good grandpa, Motorcycle date, no major warnings, spooky suspense right at the end

Beta'd by: @teaspacebar

Previous Chapter, Masterlist, Next Chapter

Chapter 5:

It had only taken two days for Alfred to get his request together.

“Master Jason,” Alfred addressed the younger man as he strode into the kitchen.

“Hey, Alfred, are they ready?”

He nodded in response as he handed over the box, “Two identical geolocation bracelets with proximity indicators, not tracked by any of the computers in the cave.”

The smile on Jason’s face only grew as he opened the small case.

“I’ve taken the liberty of having them adorned with your symbol,” Alfred continued. “They’re themed in your colors, and both recharge with body heat, so as long as they are being worn, they will not die.”

“Excellent. And-”

“And no one knows they exist but you and I.”

Jason nodded, appreciation woven into his features. “Thank you, Alfred.”

“Of course, Master Jason.” The man began moving around the kitchen, collecting supplies to make tea. “Am I allowed to ask who these belong to?”

“Well, one of them is mine,” Jason answered, clearly trying to avoid the question.

“Yes, of course,” he responded, tone neutral as ever. “And the other?”

“A friend.”

Alfred watched as Jason’s stare lingered on the bracelets, a smile just beginning to pull at the corners of his mouth. The young man was clearly lost in thought about something that made him truly happy.

“The same friend who now owns the Red Hood mug you purchased last week?”

Jason’s head popped back up, eyes wide like a child who’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. His cheeks faintly blushed. He hesitated slightly before giving his answer, “Yes…”

“And does this person know of your hobbies?”

“She only knows about my hobbies.”

Alfred nodded. “Very well. I’m glad you like them, Master Jason.”

-

“Please, can we just go for one drink?”

“Marce, I’m exhausted. I do not want to get dressed up and go back outside.” You had worked a 10-hour day, and Marcy, the wonderful scrub nurse that she was, had picked up someone else’s shift, and worked a 14. “How are you even still standing?”

“Far too much caffeine.” Her tone was matter-of-fact as she stood up straight and made a mocking expression of pride. She deflated a bit before continuing, “Can we do a movie night or something at least? I feel like we haven’t hung out in forever.”

“Sure, that sounds like fun. But!” You jumped to smother her loud and immediate excitement. “I need to go home and get different clothes, shower too. I smell like work.”

She waved you off as the pair of you continued toward the staff lounge your lockers were in. “Oh, that’s fine. Do you want me to drive you?”

“No, I can walk like I always do. Why don’t you do a food run and then come get me?” You offered, needing your walk home to decompress.

“You think my snack run is going to take that much time?” She questioned.

You squinted, turning toward her as you pushed through the door of the staff lounge. “Doesn’t it always by the time you’ve picked the perfect ‘on-theme’ dinner, snacks, and wine?”

She gasped. “I’ve been perceived in a way I don’t like. But I suppose you’re right.” She grabbed her bag from her locker as you opened yours. “I’ll come pick you up when I’m done. And it’s not too late so you should be fine walking, yeah?”

Your attention was drawn to the little envelope you found in your locker with your name written on it in a familiar script. You did your best to respond like you had been paying attention, “Yeah, that’s fine…” You reached for the capsule and found it had some weight to it. You didn’t notice Marcy had continued speaking.

“…listening? I asked what kind of-” Her sentence died in her throat as her gaze landed on you. “What’s that?”

“Oh! Um,” You startled.

An even bigger gasp left her. “You were having a moment! Is that from a secret boyfriend of something?” She said casually, entirely dismissing the idea to herself as soon as it came out of her mouth.

“Shh! Marcy!” You yelled in a hush.

She let out another dramatic gasp, though quieter this time. “Oh my god, it is!” An excited smile crossed her face as she insisted, “Well, open it!”

“Okay, okay, give me second,” Your nerves spiked at what could possibly be in here, and the fact that you were about to open it with an audience. You pulled apart the seal of the envelope and turned it over with your other hand beneath the opening. Out slid a bracelet made of black chord, with two blood red metal beads on each side of the center disc. Your jaw dropped slightly in surprise at the gift as you examined it further. Flipping it over revealed a line-work dahlia flower in the face of the gun metal circle. Is this what he meant the other night?

“It looks like one of those companion bracelets, here.” She reached toward the disc and pressed on the face of it. It lit up with a soft glow for a couple of seconds before fading. “Now wait,” She instructed, clearly excited to see the result of her experiment.

You hadn’t expected anything until you saw it light back up, neither of you having touched it. Your shock was still written all over your expression when the other woman spoke up again.

“Aw!” Marcy’s hands flew to her face in adored excitement. “He’s thinking about you too!” She reached for your hands, grabbing the bracelet from you, and when you flinched and reached for it, she was quick to calm you. “Relax, which wrist?” She offered the bracelet, opened now, back out to you.

“Oh, here,” You presented your left wrist and Marcy slid the chord around your hand before tightening it to a comfortable degree.

“It’s adorable, and he clearly he’s been paying attention enough to know your favorite flower.”

“Yeah,” a smile replaced your shock, the heat of a blush creeping up the back of your neck at the thought that the Red Hood had at some point figured out you preferred dahlias.

Marcy scooched in close to you and smiled conspiratorially at you, wagging her eyebrows. “Are you going to tell me about him or what?”

You huffed a laugh. “Absolutely not.”

“Fine. Have your secrets, but I’ll find out eventually.” She turned away from you in time to miss the bracelet glow again briefly. “Let’s get going. It’s early enough we could probably watch two movies if we want. Maybe start a series. You’ll tell me more when you’re tired.”

You shook your head good-naturedly. “I won’t, but okay.” It only took a moment for you to grab the rest of your things before the two of you were headed toward the front doors of the hospital. You looked down to your wrist again and noticed the glow pulse again, though for a shorter time than before. As you continued to walk, you and your friend kept your heads down, knowing that if anyone saw you, they’d stop you for something. While your gaze was on the floor, you couldn’t help but notice that your bracelet’s light was pulsing faster, each time maintaining the soft brightness, but showing for shorter times, with shorter breaks. Worried it would catch someone’s attention, you turned it inward and jammed your hands into your pockets. Once you were outside, Marcy pulled you to the side.

“Okay, so the plan is for me to go get food and wine, while you go home and get cleaned up. Then, I’ll come get you and take us back to mine for movies, yeah?”

“Yep, sounds good.” You nodded as you spoke.

“Excellent, see you soon!” And she bounded away.

The moment she was gone, you pulled your hand from your pocket and looked to the inside of your wrist where the light was now rapidly blinking. “What?” You whispered to yourself, barely audible. Just when you were about to try tapping again to see if something was wrong, you saw the white light disappear, and in its place, still a soft glow, was Red Hood’s blood red insignia. No sooner than you’d seen it, you looked up to the rooftops, and found him, for just a moment, looking down at you. You smiled, and in a blink, he was out of sight, but the glowing symbol on your wrist told you he was there for your entire walk home.

-

The routine became standard procedure for Jason. He volunteered to be out on patrol more often, and if the bracelet (tucked under the edge of his glove for safekeeping) lit up, he was at the hospital in minutes. Sometimes it was near the beginning of his shift, sometimes it was later, but anytime you walked home after dark, he was there, and now you had proof of that. There were even nights that you would put a headphone in and rant, trying to make it look like you were on the phone, as you talked into thin air about your day. He always listened. It didn’t interfere with his regular patrols as long as he didn’t stick around once you’d made it inside your apartment, so no one noticed anything had changed.

It was the nights that he wasn’t supposed to be on patrol, but went out anyway, that drew attention.

“Master Jason,” Alfred announced himself by calling after the younger man.

Jason froze, half dressed in his uniform, one foot in the air as he was tying the laces on his boot. “Yes, Alfred.”

“I apologize, I thought you had the evening off.” Alfred gave him a knowing look. “Was there a last-minute substitution?”

No, and Alfred knows that. “Uh…” He hesitated and turned toward the doorway the older man stood in, setting his foot down. “No.”

Alfred nodded. “Mhmm. So where is it that you plan to go in your costume this evening?”

“I have to go make sure a friend gets home from work.”

“Your normal patrol route is well covered by masters Tim and Cassandra.”

It’s not the same. “I just-” Jason’s thought was cut off by the glow from his wrist in an otherwise dark room.

“Ah. That friend.” Alfred’s smirk was almost perfectly professional, but there was a hint of victory in it.

“Alfred, I need to go.” He was almost pleading. “And no one-”

“I am aware you do not wish to share your activities with the others. What I care about is your safety.” Alfred remained firmly planted in the door as Jason approached, the younger man’s clear advantage in size doing nothing to deter him.

Jason relented with a sigh. “I am being careful, and safe, I promise. I just-” Jason’s face and hands clenched as he struggled to come up with the words. But how could he possibly explain it? To any normal person, none of what he felt would make sense. “Alfred, she’s waiting for me.” The flashing light on his wrist seemed to assert itself as part of the conversation again, just to help Jason with his point.

“Very well,” Alfred side-stepped out of the doorway as he spoke. “Master Bruce plans to be home early this evening, if that should be factored into your plans.”

A small smile crept onto Jason’s face as he listened. “Thank you, Alfred.” He slid past the other man and made his way toward the garage, far faster than was appropriate indoors, but not quite a run. Once there, he zipped his jacket to cover the symbol on his chest, and pulled his motorcycle helmet on. He still wore the domino mask beneath the visor, but his Red Hood helmet was stashed in the bag on his back along with an extra set of riding gear. He grabbed a second helmet, one he was fairly certain would fit you, and left the garage. “I’m on my way,” he said out loud though he knew you couldn’t hear him.

He had noticed over the last 3 weeks that you’d grown more sure-footed on your journey home each night. Ever since the bracelet, you’d been visibly less scared of walking down the street, so sure that he would step in and protect you if you needed it. He’d also noticed that you always waited for him if he said he was coming. There had been times (only twice so far) that he’d been in the middle of a fight and unable to answer, that you’d walked home alone, but he always went to check on you later, and always found you safe at home. The rest of the time though, if he switched the bracelet to flash for proximity so you knew he was coming, you stayed at the hospital until he was there. It’s her safest option, the cynicism in him entered his thoughts. Why would she walk alone if she could have a guard dog following her. But there was something in him that hoped you felt differently.

-

You were concerned at first by how long the light indicated he was coming, but that he hadn’t started moving. The slow pulse of the light hadn’t sped up at all, and indicated he was still far away. A frown crossed your face. Normally he’s moving by now.

 “What’s the matter?” Marcy asked. She was on break as you were clocking out, and you’d decided to spend the time with her. She was going back in soon though, which is why you’d activated the bracelet.

“Oh, it’s nothing, I’m just-”

Marcy caught you glance down to your wrist. “Oh, babes, has he not responded? I’m sure everything’s okay, he’s probably just busy.”

“Yeah. No, I know.” You looked down again and noticed the light pulsing significantly faster, he’d gotten a lot closer, and he’d done it quickly. “Okay, he’s coming.” The phrase was whispered on a breath of relief, not meant for anyone to hear, but the other woman caught it anyway.

“What!?” Marcy shrieked. “He’s coming here? Now?”

“No!” Shit. How were you going to explain this away. No, he wasn’t coming here, at least not in a way that would satisfy Marcy’s need for proof he was real. “No, Marcy that’s not-” but your sentence was cut off by the sound of an engine rumbling down the street.

It was a motorcycle, and when you looked at the rider, you saw him pull one hand from the bars to tap his other wrist, and the light on your bracelet went red. Your eyes went wide at the sight, and you crammed your hands into your pockets to hide the glowing Red Hood symbol on your wrist from the woman standing next to you, now almost bouncing with excitement.

“Is that him?” She had a death grip on your arm as she looked to you, just as shocked as you felt.

“Yeah, I uh,” You shrugged and gave an apologetic cringe as you spoke, “I didn’t think you’d still be out here when he got here.”

“Hey sweetheart,” The man spoke from under his helmet as he stopped in front of the two of you, “Sorry I’m late, I got caught up at the house.”

You huffed a laugh, so the plan was to act as normal as possible, okay. “It’s fine. I’m happy to see you.”

“Here,” he said as he pulled his backpack off and unzipped it, pulling out a second helmet, a pair of riding pants, a leather jacket, and gloves. “Get dressed.” He handed you the pants and jacket, both a little big, which you quickly pulled on over your scrubs. As you reached for the helmet, you heard Marcy’s throat clear behind you.

“Um, hi?”

“Right!” You turned, an anxiety covering your features in embarrassment of almost having forgotten she was standing there. “So, this is-”

“Marcy, right?” He interrupted you and reached his gloved hand out to shake hers. “I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to finally put a face to the name.”

“Oh, thanks,” She squinted at him skeptically. “Y/n hasn’t told me much about you.”

He laughed and nodded his head a little, “Yeah, that’s on me, I’m a pretty private person.” When he turned to you, your cheeks heated as you realized you’d been staring. He didn’t turn away from you, even as he continued speaking. “We actually have something to get to, so we need to get going.” He slid the helmet over your head and tilted your chin up to fasten the strap. “Feel okay?” He asked, his hand still on the bottom of your helmet by your jaw. You nodded and he turned back to Marcy. “It was nice to meet you.” There was a charm in his voice that you could tell wasn’t something he used regularly as Red Hood.

“Yeah, you too I guess.” She looked at you with wide eyes, seemingly impressed. “I’ll see you later?”

You pulled the gloves on, then took the backpack the man handed you and threw it over your shoulders, sliding onto the bike behind him before you looked back to Marcy. “Of course. Bye, Marce.” You gave her a little wave and watched as your friend returned inside, her break well over. You began to reach for the sides of the seat outside your legs, but your wrist was caught.

“Here,” he said, sliding your arm around his waist and waiting for you to do the same with the other. He squeezed his hand over both of yours before reaching back to the bar. “It’ll be easier for you to hold on like that. You ready?”

You heard his voice clear as day through the helmet and could only assume there was some kind of comm system in them. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

He took off slowly at first, to allow you time to get used to how it felt, and you squeezed your arms around him a bit tighter as the bike sped up once you were out of the hospital’s parking lot.

A comfortable silence stretched for a moment before you spoke. “You really laid it on thick back there.”

He tensed under your grasp. “Too much? I didn’t want your friend to think you were just getting on a bike with some stranger…” He hesitated slightly, “Though I guess you kind of did.”

“No, it was fine, I just would have participated more if I’d been prepared.” You flattened one of your hands out against the bottom of his sternum, “And I don’t think we’re strangers.”

He let out a light-hearted scoff. “Oh, and you know me so well.”

“I know you’d never hurt me.”

Jason’s breath caught in his throat. “Never,” the word came out just above a whisper, but he knew you’d hear it. He met your hand on his chest with his own and for a moment he laced his fingers through yours but quickly pulled them away. He cleared his throat, trying to clear his mind, and found himself silently tankful for the helmet that would stop him from kissing your knuckles if he tried. “Do you want me to take you home, or do you want to go for a ride?”

He felt your head cock to the side against his back. “You’re not on patrol tonight?”

“No.”

“Then I’d love to go for a ride.”

Jason could hear the smile in your voice, and one quickly covered his face to match. “Yes ma’am.” When your apartment building came into view, it just as quickly passed, and he got onto the freeway to get out of the central part of the city. There was hardly any traffic at this time of night and an idea popped into Jason’s mind. “Hold tight, okay?”

“Okay?” You drew out the word, clearly nervous, and tightened your grip on him a bit.

“You ready?”

“Sure?”

Jason gunned it, and heard you yelp just before your entire torso crushed into his back, your arms like a vice around him. He leaned forward a bit himself as he wove around the occasional car, going far faster than he should have been. He even thought he heard you laughing a little as he sped down the road.

“Doing okay?” he asked, eyes still affixed to the road.

“I’m amazing!” You shouted back, laughter still embedded in your voice.

Jason could feel how you’d relaxed against him, though your grip was still tight, and he gradually slowed to the normal speed of traffic. He dropped his hand to cover yours where it sat against his abdomen and drew small patterns with his thumb over the back of your hand. “You okay to make a stop?”

“You’re driving, Red, I’ll go wherever.” And you meant it. You knew he wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you, which meant you felt safe wherever he wanted to go.

It only took a few minutes for the two of you to get to the edge of the city, and you watched as the lights faded into the background. It was a little while longer before he eventually pulled the bike onto a side road and finally stopped in a small parking lot. It was an unlit lookout on the road that you suspected was meant to show off the water just over the cliffs during daylight hours.

“Can you see the water this late?” You asked, bringing your leg over the seat to stand on the ground.

He also dismounted and when you turned to look at him, he brought his hand to your chin again. “Not what we’re here for.” He titled your head up to direct your eyes to the sky. He quickly undid the strap of your helmet, and let you pull it off yourself to continue looking up.

“Wow,” you breathed the word, seeing stars for the first time in a long time with no light pollution to interfere. “It’s beautiful.”

Jason’s gaze stayed firmly on you as you stared up. “Yeah.”

“It’s been years since I’ve seen stars like this.”

“Don’t get out of the city often?”

You shook your head, “Never. And even when I lived in Star City, I didn’t… It always seemed like more trouble than it was worth.”

“I’m glad I got to bring you out here then.” He smiled, and you could hear it in his tone, though he hadn’t removed his helmet.

“Me too.” A smile stretched your face once more and you found yourself wondering how long it had been since you’d smiled this much. “Oh, hey,” A thought dawned on you as your gaze fell to your hands for a moment. “I have a couple questions for you.”

“Sure,” He leaned back slightly against the motorcycle as he responded, “go for it.”

You lifted your wrist so your bracelet was more in line of sight. “I think I have this figured out. I tap it and it lights up, you tap yours and it starts flashing, the flashes get faster the closer you are, and then when you’re nearby you tap it again and mine turns red.”

He listened intently and nodded along as you spoke. “All true, what’s your question?”

“Is there anything else I should know?”

He bobbed his head to the side and back before fully turning toward you. “Well, for one, it works both ways.” He brought his wrist up to be level with yours, and you noticed that it was identical to yours, including the engraved dahlia on the face. He tapped the disc on his and you saw both bracelets light up with the soft white glow. “Now if you tap to acknowledge it, they’ll start flashing for proximity,” the bracelets did exactly as he said they would when you tapped yours; they both were flashing rapidly in sync. “And again?” You did as he asked and watched them both light up with his symbol.

Jason saw your smile when you noticed the bracelets matched in appearance and function, and his heart skipped in his chest. He’d make you smile like that forever if he could. “Oh, and,” He started, remembering the other function he’d yet to show you. “Turn the face of the disc clockwise,” He waited until you’d done it and a basic map appeared in hologram just above the disc, a single red dot displayed just off the road. “That’s us.” He pointed vaguely toward the small projection. “It’ll show up as two separate marks when we aren’t together.”

Your smile dropped slightly as your expression turned to one of pestering with a single cocked eyebrow. “So, you can see my location whenever then?”

“No, no, no,” The repeated words came out so fast they almost blended together. “They only show up when the bracelets are activated. So, unless you call for me, no, I can’t see where you are.”

“But if yours is active, then I can see where you are too?” A mischievous grin crossed your features. “Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose of having a secret vigilante base?”

“I am trusting that this isn’t going to come back and bite me in the ass.” Jason’s tone softened slightly as he saw your smile return to something more genuine and you nodded. “And besides, the tracker would only pick up so far as the entrances, anything further in gets its signal blocked.”

“There it is.” You chuckled to yourself. “That sounds more like the broody gang of Gotham’s heroes.”

He snorted and shook his head. “Always with the “hero” thing.”

“When you decide to retire from saving people just because you can, then we’ll talk.”

He’s not a hero. “You do know I’ve killed people, right?”

You turned your entire body to face him. “Innocent people?”

“No…”

“Then it doesn’t change anything.”

He sighed, truly not knowing what to say. He wasn’t a good person. He hadn’t been for a long time. So, what would happen when you figured that out and didn’t want anything to do with him anymore?

“So, do vigilantes have a curfew when they aren’t on patrol?” You chose to avoid the word “hero” since it had seemed to strike a nerve.

Jason pulled himself from his thoughts to answer, “Not those of us that are adults.” He looked down at his watch and found it read after 1 am. If Batman was calling it an early night, then he’d be home any time now, and Jason needed to beat him there if he wanted to avoid any questions. “We do probably need to head back though.”

You nodded as you reached for your helmet where it sat on the back of the bike. “Right, it’s easy to forget sometimes that the Robins have all been kids.” You shook your head before sliding the helmet on. “I feel like there should be rules against that. No ten-year-old needs to be out all night throwing themselves into the line of fire for a grown man, just to get up and go to school the next morning.”

He only watched you struggle with the strap of your helmet for a moment before he reached to fix it for you. “Well, the current robin is more than capable, but I’m sure I could let him know how you feel if you’d like.”

“Hey, Red?”

“Hm?” He tilted your head back down to look at him.

“Do you like working with Batman?” You asked cautiously.

You heard him exhale through the helmet as he considered the question. “There is a long and very complicated answer to that, which I would love to give you after I’ve had more time to think about it.”

You nodded, accepting the answer as being what he could give you right now.

“You ready to go?”

“Almost,” you responded. “I just have one more question. What’s in the bag?” You used your thumb to point to the backpack still on your shoulders.

“My other helmet.”

“Ah.” You nodded a little. “Always have to be prepared, huh?”

He let out a dry chuckle. “Always.”

The ride home was comfortable, and mostly quiet. You clung tightly to Red Hood for the entire drive, even in slower areas where it wasn’t as necessary. He spent almost the entire time driving one-handed, as his other hand rested over the top of yours, always tracing patterns with his thumb. It made your heart race, and you were worried that he might have been able to feel it through the back of his jacket, but he made no mention of it either way. You couldn’t explain how you’d grown to trust the man so much, but you knew somewhere deep down that nothing bad could happen to you if he was around. You wanted nothing more in the world than to find a way to show him the same. That if he needed you, or even just wanted you to be around, to care for him or anything else, you would.

The drive back to your apartment was over far too soon, and you were stopped outside the building’s front door. You peeled yourself away and off the bike and began to fumble once again with the strap of the helmet.

Jason huffed at you, “Comere,” he made the “gimme” motion with his hands and once you were close enough, he undid the strap and let go of you. “You’re gonna have to learn to do this on your own at some point, Sweetheart.”

“Not if I always have you around to do it for me.” You shocked yourself with the comment that slipped out before you could stop it. He hummed appreciatively, and you were desperate for a change of subject as your face heated up. “Did you want me to put all of this back in your bag?” You asked, already pulling the gloves off.

“Sure,” he said with a soft nod. “I’ll keep it set aside for you. If you want this to be a regular thing though, we’re going to have to get something figured out that fits you a little better.” The comment was directed mostly at the pants, which you had sinched in as far as they’d go to get them to stay. It only took a moment for you to be back in just your normal clothes, riding gear handed off and put back in the backpack now in his hands.

“Agreed. But we can figure that out later.” You waited for him to sling the backpack onto his shoulders before you moved to hug him. The angle was a little awkward because he was still on the bike, but you didn’t let it break down the courage it had taken to do it. Your grip on him only tightened when you felt his arms wrap around you too. “Thank you, Red.” You knew your voice was muffled slightly by his jacket, but you hoped he’d hear you anyway.

“Of course,” His response was breathed on a sigh of relief as he held you.

When the hug broke, you brought a hand up to the side of his riding helmet briefly, bidding him goodnight before you turned to go inside.

Jason found himself stuck for a moment. He waited until you were in the elevator before he made any attempt to right himself and get moving again. He was right. He had proof now, that you liked him as a person, not just a guard dog, and that you enjoyed his company. He couldn’t help the happiness and relief that washed over him, and he released a sigh that was half laughter and he hung his head for a moment to collect himself. You’d hugged him so tight, and on the drive you’d clung to him, you had tried to comfort him. You cared for him; you’d even flirted. He smirked to himself and picked his head back up, straightening himself out before starting the bike again and rolling out.

Jason had been so distracted that he failed to notice the silhouette of another vigilante watching the entire encounter from the rooftop across the street.

Tag List: @4rachn3, @lettucel0ver

[lolitastories]

Headaches

Rafe Cameron

It was normal right? To have your boyfriend be so close with your family that he seems to fit in better than you ever had. “I told her she should stop seeing that guy” With my elbows leaned against the counter and my face planted in my palms I tried to ignore the men on the couch.

“The only reason she allows him into her life is to piss us off. I mean he is a nice guy but how many times did she reject him before she gave him a chance?”  I couldn’t take it anymore. I pushed my chair back, slamming my hand on the counter. I walk around the couch trying to make my way towards the kitchen, “Where are you going?” I stop.

“Kitchen.” I blankly say turning my body to face them. Like two best friends they are sharing drinks. By their stash it is evident that they are drunk.

“She is only leaving because we are talking about her boyfriend,” I opened my mouth to make him retract his comment because he was pointing over at me like I wasn’t here.

“She never overreacts like that with you”

“Dad!” I say a little louder. His laughter fills the room as he jokingly teases the man I am about to kill. My father and I had a special bond. Now that I was older he was more of a friend than a parent, and I loved that.

“He’s a maniac” Yes, I am about to kill him. “You know what he did yesterday?” He pushes forward to dispose of his empty bottle and grabs another one.

“Talked on the phone about his problems for hours?” I cross my arms waiting to hear more of this conversation.

“Worse. We were in a restaurant and not so shyly asked her to switch tables,” Omg, these men gossip more than any women I’ve met. “So she goes and asks him to join us,” My father looks over to me, offended.

“You let your boyfriend sit with your other boyfriend?” Maybe the friend thing was too much, he should act like a parent in some things.

“He isn’t my boyfriend, he is a friend.” They both share a look, “And you,” I walk closer taking the bottle from his hand. “You are this close to becoming another friend” His grins. His eyes lazily looked up at me. “Now stop drinking because you don’t have to deal with my drunk dad in the morning,” Not caring to make a mess I slam the bottle on the cup holders a little too harshly.

“Hey!” I heard Rafe say louder trying to get my attention as I walked away. “I would clean up his vomit if need be! HE is good company,” I didn't answer as I walked into the kitchen. I wasn’t pissed, I found it amusing. Rafe and my father would drink together when neither of them had plans. My father would drag him to place soccer while Rafe would show him golf. My mother calls him first when she needs anything moved or fixed and in exchange Rafe gets sent home with food. With my siblings and other family members Rafe is everywhere, he is a friend, a protector, and at times a bank. He thinks I don’t see how he slips a ten to my niece or how he stashes a bit of money in my grandmother's wallet but I do, that's what makes me look past the headaches.

“Are they drunk yet?” My mothers eyes soften seeing my walk in and go straight for the bottle of ibuprofen.

“Yes,” I hear my sibling laugh as they sit on the table helping my mother prepare for dinner. “Talking down on Micheal,”

“Oh so their favorite topic,” I share the same smile nodding towards her. “What happened this time?” Leaning against the kitchen island I tell her.

“We saw Micheal last night. He came over to our table and nicely asked if we wanted to seat with him and I guess he was with some friends,”

“Rafe said he was alone and only asked you,” Looking over confused at my siblings' words, I should've known this affected Rafe more than he was showing.

“He assumes, then again he didn’t mention being with friends but he isn’t the type to go to restaurants alone.” I lean back analyzing my words. “Then again when I asked him to sit with us he did it without a second thought.” He wouldn’t abandon his friend like that, right?

“So,” My mother takes me out of my thoughts. “He is pissed because you let Micheal third wheel your date.”

“He said he didn’t mind.”  I jumped back from the sudden loud noise she made by placing the glass bowl on the island.

“You two are so different,” She sighs as she constantly looks at me. I feel like a 10 year old little girl who was getting reprimanded for doing something bad. “He seems cold on the outside while you seem sweet and approachable but with the twist of things, he shows everyone,” She points around dramatically, “How much he cares for you while you don’t seem to care. You don’t show it unless it's in private and Rafe,” She pauses.

“Rafe what?” What did she know? “Mom,” I push more.

“You are my daughter first so I am going to say it,” She looks over at the entryway and then back at me. “Rafe told me he didn’t want to push you into doing anything but, he sometimes wishes you were more affectionate.” wow. I didn’t know what to say, well I mean I didn’t have to say anything to my mother but I did have to with Rafe. “Honey,” She leans forward, talking quietly. “I know it's not in your nature to show affection but in a relationship when one part of it is working, you need to do your part too.”

“He loves you either way but, just like how he has changed for you, you need to do the same.” My sibling walks over patting my shoulder. Wow. I was left speechless. Since I've met rafe he was always hands on in the relationship. He would ditch his friends to hang out with me. He would go out of his way to bring me whatever I needed. He stopped drinking unless he knew I was okay with it. It's without saying what he does and how much he cares for my family is a lot. He has done it all for me, and what have I done? Nothing. I didn’t take time off to go on a surprise vacation he planned. I don’t give him or our relationship priority because I have felt that our relationship is strong. I should have told Micheal no, it was our date night. I should appreciate him more. Thinking back at the list I made with my middle school friends about the perfect boyfriends, Rafe has exceeded. He was beyond what I could have wished for as a partner.

“Hey,” I don’t turn around. I hear him walking closer, his hands falling gently over my shoulder. “Do you have a washcloth?”

“Did he make a mess?” My mother shakes her head towards what she thinks was my father's antics.

“No,” I knew he was drunk but in front of my mother he was always composed. “I spilled a little beer on your couch,” My mother waved him off as she handed him a washcloth.

“No worries, are you staying for dinner?” We all knew the answer to that

“Of course.” I tilt my head enough to see his face. He has that stupid smile that makes everyone, even people who hate him smile. 

“Okay, I will call you when it's ready.” He nods. Giving my shoulder a squeeze before leaving back to the living room. I look back at my mother and she has that look, See. I hold my hands up in defense.

“I know, I know.” Taking a deep breath I prepared myself before walking into the room again. I walked closer seeing Rafe cleaning up kneeled in front of the couch giving it his all to clean to smudge. I look over to my snoring father, his arms over his stomach as he lays facing the tv. “How many did he have?” I sit against the armrest staring down at Rafe.

“7” I take a glance over at the case of 24. There are at least 10 left.

“You?”

“5” He stands up. “One day I will beat him,” I shake my head with a smile.

“You should just give up now.” He shakes his head coming closer and taking my head in his hands. “Why are you so adamant about outdrinking him?” Ever since he started drinking with my dad, my father always had 2-4 more beers than him.

“To show that I deserve you,” No matter how cute his feelings behind that statement was, he wasn’t thinking straight.

“By drinking and killing your liver.”

“Right-wait no!” His smile becomes a little crooked. “To show him I can be persistent. That I won’t give up on you when he gives me his blessing.”

“Oh, you’re that sure he will give you his blessing?” He nods. “Shouldn’t you care more about my blessing?” His expression was becoming droopy by the second. His body swaying to some tune in his mind.

“You don’t want to marry me?” The even light casting a yellow hue on his face. He leans forward trying to capture my lips but I pull away. I remove myself from the armrest and start pulling him towards my bedroom.

“I like how much you fit well in my life.” He probably won’t remember this, when he drinks he usually doesn’t. “I like how much you think of me.” I turn the door knob and pull him into my room and he follows without hesitation. “I like that you are sweet,” I closed the door quietly and let go of his hands. “And although I like how well you get along with my father,” My fingers find the hem of his shirt. “You don’t need to try to outdrink a man double your age to get his blessing.” He lets me pull off his shirt. “Because if it wasn’t clear to you, he already approves of you.” I turn to flip the covers off and push him to sit on the edge of my bed. No matter how long it's been I still get butterflies when he looks at me. The sweet warmth casting over me as I kneel down to take off his shoes. He watches my every move, as I finish unlacing it to how smoothly he allows me to move him under the covers. I couldn’t help but caress his face as he gets comfortable in my bed.

“Do you?”

“Hmm?” I wait a couple of seconds, he must be half asleep at this point. When he gets drunk and gets to a comfortable surface, he is knocked out.

“Do you approve of me?” He moves closer to my hand as he lays over his cheek.

“I would be stupid not to baby,”

“Cool, let's get married tomorrow.” He was drunk. He wouldn’t remember this tomorrow. But they say kids and drunks don’t lie, so it was okay to think about it.

“Yeah? Got the ring already?” I was surprised to see him nod tirelessly. “When did you buy it?” I push some more

“The day after you agreed to go on a date with me.” That was over a year ago. “I knew you were it for me.”

“When are you planning to propose?”

“On the trip you cancelled,” Shit. I was taken back, he was going to propose just 2 weeks ago.

“Get some rest,” I pull back carefully trying not to disturb him but as I get to open the door he shuffles over and grabs my hand.

“I hope you say yes,” I don’t know how I held back tears. This drunk man on my bed was going to propose to me. I cancelled the trip and he didn’t mention how important it was. I had to make it up to him and nothing small will do. If they expect me to show him how much I care for him, it will have to be big.

“In every lifetime,” He opens his eyes smiling.

[sylusonychinus]

Episode 5: Caught in the Rain

a/n: smut warning!!

The rhythmic ticking of the clock echoed in the near-empty office, the once-busy hallways now silent as the last few employees trickled out for the night. You blinked at your computer screen, the numbers and text blurring together from exhaustion.

"What time is it?" You glanced at your phone, and your stomach dropped. The last train had already left.

You sighed, rubbing your temples. Cabs were your last option now. Hopefully, you could find one quickly before the rain—

“Still here?”

You looked up to see Jeremiah, holding two cups of coffee. He handed one to you with a grin.

“You need this,” he said, taking the seat across from you.

You gratefully took the warm cup, wrapping your fingers around it. “Thanks. But what are you still doing here?”

He shrugged, stretching his arms. “The director needs a proposal for the convention, and I could use an extra set of eyes. Help me out?”

You hesitated but ultimately nodded. “Sure.”

The two of you worked in companionable silence, occasionally exchanging ideas and bouncing thoughts off each other. The hum of the fluorescent lights and the occasional scribbling on paper were the only sounds filling the room.

By the time you finished, the office was practically deserted.

You stretched, feeling the ache settle into your shoulders. “Finally done.”

Jeremiah chuckled. “Yeah, but we should probably—”

A low rumble of thunder interrupted him.

Your head snapped toward the windows, and your stomach dropped. It was pouring outside.

"The forecast didn’t say anything about rain."

Jeremiah let out a low whistle. “Yikes. You got an umbrella?”

You shook your head. “I was planning on catching a cab.”

He frowned. “At this hour? That’ll be tough.”

You sighed, gathering your things. “I’ll figure something out.”

With one last goodbye, you made your way outside. The moment you stepped under the hospital’s overhang, the cold wind hit your face, sending a shiver down your spine.

You hesitated, contemplating just running through the rain when—

A car pulled up in front of you.

The passenger-side window rolled down, and Zayne’s familiar face appeared, his dark eyes scanning you.

"Get in."

You blinked, raindrops beginning to soak into your clothes. "Huh?"

Zayne gave you an unimpressed look. "Unless you want to get sick, I suggest you stop standing there and get in the car."

You hesitated for only a second before sighing and slipping into the passenger seat. The warmth of the car enveloped you instantly, a stark contrast to the chilly night outside.

As he pulled back onto the road, the only sound was the soft patter of rain against the windshield.

You bit your lip, stealing a glance at him. This was your chance.

"Dr. Li… can I ask you something?"

Zayne hummed in acknowledgment, his focus still on the road.

Taking a deep breath, you asked, “Is it true? That you have a fiancée?”

His hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel.

"For someone who's supposed to be my assistant, you sure do listen to a lot of gossip."

Your heart pounded. "So… is it true?"

Zayne exhaled, tilting his head slightly. "If you're asking whether I'm engaged, then no."

A weight lifted off your chest, but he wasn’t done.

"I was invited to a work dinner where the chairman introduced me to his daughter. It was more of a… business arrangement than anything else."

You frowned, piecing things together. "Because of the promotion?"

Zayne shot you a glance, clearly amused. "Smart girl."

You hesitated, then finally asked, "Do you… ever think about marrying for love?"

The question hung in the air between you.

Zayne let out a soft chuckle, a sound laced with something bitter.

"I'm too old to fall in love."

Your breath caught in your throat.

Too old to fall in love?

Your chest tightened, and before you could think twice, you turned to face him.

"That's… kind of sad."

Zayne smirked, eyes flickering toward you as he stopped at a red light.

Before you could register what was happening, he leaned in.

Your breath hitched.

His face was so close, his scent—a mix of cologne and something distinctly him—clouding your senses.

"You shouldn't ask me things like that." His voice was low, almost dangerous.

Your pulse raced.

And then—he moved in to kiss you.

His lips met yours in a kiss that was slow, deliberate—like he was savoring every second.

You should’ve pulled away, should’ve told him to stop, but your body had a mind of its own. Your fingers clutched the fabric of his sleeve, pulling him closer instead of pushing him away.

The honk of a car behind you startled you both, and Zayne pulled back, exhaling as if trying to regain his composure.

He didn’t say anything.

Neither did you.

The drive continued in silence, tension thick in the air.

I'll write a more intimate version while keeping it tasteful and in line with the story’s emotional depth. Let me know if you want anything adjusted!

(SMUT WARNING AHEAD)

Zayne’s apartment was quiet except for the faint hum of the rain outside, droplets tapping against the windowpane like a song only the night could hear. The warm glow of the city cast shadows across the room, flickering over his face as he stood in front of you, his expression unreadable.

“You should dry off,” he murmured, handing you a towel. His fingers brushed against yours, lingering for just a second longer than necessary.

You swallowed, gripping the towel like it could somehow ground you, but your mind was still clouded with everything that had happened—the rumors about his engagement, his words in the car, the way his lips had found yours without hesitation.

You should go home.

You should walk away.

But you didn’t.

Instead, you whispered, “…I’ll stay.”

Zayne’s gaze darkened.

He stepped closer, his body mere inches from yours. The scent of his cologne—clean, subtle, intoxicating—wrapped around you as his fingers brushed damp strands of hair from your cheek.

“You shouldn’t say things like that,” he murmured, his voice low, dangerous.

Your breath hitched. “Why?”

“Because I won’t be able to hold back.”

The space between you disappeared in an instant.

His lips crashed onto yours, no hesitation this time. His hands gripped your waist, pulling you against him, heat radiating from his body through your damp clothes. You gasped into the kiss, your fingers instinctively fisting the fabric of his shirt as he deepened it, his tongue sliding against yours in a slow, deliberate stroke that made your knees weak.

Zayne’s hands roamed, one slipping under your shirt, fingertips grazing bare skin. You shivered at the contrast—his touch was warm, almost scorching, compared to the cold dampness still clinging to you. He noticed. And he smirked against your lips.

“Cold?” His voice was teasing as he pulled back slightly, his lips brushing your jaw, trailing downward.

You barely had the strength to shake your head before he lifted you effortlessly, carrying you towards his bedroom. You clung to him, pulse erratic as he laid you down on the mattress, his body hovering over yours.

His lips returned to yours—slower this time, more controlled, as if savoring every second.

“Tell me to stop,” he whispered, his forehead pressed to yours, his breath heavy against your lips.

But you didn’t.

Instead, you reached up, fingers threading through his hair, pulling him down to you.

Zayne groaned, his control snapping as his hands roamed freely now, pushing fabric away, exposing skin to his touch. His lips trailed down your neck, over your collarbone, leaving a searing path of heat in their wake.

And when he whispered your name against your skin, you swore you would never forget the way it sounded.

The night unfolded in a blur of tangled sheets and breathless moans, whispered names and desperate touches. He was everywhere—all-consuming, relentless, yet achingly tender all at once.

Zayne Li wasn’t just the brilliant doctor you admired.

Tonight, he was the man unraveling you completely.

And when dawn arrived, with golden light slipping through the curtains and reality creeping back in, you knew nothing would ever be the same.

Taglist: @nezuswritingdesk @divxvx @demon-master-zero @mcdepressed290 @syluslittlecrows @seris-the-amious @beaconsxd @wcelmedarling @kaiii07

[en-trashy]

Shadow 西村力

Niki and y/n are roommates by accident and their relationship is not the best. Sunshine fem character and dark aura Niki (kinda rude)

Is angst at the end with no comfort

4.9k words

Tw: rude roommate, opposites attract, slight description of depression but never catalog like that, mentions parental abandon (but just a little), suicide thinking (if you deal with this ideas always seek for professional help), slight description of suicidal acts

It all started because of a mistake with the real estate agency, confusing her application for a girls shared apartment and pairing her with Nishimura Riki. She moved first bringing all her colorful life into the tiny space placing green cushions on the white sofa, a pink knitted blanket on a basket in the living room, an orange vase with tulips in the coffee table, the colorful mugs and plates on the kitchen, every space she went in had now a splash of color imprinting her personality in this new home; Riki arrived a week later finding the living room decorated with balloons and a welcome sign, while she's holding a strawberry cheesecake, the first thing she thought when she saw him is how handsome he was, his sharp features and black hair.

-hi my name is y/n is a pleasure to meet you, we're gonna be roommates we're gonna have so much fun 

Riki wasn't so happy about this arrangement, her dark clothes clashing with all the colors, he rolled his eyes annoyed by her high pitch tone, full of excitement, he directly ignored her going straight to the empty room, she followed him there, in the bed was a basket with a lot of different things as a welcome gift.

-I bought some hygiene products, I just didn't know you were a boy. I should have bought you something different but I guess you can still use them, those are my favorites and…

-look this is a mistake I should be with someone else, I called the agency they told me there's no other option but for us to be together as long as our contract says, so there's rules, one keep your things for you, two don't bother me, three never come into my room again, four we're here because of a mistake we're not friends or nothing don't talk to me

His tone was harsh while pushing her out of his room slamming the door locking it, she was puzzled and a little taken back, decided to not let this tiny mistake to actually ruin her mood, she cut a piece of the cheesecake for her storing the rest in the fridge with a flower post-it and Riki's name on it.

Days keep passing and things didn't change a lot between them, Riki avoids her as much as he can, only coming together at dinner when he would search for something in the fridge even if she cooks enough for both, and she would serve both plates but end up eating alone in the kitchen table, Riki did eat the food once she was inside her room and next morning she would find the clean plate in place with the rest of the dishes, only sometimes he will be with her during dinner eating and listening to her conversation, thanking her for making the food even more rare just a couple times he would compliment her cooking skills, even if this whole deal wasn't what she was expecting it made her happy that he enjoyed at least something from her, learning his favorite food to make it one of those days when he didn't feel at his best. Their routine was always the same, Riki would wake up before her to shower, make coffee and breakfast eating before leaving for college, by the time she was in the shower he already left, taking the meal and the coffee Riki left for her packed on her yellow lunch box, always stumbling into classes almost late but barely just on time; they shared a couple classes but he always acted like they are strangers, Niki, as most of the people called him, was with his group of friends all the time, he had that dark aura that pulled people like magnets his cold personality made everyone revolve around him and his friends, the sport and frat boys; meanwhile she wasn't able to have friends even with her bright personality she would say hi to everyone in the corridors, sometimes someone will acknowledge her and say hi back, rarely she had small and trivial conversations with someone else, just that always ended up alone for group projects or lunch time.

Things started to change between them gradually, it started with Niki leaving snacks for her, slowly the snacks become her favorite gummies, he bought flowers for the vase in her room always different colors and types, each month Niki did the grocery shopping never forgetting pads for her and ice cream, once she found a shopping bag from a vintage store she usually goes to have a look finding a beautiful green dress along with a post-it “hope it fits”, even if they still haven't a close relationship or talk a lot she was feeling seeing for the first time in her life, even appreciated, she cooks for the both of them and do the laundry, he takes the trash out and vacuum moving the heavy furniture, it was a perfect balance for them. Y/n talks and Niki listens, she dances and sings around the house and he admires her from afar.

The months keep passing but during a particular time of projects and assignments, y/n was overload with homework, Niki managed to do it with his group study that happens to be his friends, she did her best to do the assignment meant for three people all alone, it was late at night on a Friday night, almost midnight and she was nowhere to be found in the apartment, the rain outside was heavy and even if Niki pretend that he wasn't worried about his roommate he was, usually at 9 she was there, never longer than that, no parties, friends or boyfriend that he knew for her to be out this late with this weather, it was almost one am when she stumbled through the door soaking wet with dark circles under her tired eyes, she managed to get into her room and change clothes before passing out in her rug, the loud thud alerted Niki finding her door open and she on the floor unconscious, he quickly picked her up putting in bed, she was burning in fever stirring uncomfortable, he stayed awake all night to cool down her by the time she woke up he was uncomfortably sleeping kneeling on the floor and his head on her mattress, her mind did have blurry memories of how she got there finding the cloth he used along with the thermometer, putting the pieces together realizing that Niki took care of her, she flustered like a teenager, his cold roommate actually cared about her; happily she got up straight to the kitchen to make breakfast for the both of them, she didn't even care about the ache on her body of how she just experienced an exhaustion episode she was thrilled because of Niki, for as long as they lived together she couldn't deny how handsome he was maybe he was opening to her because he liked her back.

-what do you think you're doing?

Niki's voice deep and a little angry pulled her out of her daydreaming, seeing his face makes her stutter

-I I was making breakfast for us

He just sigh letting her finish with that and waiting sitting for her to plate everything, once they finished he washed the dishes before going to his room, to change his clothes and going out of the apartment slamming the front door, that day in particular she couldn't take him out of her mind waiting for Niki to be back by lunchtime or dinner, which didn't happen it was late at night and she was curled up in the couch waiting for him, by the time the frat party ended Niki stumbled a little tipsy inside making her jolt from her spot.

-Ki, are you okay? Let me serve you a plate I made us hot pot I'll help you into your room-Niki slapped her hand off him, when she was trying to help him remove his jacket

-stop trying to undress me… whatever you try… not happening… not tonight

-but…

-just shut up, my head is killing me… tomorrow we can do whatever you want-Niki went inside his room, she happily put everything on a tray, his food, a glass of water and a painkiller leaving it at his door and knocking softly, knowing it is better to give him the space he wants.

That night she went to sleep with a thousand butterflies on her tummy, thinking that she may have an opportunity with Niki, all those little details about him replayed on her head, how he always left her cup of coffee and breakfast ready, how if he buys a treat for him always leaves one for her labeled with her name, how he folds the laundry but always respect her undies basket, how he started to buy her flower because one time she forgot to buy them and he replaced them bringing her favorites and then he did it every time, all those little details about him made her feel sort of in love.

Monday morning she woke up early to make breakfast for them, waiting sitting for him, by the time he arrived at the kitchen and saw everything nonchalantly he just sit to eat trying not to be as rude as last night

-good morning Ki-she said with a big smile he responded only with a grunt, she started to talk about a hideous project she had to do alone- so my friend Jinni she likes this boy so she tried and actually get it now they're starting to date… that's why I end up alone for the project but it's okay… then my other friend Ryujin she's busy with the female soccer team and her colleges decided to pair with her but it's alright calculus is not so difficult this semester and it's the only time I'll have it in my major that's why I didn't worried

Niki got up hoping for her to stop talking, taking his empty plate to the sink and washing it immediately, he dried his hands while she washed her plate, he started to go and she rushed to catch him, putting her shoes quickly she runs to be next to him, holding her bag and trotting alongside him to keep pace with his walk, he put on headphones and she just stayed in silence with him by the time they reach their college Niki walked straight to his group of friends she stayed a couple steps behind.

-you have a little shadow today, a colorful one- Heeseung the captain of the basketball pointed at her she waved happily to them, and all of them responded, Niki rolled his eyes pushing his friends to go inside

-she’s driving me insane since I woke up, I can't get her to shut up or leave me

-she looks friendly, can't be that bad- Jake looks back at her and how she tried to follow them but also tried to give Niki the space he asked

-try to live with her, all my apartment looks just like her, she's always talking nonsense and now seems like she wants to be glued to me- Niki got inside his class preferring to wait for his professor instead of being a minute longer with her, his friends didn't understand him but they know better not to dig on it.

For her the day went as usual, she tried to reach for him but didn't saw him anymore, so she went home alone, cooked for them and waited for Niki he arrived late and straight to his room, she left the tray with his meal at his door knocking on the wood hoping he would eat it, she went inside her own room playing some music and doing her homework.

The winter arrived sooner than she expected, somehow she was closer to Niki, every Thursday night when all his friend were busy with training or something related to frat they had a movie night, they both have snacks and a list of movies to watch that they were trying to accomplish, in college most people started to recognize her as Niki's colorful shadow following him every chance she had; another turn in the co-living was that every two Fridays his friends will come to the apartment to play videogames, one of those nights she received the message from her parents “sorry we can be together this time of the year, your dad got a good deal for a cruise ship will see you in the summer for the vacations, we love you honey have fun with your friends” she blinks a couple times just staring at the message, it was the second year they left her alone for holidays and she though this time maybe will hurt less, but it wasn't like that, she tried to cry silently in her room, specially because Niki's friends were there and could hear her, when he started to invite them in, she thought that maybe he wanted for her to be comfortable around his friends too, at first she was excited for their roommate situation to escalate gradually, however Niki asked her to not come out of her room and now she was grateful for that not wanting for anyone else seeing her cry for something silly like being left out of her family plans.

By the time his friends left the house she was starving and already ran out of tears, the hole in her chest was still there and it hurt making a couple sobbings escape her, Niki heard it doing the same she does putting her dinner on a tray leaving it at her door with a soft knock, she smiles when she opened finding this little detail, she contently ate the pizza he left and went to sleep with hope that maybe Niki will also stay with her for the season.

The last day of classes she was behind Niki all day, buying him his favorite snacks, waiting for him outside of his classes. The only moment alone and in peace was when he and Minju got some time alone, he confessed to her and thought that everything will go smoothly but Minju rejected him.

-listen Riki I like you and all of that, but we all know about your girlfriend

-what, no wait what girlfriend?- he was beyond confused

-the girl, the colorful one, the one that lives with you and follows you everywhere, we know about what you have, you're the only thing she talks about, only about you Riki, sorry… maybe another time- she gave an apologetic smile leaving him standing with the bouquet of flowers

In that moment y/n found him, going alongside with him and talking about her classes of the day, he was so done with all of that about to snap just when Jake and Sunghoon pulled him.

-I hope you're ready for our trip I'm so excited, the cheer team is also coming with us- Jake, known to be not just the smartest in his major but also a charismatic playboy, she tried to keep the pace with them

-Finally this is over, one more week and my eyes will pop out because of stress- Sunghoon was extremely popular for his looks but also because he was the captain of the hockey team- you're gonna come with us too?- she was surprised to hear that Sunghoon was talking to her

-I don't know, Ki haven't invite me- she almost whispers

-oh Ki such a bad boy- Jake said in a mocking tone- we leave in two days, to ski, don't forget to bring warm clothes princess, we don't want his little shadow to disappear- he said in his characteristic flirty tone

She could only nood feeling her cheeks burn while they walk away from her, maybe that her parents left her wasn't so bad after all, she would spend some time with Niki, impatient for that day to come she went home quickly and started to pack her winter clothes, she ordered his favorite take out for both, waiting patiently on the living room with a movie, when he got inside the house he didn't look so happy to see her, but she didn't noticed that.

-ki I ordered your favorite… I'm so excited for us to go on a trip together, I thought I'll be alone all season because I couldn't be with my parents and all my friends are going back to their families- her tone was high pitched, just like every time she talks about something she likes, Niki rolled his eyes taking his food and going inside his room

She stayed there until late night watching the movie alone, she fell asleep on the sofa curled up trembling a little, in the morning she woke up covered by a blanket and the living room clean, the sound of the shower alerted her that Niki was awake, she got in the kitchen to make breakfast making extra effort to have perfect pancakes for him, she uses her heart shape pan for the first time giggling with the results, when Niki entered the kitchen and saw everything he rolled his eyes but still he sits and eat.

-I’m so happy to spend time together, I already packed my things, I know we still have today to do it but I just couldn't wait, I went skiing just once I hope I still can do it- her voice was just noise for Niki, he didn't pay attention to her neither what she was saying, he opted to wash the dishes and let her keep talking.

He tried to do his own things but she followed him constantly even inside his room, he even put on headphones but even if she didn't talk she didn't leave him alone following like a shadow even sitting on his gaming chair while he packs a couple thing for the trip, just watching him, by the afternoon his friends arrived to take him to the mall and shop for everything they need it, Niki felt peace washing over him of finally have a time without her around, or he thought so.

-why don't you come with us? Sunghoon told me you're gonna come skiing with us, we're gonna buy equipment- Jay the leader of the fraternity invited her with a really nice smile, she basically squeak in excitement taking her purse and sweater, sitting in the back seat next to Niki

The shopping day was smooth most of the time, Niki managed to be away from her while he was with Jake and Sunghoon buying the snowboards, Jay offered to go with her to search for a padded jacket, she choose a pink one trying on, Jay was a gentleman and she understood why half the campus was in love with him, he helped her to tie her shoes kneeling in front of her, asking about her major and why she likes to study fashion design, it was the first time someone listened to her, really listened to what she likes, she was giggling when she saw Niki again going straight to him holding his hand.

-look I found a really pretty one, is pink and Jay told me it looks really nice on me- Jay nods confirming that she looked good- can't believe I'm going with you skiing Ki, feels like a dream

Niki removed his hand from hers, but she holds him again intertwining their fingers, talking again about the trip, once in the parking lot Niki was so done with her, but what made him snap was the mention of friendship

-Ki can't believe I'm your friend… even tho I like you a lot, but it's okay just being friends not gonna be weird about our relationship- she whispered for him and gave him a warm smile but he couldn't take it anymore, he removed his hand a little violent from hers, almost pushing her, everything pent up in him, how she never got the clue of him wanting space, the way that was the reason Minju rejected him, how everything in his apartment had a piece of her and her personality, he pushed her by the shoulder making her almost trip and fall on her butt

-I’ve told you that we're not friends, for you and me being together it was a mistake, I can't even stand you, you're so annoying not just for me but for everyone, that's why you don't have friends, allegedly you do but why you end up alone in every project, you eat alone too?, because no one sane wants to spend a minute with you, hearing your voice is enough to make anyone's ears bleed, and what's worse you look like a kindergarten painting book, you and I will never be friends, not even your parents wanted you for holidays what makes you think I do? I didn't invited you, they did because they feel pity of you- Niki said each word with venom on his voice and she just froze hearing him, her eyes fill with tears ready to spill them

Niki went inside the car slamming the door, Jake looked at her with pity before going inside too to scold Niki for what he did, Jay and Sunghoon tried to reach for her but she stepped back, wiping her tears and smiling.

-I forgot to buy something… I'll go for it, I'll call an Uber for me later, see you around- she tried to talk normally but her voice cracks at the end

-let me take you home, is not safe for you to go like this- Jay tried to reach for her again but she stepped back and basically run away from them

-wait y/n, please let us help- Sunghoon tried to catch her but she disappeared, he found only her shopping bag lying on the floor he picked it and went back to the car where the other ones were scolding Niki for being so rude- man you cannot treat girls like that, no matter what, you have sisters you wouldn't like someone talking to them just like you did to her

Once all the rage left his body he felt ashamed to have treated her like that, he was just angry because he was rejected and blamed her, Niki asked for his friends to stop at a bakery that he knew she likes and asked for macaroons, he went inside the apartment finding everything dark, with heavy steps he knocked on her door.

-I know you're probably angry with me, but I'm sorry that I talked to you like that. I didn't mean it- he didn't receive an answer- is okay if you don't want to talk to me but I bought you this little cookie you like and I have your bag with me… Jay hyung told me you looked so cute with your new jacket, maybe you can try on your outfits and show me

Niki peaks inside the room, it was empty and dark like the rest of the apartment she was nowhere to be found, he waits for her in the living room but she didn't came home it was late night already, it was pass midnight and she didn't even call, but how was she supposed to call? He didn't provide his number in case of emergency and he didn't saved hers when she wrote it in a post-it for him, he stayed looking at the door as long as the sleepiness allowed him, she opened the door at 3 am, all this time staying in a 24 hours café, seeing Niki sleeping on the couch instead of make her butterflies revolve made her nervous that he would wake up and say more hurtful things to her she tiptoe to her room locking herself inside avoiding Niki, early in the morning his phone started to ring his friends calling so he can hop on the car and they can go, he didn't notice a change in the house giving up for now in solve things with her, he took his bag and went downstairs, when his hyungs asked for y/n Niki lied about it telling them that they solved things but she felt ashamed and didn't want to come anymore.

She woke up nearly midday feeling like a truck ran over her, her body feels drained and her headaches, all his words keep replaying on her mind and something she was always afraid since childhood was growing inside of her, she is afraid of feeling this way, replaceable, even if she tried so hard to be nice to everyone no one ever stayed by her side, it was true she didn't had friends or someone who worried about her, if she just disappears probably nobody would notice, her parents only called for her birthday sometimes, all the darkness inside her started to grow and she felt repulsed by all the colors she insisted to put on in everything with the hopes that all those dark feelings in her eventually would disappear, she didn't feel this empty and lonely since she was ten and tried to jump from a bridge, those memories flooded her thoughts erasing any coherent or rational feeling; she wasn't pretty, or popular, or important, she was just that colorful shadow that people started to notice once she was behind Niki.

In an automatic like movements she took a box filling it with all the decorations she once put on display on this tiny apartment she tried to make her home, in the coffee table she left the money to cover the next month rent and a note, she changed her clothes for her favorite green dress it was short and not suitable for the weather outside, she put on a cardigan and her shoes, going out she left the box with her belongings next to the trashcan and walked to the park near the building she spent this past semester, she was never good in reading people, but she thought that maybe this time was different and Niki would be the exception, she didn't though that her small crush for him would hurt like this, she got next to the bridge leaving her cellphone and removing her shoes there, she stands on the edge looking down her toes numbing, the water was not freeze yet but it wouldn't be long for it to be a gigantic ice cube, she closed her eyes before surrender and jump…

Niki was back to their apartment just a couple minutes after, the trip was cancelled because of the bad weather on the way to the mountains, it was not safe and the news alerted everyone to stay inside, he noticed the box of her things in the trash, picking it up and bringing it inside again.

-i'm back, I know you're here, you left your things outside- Niki called from the door leaving the box on the floor- c’mon I'm sorry is not for you to throw away these things you love

Niki noticed the letter and the money, when he reads the words on the paper he feels all his body turn cold: “Hi Niki, when you read this I'll probably be gone, it wasn't my intention for everyone to hate me, I'm sorry to be a bother all this months I already took my things out, if you call my mom she will come to pick my clothes her number is on my nightstand, probably she will come after her cruise ship hope you don't mind keeping them for a little, I left the money for my rent in the meantime you find a new roommate, I hope you had fun on your trip, tell Jay that I'm sorry the jacket still have the tag he can return it and have his money back. Thank you for being my roommate. I really enjoyed our time together” Niki was confused, why would she left without her things, where she went? Her parents weren't even in the same country, he took his jacket and run outside maybe he can still catch her, the bus station was a couple blocks from there, he ran and on the way he saw the sirens and the ambulances near the bridge, he recognized her baby blue shoes and the flower case on her phone, he ran to get there seeing how the paramedics and police take her unconscious pale body from the water, the green dress he once bought for her was sticking to her body, a cop stopped him to get close to the scene, close to her.

-no, y/n, let me go, she's my roommate I'm her emergency contact, please let me see her- Niki fight to be released, one paramedic informed that she'll need someone to be with her at hospital to provide the info about her, that's when the cops let him be near her, Niki took her shoes and phone he got inside the ambulance next to her unsure to touch her, holding her cold hand- hey don't be like this, please I didn't mean all those things I said, we have to go back to our apartment, you have to help me place our decorations back in place, the trip was cancelled we'll go next week you have to show me how you look with your new jacket… please don't go

She looked so fragile and for the first time all the color she always put in everyone's else's life was gone, that little spark was no longer there and Niki felt afraid to lose that part of his life, that color he got used to and now was comfortable with.

Fin.

I appreciate feedback if someone reads this, thank you in advance little stranger

[sorryitsmyfirstdayonearth]

Paradise (Winchester men x female reader) - Chapter 4

When you're kicked out from home, you move in with your boyfriend Sam – and his brother and father.

After that fateful night, the encounters with Dean and John, your new living arrangement promises to be a lot of fun. Fun that's going to require stamina. And the ability to handle three very different men.

Read it on AO3

Series masterlist

Rated E. You and Sam are home from Stanford for the holidays. The four of you celebrate, though somewhat untraditionally.

Chapter 4 - John

John rubs his hands together, trying to bring some of the warmth back into them, his breath fogging up even inside the car, while he watches the entrance to the train station in his rearview mirror.

It’s not like he wouldn’t have gotten Sam a damn car. But no, his youngest insisted it would be fine. Which is why you and him are driving cross-country on a damn train now, from the California warmth to the coldness here. John would have driven, picked the two of you up, or Dean could have, but no, Sam and you didn’t want that. Said it would be nice. He shakes his head without meaning to. It’s very Sam. 

John sighs, his breath coming out as a soft white cloud. He needs to reign it in. That’s part of the deal after all. What you told him on the phone when you took the chance to talk to him, him alone. That you would get Sam to come visit for the holidays, but in return, John would have to be nice. No arguments on Christmas, you said. 

Not that he doesn’t understand that you want a peaceful week off school. Not that he doesn’t adore you for making sure the three Winchester men get their shit together at least for a little, like a real, actual, functional family. That’s definitely part of it.

But also John couldn’t stand the thought of you not coming back. It’s been a couple of months since he’s seen you and it’s like his skin is too tight, like there’s an itch he can’t scratch. 

He looks at the digital clock on his dash. You should be there any minute, so he starts the engine, turns up the heating. He wants you to be warm. 

He leans his head back against the headrest, keeps watching the entrance. According to your instructions, he bought a turkey earlier today. Him, John Winchester. A turkey. He bought wine for you and him. Maybe Sam. He’s sent Dean out for beer. 

The car is starting to get toasty and warm, just in time. He straightens, sits up, when he finally sees you and Sam. Can’t help the small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Both of you are bundled up, breath equally fogging up the air. Sam’s hair is a little longer than it used to be, and John thinks he looks like a damn hippie, but thanks to you he’s not gonna mention that. And you? You look adorable. Scarf covering the lower half of your face, hat covering most of the rest of you, eyes bright and searching. Looking for him, John realizes. Well, his car. Same difference.

You spot it first, point, say something to Sam and the two of you start walking. Sam has a bag in his hand, in addition to the backpacks both of you are carrying, and with his free hand he grabs yours. 

It’s a strikingly normal scene, for a moment. Just a father picking up his son and his son’s girlfriend for Christmas. You’re gonna have dinner, eat too much, watch TV. It’s so normal.

Except, of course, for the fact that John is gonna fuck you at some point. Gonna bury himself in you until you’re the only thing he can think of. Until everything else goes quiet. Until he’s finally filled up again despite being emptied.

All four of you are gonna have to get back into the groove of things. It’ll be fine, it’s how it works, but John would love to just drag you to his room the minute you cross the threshold, keep you all to himself. But he knows he has to play along to get what he wants.

The two of you reach the car, Sam opening the trunk, and you disappear from sight for a moment before he closes it again. Then both of you get in, in the back, John notes.

“Hey Dad,” Sam says and John nods at him in the rearview mirror. He has no idea how to greet either him or you. There’s no script for this. But then you get in and you lean forward and he turns and suddenly your face is right there. Flushed from the cold, smiling.

“Hey John,” you say, voice a little breathy. He can’t help but smile.

“Hey princess,” he says and he sees the small glint in your eyes. He turns back, puts his hands on the wheel. 

Drives the three of you home.

John’s never seen Dean so awkward, and it equally weirds him out and moves him. His older son has his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans the whole time as you and Sam are coming in, lugging in your stuff. Well, John and Sam mostly. They grab the bags before you can reach them and you don’t exactly complain. It’s not until you turn to Dean, give him a brilliant smile, and throw your arms around his neck that he comes out of it. Hugs you back, presses a quick kiss to your cheek.

Jesus, John thinks. You’ve got all three of them wrapped around your finger. He hopes he doesn’t look half the fool his sons do.

You start on dinner immediately. You take the lead, order the men around. Tell them what to do, what to cut, what to stir. John opens a bottle of red wine, pours two glasses while Sam and Dean open beers. John steps close to you, hands you the glass. You take a sip without breaking eye contact, roll the wine along your tongue and John wishes he could suck it right off of there.

You flirt with each of them so differently. Sam gets slow, lingering touches. Intimate in an almost unsexual way. Hand resting on his arm for no reason at all, just to be close. Dean gets pinched or a finger poked into his ribs, gentle shoves against his arm. You flirt with him the way a teen would flirt, playful, stolen touches, eye rolls.

John only gets looks. You don’t touch him at all, and it would upset him if it wasn’t for the kind of looks you give him. They set him on fire. Face tilted down, blinking up at him the way you would if you were kneeling in front of him, he thick in your mouth. Slow lip bites. The most sensual little smiles. He feels tension rise and ebb low in his stomach.

Once all of you sit down to eat you still haven’t moved on to more touching, or anything else. John sees Dean fidget, and wonders if he’s worried nothing’s gonna happen. That this has already run its course. That you’re back to just Sam’s girlfriend. But John knows better.

You’re forcing all of you to go slow so that nothing boils over. Keeping all of you calm until things are settled and most importantly, maybe, making sure it’s clear that you run the show. John would like to give your sweet little ass a spanking just for that presumptuousness, but he knows better. Knows that you’re right. That you’re dealing with three very delicate personalities. If anyone gets their wires crossed it could bring the whole thing crashing down.

It’s after dinner that things take a turn. The dishes are piled high in the sink for tomorrow, everyone’s got a new drink and you’re giggling at something Sam said, your hand, although mostly hidden by the dinner table, going to his leg while you look into his eyes. Sam looks back, long, unblinking. A small nod. An understanding passes between you that makes a jet flame of jealousy explode in John. It’s gone a second later, replaced by want. He doesn’t get how Sam can share you. If you were his, only his, he never would. 

A thought comes to him then, an idea. He can’t have all of you, he understands that. But he’s gonna be sure to leave an impression tonight. 

As if reading his thoughts, you stand, picking up your wine glass, look around at the three men.

“How about a little post-dinner nap?” you ask, voice sweet and very clearly suggesting that you have no interest in sleep. There’s that tug again, deep in John. Violent. Like a force of nature. 

Dean gets up first, eager guy that he is. He stands, eyes on you, slowly rounding the dinner table, Sam and John waiting and watching. Dean seems nervous, maybe anxious even, as he walks over to you. But you keep looking at him, turn to him as he comes closer and then without looking down, your free hand finds one of Dean’s and you take a step backward, and then another, taking him with you. 

Sam has his arms crossed, but he doesn’t look defensive. He looks relaxed, maybe even a little proud, John thinks. He kind of understands why. Dean’s a pussy hound and John knows the effect he has on women. He thinks Sam probably does fine too, but he always seemed less interested in that. The fact that he is the one who brought you into the family, that his brother and father might get to fuck you but you’re his in the end gives him a slight cockiness. John doesn’t hate it. He only hates the fact that you’re not his.

They both stand as well, follow you and Dean. John drops behind Sam. The hallway is dark, your silhouette only illuminated by the light coming from John’s bedroom, which he now realizes you’re leading the three of them to. The scene seems surreal - like you’re some kind of pied piper, but instead of leading the three men to doom, you’ll lead them to the most exquisite pleasure.

John halts when he reaches the doorway, leans against it. Watches as you take another sip of your wine before putting the glass down on his dresser. Dean has walked around you, one of his hands running over your front and he’s raising the other, tugging at your shirt.

“Jesus, Dean, take it a little slower.”

It’s out of John before he even realizes what he’s saying. Dean’s head shoots up and he looks at his father while Sam, who was approaching you, turns around to face him. They both look like they’ve been caught at something, the way they always do when John speaks. But you don’t. 

You’re smiling. One of your hands goes up and back, running over Dean’s cheek. John feels the storm of arousal inside him pick up. He takes a slow breath.

“Kiss her neck first, she likes that,” he says and your smile widens before you contain yourself. Dean doesn’t move for a second and then lowers his head, brushes your hair to the side and then kisses the exposed, soft skin there. Your eyes fall shut and your lips part. 

John did that. Well, technically Dean did, but really, John did it, without even touching you. He pushes himself off the doorframe and walks over to the armchair you picked out for his bedroom. He’s used it mainly to throw clothes on, but now he realizes it has another function as well. Maybe that’s the one you had in mind the whole time.

He sits, leans back. Dean’s still kissing your neck, slowly, caught up in it, lost in it. Sam has stepped closer to you, fingers of one hand gently resting on your hip and nothing more. Your eyelids flutter open and you focus on John.

He sees you press your ass back against Dean and it’s almost like he can feel the phantom pressure of your movement against himself. Dean responds, kissing your neck harder, holding you close all while Sam watches, a distant smile on his face.

“Get her on the bed,” John says. “Take off her jeans.”

Dean’s hand drops off you and in the same moment, Sam leans down, wraps his arms around you and lifts you. You squeal, throw your arms around Sam’s shoulders as he starts carrying you towards the bed. John’s pretty sure that sound, joy like that, hasn’t ever been heard in the Winchester household. Not since Mary, anyway, and even then...

Sam drops you on the bed and then gets over you and you’re still giggling, at least until he kisses you and instead you sigh. His hand goes to the button of your jeans, opening it quickly, practiced. John doesn’t know what Sam’s dorm room looks like, but he has a strange moment where he imagines the two of you there, on some dingy bed, clothes strewn everywhere. It’s not where you belong. It’s not where you should be.

Sam breaks the kiss, moves and starts tugging your jeans down. You lift your ass, help him by wiggling, bottom lip caught between your teeth to contain your grin. It makes John’s heart flutter and his dick twitch. He shifts a little, but he’s not giving in right now.

Sam finishes pulling your jeans off, drops them off the bed, then leans down, kisses your leg, slowly making his way up again. Too slowly. John needs to see you.

“Her panties, Dean,” John says and Dean, who has been standing there, maybe waiting for an instruction on what to do next, complies. Sam presses another kiss to the inside of your thigh, then drops down next to you. You turn your head to him and you two continue kissing while Dean walks up, fingers snaking up your hips to the waistline of your underwear. He pulls them off you, you helping much less this time with how Sam is distracting you, but then you’re tugging at Dean’s arm, breaking the kiss and turning to him. You grab his face, kiss him deeply, hurriedly. Dean’s eyes fall shut while his hand finds your thigh, squeezing. 

Sam’s hand goes to your chin, dragging you away from his brother to kiss him again. They’re both so hungry for you, and John can’t blame them. Dean, rather than wait his turn again, moves down the bed and then positions himself at the foot of it. Right between your legs.

Dean dives in like a man starving. John opens his mouth to say something, tell him to take it easy, that he isn’t bobbing for apples here, but then he sees your pussy, stops, too mesmerized by the sight. He feels that tug inside himself again, stronger than before. He told himself he’d wait until the boys are finished with you before he takes his turn. Right then, he’s not sure he can wait that long.

Dean licks at you, then sucks your clit into his mouth, making a hiccupy breath leave you as you pull your legs up a little. Slower, John wants to say. He wants to savor every second. His sons don’t know how fast things go, how quickly everything passes. They don’t understand that when you find something good, you need to take your time with it.

Still, you seem to like what Dean is doing as one of your hands goes to the back of his head, fingernails scratching over the skin high on his neck, and John swears it alleviates the tension in his own head, the one that’s just always kind of there. An involuntary groan leaves him, loud enough that you must notice.

You stop kissing Sam, turn your head to look at John, there on the other side of the room. Your eyelids are already low, your chest rising and falling heavily. You lick your lips before you speak.

“John, come here,” you say but John shakes his head slowly. 

“Not yet,” he says. “Later, princess.” He expects you to question him, to challenge him, even, but you don’t. You just give a slow nod, like you understand. Maybe you do. Of course you do. You’ve understood everything else about him so far.

Your free hand goes to Sam’s chest, slowly travels down to his crotch. John can’t see what you’re doing from where he sits, but with the sound of a zipper and the way Sam’s eyes fall shut shortly after, he can make an educated guess. Sam’s hand goes down his body, maybe to assist you while Dean keeps licking and sucking at you. 

Dean moves his arm, hand going up to between your legs as he begins teasing you this way too. Maybe he does have some technique, but John’s too distracted by the expression on your face to pay much attention to it. Your eyes are closed, a soft smile on your lips. You’ve got one man in your hand, one between your legs and another watching you - it seems you’re more than happy with the arrangement. 

As Dean keeps going, you begin rolling your hips, small sighing moans that might as well be the songs of angels leaving you. Your breathing is picking up as you let Dean carry you higher and higher. When your hand starts turning into a fist on the back of his head and Dean grunts at the pull, John knows you must be close. 

“How about one of you boys starts fucking her?” John says, a small tinge of teasing in his voice. Your eyes snap open, focusing on him and he gives you a wolfish grin. “She clearly needs it.”

Your mouth drops open, but then Sam is already pulling his shirt over his head. Maybe he needs you first, John thinks, as he focuses back on you while Sam takes off his t-shirt, then pulls down his jeans, the way he’s lying on his side making the movement awkward, even with your assistance. Maybe that’s the assurance he needs.

Sam manages to kick off his jeans and then he apparently can’t wait anymore. Dean moves out of the way just in time to not have his brother kick him in the face as Sam rolls you over so that you’re lying on your front before he gets over you. He kisses your shoulder over and over while his hand goes between your bodies, searching, and then you are pressing your ass up, and a second later Sam pushes himself into you.

Both of you moan at the feeling, at the union, and through it all John needs to make a fist. It should be him doing that to you, giving you that first intense stretch, the one you need to adjust to a little. Which, speaking of, Sam barely gives you any time to do. He pushes himself up a little, begins shallowly thrusting into you and you immediately moan again, louder this time. It makes sense that Sam knows what he’s doing. Still, John thinks. He would do better.

Dean has stood up, taken a step back, and is watching as well. He’s worrying at his bottom lip, eyes going over the scene before him. There’s not really any way to get to you in this position, but he seems reluctant to say anything. John doesn’t have the same reservations.

“Sam,” he says, and he has to say it again because Sam is too enthralled with driving into you, forehead pressed against the back of your head to be as close as possible to you. He looks up, then turns his head only a little, not actually looking at his father but signaling he’s heard. 

“Don’t keep her all to yourself,” John says. He bites back a comment about having taught his sons about sharing. Mostly because he actually hasn’t taught them about that, but also because he’s not sure how far he can push Sam. There’s the distant worry that he might snatch you away from them, might end this whole thing if he thinks his brother and father are getting too cocky. On the one hand, John’s not sure if he would have the balls to actually do it, or if you would go along with it. On the other, he’s very much not willing to risk it. There’s a line, and he can approach it but not cross it.

Sam stops moving, halts for a second, then pushes into you, quick, rough, one more time, making you gasp, before he pulls out, pushes himself off of you. He’s breathing hard, but looks over at his brother.

“Sure you wanna follow that act?” Sam says, side of his mouth twitching in a suppressed smile. It’s enough to shake Dean out of his stupor. He steps towards the bed again just as you’re turning yourself around, opens his jeans as he does.

“Bitch,” he mutters in Sam’s direction. 

“Jerk,” Sam fires back immediately. 

“Don’t fight,” you say, grinning up at Dean who’s approaching you. He leans down, grabs you around both ankles and pulls you toward the edge of the bed. You laugh and a broad smile breaks out over Dean’s face. You sit up a little, just enough to start tugging at Dean’s shirt, enough to hurry him up as Dean tears his clothes off himself in his bid to get to you.

Just like Sam, he doesn’t have the patience to take all of his clothes off before climbing over you. He stumbles only a little when he steps out of his jeans and knees onto the bed and you help him push his underwear down and then he’s over you, kissing you, as you wrap your arms and legs around him. Dean presses himself against you and you playfully nip at his lip, once, twice, before Dean pulls his head back, narrows his eyes at you.

“What?” you ask, teasingly. “Just want a taste.” Dean raises his eyebrows. 

“I’ll give you a taste,” he says and you grin, then reach your hand between your bodies.

“All talk,” you say and Dean clenches his jaw, either at your teasing or at the fact that you find him. He adjusts himself and then kisses you again when he pushes in. 

Your head drops back as Deans starts rolling his hips, starts fucking you, slower and gentler than Sam. You turn your head to the side and when your eyes open again, they’re on John.

“Such good boys,” you say, voice breathy. “You really raised them right.”

John’s never associated sex with laughter, with outright joy. He still doesn’t, but in that moment, he can’t help the snorting scoff that comes from him. The fact that you are fucking all three of them stands in stark contrast to your statement. You grin at John’s amusement, but only until Dean picks up his speed and your eyes flutter shut again.

Dean is watching you intently, watching the effect he is having on you as he keeps thrusting into you. He pushes himself a little higher to give himself better leverage, to drive faster into you, which is what he starts doing.

Your noises are becoming louder, more urgent. Your legs wrap tighter around Dean and you’re curling your toes, moving your hips along to support his movement. You turn your head to the other side, searching out Sam who has been watching, stoking himself languidly. 

“Baby,” you say, breathless, “come here.” Sam does, comes closer and John assumes you’re gonna start blowing him, but Sam reaches you, hand going down your body to between your legs, barely avoiding Dean as he starts petting your clit. You whine loudly, eyebrows drawing together as Sam rubs you, hard and fast.

It seems to almost become too much for you for a second. The stimulation must be intense and John can see the muscles in your stomach and thighs twitching but then you crash into an orgasm, head going back, neck stretched as the most perfect, pained sounds leave you and you come, shuddering all over before Sam pulls his hand back again.

Dean groans loudly and John knows what he feels, knows the perfect ripple of your pussy, has felt it and without meaning to, one of his hands goes to his crotch, palm rubbing over the jeans fabric, pressing. He’s hard as steel, and he really shouldn’t be surprised, but it’s like he’s been hypnotized. The urge for you grows stronger suddenly, impossibly strong.

He snaps back into the moment when Dean groans again, eyes squeezing shut, shoulders shaking and he must come, because he stills, almost whines and then nearly collapses on top of you. He rests his forehead against your neck as you run your hands over his back, catching your breath.

But Sam’s not having it. He waits another second, then shifts, before speaking.

“Move, dude,” he says and Dean blinks, raises his head. He groggily pushes himself up, not giving any lip back at his brother for once, pulls himself out of you, but not without squeezing your thighs. He stumbles off the bed, then stands, immediately reaching down to grab his boxers. His t-shirt is hanging off the side of the bed and before Dean can reach it, Sam reaches for it, then presses it between your legs, wiping his brother's spendings off of you. Dean looks up from pulling up his underwear a second later, face contorting.

“Come on, man!” he says but Sam isn’t listening, tosses the shirt to the side and then reaches for your arms, pulls you up. You follow and Sam turns both of you so that you’re over him, straddling him. You press your hands into the mattress on the right and left of his head, grin down at him while one of Sam’s hands goes to his dick, the other to your ass, getting you to sit up higher.

“That was kinda gross,” you say and Sam returns the grin.

“Wanted me to just leave it there?” he asks, eyebrows raised. “You wanna just be filled to the brim with all of us?” 

In response, you moan, then move higher so that Sam can line himself up with you. He looks down your body, then up at your face again, just in time to watch your eyes fall shut when you sink down on him.

John watches your face too. Watches the softness and pleasure there. He could look at your face forever. He’s breathing hard. You’ll be positively spent by the time he gets to you. He doesn’t mind. 

Sam and you start moving at the same time, you rolling and he thrusting up. It’s clear that despite you being on top, Sam has no interest in letting you take the lead. He grabs two handfuls of your ass cheeks, starts manipulating your movement. You lay both hands on his chest to steady yourself, moan loudly.

John’s close to bursting. He can feel it. He’s pretty sure he’s gonna come the second he enters you. He stays unmoving, though. He can’t come in now - it would throw off the entire… hierarchy, his brain offers. Maybe. Maybe that’s what it is.

His focus is drawn back to you, bouncing there on Sam’s cock, perfect tits on full display. You’re taking it like a champ, seem ecstatic by it, by the way you’re being filled over and over, like it won’t ever be enough. You seem to have an insatiable appetite, which is good, considering you have three men here to feed you.

It doesn’t take long until you’re moaning loudly, biting your lips, pinching your nipples. Sam’s mouth is open as he keeps looking from where he’s disappearing inside of you to your face, unable to settle on any one sight. Dean meanwhile seems to have collected himself somewhat, because he walks over. You and Sam are at the edge of the bed, so it’s easy for Dean to reach out, turn your face towards him and kiss you deeply. You moan into his mouth and then Dean pulls back, his face only an inch from yours.

“Sammy gonna be able to make you come?” he asks, tone cocky. “Or you need any help with that?” You must be close, because you don’t give a quick, snappy comeback this time. Instead you whimper, shake your head a little.

“So close,” you mumble and John might be imagining it, but he thinks he sees a shadow of disappointment pass over Dean’s face, just for a second. Not that he cares, not that it matters with how hard you are grinding yourself down against Sam. You look concentrated, focused and then your eyebrows pull up and you moan loudly.

“Yes, baby, right there, right there,” you gasp and a second later you are shuddering, whimpering loudly as you come again. Dean has let go of your face, but he’s running a hand over your hair, your back. 

Sam’s not done, though, and he keeps thrusting up and finally you start riding him again, meeting him halfway. It’s not long before he pulls up his lip, almost snarling and squeezes his eyes shut, pressing the back of his head into the pillow below.

“Fuck,” he groans, body going slack under you as you slump forward, land on his chest, pressing yourself against him. Your face is turned into John’s direction. There’s a dreamy smile on your face as you come down.

It’s quiet in the room, except everyone’s heavy breathing feeling impossibly loud. Dean’s hand is still on your back, fingers making small circles just below where Sam is holding you.

It’s a miracle that John can stand. He does, and for a moment he’s not sure his legs won’t give out with how little blood there must be running through them. He’s hard, painfully so. He’s not sure he’s ever been harder in his life. He steps closer to his bed and your eyes open, focus on him again. The way you always know just where to find him - it’d be easy to read into that. He allows himself to, just for a moment.

“On your back,” he says, voice low and gravely. “Legs open.”

He knows he can’t ask Sam and Dean to leave, even though he would want to. Right now, it doesn’t matter. He needs you and he needs relief, and it doesn’t matter how he gets it so long as he gets it both. 

You press yourself up, let Sam slip out of you and do what John says. Finally, he thinks. Someone who understands that sometimes he does know what he’s doing. Sam slinks off the bed but John barely notices. He’s too busy watching you position yourself on your back, adjusting until you’re comfortable. He nods at Dean’s already come-stained shirt lying close to you.

“Clean yourself,” he says and, again, without objection you reach for it, do what he asked you to do, then lie back down. 

John looks down at you. You’re completely naked while he’s completely dressed. It makes you look all the more vulnerable, all the more open and ready. He runs one hand over his face, his fingertips making a scratching sound against his beard.

Your chest is still rising and falling. Your eyelids are low, mouth open. The insides of your thigh are glistening with your own wetness and probably leftovers of Sam and Dean. You’re a mess, spent. You should be satisfied, done.

But the way you look up at John. The way one of your hands finds the bedsheet under you, twists it between your fingers. The way your legs are dropped open wide, no shame, no worry, just want. It’d be so easy to feel shame, horror. But you don’t. And so do none of them.

“So this is what you like, huh?” he asks, smiling a little as his hands go to his belt. He wants to just tear his clothes off, have all of your skin touch all of his, but you have given this to him, to him and his sons, so he wants to make sure you get your money’s worth.

“You like just being fucked stupid?” he asks. “One man ain’t enough for you?”

It’s teetering close to the edge of what might be acceptable to say, but John can’t care in that moment. You run the tip of your tongue over your top lip.

“Are you just gonna talk?” you ask. “Or are you actually gonna do something?”

John freezes and although he’s not looking at them, he’s pretty sure Sam and Dean do too. He looks down at you and you seem so absolutely unafraid of him. It’s the moment he realizes that doesn’t happen a lot. The people he spends time with tend to be scared of him. But you’re not.

His hands drop off his belt and he puts one knee on the bed, leans over you. His eyes roam over your face, then your body while he slowly shakes his head. He raises one hand, then his fingertips land on your skin, where it’s extra soft on your stomach and slowly wanders lower. He finds your wet warmth, gently touching.

“I think you need to watch your tone,” he says, voice low. You give him a challenging grin. 

“Or what?” you say. John sucks on his teeth while he thinks, his hand no longer moving. 

He looks up. Sam and Dean are standing back, almost at attention, watching. He doesn’t need to say anything - he looks at them, then nods at you. Sam huffs through his nose, understanding first. He’s put on his briefs again, then steps closer to the bed, crawls on it just far enough to reach you. Your eyes shoot up at him and John loves the look of surprise he sees there. Looks like he actually got one over on you for once. He silently congratulates himself just as Dean follows suit, also leaning over you.

John’s fingers dive into you, two of them, and he nearly closes his eyes at the feeling. A small gasp leaves you, turns into a moan when Dean’s hand goes to your breast, your nipple, rolling it between two fingers. You blink but seem to have a hard time keeping your eyes open. Sam’s hand goes to your face, cupping your cheek. Thumb running over your bottom lip.

John crooks his fingers, presses them against you, against the soft spongy spot inside of you. Your hips buck up but you’re not going far with the three men there over you. Dean keeps teasing your nipple and your mouth drops open, allowing Sam to push his thumb in. You greedily begin sucking on it.

It doesn’t take long. The sound John’s fingers are making is loud, only interrupted by the animalistic noises you are making, pressed out between Sam’s digit. You’re whimpering like a hurt animal and when you fall apart, it looks like you’re possessed by an angry spirit. John keeps going, pressing hard against you and your high doesn’t seem to end as you inhale and exhale quickly, harshly. Sam pulls his finger out of your mouth and Dean pulls back too, and a moment later your hand shoots down, grabbing John’s wrist and pulling his hand away from you.

You roll to the side, still moaning on every breath. John lays one large hand on your hip, watches as you slowly calm down. You haven’t let go of his wrist, your hand still clenched around it.

“Oh God,” you mutter. “Oh God, that was…” You don’t say what it was, but John thinks he has a pretty good idea. He sighs, fingertips gently tracing your skin.

When you blink your eyes open, that cockiness isn’t there anymore. It’s not driven out of you, but it’s replaced with something else - determination. You let go of John’s wrist, but only so your hands can find his belt, finish opening it. He lets you. He feels strangely unhurried all of a sudden, despite the fact that his erection is still straining in his jeans.

You take him out, give him a slow, cursory stroke. John closes his eyes, release so close he can taste it. When he opens his eyes again, you reach out for him, arms open and welcoming. He takes a shaky breath.

He doesn’t have it in him to take his clothes off. He pushes his jeans down and he feels like a volcano bubbling over. He’s sure his belt buckle and the zipper of his jeans might be scratching at you, might be uncomfortable but he doesn’t care. He just doesn’t.

You drop your legs open and he goes into you as easily as a hot knife into butter. You’re that ready for him. You bring your head up, press your forehead against his. It takes him a handful of thrusts, and if he was the same man he was before he met you, he might be embarrassed at that but, again, he can’t seem to care. 

His moan is long and deep and he feels like he goes blind and dumb for a second. He empties himself into you with a fierceness that could scare him. But it doesn’t. Because all is right.

He lowers his head and you land a soft kiss on his cheek. He could fall asleep, right now, right here, while he softens inside of you. It sounds tempting. But then you move, just a little, and with the last bit of strength he has, he rolls off you so he doesn’t smush you.

The back of his head meets the bed and he stares up at the ceiling. His mind - and his balls, for that matter - have never been so empty. But his heart is filled up when he feels you move, and then you are pressing yourself against him, one arm going over his chest, cheek pressed against his shoulder. John wraps his arm around you, fingers lazily tracing your skin.

“So,” you say, voice muffled by how close you are to him, “who’s gonna carry me to the shower? Cause I’m pretty sure my legs don’t work.”

Sam’s the first one to snort and John feels you raise your head, probably look at Sam, maybe grinning at him.

“Lazy,” Dean comments and you click your tongue. 

“You try taking three loads, Winchester,” you say, and Sam gives a high-pitched laugh while Dean expresses his disdain at your suggestion.

The three of you keep bickering, but John barely hears it. He’s turned his head, is looking at you, your easy smile, your beautiful face. 

Is this working? he asks himself. Did they actually, among all this horror, find something that just works? It might be fucked up and weird, and John knows that if he thinks too closely about it, he might ruin it. So he doesn’t. You look at him, smile, before shooting something else at Dean or Sam, he’s not even sure, because something is sneaking up on John that he hasn’t known in a long time.

It’s peace.

It’s a few hours later and John is making his round through the house. It’s something he started doing when Dean was born and then never stopped. From the habit of a young father to that of a seasoned hunter. 

He moves the curtain in the living room to the side with one finger, looks down the street. Blinks, narrows his eyes. It’s snowing. Soft and quiet and white everywhere. He didn’t even notice.

He looks for a second longer, then turns, walks out of the living room. Turns off the light behind him, then walks over to Sam’s room.

The door is ajar and he pushes against it gently to look inside. The bedside lamp is on. You’re lying on your side with Sam behind you, eyes closed, his arm slung over you. Your hair still looks a little wet from the shower. Both of you are breathing deeply and slowly, peacefully. John’s eyes wander down, and he sees Dean lying next to the bed on the ground. He has a pillow and a thin blanket and his arm is thrown over his face while he’s gently snoring. A loyal guard dog.

John takes two steps into the room, quiet. Before he turns off the light, he lowers his hand, brushes a strand of hair out of your face. You don’t wake.

He pulls the door with him when he leaves the room but doesn’t close it. He wishes you had fallen asleep in his bed, but he doesn’t feel sore about it. Maybe some other night you will. Or maybe holding you while you sleep is Sam’s terrain only.

John climbs into bed, stretches. Tiredness pulls at him, but it’s a good kind of tiredness. An intense one. 

He’ll wake up to his sons and you and peace in the house. He saw the presents you put under the tree that you specifically asked him to buy. It’s a small, shabby one and he didn’t have any decoration for it, but you’ve bought some folded paper decoration that you’ve attached to it. It looks wonky but sort of sweet.

In all the excitement leading up to the day, John didn’t get you a present. It’s just not something that’s been on his mind, but he swears to himself that he will get you something. He doubts that whatever is waiting for him in the small package adorned with his name is something expensive, but it’s about the principle. He’ll get Sam and Dean something nice too. 

Snow falls gently outside and the house is quiet. Dean sniffs in his sleep, scratches at his nose. Sam pulls you closer in his sleep and John, if anyone would believe it, has a content look on his face as he closes his eyes. It’s their first family holiday in a long, long time, but it’s gonna be a good one.

[newtonsheffield]

love that save my life Anthony isn't above bribing Newton. hes a billionaire he knows whats up. toys check treats check nuggets and "fallen" bits of breakfast/lunch/dinner check

Anthony has to admit it’s worked even better than he thought it might. Now Newton comes barreling up to him and taps his pudgy little paw against Anthony’s shoe waiting for a scratch behind the ear and/or a little treat. Newton is becoming his little buddy, immediately jumping into his lap when he takes a seat on Kate’s sofa. This, he feels, is showing Kate that he can be a provider. Did he ever see himself as a dog owner? No. But Kate loves her dog and he’s not going to let something as silly as Kate having a dog get in the way of his dream job as Kate’s husband.

Kate, on the other hand is a little bemused that Newton can be so cheaply bought but even she has to be a little impressed. Newton usually takes a while to warm up to new people and men usually he’s not super fond of. But there’s Newton with his head in Anthony’s lap getting corgi fur all over his £3000 suit. And Anthony seems largely unbothered.

“Newton, leave Anthony, baby.”

“He’s fine.” Anthony rubbed Newton’s tummy. “I like him. He’s very… it’s soothing to just pet him.”

“He’s a sweet little boy.” Kate hummed, booping Newton’s nose.

“I’ve never had a dog before.”

“Maybe you should get one.”

“Are you saying we should get a puppy together?” Anthony grinned, “Steady on Kate. What would people think?”

She rolled her eyes and flicked Anthony on the end of the nose. “They’d think you’re an idiot.”

[magicalmadrigals]

The Proposal - One Shot

Finally getting around to posting this little one shot! Gosh, I love these two so much. They're so fun to write for ✨

[Synopsis: At long last, Agustin works up the courage to propose to Julieta.]

Read over on AO3 at this link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63822892

Or you can read here under the cut!

----------

“Oh my…”

“I…uh…I looked at others, but I kept going back to this one. Do you think she’ll like it?”

Looking up from the ring in the little red box in her hand, Pepa did nothing but blink at Agustín for a second. “Do I think she’ll like it?” She raised a sculpted eyebrow at him. “Honestamente, I think she’ll love it, but you could have gone with the blade of grass idea from when we were kids and she still would have said yes.”

He chuckled under his breath at her comment.

“Have you decided where you’re going to ask her?” She gave him a look. “Not la cocina.”

“Not la cocina. She spends enough time in there already,” He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “I’m taking her out for dinner tonight. We planned it a couple weeks ago, so that part is going to be normal. When I walk her home, I’m going to take her to the treehouse and that’s where I’m going to ask her. I roped Roméo in, so there are going to be candles and a basket of tortas waiting for us when we get there. I want it to be perfect for her. She means so much to me. More than she knows, honestly, and making her happy is all I care about.”

Pepa laid a hand over her heart, blinking back tears. “Can you marry me instead?”

“Hola, Pepi, I’m standing right here.” Félix reminded her, prompting her to look at him.

“Sí, lo siento.” She smiled, bringing her free hand up to pat his chest.

Holding his hand out to take the ring box back from his – all being well – soon to be cunada, Agustín closed it and returned it to his pocket before straightening his jacket and taking a breath in an attempt to calm himself. He wasn’t proposing for hours yet and he was already sweating through his shirt, so he dreaded to think what sort of state he would be in when the time actually came for him to ask Julieta to marry him. It was already a given that he was going to make a complete idiot of himself since that was all he ever did around her, but that was fortunately something she had grown to love about him over time and he was relieved.

All he had to do was keep from setting himself alight on the candles and he’d be fine.

“Could you two do me a favour? Act normal around her this afternoon? I know what she’s like and if anything’s out of the ordinary, she’ll know something’s going on.” He said.

“Of course.” Pepa and Félix nodded.

“Gracias. I appreciate it. I should see her before I go, do you know where she is?” He asked.

“You have known the girl since we were 5. You’re really asking that question?” Pepa frowned.

He rolled his eyes, laughing at himself. “Of course. I’ll see you later.”

“Adiós.”

“Adiós.”

He turned away from then then, walking out of the sitting room and through the courtyard to la cocina where he knew his girlfriend would be, and when he got there he smiled at seeing her at the kitchen island. She was busy making arepas again, her speciality and a hit with those in town, and as usual she had a little flour on her face and in her hair. Her days were long and hard and there was no doubt in his mind that she was dead on her feet when she got into bed at night, but there was also no doubt in his mind that she loved her work. Her gift meant so much to her and she found so much happiness in helping those in need.

He tried his hardest to be quiet and discreet as he walked into the kitchen, wanting to surprise her, but he was never much good at being either of those things, so it came as very little surprise when she glanced his way. “You’re still here? I thought you left a while ago.” She said, following him with her eyes as he approached her before he moved to stand behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss into the side of her neck.

“Félix wanted to speak to me about something, so we had a drink. I thought I’d come and say goodbye before I went home.” He replied.

“You’re sweet.” She turned her head, accepting the soft kiss he gave her.

He smiled when they parted and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Excited about tonight?”

“Very,” She beamed. “We don’t go out enough.”

“I know, but I promise to make tonight perfect for you, Amor.” He told her gently.

“As long as I have you there with me, it will be,” She assured him. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” He buried a kiss in her curls, breathing her in. “So much.”

----------

Opening her mouth so Gus could feed her the last small piece of apple pie, sitting across from him at their table outside the restaurant, she gave him a smile as she ate it slowly before leaning back in her seat and reaching for her glass of wine. “That was deliciosa, but I don’t think I could eat anything else,” She laughed as she set her glass back down after taking a sip, her love for him deepening when he laid his hand palm-up on the table and gestured for her to take it which she did. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble for me, though I love you for doing so. I would have been happy with a picnic like we usually do.”

He shook his head, bringing her hand up so he could kiss the back of her palm. “I know you would have, but we have gone on hundreds of picnics and I felt like doing something special for you for once,” He admitted. “I wouldn’t have gotten to see you in that dress if we went for a picnic either, so I count myself lucky for more reasons than one. You look so beautiful. Have I told you that?”

“Once or twice…” Her cheeks burned as she lost his gaze for a second. “Maybe four times.”

“Well, you do.”

“Gracias. Pepa spent three hours doing my hair and makeup for me, so I would hope so.”

Dropping her hand, he reached over the table and stroked her face with the back of a hand. He said nothing, but the look in his eye was more than enough and she smirked at him.

“You know you can kiss me.” She reminded him.

“You don’t think it would be inappropriate?” He teased.

“I didn’t say that,” She slid forward a little on her chair. “But if you think I’m the sort of girl to let being kissed in front of people embarrass me, you really don’t know me as well as I thought you did which is a shame,” She brought her elbow to rest on the table, settling her chin in her palm. “So, Rojas, are you going to kiss me? Or did you really get my hopes up just to go and disappoint me?”

“Oh, the last thing I want to do is disappoint you.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Shaking his head at her, he brushed a lone curl behind her ear before hooking his finger beneath her chin and leaning in to capture her lips with his. He made sure to keep it chaste, what with there being other couples sat around them, but at the same time he poured all that he wanted to say to her into it. It was long and soft and tender and when he pulled back eventually, sucking at her bottom lip, her eyes delayed opening and her breathing was a little uneven and it thrilled him to no end. “Is that what you wanted?” He asked, leaning back in his chair again when she opened her eyes and looked at him.

She managed a little nod, still catching her breath.

“I’ll go and see to the bill,” He told her. “I was thinking we might take the long way back?”

“Sounds good to me.” She smiled.

Looking at her for a second longer, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She replied before he got up from the table and went inside the restaurant.

It had been a wonderful night and she had loved spending some time alone with him, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going on. It all started with Pepa insisting she let her do her hair and makeup for her. She did ask if she wanted her to whenever she and Gus had a date planned, that much was true, but normally she backed down when she politely declined. Not tonight though. She never even gave her the chance to refuse, instead grabbing her by the arm and dragging her up the stairs so that she could get her sorted.

What truly convinced her that something was going on though was the way Gus had been acting all night. He was always a bit of a nervous wreck around her, even after all this time, and it was just one of the things she loved and found endearing about him, but it seemed to be on another level tonight. He’d stumbled over his words, he’d played with his tie many times – a tell-tale sign he was anxious – and she could tell by his eyes that something was going on with him. It was no secret that everyone knew something that she didn’t.

Deep down, she felt she had an idea what it was.

Each time she thought about it she got excited, but she didn’t want to get her hopes up.

If it happened, then it happened. She would have to wait and see.

She was pulled from her thoughts by Gus resting his hands on her shoulders from behind a little while later, the two of them sharing a smile when she looked over her shoulder at him after he kissed her crown. “Well, that’s dinner sorted,” He said as he pulled her chair out for her so she could stand, his hand reaching for hers before she took it and they started walking away from the little restaurant. “Señor Alvarez said our meal was on him because you helped Francesca when she got hurt the other day. He appreciated it and wanted to do something to thank you. I like that. It’s about time someone acknowledged your work.”

“I don’t need acknowledgement though,” She replied. “I don’t do it for that reason.”

“No, I know that,” He squeezed her hand. “I also know there are some people in town who like to take advantage though and don’t appreciate what you do for them enough. I know how much you have to do just to be able to care for them. I see you working in la cocina for hours on end and I see you exhausted at the end of the day, but the townspeople don’t see either of those things and so they don’t realize how lucky they are. I like it when someone does something like this for you because it proves they appreciate what you do for them.”

She hummed. “Señor Alvarez is so kind. Remind me to thank him for this, would you?”

“I will,” He nodded before dropping her hand so that he could put an arm around her and draw her close while they walked. He felt her cuddle up to him after a time and tightened his hold of her, running his hand along her back through her cardigan when she laid her head on his chest. “Are you warm enough?”

“It has gone a little chillier now you mention it…” Her eyes sparkled when she looked at him.

Knowing what she was up to, he stopped walking for a second and playfully rolled his eyes at her while starting to unbutton his jacket. He removed it and draped it around her shoulders, untucking her curls from beneath the collar and seeing to it that she was covered before putting his arm back around her. “Better?” He asked as they continued walking.

“Better,” She buried her nose in the fabric and breathed him in. “You are such a caballero.”

“Only for you.” He mumbled against her forehead, kissing her there.

“So I should hope.” She chuckled.

A comfortable silence fell over them as they went on walking for a few minutes, neither of them feeling the need to say much, but when they were a little distance from the treehouse he looked her way again. “I was thinking we could go to the treehouse for a while,” He told her while playing with the ends of her curls. “I just don’t want to say goodnight to you yet and it’s not that late. I’m sure your mama won’t mind and Pepa and Bruno can cover for you if we get there a little later than planned. What do you say?”

Pulling his jacket further around herself, she gave him a small smile. “I want to.”

He failed to keep from lowering his head to brush his lips against hers. “Good.”

It was clear she was getting tired and it wasn’t at all surprising given the long afternoon she’d had. He didn’t have to worry about that though. Once they were at the treehouse, he would propose and then they could sit and talk and relax for a while before he took her home.

It was all in hand.

When they reached the treehouse, he let her take his jacket from around her shoulders and give it to him before he watched her start climbing the ladder. It was then that his heart began to pound. Once she reached the top, she would see the treats and the candles and it would become clear to her – if she hadn’t worked it out already – that something was going on. He would have little time to prepare when he got up there, so he would have to make something up on the spot. He would just say what he felt. It would make things a lot easier.

He started climbing once she was up there and, as expected, when he reached the platform she was standing there with wide eyes. She was blown away, he could tell, but she was smiling and he took that as a very good sign. “Gus…” She breathed. “Wh…what is all of this?”

Rubbing his hands on his trousers to stop them sweating, he was mindful of the candles as he approached her before taking her hands in his. A silent moment passed as they looked at each other, but he soon realized there was only one thing left to do and so he reached into his jacket pocket for the ring box. He heard her breath catch at the sight of it and he let out a soft chuckle, opening the box with a trembling hand to reveal the ring he picked out for her while getting down onto one knee. “Oh my…” Her voice trembled as she held back tears.

“Funny,” He laughed, rubbing at his neck. “Pepa had the exact same reaction.”

She snorted gently as he took her by the hand again and smoothed his thumb across her knuckles. “Gus, I…I’m not sure what to…” She stammered, quietening when he hushed her.

“I have been thinking about doing this for longer than I can remember,” He told her while trying to keep his hand from shaking. “You were the only real friend I had for the longest time. You were the only person in town who didn’t think I was stupid and you always defended me even though you didn’t have to. I don’t know the exact moment I fell in love with you, but that means being in love with you is all I’ve ever really known and I think that’s a life well spent if you ask me. You mean everything to me. You always have and all I want to do is spend the rest of my life reminding you of that.”

She tried her best, but she couldn’t keep the tears from falling at his words.

“I planned on writing out what I was going to say to you. I sat down to do it a hundred times, but I kept throwing what I wrote away because it didn’t sound right,” He admitted. “For the longest time, I couldn’t work out where I was going wrong and why it wasn’t working out, but then it came to me. I couldn’t do it because there’s no one way to describe you. No one way to tell you how much I love and want you. You are the most loving, unique, wonderful person I have ever known and why you chose me when you could have had any man you wanted will never make sense to me, but I’m so thankful that you did.”

“I chose you because you were – are – the only man for me,” She said. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too and that’s why I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” It was becoming something of a challenge for him to keep his own emotions in check now. “I want to go on adventures with you and have children with you and – even though we don’t need to think about it yet – I want to grow old with you. I can’t imagine my life without you a part of it and I don’t want to. It would be so pointless. I want to spend my life making you as happy as I can, Amor, and all I’m asking is that you give me the chance to do that.”

Her heart was pounding hard against her ribs and she could feel her impatience increasing.

“Julieta Madrigal,” He took the ring from the box. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” She squeaked, smiling like a fool through tears as he slid the ring onto her finger before he got to his feet again and took her waist in his hands, pulling her close to him. Reaching up to bury her hands in his hair, she pulled him down into the deepest kiss and felt him tighten his hold of her as they sank into it. It was soft and warm and full of passion, that simple action saying more in that moment than either of them could hope to. For years, they had had to be so careful and now all of that was coming to an end and it was a relief. Before long, they would be married and no longer have to worry about being seen like this.

She could have remained wrapped up in his embrace for the rest of time, honestly, but the need to catch her breath was growing stronger by the minute and the last thing she wanted to do was faint. Deciding to end the kiss, she let her hands settle upon his neck and kissed him softly again before pulling back enough to touch her forehead to his. “Ay, you took your time,” She breathed. “I thought you’d never do it. I thought Bruno would be married first.”

“Bruno’s not even courting anyone.” He laughed.

“Exactly…” She shook her head. “I don’t have to worry about that anymore though.”

He hummed in agreement. “No, you’re my prometida now.”

“I love the way that sounds,” She giggled. “Are you certain though? Certain, certain?”

“Certain, certain,” He echoed. “And you? You’ll be stuck with me forever after the wedding.”

“You know,” She went onto her tiptoes to kiss him again. “That’s a life sentence I’m happy to accept.”

----------

He tucked a curl from her face and tucked it behind her ear, sighing to himself as he pulled the blanket they were sharing a little further over her while she napped on him. She hadn’t been asleep long really, half an hour at most, but he’d have to wake her soon so he could take her home and he didn’t want to. He would have spent all night up there with her if he could – they had in the past – but he knew that wouldn’t be an option this time. Her mamá would be waiting up to make sure he got her home safe and he’d worked hard enough to get on her good side, so the last thing he wanted to do was wreck that tonight of all nights.

No, he had to take her home at some point, but he felt he’d be safe a little while longer.

Holding her a little tighter, he let her snuggle into him in her sleep before kissing her brow when she laid her head on his chest. It felt so natural, holding her in such a way, making sure she slept. Should she have been at home, she would have been in the kitchen making all manner of things ready for tomorrow. He knew she never went to bed until past midnight. She saw the end of one day and the beginning of the next, but that would change when he went to live with her after the wedding.

He knew she was a busy woman and had a lot to do and he respected that, but he would also make sure she refrained from working herself into an early grave. If she wasn’t in bed by a certain time, he’d go and tell her to go and get some sleep. He’d make her if he had to because he cared about the townspeople, yes, but just as her duty was to them, his duty was to her and he’d make sure he looked after her. It would be something they fought about at times, her ridiculous schedule, he knew that much, but there was no doubt in his mind that they would come to some compromise eventually.

Her moving in his arms with an incoherent mumble pulled him from his thoughts and he looked down at her, smiling and stroking her face with the back of a hand when she tilted her head back on his chest. “Hola…” He whispered, feeling her tangle her leg with his.

“Hola,” She echoed, giving him a guilty look. “Lo siento. You planned this and I fell asleep.”

“You had a long day. I knew you’d be tired tonight,” He soothed with a shake of his head, passing a hand over her wild curls which earned him a smile. “I should take you home soon.”

She made a sound of complaint at that before sitting up slightly and turning onto her front against him, the two of them sharing a smile as she played with his tie and he ran his hand up and down her back. “We could spend tonight up here. We have snacks. We have pillows.”

“I want to,” He sighed, kissing her. “You have no idea how much, but your mama knows where you are and you know what she can be like. She won’t go to bed until you’re home and if I don’t get you back soon, she’s not going to be pleased with me. It took me a long time to get her on my side and I…I just don’t want to do anything to ruin that. I want her to like me. I want her to think of me as suitable for you, but I need to prove myself to her for that to happen and getting you home on time is part of that.”

“Is it wrong of me to wish you weren’t so decent all the time?” She huffed.

He laughed, wrapping his arms tight around her when she laid down again and tucked her head beneath his chin. “We can spend the night up here whenever we like when we’re married,” He pointed out. “No one will ask questions, we won’t have to sneak around, and Pepa and Bruno won’t have to come up with some stupid story for your mama. Everything will be different then.”

“Can we get married tomorrow?” She murmured against his chest.

“I’d take you to the church and marry you now if I thought I could.”

“Imagine what Mamá would say if we went back there married.”

“Honestly, I’m more worried about what she would do to me if we did,”

Looking at him again, she curled a hand into his shirt. “You really care about her opinion.”

“I think she is an amazing woman. Even more so since I found out what she had to go through before all of this,” He replied. “I have so much respect for her and I have a lot to be thankful to her for. You being the main thing. I want her to feel like she can trust me to take care of you. She doesn’t think I’m worthy and I agree, but I love you and I’m going to prove to her that I can be worthy of you. It might take years and it might be something I never manage, but I need to try. Your family is the most important thing to you, I know that, so I need to make sure they’re as important to me as they are to you.”

“Mi familia is important to me, but you’re more important to me than anything.” She said.

“I am?” He asked.

“Considering I once told Mamá I’d leave here to be with you, I would say so.”

“You really would have given all of this up just to be with me?”

“I would give up anything to be with you,” Moving closer to him under the blanket, she draped an arm over his stomach and hummed happily when he brushed his nose against hers. “I’m never going to stop being grateful to my papa for what he did for us, but…but none of it – my gift, the miracle, Casita – means anything to me if I can’t share it with you. I hope it never comes down to it, but if I ever had to choose between all of this or staying with you then I know which choice I’d make. It has and always will be you. I mean that.”

Cupping her cheek in his hand beneath her curls, he looked her in the eye. “I feel the same.”

“You do?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“I do,” He assured her. “The exact same…”

----------

It was throwing it down with rain and the two of them were soaked through, but neither of them cared in the slightest as they stood there caught up in their embrace. He’d wanted her to head inside the second they got back, to go and change and get herself something warm to drink before she got sick, but she had other ideas. Getting caught in the downpour made her realise she had never been kissed in the rain before and, oddly, it was something that had always sounded wonderful to her. In her mind, there was no time like the present to see what it was like and so she’d just grabbed and kissed him.

He’d been stunned for a time, something she’d been expecting since he’d had very little warning before she’d moved in, but he eventually sank into it and it was every bit as wonderful as she thought it would be. His hands on her, the sound of the rain falling around them, it just brought her a happiness that she couldn’t put into words.

Letting a hand move up his chest and find the side of his neck, she smiled into the kiss when he pulled her further into him by the waist. She could feel his warmth through the layers they both had on and it made her shiver, but to him that meant she was cold and so he pulled back to look at her. “You’re cold,” He said breathlessly. “You should go in.”

“Gus, I’m not cold,” She laughed. “Right now, I’m anything but.”

He chuckled at that, brushing her wet curls from her face. “I still think you should go in.”

“Bored of me already? I thought you’d last longer than two hours.” She feigned hurt.

“I…”

Ay, Agustín, I’m playing.”

He was relieved. “I just don’t want to be the reason you end up sick.”

“I know,” She patted his chest. “You’re right, I should go in. Kiss me first though?”

“I guess I can manage that.” He tutted, pulling her close again and kissing her soundly.

Unlike the first time, the two of them barely had any time at all to sink into the kiss before the front door swung open and they pulled apart to see Pepa standing there in the doorway, arms crossed. “So, you both decided to start your engagement off with the flu! Fabulous idea.” She said.

“Pepa…” Julieta groaned, turning to look at her. “You can’t give us a minute?”

“As your hermana, it is my job to make sure everything goes smoothly from now until the wedding and making sure you stay healthy is part of that,” Pepa argued, reaching for the orange umbrella next to her and opening it before making her way outside and taking her sister by the wrist. “Now, say goodnight.”

Julieta glared at her before turning back to Gus with a smile. “Buenos noches.”

“Gus, say goodnight to Juli.” Pepa instructed, making him laugh.

“Buenos noches, corazón.” He said, looking at Julieta a second time.

Before either of them had time to process what was happening, Pepa started pulling her in the direction of the house and the two of them shared a knowing look when she glanced over her shoulder at him. Just before Casita closed its doors behind her and her hermana, Gus gave her a little wave which she returned before she turned to Pepa with a huff. “You’d kill me if I interrupted you and Félix like that.” She grumbled.

“I’d hit you with lightning.” Pepa nodded. “But that’s not important. Hand. Now.”

Julieta brought her hand up, the initial irritation dying down little by little, and she smiled when her sister brought a hand to her chest. “You should have heard him. He made me cry.”

“Bruno made you cry when he ate the last polvorosa last month. Doesn’t take much.”

“Fair point. Honestly though, he said the most wonderful things.”

Pepa smiled. “He really loves you. I just don’t know why it took him so long to ask!”

“I said the same,” She snorted. “It doesn’t matter now though. He asked me.”

Reaching out to rest a hand on her arm through her cardigan, Pepa rubbed it gently before nodding to the staircase. “Mamá went up with a cup of tea not long ago and told me to send you to her when you got home. If you want my advice, I’d take a long bath and change before you go and see her because we both know she won’t be pleased with Gus for failing to get you home before it rained. He doesn’t need her ruining all of this for him.”

She nodded in agreement. “Gracias, Pep.”

“De nada, just remember this when I ask to be Matron of Honour.” Pepa smirked.

Standing there for a moment longer, she gave her a smile and a playful roll of her eyes before moving around her and making her way to the stairs so she could head for the bathroom. She was silent as she crept past her mother’s bedroom, not ready for her to know she was home, and when she reached the bathroom she breathed a sigh of relief as she entered before shutting the door behind her and pressing her back up against it.

She brought her hand up again then to admire the beautiful ring Gus gave her, the love she had for him deepening when she thought about what it symbolised. It was more than a representation of his love for her. It was proof of his dedication. A promise to stand by her through thick and thin, something he’d always done but something far more crucial now they were to be married. It was such a small thing, this tiny band of metal, but it meant more to her than words could say and she would treasure it all her life long.

It was beginning at long last, her life.

She had no idea what the future had in store for her and Agustín, but it would be an adventure.

One that she couldn’t wait to embark on.