#skylar is a good girl!

[theek-ache]

No because I'm the one getting heart eyes

[my-tatteredwingsof-freedom]

Naruto fandom I need you to drop recs for any fics where the girls are queer with and/or for each other. Please.

[verbjectives]

my favorite tv genre is "suburban mom gets caught up in a life of crime only to discover she's actually enjoys and is pretty good at it"

[lalalolojoot]

I like him more than im supposed to

TAZ SKYLAR in GASSED UP trailer

[cressidagrey]

It's a Love Story - Chapter 4

Summary:

Azriel's shadows find their master a wife.

Azriel would just really like his heart not to get broken again.

And Sky...well, she's just really surprised that that far too handsome male is interested in her at all.

Warning:

Rhys Bashing (as usual), I classified this as Azriel x OC, even when it't technically Azriel x Sellyn Drake (but we kinda know nothing about Sellyn Drake other than that she writes books so Sky is kinda an OC), Cassian is kinda a good guy for once, Azriel has a horrible time, as usual... Stuttering, toxic families (For once I do not mean the IC), Self-Esteem Issues, Secret Identity, Body Image Issues, Fat Shaming, People being utterly horrible.

If any of this triggers you or makes you uncomfortable, please take care of your own mental health and don't read it.

In that moment, Sky’s brain didn't function. 

She just sat there, staring at the gorgeous, gorgeous male across from her. She couldn’t think. Not when he looked like that. Not when he looked better than any figment her imagination had ever come up with…

He was…the most beautiful male Skylar Alden had ever seen. 

Everything about him was perfection. From his inky black hair, to his high, chiseled cheekbones, to his...his strong broad body that looked like it was just made to be pressed right up against hers. Gods...he looked like he was made from her deepest fantasies. He was...he was…

And then he gave her a slow, soft smile and her breath caught in her throat. 

Cauldron, he was  beautiful. Like every perfect fantasy she had ever had come to life. 

And he smelled even better than he looked, the scent of cedar and mist so mouthwateringly delicious she wanted to lick it straight off his damn skin. How a male could look this sinfully gorgeous and smell just as delicious, she didn't know. And he...he was smiling at her. Smiling at...her.

And she could feel the bond.

She could feel it.

Something…just clicked into place. Something in her chest shifted and it felt right and perfect and she just knew. 

Sky just knew that nobody else would ever come close to compare to him…

This was the male for her. He...he was hers.

Hers.

Her mate. 

Sky was a hopeless romantic. Maybe she needed to be that, so that she was able to write love stories for a living.

She loved love. She loved the whole fairytale, happily ever after fantasy. And looking at the male in front of her, it was like he came straight from the pages of her books.

But things like this didn’t happen to girls like her. She knew that. She knew that so well. She… he wasn’t going to want to…

Sky wasn't attractive enough, not interesting enough. Why would he choose her? Why would this gorgeous, gorgeous thing of beauty want to be with...someone like her?

It wouldn’t make sense. She wasn't...she wasn't anything special. He could do so much better than...than her.

She was so awkward, so plain. He was just...way out of her league.

“What’s wrong?” He asked her. Even his voice was perfect. One hand reached out for her, and she weakly registered the violent scars that covered it. They looked like they must have hurt. And then he seemingly thought better about it. “You…were happy.Now…”

That was the problem. She couldn't stop her stupid thoughts. They just kept on running through her brain, making her feel...feel self-conscious. Insecure. She was...she was just a mess. Always had been.

And she opened her mouth to respond but no word left her lips, her throat closing as she tried to say even a single sounds.

Tears shot in her eyes. Why? Just for one…just for one fucking time Sky didn’t want every word that left her mouth to be a fight.

But it was. And she tried to say a single thing but her body didn’t allow her, and her heart reatcheted up because she knew that she looked like an idiot but…She couldn't move. Couldn't...couldn't do anything but just sit there and cry like the pathetic, stupid mess she was. She didn't deserve him. He was...he was perfect. And Sky was just...useless.

He was just staring at her, looking...worried, probably so confused about why she was being like this. 

Stupid. So stupid. Like she always was. The tears kept falling, and she felt pathetic. So, so pathetic.

Her eyes closed as she fought back a sob, biting her lip so hard she tasted blood. It was...it was too humiliating, being like this in front of him. She probably looked like a total freak. She...she just wished he didn't have to see her like this.

He shouldn't have to see her like this, see her being an absolute mess because she didn't know how to act like a normal person. She could feel him move, and her breath hitched. He...he was probably about to leave. She...she didn't blame him, really. She was an embarrassment.

But then a warm, broad hand was on top of her own trembling fingers, covering her with his own. Her eyes flew open from the shock, her lips parting in surpris, his gorgeous eyes fixed on hers as he gently stroked the back of her hands with his thumb.

“Take a deep breath, love. It’s alright,” he soothed her softly. “It’s alright.”

She could feel her heart flutter as his voice washed over her, warm like a balm over a burn. It just made her want to cry even more, because he...he was being so nice. So gentle with her, even though he probably thought that she was being utterly ridiculous.

“I…I….I am so….so…sorry.” Her stutter was so bad. Clearly at its worst. Worse than it even was when she didn’t have enough sleep.

She felt tears sliding down her cheeks even harder, her vision getting blurry as she tried to avoid his eyes. Her stupid, stupid stutter always got worse when she was upset. Like her brain shut down and she just...lost the ability to form basic sentences.

She tried to calm down, tried to stop crying, but it just kept going. The tears didn't stop, and god, she must've looked completely pathetic.

"I'm s-sorry." she sobbed, her voice a wretched, strangled sound as she tried to stop the shaking that wracked her entire body. She just wanted...she just wanted to be calm. To be normal.

And he had probably even heard Claire. Had probably heard every barbed word her sister had thrown in her direction.

The thought made her want to wail as the tears fell harder, her breathing growing laboured and uneven. He would never want her now. Not after she had embarrassed herself like this. Not after she just...sat here and cried and stuttered like an idiot.

She tried to pull away from his grasp, but he didn't let her, gently taking her hands in his. His fingers felt so warm on hers, and his touch was so, so gentle. It just made the tears fall even harder, an ugly, broken sound wrenching from her throat.

Sky wanted to stop, she wanted to stop crying and being so hysterical, but her stupid, worthless brain wouldn't co-operate.

And then suddenly he enveloped her against a broad chest, strong arms settling sround her. He was hugging her

It was like every fiber of her being froze, her heart nearly stopping as she felt his arms encircle her. It was like...like some kind of dream. He was hugging her, hugging her like she was precious to him, like he...he truly cared about her. After all of Sky’s awkwardness, and stupid, pathetic crying...he still was holding her like this.

“Breath,” he told her softly. “It’s alright. Whatever is wrong, we’ll fix it.”

She took a deep, trembling breath, his scent washing over her. It was like he was everywhere, his arms tight and yet gentle around her, his broad chest pressed against hers, his cedar and mist scent in her nose. It just...it just made the tears fall all the more harder, a small, broken sob wringing itself from her throat.

Of course, his scent was just as amazing as he was. And it made her feel...feel safe. Like nothing could hurt her as long as he was there, like he would protect her from everything and anything. 

She buried her head in his chest, trying to block out the rest of the world as she held onto him so tightly she was sure she was probably hurting him. But still he didn't move, still he let her cling to him as she cried so hard it made her shake.

For once in her life Sky felt delicate in his grasp. She wasn’t thin at all, but against him…she felt small. She felt so safe pressed against him.Secure. Like she could let him hold her forever as she sobbed so hard she was practically convulsing. She knew he probably thought she was being pathetic, but still...but still, he was hugging her.

It was like she couldn't breathe. Her heart was hammering so hard against her ribcage that it hurt to even draw in oxygen, her emotions completely overwhelming her. 

She could feel his fingers running through her brown curls, and the touch just made her cry even harder. She must have looked so awful, so miserable, but he just...he just held her like this. Like she mattered to him, like she wasn't a total, pathetic mess.

And finally…finally Sky managed to calm down.

It took a long while, but eventually, the sobs eased into small, shallow breaths as she curled up against his strong chest. Sky still felt...awful. Like a total idiot. But at least the tears had stopped.

“I….i am sor…sorry.” She managed to bring out.

“There is nothing you need to apologise for,” he told her gently, one hand still delicately rubbing her spine.

“I…I cri…cried all o…over you.”Her voice sounded scratchy and broken from all the crying, and she was so deeply ashamed of it. He probably thought she sounded ridiculous. But she took another deep breath and pressed on, trying to speak through her tears, her stupid stutter still making it hard for her to even form a single word.

He held out a handkerchief for her and she whiled away the tears.

She blinked a few times, staring at the piece of fabric. He...he was giving her something to dry her tears, because she was such a pathetic mess that she had completely soaked the front of his shirt. Shame made heat rise in her cheeks, but she took the handkerchief from him.

She dabbed away at her wet lashes, her voice weak and raspy as she spoke. "T-thank you," she said quietly, still not being able to meet his eyes. She still felt so humiliated, but also so, so grateful that he was still here, that he hadn't left yet.

Sy knew she probably looked completely dreadful, all red-eyed and blotchy from all the crying, her hair mess and tangled from where he had run his fingers through it. 

She wanted to curl up and die from the shame of it all. Of being such a stupid, messy, emotional wreck. She must have looked like such an idiot, but somehow, somehow he was still here. 

"Will you tell me your name?" he asked her softly.

Sky felt her heartbeat quicken as he spoke, as his voice washed over her. Of course. Of course he didn't even know her name. She had been so caught up in her little pity party that she hadn't even introduced herself yet. A fresh wave of tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away as best as she was able.

"S---Sky," she managed to bring out. She grimaced at her stutter.  "S...Sorry." She didn't dare to try and say anything else. Didn't dare to try an ask him for his name, because otherwise she was going to stutter even more.

"There is absolutely nothing you need to apologise for," he repeated fiercely. "I am Azriel."

His words made something in her heart quicken, her stomach fluttering in a way that it shouldn't. A small, shaky breath left her lips at the sound of his name, and she couldn't help but repeat it to herself quietly in her head. Azriel. His name suited him perfectly.

She looked up at him, finally looking at him properly, only to find that he was looking right back at her, those deep, hazel eyes fixed on her in a way that made her heart stutter in her chest. She probably looked awful, a total wreck, and yet he was still looking at her like that.

She opened her mouth to try and speak, but only a tiny, broken squeak left her lips. So she tried again, forcing the words out from between her lips. "Azriel." His name felt so good on her lips, even if her voice broke on the second syllable, but still, she had managed to say it.

He smiled that beautiful smile of his once more, and the sight of it made her want to cry all over again. How was it that this perfect male was still here, was still looking at her like...like she was something precious? Like she was anything other than a total wreck?! She just...she just wanted to die from the humiliation of it all.

"Tell me what's wrong." It wasn't as much a statement as much as it was an order. "You were happy. And then you just..."

She sniffled, trying to stop herself from crying even more than she already had. It was hard, her eyes blinking as tears continued to well up and fall. "It's..." She took in a raspy, stuttering breath, her lips trembling. "It's ju…ju…st...just me being...being stu…stupid."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe," Azriel responded, his voice flat. "Take a deep breath. And then tell me what's wrong so I can fix this."

She blinked a few times, looking at him. He was so...straightforward. Direct. So commanding, but also so gentle. Like he actually cared. She felt...she felt so, so unworthy of that. She didn't deserve his kindness, not after acting like a complete lunatic. Still, she obeyed, taking a deep, shaky breath before trying to speak.

"You...You de…de…deserve bet…better than…than me," she whispered. Her voice was quiet, little more than a whisper, and she felt her throat thicken as she spoke. It was true, and she...she couldn't believe he was being so gentle with her. Not with how ridiculous she was being.

He stared at. "What."

She looked down, focusing her eyes on her hands that were clutched in her lap. His own hand was still resting gently on the nape of her neck. "I...I am..." She took a deep breath, forcing herself to try to explain. "You...You…you are…you. And I…I am…me.” He was so handsome. And she wasn’t beautiful in the slightest. 

Sky blinked a few times, trying not to start crying even more than she had already done. It was just so...hard. So hard to admit how...how unworthy she was of him. He was amazing, and she was a total mess. 

A complete emotional disaster.

And he was going to realise that one day and leave or cheat on her with her sister and that was going to crush her heart and...

She tried so hard to blink away the tears that welled up in her eyes. She knew...she knew that this was just a temporary thing. That he was only being this kind to her out of pity. He would see how awful she truly was, and he would leave, just like everyone else did.

"Cauldron, Love, they really did a number on you," he breathed.

She sniffled, wiping the tears that fell from her cheeks. She knew that. She knew that she was unloveable. That there was something fundamentally wrong with her. And she hated it. 

"You…you'll cho…ch…choose s…s…somebody el…else and…and I get it b…but it's go…going to h…hurt and..." she croaked out.

"I am not going to choose somebody else," he cut her off. "You are my mate."

She blinked, her heart stuttering in her chest at his words. It felt...it felt like a dream. It didn't feel real. There was no way, just no way in Hell that someone like him was her mate. She was...there was absolutely no universe where she deserved him.

"That means that until you tell me to disappear off the face of this earth, you are stuck with me," he told her softly. "That means, that I will always choose you. I will always be on your side. I will protect you and I will shelter you."

She just stared at him as her heart hammered so hard against her ribcage that she wanted to pass out. Was he....was...was he being serious? Even as broken and awful as she was...how she had just completely fallen apart in front of him....he was still...he was still saying that she was...was his mate? That he would...that he would always choose her? Protect her...shelter her?

Her side...nobody had ever seemingly been on her side.

"I..." She was at a total loss for words. Him...him wanting to...to protect her? To shelter her? It was everything she had ever wanted. But she was so, so terrified that it was all...temporary. That the moment he saw her for all the broken, damaged things that she really was...that he would leave. Everyone always left.

He lifted his hand and she leaned against it as he cupped her cheek, wiping away even more tears. "You are my mate," Azriel repeated softly. "And if I had dared to approach while your sister was still there, I probably would have wrung your sister’s neck for what she said to you."

Sky felt a small, trembling smile begin to curl at her lips. He...he was her mate. She still couldn't believe it, but there it was. He was her mate, and he actually wanted her. Not only did he want her, but he was willing to...to defend her. To protect her. To stand up for her, even against her own sister. It was more than she could ever have asked for, more than she had ever hoped for herself. And the thought...the thought of that nearly made her cry all over again.

"It's…It’s bet…better to just…to just let Cla…Claire get it out of her sys…system and not inter…in…interrupt her," she said weakly. "She runs out of steam eventual…eventually."

"You shouldn't let her speak to you like that," Azriel said softly, his hand still resting gently against her cheek. "You shouldn't have to endure her venom."

She swallowed thickly, her throat tight. She knew that, she knew that she shouldn't let Claire speak to her in such a horrible way, that she should defend herself. But...but it had just never happened. She had always been too caught up in her own head, too afraid of...of doing something wrong. Of making everything worse instead of better. Because it always seemed to end up worse whenever she tried to stand up for herself.

But...but hearing him say it....hearing him tell her that she didn't have to put up with Claire's horrible words...it made something flutter in her chest. Something akin to hope. The thought that maybe....maybe she didn't need to listen to Claire's vicious words, that maybe...maybe she could stand up for herself after all.

"She's the fa…fa…favourite," she said weakly. "Always…s wa..was. The pret…prettier one."

She sniffled, her stomach twisting at the thought of it. Claire had always been the preferred one, the one that everyone adored. And Skye had always been...well, the other one. The one that nobody wanted to be around, the one that everyone was constantly criticizing.

"She's bone deep ugly," Azriel snapped right back. "There is nothing attractive about her at all." She could just stare at him.

She blinked at him, almost in shock at his words. No one ever said things like that about Claire. Everyone was always so busy praising her beauty and her grace and her charm, but never a single one of them would ever say a single negative thing about her. But here was Azriel, outright saying that Claire wasn't attractive at all. It was...it was hard to even wrap her head around.

"You say tha…that now," Sky said weakly.She swallowed thickly, her heart clenching at the very thought of him ever changing his mind. She knew....she knew that it was a very real possibility. He might think her worthy of him now, but as soon as he got to know her....how pathetic and broken and damaged she was. The thought of losing this....losing him...it made her stomach twist painfully.

She sniffled again, wiping tears away from her cheeks, her voice weak and broken. "You won…won't think tha..that..." she whispered. "When you...when you know me more. You'll think I'm path…pathetic, too. Just like Claire does. Just like every…everyone does."

The words felt like acid in her throat, like a knife twisting through her heart. She knew that it was true, that he would think her pathetic, too. He was only being so kind to her now because he didn't really know her yet. Once he got to know her....once he saw all the broken pieces that made her up....he would realize just how unworthy she was of him.

"I think that you spent your whole life being talked to like that, and that no fucking accolade you ever got was something you take seriously." Azriel's words were harsh, and they made her come up short. 

Sky had always thought that maybe...maybe the next time she achieved something her parents would be proud of her. That they would finally tell her that she had done well. But it had never happened. They were never proud of her accomplishments, no matter how good they were. She was never good enough for them, never anything enough for them. They always just...just told her that she needed to do better. That she had the capacity to do better. That it was her fault she hadn't.

And when she had published her first book...she hadn't wanted them to ruin that for her. So she had kept it a secret from them. Then the 2nd. And the 3rd. Book after book after book. People liked what she wrote. People bought her books. And still it felt like...it wasn't real.

No matter how many books she sold, it never felt like it counted. It never felt like she had actually achieved something. And no matter how much money she had in the bank, no matter how well she fed herself or kept a roof over her head, it just...it all felt like it was built on a fragile foundation. Like it could all come falling down around her at any moment, leaving her alone, cold, and broken. 

Just like how this mating bond could seemingly break just at a snap of his fingers.

That feeling only got worse when she thought about the bond between her and Azriel. It was so new, so fragile, and she knew that he could break it if he wanted to. He didn't have to keep it, didn't have to stay by her side. He could just...just walk away and leave her in the dust. The thought made her stomach clench painfully, her eyes stinging with more tears.

"I don't want your sister. I want you," he told her softly. "You are my mate, Sky. Turn me down if you don't want me, but don't do it because you think that I don't want you. Because I do. I have never wanted anything in my life more."

His words made her heart sing, the warmth of them filling her chest to bursting. She...she didn't think she had ever been wanted in her entire life. Her parents had always been so quick to shove her aside, to tell her that she was worthless and a failure. But Azriel....he actually wanted her. He actually saw something worth keeping in her. It was more than she had ever dreamed of, the thought so impossibly perfect that it made her feel like she was going to burst into tears all over again.

Sky just stared at him, unsure of what to say, how to respond to such an open expression of adoration from him. She had never been good at accepting compliments or affection, her automatic response was always to push it away. But here was Azriel, telling her that he wanted her, that she was his mate. And how could she even think about pushing that away? How could she even consider rejecting the best thing that had ever happened to her? It was an impossible thought, one that left her feeling awed and speechless.

So instead of saying anything, Sky simply reached for him, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly, burying her face in his neck. She felt safe here, in his arms, like nothing could hurt her as long as he was holding her close. And in that moment, she felt more than anything that this, this was where she belonged. 

In his arms, with Azriel as her mate. It was everything she had ever wanted, and she was determined to hold onto it as tightly as she possibly could.

"I won't ev..ever turn you down," she whispered. "I was waiting for you for de…decades."

"Decades? Try half a millennia," Azriel responded.

Azriel's words made her heart stutter in her chest, her stomach twisting with butterflies. He...he had waited for her for so long?

All that time, he had been waiting patiently for his mate, and that mate had been her? It was more than she could even wrap her head around. She had always thought that no one would ever want her, that she was destined to be alone, and yet here he was, telling her that he had been waiting for her for centuries.

So Sky just clung to him, her eyes stinging with a fresh wave of tears. She couldn't believe it, couldn't believe that she was actually so important to someone. That she had actually been....been wanted by someone.She felt so unbelievably lucky, and all she wanted to do was hold on to this feeling for as long as possible. This feeling of being loved and wanted and...and worthy.

She sat back, even when she wanted nothing else but to keep being held by him, managing a weak smile. Sky couldn’t help but stare at him, couldn’t help but take in the black hair and dark hazel eyes that glinted green…and then her gaze snagged at the pair of massive, ferocious wings that sprouted from his back.

“You are Il…Illyrian?” she asked, surprise colouring her voice.

She didn't know why she was so surprised. Maybe because because there weren’t a lot of illyrians that lived in Velaris…maybe because he really didn’t seem to match the picture that most books she had read about them and their culture painted about them. 

His wings were… magnificent. Azriel’s wings were so massive, so huge and powerful, and they seemed to span an impossible distance even when  he had them folded carefulyl against his back. 

“What gave it away?” He quipped, though the ere was a grimace on his face. “I am not…whatever you may have heard…”

She flinched slightly, feeling a small pang of guilt at her reaction to his wings. She knew that Illyrians had a reputation for being brutal and ruthless, but she hadn't meant to make Azriel feel uncomfortable or ashamed of his heritage. 

"I am sor…sorry," she said sheepishly. “I was…just su…surprised. There aren’t a lot of Il…Illyrians around Velaris. I've never seen wings like yours before, j…just read about them. They're beautiful."

She looked up at him, hoping that he could see the sincerity in her gaze. She didn't want him to feel like she was judging him based on his species, or that she was scared of him just because he was Illyrian or a lesser Fae. 

“I…I got some River Nymph blood some…somewhere down the line,” she told him.”It’s the family s…scandal.”

He chuckled at that, even as he mustered her.“Your eyes,” he realised aloud, and she nodded

She blushed slightly, her heart leaping at the thought of him noticing such a small detail about her. To know that he had taken the time to observe her eyes, to notice the faint turquoise hue that came from the bit of River Nymph blood flowing through her veins, regardless of how diluted it was…It made her feel like he truly saw her, not just the broken, damaged parts of her, but everything that made her who she was.

“Gre…Great grandma from my dads s..side,” she explained. “I was the only one who got the eyes…and the bendy bones.” She had always been seen as the odd one in her family. The outcast. Growing up, it had been hard to know where she fit in. Her parents had always been so focused on her brother and her sister, on their achievements and successes, and she had always felt like she was just...there. Just existing in the background, never quite good enough to be noticed or noticed for all the wrong reasons.

“Tell me more,” Azriel requested softly, reaching out to hold her hand again.

“More of what?” she wondered, blushing slightly. 

“More about you. I want to know everything.”

Her heart skipped a beat at his request. He...he wanted to know more about her? He actually wanted to listen to her, to hear what she had to say? The thought was almost enough to make her cry all over again. No one had ever asked her about herself before, no one had ever expressed an interest in her life or her thoughts. She had always been the one listening to others, never the one being listened to…especially not with her stutter. 

”I am not that interes…interesting,” Sky said weakly.She had always been self-conscious about what she liked and didn't like, always been afraid that others would judge her for her preferences. Even the thought of telling Azriel what she enjoyed doing for fun made her feel nervous and unsure. She didn't want him to think she was boring or uninteresting, and yet...and yet she also wanted to be honest with him. She wanted him to know who she really was, even if that meant showing all her quirks and flaws.

“I write boo…books for a..for a living,” Sky told him “R…Romance novels. And I have a cat named Hector that’s …that’s ador…adorable.”

Azriel grinned at her. “I can’t wait to meet him.” She blushed at that thought. 

She had always been nervous about talking to people, about opening up and letting them know who she was, but with Azriel...it felt different. It felt right.

“What…What do you do?” Sky wondered quietly.

“I work for the High Lord,” Azriel answered. “I…gather intelligence, I guess you could say.”

"Intelligence?" she asked curiously. She had never heard of anyone who did something like that before. It sounded like a dangerous job, one that required a lot of skill and training. Azriel nodded, his expression serious. 

"Yes. I gather information about...about threats to our court. About the dangers that lurk in the world around us."

She shivered slightly at the thought of some of the dangers that Azriel had to face on a regular basis. On the things that he was confronted with every single way…He was doing what was necessary to protect their people from harm. SHe knew that it must took a lot of courage and determination to do a job like that, and she couldn’t help but feel a wave of respect for him.

Sky took a deep breath, "Is it....is it danger…dangerous? Gathering all that…all that information?" She asked nervously. "I…I mean, do…do you ev…ever...get hurt?"

Azriel's expression darkened, and he hesitated for a moment before answering. "Sometimes," he admitted. "There are always risks involved in what I do. I have been injured before, but I have also been very lucky. I have survived so far."

She shivered at the thought of him being hurt, of him being in danger. Sky couldn't bear the thought of him being harmed, of him being in pain. She wanted to protect him, to keep him safe from all the horrors of the world. It was a feeling she had never experienced before, this overwhelming need to protect someone else. But with Azriel, she felt it with every fiber of her being. She would do anything to keep him safe, to make sure he never got hurt again.

Sky took his hand in hers, gripping it tightly. "Please…Please be careful," she whispered, her eyes full of fear and worry. "I…I don't want an…anything to happen to you." I don't want to lose you. The words were unspoken, but she knew that he could hear them in her voice, in the way her fingers trembled against his.

“I am careful,” he promised her seriously. “Besides, I am not exactly on my own,” he told her seriously.

She raised an eyebrow, curiosity getting the better of her. "You…You're not on…on your own?" she asked, surprised. "Who…Who do you work with then?"

A moment later…she got her answer in the form of wreathing shadows, that welled up behind him.

For a moment Sky could just blink. 

Then: “You are a shadowsinger?!” She breathed in wonder. 

She had read about it, of course…when she had a whole phase of thinking how cool it would be if she had some kind of special powers. Sadly, there never had any manifested. No shadows for her…or mind reading either. 

Azriel chuckled softly at her reaction. "Yes," he said simply. "It's a useful skill in my line of work."

She stared at him in awe. She had read stories of the fabled shadowsingers, of their ability to control shadows and use them to do their bidding. But she had never actually met one before. They were…stupidly rare.” But clearly Azriel was one. 

“Do…Do they…talk to you?” She asked him curiously.

Azriel nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Yes, they do," he said. "They have their own personality and quirks, and I can communicate with them in a way that no one else can. It's a unique connection, one that I…I have grown to cherish."

They were important to him.

So Sky did the only polite thing. “It’s…nice to meet you.” She greeted them, holding out a hand. 

Azriel's shadows seemed to pause for a moment, as if taken aback by her greeting. Then they swirled around her, brushing against her skin in a gesture of introduction. 

She couldn't help but smile at the sensation of the shadows brushing against her skin, their touch neither hot nor cold. They seemed almost sentient, like they had a mind of their own. It was both strange and fascinating at the same time. "Do you have…a name?" she asked curiously.

Azriel chuckled. "No, they don’t have a name. It's just...the shadows."

She nodded in understanding. They did seem…weirdly alive. And they were so responsive to Azriel's commands, so attuned to his needs and desires, that it was hard not to think of them as a separate entity in their own right.

But still…as she wiggled her fingers and the shadows wove between them, she couldn’t help but wonder…

"What...what d…do you wan..want from me?" Sky asked him softly. What did he want? What did he expect? 

Azriel's expression softened, and he reached out to cup her cheek gently in his hand. "I want...I want whatever you are willing to give me," he said quietly. "I want to be there for you, to support you and protect you. I want to make you happy, to make you feel loved and cherished. And I want...I want to be your mate, if you'll have me."

Sky bit her lip, leaning into his touch. "I…I want that t…too," she admitted quietly. "And I really want a family one day. I want kids," she told him. 

"I want that too," he said softly, his voice full of warmth and love. "I want everything with you, Sky. All of it."

She couldn't help but smile at that admission. Hearing him say that He wanted the same thing, hearing him say that He wanted to build a future with her...it was like a dream come true. And then Skylar Alden who had always overthought everything in her life, made this one decision: "Then take me home."

[scudevils]

it’s beginning to look a lot like christmas — QH43

pairing: quinn hughes x fem!reader

warnings: fluff, bit of a rushed ending sorry, not proofread!!

inspired by: “it’s beginning to look a lot like christmas” by bing crosby [1.2k]

a/n: a quick one for boyfriend quinn appreciation

it was a rare quiet day in the middle of the season, quinn who was usually surrounded by the hustle and bustle of hockey life, found himself sitting beside you in the warm glow of holiday lights, the smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger filled the air, mixing with the sound of soft christmas music playing in the background.

you'd been to the store earlier in the week, a gingerbread house kit lay spread out on the kitchen table to welcome him home from the road game in carolina, your niece's expectant eyes looking up at the pair of you as the pieces game in their own neatly placed bags, you and quinn shared a look of hesitation.

"this is way more complicated than it looks," was the first thing he said, peering at the instruction booklet with a playful grimace, eyeing up your niece's miniature house which was going a lot better than yours. his hair, slightly messier than usual, hinted at the fact that he had been running his hands through it in frustration, dark strands falling in front of his face. you laughed softly, enjoying the moment of calm in an otherwise busy season, and even off the ice he was just as competitive. (even if it was against a 9 year old)

"i thought you were good at building things," you teased, taking a sip from one of the hot chocolate you'd made for the three of you, choosing to take a step back from the building business as it was getting a big heated. "you're an athlete, you know... strategy, precision, focus?" you gave him a wink.

quinn grinned, his eyes lighting up in that characteristic way that always made you smile. "i play hockey, not architect. but i'm willing to try. you're the one with all the crafting experience, right?"

you raised an eyebrow at his suggestion, the most building you'd ever done in your life was a science fair project when you were 11, and even then your dad had built the majority of it. "crafting experience? skylar's got more crafting experience with me, she still does homework."

"alright, alright, I'll admit it," he said, grinning, the little girl beside them too busy already decorating her gingerbread house to care about what you had been saying. "maybe I need your help after all."

he reached for the frosting bag with a dramatic sigh, and you couldn't help but laugh as skylar's first order of business was to take the icing out of his hands. "read the instructions first," she said, flipping the booklet open and starting to explain the steps.

quinn looked at the pieces in front of him, tempted to give up and just eat the gingerbread, but that wasn't his nature, squinting like he was trying to figure out the lines on a hockey rink for the first time again. "wait, do you put the roof on first, or the walls?"

"okay, we need to build the base first. that's the most important part," you said, guiding him through it, looking to skylar for approval and she nodded, adding sweets onto her own now. "if the walls don't stay up, it's game over."

with a bit of teamwork, and an insane amount of luck that neither of you bumped into the table, you two managed to assemble the walls, and quinn was about to put the roof on before an idea struck him.

"so, are we going for traditional?" he asked, his tone suggesting he had something else in mind as he eyed the candy decorations, almost as if he was a real interior designer planning the layout for their house. "or... are we going for something a little more creative? like... a hockey rink gingerbread house?"

you raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, of course he would say that, you loved the man but sometimes you swore hockey was the only thing on his mind. "hockey rink? you've got to be kidding. i’m surprised you aren’t dying to get away from your job."

but quinn was already pointing out ideas, his mind running with possibilities, the coloured icing they could use to represent the teams, the different positions they should put in. "what if we add little gingerbread players with tiny sticks? and like, a frosting rink with icing lines?" he was grinning now, clearly enjoying the process way more than he'd let on, enjoying the design park much more than he had the building part.

"you're impossible," you spoke through a laugh, his enthusiasm something you loved about him and couldn't help but let you get in the spirit too.

together, you piped out a frosting rink on the base of the house decorated little gingerbread men with icing and tiny candies, making them into the most chaotic-looking hockey players you'd ever seen, some with more lopsided faces than the others. quinn insisted on adding mini pucks made of chocolate chips.

skylar had also finished her house, adding the final touches the one you and quinn had made too, her a candyland inspired design with sweets lining the road and covering the house.

as the arena started to take shape, you felt a warmth that wasn't just from the hot chocolate on the counter. it was from the way his eyes lit up with every silly detail he added, down to the numbers on the jerseys that his teammates wore.

by the time you were both done, the gingerbread house hockey arena—although a little uneven and very unconventional—was something to be proud of. it was uniquely yours, and in that moment, it was perfect. beside it sat the little actual gingerbread house your niece has made, edible glitter covering the icing and pieces of sweets missing from where she'd eaten them.

quinn stepped back, inspecting your creation with an exaggerated squint. "i think we nailed it," he said, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

you leaned back in your chair, your head falling to rest his shoulder, admiring the gingerbread arena too. "honestly, it might be a little off-center..." noticing how the roof sloped down on one side while the other held up, "but it sure can't be called basic."

quinn chuckled, sitting next to you. "i think that's what matters most."

[superbreadsoul]

THE DYING EMBERS OF A FLICKERING FLAME.

Drew Starkey x Reader.

DISCLAIMER: This oneshot is in no way a reflection of these people in real-life. This is only for fun and dramaticized for entertainment. No one in this story is disliked by me, I like them all a normal amount.

Warning: cheating, bipolar emotions, inaccurate depiction of Drew's personality, cuss words, implied sexual acts.

WORD COUNT: 21468 words.

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

The hum of the gathering buzzed softly in the background, a mix of laughter, clinking glasses, and distant conversations. Odessa leaned against the doorframe, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the room. Her lips pressed into a thin line when her gaze landed on the girl waving at Madelyn from the bar.

Or rather, the woman.

“Is that…?” Odessa’s voice trailed off, her bushy eyebrows drawing together as her chest tightened. It couldn’t be. Her gaze swept over the figure in disbelief, studying the sleek haircut, the sharp-edged confidence in her posture. That couldn’t be Y/N.

Y/N, with her wide, pleading eyes, her constant hovering around Drew, the girl Odessa had always written off as a pitiful rival. Y/N, who once had the nerve to think she could compete for Drew. Odessa’s stomach churned as the wound of insecurity reopened, her possessive side flaring like a long-dormant flame suddenly fed fresh air.

The girl was gone. In her place was a woman.

Cool where Odessa was warm. Composed where Odessa was vibrant. Polished where Odessa was raw.

Odessa tore her gaze away, muttering something under her breath, but the unease stuck with her, threading itself into every movement she made.

In the kitchen, Drew stood at the charcuterie board, selecting a slice of brie with absent focus. He glanced up at the soft sound of someone approaching. His eyes widened slightly when he saw her.

“Hey, Y/N,” he said softly, his voice tinged with surprise.

Her gaze flicked to him, calm and unreadable. She nodded, offering a polite smile. “Drew.”

Drew faltered. The change in her was sharp, cutting. This wasn’t the girl he remembered—always trailing after him, laughing too hard at his jokes, hoping for scraps of his attention. This woman was different, a cool presence that unsettled him in its unfamiliarity.

“You’re… different,” he said, tilting his head as he studied her. “Huh?”

Y/N frowned slightly, straightening her posture as her hands clasped the whiskey in her hand. “Sorry?”

“You just seem different,” Drew clarified, raising an eyebrow. His gaze swept over her again, almost searching. “A good different. You’ve grown up. Yeah, that’s it. You–Wow.”

Her smile tightened. “Thank you?”

The sharpness of her tone caught him off guard, and he furrowed his brow. Where were the puppy dog eyes? The shy, desperate eagerness? Instead, she looked at him like a stranger would—polite, distant.

“You’re welcome,” he muttered, stepping closer. He gestured to the spread in front of them. “So, what have you been up to lately?”

She tilted her head thoughtfully. “I’ve had some shoots done recently. Worked with Tom Holland for his campaign, ‘Bero.’ He’s a great guy. And I’ve been flying around a lot. ‘One Piece’ is shooting again, and I wanted to support Taz—you remember Taz Skylar, right?”

Drew blinked. “Wait, you were in the One Piece adaptation?” His surprise was genuine, but it quickly twisted into something else.

“No, no,” Y/N corrected with a laugh, her tone warm. “I just went to support Taz. He’s amazing—such a sweetheart.”

Her fond smile lingered, and Drew felt something stir in him. Irritation, maybe. He couldn’t place it exactly, but the way the conversation shifted entirely to her world, her accomplishments, her effortless confidence—it grated on him. He suddenly felt like an extra in a story where he used to be the lead.

“So, you’ve been busy,” he said, forcing a casual tone. “Working and all. Been seeing anyone?”

She opened her mouth to reply, but before a word could escape, Brooke Starkey’s arms wrapped around her in an exuberant hug.

“Y/N!” Brooke’s bright voice cut through the room, drawing eyes as she squeezed Y/N tight.

Y/N laughed, her expression softening as she returned the hug. “Brooke! It’s been ages. How are you?”

“I’m great!” Brooke beamed, pulling back to flash her braces. “Our sister’s kids are growing up so fast. Seriously, they’ll be taller than me soon!”

Y/N chuckled, shaking her head. “They grow like weeds, don’t they?”

Brooke’s grin turned sly. “What about you? What’s new? Any guys?”

Y/N's laugh was light, breezy. “Funny, your brother was just asking me the same thing.”

She glanced at both of them with a subtle arch of her brow, her smile polite but distant. Drew swallowed hard, sensing the shift in her—one he wasn’t sure he could keep up with.

The energy in the room shifted, tension crackling subtly beneath the surface as Brooke’s teasing voice broke through the hum of chatter.

“He was?” she asked with a smirk, glancing between her brother and Y/N. “You’re always so nosy.”

Drew rolled his eyes, glaring half-heartedly at his sister. “Just curious, is all,” he said, the corner of his mouth twitching upward despite himself. “Always need to know what’s going on.”

Y/N's tilted her head, her tone sharp yet calm. “Not always.”

Brooke looks between them awkwardly, before excusing herself. “I’m just gonna—yeah.”

Drew chuckled, the sound low as he met her steady gaze. “Okay, not always,” he admitted. Then, leaning slightly closer, he added, “Just when it’s important to me.”

Her expression didn’t shift, but her narrowed eyes betrayed her disbelief. “Why would it be important to you?”

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, Drew hesitated. Why was it important? The truth lingered on the edge of his mind, taunting him, but he wasn’t about to admit it.

“Because we’re friends?” he said, his tone light but his jaw tight. The answer felt hollow, and he knew it. Friends. That’s what he was supposed to believe. So why did it bother him to imagine someone else making her smile the way she used to smile at him?

Y/N let out a laugh, sharp and incredulous. “Friends?” she echoed, shaking her head. “We’re not friends.”

Her words hit him harder than he expected, and Drew’s smile faltered. His brow furrowed as he stared at her, his voice growing colder. “Then what are we?”

Y/N hesitated, her expression flickering as she thought back to the sting of rejection, to the way he’d brushed her off a year ago like she hadn’t mattered. But she wouldn’t let that show now. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“Nothing,” she said simply, her voice steady.

“Nothing,” Drew repeated, the word dripping with bitterness. His jaw tightened as he stared at her, the muscles in his arms flexing as he crossed them over his chest. “So I’m nothing to you?”

Y/N sighed, shaking her head. “You’re twisting my words.”

Drew’s frustration bubbled over, his tone pointed as he pressed on. “How exactly would you want me to interpret that? It either means we’re friends, or we’re nothing. Those are my only options, and you just said we’re nothing.”

Y/N's eyes flashed, but her composure didn’t waver. “I said we are nothing,” she clarified, her voice cutting but cool. “We have nothing. So stop getting so worked up over it and go back to your girlfriend.”

She gestured casually toward Odessa, her tone dismissive as she picked up her glass and drained it in one fluid motion. Then, without another glance at Drew, she turned away, her indifference slicing through the air like a blade.

Drew stood there, rooted in place, watching her as his emotions churned—confusion, irritation, something he refused to name. Whatever it was, it left a bitter taste in his mouth as he realised Y/N had turned away from him without so much as a second thought.

The tension between them coiled tighter, the invisible thread of unresolved emotions threatening to snap as Drew’s dry laugh filled the space between them.

“I’m getting worked up? That’s funny,” he said, the bitterness in his tone unmistakable. His eyes scanned her face, her cool, collected expression only stoking the flames of his frustration. This wasn’t the Y/N he was used to—the shy, eager-to-please girl who once hung on his every word. Her transformation was unsettling, throwing him completely off balance. “Since when did you grow a backbone?”

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she tilted her head, a small smile creeping onto her lips as she regarded him in silence.

That smile—calm, knowing, infuriating—ignited something in Drew. His jaw clenched as he fought to keep his composure, but the flicker of annoyance was impossible to hide.

“What’s that look for?” he demanded, his voice edged with irritation as his narrowed eyes bore into hers.

Her amusement only deepened. She leaned back slightly, her gaze locked on his, unbothered. “I really get under your skin, don’t I?” she said, her tone light and teasing, though there was a sharpness beneath it.

She raised her glass and took a slow sip of her whiskey, her movements deliberate, her gaze never wavering.

“You have no idea how much,” Drew replied, his laugh low and humourless. The words felt like a confession he hadn’t meant to make. He stepped closer, his height casting a shadow over her, the air between them electric with tension. His voice dropped, almost a growl. “When the hell did you grow a backbone and lose all that clingy neediness?”

The question hung in the air, laced with equal parts irritation and disbelief.

Y/N's smile widened, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She leaned forward slightly, her tone laced with mock encouragement. “There you go. Keep it up, buddy.” She tilted her head, raising an eyebrow as she gestured subtly with her hand. “Go on.”

Her sarcasm hit like a match to gasoline, fueling the fire in his chest. Drew’s hands balled into fists at his sides as he stared down at her, unsure if he wanted to yell at her or—something else entirely.

She just kept smiling, completely unfazed, and Drew couldn’t help but think that this new Y/N—the one who could meet him head-on without flinching—was both maddening and utterly captivating.

The tension between them was unbearable, crackling like a live wire ready to snap. Drew’s nostrils flared as his jaw clenched tightly. His glare burned into her, a storm of frustration and confusion swirling in his blue eyes. She was playing him, and he knew it. Worse, it was working.

“You wanna know what I think?” he asked, his voice dangerously low, his hands balling into fists at his sides.

Y/N tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with amusement as a wide smile spread across her face. “What?”

“I think this new ‘maturity’ of yours is a load of bullshit,” Drew spat, his tone laced with venom. “All of it—the new look, the new attitude, the new you—it’s just a game. You’re still the same girl who was obsessed with me not even a year ago.”

Y/N bit her lip to hold back a laugh, nodding sarcastically as she hummed, “Hmm, hmm, yeah.”

Her mocking agreement only fueled Drew’s fire. His temper flared as he stepped closer, his broad frame towering over hers. The noise of the party around them faded into a distant hum as his voice dropped to a sharp whisper meant only for her.

“So why don’t you drop the act, huh?” he hissed, his tone biting. “Stop pretending to be some tough, cool chick who’s too good for everyone. Because I know the real you.”

Y/N's eyebrow arched, her lips curving into a sly smile as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. Her voice was light and teasing. “Is that so?”

Drew’s jaw tightened further, his blue eyes narrowing with anger. “Yeah, it is so,” he bit out. “Because you’re still the same girl who was whining and begging for my attention every chance you got. You were obsessed with me.”

Y/N's smirk didn’t waver. Instead, she glanced up at the ceiling thoughtfully, her tone now playful, almost whimsical. “Obsessed. You know, that’s a great idea for a new song,” she mused, already toying with imaginary lyrics in her mind.

The blatant dismissal, the way she made light of his words, drove Drew over the edge. His hands clenched into fists again as he stepped even closer, closing the already slim distance between them.

Grabbing her chin firmly, he forced her to face him, his large hand tilting her head down so their eyes locked. His voice was a growl, low and heated. “Are you even listening to me?”

Y/N's expression didn’t falter. If anything, her smirk deepened, her tone dripping with condescension as she pouted mockingly. “Oh boy! Big feelings!” she taunted, her voice soft and sugary.

That was the final straw. Drew snapped. With a sudden, sharp motion, his hand shot to her hair, grabbing a fistful and tugging it harshly, his fingers curling tightly in the strands.

“You think this is a joke?” he hissed, his voice trembling with barely restrained rage. “This is bullshit.”

Y/N grunted, her playful demeanour cracking under the sharp pull of his grip. Anger flared in her own eyes now, replacing the cool confidence she’d maintained.

“Get off of me,” she growled, her voice low and dangerous as she shoved at his chest.

But Drew didn’t let go immediately. His grip lingered for a moment longer, his anger simmering before he finally released her, the tension between them pulsing like a heartbeat.

The silence that followed was deafening, their heavy breaths the only sound as they stared at each other, both furious, both unwilling to look away. Whatever this was—this thing between them—it wasn’t over. But neither of them knew how it would end.

The tension between them reached a fever pitch as Drew’s grip on Y/N's hair tightened, forcing her to meet his blazing gaze. His nostrils flared, his jaw locked with fury, and yet, beneath it all, there was something else—something darker, more conflicted.

“Or what?” he hissed, his tone low and sharp like a blade, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Y/N didn’t flinch. Instead, her voice was steady, almost mocking, as she leaned closer, her breath fanning his face. “Or you’re gonna lose your girlfriend,” she said softly, her tone laced with quiet defiance.

That landed. Drew’s glare faltered for a split second as he glanced sideways, his eyes darting to Odessa. She stood a few feet away, watching the two of them with a steely gaze, her lips pressed into a thin, disapproving line. The weight of her stare should’ve been enough to snap him out of it, to remind him where his loyalties lay.

But when he turned back to Y/N, the lack of fear in her eyes—the way she looked at him like she had all the power in the world—sent a fresh wave of anger coursing through him. His grip on her hair tightened.

“Don’t push me,” he ground out through clenched teeth, his voice barely above a whisper, trembling with restrained fury.

Y/N's lips curled into a small, daring smile, her eyes glinting with challenge. “Then let go,” she whispered back, her tone taunting, daring him to make his next move.

The words ignited something primal in Drew, a mix of rage and something else entirely—something he didn’t want to name. His blood boiled, and for a moment, the idea of pulling her closer, of silencing her with a kiss that would burn as much as their anger, flitted through his mind.

The thought caught him off guard. What the hell? He thought, blinking as the realisation unsettled him. “I said, don’t push me,” he repeated, his voice hoarse, trembling with more than just fury now.

Y/N's chest rose and fell with her quickened breath, her defiant facade cracking ever so slightly as she glared at him. But even now, with the sting of his grip making her scalp ache, she refused to back down.

Her lips parted as if to speak, but the moment hung heavy between them, a storm of unresolved emotions crackling in the air. Around them, the curious glances of partygoers grew bolder, whispers starting to ripple through the room.

Odessa shifted in her spot, her arms crossing over her chest as her narrowed gaze darkened. The storm wasn’t just between Drew and Y/N anymore—it was closing in on all of them.

 Y/N's taunts sliced through Drew like a blade, each word sharper than the last, cutting straight to his pride. She leaned in closer, her voice low and mocking, dripping with venomous amusement.

“You like it. Look at you,” she whispered, her smirk growing as her eyes flicked over his face, savouring the anger simmering in his expression. “I make you feel like a man.”

Her tone turned almost sing-song as she pressed on. “Brute strength and all. Guess Odessa doesn’t let you take the reins, huh? Is she the one always on top? Or—or are you the one who’s on your stomach?”

A soft, mocking laugh escaped her lips, private and husky, meant only for him. The fire in Drew’s eyes burned hotter, his jaw tightening as his grip on her hair became almost punishing.

He’d never hated someone so much, so deeply, in his entire life. Not just for her words, but for how easily she wormed her way under his skin, how her taunts had him seeing red.

“Shut up,” he hissed through gritted teeth, his voice low and feral. His free hand turned her around towards the door of the ballroom with a touch that felt both instinctive and entirely wrong. He yanked her closer out into the hallway of the hotel lobby, a few feet away from the party, the music from inside echoing through the halls. He roughly pinned her to the wall, towering over her in an attempt to make her feel small, his strength rough and unrelenting.

But Y/N was relentless. Her smirk didn’t waver, her voice dipping lower, the mocking edge cutting deeper. “Oh shit! So I’m right?” she drawled, her tone all cruel amusement. “You always were a little bitch—of course you’re taking it from behind—”

Drew’s nostrils flared as the words hit him, an image flashing in his mind that he wanted nothing to do with. His anger surged to the surface, his breath coming fast and uneven as the space between them seemed to collapse under the weight of their shared fury.

“Say one more thing,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous, his grip tightening until the tension between them felt ready to explode. “I dare you.”

But Y/N only smiled, her silence speaking volumes, her eyes daring him to make his next move.

Drew’s chest rose and fell with the force of his breathing, every word she spat at him fueling the fire in his veins. He knew exactly what Y/N's was doing—the low, husky tone, the way she held his gaze with those fiery, unyielding eyes. It was a game she had mastered long ago, one she used to play when she wanted to crawl under his skin, break him down, and leave him craving her.

And damn it, it was working.

His hand shot out, gripping her jaw firmly, forcing her to look up at him. His fingers dug into her skin as his glare bore down on her like daggers. “God, I still hate you,” he hissed, his voice barely above a murmur, though the heat behind it was unmistakable.

“Good,” Y/N snapped back, her whiskey-rough voice dripping with venom. “Cause I fucking hate you too.”

Her words hit like a slap, but they didn’t cool his anger—instead, they stoked it. He had almost forgotten how intense she could get when they fought, how raw and unfiltered their arguments became. It reminded him of the past, of how their fiery clashes used to end in bruising kisses and desperate hands. The passion between them was always a double-edged sword, cutting deep but sparking something he couldn’t ignore.

And now, here she was, standing toe-to-toe with him, her eyes blazing, her voice rasping with that whiskey-coated edge, and it was like a damn switch flipped in his head.

“Yeah? You hate me?” Drew growled, his voice rough and low, his grip on her jaw tightening as he leaned closer. His breath fanned her face, the space between them crackling with tension.

“Fucking hate you,” Y/N bit out, her tone raw and scathing, but there was something else there too. Her breath hitched as he leaned even closer, his body crowding hers.

The words were venom, but the heat between them was intoxicating, suffocating. They were locked in a battle neither could walk away from, their anger feeding into something dangerous, something electric. For a moment, it felt like the whole world had fallen away, leaving only them in their storm.

Drew's grip on her hair and hip was rough, possessive, but for a moment, he stopped pulling–his hand just held her there, keeping her exactly where he wanted her. They were too close, much too close, his face hovering inches from hers, his breath warm against her skin.

"Say it one more time," he demanded, his voice hoarse and tight with restraint.

 Y/N's eyes narrowed, and she gritted the words out, her voice cold and biting. "I. Hate. You." Each syllable cut through the air between them, a challenge, a dare.

Drew's body burned with tension, his mind clouded with thoughts he couldn't push away. The wild look in his eyes intensified, and for a split second, he imagined doing what he should never do–taking her then and there. His hand tightened on her hip, pulling her closer, making her feel the raw heat of his desire. He didn't speak for a moment, just stood there, close enough to taste her, as his pulse thudded through his ears. 

"I hate you, too," he muttered, his voice low and gravelly, brushing against her lips with every word. The heat between them was palpable, suffocating.

Suddenly, Y/N recoiled, her head hitting the wall of the empty hallway with a soft thud. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she gave him a scathing look. "What-what the fuck is wrong with you? Is this turning you on?!" she demanded, incredulous, her breath shaky.

Drew's eyes flicked to the empty hallway, his senses sharpening. She was right-they were alone, out of sight from the party, hidden in the shadows of the house. His pulse quickened as he looked down at her, pinned between the wall and his body. His grip on her hip tightened again, dragging her even closer. She could feel the evidence of his desire, pressing against her as he trapped her, no escape.

"No... no, you're just an infuriating little tease," he bit out through clenched teeth, trying to stay in control, but every word she spoke, every inch of her body pressed against his, made it harder.

Y/N's lips curled into a mocking smile, and she crossed her arms, staring up at him with a fire in her eyes.

"Tell that to the boner in your pants, Drew."

Her words were a slap to his pride, and he couldn't even deny it. He was harder than he had been in ages, his body betraying him with every second that passed, every breath he took in her presence. He was so close to losing control, to slamming her into the wall and kissing her until they both couldn't breathe.

"I didn't realise I was so transparent..." Drew muttered, a dry laugh escaping his lips. His tone was rough, strained, and distracted, and it took everything in him not to just close the gap between them and end the maddening tension.

In the dimly lit hallway, shadows danced against the walls, cast by the flickering fluorescent lights. The air was thick with tension, twisted by the words exchanged like daggers in the night. Y/N stood with an air of triumph, her lips curling into a mocking smile, eyes glinting with a challenge. 

“You’re so pathetic." she said, her voice dripping with disdain. The room seemed to pulse with her energy, vibrant and alive. Each word was a sharp blade, cutting deeper into him. “Do you like that I hate you? Does it turn you on? Maybe that’s what I should’ve done a year ago, huh? Treated you like the pathetic little bitch boy you really are.” 

The mockery twisted in the air, echoing like the haunting notes of a forgotten song. Y/N tilted her head, pouting as if addressing a child caught in a moment of irreparable shame. “That what you want, bitch boy? Odessa not treating you shitty enough?” 

Every syllable dripped with contempt. She was the predator, and he—Drew, in this moment—found himself the prey, reduced to a mere shadow of his former self. He had always reveled in his dominance, in being the one to command the room, but now she toyed with him like a cat playing with a wounded mouse. 

She watched him, delighting in the flush creeping up his neck, the way he struggled to maintain his composure, a veneer of arrogance clinging to him like a well-worn mask. Even as he feigned indifference, the truth was clear—his body betrayed him with a raging hardness, an embarrassing truth he couldn’t reconcile. 

Drew, usually so untouchable, felt like a spectre trapped in his own thoughts. This interaction was all wrong; he was the one who held all the cards. She was supposed to be begging for his attention, not striding away with such confidence, and every fibre of his being recoiled at the sudden shift in their dynamic. 

“Yeah—yeah that’s what I thought,” Y/N said, a self-satisfied smirk tugging at her lips as she assessed his silence, the power dynamics visibly shifting. She turned her back to him, her confidence almost palpable as she began to saunter elegantly away, each step an affront to his pride.

“That’s it? Just walk away?” he called after her, voice rough, almost desperate. He watched her, torn between admiration and resentment at her breathtaking poise. The very foundation of their relationship felt like it was crumbling. “You can’t talk smack like that and then just walk away… come on, Y/N, that’s not fair—” 

For a moment, she paused, the corner of her mouth twitching in amusement. The challenge hung heavy in the air, and the lingering silence wrapped around them like a shroud. 

“—Watch me.”

Without a backward glance, she raised her middle finger high, her posture exuding defiance, before disappearing down the hallway, leaving him with nothing but confusion and bitterness. The echo of her heels faded, but the imprint of her words remained, seeping into the very marrow of his pride as he stood there, feeling as though the world had turned upside down.

                 —After her performance of “it’s ok, I’m ok”—

The dimly lit bar thrummed with the sounds of chatter and clinking glasses, but for Drew, the world outside faded into an obscure blur. His gaze remained fixed on the small stage at the front, where she poured out her heart and soul, lyrics dripping with emotion that felt all too personal. Each note struck like a hammer against his chest, resonating with the enormity of the unspoken between them. He could feel the weight of her anger like a heavy cloak draped over their shared history, one laced with moments both exquisite and excruciating.

She stood there, radiant and furious, her voice slicing through the air. How could she hold such fury and beauty simultaneously? Drew’s heart raced, a mix of admiration and regret pounding in syncopation with the beat of the music—a primal reminder of what had been lost, yet fluttering with the thrill of what might still be.

When the final note faded into applause, Drew found himself drowning in the swirl of bodies, each one like a wave that could sweep him away and drown him in the chaos. He was desperate for her, craving clarity amid the confusion swirling in his mind. After what felt like an eternity, he succumbed to the weight of mixed emotions and found himself at the bar, seeking solace at the bottom of a glass that appeared deceptively comforting.

He sank deeper into his thoughts, how the night had spiralled from exhilaration to frustration, anger to longing. The alcohol numbed the edges, turning his world fuzzy and warm, yet his heart whispered that this moment was anything but resolved. As he hunched over his half-empty glass, he barely recognized how much he had needed this—this space, the drink, and yet, most of all, her presence.

“How’d you like my song?” Her voice chimed behind him, familiar and sharp, an electric current that coursed through his veins. 

Drew’s eyes closed for a fleeting moment before reality crashed into him. He turned slowly, the room spinning with the liquor, and found her standing there—an enchanting silhouette framed by the faint glow of bar lights. The formal black dress clung to her like a second skin, accentuating every curve he had tried so hard to forget. He swallowed hard, a mix of admiration and guilt knotting in his throat.

“Which one?” he replied dryly, raising his glass as if it were a shield against the vulnerability mixing in his chest.

“Both,” she answered, her smile cutting through the layers of tension like a knife through fog.

Drew felt a rush of heat surge through him, not just from the alcohol but from the intensity of her look, the challenge lingering in the air between them. They were two people caught in the eye of a storm, everything else around them fading, leaving only the truth of what lay unspoken. Drew could feel the weight of her gaze, the layers of accusation and yearning in her eyes. This night was far from over, and the melody of their tumultuous connection was playing on loop—a reminder that sometimes, the most painful songs were the ones that resonated the deepest.

The dim light of the bar flickered like a hesitant heartbeat, casting shadows that danced around them as if unwilling spectators to the emotional tempest brewing at their table. Drew leaned back against the cool surface, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass, which felt more substantial than the reality unfolding before him. He scoffed, taking an appraising measure of her—his eyes flitted down her form, pausing on the curves that the fitted dress clung to like a second skin. 

She was enchanting, even when she didn't mean to be, and in that moment, he was painfully aware that he should not be feeling this drawn to her. But the alcohol coursing through his veins blurred the edges of reason and made the alluring figure before him even harder to dismiss. 

“The first one was catchy,” he replied, the words spilling out dryly, laced with an irritation he couldn’t quite suppress.

“Yeah, it is. It’s also very true. I’m not into you anymore, Drew. Let’s just get that straight,” she retorted, nonchalance drenching her tone like thick syrup. A casual shrug accompanied her dismissal, further igniting the confusion simmering within him. 

There was a peculiar sense of calm in her voice that unsettled him, like the eerie silence before a storm. The sharp pang of rejection mingled with anger, swirling through him like an unpredictable tide. How could she sound so composed about losing something she had once clung to with fervour? 

“How could you just suddenly not be into me?” he shot back, intensity sharpening his features as he turned fully to face her. His eyes narrowed in desperate search of the truth hidden behind her façade.

“Suddenly? It’s been a year,” she countered, her incredulity palpable, as if he had just voiced the most absurd notion.

“Yeah, but… you wanted me so badly, for so long,” he murmured, the frustration weaving through his voice like a thread pulled taut. He held her gaze, their eyes locking, battling emotions bubbling to the surface. Anger simmered within him at her apparent indifference—how could she let him go so easily? Frustration gnawed at his insides, a bitter aftertaste lingering from far too many nights spent tangled in longing.

“What does it matter? You never liked me back in the first place,” she laughed, the sound edged with disbelief and tinged with hurt, and it cut through him like a blade, sharp and unwelcome.

In that instant, the chaotic undercurrents of their shared history surged forth, thrumming with unspoken words and buried feelings. He felt the walls he had carefully constructed around his heart begin to tremble, as the vulnerabilities and insecurities he had refused to acknowledge clawed their way to the surface. How was it that they could share so many moments yet stand so utterly apart? The tension between them had shifted, now a weapon forged of resentment and longing, and he couldn’t tell if it was meant to hurt or to heal.

The air in the dimly lit room crackled with tension, a palpable undercurrent as she leaned back against the bar, a playful smile dancing on her lips. He stood rigid, a storm brewing inside him, every laugh that escaped her only serving to stoke the flames of his frustration. Her laugh—light and airy—felt like a slap to his face, igniting a fury he didn’t fully understand. His fingers curled into fists, his nails biting into his palms as he gritted his teeth.

"You were obsessed with me," he said, the words escaping his lips like venom. "You chased after me for the longest time, even when all I did was insult you and tell you no."

Her response was laced with sarcasm, infuriatingly calm. "Yeah. I’m aware." She rolled her eyes, the amusement in her tone cutting deeper than any insult could. The way she carried herself, so detached and yet vibrant, made the air thicken with an unspoken challenge. "And? Did you expect me to stay ‘obsessed’ with you forever?"

He felt his blood boil, each casual laugh of hers striking a nerve. It was as if she were mocking him, dismissing everything they had once shared, reduced to mere jokes. "I expected you to care," his voice dropped to a low murmur, laden with the weight of unfulfilled emotions as he locked his gaze onto hers, searching for any hint of regret, any sign of the girl he once knew so well.

The moment hung between them, electric and charged, until her smile softened, a fleeting glimpse of vulnerability breaking through her facade. She tilted her head, regarding him with a mixture of pity and something else he couldn’t decipher. "I did care. And I paid the price."

In that instant, his heart stuttered. The walls he had built around his emotions began to crumble under the raw honesty in her gaze. She had cared, and yet somewhere along the way, the passion he had craved had turned cold, and now it was as if they were two strangers in a missed connection, trapped in the ruins of a past neither could escape.

Drew leaned against the polished wood of the bar, his heart racing as he watched her. The light that had once danced in her eyes—so bright and full of affection—had flickered out, leaving only an unreadable expression. She had once been head over heels for him, but now she seemed to regard him like a stranger. 

He swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his emotions settle in his throat. “If you cared,” he said, his voice quiet yet laced with desperation, “then how could you just stop caring? Just like that?” 

She turned slightly, her eyes drifting back to him with an unsettling calmness. “I realised my worth,” she replied, an edge in her voice. “Met someone who could handle the way I loved.”

Her casual tone felt like a slap to his face, and he could feel his blood begin to boil beneath his skin. With every word she spoke, the anger rolled through him like an incoming tide, threatening to drown his better judgement. “So I wasn’t… good enough?” he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper, ice forming around his words. “I couldn’t handle you?”

“Yes. You treated me like shit, and we were only just friends,” she shot back, the bruise of her words hitting him hard. “You used to laugh with Odessa about the fact that I genuinely loved you. So no, Drew. You definitely don’t have the maturity to love the way I do.”

He could hardly breathe as the truth of her words hung in the air between them, heavy and unforgiving. The burden of their history crashed down on him—a million moments, a myriad of shared laughter, shattered in an instant. She downed her glass, the sound resonating like a closing chapter, and turned to walk away. 

The sight of her retreating silhouette ripped through him. Drew froze for a moment, the realisation settling cold in his chest. She was walking away as if their connection had meant nothing, and that thought cut deeper than he wished to acknowledge. Her casual dismissal ignited a fury inside him; the anger morphed into desperation, and he felt something inside him snap. 

As she moved effortlessly towards the hallway, her head held high, it felt like the final straw. The need for confrontation surged forth, drowning out his reservations. With a swift movement, he slammed his glass onto the bar, the noise cutting through the murmur of the crowd like a scream.

“Wait!” he called out, pushing himself to his feet and following her, determination pooling in his gut. 

Each stride felt like a battle against the storm of emotions swirling in his chest. He navigated through the dim corridor behind her, heart pounding as his thoughts raced. The shadows around them seemed to warp and bend, echoing the spiralling connection they once had. 

The hallway stretched before them like a chasm, a barrier between desire and heartbreak. She sauntered forward, each step purposeful, her mind focused on escape—the lift at the end of the corridor promising a momentary sanctuary from the eruption of emotions that swirled inside her. But behind her footsteps, the sound of his hurried movement pierced through the tension, igniting a flame of defiance within her.

Drew was relentless, his heart pounding in sync with the fury that ignited his every nerve ending. He chased after her with an urgency that seemed almost desperate. Reaching out, he grasped her arm roughly, pulling her back so that she faced him, their eyes locking in a collision of unrefined emotion. 

“You didn’t even deny that you loved me,” he accused, his harsh tone slicing through the air between them. The fiery intensity of his gaze burned into her, but beneath it lay a tumult of guilt and regret that he couldn’t hide.

She stared back, unflinching. “I don’t have to deny it. I did love you, Drew. I’m not ashamed of that,” she snapped, her voice rising in defiance. “The only thing I’m ashamed of is all those damn years I spent being your friend, putting up with your ungrateful ass while you treated me like I was gum beneath your shoe when Odessa was around.”

With a fierce yank, she pulled her arm from his grasp, stepping back, the distance between them not just physical but emotional, an abyss that felt insurmountable. 

In that moment, realisations flooded over him like a wave. He couldn’t deny what she was saying. The truth struck him hard—he had treated her poorly, clinging to denial and ignorance while pushing away the very love and adoration she had offered without condition. The weight of his actions bore down on him, a heavy cloak of regret that he felt unworthy to wear.

But his anger was a tangled mess, fueled by more than just her accusation. He was furious, not only at her for seemingly moving on but at himself for being the one who had driven her away. Matted feelings of jealousy and inadequacy mingled within him, and he seethed in frustration. How could she have let go so easily? How could she walk away when he suddenly longed for her presence?

As silence enveloped them, punctuated only by the soft ticking of time, she shook her head in disbelief, capturing his attention. He stood there, dumbstruck, the expression on his face a painful mix of confusion and vulnerability that sent waves of exasperation coursing through her.

Ugh, she thought, incredulity taking over. The sight of him standing there, lost and torn, made her roll her eyes in irritation. She turned away, dismissing the pull of his despair. 

With a storm of unresolved tension swirling around them, Drew’s grip tightened as he spun her back to face him, the weight of his anger palpable in the air. The wall was cool against her back, a stark contrast to the fire igniting in her chest.

“Don’t walk away when I’m talking to you,” he growled, his voice a low rumble that echoed in the narrow hallway. 

In response, she felt the fury that had simmered for too long rise to the surface, bursting forth in a desperate rage. 

“I should have turned my back on you ages ago!” 

The words shot out of her mouth, a battle cry against the years of pain and frustration buried deep in her heart. In a moment fueled by raw emotion, she shoved him away with all the strength she could muster.

The force of her push stunned him, a harsh scoff escaping his lips as he stumbled back, disbelief momentarily erasing the anger etched on his face. But the shock quickly transformed into something far more potent—a surge of rage that pulsed through his veins like wildfire. 

“You don’t get to just shove me like that!” he shouted, his jaw clenched, hands curling into fists at his sides. Drew stepped toward her again, closing the gap, invading her space. “You should’ve run from me a long time ago.”

“Well I did it now, haven’t I?!” The incredulity in her voice matched the intensity in her eyes. “And I’m SO glad you’re not in my life anymore—“

Her laughter, sharp and scornful, cut through the tension like a knife. She placed a hand on her heart, mocking the very relief she felt.

“I mean seriously—I’m so glad I am not faced with having to deal with your bitch boy attitude anymore—“ She snapped at him, the words infused with the bitterness of their shared history.

His breaths quickened, tension coiling tightly in his chest. This was not how their exchanges used to go; usually, she wouldn’t strike so hard or hit so true. She was saying the kind of things that would’ve rolled off his back once, but now they burrowed beneath his skin, igniting the innate frustration refocusing his fury.

“Yeah, you’re so relieved,” he shot back, his voice low and edged with venom, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that could ignite a fire. “Because you’ve found someone else now, right? Someone who can handle all your BULLSHIT!”

“Yeah, ya know what? I did!” she retorted, each word an arrow aimed straight at his heart. “And he is so much better than you as a person! Because you suck! You suck, Drew! You’re only nice to people you CHOOSE to be nice to!”

They stood there, their voices overlapping in a symphony of anguish and wrath. Each accusation only fueled the other’s fire, a volcanic eruption of raw feelings that had been trapped beneath the surface for too long. 

“Look at you,” he spat, his hands shaking slightly as the fury coursed through him, battling against the flicker of vulnerability that threatened to break free. “You think you’ve found better, but I know this is all you’ve got. You think you can just toss me aside like yesterday’s trash?”

She shook her head, disbelief mingling with irritation. “You were the one who treated me like that! You made me feel like I was nothing, like I didn’t even matter. And now you’re angry because I finally left?” 

There was a silence, charged with the weight of everything unspoken, their breaths mingling in the tense air as they stared each other down. 

Drew’s heart raced, his insides a whirlwind of regret and unresolved longing. “You just don’t get it, do you?” he murmured, the bitterness in his tone fading ever so slightly. “I pushed you because I didn’t know how—how to deal with how I felt. I didn’t mean to—”

“Didn't mean to what? Hurt me?” She interjected fiercely, crossing her arms defiantly. “You didn’t think I deserved more?”

The truth in her accusation hung heavy between them, and Drew clenched his jaw, the realisation hitting him like a punch to the gut. 

“Maybe I didn’t,” he admitted, voice dropping to a whisper, tinged with the bitterness of truth, “but I’m not okay with how this ended. With you hating me.” 

The subtle change in his demeanour caught her off guard, causing her to falter for a brief moment before the armour of anger enveloped her once again. "Hate you? No, Drew, I can’t hate someone who never gave me the chance to matter.” 

And with that, the fight seemed to deflate, leaving a hollow echo of what had been. Their breaths mingled in the air, emotions boiling just beneath the surface, each of them facing the remnants of their once unbreakable bond. 

The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting a cold glow over the small, confined space where tension had accumulated like a storm cloud. With each breath taken, the air thickened, pregnant with unspoken words and grudges long held.

“You think he’s so kind?” Drew spat, his voice dripped with scorn as he advanced, changing the subject and closing the distance between them until their bodies nearly touched. “So sweet and gentle? He probably lets you walk all over him!”

“Walk all over him?” she shot back, incredulity fueling her retort. “Is that your critique? Because if anyone knows about being pushed around, it’s you!" The memories swirled—a past of her always acquiescing and succumbing to his whims, even when they were merely friends. “You let Odessa walk all over you, and now, you think you’ve earned the right to judge me?”

A flicker of hurt crossed his features at the mere mention of Odessa. His jaw clenched tightly as her words stung like barbs. The fact they were even being compared grated on him, invoking a deep, seething anger that coursed through his veins.

“Don’t pretend to understand my relationship with her,” he shot back, his fists clenching at his sides, his presence a looming shadow. 

“You don’t know anything about me!” she replied, each word like a bullet aimed at his heart. “Stay in your lane, Starkey.”

He leaned closer, the heat of their animosity palpable. “You brought up my relationship first,” he hissed. “Is it jealousy that has you acting like this?”

“Jealous? Of what?” she spat incredulously, the disbelief evident in her tone. “Your irresponsibility? Your immaturity? Your utter disregard for anyone but yourself?”

“Jealous,” he reiterated, the word hanging heavily in the air between them. “Jealous because I never cared about you like you cared about me. You wasted years of your life chasing after a guy who never saw you for who you are.”

His words pierced through her defences, causing some invisible emotional shield to crumble. For a moment, she stood there, stunned, a smile of painful acknowledgment flickering on her lips as she stepped back, her heart heavy with muted anguish.

He met her gaze and instantly recognized the devastation he’d unleashed. A realisation crashed down upon him: hurting her felt worse than he could bear. It was as if he had lost something he hadn’t even realised he valued until it began to slip from his grasp.

‘I knew this was a mistake.’ She whispered to herself.

“What are you talking about?” he murmured, the edge of his voice softening as a hint of vulnerability broke through his bravado. He searched her eyes for some reassurance, for signs that the damage wasn’t as profound as he feared.

“You are my biggest mistake,” she whispered with quiet finality, stepping away from him, leaving a chasm filled with their unspoken words.

The truth of her statement sent chills racing through him, and the realisation unsettled him. He had chased after her anger, thrived on her attention, yet now was confronted with the stark reality that the chase had come at a devastating cost. “What?” The word escaped his lips in a breath, almost a plea.

“I wish I’d never met you.” The weight of her words pressed upon him like a leaden shroud. “You’re a bad person, Drew. I can’t believe I fell in love with you.”

His chest constricted painfully, as if she had reached deep within and squeezed the very essence of him. Here was a woman who had loved him, who had given and sacrificed, and he couldn’t recall ever treating her with the reverence she deserved. 

“Yeah. You and me both,” he replied, the bitterness in his tone betraying a deeper fracture seeping through.

An oppressive silence stretched between them, heavy with unfulfilled longing and regret. The air crackled with tension as he finally summoned the courage to ask what he’d long avoided. “Why do you think I’m a bad person?”

“Because you enjoy hurting me,” she said, her voice steady yet piercing.

Her honesty hit him like a wave, oppressive and unrelenting. For so long, he had struggled to understand their tumultuous connection, always toeing the line between love and contempt. She had always returned to his side, accepting his jabs as part of their cruel dance, yet in that acceptance now loomed the haunting realisation that he had reveled in her pain.

His throat constricted, the truth too heavy for denial, as he swallowed hard against the bitter tide of her words. And then she added, as if the weight couldn’t get heavier, “And you liked it when I kept coming back.”

His jaw clenched, her revelations spiralling through him like shards of glass. “Yeah, well,” he murmured, reluctantly admitting defeat as self-loathing crept into his heart. “You always did.”

“Because I loved you,” she replied, a wistful tone mingling with the bitterness of those memories.

The admission landed like a heavy stone, ricocheting wildly within him. She had poured forth her heart, unearthing a part of her he felt dangerously unworthy of. “How could you have ever loved me?” he whispered, barely audible against their shared past.

“I don’t know.” The shrug she offered was faint, the defeat palpable.

“Maybe you’re just stupid,” he snapped, the bitterness rolling off his tongue like poison, but it was directed at himself as much as her.

“Don’t take it out on me because you’re angry with yourself, Drew.” 

She turned, moving to leave, yet he caught her wrist, pulling her back, both pained and desperate. “You don’t get to judge me!” he growled, the edge returning to his voice, his grip a frantic plea for her to stay.

“Judge you? You think this is me judging you?” She scoffed, the lightning tension between them palpable. “I’m just pointing out the facts, asshole!”

“Don’t call me that,” he warned, his voice low, not wanting to lose her, even as he felt the weight of his own words pressing against his conscience. 

“Well? What’s that to you? That’s in the past, Drew! I don’t love you anymore!” she shouted, the truth of it cutting through the spiralling chaos.

“Good!” he snapped back, a childish retort, fueled by anger rather than sense. “I never loved you!”

“Great!” she responded, the sharpness in her voice echoing his emotions, yet hers felt like a sword piercing through. 

“Fine!” he exploded, even gathering up the remnants of his anger. “You were just a nuisance to me, I tolerated you! You were a good little lapdog, always ready, but I never loved you. I never will!”

As his words ricocheted back at her, she blinked rapidly, her heart a battlefield of anger and disappointment. 

He held her gaze, the tumult of self-loathing spilling over. She’d always been there, nurturing and steadfast, but he had carelessly dismissed her. “You were convenient,” he spat. “I only kept you around when I needed you.”

Without thinking, she yanked her arm free from him, feeling the rush of freedom. “Thank you. This is exactly what I needed from you,” she said, sarcasm dripping from her words, a protective armour pulled tight around her heart.

He winced, anger and frustration flooding his veins again. She was turning away, and a wild impulse kicked within him, wanting her back, yet all he could muster was a jaded response. “You’re welcome,” he retorted, crossing his arms defiantly.

“Great!” She pressed the lift button with a force that echoed the tumult within their hearts. 

The atmosphere in the elevator was charged with tension, heavy enough to suffocate. He stood still, arms crossed defiantly over his chest, eyes fixed on her as she furiously jabbed at the buttons. Each clang echoed in the confined space, a symphony of frustration. It was self-destructive, he knew that—he was playing the villain and hurting her on purpose. But deep down, beneath layers of pent-up anger and regret, a soft voice whispered a desperate hope: let this moment stretch. 

“Fucking—fuck—” She cursed under her breath, her voice laced with irritation, each word like a knife slicing through the heated silence.

He couldn't help but observe her with a mixture of anger and concern, the way her fist clenched around the metal button, the sharp exhalations that escaped her lips. His heart raced as he internally warred with himself, torn between the urge to reach out and the need to remain aloof.

BANG. BANG. BANG. She slammed her palm against the buttons again, masking her tumultuous emotions under a façade of fury, but he could see right through it.

With a gesture of resolve, he loosened his arms, letting his hand drift delicately toward her wrist. The moment felt electric, the air vibrating with unspoken truths. “Stop,” he commanded, his voice gravelly, a plea disguised as an order. “Stop hitting the goddamn button. The elevator’s not going to come any faster.”

“Fuck you,” she shot back, rolling her eyes with enough disdain to match the fury swirling around them. 

He knew he had it coming—the searing rebuke was hers to give. But the words clawed at him, stirring something dark and volatile within. “I know I deserve that,” he admitted through gritted teeth, trying to suppress the anger simmering beneath his surface. “But you need to stop acting like a toddler.”

“You don’t know what you deserve,” she retorted, her eyes flashing with indignation. “You deserve to have someone take a shit in your mouth for how filthy you speak to me.”

A wide grin crept across her face as she delivered her insult, but he felt a flicker of admiration amidst the anger. “Yeah? Well maybe you deserve to have somebody take a piss down your throat,” he snapped back, unable to stop the venom slipping from his lips.

“Please, I’m not the one who can’t make a decision on his own because he's too busy with his thumb up his ass like a good little boy,” she shot right back, the mocking tone hanging in the air like thick smoke.

Her words dug deep into him, striking a nerve he thought he had buried. The truth stung, a bitter taste in his mouth. “I never had any trouble making a decision when it came to you,” he countered fiercely. “I chose Odessa over you every single time!”

“Oh brother, say something new. Ya boring,” she scoffed, impervious to the storm clouds brewing in his chest.

Heat ignited within him, a furnace of rage fueled by her calm demeanour. She was infuriatingly nonchalant, dismissing everything he said as if it were little more than a passing breeze. He stepped forward, closing the distance until they were inches apart. “You're a pathetic, annoying pest,” he snarled. “You were always buzzing around me, pestering me. YOU always did what i asked, i never asked for your help”

“Exactly, because you’ve never had to work for anything, I always did it for you. Seriously, you couldn’t even send back food without me.” she laughed mockingly, but the laughter echoed with an undercurrent of pain.

What she said ricocheted around his mind. It was true, but hearing her articulate it so plainly made him feel exposed, like an open wound. “Yeah, maybe I’ve never had to work,” he admitted grudgingly, “but I’ve never lowered myself to being a doormat. I’ve never let myself love someone so blindly to let them treat me like dirt.”

“So, you do acknowledge that you are a bad person?” she taunted, a smirk playing across her lips.

His heart lurched at the truth of it, and he flinched. The walls he'd built to protect himself began to crumble. “Yeah, I’m a pretty shitty person,” he snapped. “Is that what you want to hear?”

“It’s exactly what I wanted to hear. You are such a pushover, and you do exactly what people say because you can’t think for yourself. Exhibit A!” She gestured between them theatrically, but the underlying pain was evident.

Her words struck like daggers, twisting deep inside him. “A pushover?! You’re one to talk!” He stepped closer, fists clenching tighter as he confronted her. “You spent years following me around. You never once had the guts to say no, to stand up for yourself!”

“Well, I’m standing tall for myself now, and you can’t stand it!” she yelled, eyes blazing with defiance. “Because you cannot live in a world where I am not obsessed with you! Admit it! You want me to still be in love with you!”

A moment of silence engulfed them after her words. It felt as if the air had been sucked out of the hallway as reality hung heavy between them. His chest tightened, and he was left grappling with the realisation that maybe she was right.

He took a step back as laughter filled the silence, but it wasn't joyous; it was strained and bitter. She was right; she was strong now, but somewhere within him, that nagging ache for her was still alive. He clenched his jaw, frustration and yearning warring within him, and as the weight of the moment settled over both of them, he realised there was no escaping the mess they had created together. 

Drew stood there, his breath catching in his throat, as she faced him defiantly. The tension hung between them like a thick fog, almost suffocating. Her stance was strong, unwavering, and it filled him with a strange mix of emotions. A wave of relief washed over him at the realisation that she wouldn’t back down, that she still had the fire he’d once admired. But then she pierced him with her words—you want me to still be in love with you—and it hit him like ice water on his skin, jolting him with its truth. 

“Why the hell would I want you to still be in love with me? What would I gain from that, huh?” he snapped, bitterness spilling from his lips as he tried to mask the tightening in his chest.

“I dunno, Joseph. You’re the one who feels that way,” she shrugged, the movement light and dismissive, her back now turned to him as she turned toward the elevator doors. A part of him wanted to scream, to chase after her, but he stood rooted to the spot, anger and frustration coursing through him.

“I do not!” The words left his mouth harsher than intended, and before he knew what was happening, his hand shot out, grabbing her wrist with a mix of desperation and rage. 

“I don’t—” he started, but just as quickly as the words began to flow, they rushed to a stop. The air felt thick, and he swallowed hard, grappling with himself in a torrent of conflicting thoughts.

“Don’t. What?” she growled, her eyes narrowing, a challenge simmering just beneath the surface, daring him to continue. 

Every heartbeat thundered in his ears as he fought against the tremor in his voice. “I don’t… I—” He was caught in a web of his own making, words choking him, the truth stinging at the back of his mind.

“What? Say it. Open that pretty mouth and say it.” She raised her eyebrows, mocking him, her tone dripping with the satisfaction of having backed him into a corner.

He hesitated, that penetrating stare causing him to falter. She was right there, baiting him, and yet the truth felt like a heavy stone lodged in his throat. All he could do was swallow again, helpless, his heart racing so violently he thought it might just burst from the strain. He felt trapped, cornered by her words and his own emotions.

“Fuck you,” he retorted, his gaze fierce as it locked onto hers. But even as he said it, the strength behind the words felt flimsy, like a wounded puppy trying to growl. 

“Yeah. That’s what I thought,” she tilted her head, her expression one of triumphant satisfaction, as if she held all the strings in this dangerous game they were playing.

Drew felt the weight of her gaze, each heartbeat echoing the truth he was too afraid to voice. She was right. Somewhere deep down, he craved her affection, wanted her to still care. Her indifference cut deeper than any insult, striking at the core of who he was. 

Drew clenched his jaw, palpable frustration radiating from his rigid frame. His hands curled tightly into fists at his sides, each knuckle white with agitation. How dare she stand there so calmly, so smugly, while he wrestled with the turmoil inside? 

But there she was, unyielding and unapologetic, challenging his authority without uttering a single word. It set off a fire within him, a mix of anger and an inexplicable allure that drew him toward her. The thought of her defiance sent a surge of adrenaline coursing through him. He needed to regain control. 

With a sudden movement, he stepped forward, closing the space between them. Before she could react, he wrapped his arm around her waist and yanked her against his chest, trapping her in his hold. 

"What the—" she gritted out, shocked and bewildered.

The moment she pressed against him, warmth radiating from her body, it was like a flicker igniting a flame within him. Here she was, against him, familiar yet inexplicably foreign. Beneath all the fighting and the harsh words, this was an undeniable truth: he had missed this physical connection.

He swallowed hard, battling a tumult of emotions, his heart racing in sync with the electric tension. Looking down into her wide eyes, he realised he was losing his composure. In a raw, hoarse whisper, he muttered, “Just shut up.”

“Make me!” she snapped back, her eyes gleaming with challenge.

Drew’s breath hitched at her audacity, the defiance only stoking the fire of his frustration and something deeper, something he had no intention of admitting to himself. 

The elevator dinged, an unsettling sound that reverberated through the hallway, but the tension between them was far thicker than any surrounding noise. He stood there, fury and desire coiling within him like a tightly wound spring, and before he could even think about what he was doing, he acted on impulse, grabbing her and pulling her harshly against him. 

“What the—” The words barely escaped her lips before he cut her off, crashing his mouth against hers with a fervour that could set the world ablaze. The kiss was anything but tender; it was a maelstrom of frustration, resentment, and longing. His tongue slipped into her mouth, tasting her as though he were drowning in the very essence of her.

She pushed weakly against his chest, her breath hitching as his lips moved fervently, a mix of anger and passion improvising a wild rhythm between them. Did she hate him? Did she even know? It was all an emotional hurricane—his heart raced to scary, new peaks while his mind spun backward into memories of every argument, every tense word exchanged that had led to this very moment.

He couldn’t restrain the frustrated noise that slipped from his throat as she struggled. With a sudden, voracious need, he shifted his grip, letting go of her chin only to tangle his fingers in her dark hair. He tilted her head back, forcing her to surrender, deepening the kiss fervently while their breaths intertwined, filled with desperation.

Then, as if hours had passed, he pulled away, just long enough to gasp for breath, a fine line of saliva tethering them like a fragile connection that felt both thrilling and terrifying. His gaze locked onto hers, and in that instant, he caught a glimpse of disbelief painted across her features, her lipstick smudged and her wild hair dishevelled, an intoxicating sight that made his heart thunder violently.

She blinked slowly, eyes wide in shock, tracing the remnants of their kiss that lingered on his bottom lip. A full rush of heat surged through him—not of embarrassment but a quickened realisation. He hadn’t captured her to silence her; he had kissed her because, for that single moment, he couldn't contain the need anymore. He wanted her, wanted to bridge the chasm of emotion that surrounded them.

“I…,” she stammered, then broke away, forcibly shoving him from her as she stared at her hand, as if it could shield her from the reality of what had just happened. "What the hell was that?"

He watched her scramble, the panic on her face igniting an uncontrollable anger within him. How dare she act as if she could erase this moment? The space between them wobbled with unsaid words and unresolved feelings. His heart wasn't sorry, nor was his body, but his frustration boiled hotter, mingling with the unwanted sensation of regret. He took a step towards her.

“Don’t—” She snapped, pointing at him in a desperate demand to stay back, but it only sent a flash of indignation through his veins. He wasn’t about to yield.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” he growled, a rough edge sharpening his tone. Each step he took toward her amplified the tension, the space constricting tighter around them like a noose.

“Fuck you!” she shot back, anger and disbelief casting sharp daggers in her eyes as she thrust her hands into the air.

He couldn’t contain a twisted smile that bled more contempt than amusement. It rippled through him, igniting everything. “No, you fuck you. You’re the one acting like you didn’t enjoy it too. Don’t pretend you have any moral high ground here!” 

“God! You’re so fucking delusional!” Her words hung between them, heavy with anger and frustration, every syllable echoing an undeniable truth that tied together all that they had become.

They were caught in an unyielding storm, each determined to stand their ground, knowing that the truth lay just beneath the surface, waiting to erupt.

The air between them crackled with electricity, thick and oppressive, as he stood there, eyes blazing with an intensity that hung heavy in the small space surrounding them. The lingering taste of their kiss was the last remnant of what had just transpired, yet here they were, locked in a battle of words that mirrored their entwined feelings. 

“You’re delusional if you’re trying to tell me that you didn’t just forget every single thing for a moment when I kissed you,” he snapped, his heart pounding in a rhythm that echoed the truth he was reluctant to face. He was painfully aware of her reaction—not just in her eyes, wide with disbelief, but how her body had yielded to his just moments before. She had enjoyed it, just as much as he had.

“You—” Her voice trembled with a furious indignation that only seemed to stoke the flames fanning within him. “You—GOD!” The words rushed from her lips in an exasperated gasp.

He revelled in the way confusion painted her features, watching as she grappled for words through the haze of frustration. It was a twisted satisfaction he couldn’t deny; she had become a puzzle he had long wished to solve, and he felt utterly triumphant at having thrown her off balance.

“God—you know why I would never date you!?” Her finger jabbed in the air, punctuating her rhetorical question like a knife.

“Why?” He shot back, a scoff escaping him, his fists coiling into tight balls at his sides. He could already predict her answer, but he craved to hear her voice it. This was the moment he had yearned for—her cornered, finally stripped of her defences, with nowhere to run.

“Because YOU. DRIVE ME. NUTS. STARKEY!” she screamed, her fury palpable, as her nose nearly brushed against his. 

“And you—” he retorted with ferocity, “drive me nuts! You make me crazier than anyone else in this entire world! You, with your big eyes and stupid dark hair and your dumb laugh and goddamn stupid smile! You drive me insane, Y/N, and you have for years!” 

The words were tumbling out of him, each one ratcheting up the tension between them, an unfiltered outburst of pent-up emotion. 

“Yeah?! Well it sure sounds like you’re obsessed with me!” she yelled back, fire blazing behind her eyes, daring him to deny it.

“I am obsessed with you!” he shot back, his voice going an octave higher, the veil of carefully guarded emotions finally torn away. “I’m obsessed with the fact that you followed me around for years and I never realised that you were in love with me! And now that I do know, I can’t do anything about it because you’ve finally moved on!”

The words hung in the air like an ominous cloud, and as they slipped from his mouth, he felt a moment of disorientation, stumbling as her expression shifted from anger to pure disbelief. 

“What?!” she managed to utter, her eyes wide, searching his face for any sign that this was a cruel joke. 

He abruptly stopped shouting, taking a step back, a bewildered silence enveloping them. He hadn’t intended to let that slip, hadn’t meant to lay bare the vulnerability buried deep inside of him. But there it was, floating between them and demanding acknowledgement.

“You heard me,” he said, voice low and rough, the weight of his confession settling over them like a heavy cloak. 

Y/N’s incredulous look bore into him, a tumult of emotions swirling in her gaze—shock, anger, realisation, and perhaps something more unabashedly raw. It was all there, and for the first time, he could see the layers of misunderstanding beginning to peel away. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came, leaving them suspended in that moment, the world outside forgotten, as the truth hung like a thread dangling waiting to be pulled taut.

“No. No, I don’t think so.” 

Her voice was steady, defiant, as she crossed her arms, every muscle in her body radiating cold rejection. He could feel her glare cut through the air between them like a knife, sharp and unyielding.

He clenched his jaw, grappling with the pounding in his chest as he took a step closer, invading her space. “Yes, you did,” he shot back, his voice sharp and strained. “You heard me; you just don’t want to admit it.”

“I did hear you. I also know that you’re a big fat liar, and I fucking hate you,” she snapped, the words biting and raw, echoing with her fury.

“I’m a liar?” His voice lifted incredulously, eyes narrowing in disbelief. “You think I’m lying when I say that I’m obsessed with you? That you drive me nuts? I’m being honest—for the first goddamn time in my life!”

“Well, I don’t believe you! Because you’re a liar.” Her voice quaked, and she shrugged as if her disdain could physically push him away. “And you are the worst kind of liar. Because your lies sound so much like the truth that it’s impossible for me to tell the difference.”

Her words struck deep, and for a moment, silence loomed between them. He felt his chest heave under the weight of her accusation—she had hit too close to home. She was right: he was good at weaving deception into convictions so convincing they could easily ensnare even the sharpest minds. But with her, that manipulation folded under the pressure of something more profound and real, something he couldn’t fabricate.

“I’m not lying,” he managed to breathe, his voice a rough whisper, each syllable laced with urgency.

“I. Don’t. Fucking. Believe. You.” She seethed, her nose nearly brushing against his, every word a challenge, a proclamation laced with the tumult between them.

He could feel the intensity of her gaze, the fire and disbelief swirling in her eyes, leaving no room for doubt. She was so close that every detail of her—every curve, every quirk—was amplified in his vision, and with the intoxicating scent of her skin flooding his senses, he fought a desperate urge gnawing at him.

And yet, beneath the fury and resentment, something deeper shimmered in her gaze—a flicker of vulnerability that tugged at his heart. Goddamnit, he wanted her more than he'd ever allowed himself to admit.

“God, look at you,” he muttered, his eyes sweeping across her face, drinking in every nuance of her expression, grappling with how close they were. She was a force of nature, fierce and untamed, and at that moment, he couldn’t take it anymore.

The world around them faded into oblivion; all that remained was the air swelling between them, thick with unresolved tension. He took another step forward, closing the space between them completely, surrendering to the magnetic pull that drew him to her.

As she inhaled deeply, he felt it. The moment hung suspended in time as she leaned in, eyes fluttering shut, and that was it—he broke. All restraint slipped through his fingers like loose sand. He was done with the self-imposed barriers, the hesitant games.

He cupped her face in his hands, capturing her mouth in a fierce, passionate kiss that demanded response. It was desperate and needy, an unguarded collision of emotions that echoed the storm brewing in his soul.

Her reaction was instant—a gasp escaping into his lips as her hands clenched tightly against his dress shirt, caught in the whirlwind of conflicting feelings. Part of her wanted to push him away, to reject everything she felt—and yet, another part was drawn to him, willing to pull him closer, to drown in this moment that teetered between love and hatred.

They were no longer debating the lies; instead, they were entwined in something he had tried to keep buried for far too long. With every push and pull, every heated breath, the truth that had been hiding in the shadows came rushing forth, demanding to be acknowledged. And now, there was no turning back.

He groaned low in his throat, the sound muffled against her lips as she gasped. But he didn’t pull away. No, instead, he pushed himself against her, feeling the heat radiating off her body. His hand slid into her hair, tugging gently but insistently, as if to remind her how long he had been waiting for this moment, how hungry he was—for her.

Months of pent-up desire unleashed in a feverish kiss, rough and unapologetic. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, deep and urgent, while his other hand slipped beneath the neck of her dress, skimming over the bare skin of her shoulder.

She reluctantly sighed into his lips, pouring out all the anger and hurt that had accumulated over the months. She grasped his jaw, tilting his head as she took control, kissing him back with a fervour that surprised even herself.

He groaned again, the sound rising from deep within him, and closed his eyes, wanting nothing more than to savour this moment. Finally having her in his arms ignited a fire he thought he had long extinguished. But even in this bliss, he wouldn’t concede dominance so easily; he had been waiting too long for this. 

His hand slid from her cheek down to her throat, holding her in place, arching her neck back slightly, a silent command for her to surrender to him. 

Her lips parted in pleasure beneath the sweet pressure of his grip on her neck.

He seized the opportunity, pushing deeper with his tongue, pulling her flush against him, their bodies merging. The heat between them blazed, and he let out an involuntary growl at how wild this felt, how desperately he craved her. 

“Drew—” She panted against his mouth, feeling dizzy with hunger and want, squeezing his hand around her throat lightly, as if daring him to tighten his hold even more. She had forgotten the world outside, the blaring music from the after-party just a few feet away. All that existed was him and this intoxicating moment.

Her moan was a siren’s call, so deliciously erotic it stole his breath. He felt his fingers grip her throat tighter, and when he opened his eyes slightly, he registered the reality where they still stood in the hallway. The thought of someone witnessing their gasps and murmurs sent a thrill mixed with a touch of anxiety coursing through him.

He wanted her with an urgency that was bordering on madness, but this wasn’t the place. Reluctantly, he pulled back, panting heavily as he spoke, his voice growling with need. “Come to my room.”

Dazed, she blinked lazily up at him, confusion flitting through her. “What?” 

The whisper fell from her lips as her hand tangled further in his tousled hair, an instinctual plea for him to come closer again, to kiss her.

He saw the need in her gaze, the way her hand curled through his hair, and it almost broke him. Almost. But he fought the urge, forcing himself to maintain some semblance of composure. His hand slipped from her throat, a wary truce—or perhaps a promise of what was to come.

“My room,” he repeated, his voice deep and almost primal, as he nodded towards the elevator down the hall. “Come with me.”

She closed my eyes, surrendering to the pull of his voice and the electricity crackling between them, letting him guide her.

In that instant, he released her, intertwining his fingers with hers, a tangible connection that anchored them both. Desire thrummed in his veins as he tugged her toward the elevator, every instinct screaming for him to kiss her again, to press her against the wall and lose himself in her. But he forced himself to stay calm, though his heart raced in anticipation, each beat echoing with the promise of what awaited in his room.

The elevator doors opened with a soft ding, and together they stepped inside, the cramped space encasing them like a cocoon of unfiltered tension. The world outside was a distant murmur—one filled with laughter, music, and vibrant life—but here, it was just them and the palpable hunger that hung in the air, waiting to be unleashed.

The moment the elevator doors slid closed, a wave of urgency surged between them. He backed her up against the back wall, his firm body pinning her in place, his hand resting powerfully beside her head. With every breath, he could feel the space between them charged, electric.

His chest heaved with anticipation as his eyes traced her features, roaming from her flushed lips to the vulnerable skin of her neck, and lower, where the tantalising edge of her backless dress teased his senses. 

He couldn’t wait anymore.

Y/N sighed into his lips, feeling the heat of his body pressing into her as her hands explored the tantalising contours of his shoulders, feeling the rigid muscles beneath his suit as she hopelessly leaned into him. Y/N’s backless dress shifted as he pulled her closer, their bodies colliding in a passionate urgency.

A low growl rumbled in his throat with every stroke of her hands over his back, and he kissed her harder, capturing her mouth in a possessive and desperately needy embrace. When she sighed against him, letting her fingers trail up over his stomach, something inside him snapped, igniting a wild hunger. His hands began to roam her back, fingers sliding beneath the fabric of her dress, caressing the skin of her bare back with a fervour that bordered on madness.

Y/N arched into him, surrendering completely as she kissed him as sloppily and fervently as she’d always wanted to. The taste of him—heady, intoxicating—consumed her completely.

His hand that had rested against the wall slipped down to grip her waist, pulling her flush against him once more. He could feel the heat of her body through their clothes, a tantalising friction that sent a rush of desire coursing through him. He ground against her as his tongue thrust roughly into her mouth, seeking something deeper, something primal. His other hand slid lower, finding her thigh, where he squeezed her delectable, soft skin.

Y/N whimpered into his lips, overwhelmed by the craving that surged through her, and when the elevator door opened, she found herself instinctively walking him backward out of the lift.

Emerging from the elevator, he allowed her to walk him backward, their bodies still locked together. He could feel her every inch pressed against him, the warmth of her skin igniting a fire within. His lips detoured from her mouth, moving downwards, kissing her jaw, then to the tantalising curve of her neck, where he found the rushing rhythm of her pulse and suckled on it hungrily.

“Room—key—Drew—key—” Y/N panted desperately, tilting her head back to give him more access to her skin, her body aching for his touch.

Frustration mingled with a raw need, and he fumbled to retrieve his key from his pocket while kissing his way down her throat, his teeth scraping over the sensitive skin where her heartbeat raced. “Fuck, I want you so bad,” he growled hoarsely, his voice low and rough with desire. He finally managed to extract the key card but was so lost in the moment that he nearly missed the slot.

She growled in frustration at his clumsiness, seizing the key card from him and swiping it swiftly, determined to get inside.

When the door swung open and they tumbled through, he fell on top of her, his entire body covering her, pressing her into the cool floor. With the weight of his desire and the overwhelming passion igniting every cell in his body, he couldn’t take it any longer.

He pressed his lips against hers, and the world around them faded into oblivion. Just the two of them remained in that intoxicating moment, tangled together in the depths of their longing—an insatiable need that demanded to be fulfilled.

Under the dim glow of the evening light, the air between them crackled with palpable tension, the world outside forgotten. It was a moment suspended in time, one where anything seemed possible and every heartbeat echoed the impending explosion of desire. 

Drew's hands found the hem of Y/N's dress, a seemingly innocent movement that ignited a wildfire of longing within him. He tugged the fabric upwards, inch by tantalising inch, until it glided up her thighs, exposing the delicate lace of her underwear pressed against him. The warmth radiating from their bodies created a magnetic pull, drawing him closer as he pressed against her, his body a whisper away from hers.

“God, you feel so good, Y/N,” he breathed, the words heavy with an intoxicating mix of desperation and longing. His lips found the delicate skin of her neck, where her pulse raced beneath his touch, drawing him in like a moth to a flame.

The heat of the moment surged through her, a moan escaping her lips. “Drew…” It was both a plea and an exclamation, a desperate urge to bridge the chasm of anticipation left between them. Her hips rolled upward, seeking the friction only he could provide, her surrender evident as her head fell back against the plush carpet.

Drew focused on the intoxicating connection, each thrust of his hips eliciting primal instincts, sending waves of pleasure rippling through them both. His breath quickened, eyes darkening as he nibbled at her neck, wanting to lose himself in her, wanting her completely. “You’re driving me crazy,” he growled, his voice a low rumble as he lavished her with the affection of his lips.

Yet, amidst the fervour, a nagging voice echoed in her mind: Stop wasting time. With a spark of determination, she pushed his blazer off his shoulders, the fabric fluttering to the floor, her fingers fumbled in haste raging against the barrier separating them. “I want to feel you,” she panted, urgency edging her voice.

Drew’s response was a throaty groan, a sound that vibrated through the air between them. His fingers tightened around her thighs, igniting the fire that blazed within him. But he knew they were running out of time. He couldn’t contain himself any longer. With a swift movement, he rose to his knees, fingers finding the buttons on his dress shirt. Each button opened like a promise, revealing skin beneath, of a body yearning to be touched.

Her eyes glimmered with hunger, like a predator poised to pounce. She propped herself on her elbows, watching him almost intently, her lips parted as she savoured the sight of him shedding the fabric that separated them. 

He swallowed hard, a wave of desire crashing over him at the sight of her back, bare and inviting. The way she teased him—the straps of the dress slipping down her shoulders—almost sent him spiralling into madness. “Take your dress off,” his voice was rough, almost primal, drunk on the gift she presented. 

With a lazy smile, she complied, the movement slow and deliberate; it was a seduction in itself. She revealed her back, gloriously exposed, her every move pulling him deeper into a void of yearning. His eyes traced every contour of her body, captivated by the graceful arch of her back, the gentle way her shoulders shifted, the enticing curve of her waist.

The sight of her rising onto her knees was enough to send his mind racing, raw desire coiling in his stomach. Drew’s breath hitched as he moved instinctively to the button of his slacks, his heart pounding like a war drum. 

Y/N lowered her face to the carpet, her back arched enticingly, a vision of perfect temptation. The growl that formed in his chest was primal, a manifestation of his desire. He could no longer resist; the intensity of the moment had taken on a life of its own.

As he lowered himself beside her, Drew’s hands found her waist, pulling her closer, the weight of their need threatening to consume them both. Time ceased to exist as they fell into each other’s orbit, two bodies uniting in a symphony of passion that awaited a crescendo.

                                               —TIME SKIP—

In the dim light of the hotel room, a cocoon of warmth enveloped Drew and Y/N on the floor, sheets tangled around their limbs, staving off the chill of reality just outside their embrace. The air was thick with remnants of their shared moments, tangled breaths and whispered confessions hanging like incense in the air, suffusing the space with a heady sense of intimacy.

Drew surrendered to the blissful stillness, his arms cradling her against his chest, feeling the rhythmic beat of his heart sync with the soft cadence of her breathing. With his cheek resting atop her head, he inhaled deeply, intoxicated by the scent of her hair, a mixture of shampoo and something uniquely hers.

Y/N peppered kisses across his bare chest, her hair spilling like silk over him, enchanting him with every gentle touch. She was ethereal, a living embodiment of the very dreams he hadn’t dared to voice. He sighed softly, letting her warmth seep into his skin, a balm for the unresolved aches of his past. His fingers moved instinctively, tracing the delicate curvature of her waist, basking in the softness of her body pressed against his.

“Mm, hey,” he muttered, the tender sound barely escaping his lips as he caressed her skin.

“Hey yourself,” she whispered back, teasingly nibbling at his jaw, her playful gesture igniting a low groan from deep within him. He tilted his head, granting her more space, surrendering to the wave of indulgent languor that washed over him.

“Mm, I want a cigarette,” he murmured quietly, a simple desire that hung in the air like the sweet scent of their bliss.

Y/N smiled, her lips brushing his once more, igniting a fire within him that begged for more. “We can do that,” she promised sweetly, before asking, “Where’s your pack?”

With an easy confidence, he leaned forward, punctuating the moment with a nuzzle against her neck, his breath fanning against her skin as he replied, “Bathroom, on the counter. Could you get it for me?”

“Okay,” she mumbled against his lips, a teasing sparkle in her eyes as she rose, the sheet slipping down her form like a whisper. He watched her walk away, captivated by the graceful sway of her hips, the way the soft glow outlined her silhouette. 

As she padded barefoot to the bathroom, Drew lingered for a moment, soaking in the serenity that followed their passion. He replayed their wild entanglement in his mind, each moment infused with unspoken words and forbidden desires. A calm settled over him that he hadn't felt in months, a rare treasure amidst the tumult of his life.

When Y/N returned, the creaking floorboards announcing her presence, Drew opened his eyes, leaning back on his palms, a smile spreading across his lips when he saw her. She was radiant, like sunlight filtering through clouds, the pack of cigarettes in one hand and a lighter in the other.

She lit one for him, and as he took the first deep drag, inhaling the smoky tendrils into his lungs, he let his gaze roam freely over her. The glow of the room found its way to her skin, illuminating the beauty before him. —I’m obsessed with you— he recalled almost wistfully, the admission coursing through his thoughts.

Y/N took his cigarette from between his lips, her soft laughter cascading through the space as she took a drag herself, her hair framing her face like a halo. The act alone sent a surge of raw need through him—she exuded an almost magnetic charm that was impossible to resist.

“What?” Y/N asked with a small smile.

“Just looking at you,” he muttered, awash in a blend of admiration and possessiveness.

“Just looking?” she teased, creeping up towards him, her delicate hand resting on his thigh as her lips approached his, igniting a fire that burned hotter with each passing second.

That playful banter shifted the atmosphere, the air thick with tension as Drew let out a breathless laugh, his heart racing. “There’s a lot more I can do than just look,” he responded, seriousness edging into his voice.

“Hmm,” she hummed, capturing his lips for a fleeting moment before playfully withdrawing. He yearned for her closeness, his hands instinctively seeking her, pulling her back into his embrace as their kisses deepened. 

Amid the heat, a sudden wave of vulnerability washed over him. “Stay tonight. Please,” he whispered into the air, each word laced with desperation.

“I can’t,” she confessed, a flicker of pain betraying her steady voice as she met his gaze. “This was fun. But it can’t happen again.”

He felt the rush of hurt flood through him, the weight of her words like a physical blow. “Why?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Because we hate each other. It wouldn’t work between us. And besides—what about Odessa?” she explained, her voice heavy with reluctance.

The tension in the room was nearly palpable, a heavy weight that hung between them like a dark cloud. Drew's breath caught in his throat as he felt Y/N shift slightly, searching for that emotional distance that had once divided them, yet now felt as fragile as gossamer. 

“I don’t hate you,” he said softly, the words sounding almost foreign in his mouth as his hand reached out, fingers brushing against her waist. It was an instinctual move, one that tethered her back to him, if only for a moment. 

But as Y/N uttered Odessa’s name, he felt himself recoil slightly even without moving away. The mention of the woman he was supposed to love felt like a physical blow, and he turned his gaze from her to the ceiling, trying to avoid the piercing look in her eyes that held both hurt and clarity. 

“Things have been rocky between me and Odessa for a while now… I don’t know if we’ll last,” he confessed, the confession landing heavily in the silence that stretched between them. 

“Yeah—I don’t hate you either. But I don’t like you either, Drew. You really hurt me. I can’t forget that. The things you said—just tonight was a weakness,” she whispered, the vulnerability in her voice snaking straight to his heart. 

Her words cut deep, and he could feel the damning truth within them. He had wound himself up so tightly that all it seemed to take was one moment of weakness—a mere slip in the gears of his carefully constructed façade—and he had let her in. He had wanted to be strong, to deny the magnetic pull between them, but here they were, two people caught in the wreckage of their past. 

“I know,” he muttered, his fingers instinctively tightening around her waist. He didn't want to let her go; he couldn't face the idea of her slipping away again, not after everything they had just shared. He still couldn’t comprehend how he had lost control so completely, how the moment had come to this—she had agreed to be with him, had agreed to bare herself to him, and all the while, tangled up in the complications of their history.

“Just stay tonight,” he pleaded, a hint of desperation lacing his voice, breaking the silence between them. The air in the room felt thick, suffocating, pulling at his very chest as he attempted to keep her close. He was all too aware of how pathetic he sounded, how desperately he needed her to choose him even for an evening, but he couldn’t help himself. 

“I can’t. If I stay, we’ll have sex again. What if Odessa comes up here after the party is over?” she explained softly, her voice steady even as it shattered his already-fragile composure. Her logic was undeniable, and it sent a ripple of impatience through him. 

Drew’s eyes closed, and he let out a frustrated groan, teeth grinding against the discomfort clawing at him. He knew she was right—she was being rational, logical, and he was being reckless. But the thought of losing her company, of letting this moment slip through his fingers, made him feel utterly desperate. 

“Just a little while longer then. Come here,” he muttered, yanking her back down towards him. He crushed his lips against hers, the kiss born from longing and need rather than passion in that moment. It was all he could think about, a primal need to feel her against him again, to dissipate the agony of reality that was threatening to pull them apart once more. 

As their mouths met, he felt the world fade away, the blinding light of clarity drowned in a haze of longing. The taste of her lips rekindled the fire they had fanned for too long in the shadows—a fire he feared would only leave devastation in its wake. But for now, he didn’t care. The moment enveloped them, and all that mattered was the intoxicating warmth of Y/N, wrapped in the sheets like the complex threads of their tangled past.

Yet even as they lost themselves in each other, a creeping sense of dread clawed at the edges of Drew's mind—the knowledge that when the dawn broke, the ghosts of their mistakes would begin to hover in the light once again.

The tension in the air was thick and electric as she kissed him back, her lips moving languidly against his, each connection igniting a deeper hunger within him. The way her hands tugged at his roots sent shivers down his spine, awakening every nerve in his body. Drew groaned into her mouth, lost in the moment, returning each of her tender kisses with a mix of desperation and fervour, savouring every stolen second.

But as the kiss deepened, reality began to intrude upon their blissful refuge. Reluctantly, he pulled away, his breath coming in ragged gasps, eyes searching hers for an answer he feared he already knew. “Why? Why does it have to be a one-time thing? Why can’t we keep doing this?” He felt a pang of urgency clawing at his chest, a mix of longing and confusion.

“Because that’s called an affair,” she murmured softly, her voice a mix of teasing and pain, as her lips brushed against his ear, trailing down to suck gently on his earlobe, igniting a fire within him.

Drew’s eyes fluttered shut, overwhelmed by the sensations, the sound of her words echoing painfully in his mind. “I don’t care,” he mumbled, desperation lacing his tone. It was true. At that moment, he didn’t care about the consequences, the messy entanglements of their lives. All he could think about was her, the warmth of her body against his, the taste of her lingering on his lips.

But there was a faint voice in the background, warning him to be cautious, to think clearly. “You’re not thinking straight,” she reminded him, her hands trailing down his shoulders, instilling both comfort and chaos within him.

His heart raced as he replied again, more insistent this time, “I don’t care.” Her gentle bite on his bottom lip sent a wave of need crashing over him, blurring the lines of right and wrong even further. It was intoxicating. The desire for her felt like a drug coursing through his veins, urging him to abandon reason.

He looked into her eyes, his breath suddenly catching in his throat, his voice dropping to a near whisper filled with longing. “Please, Y/N. Just stay. No sex. I just want you.” The plea hung in the air, heavy and desperation-laden. He knew it sounded foolish, like a man clinging to the edge of a cliff, but he didn’t care. 

“That’s a lie,” she replied, shaking her head, the softness in her gaze contrasting sharply with the reality of the situation. Her fingers danced along his skin, leaving trails of warmth and desire but also doubt, reminding him of the fragile state of their connection.

Drew’s heart sank at her words. He wanted to argue, to proclaim the depth of what he felt, to dismiss the methods of logic and reason that had brought them to this moment, but all he could do was stare into her eyes and wonder if the yearning could bridge the chasm between them. 

Drew gazed deeply into her eyes, his heart racing as he spoke, “It’s not,” he insisted, desperation lacing his voice as her hands found their way to his shoulders—soft but steady, grounding him. “I just— I just want to hold you. I want to keep kissing you, I—” His breath hitched, words tumbling from his lips, “Please don’t go. I don’t want to go back to being at each other’s throats.” 

Y/N faltered, surrendering to the weight of his plea, a sigh escaping her lips as she sunk back onto his thighs. The air between them thickened, a mixture of passion and pain, electric and heartbreaking. 

“Then what do you want, Drew?” she asked softly, her voice a melange of hope and hesitation.

His heart thundered as he observed her, every detail of her etched in his mind—the way her hair fell slightly to one side, the way her lips curved when she spoke, the flicker of vulnerability in her eyes. “I want to keep doing this. I want to keep kissing you and holding you and touching you,” he confessed, the emotions spilling from him in raw waves. “I want to be able to talk to you again without wanting to strangle you.” 

She broke their gaze, her thoughts swirling, and Drew could sense her resolve faltering. “That’s just who we are, Drew. We drive each other insane,” she reminded him, her voice soft yet firm, like a whisper meant to break through the tension, but it only deepened his urgency.

He shook his head, a frantic determination igniting within him. “We don’t have to be,” he argued, as if his words could alter reality, his eyes searching hers. “We can—we can learn to get along. Don’t you remember how good we used to be? You were my best friend.” 

A wistful smile flitted across her lips at the memory, a fleeting moment that warmed him, a brief balm against their turbulent history. “Yeah. We were,” she admitted, her gaze softening, but doubt still lingered in the air, lingering like an unresolved note in a symphony.

Encouraged by that spark of nostalgia, Drew leaned into it, allowing a small, sad smile to graze his features. “We can be again,” he murmured, conviction lacing his words as he slowly moved his hand to her thigh, a gentle gesture imbued with longing.

But even as he made that bold move, the shadows of their past loomed large, whispering doubts and insecurities. Would they really be able to navigate their twisted history filled with resentment, lost moments, and tangled feelings? His hand rested there— a silent plea for not only closeness but for a chance at something more, something that felt so close within reach yet impossibly far away. 

And in that dimly lit room, the fabric of their connection was fragile, stretched between the weight of what had been and the hope of what could be. Drew held his breath, feeling the fine edge of desperation, longing for her to take a leap with him into the uncertain darkness, to trust him once more, and to break free from the cycle of anger that had defined them for far too long. 

He could feel her hesitation, the weighing of his words against the chasm of their shared history, and he silently begged her to understand. To take that leap with him. Because he couldn’t imagine a world where she walked away, where the possibility of them—however messy, however complicated—was abandoned in the silence of the night.

The mood in the room was heavy, each heartbeat echoing like a distant drum, underscoring the distance left unspoken between them. He could feel the warmth of her body so close to his, yet the chasm between their hearts was the most frigid void he had ever faced. Drew could sense it in her eyes—the hurt, the betrayal—but it was the fire of that pain that seared through him. He needed to say something, anything, to bridge the gap that had formed since the moment he had pushed her away.

The room was thick with tension, the kind that coiled like a spring, ready to snap. Drew’s heart raced as he gazed into her eyes, overwhelmed by the whirlwind of emotions cascading between them. 

“It won’t be the same though,” she began, her voice a pained whisper, trembling with the weight of the memories. “You really hurt me when you rejected me so harshly, Drew. And you did it for Odessa.” With each word, the stinging in her eyes threatened to spill over, but she held back her tears, resolute.

“I know. God, I know,” he responded, his voice cracking like the fragile state of their connection. It was agony, watching pain flicker across her face, knowing he was the architect of her hurt. The chasm he'd created yawned before him, and he didn't know how to bridge it. Slowly, his hand began to inch up her thigh, desperate to soothe her anguish, and to heal the rift that had torn them apart.

“You never apologised,” she reminded him softly, her gaze unwavering.

“I’m apologising now,” he murmured back, his voice deepening with sincerity as he stared at her, his hand pausing at the crescent of her thigh. He swallowed hard, continuing, “You have no idea how long I’ve regretted that day. How many times I’ve replayed it in my mind and wished I’d handled it differently.”

“Mmm,” she nodded, urging him silently to continue, and their chemistry ignited once more. She ground against his hand, igniting a fire within him that was both thrilling and painful. 

“I was an idiot,” he confessed, shaking his head shamefully as he looked deep into her eyes. “I regretted the moment I said no. God, I just wanted so badly to take it all back.” 

“Tell me more,” she murmured, sinking down on him, her body pressing against him as she gripped his shoulders tightly.

He couldn’t help the groan that escaped him; it came both from his yearning for her and the heartache of their past. “I should have said yes,” he admitted, a pained resignation lacing his words. “I shouldn’t have pushed you away when you’re all I wanted to pull closer.”

“More,” she encouraged him, moving her hips with an intoxicating rhythm that nearly stole his breath.

“And I shouldn’t have been a dick,” he replied, gasping for air as she ground against him. “I shouldn’t have said—oh, God, Y/N—” His voice faltered, catching in his throat as the sheer force of his desire nearly overwhelmed him.

“And?” she teased, excitement dancing in her gaze as it egged him on.

“And I should have been gentler,” he continued, each word a confession steeped in longing. “I should have made it clear that it wasn’t because I didn’t want you. I wanted you so bad. God, Y/N, I wanted you so bad.” 

“More, Drew. Tell me,” she whispered, her breath hot against him as she pushed him to the brink.

“And—” he strained, thoughts dissipating with every movement. “I-I never meant to make you feel like I didn’t want you. I did. God, I did.” 

His hand crept further up her thigh, coaxing her to keep the intoxicating rhythm alive.

“Go on,” she urged, her lips grazing his as her pace quickened.

“And—and God, I hate myself for making you feel bad, for making you doubt yourself, for—” He let out a deep groan, his mind consumed with the heat of the moment. “Oh God, Y/N—”

“There you go, baby—go on—” she coaxed, tugging on his hair to pull him closer.

“And I—oh God, I-I never wanted you to think I didn’t—oh God,” he stuttered, the vulnerability in his voice nearly bringing him to his knees. The mixture of pleasure and regret sent him spiralling, his heart laid bare before her. “I love you.” 

The relief of those words hung in the air, a balm soothing the wounds of their shared history. It was exactly what she wanted to hear, and as he spoke, she doubled down on her movements, a sly grin spreading across her face.

His moans grew louder, the stakes rising as she encouraged him further. “I love you so much,” he gasped, his body trembling from their fervent exchange, “I’ve never stopped loving you.”

With a triumphant grin still dancing on her lips, she pushed him to his limits, the palpable connection sparking a resolve deeper than either had anticipated. Their hearts, once fractured, now beat in sync, reverberating through the electric air, the crescendo of emotions reaching a fever pitch. The path ahead was uncertain, but in this fiery moment, they were undeniably, irrevocably bound.

The air between them was electric, charged with a tension that had festered for months, and finally, words long buried broke the surface. As she rewarded his truth with renewed vigour, Drew felt a wave of relief wash over him, mingling beautifully with the heady pleasure she was provoking. “There you go—good boy—” she murmured, and he could do nothing but surrender to the moment.

Their bodies moved together like a well-practised dance, each thrust speaking the words unsaid for too long. Drew's voice was choked with desperation when he declared, “I love you so much.” Each word was an acknowledgment of the yearning he'd harboured deep within, a confession that he had feared would never escape his lips.

Underneath the rush of emotions, she rewarded him, her own movements quickening, each thrust drawing him closer to the precipice. He was a man unravelling at the seams. “I’ve never stopped loving you,” he gasped, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, a mix of relief and raw vulnerability dancing within him.

“Shhh,” she commanded gently, sensing how close he was. Drew’s shuddering breaths betrayed him; the waves of bliss coursing through his body were almost too much to bear. Yet he didn't want it to stop. Not now. Not ever. The anchors of their past had finally loosened, and a euphoric freedom enveloped him as he clutched her tighter.

“You love me?” she asked, her voice a gentle whisper that pierced through the haze clouding his mind. 

“Yeah, I love you,” he breathed, the admission anchoring him in this moment, grounding him with a stability he had craved for so long.

But then came her words, softly spoken yet cutting deeper than the sharpest blade. “I don’t love you—”

Those words sliced through him, a cruel reminder of what had been lost, and instinct pulled him closer, burying his face into her neck, seeking solace in her warmth. “I know,” he murmured, the acceptance hitting his chest like a lead weight.

Yet amid the storm of disappointment, a glimmer of hope flickered through their haze. “But I can try to remember how,” she said, a tentative smile breaking through her vulnerability, a hesitant light in the midst of their dark past.

His grip on her tightened, fingers instinctively curling around her waist, a lifeline in turbulent waters. Hopelessness waged a war with yearning as he struggled to articulate his emotions, each breath a battle against despair. “You want to try?” His voice trembled, heavy with an almost childlike hope.

The silence hung in the air, a fragile bubble filled with every unvoiced confession and lost promise. In that moment, both of them understood: love was a journey, not a destination, and they stood on the precipice of a new beginning, teetering between fear and the desperate desire to dive in together.

“Yeah, baby. But only after you break up with Odessa,” she whispered, her voice teasing yet serious. Her movements were deliberate, pulling him closer even as the gulf between them threatened to drown them both.

His breath hitched, and he nodded, his frustration mingling with a desperate need. “I’ll—I’ll break up with her,” he stammered, urgency lacing his words. Each grind of her hips sent a shockwave through him, igniting desires he thought were buried, stifling the guilt wrapped around his heart. “I’ll break up with her tonight if you want. Just—” He groaned, surrendering to the passion between them, his arms tightening around her, their connection swirling into something electric.

“Just what, baby?” she cooed, her nails scraping lightly down his cheek, each touch sending shivers down his spine.

The question lingered in the air, but he was powerless to articulate an answer; the fire within him flared too bright, too hot to extinguish. The ache for her drowned out all rational thought. “Just—keep moving like that,” he breathed, surrendering to the glorious indulgence of their moment.

Her laughter was a melody that wrapped around him, intertwining with his desires as she shifted into a slow, deliberate grind. “Like that?” she asked seductively, every syllable brushing against his senses.

He moaned, louder this time, each sound a testament to his surrender. “Just like that,” he mumbled against her neck, his world narrowing down to the sensations coursing through him. The pleasure built like a tidal wave, crashing against any remnants of restraint.

As he lay there, body quaking from the previous release, he blinked through the haze of bliss, staring up at the ceiling as though it held the answers he sought. Reality faded into oblivion; nothing mattered but her and the warmth that enveloped them. With deft fingers, he traced her thighs, slowing, savouring the contact, each caress igniting embers that flickered to life all over again.

When she leaned down to kiss him, it was a soft, sweet connection, yet filled with promise. His hand found her cheek, a magnetic pull that kept her close, and he ignited her senses as he explored her mouth, lingering in the moment and letting the world outside slip away.

“Go break up with her. I’ll be waiting,” she said, slipping from him and into the shower, her voice echoing in his mind. The door clicked shut, and just like that, a sense of urgency surged within him.

His heart raced as he gulped down a breath, excitement colliding with a stark terror that gripped him. He scrambled off the bed, gathering the clothes strewn across the floor like remnants of a life he was ready to leave behind. Each piece felt like a chain shackling him to a life he no longer wanted.

He dressed quickly, fingers trembling as his mind ran a mile a minute. In the mirror, he paused, staring at his reflection. A part of him whispered to retreat, to forget this moment and its consequences. But he couldn’t. Not now. He felt the weight of possibility, felt the shift in his heart, a call to step into the unknown.

Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself. This was it. He would break free tonight; he would reclaim what was his. He opened the door, crossing the threshold into the unknown, determination igniting within him as he made his way toward the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

The door creaked open, revealing Odessa, draped in a robe that did little to shield the tension hanging between them. Her eyes narrowed, suspicion glinting in their depths.

“Drew, where the hell have you—”

He didn’t give her room to finish, his voice cutting through the air like a knife. “I need to talk to you. Can I come in?”

There was a moment of hesitation as she searched his face, an eternity that seemed to stretch out as their shared history flickered in her gaze. Finally, she relented, the door swinging wider to let him in. He crossed the threshold, heart racing, palms clammy with dread.

The instant the door clicked shut behind him, he felt the weight of inevitability crashing down. “We should break up.” 

The words escaped him before he could process their gravity. Odessa stood frozen, her expression morphing from shock to a raw, jagged hurt that pierced him straight through. He swallowed hard. “We’re done. It’s over.”

Silence fell, heavy and thick. She remained motionless, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, the depth of her pain reflected in every flicker of emotion that danced across her face. It hurt him to see her like this, and yet he steeled himself, convinced that breaking her heart was far better than the agony of continuing a lie.

He took a step toward her, battling the instinct to reach out for her, to pull her close. “There’s—there’s someone else.” The admission felt like gravel in his throat, grating and uncomfortable.

Odessa’s breath stuttered, eyes wide and searching. “I—”

His hesitation echoed in the space between them, a chasm of uncertainty. “I didn’t mean for it to happen,” he confessed, anguish lacing his words. “I’m sorry—I don’t want to hurt you. But I can’t keep pretending that things are okay when they’re not. I’ve been lying to myself for months, pretending that I still loved you in the same way, pretending that I didn’t miss someone else, pretending that I wasn’t completely miserable.”

The confession hung in the air, a heavy cloud suffocating and inevitable. “You’ve been so good to me, Odessa,” he continued, pushing through the tightness in his throat. “I really do love you. But not in the way I used to love you. Not in the way you deserve.”

His voice faltered, the guilt washing over him like a cold wave. “I-I just can’t keep going like this when we’re both wasting our time on something that’s not working out. I’m sorry.”

The silence stretched, agonising. He searched her face, desperate for any sign, any spark of the girl he once knew. “Say something, please,” he finally muttered, voice raw and pleading.

He stood there, paralyzed, eyes locked onto her, seeking an answer in her expression. Yet, all he found was a reflection of the pain he had inflicted—a mirror showing the fragments of trust shattering beneath the weight of his words.

Odessa blinked, the brave facade brimming with unsaid words crumbling under the tidal wave of devastation. He wished there were more to say, some soothing melody to mend the discord between them, but all he could do was wait, heart in his throat, engulfed by the fallout of his choices.

Drew stood at the threshold of a moment he could never take back, his heart thundering against his chest like a desperate prisoner seeking escape. As he took a deep breath, he felt the weight of the world pressing down on him. “I—” His mind raced, scrambling to formulate the words that would change everything. “I still want to be friends. I think you’re an amazing person, and I still want you in my life.”

Odessa's brow furrowed, her eyes searching for some trace of the affection that had once sparked between them. The warmth that had once enveloped their bond now felt cold and distant. “And I’m gonna be there for you in whatever way you need. I just—” He swallowed hard, anxiety clawing at his throat. “I need you to understand that I’m done lying to myself. I can’t keep pretending that I don’t want someone else.”

The words spilled from him, raw and desperate. Guilt slithered through him like a snake, coiling tighter with every syllable. “I don’t have any right to ask you this, but I hope that, in time, you’ll forgive me for this. I just—I hope you’ll be okay. I still care about you; god, you have no idea how much this hurts me too.” He hesitated, agonising over his next words. “But I need to be honest with you. I can’t keep lying to both of us. I can’t keep pretending that I don’t still love—”

“—Y/N.” Odessa finished for him, her voice gentle but firm, like a quiet storm brewing on the horizon.

His eyes widened, caught off guard by the strength of her understanding. “You knew?” he whispered, dread pooling in the pit of his stomach.

Her gaze held his, steady but pained. “Yeah. Not in the beginning. But these last few months, it’s been obvious. I just didn’t want to believe it.”

Closing his eyes, Drew felt the crushing weight of her admission settle on his shoulders. Each word felt like another nail in the coffin of their relationship, sealing something precious inside. He balled his hands into fists, anger and frustration boiling within him for the agony he had inflicted on someone who had once been the light of his life. “I wasn’t trying to lead you on, I swear. I didn’t realize what was happening until recently.”

                               —TIMESKIP—

As he stepped into the dimly lit hallway, the echoes of their shared laughter reverberated in his mind, mocking the heartache of the moment. He could feel his heart shattering into a million pieces, each fragment a reminder of the love that had turned into a burden. Guilt gnawed at him insatiably, promising that this ache would linger long after he had left.

But even as he retreated into the shadows of his own making, Drew knew he would return to her. Each step felt heavier, like walking through molasses as he contemplated the full weight of his choice. He had shattered something beautiful, and now he must face the shards of their fractured reality, unsure if he could put together even a part of what they once had.

The remorse settled deep in his bones, a dark weight echoing with every beat of his heart. He steeled himself, knowing that this was merely the beginning of a new chapter forged from pain—one that would test their connection in ways he never anticipated. And yet, somehow he held onto a flicker of hope that, amid the shards of their past, they might reassemble into something new. 

Outside the room, Drew paused, anxiety coursing through his veins like wildfire. His hands trembled slightly as he took a moment to steady his racing heart, inhaling deeply before finally summoning the courage to push the door open.

The sight that welcomed him took his breath away.

Roses scattered across the bed, their rich red petals inviting him into a world that felt surreal. Candles flickered softly along the edges of the room, casting warm shadows that danced collectively within the intimate space. And there, standing amidst it all, was Y/N, a box of chocolates cradled in her hands, her eyes glinting with earnest emotion.

Drew’s breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. He felt frozen, awash in a tumult of emotions—a piercing beauty in front of him, juxtaposed against the uncertainty that swirled in his mind. She looked stunning, radiating warmth and hope, yet the weight of guilt settled heavily on his shoulders.

“Y/N, what is—” he began, his voice trembling softly, laced with confusion and vulnerability.

“I know it must have been hard for you,” she interrupted gently, meeting his gaze. “And I’m sorry I pushed you to do it tonight. But I want to do this right with you. That means no more lies and secrets.”

Her sincerity punctured through the heaviness in the air, and he nodded slowly, taking another deep breath. As he took a shaky step forward, his eyes roamed over her—every detail, every curve—unravelling the beauty that had stolen his breath away. 

“Yeah, baby,” he murmured, his voice a low whisper, resonating a mix of reverence and remorse. “No more lies or secrets.”

With a tender smile, she beckoned him closer. “Come here.” 

He stepped forward, taking her outstretched hand, feeling the warmth envelop him as she pulled him into her embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck, grounding him, and he returned the gesture, his hands finding their place on her hips. The world beyond faded; all that mattered was the gentle connection between them.

“I’m so sorry,” he breathed out, searching her eyes for understanding, his heart relentless in its frantic rhythm.

“I know,” she whispered softly, her face radiating both pain and compassion.

He ached to express every remorse, each regret getting lodged like stones in his throat. The ambiance of love mingled with melancholy weighed heavily upon him, and it struck him anew with every passing moment. His gaze fell to her lips, and without thinking, he reached out, cupping her cheek with trembling fingers, brushing his thumb tenderly over her soft skin.

“Can you forgive me?” he asked, vulnerability colouring his tone as he looked into her eyes, earnestness saturating every syllable. 

“In time,” she reassured him, laying bare her honesty, her voice almost a caress amidst their turmoil.

He felt the tightness in his chest ease slightly—a glimmer of hope igniting a small smile on his face. In this small reprieve, he moved closer, cupping her other cheek as he gently tilted her face up towards his. 

With hearts set aflame by emotions unspoken, he pressed his lips against hers, enveloped in warmth and hope. 

Y/N responded to the kiss, slow and tender, their souls meeting in an unspoken promise. With each brush of their lips, the burdens of their past weighed less—they felt lighter, almost dreamlike. Drew’s heart leapt, pounding in time with hers, each kiss a balm against the ache of guilt and uncertainty, transforming it into something sweet and intoxicating.

In that moment, nothing else mattered. The roses, the flickering candles, the shadows that danced around them—all of it faded into the background. All that remained was the indescribable feeling of being embraced by forgiveness and the fragile threads of a love that, despite its quarrels, was still so beautiful.

The moment his lips brushed against hers, the world faded into a hazy blur, leaving only the two of them in that intimate moment. He felt a rush of warmth and familiarity, her presence wrapping around him like a warm blanket on a cold night. It was intoxicating, a heady mix of longing and need that made his heart skip a beat. 

When he finally pulled back, the space between them crackled with unspoken words. His fingers lingered on her delicate cheek as he pressed another gentle kiss to her lips—soft, exploratory, like he was tasting a forbidden fruit. He could feel the sincerity in every touch, every breath. 

“I love you,” he muttered against her lips, the words spilling out before he could rein them in. The vulnerability in his voice hung in the air like a fragile ornament, bright and beautiful yet precarious. “I love you,” he repeated, desperate and yearning for her to mirror his devotion.

She pulled away just enough to look into his eyes, her gaze searching, probing. He could see the flicker of contemplation behind those eyes, like she was weighing his admission against a heavy scale. The silence stretched between them, an anxious chasm filled with possibilities and doubts that threatened to consume him whole.

His heart raced as he held her gaze, the intensity in the depths of her eyes swirling with uncertainty. He craved her reassurance, her love; the longing felt like a fire in his chest, refusing to be doused. 

“Say it back,” he urged, a raw urgency in his voice. It was a plea, a wish hanging in the space where four simple words could bridge the segment of their hearts torn apart by insecurities and unspoken truths.

“In time,” she replied, her tone soft but resolute, the air between them thickening with what was left unsaid. 

Her answer was both a balm and a dagger to his heart. He swallowed down the impulse to press her further, the ache inside swelling painfully. Instead, he nodded, trying to mask the vulnerability that threatened to crack him open. “Okay, baby. Take your time.”

Before he could dissect the weight of her response, she covered his mouth with hers once more, her lips warm and inviting. He surrendered instantly, kissing her back with a fevered gentleness that spoke of everything he felt—passion, desperation, hope. The kiss deepened, slow and torturous, making his entire being ignite with longing. 

Every beat of his heart whispered of her; every brush of their lips sent electric currents dancing beneath his skin. He drowned in her taste, the way her breath mingled with his, the unrelenting pull drawing him closer. His whole body felt alive, ablaze with the need for more of her, greedy for each precious moment she was willing to share.

But within the depths of her mind lingered an unyielding truth. Little did he know, she had never planned on saying it back. Not yet. Perhaps not ever. A tangled web of fear and uncertainty gripped her—a fear of what those words could mean, of the weight they carried. The unromantic reality was that love came with burdens, and at that moment, she wasn’t ready to shoulder hers. 

As they kissed, the room spun around them, filled with soft candlelight and the scent of roses, but beneath it all lurked the heart-wrenching truth. One heart was open and willing, while the other remained shrouded in shadows, trapped in a gentle, yet unyielding silence.

The End.

[louisferrignojr]

based on this hilarious post thank you @bidisasterevankinard and @aringofsalt brief timeline explanation: this is an au in which they broke up sometime in february instead of november. good? good, let's go also on ao3

They were here last year, holding hands as they strolled through the market, briefly stopping at every stall to browse the menu or admire the handmade crafts. 

He’s on his third cup of gluhwein and it’s mostly lukewarm at this point, he knocks it back and throws the empty cup in the closest recycling bin and turns to go find Sal and the girls when his eye catches a baby in a stroller a few feet away. 

Tommy blinks back the tears. He can almost picture Evan next to him, smiling at this adorable baby, pulling a face to make it laugh — and God, it was supposed to be them, they were supposed to be here together, and it’s been nearly a year since the breakup and Tommy still isn’t quite right.

That’s when he notices the baby’s dad straightening up from where he was digging around in the bag underneath the stroller and — it can’t be.

“Evan,” Tommy whispers, a rush of a breath knocked out of him like he’s been gut-punched. Before he can fully process what’s going on, Tommy’s making his way over, calling out Evan’s name louder this time, too loud to be polite. 

“Tommy,” Evan says, and he’s surprised to see him, but there’s no anger in his eyes, nothing but fondness in the way he utters his name; Evan looks happy to see him. 

Tommy loses half his mind. “When did — why didn’t you tell me?” Tommy demands in a shaky voice. He’s too drunk to do the maths, and he’s spectacularly bad at guessing baby ages — the kid looks about 6 months old, if you asked Tommy — but it’s the only explanation. “I’m so sorry, Evan, I wish I could have been there for you, oh my God, you should have told me!”

Evan is blinking at him, as is his baby. Tommy is trying so hard not to break down crying. 

“Um,” Evan is glancing around nervously, and distantly Tommy knows he’s making a bit of a scene and attracting attention from the people around them but he’s too drunk to keep his voice down. 

“You didn’t have to go through it alone! How far along were you when we broke up? I would have stayed if I’d known, why didn’t you tell me?” Tommy covers his mouth with his hand, then pushes it through his hair, mussing it up. “Oh, God, I'm so sorry. I don’t want to be a deadbeat dad, Evan!” 

And then Evan is smiling and reaching out to grab Tommy by his wrist, squeezing gently. “Let’s go somewhere more private and we can talk about it, okay?” He takes Tommy’s hand and laces their fingers together and starts pushing the stroller one-handed, still smiling as they wade through the crowds.

Tommy lets the tears fall, blurring his vision, awkwardly letting himself be led to the parking lot. He’s a sniffling mess, wiping at his eyes and nose with the sleeves of his hoodie, and he wishes he could have taken this time to compose himself but as soon as they stop by Evan’s Jeep, Tommy turns and falls into his arms, and Evan holds him and squeezes him tightly and lets him cry it out. 

“I think you got some wires mixed, babe,” Evan tells him when Tommy finally manages to detach himself from the man. “Did you really think you managed to knock me up? I mean, I know you gave it your best shot, but, Tommy, honey…” 

Tommy's face falls. He blinks as he snaps back to reality. 

He looks down at the baby in the stroller as Evan bends down to unbuckle the seatbelt and scoops it up in his arms. “This is Skylar. He’s a safe surrender baby. His mother dropped him off at the firehouse a few months ago. I'm fostering him.”

“So… he’s not…” 

“No, he’s not our baby, you dummy. How much mulled wine have you had?” Evan is grinning at him and Tommy feels the embarrassment setting in, warming up his already flushed face. 

“I’m sorry.” Tommy whispers. 

Evan nods and unlocks the car, goes about securing the baby in his car seat and folding the stroller and putting it in the trunk. then he turns to face Tommy again. 

“We’d like to invite you over for a coffee or a tea. Probably coffee to sober you up.”

Tommy hangs his head and stares resolutely at his shoes. This is so goddamn embarrassing and Evan’s inviting him to his loft for a coffee and he wishes he was sober enough for a real conversation. 

There's so much he wants to say. 

“I’d like that.” Tommy mumbles. 

Evan steps closer to him. He grabs Tommy’s chin between his finger and his thumb and tilts his head so their eyes meet, and then he’s sliding his hand over Tommy's cheek and Tommy is weak but to lean into the touch, eyes fluttering shut. “I've missed you.” Evan says, voice soft. 

“I've missed you, too. So much.” 

“Come on.” Evan nods for him to get in the passenger seat. “We have a lot to talk about. Maybe afterwards I'll let you try to knock me up again, see if you have better luck this time,” he adds with another grin and Tommy groans and drops his head in his hands. 

He’s never going to live this down. 

[darylmydix]

THE SCARS WE SHARE | daryl dixon [m.list]

❝i looked for you…at the start. why’d you leave without sayin’ goodbye?❞

summary: you were the only good thing daryl had in his life. bonded by similar trauma, you suffered abuse at the hands of your stepmother, just as daryl had suffered from his own father. when you finally decide to escape your abusive home life, you’re forced to leave behind your best friend in the process. now with the world in an apocalyptic state, you’re left wondering if daryl was even alive.

pairings: daryl dixon x f!reader.

warnings: smut, violence, blood and gore, unrequited love, best friends to lovers, mentions of s/a, mentions of abuse, mention of suicidal thoughts/attempts, mention of drug use, use of deadly weapons, fluff, angst, slow burn, strong language, kidnapping, coercion, seasons 5-11, 18+, minors dni.

playlist: keep holding on - avril lavigne | already gone - kelly clarkson | hanging on - emilee moore | through the trees - low shoulder | skin - zola jesus | obstacles - syd matters | home to you - fka twigs | words - skylar grey | two is better than one - boys like girls | back to december - taylor swift | how to save a life - the fray | for the love of a daughter - demi lovato | confessions of a broken heart (daughter to father) - lindsay lohan | all my dreaming - emma russack | souvenir - boygenius | heaven i know - gordi | afraid of nothing - sharon van etten | halley’s comet (outro)/halley’s comet (outro slowed) - billie eilish | santa monica dream - angus and julia stone | here with me - d4vd | dark side - kelly clarkson | rush - lewis capaldi | hold me while you wait - lewis capaldi | war of hearts - ruelle | medicine - daughter | reader’s theme song - leslie stevens.

©darylmydix. please do not repost.

000 | 001 | 002 | 003 | 004

[pbnbucks]

Smut prompts Fluff prompts Angst prompts

PBNBUCKS WORKS ꨄ

𐐂 Las Vegas Aces

Kate Martin

・Strangers, Friends, Lovers, Strangers Again. / SAD

・Knee Deep In Love / FLUFF

Kelsey Plum

$ no works yet…

Aja Wilson

$ no works yet…

𐐂 Indiana fever

Caitlin Clark

・My Bad / SUGGESTIVE

・Christmas Morning / FLUFF

・What Happens In Bora Bora Stays In Bora Bora / SUGGESTIVE

・Sit On It? / SUGGESTIVE

・Jealousy Head Cannons / NSFW

・Are You Serious / NSFW

・Sweet Heart / FLUFF

・Girl Kisser / FLUFF

・Short Head Canons / NSFW

・Melting / FLUFF

・Only For Tonight / ANGST

・Needed You / SMUT

・Trouble Maker / coming soon

Nalyssa Smith

・Head Cannons / FLUFF

𐐂 Seattle Storm

Nika Muhl

・The Storm / FLUFF

・Camera / SUGGESTIVE

・Whats Your Problem? / NSFW

・Good Intentions / NSFW

・The Transfer Student / NSFW

・We Could Be Better / NSFW

・Cause Where Toxic Baby / NSFW

・Im Sorry / NSFW

・Lovers Day / FLUFF

・Love You / FLUFF

・Parking Lot / NSFW

・Injured / FLUFF

・Short Head Canons / NSFW

・Random / NSFW

Sue Bird

$ no works yet…

Skylar Diggins-Smith

$ no works yet…

Gabby Williams

・Maybe / SUGGESTIVE

・Head Canons / NSFW

𐐂 New York Liberty

Breanna Stewart

・Jealous / NSFW

・Cheering For Me? / NSFW

・Only You / NSFW

・Bad Game / NSFW

Sabrina Ionescu

$ no works yet…

𐐂 Chicago Sky

Chennedy Carter

$ no works yet…

Angel Reese

・Only / FLUFF

𐐂 Phoenix Mercury

Diana Taurasi

・High On You / NSFW

・Drunk In Love / NSFW

・Head Cannons / NSFW

・Baby Fever / FLUFF

Brittney Griner

・Headcannons / NSFW

・Can You Move? / FLUFF

・I Love You / FLUFF

・Nasty / NSFW

・Short Head Cannons / NSFW

・Ginuwine / NSFW

𐐂 Washington Mystics

Aaliyah Edwards

・Head Cannons / FLUFF

request are always open!

[raya-hunter01]

I have never requested a story before so here goes 🙈 could you write about yn had a baby with Roman or Jey. They haven't had s3x in 2 months and Roman or Jey are getting frustrated so yn asks her parents to mind the baby for the weekend so she can make it up to him 🙈🫣

Alone Time

One-Shot

Roman Reigns x Skylar

Warning: Smut and fluff!

Roman and Skylar are on cloud nine after their son is born...The only problem is now they are on month four of no sex and the sexual frustration is mounting.

This was requested a long time ago by lilmizzlou35 sorry it took so long. I hope you enjoy it.

“Trin I didn’t stutter and stop looking at me like I’m crazy.”

“So, you mean to tell me that you and Roman ain’t had sex since Jackson was born?” “Will you keep it down before they hear you,” I hissed looking around the corner at the guys who were playing spades in the living room. “Damn, I’m sorry, but are you serious right now?”

“Yes, I’m serious….Four months, no sex but we’ve done oral,” I whined as she looked at me still in shock.

“So, you’ve been cleared for two months to have sex but ya’ll ain’t had none!” Trin exclaimed as I blushed praying nobody was ease dropping on our conversation.

“I am tired Trin, I’ve been trying to get Jackson on a schedule. Roman goes back in a month and I’m horny.”

“Have ya’ll tried when the baby is sleeping?” Trin asked as I scoffed.

“Girl, it’s like Jackson has sex radar, oral is good but as soon as we are close to the deed he cries,” I said looking at our son who didn’t have a care in the world as he stuck his tiny fist in his mouth, happily babbling.

“Oh man, I know Roman is about to nut up…. No pun intended. Maybe if ya’ll skip the foreplay and just go for it you’ll have more luck,” Trin whispered as I cleared my throat seeing Roman heading our way.

“Ladies, ya’ll good?” he asked, giving me a chaste kiss on the lips before taking Jackson out of my arms.

“Yea, baby we’re fine. I told you earlier I had Jackson, I know you wanted to hang out with the guys.”

“No, you need a break Skyler, now you and Trin go by the pool and chill. I got the baby.”

“Roman, it’s ok I was about to feed him and try to get him to take a nap,” I said kissing his tiny head as he sneezed.

“Bless you lil man,” Trin smiled as he sneezed again. “I hope he’s not getting sick.”

“Baby, Dr. Morris said it’s his allergies. He’s fine, I’ll feed him. Now gon’ watch the sunset and get a little swim in,” Roman said leaving no room for argument as I gave him a kiss on the lips.

“Thank you, baby,” I whispered as he growled. “You’re welcome, just remember tonight, your mine,” he groaned as Trin blushed leaving us alone. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

I wished I had my husband’s positive outlook, but I knew we would probably end up how we did almost every night and that was with Jackson in the bed with us.

 I also knew even though we both were sexually frustrated, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

-----

Later that Night

Roman’s POV

“Damn, swallow dat dick,” I hissed gripping the back of Skylar’s head as she moaned, the vibration of her mouth around my dick. Damn, what that mouth can’t do, I’m already bout to nut.

Those bedroom eyes staring up innocently at me as she sped up her beautiful torture as I growled feeling my end near. “Mm, not yet,” I moaned as she smiled releasing me as I fought to catch my breath. “What you need Daddy?” she whispered trailing her tongue from my pelvis to my neck as I wrapped my arms around her.

Fuck, she was on it tonight.

“I need to cum in my pussy, it’s been too long Sky,” I rasped, our moans of pleasure filled the room as she rubs up against my dick. “Yes, and I want you so bad,” she purred as our lips met in a sloppy desperate kiss.

Yes, there is a God, and he loves me. Tonight is the motherfuckin’ night I reclaim my wife and I can’t wait, etching every second to memory.

Her delicate hands caressing my dick, as she slightly raised her hips. Her trembling her body following suit as she bit her lower lip, anxiously rubbed the head of my dick against her pussy.

 That hearty, needy groan that escaped her lips, as the tip slid through her slick moist folds had me feenin’.

“Fuck yea, pussy so wet Daddy just gon’ slip right on in. Go ahead and put it in baby,” I groaned anxiously trying not to lose control.

Then just as we were about to become one again, our son’s powerful wails could be heard on the baby monitor as we both sighed in frustration.

“This can’t be happening,” I whispered as Skylar caressed my face. “I got him, baby,” Skylar panted as I nodded, sitting up, sighing at the loss of her body against mine as she slipped on her robe and left the room.

“Damn son, I couldn’t even get the tip in…..Lil cockblocker,” I muttered instantly feeling like the biggest heel ever as I listened to Skylar on the baby monitor.

“Hey, lil man you hungry, mama’s got you. Let’s change you first,” she soothed as I found myself smiling hearing Jackson’s little coos. Getting out of bed I slipped on my pajama bottoms and went to join them in the nursery.

We were sufficient in setting up Jackson’s room with a bottle warmer and a mini fridge to keep Skylar’s breast milk in at night so we wouldn’t have to worry about going downstairs.

“I’ll get the bottle,” I said almost startling her as she smiled at me.

“Thanks, I’m going to miss all this help when you go back to work.”

“I’mma miss it too, but we’re going to make it work. I don’t care if we have to be on facetime all night.”

Skylar’s POV

I loved moments like this, just us being with our son and bonding. “You want daddy to feed you, Jackson?” I asked as he stretched his little arms and yawned.

“Come on buddy, let’s eat so we can go back to bed,” Roman said sitting down as I placed Jackson in his arms. I swear women across the world would melt if they could see this moment.

His voice soothing, and deep, as Jackson seemed entranced his father’s voice. It was like they were in their own little world.

“Yea, daddy’s got you son,” Roman whispered as I smiled.

“You’re a great dad,” I said as Roman shot me a tired smile before continuing to talk to Jackson.

“You know I got your mama too, which is why I am sending her to bed.”

“Roman, I’m fine,” I yawned as he chuckled. “See how she yawin’..She needs some rest, so we gon’ have us a little father, son time and send her to bed,” he said pointing towards our room. His eyes never leaving Jackson’s who seemed to be cooing in agreement.

“Roman-”

“Go to bed baby, I got him,” he reassured me as I sighed heading back to our room, but not before sneaking a second glance at my beautiful family.

I had a wonderful life that I knew I would never take for granted…Ever.

----

The next Day

“What did you say mama?” I asked not sure I heard her right.

“I said ya’ll doing it wrong Sklyar, I ain’t stutter,” my mother scolded holding Jackson as I poured her a cup of coffee.

“I suggested they drop the foreplay and go for the gusto mama,” Trin added as I rolled my eyes.

“I’m desperate ya’ll, I mean we just get so consumed with each other, and then boom! Jackson is screaming his head off, he even ended up in the room with us last night,” I said slamming the refrigerator door.

“Oouu sexual frustration has officially sunk in,” Trin whispered as I looked at her in confusion.

“Huh.”

“Morning, beautiful,” Roman said coming in the kitchen as I smiled at him. The pure hunger in his eyes as he pulled me into his arms not only made me weak in the knees but had me seconds away from dropping to my knees to worship him in front of Trin, Jackson, and my mother.

Our lips suddenly met in a demanding kiss. It was like we were the only two people in the room until I faintly heard my mother clearing her throat as Roman nipped at my bottom lip.

“Mm, later,” I whispered against his lips as he nodded finally releasing me from his grasp.

“Damn, I felt like I was intruding. That was really hot,” Trin said as I blushed.

“Sorry, I got carried away Ma, good morning,” Roman said coming over and giving my mom a hug and Jackson a kiss on the top of his head. “I guess I’m just invisible,” Trin teased as Roman chuckled, rushing over to hug her. “Sorry sis, good morning.”

“Yea…uh huh,” Trin joked as I snickered.

“You know I love you sis, don’t be like that,” Roman chuckled as she smiled. “I’m just teasin’ you…I get a kick out of it actually,” she said as he rolled his eyes.

“Ro, you got anything planned today?” I asked, trying to change the subject as he thought for a second. “I’m meeting the twins in a bit at the gym, then I’m free,” he said as I saw my mother smile.

“Well have fun baby,” I said as he smiled looking around reading the room.

“Ok, uh, I guess I will go shower and leave ya’ll to it. I know when I ain’t wanted,” he said nervously leaving the room as my mother laughed.

“Damn, he got outta dodge.”

“Hey, he can be dense at times, but I take pride in the fact I taught him how to read a room.”

“Don’t do my brother like that,” Trin laughed as I shrugged my shoulders.

“I’m serious, so tell me what ya’ll are thinking?” I asked truly curious because at this rate I’m about to have drive-by sex with my husband while they are here at this point.

“As new parents, it’s going to take some time to adjust Skylar. Like I told you to sleep when the baby sleeps, the same thing applies to sex. Get it in while you can.”

“Ma! Really...”

“What! I’m serious, get it in whenever and wherever you can. You are no longer on married with no kids time. You are on each second counts time and by the way he tongued you down just now, he’s reached his breaking point baby.”

“I almost just saw my first in person porno just now,” Trin said causing me to choke on my orange juice. “Oh, stop it, we weren’t that bad,” I said as my mother smiled.

“Sweetie, you gotta use your help too. That is what grandparents are for. I know I’ve been asking to keep the baby, and I know Roman’s parents have wanted to keep Jackson.”

“We didn’t want to burden ya’ll.”

“We love Jackson and want a chance to spoil him. Let us spoil him, that’s what grandparents do. We spoil them and then send them back home for ya’ll to deal with it,” my mother said shrugging her shoulders as I found it hard to not smile.

“Girl, you better let them be grandparents. Ya’ll need a break, and Jackson will enjoy it.”

“I know but-”

“It’s that new parents separation anxiety,” my mother said as I sighed knowing she was right. I was scared and so was Roman.

“Go pack my baby a bag, he’s staying the night with me and your dad tonight.”

“Mama, I-”

“Mama nothing, you both tired and need to get some rest. Go out to dinner, or just fuck like jackrabbits until I bring him back tomorrow morning it’s up to ya’ll.” 

“Mama!” Geez did she have to be so blunt. Like what kind of parent am I wanting to send my baby away so his daddy can fuck me into another galaxy.

“Stop overthinking it, you’re a great mom and Roman is a great dad.  Now finish your breakfast so you can go pack my baby a bag. I have a feeling you’re gonna need your strength,” she said looking in the direction Roman had went as I blushed.

“Yes, ma’am,” I whispered playing with my food. Everything would be ok. I know my mom will take good care of Jackson but it’s just going to be weird being without him.

I was brought out of my thoughts by Trin tapping me on the arm as my mother got up to fix her another cup of coffee.

“Girl, ya’ll first round gon be quick cause it’s been so long for since ya’ll have had sex.  After that…Ooou, I pitty you, cause it ain’t gon’ be no sleepin’ up in this house. Maybe Ma can keep Jackson an extra day 'cause I know you gon’ have problems walking tomorrow," Trin whispered so my mother couldn’t hear.

“Roman is never quick,” I whispered as she smirked. “I bet you today he will be, but don’t worry it ain’t gon take you long to get there either,” she snickered as I frowned.

“You so fuckin’ messy.”

“That’s why you love me so much, I keep it real.”

Roman’s POV

“You heard me, it’s been four months and I’m losing my shit.”

“Damn, no wonder you been heavy lifting in the gym lately. Sky been cleared for action but it ain’t been none,” Jimmy said as I rolled my eyes. “Shut the fuck up, I’m already frustrated enough,” I said talking to the twins on Facetime.

“Ya’ll gon’ have to learn to get that shit in Uce,” Jey said as frowned at him.

“What you talkin’ bout?”

“I’m talkin bout quickies, gettin’ it in everywhere, whether it’s the bed, bathroom, car, backstage, door, wall. Shit, it’s on site whenever you can, ain’t she on da shot?” Jey asked as I nodded.

“Man, get yo’ pussy, and I mean by any means necessary,” Jimmy said as Skylar stuck her head in the bedroom.

“Babe, mama wants to take Jackson for the night so we can get some rest. Are you ok with it?”

I was too stunned to speak; I mean is this really happening? “Answer her fool, why you just standin’ there lookin’ stupid,” Jimmy said as Sky leaned over into the camera.

 “Hey twins….Where have ya’ been?” Skylar sang waving to Jimmy and Jey.

“Hey Boosie!” they yelled waving as she smiled.

“So, what you think Roman?” Skylar asked again as I looked back at the twins who gave me a look. “Uh, sure we need to start letting Jackson go and spend time with his grandparents. We know he’s in good hands.”

“Ok, I just wanted to run it by you before I just did it,” Skylar said blowing me a kiss and leaving the room.

“Uce, we already know you ain’t making it to the gym. Gone handle yo’ business,” Jey said as Jimmy shook his head.

“Poor Boosie ain’t gon’ know what hit her.”

“Shut up Jimmy and get off the damn phone so we can head to the gym.”

“A’ight twins, I’ll hit ya’ll back tomorrow.” Ending the call, I felt nervous…Why am I nervous?

I was nervous about Jackson being away from us, but I knew deep down he would be fine. We needed this…Mama and daddy need some alone time to rest and to just be Roman and Skylar again.

Skylar’s POV

I felt a piece of my heart leave as they pulled out of the driveway. I missed Jackson already, but Trin and mom reassured me and that put me at ease.

He would be ok, but it was still scary. Sighing, I closed the door. “He will be fine Sky, relax,” I whispered to myself, turning and colliding with Roman’s naked body as I gasped in shock.

“Ba-”

The words dying on my lips as our lips meet in a demanding passionate kiss. “Can’t wait,” Roman groans against my lips, clawing at my robe as I racked my nails down his back. “I can’t either,” I moan anxiously as he scoops me up in his arms.

“Mm, bed,” I gasp as he growls. “Right here…Fuck, right now,” he moans entering me swiftly catching me off guard as I cried out at the sudden intrusion.

I felt like he was splitting me in two as he growled against my neck. "I'm sorry baby," he moans stilling his hips tryin' to give me a second to adjust as I slowly began swirling my hips against him.

“Mmm, I missed you,” I cried against his lips as he hissed. “Missed you more, fuck, you so tight.”

I could sense the struggle in him to not lose control, but I wanted him to.

Remembering Trin’s words, I decided to assure him it was ok. “Stop holding back, I want you to cum Daddy, you deserve it,” I whispered

“Fuck…… I don’t want to, not yet,” he rasped as I locked my legs around him beginning to bounce as Roman held me close.

“We got all night, just cum baby,” I whispered in his ear as my words seemed to ignite a fire in him as he gripped my legs, pinning me against the wall beginning to thrust with wild abandon.

“Shit! Yes, take your pussy daddy!” I screamed, my orgasm sneaking up on me as Roman grasped my throat, taking me in a scorching kiss

“Mmm, I am and I’mma make sure my queen cums first,” he groaned carrying me over to the couch.

I could only explain it as pure excitement following through my veins as I pulled Roman closer, our bodies becoming even more entangled as we gave in to our desires.

Our desperate, passionate kisses, making lightheaded as his thrusts became even more strategic. The power of them startling us both as we fell back onto the couch.

“Roman!” I exclaimed at the new deeper position as he smirked in victory against my lips. “Uh huh, acknowledge daddy, baby. I’mma  make you feel real good.”

“Ooouu fuck!” I gasped unable to think, my mind straight gone.

 “Sky, give daddy what he wants, let me hear you,” he gloated slamming into me as my cries filled the room.

“Mmhm, I acknowledge you, Daddy,” I whined clawing at his ass pulling him in even deeper. “Fuck yea… Such a good girl, just takin’ all daddy’s dick.”

“Yes! Mmm, I missed you so much!” I cried unashamed as my pussy welcomed him, gripping him tighter and tighter trying to indeed snatch his soul.

“Fuck!” Roman hissed as I felt him tremble against me as I greedily feasted upon his neck, leaving my mark.

“Mmhm, I missed you more. Yea…. Grip dat dick like you missed it.”

 His voice…His words.. Shit, if I could give this man another baby right fucking now, I would.

“Roman, please,” I begged knowing the end was near, I couldn’t hold out much longer.

“Take it like a good girl, mama.”

“I’m your good girl!” I cried out in pleasure. “So fuckin good, gon’ cum, Sky. Daddy wants you to soak his dick and this couch, you hear me?”

The request sending chills down my spine as I fell over the edge needing no more encouragement.

“I’m cummin’!” I cried as Roman tried to still my hips. “Sky…Shit,” Roman rasped as I pulsed around him forcing him to accept his fate and with a final growl, he fell over the edge releasing four months of frustration as I welcomed him.

Shit, that was intense as hell.  “I love you so much;” I moaned trying to catch my breath as Roman smiled, his eyes still glazed over.

“I love you too, and I’mma make it up to you,” Roman whispered gently grazing his lips across mine as I sighed.

“What are you sorry for baby?” I gasped as his lips were now burning a blazing hot trail across my neck. “You felt so good, I came too quick but I’mma take my time this go round,” he whispered caressing my thighs, wrapping them back around his waist.

“Roman, it’s ok.. Trust me, I was thoroughly satisfied.”  I said, trying to put his mind at ease as we continued to come down from our high.

 “Sky, you know how I get down; my beautiful wife has to cum at least three times before I do,” he declared still feasting upon my neck as I gasped feeling him getting hard again.

“Roman! Already,” I moaned, immediately surrendering to him once again as he began thrusting, torturous slow and deep inside me.

“Mmhm, cause my baby needs to cum at least three more times before we take a cat nap.” His voice was raspy and deep against my ear as a shiver shot down my spine.

“Three!”

“Mmhm, the first time didn’t count, and I’m just getting started,” he whispered as we began climbing the mountain of ecstasy once again.

Yea….Maybe I will call Ma, and ask her to keep Jackson for an extra night.

Taglist:

@reci24 @southerngirl41 @vebner37 @jeyusos-girl @melaninsugababy @romanreignkisser @bebesobrielo@arination99 @2-muchsauce

@bakugoumarianawrites @empressdede @alyyaanna @christinabae

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jaded-human mainthingdoja mrswolffs-blog shamaness11 justarheaslut

[bellarkeselection]

for cole walter, could you do one where reader replaces jackie (so her fam died and she moved in with the walter’s) and cole doesn’t really like her. one day she gets a cold, and cole takes care of her (begrudgingly) and realizes she isn’t so bad 🫶🏼🥹

Cole Walter Does Care

Tag list- send me an ask to be added @cognacdelights @connieisthesun

I rolled over in my bed and felt a headache coming on the second I woke up which really sucked. Slowly sitting up I thought I would feel better that only seemed to make it worse. My nose was beginning to get stuffy and my throat felt dry. Footsteps came from the hallway and I heard whoever it was pause outside my door. “Hey Y/n, my mom is making breakfast. Woah you don’t look too good.”

“Thanks Alex - uh I didn’t know that.” I started coughing and then reached over needing to blow my nose into some tissues.

He entered my room with a sad expression. “I can get my mom to check you out if you want.”

“Please do.” I whimpered, sounding so helpless tugging the covers back over my chest.

He nodded, rushing out of the room and going downstairs to go get her. “On it, Y/n.” Once he was gone I yanked the coves over my head screaming and coughing into my blankets.

“Sounds like there’s a dying angry animal in here. Oh no sorry it’s just you Y/n.” I noticed the voice of Cole who when I peaked my head above the blanket saw that he was leaning in my doorway.

Grumbling under my breath I really wasn’t in the mood for his teasing. “Go away Cole. I’m not feeling good and you’ll just make it worse.”

“Ah now I’m offended since most people find my company to be quite enjoyable.” He walked into my bedroom sitting down on the side of my bed moving the cover down from my eyes so he could see some of my face.

“Well I d-don’t-“ I attempted to say but another coughing fit had to hit me right before his mother and Alex came back into my bedroom.

Catherine sat down and pushed Cole off the bed, putting a hand to my forehead. “Oh you're burning up. You'll just have to stay in bed today and miss the fair.”

“Okay Skylar and Tara won't be happy.” I responded in a tired breath.

She shakes her head eyeing her older son. “I'm sure they'll understand honey. Cole, I need you to stay and take care of her.”

“What the hell!” He raised his voice, accidentally cursing at his mother.

I sat upright on the pillows but had a coughing fit as a result. “No! He doesn't need to be here…”

“This is not up for discussion. Y/n you are really sick and Cole you will be staying home to take care of her. Because you're grounded after we found out you were sneaking girls out of the house. Come on, Alex.” She got to her feet and she left with Alex following her downstairs leaving us alone in my bedroom together.

Laying my head back down on the pillows I yanked the covers over my head screaming into it until Cole made a comment. “Don't think I'm happy about this either.”

“Oh sure. I'm sorry my illness prevented you from hooking up with Erin or Olivia or Paige!” I snapped at him.

His green eyes glared at me. “You don't have the right to judge my life.”

“Neither do you about me then!” I growled turning my back towards him.

Cole watched me for a little while hearing me doze off for a few hours of sleep. He sure found you annoying at times but there was something about you that he liked. It was the fact that you fought with him over the most ridiculous stuff. Most girls just fell at his beck and call except you. He walked around the room noticing a notebook laying on the desk. “Y/n's diary…hmm. I can't deny that I may have feelings for Cole even though he drives me nuts.” He debated reading it but when he flipped to one of the middle he heard you groan waking up.

“Cole, I'm gonna puke.” I moaned, struggling to get out from under the blankets.

He dropped the book rushing over to me, he put one arm underneath my shoulder and the other under the back of my knees carrying me through the door and across to the bathroom on this floor. “I've got ya…I've got ya.” He reassured me when I collapsed onto my knees puking in the toilet.

I felt one of his hands holding my hair back and the other was rubbing my back till I was finished. “Thanks Cole…”

“You’re welcome. See I'm not a total asshole.” He responded sitting across from me on the floor. His honey blonde hair was tossed and in his eyes like always.

Hugging my knees to my chest, my hair was a wreck and my nose was red. I looked like a complete mess and I didn't care for it one bit. His green eyes remained on me before I asked him not to handle the silence well. “If you wanna say something to me just go on and get it out, Walter.”

“I read part of your diary after you fell asleep. I know how you feel about me and honestly I'm shocked given how I've treated you.” He shrugged his shoulders like it was just a casual thing to say to someone.

I raised my voice in frustration grabbing a tissue when I had to sneeze two or three times. “You read my diary! Cole, you have no right to that. How much did you read - god I want to crawl in a hole now I'm so embarrassed.” Covering my face that was red as a tomato avoiding his gaze.

“Aren't you going to ask me how I felt about it?” Cole questioned with a curious look on his face.

Knitting my brows at the former star football player. “You’re telling me you have a crush on me. Yeah right. I'll believe it in another universe.”

“Do you believe me when I do this?” He shifted onto his knees coming closer to me.

Lifting my head up he cut my question off. “What are you doing-” His lips landed right on mine. Cole scooted closer and placed his hands on either side of my face. I wanted to push him away because I was sick and two because he shouldn't even couldn’t really be kissing me now.

Trailing my hands up his chest my arms wrapped around his neck and he moaned into the kiss after we had gotten closer. Cole tugged me up to sit down on his lap wrapping his arms around my waist holding me close to his chest as possible. “Cole, stop - Cole stop. We can’t be doing this.” Pushing my hands on his chest he drew back confused.

“Because you're sick. I don't care about that. I just needed you to know that I actually care about you, Y/n.” He declared still cupping my face on his hands green eyes so focused on me.

Moving one hand through his honey hair, my other drops to his shoulder blade. “I can't believe it, Cole Walter has a crush on me. Here I was thinking you hated me.” I chuckled with a half grin.

“Why did you think I only picked on you when you first got here. I figured you had a thing for bad guys in you somewhere. Just had to bring it out of ya, darling.” Cole tucked hair behind my ear before he could hear a lot of footsteps heading up the wooden stairs outside the shut bathroom door.

“What do we - uh do!” I sneezed where Cole gave me a tissue and I wiped my nose watching him get to his feet.

He scooped me up bridal style once more where I wrapped my arms around his neck enjoying the feeling of being in his arms like this. “Don't worry, we'll go to my room. They all know better than to go in there…now where we're we?” He carried me quickly out and into his room, closing and locking the door.

“Cole, I'm nowhere near ready for that kind of thing. Sorry if that disappoints you.” I apologize for crawling under the covers on his bed, blushing a deep shade of red.

He kicked off his shoes and got in beside me, gently pushing my head down in the crock of his neck so I would fall asleep. “I don't care about sleeping with you yet. I just wanted to see you blush.”

“Cole!” I punched his chest hearing him laugh and it was music to me considering he rarely ever laughs.

He kissed the crown of my head and watched my eyes begin to close shut. “I'm just playing with ya, Y/n. Now get some rest.” I closed my eyes and looped my hand with his freehand that wasn't playing with hair to make me dose off in his arms.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[vendetta-if]

Chapter 6 Part 3 + Major System Public Update! 🎉

Hello everyone! 👋 It's finally time for the public update! 😁 This update brings in 24K of new words, bringing Chapter 6 wordcount in total to 89.4K words and the total demo wordcount to 325.3K words! This update brings Chapter 6 to a neat close, which is important because to me, Chapter 6 is like the end of the first arc of the book. 

Not only that, but I have also added a few major coding functions with this update, namely, a skip chapter function, and an autosave and reload function. I'm aware that my demo is getting longer, so I assume a skip chapter function might  be a welcome addition. 

It took me a long time to plan and figure out how to implement these systems, but in the end, after a lot of personal testing, I have finally managed to make them work.

WARNING: It's highly advised that you either play from the beginning with clean saves (or try out the new skip chapter function). I messed with some of the old variables as well, including Santana's and Skylar's default relationship values. Do not reload the saves to avoid potential future errors.

What's to expect from the new update:

Dropping Rin off to their apartment (and maybe, if you've been a good boy/girl, you can get a little smooch 😘)

Have an angsty talk with Uncle Luka 😥

But don't worry, there are potential wholesome moments too (if you choose them, of course 😉)

Another POV of the killer 😈 To see more on how they think and what they know so far.

Brand new skip chapter function! (Currently only for Chapter 6)

An autosave and reload function! (Currently only for Chapter 6)

Plus some new little stuff added in previous chapters.

New stuff added to previous chapters:

Chapter 2: Add proper introduction scene with Ivan and Boris, the twin bodyguards, highlighting their different personalities and their relationship with MC and Ash. They have changed quite a lot and become more fleshed out compared to the first time I wrote them.

Chapter 4: For MCs who said yes to Yvette when she asked them whether they are interested in becoming a Superhero, you now have the option to accept her guidance and reconnect with her or reject her guidance but still have a choice whether to reconnect with her or not. This is in contrast to how those who said yes was forced to reconnect with her.

Chapter 6: Meddle, fix, and add some background variables. Another reason to play from the beginning and to not load old saves.

Also, I have a side story just released on both Patreon and Ko-Fi and a spicy one coming really soon! I'm also still opening ideas/suggestions for this month's side stories until November 11th and then after that, we'll have our polls! So if you're also interested in supporting me while also getting these exclusive contents, please do consider becoming a member! 💖🥰

[DEMO] | [PATREON] | [KO-FI] | [COG FORUM] | [DISCORD]

[butterscotchpiesandguys]

Acting The Part

I was a film student, that means I had to play a lot of roles. Mostly, however, I remained the one behind the cameras. Why? Well it was simply because I was pretty humble... in my own words, others would call me shy and reserved.

I had a project coming up, a final film for the semester. Had to be within the genre we were working for an unfortunately for me that was romance. I was not good with romance, obviously of course. I was shy. So... that was why I partnered up with a few buddies, Chris, Tony, Danielle, and Skylar. It was an optional group project due to how big it was. Unfortunately one guy who was left out was Brian. A total douche, called himself a sigma and everything. Totally full of himself.

Saw himself being the star too, always was in the movies... although with his ripped abs, jawline, and general physique... it was obvious why he thought he would be in the group... so we started scripting. It went well at first, that was until Brian started butting in. Asked if his girlfriend could be the love interest. This was supposed to be a group project and so we said no, Danielle would be covering that part. He whined about it until Skylar came up to me to ask something. "Do we need Brian here?" He asked softly, so he didn't actually hear. He was off arguing with Tony again, Go figure.

"Well... I did have an idea..." I admitted. Of course this idea was also a bit rude. We would simply do the script without him. Meetup some times, make excuses. It worked for a while until he started to get suspicious. He was stupid but he wasn't that stupid.

About a week into scripting, everything was coming out well. We almost had it done and we even had a role for Brian! Now we weren't going to tell him until the day of, and seeing how he needed this for a good grade... he'd have to go along with it. Well that was what I thought until he stopped me on the way to a class. "Hey [Y/N], how's it hangin." He put his hand beside my head as I leaned against the wall. He asked a simple question, quite friendly too... if it wasn't for his threatening tone. "Been a while, started to think my film partner died. That would have been bad." He chuckled and let up a bit. "Why don't we talk about the script for a bit. "I uh..." I tried to speak up but he put his hand on my back as he walked me away from the class I had next.

"You say somethin? No? Okay well good, we're goin someplace nice and comfortable." He started to walk me out of the building and through the campus. Some people stared at us, I mean a star football player and some film student would draw some eyes. Eventually we got to the bleachers of the football stadium. It was super empty and due to Brian having a part time job cleaning the place he had keys.

We sat down on some metal bleachers near the announcer's box and he had me get out my laptop. "So, run me through the script. Last I heard I was going to be the star?" He smirked a bit. This would be hard to break.

"Well uh... I'll just uh... we made some changes but everything's still very flexible!" I tried to assure him. I started at where it would begin, a nerd getting bullied. The bully was played by... Brian. he wasn't too happy but was willing to hear me out. Then I went through the story slower, more cautiously to not offend the giant oaf. Stuff about the nerds banding together... having a fun time and ultimately the nerd getting the nerdy chick. Danielle was supposed to play the nerdy girl, Skylar wanted to be the main character. I would be the camera man and director. Brian looked annoyed. "So... this sucks."

"Wait what? What about it sucks? Is it just because you're not the main star? You know what'd be weird." I tried to fight back. It was partially my script.

"Lemme guess, your buddy Skylar wrote a lot of it." I looked down and did have to agree... so I nodded, Skylar was a great writer though! "Look man, I know you don't like being in front of the camera and stuff but this might be your last little movie, why not have fun with it? How is this fair to you at all?" Wait was Brian sticking up for me?

"I uh... I guess it's not... But I don't really like being the star." I looked at the bigger guy who was now being oddly nice.

He sighed. "Yeah, and I'm not sayin you have to be. I mean you gave me a pretty raw deal." Brian looked oddly sad.

I was always the one to make peace... god damn it... would I really do this? I had to... "Well uh... what would you propose to change that stuff?" I asked, nervous to what he would propose.

"Well, here's my idea. We swap some roles around. Make it better for all of us. Skylar can run the camera this time, he always gets to be in front of it." I nodded, Skylar could be a competent camera man... "Glad you agree, then I can take his role as a nerd and you can be the rival... hell maybe you can get your own babe out of it."

"Wait, what?" I looked at the big guy confused. Him? The nerd? No way. And me as the rival? How the hell would I do that? "I don't think that'll work. I mean we should cast for what we're good at and..."

Brian cut me off, "Yeah and I'm pretty nice, right?" I looked at him, he was looking me right in the eyes. I nodded, not wanting to be rude. "Exactly! So I should be given the chance to play a fun nice guy!" His smile was reassuring but I still had issues.

"Yeah but I really don't think people will buy me as a douchebag..." I sighed and scratched my head. It was true. I was smaller, weaker, and dorky as hell.

"Well, sure, right now you don't but trust me! I got some ideas that can help you! But it's what someone would call... method acting. Probably heard of it."

"That sounds like a dumb idea, I'll be honest. I mean... that'll just get me bullied.... more than usual at least." I sighed, feeling like this was going nowhere.

"Nah, trust me bro. I mean if you stick with me I'll vouch."

"But I barely have any classes with you aside from film related ones." I looked a bit confused. How would that work.

"Well here's the deal. I can talk to my professors, tell them you wanna do some stuff and I'm sure with a little flexing of my status... we can get you in for the few more weeks or months we have left of class this semester. It's not gonna be much, mister straight As." He was going to do that for me?

"I guess... I could see how this goes... I could use a break before my other finals..." I chuckled a bit nervously, which made him pat my back, almost flinging me out of my seat.

"There we go! Here's my phone number and..." He grabbed my phone and put his number and contacts in, "We should be good to go, send me a link to the script btw! Gotta work on that thing!

That night I sent him the link, and felt oddly nervous about this. I mean... it was like starting a whole new life! I hadn't been in front of the cameras in a while so that would be nerve racking too! Brian's advice was to "Not think about it." Seemed he could go his whole life without thinking about much.

The next day we spent working out, and working on attitude. His girlfriend Tori came over during some of it and Brian said it would be a great time to practice confidence. I didn't nail it. He had a good laugh though and she took it in stride. Overall a good Saturday.

The day after that we worked on some more muscle, while also just hanging out again... this time some of his douchey friends came over. He was saying this was both confidence and some experience training. Like being in job training. Eventually I somewhat grew accustomed to them. They all were charismatic and handsome too. I felt oddly at home near some of them, hell I even threw some insults back at them when they came my way. I wasn't great at it yet.

Day three of this shit and I was now walking around with Brian and his little group. Seemed most of them had the same classes. I got stopped in the hall though by a classmate. He tried to direct me to class but... as per a whispered instruction... I mocked him and his shit haircut. After classes we worked out, seemed like this was something I had to do... Brian and Tanner, one of Brian's friends who was more in on it, said this was to make me not sound like a dork when referencing sports and shit. Good reason...

My the next week I was already feeling the burn. Skylar and the others were a bit pissed at me for blowing off our group meetings for hangouts with Brian and his crew. I told him I was method acting and he should get off my case. Well he didn't take it too well. "Well maybe you should stop being in our fucking shit if you like Brian that much!" That was a bad insult.

I yelled back. "Well, maybe if you didn't try to hog the limelight all the time I wouldn't be doing this shit!" It kind of just came out of me. For some reason... Skylar looked a bit... weaker and smaller than me. "Besides, not like you could even carry a movie with that fuckin acne." I may have went too far, he looked pissed and I felt awful. He stormed off leaving me alone...

I had a party that night, at the frat. Brian noticed me looking down the entire time. Came to comfort me. "Bro, trust me. He deserved it. I mean he's always been pushing you back and the moment you try and get out there and have fun he tries to put you back down? Not cool, you know that."

"Yeah but... I don't wanna fuck shit up with my friends and all that." I said with a red solocup in my hand.

"Well... maybe you're better off without them. I mean the only one I see potential in is maybe Danielle." I nodded.

"Yeah, Tony is a nobody, Skylar is a pussy... And I was both. Still feel bad for Danielle." I had a crush on her before.

"Well don't go around pussyfooting. I'm sure we can change the script and as her to method act too! I mean how much fun has it been for you, Oliver."

"Oliver?" I laughed and looked at Brian, "Why'd you call me that?"

"Oh! Well I had an idea. Just a small one. I mean why not go by your character's name? You are supposed to be method acting!"

"Yeah... Oliver... that... works well." I smiled. I mean I did look like an Oliver now... or at least the character! I didn't know how but in retrospect god my body was wimpy. Now I looked fire as hell!

The next few days would be painfully awkward. Skylar would try and salvage the script, much to the annoyance of Brian and I. There were two sides clashing and I knew which one sounded better, Skylar was just doing this for himself. Eventually Brian and I started a secret document, included Danielle in there too. Got them over Discord on a call to talk about the newer idea. By now we had enough of the nice guy act. Brian thought it was way too soft... he pitched the new idea. "Why don't we, instead of doing whatever that little soy boy wants, do our own thing. Like... Why don't we do something where the bullies got some character."

Danielle was hesitant. "Well what about the others? And what would my role be?"

I had an answer already. "Well we need a camera man and Tony, by far, is the best of Skylar and him. I mean I could do it but I've worked pretty hard."

"[Y/N]..." Danielle sighed, She was getting tired of this.

"Dani, it's Oliver or Ollie. I'm taking it pretty serious as you can see." I smiled. into the webcam which I never used before... hell my whole profile changed. Near daily pics of me were my banner and icon instead of some anime boy.

Brian nodded a bit. "So, we want you in this film too Dani, you're a great actress but we want you to practice your new role. You'll be Ollie's bitchy GF, like a mean girl kinda thing."

"But that isn't...." She got cut off by me again.

"Look, Dani... I know it ain't your style but this isn't mine either. To be a star you have to make sacrifices, and playing the part is the thing. I already asked and Tori can help you get into role. And hey, we can hang more if you do... I mean if you want my place is pretty open." It was an invite to fuck. By now I was still a virgin, even if Brian tried to change that many times.

"Okay..." She finally agreed. Thank god this was getting annoying.

Eventually we got our crew together. Some guys from the soccer team for scrawnier nerds, some guys from Brian's crew to be our friends and... Danielle was coming along fine. My type had shifted a bit, especially now that I could have options... they were molding her real nicely.

Skylar soon got wind of our plan but by now it was too late to stop. I was getting ready for the first day of filming. I had my body in peak performance, all done up by one of Tori's friends. And he came over to yell at me. Not congratulate me. By this point I just had Alex, one of Brian and I's friends walk him off the little set we staged. Students would be happy to actually get in this film. I mean we were big stars around campus and we knew it.

People loved how I changed. I became a star. I mean... with my now blonde hair, scuffy facial hair, ripped abs, giant body... who wouldn't. Brian helped me realize something. I was made to be in front of the cameras. I was made to be a star. Danielle would realize that in time too.

As for the filming... it went spectacular. We all got great grades, hell... we started helping Tony out with getting better himself! I mean... we'd need it if we wanted to make more of these. It was a fun parody film... even if it was meant to be serious. The audience didn't get it but whateves. Wasn't my problem. I just didn't have to think too hard about it.

Within months I asked out Danielle, she said yes... of course. We became a new power couple. I urged her to join a sports team like I was doing. I started football like Brian. We did well as a team... also started power lifting and by god I was great! Danielle did gymnastics and by god was she flexible. Eventually I had my name changed. I was welcomed into Brian's family pretty easily too... so I adopted his last name. We were the Greene brothers.... started small with acting and sports but soon, through some modeling and commercials... we started getting big.

As for Skylar... who knows what became of that no name wannabe. He didn't take his shot. Maybe if he was more eager he could have ended up as a male model like Tony. Eh, not my problem. I just played my part and helped everyone around me. That's what being a star is for... you play your part and you like it... And I love it.

[allurilove]

Celebrating the fourth of July with Henry and yandere husband. Also happy 4th of julyyyyy 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

I'm celebrating by eating a lot of hotdogs! I haven't had them in so long, and I sort of forgot how good they could be.

Your husband grunted as you handed him the aluminum pan, heavy with copious amounts of tiny hamburger sliders you made for the neighborhood party. You made sure that you looked nice and that Henry was presentable too. Your husband wasn't the celebrating type, and he was confused when you handed him a shirt with an American flag printed on the front. He shook his head, refusing to even touch or wear it. It just felt wrong to be overly patriotic like that.

Your husband still wanted to "blend" into the crowd, so he opted to slick his hair back and wear a hat backward, a dark blue t-shirt with a fun graphic on the breast pocket, jean cargo shorts, and his black Sambas. From afar, he looked like a college student—in better words, he looked like the typical frat boy. You were surprised he even had clothes like that.

You held Henry's hand as you walked to your neighbor's backyard. You pushed the gate open for your husband and guided him to the table where the food was. "Now that looks good..." You took a banana pudding cup for you and your son. Your husband huffed and finally put down the heavy tray. He took off the top and tossed it into the trash. He looked around to see the other people who decided to show up, and he gulped as he saw his number one rival... the Skylar family.

Fuck, were they the perfect family.

They could model for Gap or Old Navy with how amazing they looked together. Like the good man he was, your husband approached Lucas Skylar. Lucas was sort of an odd man (your husband thought), and he was a sex therapist who mainly worked with those horrible reality TV couples. You know the ones: people who came onto a show for clout and fame, really only looking to win money and cheat into having an easy life. The ones who pair up with other people who matched their physical aesthetics. It was sort of genius, and your husband slowly started to wish he was in that profession.

"Lucas! It's so great to see you." Your husband opened his arms and pulled him into a "bro" hug. Lucas equally threw himself into the hug. Of course, he was an amazing greeter.

"How are you and your wife? I can see that you guys got down and dirty, huh?" Lucas smirked and nudged your husband. You were about six months pregnant with another child—a girl, as you two had found out. "If you two ever get into a rut, you know where to find me."

Your husband would rather die. This wasn't the first time Lucas Skylar offered his services, and your husband was starting to form an idea in his head that Lucas just wanted to fuck you. I mean, he stares at you way too often. His green eyes would linger on your form, even if he was standing by his wife. Maybe your husband should take up the offer and start boasting about how you two had this amazing sexual chemistry.

"Yeah. Thanks." Your husband laughed humorlessly and slapped Lucas's shoulder a bit too roughly, brushing past him. The pissed-off man went straight for the beers. He spent the rest of the night sulking in the corner, nursing his drink, and watching Henry run around the backyard with lit sparklers in his hands.

"Hey." The man cleared his throat and pushed his body off the fence, his expression softening as you came up to him. You handed him some food and he accepted it gratefully.

"Let me guess..."

"You don't even have to." Your husband groaned and his shoulders tensed up. He rolled his eyes and looked right back down at you. "That prick wants to meddle into our sex life again."

"Why don't you tell him that it's great and he needs to back off?" You shrugged nonchalantly and your husband sighed.

"I... I didn't want to embarrass you like that. Plus, I don't want to create any bad blood between us and them. We still have to live near them after all." Your husbands expression soured. He crushed the empty beer can before making a shot into the trash bag. He then took your hands into his and he pulled you into his embrace.

...

Your husband wanted to make it up to you for pouting all day, and he took the family out to a secluded and open area. He opened the trunk of the car, and he pulled out a box of fireworks. After he was done scolding Henry for not listening to his little safety seminar, he finally lit one and took a step back. The firework shot up into the sky and burst into red and blue colors.

He subtly reached for his phone and took a picture of you and Henry both looking at the sky. Your husband would talk to thousands of guys like Lucas Skylar if this was the end result. His heart warmed at the sight of his two, and soon to be three, favorite people holding hands.

[iouinotes]

match made in heaven | Alex Walter

pairing: Alex Walter x female!reader

show: My life with the Walter boys

warnings: just kissing word count: 2,2k

summary: At your birthday party you get dared to spend 7 minutes in heaven with none other than your best friend Alex.

a/n: A modified review of "Beautiful boy" Thank you @rogueanschel-reads for the woderful idea!

"Come on, even a stranger can sense your attraction for each other, the hidden love that lays beneath your friendship."

Maybe it wasnt the best idea to play truth or dare.

Well, firstly I want to say that I love my friendgroup. Grace, Skylar, his boyfriend Nathan, Kiley and of course, my best friend Alex.

Really, I love these guys. But sometimes they make me want to jump off a cliff, no regretting or turning back.

In moments like this, where I want to spent a good time partying with my friends, because its my 16th birthday, they need to remind me of the he-who-must-not-be-named-topic. That means for outstanders, my non-existent, strictly friendly feelings for my best friend Alex.

The guy, who has absolutely no idea, he's being compared to Voldemort. But for the matter of fact, Harry Potter are my all-time favorite movies and early Voldemort was actually quiet handsome. So, it kinda makes sense. Why? Because Alex has put a spell on me with his smile and his pretty face.

But back to my party.

We are currently in the living room, our knees are touching the legs of the person next to us and someone (Grace) encouraged us to smuggle a few bottles of alcohol to the party, even though we didnt plan to drink.

Now, Skylar had the great idea to embarrass everyone by playing truth or dare, but with a twist. He likes to call it "match made in heaven" or what it actually means, making out in a closet. Something like that, I've never participated in any of these games.

Until now.

As I am the birthday girl, I started the game by choosing truth. But I could really have just voluntarily confessed my feelings for Alex. Because Grace winked at me and I knew at that moment, that the next few minutes meant trouble.

"So, y/n. Describe us your magical boy, that you dream of being able to call your own." I knew it. She could have just asked me what college I wanted to attend or something less embarrassing, but no. She needed to ask me about my type in boys, which obviously is my handsome, brown haired best friend next to me.

As I'm about to hide my head in my hands, I hear the encouraging shouts of the people I call my friends.

"Okay, okay. Let me think for a moment." I couldnt make it that obvious, I liked him. But still, it was worth a try.

"Someone who has an angelic smile, where you just stare at his face and can´t stop looking at him. I-I like brown hair and I dont know, what it is, but hazel eyes, they somehow make my heart beat faster. I mean- he´s attractive, because he is a gentleman. Caring and supportive, someone who listens to my wants and needs, but still continues to be his true self. I can read books with him or we watch movies together and talk about it after. He makes me feel seen, safe. I love him, because he is everything I could ever dream of and more."

When I finish speaking, Grace grins innocent and looks at me with her long eyelashes. "I wonder, who that could be."

My eyes secretly dart to Alex, trying to figure out, if he knows, that I am very obviously describing him. But he just watches the floor, his eyebrows are drawn together and I almost think, he looks annoyed.

"Someone is jealous" I hear Skylar´s voice in my ear.

As the game went on, his behavior kept being slightly off, even though he never said anything about it and continued to smile at me, when we looked at each other.

And then, Alex was asked about his favorite memory, whether it was about being in school, with family or with friends.

Well, he told them about the first time, he introduced me to his favorite book saga, the Lord of the Rings. I never knew, that day was so special for him, but as he described my hilarious reactions and facial features, how he saw my eyes widen with disbelief as he read out the first chapters, I remembered.

When I look back, it really was a wonderful night. We did a sleepover at his house and were talking about watching Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings. Somehow, we also talked about the books and that I read the seven books about the famous wizard and he the books about the elves and other creatures (don´t judge me for this description). We discussed almost every aspect, but he still convinced me to give his favorite books a try. So we spent the night spread out on his bed, eating sweets and reading the first book. Well, he mostly read it out loud to me, because his pronunciation was definitely much better than mine. It was fun, also because I got to watch him being in his element, so it really was a heartwarming evening.

I smile at the memory, a warm feeling blooms in my chest and when he finishes talking about it, he looks at me fondly. I had to keep myself from wanting to giggle like a little girl, but my inner 13-year old, most definitely did giggle.

Back to the original topic. Next, Grace was dared to wear one of my clothes, Kiley told us about her celebrity crush (Timothee Chalamet, but you didnt hear it from me) and when Alex was asked who he would trust with his secret, if he was spiderman, he mentioned me again. It was sweet and I had planned to tell him, that I would love to be the girl in the chair.

But, as the game went on, my name constantly fell from his lips. He was dared to show one of the most terrible photos of him and revealed to the group, a snapshot from us, wearing unrecognizable Halloween costumes. Funny, but my idea to go as ghosts wasnt that bad.

Nevertheless, he talked about the best gift he had ever received, a pair of cowboy boots, I got him two years ago (Nathan was playfully annoyed that one of his presents werent the best one) and as the game continued, the question, that I tried my best to avoid, was eventually asked.

"You two are always around each other and I've barely seen you apart, like ever. Are you sure, there is nothing going on between you? It seems like it."

Alex and I looked at each other, but then quickly laughed it off. It was what we always did, when someone asked us about our close friendship. None of us really answered and that meant for me, that he neither confirmed or declined having feelings for me. Very confusing and bad for my hoping heart.

So, when our friends are looking at each other now, grinning like they planned something really wicked, I know, that my personal hell is waiting for me. Or in my situation, a modified version of heaven.

"Y/n, I dare you to play seven minutes in heaven with just your best friend Alex." Grace is smiling in front of me and when I want to debate about it, she cuts me off.

"But I havent said I would take dare-" my words are going silent and I only hear my pounding heart.

"You always choose truth, that´s boring. You get the dare now, so stand up and cuddle with your wizard!"

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Alex holds his hands out for me, so he can help me stand up. He silently looks at me and I try to assure him by smiling, but I think I´m failing at it. Because he looks as unnerved as I feel right now.

When we walk out of the room and into the small storage room, we hear Skylar´s distance shouting.

"No lights and close the door! That are the rules, we set the timer!"

Why was I friends with them again?

When we approach the room, unlocking the door and stepping inside, we are suddenly surrounded by darkness. And when he closes my only way to escape, its quiet for a moment. Then, I hear is curious voice.

"What did Grace mean about your wizard?"

I relax and gently laugh. Nothing has to happen, everything is fine.

"That you are as bad at keeping secrets than Draco. Harry really found out on the first day in 6th grade, that something was clearly up with him."

Alex groans. "Please no more talking about your Drarry shipping. I get it, it could have been an enemies-to-lovers romance."

I smack his arm, taking a step closer to him.

"Okay, what would you like to talk about instead?"

I can make out the outlines of his face in the darkness, seeing how he also takes a step closer. I feel myself breathing heavily and my hands nervously shaking.

"I think, that I should keep you warm, because I literally see your hands shaking." When he takes another step in my direction, I hold my breath and in the same second, I feel his arms wrap around me.

His hands find their way to my back, embracing me in his warmth until I feel him breathing on my neck. I need to stop myself from shivering at this feeling.

"I can work with that." I whisper, snuggling into his chest and closing my eyes. I hear his racing heart and immediately need to smile.

"Your heart is beating very fast." His chin rests on my head, I feel him holding me closer.

"It´s the darkness." Of course, it is.

When I also close my arms around his waist, I feel for the first time a kind of inner peace, that I read about in books.

When a character feels safe in the embrace of their beloved.

Silence surrounds us for a minute and I begin to thank Grace for her dare, because him holding me in his arms und me, hugging him, is much more than wonderful.

"When you call me a wizard, do I get to call you a witch?" I burst out a laughter at his question.

"Only if you won´t compare me to Umbridge." He nods quietly.

"You are as far away from being like Umbridge as the earth is away from the moon. So, you don´t have to worry."

"Good." We are silent again.

"So, have you ever thought about what you would do, if you would get to spent time with a person, when you have seven minutes in heaven?" I think for a few seconds, before I answer him.

"I always imaged this game as a way to confess feelings or solving a fight. Maybe a hidden chance to make out too, I guess."

I hear him taking a deep breath, not expecting much. Until-

"Can I kiss you?" My knees almost give out.

"You what-?" I turn to look at him. Noticing his widen pupils.

"I mean, would you, um, want to kiss. Like, me. Now. Not that you need to, but you sounded like you would want that experience, so-" he tries to hold a stable voice, but I can sense, that he's slowly freaking out.

"Alex. You just asked me, if we should kiss."

I can´t believe it.

"...yes?" He sounds so sincere.

"Why?" I ask, while continue to look at him, feeling every centimeter that divides our lips from touching.

"Like I said, I don´t want you to miss out on anything."

Silence.

"Okay and maybe I just wanted an excuse to kiss you, before that dream boy of yours does."

I lean forward, watching as his eyes keep looking at my lips, even though he tries to hold the eye contact.

I slowly raise my hand and place it on the back of his neck, caressing the dark hair and twirling a few strands.

"Are you jealous, pretty boy?" I feel his cheeks getting warm, seeing the effect my words have on him.

His hands hold me tighter and a startled expression is shown on his face.

"What? Me, jealous? No." I raise my eyebrows at him.

He signs. "Maybe. I dont like the thought of someone else with you." His thumb brushes over my lips.

"Kissing you, touching you. It just doesnt feel right, that someone else would do that."

"You mean, someone who isnt you?" I look at his lips and he hums quietly. His hand slowly wanders to my chin and directs my head closer to him, I can feel his breath on my skin.

"We don´t have to do it-" I begin to talk, but then again, when he speaks up, his voice sounds out of breath, like he's holding himself back.

"No, it´s just one...little...kiss" his voice becomes quieter, the less distance there is between our faces.

And with one, last look, he catches my lips in a slow kiss. Keeping me close to him, by holding onto my waist. His hands find their way to my cheeks, caressing them with his fingers and I feel my heart pounding as prominent against my chest as feel him kissing me.

I don't notice, that he's directing me back until I gently hit the wall, while his hands slowly explore my sides. My hands tangle in his hair, tugging him closer, so I can feel everything of him.

And in that moment, I understand the name of the game. Because this truly feels like heaven.

When I notice, that I can´t breath anymore (but who needs oxygen when you can have Alex Walter), we gently break apart. Still holding onto each other.

And as soon as we catch our breath, both of us are smiling at each other and we share our feelings without a word.

"That was-" he doesnt get to finish his sentence, because in a blink of an eye, the door opens and brightness consumes us.

We quickly break apart, but apparently too late, because Grace´s voice is the first one to tease us.

"Right, you are just friends."

You can imagine, what the entire evening after that was like...