#so I put them down for a bit but man i'd missed them so much! ]

[cainluvr69]

"Say Aah!" Cain SSR Card Story - The Pinnacle of Deep Frying

Cain: Whew, we sure have walked a lot. Master Sage, you're not too worn out, are you?

Akira: I'm okay. I am getting a little hungry, though…

Cain: I'm definitely feeling it, too. I'm pretty sure I saw a food stall back down that alley. Let's go check it out.

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: Mm, is that smell oil…? Then this stall must be…

Shopkeeper: Welcome, welcome! Step right up!

Cain: Hey, whatcha selling here?

Shopekeeper: "What," you ask… Well, that's a bit rough to answer. Might as well say anything, 'cause I'll deep fry anything!

Cain: …Anything, you say?

Shopkeeper: Eeyup. I'll fry whatever you want, dear customers, and then give it to you. What do you two want? I'll fry it up for you!

Cain: So, really anything? You've got a hell of a business model. Then I'll take a nice juicy cut of bacon!

Shopkeeper: You got it. And for you?

Akira: Umm, I guess I'll take a veggie or two.

Shopkeeper: Gotcha, one nice cut of bacon and our finest vegetables! Both together will be 300 yen.

Cain pulled out his wallet, and as he handed it over, he very casually and naturally touched the stall owner's hand.

Shopkeeper: Alright, now sit back 'n watch!

The shopkeeper grinned and popped a thick slice of bacon and a nougat yam into his pot of oil.

Cain: Man, I love deep fried stuff. I totally get wanting to deep fry anything and everything you can.

Akira: You sure have done that whenever you got the chance, as I recall…

Shopkeeper: Oh, that right? I feel like you 'n me could get along, kid! Here ya go, deep fried to perfection. Here's your bacon.

Cain: Thank you. …Well, don't mind if I do. Damn, that's good! Gimme another!

Shopkeeper: Ahaha! You practically inhaled that thing. Well, gimme just a second. Here's your nougat yam.

Akira: Thank you very much. Now, let me try it…

Mithra: What is that?

Akira: Oh!

Mithra suddenly appeared next to me and snatched my yam out of my hand.

Mithra: Chomp munch. How disappointing. My burnt charcoal has much more impact.

Cain: Hey man, you can't just show up and start picking a fight like that. And while I'm at it, that was the Sage's, not yours.

Mithra: It's their fault for letting their guard down. Besides, they should have something much tastier, with much more impact. In fact, it's terribly inconsiderate of them that they didn't consider doing this.

Akira: (That's an absolutely wild thing to just say like that…)

Shopkeeper: Impact, you say… Well, I guess it's possible that focusing so much on my deep frying means I let flavor fall by the wayside. I ain't as popular as some of the other stalls around here, and I don't get much in the way of feedback, so thank ya kindly for being so upfront about it.

Cain: Mister… Hey, would it be alright if I helped you with your shop?

Shopkeeper: Huh…?

Cain: We're comrades in the art of deep frying. I want to learn whatever I can from you.

Shopkeeper: Well, I'd appreciate the help. Welcome to the team.

Cain: Nice! Well then, let's get right to it… Do you think trying to put more flavor into the coating?

Akira: That sounds like it might be a good idea. Since deep fried food can be a little hard on the stomach, how about mixing in something nice and refreshing? Like how karaage usually comes with lemon slices…

Shopkeeper: I see, I see… Well, let's give it a try!

✦✧☾✧✦

Shopkeeper: And done! Some lightly fried vinegar fish, ready to serve! I added some ultramarine lemon juice to the batter. Here, try it!

Cain: Here we go…

Akira: Thank you very much.

The three of us took a bite of our respective fried fish.

Akira: (…Th-this is…)

Cain: Damn, that's sour!

Mithra: This is much more stimulating, though lightly frying it was unnecessary in my opinion.

Akira: It definitely packs a punch now, but maybe we could make it a little bit more…mellow…?

Cain: We're definitely going in the right direction. There's still something missing, but we're almost there…to peak deliciousness… I know! Mithra, we top this with that secret sauce of yours?

Mithra: Secret…? Oh, you mean this.

Mithra pulled a bottled labeled MAGIC SAUCE out of thin air.

Shopkeeper: Wh-where'd you pull that from…?!

The shopkeepers eyes went wide, and Cain and I frantically exchanged glances.

Akira: (We're in Eastern Country, so it'd be really really bad if it gets out that they're wizards…!) H-H-He's really good at sleight of hand type tricks! This guy, master of stage magic! He loves to surprise people so he always keeps a bottle up his sleeve, if you know what I mean!!

Cain: Yeah, yep! He always pulls it off so cool and casual, right?!

Mithra: What are you two talking about? This is basic magi--momph.

Cain: Anyways, moving on! The sauce he's got here tastes amazing on everything. Wanna give it a try?

Shopkeeper: On everything, you say? Is there really a sauce out there like that? Sounds downright magical.

Mithra: Of course it does. This is my handmade universal sauce.

Cain: C'mon, try it out.

At Cain's urging, we all put some of the sauce onto our fried fish.

Akira: (It's so good. Yakiniku sauce coming in clutch once again…)

Shopkeeper: Th-this flavor…! Y-you gotta tell me! How do I make this sauce?!

Mithra: You can't.

Shopkeeper: Why not?!

Mithra: Because you're nothing but a human--

Cain: Uhhhhhhhh hey! It's actually because the ingredients are really hard to get! It's a real specialty product!

Shopkeeper: Oh, I see… Then would you be willing to part with some? I'll pay you, I've got cash!

Mithra: I refuse. Making more of it would be such a bother.

Shopkeeper: No… It was such a vivid, perfect flavor…

Cain: Well, here's my thought. Why not try to make your own version of it? You're a chef, and you've got a lot experience with, y'know, eating things and examining the flavors, right? I'm sure you can rediscover this sauce's flavor.

Akira: I'd like to help you in this endeavor, too!

Shopkeeper: Well, ya got me. Let me try my hand at it!

✦✧☾✧✦

Shopkeeper: I think I've gotten the base flavor pretty close… What do you think?

The sauce the shopkeeper made certainly looked like Mithra's universal sauce. As for the flavor…

Cain: Mm, something's missing, I think.

Mithra: Yes. Something definitely is.

Akira: I think maybe it's that it's not, like, thick enough? But just a little thicker might be perfect…

Shopkeeper: You sure are eloquent, kiddo. I want to keep you as my taste tester!

Akira: M-me?!

✦✧☾✧✦

We ended up trying several different variations of sauces on different deep fried foods in a lengthy process of trial and error. At some point, Mithra got bored of stuffing himself with fried foods and wandered off.

Shopkeeper: Alright, next up is fried macaroni stalks! Still good to try it?

Akira: Yes. …Here goes. (The sauce counteracts the macaroni stalks' bitterness, but it still feels like something's missing…) (And I've eaten so many things, my stomach feels like it's going to burst…)

Cain: …

Cain glanced over at me with my hand on my belly, and licked a drop of sauce off of one of his fingers.

Cain: Why not add some kind of oil? Like, a climactic oil versus oil battle. You know, like how deep frying stuff plain in butter is really good.

Shopkeeper: No batter, just butter… Damn, I think you might really be onto something here!

Cain: I think the actual flavor of the sauce is spot-on at this point. Other than that, we just need to finish ironing out the proper mellowness and then we're done.

Akira: I think adding some extra oil would be good, too…

The shopkeeper added a few drops of his special, flavorful oil and mixed it in…

Akira: Alright, time for a taste… Mm! This is it!! (This smell, this flavor, it's spot-on yakiniku sauce!) This is it, this is it…! It's a little different from Mithra's magic sauce, but it's really close…this is the universal sauce!

Shopkeeper: Really?!

Cain: You did it!

Shopkeeper: I gotta thank that lad that let me taste this in the first place!

Cain: We'll be sure to tell him.

Shopkeeper: Thank ya kindly. I was so focused on perfecting the art of frying that I forgot to pay attention to the flavor, even though that's what I should've been thinking about if I wanted to make this place more successful. Y'know, I was just about at the end of my rope, thinkin' there was just no helping that I wasn't getting customers since I only deep fried things, but as a fellow afficionado of all things deep-fried…you've given me hope.

Cain: I mean, what else was I gonna do? I'm already looking forward to the next time we come out to this neck of the woods and I get to drop by your stall again.

Akira: Same here. We'll be sure to remember you.

Shopkeeper: And I, you! I'll prepare a deep fried full course meal for you any day!

Akira: (Thank goodness, Cain looks really satisfied, too…!)

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: (But, my gosh, I feel full… I guess we went a little too crazy with the fried foods…)

Cain: You okay, Master Sage?

Akira: Yeah. Just thinking I might've overeaten a little…

Cain: How about we find something light to eat to give your palate a refresher?

Akira: ?! N-no, I'm okay! I feel like if I eat anything else, I'm going to pop… But thank you for the thought.

Cain: Haha. Don't worry, I was just joking. Sorry for making you part of that whole escapade.

Akira: Oh, no, I enjoyed it! Trying to figure out the ingredients for the perfect sauce was really fun.

Cain: I'm happy to hear that. Mithra's special sauce was a big help, but so was your spot-on food reviews.

Akira: I'm really happy that shopkeeper ended up pleased with the results, too.

Cain: Yeah. I hope the next time we come by, that stall's got a big line in front of it.

Akira: And I'll make sure that I don't eat too much…!

Cain: Ahaha, good plan!

****TL Notes: karaage is a type of fried chicken, but distinct enough from what most english speakers picture when they think of fried chicken that i left it as-is. squeezing a lemon slice over it or adding a few drops of vinegar really makes it pop. yakiniku is grilled meat that's typically done over a charcoal stove and topped with, indeed, a particular savory sauce.

Training Episode: The Deliciousness of Killing Two Birds with One Stone!

Akira: Cain? What are you doing in the kitchen?

Cain: Oh, Master Sage. I was craving some good ol' deep fried good and was just about to whip something up. You want any?

Akira: Fried food cravings…?

Cain: Ever since we helped out that fried food stand back in the Town of Blue Scales, I've been wanting to branch out and try deep frying more stuff.

Akira: We sure did eat a lot of fried foods then…

Cain: That said, I still haven't found anything that beats deep fried butter. So there's just this lack of satisfaction I can't get rid of… Can you think of anything good to try? Something unexpected!

Akira: Something delicious, but unexpected… How about ice cream?

Cain: Ice cream…? That's definitely out of left field. Wouldn't it melt if I tried to deep fry it?

Akira: I'm pretty sure there's something you can do to make sure it doesn't melt…

Cain: I see… Well then, let's embark upon a journey to fell the mystery of deep fried ice cream! Eating something warm and cold at the same time is really efficient. Two birds, one stone!

Akira: But if I can't remember how to do it, it's going to take us a long time to figure it out on our own…

Cain: You don't need to force yourself to or anything.

Akira: Huh?

Cain: You know I like spending time with you, Master Sage.

[cold-neon-ocean]

God I love how you draw your orca characters

Thank you so much!!! Orcas have been my childhood passion all my life, they were the first things I ever drew! I started my whole art journey drawing orcas back on DeviantArt but as time went on and they weren't a very lucrative subject I got into other things (but also just naturally finding other muses lol) and relatively recently- within the past couple years, got back into drawing them more regularly! That's where my Orcafolk, and Wolf by extension, came from because I wanted an orca race for one of my headworlds!

I actually have a lot of orca ocs I've just had sitting around in private for a while but with posting Wolf today I'd love to start posting more of them as well! <3

[melminli]

Ddakji Man

summery - you were always struggling to make ends meet, despite having three separate jobs and you doubted that that would ever change. it felt like you were working out of your own casket and it would probably be more sustainable to invest in one at this point.

pairing: (gong yoo/ji-cheol) the salesman x fem. reader

word count: 1.5k

contains: slight arguing, cursing but nothing too graphic tbh

"Are you sure that you don't want to come?" One of your friends asked you a little sadly since you were about to leave the group. They rarely got to see you anyway, did you have to leave so early? "You never come with us when we go out for a drink, we miss you there, you know?"

You smiled a little tiredly as you strolled casually through the streets. "I'm sorry guys, I just have to work tonight." you tried to explain. Besides, I'm fucking tired and just want to get some sleep before then. I miss my bed.

Your best friend pouted as she hugged you from the side and you welcomed it, even if it made walking a little more difficult. "It's always work this work that. Live a little for once, all this stress is not good for you. You need a break." she spoke up before a thought came into her mind that made her a little furious. "Don't tell me that you're using work as an excuse to cancel on us. We can do something else if you want to. I'll even invite you, come on!"

You took a tired breath. I don't have any energy for this. "Trust me, I'd love nothing more than to get drunk with you and I'm not being sarcastic or anything." you clarified. Besides, I wouldn't work this much if I didn't have to.

"All right." she gave in unhappy. "We'll catch you one of these days, I can feel it..."

You laughed softly. "Please do," you replied and stopped in front of the stairs that led to the subway. This was the place where you had to part ways with the others and you did with a few more hugs. You enjoyed spending time with them and loved your friends with all your heart, but you were still happy to be a bit on your own now.

So you plugged in your cable headphones and played your current favorite song at the loudest volume before checking when the next train was going to arrive. Another twenty minutes? The last one must have just left. You decided to just sit down on a bench and wait while staring blankly around and quietly mumbling the lyrics to yourself.

A few minutes later, a person sat down next to you and you could see out of the corner of your eye that it was probably some kind of businessman or something. You didn't look closely out of politeness and turned your gaze somewhere else after checking the time on your phone.

"Excuse me." the unknown man tried to get your attention, but as expected, you could barely hear him over the booming music. He placed his briefcase in the space between you before leaning closer to your figure and looking towards you with a smile and finally, you seemed to notice his stare and turned in his direction. You took out one of your earbuds as you met his gaze. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

The man leaned back again. "I haven't said anything yet. I wanted to ask if I could talk to you, do you have a moment?"

You looked around a little uncomfortably as he maintained uninterrupted eye contact with you. "Ehm, well..." you stumbled slightly over your words. "I'm not religious or anything, sorry," you replied, having no patience for another discourse about Jesus and the church. This is the fourth time this week, lucky me. You thought to yourself as you were about to put your earplug back in.

The salesman held a hand in the air to stop you from doing that to keep your attention. You just looked at him uninterestedly and waited, it was going to be a while before your train arrived anyway. A smile graced his face after you were willing to listen to him again. "That's not what I wanted to talk about, I just want to offer you a chance."

Your face tightened a little in disgust and you were quite irritated by now. He seemed to be waiting for some kind of answer and didn't say anything else, so you had no choice but to interpret his words. He doesn't look like that kind of guy, but I guess it's always the ones who look the most decent. "Listen to me asshole," you said openly this time, all politeness gone as you pointed at his chest with your index finger. "I don't know you, maybe you're one of those men who try to talk in riddles to seem mysterious or something, but right now it just sounds like you're looking for someone cheap to fuck." you replied as you tapped his tie with each syllable and leaned a little closer to him as you whispered. "And I'm not cheap, so you might want to look elsewhere."

This time it was you who grinned as he looked at you in surprise and he let out a small grunt after you finished your sentence. The salesman straightened his tie while watching your figure before reaching for his briefcase and revealing its contents, "That's too bad, but also not what I was talking about," he replied as you looked at the money and colored paper in confusion. "Have you ever played Ddakji?" He asked you as he took out the red and blue paper. You just shook your head. "That's no problem at all, we can still play it if you're up for it." 

Your gaze alternated from his hand to his face. Oh, so he's crazy. You finally concluded. I guess he is too handsome to be just a normal guy, huh. You turned your head away from him, something about the whole thing just seemed perverse to you. "No thanks, I'll pass."

"You sure?" He asked again, knowing he'd convinced you as soon as he brought the money into it. These people are all the same, she'll snatch the paper right out of my hands after I start talking a language she understands. "Every time you win, you get 100,000 won from me." He began, watching the look on your face. "But if I win, you owe me 100,000 won and -"

You sighed and interrupted him. "Yes, I'm sure. I still don't want to play with you, okay?"

This time the man looked at you with a cold, icy stare. A few minutes passed like this and you just tried to ignore his gaze, but then he started talking again. "All right. 200,000 won." he finally said, but couldn't seem to get your attention back. He tried again. "Is it because you've never played the game before? We can have a practice round if that would make you feel more comfortable." he tried again and got irritated when you continued to ignore him. He looked around the area as he considered his next move. Is she waiting for me to increase the prize money further? These people usually jump up happily at the first amount since they're so desperate. He tried to collect himself again. "500,000 won." he finally said. "I've got the money right here, you just have to go for it."

When is this stupid train coming. "Look, I don't want your fucking money, understand? I'm not a gambling addict or -"

"You may not want it, but you need it," he said, annoyed. This has never happened before, is she stupid? He then spoke out your name and described your miserable living situation as if you didn't already know about it yourself. "You also have quite a lot of debt for someone who is still relatively young, are you seriously going to turn down the money I'm offering you? For what, to prove a point or something?"

You didn't know what this man's fucking problem was, he should be glad that you didn't want to take his money, and how did he even know all this? You got up from your seat next to him when the train finally arrived and turned to face him one last time. "Fuck you," you told him and then went to the doors. You even looked out of the window at him as soon as they closed before you, to show him your the middle finger.

The man in the suit watched your figure irritated until it was gone and then, took the little card out of the inside pocket of his suit, that was meant for you. He turned it over a few times in his hand before closing the open briefcase with his other one. He had already played and lost a few Ddakji games in his life, which was the point of the whole thing - to recruit players for the actual game. However, the thought of what awaited them there meant that he was still in control of the situation. He was always in control of the situation. "I didn't loose, we haven't even played." he tried to reassure himself.

And yet the whole conversation with you left him feeling like he was utterly defeated.

[incorrectbatfam]

One thing I rarely see in injury and chronic pain fics is the grief that comes with missing out on stuff you love because you can no longer do them without hurting yourself. Writers who have been disabled their whole lives (or at least a long time) tend to forget that not all disabled people are used to being disabled. For able-bodied characters, especially athletic ones like vigilantes, a serious injury could mean a jarring change that includes giving up the things that mean the most to them.

I was physically fine until I was 18. Back then, my sense of self was entwined with interests that required a lot of movement and dexterity. I started doing MMA in middle school for self-defense. I loved parkour and even had a few hundred subscribers on my old YouTube channel. I learned to shoot and was gifted my first gun when I was 16. I took up multiple instruments. You get the idea.

My motorcycle accident fucked up the joints on my left side—my knee and shoulder especially, but also wrist to an extent. When it first happened, I thought I'd be on crutches for a bit but things would eventually get back to normal. The pain didn't go away even after I got rid of the crutches but I figured it was just residual and I should do what I'd been doing before. It's why I turned to substances—to block the pain and do what I love, but that's another topic. I didn't recognize my injury as a disabling thing until the end of the pandemic, when I put my parkour channel on an indefinite hiatus because it was seriously wearing my body down. It might sound silly to you but I was devastated. It's like if Spider-Man wasn't allowed to swing from buildings. It took me a long time to make peace with losing that part of me.

Another piece of that grief is even when you can do stuff, it's not the same because you have to exclude certain aspects of it for your own health. It's like the Robin that died and came back wrong. I can't use certain gym equipment and I have to tell my sparring partners what to avoid. I don't go to the shooting range much now because I can't extend my arm and hold a rifle for the amount of time it takes to aim without it starting to hurt. I'm a drummer, but I need breaks throughout the setlist and I can't do anything too fast or complex with the pedals, which means I can't play some of my favorite songs and my band is limited in what we write and perform. I can't take my motorcycle on road trips without frequent rest stops. Making accommodations helps physically, but emotionally, they're not always easy to accept because that means accepting the pain as a long-term disability rather than a temporary setback.

This got super long because I think it's unexplored in fics so some tips for creators:

First, learn how the body works and how stupidly fast and easy it is to get hurt. Mine was on a residential road because I didn't pay attention for 0.2 seconds

Learn the difference between internalized ableism and being upset over becoming disabled. I think a lot of writers skip over the feelings someone would naturally experience because it can be construed as ableism. Let them be in denial, sad, angry, etc. upon finding out because acceptance almost never happens right away. That's different from being a dick to themselves or others based on disability

Also, not everyone uses the same labels or has the same vocabulary to describe themselves. Different characters will have different ways of describing depending on their personality, level of knowledge, where they come from, and their relationship with their disability. I still don't really call myself disabled since I don't have it as bad as others so I tell people what happened instead (anyone who says "differently abled" will receive a different ability from me in the Denny's parking lot)

Think about how they cope with their new disability. Do they realize it's a disability right away? Do they talk to someone? Search desperately for a cure? Numb the pain? Turn to alternative methods? Do they worry about something else first, like money? Do they develop something else because of it, like a mental illness? Again, coping poorly is not ableism

What stays the same and what changes? I think about the difference between Forrest Gump and Lieutenant Dan after they were both wounded in battle

If they have a passion they can no longer pursue, it doesn't make much sense for them drop it so readily. Maybe they find a way to continue with accommodations (a good place to get creative!). Maybe they try and push through anyway. If they do ultimately resign, include the thought process and internal conflict behind it

[boiohboii]

The Twitter Marriage

(Oscar Piastri x fem!driver!reader)

Yn Ln has had a crush on fellow driver Oscar Piastri since their f2 days but she never and will never tell him.... at least not to his face

or

In which Aston Martin driver needed the alcohol to confess her feelings

N.B: rushed a bit cause of finals, but I hope you like it. Also, doesn't follow any timeline tbh. NOTHING IN THIS IS ADDS UP IN REGARDS OF DATES AND CHARACTERS AND STUFF, IT IS JUST FOR FUN.

WARNINGS: REALLY BAD PICK UP LINES, SOME SWEAR WORDS. Probably some spelling mistakes as well. Short fic.

faceclaim: sabrina carpenter

Masterlist

Liked by ynmyworld, f1memes, charliethesinglemom and 168,920 others

Keepingupw/f1: Aston Martin driver, Yn Ln, tweets as she celebrates her p3 in Monaco.... it seems like she has something to say to fellow driver, Oscar Piastri.

username: the entire grid is just having fun with that joke.

username: miss ma'am, STAND UP!!

username: what do you mean stand up? SHE FOLDED LIKE A CHAIR

username: understandably so tbf

username: no but her offering to make Spain Oscar's home race LIKE CARLOS ISN'T LOOKING FOR THAT MAN'S BLOOD.

username: so foul of her 💀

username: her tagging him is insane

username: pr is gonna have a headache tomorrow

username: the fact that she's tweeting this shit while in a club, WHERE OSCAR IS A FEW METERS AWAY FROM HER

username: you know she's out of it when she starts using twitter.

Liked by F1_updates_live, ynmyqueen, oscaroopastryy and 184,710 others

Keepingupw/f1: yn ln on her way back to the hotel last night after celebrating her Monaco podium.

username: she got wasted omg

username: now those tweets make sense

username: where did she even get the shoe box from

username: and where did her shoes go, papers fell out of that thing

username: so are you guys gonna post the video or?

username: what video?

username: there's a video going on twitter where these pics are taken from she was so drunk, she was actually dancing in the middle of Monaco (go queen, live your best life) and then the papers fell out of the box and she immediately went down to pick them up and put them back but then after she was halfway through she kept looking at the ground then at the box and then at her feet, you can see her pouting as she kept putting away the little papers in the box again

username: shut upp!!! I need that video! IT IS A LIFE SAVING MATTER ATP

username: yn ln is gonna be the death of me

yn ln has shared a story

text: when you wake up to a video of drunk you on the streets of Monaco and some tweets that should've gone with you to the grave

yn ln has shared a story

text: self pity and cringe time over, back to our regular schedule of slaying

Sebastian Vettel has shared a story

text: someone tell her that staying with me till the Spanish GP isn't going to make people forget that she exists

yn ln has replied to your story: your kids love me! AND SO DOES HANNA

yn ln has replied to your story: also, please take pity on me, I can't face him again, ever, I will just retire, I can't do this

yn ln has replied to your story: why are you ignoring meeeee!!! Not you too, Oscar is already doing thaaaat, I wanna turn into a worm, I'd die quicker if I was a worm, I wouldn't have to go through this much embarrassment if I was a worm

Sebastian Vettel replied to your message: are you drunk right now?

Liked by pierregasly, wtf1, oscaroopastryy and 268,715 others

Keepingupw/f1: we bring you part 2 of the osyn saga

username: i love this family

username: yn is such a pr nightmare

username: the ACTUAL child of fernando

username: wait, now that you reminded me, I need to update the family tree

username: post the updated family tree you coward

username: anyone who doesn't watch f1 will 100% believe that Charles and Nicole are Oscar's parents

username: hey, don't disrespect charles' heartfelt adoption like that

username: this sport is so fucking unserious

username: I refuse to believe that this is real

Sebastian Vettel has shared a story

Text: huh..... it's not so bad having her here

Liked by OscarPiastri, Charles_leclerc, Arthur_leclerc and 918,037 others

yn ln: let her cook now 🧡

username: yn.... yn..... YN.... WHAT ARE YOU COOKING YN

username: it has started, I can feel it in my bones

username: so she's with Oscar now, good to know (screaming into my pillow as I type)

username: oh so if I wear orange I'm dating Lando now, nice to know ig

username: fuck off away from my replies, I wanna have fun

username: yn pls don't, I can't lose you, you were the only wife left standing

username: PLS TELL ME THAT MY SHIP SAILED

username: if I see that australian's face anywhere on this account I will start biting ankles

username: ok Leo, geez, no need to terrorise your sister-in-law

username: I can't believe she was simping on main for a boy that goes 'wut'

Liked by Ynln, pierregasly, Arthur_leclerc and 890,627 others

Oscar Piastri: let him cook 💚

username: nope, no, nuuh, I see nothing

username: other partner's team colors, matching captions, liking the posts..... yup, they're officially dating

username: we lost her to a mini kimi raikkonen

username: I see that as a win tbh

username: kimi was and is the IT girl of the grid

username: how dare you forget about our very own Britney Spears.... nico you will always be missed

username: you can't prove that they're dating from just that

username: oh boy, the delulu is strong with this one

Oscar Piastri and Yn Ln shared a post

Liked by Charles_leclerc, maxverstappen1, danielricciardo and 903,815 others

Yn ln & Oscar Piastri: I said let them cook 💚🧡

username: YES YES YES YES YES YES

username: MY PARENTS

username: This is why women shouldn't be in f1, wtf is wrong with Oscar? Why would he date yn? And what is this hand placement? Where can I get a yn? Or an oscar?

username: slowly deleting my paragraph

username: had us the first half, ngl

username: yn hide oscar really well during the Spain GP, we leave his safety in your hands

username: THE CURLS OMG

username: MR OSCAR JACK PIASTRI WHAT IS THIS BEHAVIOUR WHAT IS THIS HAND PLACEMENT

[bunny-jpeg]

✿❯────「✿i'm get money, i'm a star - toto w.✿」────❮✿

"daddy." you said as you straightened out your back a little bit. you crossed your arms under your breasts and stuck them out a little more. but toto wasn't looking away from the morning paper. you shifted from one foot to another, "daddy!" you sounded a little more whiny. in all fairness you had been standing there for almost three minutes and your daddy still hadn't given you a lick of attention. his eyes on the paper, even your whines went on deaf ears.

you got closer to him and leaned forward, getting your breasts in the way of his paper. he looked at you, creases in his brow as he adjusted his glasses, "yes, mon cheri." you knew toto wolff was good with his tongue, you've seen him switch between languages with ease, and also that time he made you cum from three strokes of his tongue. you looked at him and he kept his gaze on your eyes. you pouted a little, "you're ignoring me." "i wasn't, treasure. i have to keep an eye on the economy if you want that trip of france next month." you didn't know what he was talking about, all you knew about the become was that green meant good and that toto had a lot of it. you said, "but, you were ignoring me."

even the most dangerous man in central europe wasn't immune to your puppy dog eyes.

toto wolff was smitten by you. if he wasn't they would've never found your body. toto wasn't fond of yappy idiots, but you were endearing. the way the light reflected off your eyes, how you were so eager to please, anything toto needed from you, he got. you were so gentle, you'd never survive outside of his grasp. you were safe with him. he knew the problem with most girls your age was that, they were too stubborn and didn't listen to an older guiding hand. such pretty things wasted on running their mouths. some need to sit there and look pretty. listen when being spoken to. you let his words soak in your brain and his cum soak in your panties. he was a scary mafia boss, the wolff from hell. and you were the little thing he picked up along the way. the tiny thing with the pouty lips and doe-like expressions. who rubs her pretty breasts all over him to get his attention and is whiny like a puppy. eventually you got into his lap and he put the paper down.

he kissed at your face for a moment, "you need manners, treasure. you cannot go around and become a brat. i trained you better." his rough words made you rub your thighs together as you clung to his t-shirt. you looked at him, his larger frame loomed over you like a domineering shading. it casted you in darkness as he looked at you. you giggled a little, "you look good in your glasses, daddy." he held you closer, "well, that's good to know. now, what does my treasure want? what was so important that you had to tell me right away." you giggled and licked your lips, then pressed your breasts up against him. your curious eyes gazed at him, "i missed you. i woke up and you were out of bed." he chuckled and held the back of your head with tenderness, "well, it's already past noon most would be out of bed by now. but not you, right, schatzi?" you nodded at him as you felt his hard cock against your lower back. you clung to him and he leaned in for a kiss as he held you close to him. you squirmed a little bit more and he kissed you again. you felt so delicate in his touch, you knew what he had done. the lives he had taken with his own hands. they were large and the strength to them could easily bruise you if not out right kill you. but with you he was much nicer, more aware of his strength. he was aware that when he got his fingers between one of your nipples, that he was holding onto you with a bruising pressure. he watched you whine and squirm at his touch. "needy girl." he said, "usually you're so good for me. don't tell me you are slipping. i'd hate to train you again, it was hard to house break you the first time." that his way of saying that he made sure that you were his ideal woman. and you happily accepted it. why would you deny your mafia lover. the big scary wolff. you rubbed your hips against his and said, "no, i've been good and i'll keep being good." and then made a small noise when he pressed his lips against yours. those were the words he liked to hear.

he wanted to hear you were good for him. when he finished groping your breasts he got you over the kitchen table. when he pulled down your sleeping shorts, he saw that you were not wearing panties. someone missed him, someone was thinking about him when they woke up. you felt his cock pressed against your back as he rubbed your clit with your shorts around your left ankle. he kept another hand wrapped around your throat. his voice was low in your ear as he rubbed his clothed cock up against your soaked pussy, "are you going to be good, schatzi, or?" you swallowed and arched your back and responded, "i'll always be good for you, daddy." you held onto the edge of the table and let yourself be tease. you pouted with your cheek against the expensive wood of the table. you should be thankful that he didn't rip your clothes off of you, it would've have been the first time he did that. your back arched when you felt him slide his cock into you, you whimpered a little bit and then pressed your cheeks against your crossed wrists for some kind of cushion against the unforgiving table. toto hissed through his teeth as he moved against you. his cock as deep as it could go and it felt like it was in your stomach. his pace was unforgiving, you were so good under him. you always were, a good little puppy for him. letting him use and abuse your sweet sex for his own pleasure, you knew every ache would be soothed with kisses and by the next day your daddy would buy you something pretty. only the best for the boss' pet.

you didn't need to think, just be at your knees like a good girl. be all smiles and delicate in your lover's grasp. and while you didn't need to think you had to be polite to toto's 'friends'. toto continued to move against you, your hips hitting against the edge of the table. the older man had to admit, getting a good feel of your pussy first thing in the morning was better than any coffee. it lit him like a wire and made him move harder against you. if the table was any lighter it would be moving against the floor. his hips gripped onto your hips as he kissed at your neck, his cock felt so good inside of you. it messed up your insides and made you pant heavily against the wood. you could barely form words, just 'daddy' coming out like a pathetic little chant. it only turned toto on further. you were toto wolff's pretty little thing, the shiniest diamond in his collection. he kissed at the side of your neck as he rutted against you. he listened keenly to your soft noises and felt something hot in his gut. you were beautiful. "always so good for me, treasure." he said, "under me like a good girl." his voice was rough and rubbed against the sides of your head perfectly. you felt flushed as you tried to keep up with his rapid pace. when you came, your pretty pink nails gripped onto the flat surface of the table, you whined against the your wrists and it only fueled his fire. "please, daddy." you said softly.

he was a dangerous man, but he always found a softness between your legs. he angled your hips a little higher, putting you on your tip-toes and pushed you further against the table. it rocked against his hard thrusts as he panted heavily against your heated skin. his words were mush in your over stimulated brain, but it made you feel hot. "you look beautiful like this. under me. you know exactly how to get the attention you want. you're a needy little whore, but that's alright. i'll give you all the attention you want." he kissed the shell of your ear before he gave a few more heavy thrusts of his hips. soon he finished inside of you with a heated groan. he didn't want to admit that his legs were a little wobbly as he came down from the high. that was the effect of your wet cunt. when he pulled out, he shoved two fingers inside of your slick hole once more, he loomed over you as he battered your pussy with his thick digits. the roughness of the tips dragging across your more sensitive areas has you whimpering. toto was far from finished with you.

if you wanted daddy's attention so badly, then he'd give it to you in spades.

maybe begging for attention wasn't the smartest idea, but as you laid out on the table, sweaty and hot, the thought didn't cross your mind. only your lover's thick fingers making a further mess of your pretty pussy.

[r-eatyourfriends-n]

Collide | l.hs 이희승 | pt. 1

best friend!heesung x best friend!reader

READ PT2 HERE

warnings: smut (mdni), pwp (plot's there if you look hard enough), unprotected sex, cream pie, multiple orgasms, oral (f. receiving), overstimulation (sort of?), nipple play, heesung is cocky but only for a bit, no use of "y/n". It got sort of fluffy at the end?

synopsis: you've been having hookups for a while, but none of them have been memorable, much less good, so heesung decided you change that. Although his intentions might not be 100% pure.

wc: 5k.

a/n: this is by far not my first smut (it's literally all I write lol) but I've never posted for the enhypen fandom although I've been delusional about heesung and jake for a good while now. I have decided to break my silence. pls let me know if there are any mistakes and for sure let me know if you liked it! I actually quite enjoyed writing this as I began working on part two as soon as I finished. Also English is not my first language, I'm certain I revised this enough to avoid any grammar mistakes but thought I'd give y'all the heads up.

You arrived at Heesung's apartment late that night, just like you had warned him that you would. Given that your last date's place was near Heesung's, he had offered you to come over after your night out so that you didn't have to take a cab home. He said he'd be up playing anyway since it was a Friday night.

When you knocked, he had stood by his word. It took a few knocks and missed calls but eventually, the door opened, showing Heesung in a plain white tshirt and grey sweatpants. He welcomed you with a gentle smile, quiet as the noise rang through his headset. You nodded at him in acknowledgement and he took a step to the side to let you in.

As usual, you left your things on the couch. You signaled towards his bathroom and he nodded again, then left you alone to finish his game. You took a towel from his closet and one of his longer shirts and headed to the shower, head hanging low, letting the water run down your body when you stepped in, standing still under it, eyes closed.

Your date had been a mess.

The guy was nice; he held up to the bare minimum requirements of kindness and politeness, he payed for the bill even when you insisted for him to at least let you split it. Then he held your arm and guided you to his car like a true gentleman, where he took you to his house, layed you on his bed, and gave you the most boring, cunt-drying head and sex of your life. It felt criminal, really, that a man so handsome and well put together was such a boring and dull fuck. But there he had been, dirty blond hair parted to the side, stuck to his forehead as he sweat and heaved like a fucking pig white fucking into you, paying no mind to what you were feeling, only chasing his high.

Heesung, on the other hand, couldn't stop thinking about the look on your face when you stepped inside. Nor could he stop thinking about the marks that he hoped to god would be gone by morning, or your messy hair and out of place clothes, and the fact that you were willing to pull through with the plan of going to his apartment instead of staying with the guy. He picked you up, fucked you poorly (most likely), and couldn't even drive you somewhere else?

Ever since you became confident enough to put yourself out there, you've had quire the few hookups, which was unsurprising to Heesung. You were pretty, charming, and kind, and he saw those things every day. However, heesung wasn't stupid. He knew that at the end of the day, there was a good reason as to why men overall didn't have a good reputation during sex. And Heesung was someone who would love to show you a good time, but he didn't want to lose you over it.

He dreamed of it. Fantasized about it so many times— about all the ways in which he would fuck you, so good that no one else could even compare. To have you come back to him each time you even so much as think about trying to sleep with some other guy that isn't him. He'd give you the slow, teasing version of it first, taking his sweet time with each and every inch of skin until you were shaking just from the mere anticipation of feeling his cock push in, dragging out the pleasure in slow waves, praising you for enduring such intense feelings. Make you feel so good you'd cry.

If you wanted, Heesung could be rough, too. Bend you over every single piece of furniture of his apartment and yours. In his car as well, he would be lying if he said he never imagined putting you on your hands and knees on the backseat of his car whenever he picked you up from a party; have claw at the leather and leave your mark on it. Park somewhere dark and let you ride him on the driver's seat.

To be quite frank, it drove him crazy; to know that you were in his bathroom— naked in his house, and he couldn't just walk in and press you against the wall, ready to hold your weight when your knees begin to shake and buckle.

Heesung shook his thoughts away, going back to his game and trying to act normal. He unmuted himself to yell at Jake and Yeonjun, who were performing even worse than him. As they went quiet again, he heard the water stop and the bathroom door open. Your reflection appeared on his second monitor, your hair in somewhat of a low ponytail over your shoulder with a few strands on the front. Some parts of your body were clearly still damp, and his shirt stuck where there were still drops of water gathering on your skin. Heesung licked his lips, desperate to end the game and go to you, who layed comfortably on his bed, scrolling through your phone with a cold expression.

You sighed while you stared holes into Heesung's stiff back and shoulders. You showed up to his apartment knowing that he was going to be gaming with his friends, but a part of you still hoped that he would've dropped everything for like he had done sometimes, especially since today had been particularly frustrating. Still, you waited for him, just rather impatiently.

He didn't bother to say goodbye to his boys, he only turned off his computer and took his headphones off, rubbing at his red and sore ears. He turned on his chair and smiled.

“I'm done.”

“Did you win?” you said, raising an eyebrow.

Heesung shook his head. “I wasn't focusing.” He shrugged. “How bad was it?"

“How'd you know it was bad?"

“You're here, aren't you?” He chuckled.

Your shoulders dropped in defeat, quietly admitting your best friend was right. Heesung's eyes softened, displaying pity as your hands came up to rub your face, leaving a red trail of pure frustration.

“He was so handsome and sweet,” You groaned into your palms. “But he barely even kissed me, or touched me.”

He gritted his teeth, eyes landing on the small, purplish spots on your neck. “You're all marked up though,” he said, trying not to let his jealousy seep into his words.

“I practically had to beg him to do anything,” you admitted, embarassed that those words even came out of your mouth.

Begged?, Heesung thought, you had to beg a random guy to do what he had been dying to do to you? He scratched at the back of his neck.

“I don't know where you keep finding these scumbags.” He stood up, walking towards the bed to sit next to you.

“Maybe they're all scumbags and I should give up, because I didn't even get to finish.”

Heesung pressed his lips together, making a thin line. He tried to think about what to say next, but words were out of his mouth before he could consider all outcomes.

“Do you still want to?”

“Want to what?” you furrowed your eyebrows, confused.

“Come,” he responded, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Do you still want to come?”

Heat crept up your cheeks, your body beggining to deter from his gaze. Neither of you had ever been shy about discussing sex, or each other's sex lives—though he was much more reserved about it than you were—, but something in the atmosphere made you nervous. Something in his tone as the words came out of his mouth, something about heesung saying those words to you.

You huffed. “Well, who doesn't, right?”

His pupils were blown out in an instant. “Then let me help you.”

“Help me what?” you rolled your eyes at him, exasperated. Although he wasn't being as cryptic as you perceived him, you were just in a bad mood.

Heesung just shrugged. “Come,” he repeated, leaning closer to you. “Let me make you come.”

The whole world stopped for you, or at least that's what it felt like. Your face contorted, a thousand thoughts rushing through your mind.

Yes, it was your best friend, who you barely recognized at the moment. But you would be lying if you said his words didn't have an effect on you, his offer making you shiver. Still, you had some level of skepticism because again, he was your best friend.

“Stop playing, I'm not in the mood.” Was all you managed to push out, not feeling like being teased.

Unable to back down now —or not wanting to—, heesung took a deep breath.

“Do I look like I'm playing?”

You turn to face him, and looked for a hint, or even such as a glimpse of him being the teasing asshole that he had always been, however, he never faltered. If anything, he seemed impatient for an answer.

“I think you deserve to know what a good night feels like,” He continued.

“You think you're good?” You scoffed mockingly, already feeling your body heating up at his promises. A good night? Yes, you were in desperate need of one of those. It was nothing Heesung wasn't already aware of.

“I know I am,” he smirked.

His confidence set off something inside of you. If it turned out that he was all talk, then, you'll be damned, because god, did he know how to talk. Not only using his words, but also his whole body, as he leaned foward to press his face closer to yours. Had he always been like this or were you just noticing?

For the time you had known Heesung, you never knew him for one to sleep and mess around. He was a flirt, sure, he loved to lean in during parties to make the women around him flustered. More often than not, he would brush past them with a hand on their waist and watched as they blushed, but despite his good looks and undeniable charisma, you've never heard about him constantly hooking up, nor doing it often like you did.

Regardless, wether it was seldom or not, Heesung fucked. It was a fact, even if it seemed like he was too busy gaming and working, he had managed to fit some fun time in his packed schedule of work hours and consoles. You couldn't deny you've heard about him, given that he had unknowingly slept with two of your coworkers. It wasn't something you told him, and until this very day, he was still unaware of the fact.

But you were very aware of what had been said about him, because you heard them discuss in great detail about how good the sex had been. They had talked about everything, from the size of his cock to how he knew how to eat out a woman—and how good he looked doing it—, how many times they came and what not. It had been weird to hear about how good your best friend was in bed, but you still grew curious, dying to know if the rumours were true, and if he was the well built roman sex god they made him out to be.

He was your best friend, yes (how many times had you said it already?). Still, you weren't blind nor stupid, you could see how gorgeous he was, how hot he looked, having been flustered by him one too many times. Certain feelings harvested in you that you had pushed to the side, thinking that you would bully them away by telling yourself than a friend who just so happened to be stupidly handsome. And you had managed quite well, that until today, with Heesung infront of you, willing to give you what you wanted.

Would the sex outweigh any possible bad outcomes that may come from hooking up with the person you trust the most? Only time would tell.

“Okay,” you whispered, feeling shy under his impatient gaze.

He reached out his hand, softly cupping your chin. His thumb caressed your jawline.

“I'll be gentle.”

Your brows furrowed. “I'm not a virgin, Heesung.”

“Do you need to be a virgin for that?” He laughed, dumbfounded by your words. “Just lay back and let me make you feel good.”

Promises, promises, promises. “Are you all talk or do I have to beg you too?”

Heesung smirked. “Don't give me ideas.”

Any hesitation any of you might have still had vanished the minute your lips pressed together. Heesung moved slowly, almost forcing you to follow his lead and you obliged, sighing into the kiss. You held his nape to pull him closer, it was the only thing he let you do. He allowed you to guide him on top of you, and you spread your legs so that he could settle himself between them to kiss you deeper.

His tongue pushed against yours without a warning and you whimpered. Just the kissing had your heart threatening to shoot a hole into your chest from the inside out. Heesung had inviting lips for sure, but god, did he know how to use them.

You were desperate to have him touch you but still whined and protested when his mouth began to make its way down, stopping by your neck first, biting just below your jawline. Your hands trembled, trying to find something to hold on to until you figured the best thing to sink your nails into were his shoulders.

Heesung loved it, to know his skin would welcome anything your body gave. So mesmerized by the way you reacted to his touches, so receptive and sensitive to him. He couldn't believe it yet, that he had you on his bed, kissing you breathless.

Your back arched into him when he sucked on the skin, making sure to leave more visibly, longer lasting marks over the ones you already had. He watched as your skin became stained with a darker purple, his cock throbbing at the sight; at the thought of seeing you on his clothes, your body littered in his marks.

He raised your shirt over your breasts. You reached for the hem of the shirt to pull it over your head to give him more space to do what he wanted more comfortably. He stopped you immediately, though.

“I wanna fuck you in my shirt,” he confessed, trying not to show his desperation.

His words almost were enough to make you moan, and you realised you weren't turned off by the idea of being owned in some way, especially if it was Heesung who did. Or perhaps you were just incredibly horny, and he had started to play with one of your nipples between his fingers, the other one going into his mouth.

With your hand gripping his head tightly, you pushed him towards your chest. He swirled his tongue around the bud in acknowledgement of your actions, which made you buck your hips up in an attempt to get some sort of friction. You could feel your panties sticking to your skin, was it normal to be this wet just from kissing?

It was probably how it should have been with your date, or with any of the other guys you had slept with. But only you had managed to get yourself to that state, alone in your room with your fingers, and now Heesung with his skilled mouth licking and swirling his tongue around your hardened nipples, his hips pressed against your cunt to keep you from squirming or pressing your legs together. You took the opportunity to grind yourself against him, feeling the outline of his already hard cock on your shorts. The whine he let out was long and needy.

“Heesung,” you moaned, nudging at his shoulder to push him away. “More.”

Heesung's knees buckled at your pleads.

“Beg a little more, baby.” He instructed. He pressed a soft kiss between your breasts, where a drop of sweat had begun to roll down. “Say my name again.”

Heesung found himself hypnotized by the way you moaned out his name. The way you tried to shove him down to get him to go between your legs just made him want to tease you more.

“heesung please, please, fuck—,” you babbled. “God, stop teasing me.”

“No god here, just me,” Heesung smirked at you.

Thankfully, what you said had been enough. He made his way down slowly, ghosting his hands over your waist as he directed his kisses from your abdomen until his lips met the hem of your shorts. He pushed them to the side and stared at your white panties now turned transparent from the wetness. And he almost couldn't believe it was for him. A bunch of thoughts passed through his mind that he didn't dare to voice; how he had wanted this for so long, how he was hoping you would come to your senses and realize how much better he was than all the other guys you had gone out with. How he hoped this would absolutely ruin you, and make you feel like you will never find something out there that could compete. The thought of this possibly being a one time thing, and that you could run off to some other douchebag was nauseating.

He offered himself up expecting that, by the end of the night, he'll own you.

It wasn't something that he wanted to keep thinking about. All he wanted was to hear more of your pretty sounds. You gasped when he yanked down your shorts, leaving on your underwear just to mess with you and make you desperate for him. He glided his thumb over your cunt, occasionally putting pressure on your clit but never quite staying there. Your legs and hips twitched, your pathetic attempt to guide his finger. Loud moans and whines kept pouring from your lips as you tried to get him where you wanted.

“Have any of those assholes ever gone down on you?” he asked, sort of absent.

Had they? You weren't really sure. Sometimes they would kiss between your legs, a few licks here and there before they pushed their cock in, but never like what your friends have told you it was like. Jealousy burbled in your stomach whenever you heard them talk about it— the unimaginable pleasure, the look on the man's face he ate them out like his life depended on it. You have had a glimpse, a very bad one, but you had almost felt what it was like. However, at the end of the day, it was mostly you on your knees with your mouth stuffed.

Ultimately, you decided to tell him exactly that. “Yeah, but not really. It's usually me who does.”

Heesung clicked his tongue, completely displeased by your answer. It pissed him off, sort of, at least enough to pull your panties down and finally beginning to live up to his promise. He flicked the tip of his tongue over your clit, to which your body immediately reacted, forcing a whimper out of you.

His hands forced your legs open as far as they would go, taking full control, leaving you defenseless under his relentless mouth and tongue. Same tongue he pushed inside you, thrusting it into your hole, feeling you squeeze him. The way your walls tightened around his tongue turned him impatient, dying to get that same feeling on his cock. But you were his priority right now, and he would have time to feel you soon enough.

The orgasm that you had been longing for since you accepted your date felt closer than ever, with heesung's nose hitting your clit, and his tongue moving inside you. He then reached up to suck on your clit that kept getting more and more swollen the more his lips would close around it, rolling his tongue over it. As he kept playing with it, he teased his finger on your entrance, gathering your slick on it and sliding it in with little to no effort, your body welcoming him instantly. He found himself stretching you further in no time, slowly pushing in a second finger and curling both of them.

“Feel good baby?” he mumbled. It was uncommon for him to ask those types of questions, since he would rather have girls show him. But from you, he wanted to hear it, he needed to hear it.

The question almost sounded stupid in your ears.

“So fucking good,” you breathed out. “So fucking close.”

All of the rumours were true, and Heesung absolutely looked hot pleasuring a woman, smiling to himself, looking drunk and fucked out just from it, his only goal to have you finish thanks to him. He was good, exactly like he said he was, making your eyes roll back, a thing you had only thought possible in porn, and just by using his mouth. And he still had yet to fuck you.

The pace of his fingers and tongue quickened, your moans got louder along with it. Edging you was something he considered, feeling you so close, having the power to just stop all at once and leave you hanging.

Your orgasm came crashing down on you before he could make a decision, and fuck if it wasn't one of the hottest things he had ever witnessed; how your back arched and your feet lift off of the bed as the highest peak of pleasure you had ever felt invaded your body in waves, body convulsing onto his hand in time with the loud, borderline screams of his name. It had gotten to the point you had to kick at his shoulders for him to pull away, sensations quickly turning painful.

If that's how you were gonna feel on his cock, he was certain that he was not going to last long.

“Shit, Heesung, that was—”

"I'm not done with you, sweetheart,” he interrupted. “I barely just started.” He chuckled, begging to pull down his sweatpants, revealing the wet patch of precum on his underwear. “Look what you did to me.”

Your eyes never stopped following his hands as he hooked his fingers om his boxers to finally free his cock from being smothered by the fabric, standing proudly against his abdomen, heavy. Something in your stomach fluttered with a twisted exciment of what was about to happen, especially when he wrapped his hand around it to stroke it slowly, almost teasing himself.

And you let him, watching him try to relieve himself; his mouth open, panting, so focused on aliviating his arousal that he almost forgot you were there. That until both of your eyes met, the atmosphere in the room getting heavier by the minute

Heesung stopped moving his hand. “Come spit on it, baby,” he instructed. “Get it ready.”

A breath got stuck in your throat at his words. That hadn't been the nastiest thing you heard, you had been said and called way worse. But the way he look and sounded while he made his request, knelt in front of you, hair out of place and lips dark pink and glossy from eating you out made him look and sound so utterly dirty, so much so that your body reacted way before you did, already crawling to him before he could finish that sentence fully.

You looked straight into his eyes as you opened your moth, a long string of saliva falling from your tongue in slow motion until it met the head of his cock. He looked right back at you as he spread it across his length. Heesung muttered curse after curse as you laid back down, and was quick to settle himself between your legs once more.

His tip pressed against your entrance, and you felt the stretch almost immediately, hissing and putting your hand on stomach as a reflex. He held your wrist gently, used his grip to pull your hand up to his face, pressing a soft kiss on your palm. His eyes fluttered shut as your warm skin came into contact with his lips. And when you moved to cup his cheek, he leaned into the touch instantly. You began to tease his bottom lip, running your thumb over it, and as he sunk himself even further, he caught it between his teeth, gently grazing them against your semilong nails, until he finally closed his mouth around it. He hummed.

It took Heesung a while to bottom out inside you, and you moaned and whined all the way through it; from the pain of being stretched open and from the pleasure of being stretched open. He moaned as well, as his hips met your pelvis, with your walls fluttering around his cock. His thoughts were going at a thousand miles, all of them screaming at him to really, really fuck you into the mattress. But he stayed put for the sake of your enjoyment, he had promised you a good night and he was going to drag it out as much as he could for your and his enjoyment.

Still with your thumb between his lips, he began to slowly move his hips, barely pulling out before pushing back in to get you used to his girth. You gripped his bicep with your free hand, scratching down on his skin until the sting started to dissipate. You took notice of the way he held his breath as the speed began to increase, moaning and groaning when you squeezed him in.

It was dizzying, how you felt him everywhere. In your hand, with his moans vibrating on your palm; inside you as he dragged his cock, barely managing to pull out an inch before diving back in, pressing himself against you as much as he could so that he was fully settled inside your walls. Due to his cocky attitude, you didn't take him for the type of guy to be vocal. But there he was, whining louder and louder, almost uncontrollably, and that only turned you on more. The fact that you, too, were making him feel good and he was not afraid to show it.

You weren't usually this pliant and submissive, preferring to put up a little bit of a fight, managing to make guys submit to you instead as you took the lead. With Heesung, though, it was different, whether it was because was mesmerizing or because you had never felt such heightened pleasure, it was clear that he had control from the moment he got closer to you before he made his offer. And you could take control, probably, but you didn't want to. You wanted Heesung to do the work, to prove himself.

Which he was, taking on a pleasurable rhythm that had you moaning louder than him. One of his hands found the plush of your hips and gripped onto it for leverage to angle himself. The other one traveled from your chest all the way down to your clit, rubbing messy circles with his thumb, making you throw your head back into the pillows, along with a cry of his name.

The echo of his skin hitting against yours fueled him. Heesung didn't know where he should be looking at, if at your beautifully contorted face, with your eyes closed shut and your lips parted, or down, to where a white ring of your slick began to sorround the base of his cock each time he pulled out, noises growing increasingly wetter.

“You're driving me fucking insane,” he grunted.

There was no response from you, only whines of pleasure as you neared your second release. His thumb circled faster, not too hard, but enough to send all of your senses into overdrive, encouraging you to reach your climax, dying to know if you'd feel as good on his cock as you did on his fingers. And although he was dying to kiss you, he held back his urges just to see your face as you came, with your legs closing around his waist, your body slightly convulsing off the bed. It was nothing short of delightful.

You attempted to catch your breath, but heesung didn't give you time to process your intense orgasm as he flipped you onto your stomach. He pressed your cheek into the mattress and accommodated your lower half as he pleased. You were barely able to hold your ass up in the air for him, your knees weak as he entered you again. Only then did you register that you had come twice already, but had yet to see or feel a single drop from him.

“You are fucking insane,” you groaned, teary eyed.

He chuckled, movements coming to a halt. “I made you come twice and you still complain? Tsk. Greedy.” He dug his nails into your hips, making you wince. “Sorry you're tired, but it's my turn now.”

With that, his thrusts resumed, opting for a quicker, rougher pace than before, clearly turning a bit more selfish and now after his own release. The new position allowed him to reach deeper, making you press yourself back onto him to meet him halfway, chasing the sensation despite the pang of pain from having orgasmed so recently.

Heesung leaned down to bite onto your shoulder, in the pace where his tshirt wouldn't cover, making sure to engrave his teeth into your skin, hoping the next man you tried to sleep with would be turned off by the markings. He let go when you complained, kissing and licking onto it instead, whispering more soft apologies, although both of you knew that he wasn't sorry at all.

After a while his thrusts became more erratic, losing any pacing he tried to maintain. The grip on your hips was bruising, but you thought you wouldn't have it any other way.

“Touch yourself for me,” he commanded in between his moans.

You reached down between your body and the matress, struggling to reach your clit as Heesung's thrusts moved and pressed you against the sheets. Your motions were slow and light despite the harsh snapping of heesung's hips, slowly building up the pressure in your lower stomach until any discomfort you felt was gone, your fingers now matching his speed, mindless of the way your cunt tightened around him almost painfully.

He didn't stop nor slow down, not even as he came. Loud moans spilled from his lips, attempting to drag out his release as much as he could. And you followed soon after, body giving out under heesung to lay flat onto the bed, breathing heavily. He spread your legs carefully to not miss the way his cum oozed out of you, dripping down onto your folds. You turned your head back as best as you could, and through the mess of hair on your face, you still caught the way he smiled to himself as he watched.

“This is video worthy,” Heesung murmured, dragging his fingers up your cunt to fuck his cum back into you. “You're gonna make me hard again.”

You squirmed away from him, kicking at his sides. “Stop it,” you whined, then whined again as he pulled his fingers out languidly, the sight so painfully naughty it almost made you ask him to fuck you again. However, you were too tired to even hold yourself up.

Heesung's whole demeanour changed, and he was back to being just him; playful and soft spoken. “Sorry,” he chuckled, the only time it sounded like he actually meant it. He hovered over you, moving your hair to place gentle kisses on the nape of your neck.

It made you sigh, muscles finally relaxing, and your hearbeat now back to normal. Or sort of normal.

For the sake of the moment, you tried not to think about anything; about the fact that you just had the most intense and amazing sex with your best friend, no other. And you had to admit that you were kind of sad about the fact that it was over, and that it was probably gonna be a one time thing to protect the friendship. So you allowed yourself to be held by him, pushing any and all thoughts to the back of your mind.

“You're beautiful, you know?” he whispered against your skin.

He was making it way too hard.

“Not so bad yourself,” you mumbled jokingly. Heesung was fucking beautiful, too. “M'gonna fall asleep if you keep doing that.”

“Sleep, then,” he smiled.

“Thank you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“The dick, and the kisses.”

Heesung couldn't help but laugh, a loud but oddly comforting sound as you began to drift off.

“Anytime.”

[quantum1mmortality]

Im so glad you're writing for Curly bc I'm so obsessed with him rn!! May I suggest (if you haven't done them already) some soft/fluffy post burn hcs? Like finally seing him again after a long drive to the hospital, mentally preparing yourself for what he might look like. Curly being so afraid about how you'd react, and just breaking down when you let out an "oh, Curly :(" and softly place a hand on his cheek, so worried that you might hurt him by accident that it's hardly even a touch at all. Curly leaning his cheek into your palm, having been so scared to see you and now so desperate for your touch.

Life returning to a new normal after a while, prosthetics and PT, skin grafts, so on. Lying in bed with him and being so relived and happy when he gets a spark of mischief like he used to and tries to tickle or play wrestle with you. Him quietly asking questions when the laughter dies down. if you missed his lips, or the blond hair you loved so much that now hardly grew at all. Reassuring him that it didn't matter what he looked like, or what he could and could not do anymore. He's still your curly.

Sorry this turned out so long 😭 I can't get him out of my head!

I LOVE what you wrote 🙏🙏 I'll be going off of these, taking bits and pieces of your hcs and then putting them in here. Overall just gonna be fluffy post crash Curly hcs :)

Of topic, but the way some people in this fandom treat post crash curly makes me nauseous. Finding out that some of you wouldn't treat him like I would makes me wanna cry. Maybe I'm too empathetic or maybe I'm a baby back bitch, either way, I'd care for this man so much. Y'all don't understand how much I love him.

Tw/cw; none!! One curse word but that's literally it (I think)

Not proofread

Extremely sensitive to touch for the first few weeks. I feel as though curly would be in incredible pain, but would try his best to keep your hands touching his cheeks, face, body in general. He'd even go as far as to whimper at how bad it hurt, yet still enduring it because he needed to know you still loved him.

He'd be so happy to see you anytime you were around. Just like pre crash, but it was more special. It got to the point where you would take off work for weeks at a time just to be with him, just so you could see him happy.

After the first two months of agonizing pain, you'd start touching him more. Not sexual, obviously, but just getting more physically affectionate. You'd be able to hug and kiss him goodbye, and hold on to his arm as you talked with him.

Speaking of talking, he wouldn't be able to, so you would talk for him. Basically telling him something, then answering any questions he may or may not have. You've known him long enough, you know how he'd react and question things, so it was practically a no brainer for you.

Now that he doesn't feel as much pain as he used to from your touches, you'd begin sleeping with him. NOT SEXUAL!!! Just cuddling up next to him in the hospital bed, laying your head on his shoulders and kissing him goodnight. Just like how you used to.

Eventually he'd start getting prosthetics, and aside from the physical therapy he's usually getting, you'd bring board games and playing cards so he could learn to use his new hands while still spending time with you.

Curly used to kick your ass in uno and honestly he still does. The trembling in his hands would slowly go away over time, and you were helping him with that much more than his physical therapist was; because at least he wanted to actually be around you.

After months and months, he'd finally be ready to take home. New prosthetics and a bunch of skin graft surgeries later, he's in good condition again. Not perfect in his eyes, but it is in yours.

He wouldn't be able to work, but Pony Express sends him checks as if he was. He gets enough from them, you could quit your job, but you don't want to be dependent on them. So you keep working.

Getting home from work is your favorite part of the day, having Curly be so happy to see you makes everything so worth it.

Your home life goes back to normal with a few exceptions, but nothing too drastic. Curly being in a wheelchair and still not being able to speak, but it's nothing you can't handle. You love him, you're willing to make sacrifices. He'd do the same for you, and you know that.

Bonus content; if you guys were married before the crash, once he got his prosthetic hands, he'd have you help him make a little beaded necklace for his ring to go on; that way he could still wear it :) he'd never take the necklace off once it's done

A/N; I've been pretty busy recently so sorry for the delay on requests; I have a lot of ideas for them though so hopefully they'll be out soon

[jayke0]

Just The Tip

Pairing: Marc Spector x fem reader

Summary: Marc admits his love for you, and you both end up a little more desperate for each other than expected, so much so that he can't even get inside you properly.

Rating: 18+, smut

Warnings/Content: a bit of angst at the start, fluff, romantic, desperate Marc, just the tip, oral (f receiving), male masturbation, unprotected sex, totally unrealistic and self-indulgent, creampie, fingering, multiple orgasms, lmk if there's anything else I should add :).

Word count: 1,605

Credit: @automnepoet (who also requested this btw) for proofreading ily.

…………………………………………….......................

"Marc…" is what you can barely mutter as your boyfriend slides his tongue over yours and licks into the heat of your mouth ferociously.

"Marc–"

Your second attempt at getting his attention is futile.

"Marc!"

Finally, he releases the suction he has on your lips, looking at you with wide blown out pupils that make you think Steven might've fronted in the short time he's been sucking your face off.

"What's gotten into you, sweetheart?" Your tone is soft as you run your hands through his curls and you feel him press into your hold, his eyes fluttering shut briefly to calm himself.

They had been away for a few days on a mission, nothing too big, which is why you're so confused now. They've been on much longer trips away, much more dangerous trips, but they'd never come home like this. Maybe he hadn't been totally honest with you, maybe something bad had truly happened and now he's trying to make out with you like it's his final chance… the thought makes your stomach coil with anxiety.

A sharp inhale brings you back into the room, and you notice he's staring at you again, though his gaze is more lidded; more "Marc" like.

"Nothing, I just…"

The anxiety builds stronger in your gut, stretching up to your throat to clench it in a vice grip.

"I don't want you to freak out, but-"

Uh oh.

"I almost got killed," he brings a finger up to stop you from interrupting him. "and it really put everything into perspective for me… I realised how much I love you, and how fucking much I'd miss you, even in death."

A cocktail of relief, sadness and anxiety all bubble inside you, making your ears hot and your expression evident on your face.

"Baby…" You can't help it, but tears start forming in the corners of your eyes despite the attempts to blink them away. "I love you too, so much–" You're leaping forward before he can even get another word out, arms wrapping tightly around his neck as if he might melt away from right underneath you. "Please be more careful… I need you, all of you." The mumbles are quiet in his ear, and you're both left with just your slow breathing for a few moments, Marc's hands rubbing your back comfortingly.

You pull back and admire his big, soft eyes, ones that you could even say you enjoy a bit more than Steven's, purely because it's a rare occurrence. Raking your fingers through his curls, you lean forward into his lips again and give him an affectionate peck, one that soon turns into you both panting against each other's mouths once more.

"Mmm, missed you so fucking much, baby." Marc whines, like actually whines, and it's a noise that has arousal spreading in your tummy and between your legs.

"Show me how much. Please, darling."

The man is jumping on you before you can go back to your heated kiss, his necklace dangling above you as he situates between your legs and grinds himself against your core.

"Lemme taste that cunt, sweetheart, please?" Your boyfriend asks as he's already kissing down your body until his lips reach your lower tummy. You nod, eager to feel his tongue again, and lift your hips so he can pull your pyjamas off. "Want you on your front though, can you do that for me?"

"Of course, Marc, whatever you want. Just want you inside me."

A growl fills your ears and spreads to your wet cunt as he grabs your hips and flips you onto your front, the gesture making you grab the cushions for a second to steady yourself. Looking over your shoulder, you can just about see Marc leaning down to lick a long strip up your lips, making you instead rest your head on the armrest with a soft sigh.

His tongue is delving between your folds in seconds and tasting your arousal, lapping up every inch of that sweet stickiness he'd missed so damn much. A pleased hum makes your desperate cunt throb before his nose bumps your lips and his tongue slides over your clit perfectly. The action makes you jolt and whimper, which only makes him do it again, purposefully teasing your poor clit till you're writhing on the couch and begging for a release while his nose teases your aching hole. You're clenching around nothing in minutes, pressing back on his tongue and nose as white hot pleasure surges through your body and makes your muscles tense and relax all in one go.

You whimper softly and look back at him again. "Please baby, let me feel your cock." You give your best pout, craving that initial stretch and feeling of being filled that only he can satisfy.

When Marc pulls away, the shininess of his chin makes you blush; were you really that wet? Or was it his saliva? you don't have time to ponder as you feel your boyfriend leaning over you, peppering kissing over your neck and whatever parts of your back he can get too.

"Such a pretty girl, my pretty baby. Been waiting to feel your cunt again, it's made me fucking crazy."

Maybe being away had made him a poet too.

You feel his tip suddenly pressing against your hole and you brace yourself for the delicious stretch… but it never comes, instead you just feel the blunt tip rutting against your walls. For a moment you think your boyfriend has malfunctioned somehow, but when you look back at him you see his head tilted back in pleasure, brows knitted together tightly while his jaw hangs slack.

"Marc? Are you o—"

"Just stay still baby, stay just like that babygirl." His words are breathless.

One hand rests on your ass, while the other wraps around your thigh and pulls you back on him just barely.

"Feels good like this." Your hole feels like a massage for his swollen tip, and he finds himself getting swept up in the feeling of it, the tightness of just the entrance and the lewd 'pop' sound it makes when he pulls out.

You expect this from Steven, maybe even Jake on a submissive day, but never Marc. He's always so good at holding himself together and fucking you for your pleasure, but he almost seems feral right now, just fucking what he can.

"Missed you so much baby." He repeats with a mumble and moan.

As he wraps his hand around the base of his cock, you realize he must be close, so you start clenching around him, making soft noises for him. "Fill me up Marc, wanna feel you cum in me again baby."

A low groan rumbles in his chest as you barely feel hot ropes painting your walls before he's pulling out and painting your hole instead, coming onto it and your thighs rather than inside. You kinda wish he'd filmed it or something, because ultimately the idea of him jacking off on your hole had made you much more excited than you'd thought, finding yourself pushing back on him and his softening cock.

He pants softly and rubs your ass, giving it a soft pinch and slap that makes you giggle.

"What was that all about then, hmm?" You tease with a grin.

"Don't you dare tell the other two."

"Oh, I'm going to."

His fingers splitting you open makes you gasp and grit your teeth, rolling your hips back on them.

"We'll see about that, baby."

You feel his free arm snake around your body and pull you up flush against his chest, your own chest resting neatly on top of his thick arm as he holds you close to him and draws shivers over your body with his breath.

"Y–you really don't have to do this Marc—" You stammer, but your body disobeys your words and continues to grind on his thick digits, showing him all he needs to continue pleasuring you.

"It's ok, baby. You know I love doing this, love pleasing you, alright?" His breath ghosts your ear and his tongue pokes out to lick the shell, teeth nipping it softly. "Just lemme pleasure this cunt, my cunt."

Oh lord, you haven't heard him say that in a while, but it makes you moan mortifyingly loud, your voice cracking a little as your breath is shortened by the firm grasp he has on you. Zealously, your hands struggle to grapple his arms when his fingers work faster inside you, dragging over the spot that has your orgasm rushing towards you all too fast, building from your toes all the way up to your flushed ears.

"You love my fingers, tell me you love them, babygirl."

"I do! I l–ove them baby-." Is all you can stammer.

Instinctively, your head tilts to the side to allow Marc access to your neck, and he does just that. He marks you like he hasn't seen you in months, drawing gasps and soft sobs from your chest as he breaks the soft skin and heat blossoms underneath, all rushing too your cunt until finally—

"Fuuuuckk!"

Your body rolls against his while you ride out your second orgasm, your thighs shaking and struggling to keep you up as your whole body shudders, whimpers and whines being all that's left of the intense pleasure.

You come down slowly, leaning back against Marc with all your weight so he can hold you close and pepper your neck with kisses.

"Good girl. I love you sweetheart."

"Mmmm…" You simply mumble at first, brain still foggy. "I love you too."

...........................................................................

Tagging people 🖤: @boredzillenial @cowboymarcs @chichimisaki @faretheeoscar @fanofstuffidk @minigirl87 @marisferasiop @red-hydra @summonthesoups @steven-grants-world @queerponcho @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @ominoose

[fuctacles]

wereshifter au pt 3, but things get dumber

<<2 | 3 | 4>>

Eddie avoids the park on the next day, doesn't leave the house much at all, really, but he runs into the dog on his way out of a supermarket. He smiles involuntarily, reaching out to pet him.

"Hi, bud," he greets it, and they start the walk back to his van. But before he opens the passenger door to put the groceries there and let the dog hop in, he freezes. He looks down at his furry friend, staring at him so eagerly and with so much trust, and his heart breaks. But nevertheless, he drops his hand away from the door handle, and takes a step back. 

"Listen, man," he says, then sighs before dropping to his knees to address the dog properly and look a little bit less insane while doing it. "This is stupid," he murmurs to himself, before continuing. "I can't take you with me, okay? No more house visits. I'd love to play with you at the park, or something, but you can't come with me anymore." The dog's ears drop, like he can understand everything. Eddie continues. "Turns out, one of my friends is allergic to dog fur, so I can't have you over." He reaches out, hoping the ear scratches will be enough consolation. "I know you have a family somewhere, you should go to them."

The dog huffs almost angrily at that, but seems too happy with Eddie's petting to leave. So he indulges them both with some more scratches before he stands up, hoisting the grocery bag along with him.

"See you around?" he asks, rounding the car towards the driver seat. His dog friend follows, but sits on the sidewalk to watch him enter the van. Eddie can almost sense the betrayal behind his stare. "I know, buddy, I'm sad too," he says, closing the door. They stare at each other for another second before Eddie turns on the engine and peels off. 

After a week, he starts missing his little trips to the park, so he substitutes with reading a book on the porch. His free hand itches to scratch behind furry ears, so he gets some peanuts to keep it occupied instead. 

He hangs out with the boys like he always does, and he spots the kids on his way there, playing with his dog friend. When he hops over to say hi, it stops in it tracks, eyeing him warily. Eddie is lowkey afraid of losing a finger but approaches the dog anyway to give him a friendly (but not overly so) scratch.

"Hi, bud. Having fun?" he asks, and the dog presses more into his hand. "Okay, okay," he chuckles, giving into the silent ask for pets. When he looks up, everyone's looking at them weirdly.

Yes, Eddie Munson likes dogs, fuck off. 

He rolls his eyes and straightens up. 

"Everyone good for Hellfire on Friday?"

Looks like he's found new friends already, and Eddie doesn't have to worry. 

"Hello?" 

"Steve! Hi!" Eddie perks up to the voice in his receiver. It feels like years since the last time he's heard Steve. "I've scrubbed the place, and myself, clean, and washed all my clothes twice."

He hears his friend snort on the other line.

"Congrats?" Steve offers, and Eddie can feel a dry smile pulling on his lips. 

"Har, har, Harrington, I'm talking about your allergy. It should be safe to come over if you're still interested. Or, I could just..." He leans heavily on the wall, picking at his cuticles while he offers the less favorable option. "Home deliver you a few joints."

Sure, it would be nice to have a guy friend his age who went through the same horrors as him. But if said guy didn't feel the same, keeping a casual connection would be enough for Eddie. Maybe Steve had enough apocalypse-fighting friends of his own and didn't need one more, a loser super-super-senior trailer trash, too. 

"No, dude, it's alright. I've just been busy, and kinda not feeling like myself, you know?"

Eddie wants to scream. He does know. Who else would know better, who else had his flesh eaten by demonic bats from a hell dimension?

"Uh-huh," is all he offers, though. He feels weirdly similar to that time in middle school when Cindy McGee said she didn't want to dance with him. 

"I guess I just need some space?" Steve said uncertainly. "You're still invited to the end of summer pool party, of course."

Well, good to know that he could come to the party they've all promised each other as soon as both the Vecna thing and school year were over. 

"Yeah, cool, quick question though." Eddie licks his lips, his anger rising. He bumps away from the wall, ready to strike and throw the phone down. "And be honest with me, because I hate liars. Are you avoiding me?"

There's silence on the other side.

"Eddie..."

"Steve," Eddie interrupts him. "I don't want bullshit. I want to know if I should fuck off. It will suck but I will take it. Just say you don't want to hang out with me. That's fine. Not the first or the last time it happened."

Steve sighs on the other end of the line.

"I do want to hang out," he says. "But I have a lot to think about and I need some space. Is that okay?"

Eddie is close to folding down, but not close enough not to add: 

"Do you need space from everyone or just me?"

"Honestly? Everyone. But especially you."

That was such a stupid fucking answer Eddie had to bite his knuckle not to growl in frustration. 

"Okay," he spat out, proud of himself for not yeling. "Don't tell me. Reach out whenever you feel ready." He's less proud of how he slams the phone on the cradles. He feels like shit as he looks at the machine for any damage he might have caused. 

He has his answers, Steve confirmed he doesn't want to see him, and he told his dog off too. So aside from the younger members of the Party, he had only Nancy and Jonathan to talk to. Argyle too, if he was still in town. Robin was out of the question, because she would babble everything back to Steve immediately. And he wasn't ready to talk to parental figures like Joyce or Hopper yet.

Eddie takes a few calming breaths and dials another number from his list. 

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Eddie."

"Eddie!" Dustin's voice cheers up immediately and helps him brighten up as well. "What's up, how are you doing?"

"Eh, I'm managing." He shrugs. "Hey, do you think Steve is avoiding me?" he asks straight to the point. 

Dustin groans. 

"Yes!" he answers and Eddie's stomach sinks. "But he's been avoiding the rest of us too. And he's been weird for weeks now. But I promised I wouldn't tell anything." There's a frustrated groan on the other end followed by thuds, like someone was punching or kicking something close to the phone. "You have to ask him yourself. But I will grill him, and try coaxing it out of him. Give me a moment."

"No, Dustin-!" Eddie didn't want to make the situation ever more tense than it already was, but Dustin was already off with his own plan. He realizes far too late that he might not have been the best person to call. 

He has half a mind to call Steve again with a warning but he doesn't want to worsen his position even further. It will be bad enough when he finds out Eddie sent Dustin after him. Maybe the best course of action is to let it play out with minimal input and whatever happens, happens. In the worst-case scenario, he still has his Corroded Coffin guys.

Eventually, he holes himself up in his room, waiting for the storm to pass. 

see, and i forgot to tag, just like I said I would. Anyway: @noodle-shenaniganery @jaytriesstrangerthings @imaginary-maggie-waggie

[sebscore]

gen z!reader is this sweet, bubbly, bright ray of sunshine who could honestly do no wrong, so I'd love to see a fic where in a driver's meeting gen z!reader loses their shit and calls out the FIA for their blatant sexism and misogyny in front of everyone and everyone is shocked cause they've never seen them gets this mad before.

NO ONE LIKES A MAD WOMAN

pairings: f1 grid x driver!reader (+ cameos from brundle, susie and buxton) 

warnings: sexism. fia is fia'ing. swearing. my own unaccurate ruling of penalties (it's for the sake of the story, just go along with it). susie mothering. it wasn't sure to me who conducted the driver's briefing during this time so I just picked a random name from the many that I came across. 

author's note: less comedic one this time, hope you enjoy it anyway! 

masterlist

• • • • • • •

''Alright, thanks for clarifying, Checo.'' Derek concluded, glancing down at his journal to see what the next topic of discussion was. 

The director scratched his voice before addressing the drivers again. ''Uhm, we also wanted to remind everyone to be wary of what they say in the media regarding our organization,'' he stated, ''the FIA has the feeling that there have been deliberate attacks on them the last few weeks and they are willing to give out penalties if it happens again.'' 

The drivers looked at each other, confused by the sudden declaration that the FIA has been receiving ''attacks'' from the drivers. ''Can you give an example, because I think I speak for everyone when I say that I'm confused.'' George spoke up, the others nodding along to his question. 

Derek flipped through his papers, trying to find the notes his colleagues had given him regarding the ''offensive'' comments that had been made against them. 

''Oh, here,'' he put on his reading glasses, holding the piece of paper farther from his face, ''the comment they're referring to was one made by… Y/N at the previous race.'' 

The young woman's head sprung up at the mention of her name, clueless as to how she could have upset the FIA. ''What? W-what did I say?'' She managed to stutter out, all the eyes on her making her feel uneasy. 

''Uh, you were asked about the diversity in the sport and you said, and I quote: 'The FIA should do more regarding women in motorsport, there are still many things that need to be changed.' End quote.'' Derek answered her, putting his paper back in place. 

Y/N frowned at the man. ''I don't see what's wrong with that, to be honest.'' She told him, failing to see how the FIA would feel this was a ''deliberate attack''. 

The director sighed, already getting the suspicion the woman would not be happy with what he was about to say. ''Certain members of the board were offended by your words, because they saw it as you accusing them of being sexist.'' 

The silence in the room was deafening, every single person awaiting Y/N's reaction to Derek's clarification. The drivers took a glimpse at her, trying to read the indifferent expression on her face that didn't give much away about how she was feeling. 

''They think I'm accusing them of being sexist? What I meant was that they should take more actions in encouraging young girls to get into racing- I don't understand how that would correlate to me calling them sexist.'' Her usual cheerful tone was replaced by a monotone voice that almost scared some of her colleagues. 

Derek took a deep breath again. ''Well, they felt like you were insinuating it and they are offended by the alleged insinuation.'' 

''Just because they are offended doesn't mean they're right.'' She bit back, not missing a beat. 

''I'm simply delivering their message, Y/N,'' the director told her politely, wanting to remind her that he's not the person she should be upset with, ''anyway- if you go up there and apologize for your comment, they're considering leaving it as a warning for you and also the others.'' He finished the list of notes they had given him. 

The reaction from the room wasn't one he was expecting; absolute outrage. 

''She shouldn't apologize for that neither should she be penalized for it.'' Sebastian was the first one to speak up, directly looking Derek in the eye. 

The drivers agreed. ''Yeah, it's called freedom of speech.'' Max added, also not seeing why Y/N should go down there and say sorry to the members of the board. 

''Like I said earlier, I'm simply delivering their message.'' Derek repeated himself, feeling the tension and frustration growing in the small space. 

''But don't you see how ridiculous this is?'' Sebastian rebutted, hoping the man at the front could at least agree with them and say that it was indeed a weird request. 

Derek shook his head. ''I'm just the middle man, Seb,'' he sighed, turning his head towards the quiet female driver, ''Y/N, make it easier for yourself and go up there after the meeting, you don't want to receive a penalty for something like this.'' 

''I'm not apologizing.'' Her voice comes out strong, not in an aggressive way, but in a manner that lets everyone know she's not backing down. ''Give me as many penalties as you want, I'm not accepting them.'' She crossed her arms, indicating she was sticking to her words, almost stubbornly. 

The other drivers looked on proudly, glad she was standing by her belief and didn't give in simply because it would make everything ''easier''. Lewis gave her a nod, subtly letting her know he supported her and had her back. 

''Alright, then that will result in a fine of a number that is yet to be determined.'' Derek picked up his pen and wrote down that she would not come by their office, already knowing his colleagues wouldn't be happy with it. 

''Just so you know- I'm not paying that.'' Y/N said, matter-of-factly. 

Derek looked up from his journal. ''If you refuse to pay the fine, we can either add a grid-place penalty or a time penalty.'' He recited the rule as if he had done it a million times before. 

''Derek, this is stupid,'' Kimi decided to voice his opinion, ''the race shouldn't be affected, because of a comment she made that had nothing to do with racing in the first place.'' He defended her, allying behind her stance to not accept any of the penalties they give her. 

''I'm just doing my job, Kimi.'' 

''I also want to just do my job, Derek, which is racing, but these ridiculous rules to silence me prevent me from doing that.'' Y/N argued his response, just wanting him to see her point of view. 

The director's hand went over his face, seemingly wiping his agitation away. ''No one is trying to silence you, Y/N.'' He quickly answered. 

''That's why all the other drivers receive penalties whenever they question the FIA, right?'' Her comment must have shut him up as he solely put his pen down without saying another word about the matter. ''Yeah, that's what I thought.'' 

Y/N felt her presence wasn't longer necessary as she stood up from her chair, ready to leave the room and join her engineering team in preparation for the upcoming race. However, Derek felt different about that. ''The briefing isn't over yet, Y/L. Sit back down, please.'' 

''I'll see you at the next meeting, Derek.'' She ignored his plea and walked towards the door. 

The director stood up from his desk at the front. ''Y/N, if you leave before it's done, the board will-'' 

''The board can kiss my ass.'' 

''Y/N Y/L RECEIVES A 20-PLACE GRID PENALTY AHEAD OF THE 2021 SPANISH GRAND PRIX DUE TO DAMAGING REMARKS AGAINST THE FIA'' 

''FIA RE-EVALUATING Y/N Y/N's PENALTY AFTER BACKLASH'' 

''FIA SUSPENDS GRID PENALTY OF Y/N Y/L DUE TO AN ERROR'' 

The day after the driver's briefing had been quite eventful to say the least. As soon as the FIA announced that she had been given a penalty, the backlash from drivers, fans and reporters started. 

Lewis had condemned their decision claiming it was based on nothing and that nothing about her comment was an attack on the organization. His teammate, Valtteri, followed him in his opinion stating: ''Drivers should be able to say what they want to say, she doesn't deserve a penalty for that.'' 

Sky Sports F1 reporter, Martin Brundle, also came to the driver's defense. ''If we're going to punish drivers for stating their opinions, we might as well get rid of the entire sport, especially if what they're saying isn't far from the truth.'' 

After finishing P5 in the race, Y/N spoke to Will Buxton in her post-race interview. ''You must be very happy with your result today, considering you almost had to start from the very back of the grid.'' 

''I'm content with today's race, obviously would have loved a podium but Mercedes was better today,'' she chuckled, ''yeah, it wasn't fun waking up to that news, but I'm happy that it was reversed and the support I received was just- wow, I'm very grateful for everyone.'' 

''According to some sources, it got pretty heated in the driver's briefing on friday- would you like to clarify?'' Will asked her. 

A sarcastic laugh left her mouth. ''I would just like to forget about it, moving on is the best thing to do right now.'' She smoothly avoided the question, figuring she shouldn't make the FIA more mad by airing out all their business. 

''Alright, thank you so much for talking to us, Y/N and congratulations on your race today.'' He nodded, bidding her goodbye. 

On her way back to her team's hospitality, she was stopped by none other than Susie Wolff. ''Lewis told us what happened during the briefing- I'm very proud of you for standing up for yourself, not everyone could have done that.'' 

''It was so awful, Susie,'' Y/N hugged the older woman, ''it's like they just wanted to give me some sort of punishment- I don't even want to know what would have happened if I went down there by myself.'' Susie rubs her back at her words, also not wanting to think about what could have gone down. 

''It's okay now, honey,'' they pulled apart, Susie's hand staying on her shoulder, ''by the way- did you really say that the board could kiss your ass?'' 

Y/N laughed at her question, excitedly nodding her head. ''At first I wanted to say something like 'the board can stick that penalty right up their ass’ but I needed a cool getaway so I opted for something shorter.'' 

''Atta girl'' 

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[cynassa]

we were twenty for such a short time

Nightwing found him. It unnerved him, because he hadn't expected to. Red Hood was sitting on a crumbling ledge, helmet off, cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth. He didn't look like he was out of his mind, or going to go for a gun or knife.

"Why'd you do it?" Nightwing asked, carefully maneuvering himself out of the way of the heavy-looking desk that could be flung at him.

Red Hood grunted. "Don't suppose you've got antiseptic in there somewhere?"

Nightwing shrugged, letting it ripple all over him, where, it should be eminently clear, there was no place for a first-aid kit.

"Figures," Red Hood muttered.

Nightwing set his hip against the wall, not close enough to get in range of Hood's vicious front kick, but close enough to throw an electrified escrima stick at him if necessary. Black Bat was ten minutes away, as was Robin with the Batmobile. Ideally they would get this sorted before Batman was finished and could become involved. He just had to stall for ten - no, nine minutes now. With an on-edge Hood who had killed - no, executed - executed three people.

Hood nodded at the table.

Nightwing raised an eyebrow.

"Why I did it," Hood said. "Since you asked. I'd offer tea and scones with 'em but whoopsy, seems like I'm all out."

A quick flick of his eyes showed three neat nondescript folders. He'd have to put his back to Hood to read them.

Eight minutes.

"Not much of a reader, me," Nightwing drawled. "Why don't you give me the Sparknotes version?"

Hood snorted. He finally lit the cigarette. "Cappello's wife begged me to," he said.

Nightwing tensed.

"Had a porn ring, she said. He's a cop though, so she couldn't get away. Then her girl got old enough to contribute and she just wanted him dead," he said, sounding... exhausted. "Watson was a pimp too. The women told me that he was okay for a bit and then he got greedy and things got worse. Tried putting the fear of Hood into him at first but he'd heard that I was with the Bats, so he just beat them to shut them up after I left. Had some Family connections too, FBI fuckers wouldn't touch him."

He stopped, took a puff at his cigarette.

Seven minutes

Dick was abruptly tired. The Rogues were one thing. But this. These horrors of America's crime capital were unending. A man could die trying to hold them up.

"And Stewart? He was in jail," Dick said.

Jason smoked his cigarette slowly. It was a Marlboro Red Long. Still the same cigarette.

Six minutes

"Stewart, Danny M.," Jason said. "He'd been in juvie, you know? Got off after three months on 'count of good behavior. Kept the connections though. Plenty of connections in his jail too, enough to keep his little racket in the juvies running. And who cares if some street rat with a record goes missing from time to time. Mayor probably called it housekeeping when he took the money from him."

"And so it's got to be you who actually cleans house instead?" Dick asked, wishing he could throw his sticks at Jason, wishing he could put them down and- and?

"Who else do they got?" Jason asked, squinting at Dick. "I tried doing it the other way for a bit, y'know," he said, almost sympathetically.

"Right," Dick said. "For all of five minutes."

Five minutes

Jason shrugged. "Bit more'n that. But yeah, people would come to me and beg me to help them, rescue them, and I'd get these fuckers sent to places that would -- like, pedos don't last long in jail, y'get me? Or sometimes I'd just bribe the jail catering to give them something. But then people stopped being afraid of me, and it all got worse. Twice the effort for less than half the results. I didn't have any control over the trades here anymore, arms trafficking had gone up, they'd started human trafficking again."

Jason had just been killing people anyway. Of course he had.

"You thought that was the other way? Bribing other people to kill..." Dick wanted to bash his face in. "You thought that was right?"

"I'm not the one who does the right thing," Jason said. "That's on you, Big Bird. I'm just the one filling in the gaps the light doesn't reach."

"That's an easy fucking excuse," Dick bit out.

Four minutes

"All these people suffering, and I was sitting with my thumbs up my ass because I wanted a family, while they were losing theirs, how was that right?" Jason continued, like he hadn't heard Dick. "I'd been brought back to do one job, and I couldn't do it, because I was desperate to--" there was a tear at the end of one eye.

"That's not-" Dick gasped, "this isn't what you were brought back for! That's not true."

Jason shook his head. "You don't know that. You don't know how I was brought back."

"Neither do you!" Dick snarled at this nonsense, now wishing he really had just bashed his head in.

"Nah, but I know what it was for," Jason said, oddly peaceable. "I know what I gotta do, and then I can die."

"You can still stop," Dick pleaded, afraid suddenly, of something he couldn't name.

Three minutes

"Nah," Jason said, sad but placid. "There ain't no way but this for me anymore. Sorry, Big Bird. I'll miss you though. I'll miss most of you, I think."

"And now I've got to bring you in," Dick said, voice cracking. "Did you think of that? That now I've got to-"

"Can't let you do that, 'm afraid, still got a job to do," Jason said, half-smile on his face, turning to him finally, pushing off the ledge and moving forward, dropping the cigarette on the table.

Two minutes

Dick squeezed his sticks but didn't raise them. Jason moved swiftly, grabbing his face roughly and leaning down - because he was taller now, because he wasn't the little wing yearning to reach five foot, because he had died - to roughly kiss Dick's forehead. "Take care of yourself, Robin," he whispered and then shoved Dick back.

Dick had tensed in preparation but was still shoved back by Jason's sheer strength. By the time he leapt forward, Jason had thrown himself out of the window. The red Bat wasn't on his armor anymore.

Dick glanced out of the window just long enough to see Jason tumbling into a red moving truck. Then he sensed something and abruptly looked up to see the cigarette had lit up the files unnaturally well, as if they already had a flammable coating. This seemed to trigger some other mechanism, and the building slowly started going down - making a groaning noise as if in warning.

One minute

Dick unhooked his grapple and dived out, landing lightly on the Batmobile as the building slowly but surely came crashing down, so thoroughly destroyed that there was no way anything could be rebuilt again.

I give you back 1948.   

I give you all the years from then

to the coming one. Give me back the moon   

with its frail light falling across a face.

Give me back my young brother, hard

and furious, with wide shoulders and a curse   

for God and burning eyes that look upon   

all creation and say, You can have it.

[tan1shere]

Bite It Lick It Spit It - where'd you put it (extra)

A/n: thought I'd add a lil smth smth since everyone's loving the previous story, enjoy you horny mfs MUAH 💋

Warnings - suggestiveness not really any smut. Still mdni just in case doe <3

The original - masterlist

After that blissed out night, you've been wearing that underwear. All. The. Time. And she loved it, it drove her mental. Whether you were just wearing a plain t-shirt with them around the house. You'd wear them with skirts in public. You were like an intoxicating drug in her eyes, mind and soul. She truly couldn't get enough.

So much so, you found them missing on occasion. Either they were in the wash, or Ms Eilish had them somewhere in her possession. Theyd tend to go missing when you take them off after a long day. Her fucking favorite. Once you eventually caught on it was her doing the abducting, you came to her. Justtt to ask. Even though you had all the idea on why she did.

"Bils." You say going over to her and patting her down. "Frisky much?" She replies. "Where on earth have you put them." She brings her finger up to her lips. " 's a secret." You roll your eyes. "Billieeee." "Fine fine, they're probably in my pants on the sofa in our room." Your eyebrow raises. "Probably?" She shrugs. "Orrr they could be in a few others- I can't remember which." You sigh at the response. "You're crazy." You say heading for the stairs. "For you? Fuck yeah baby!"

It had become a habit that she'd stick them in her Jean pants. She'd take it to work sometimes forgetting where she was, and the fact she still had them in there until Finneas embarrassed the shit out of her. Or more so herself.

"We could maybe do something like this-" He began to speak about the stuff they were working on, when he noticed something on the floor. He knew Clauds underwear and that was something she definitely didn't own. "What on earth." He bends slightly, picking it up. Billies eyes widen, so incredibly wide her eyes might've popped out. Her cheeks go so red, snatching them out of his hand. Fuck, you dumbass idiot. She swallows. There was an awkward silence wondering how he was going to react. When this dude, let's out the wheeziest laugh known to man.

Billies eyes rest, almost glearing at him. "That is not funny, I can't believe that just fucking happened." He tries to control his laughter. "You truly are a dumbass." She swats his arm but he just continues his giggles. "Back to work come on." She spits, having enough of the laughing. "I was like- hmm Claudia doesn't own anything this-" "FINNEAS." She groans. He just laughs some more, she was never living that down. But Billie being Billie she eventually joins in on the laughing, shaking her head at the silly situation.

Yet again you were on the search for them, looking through most of her pants. You gave up in the end, calling her.

"You have them as we speak don't you."

"Well damn, you caught me."

Even during she needed them. Just the fact such a tight slutty thing was on your body for the whole day drove her wild, she didn't care in the slightest how filthy any action may be. Sniffing them, so on and so on. One of her filthy fantasies was you having them in your mouth, as you rode her. Just dangling there between your teeth. You were a tad bit confused at why she requested that, but the way she'd moan under you. The way she'd say your name. The feeling of her fingertips on the skin of your thighs as you rode her. Mixed in with your tits bouncing in her face. It was foul, but she enjoyed every single bit of it.

She was so thankful you went into that shop that day. Blessing not only you with a pretty pair of new underwear. But her aswel, getting the pleasure of witnessing it first hand.

You're welcome

[rocketbaby]

Izuku x male reader?!

Tw nsfw!!!

Fingering,Anal penetration, Reader receiving,soft Dom izuku,dirty talk

You and izuku were dating for a while and he absolutely adored you. He couldn't have wished for a better partner

You were slightly taller than him but God was this man buffed. His physique is amazing,he works out very often, wanting to look good (for you)

He definitely knows how much you love his muscles and his body

He could easily manhandle you despite the height difference and you loved that

He wasn't working today and neither were you,he took a day off. He wanted to spend some more time with you but little did y'all know today would turn into an interesting night.

Izuku was snuggled up into the crock of your neck while you were laying down on y'all's bed. Izuku occasionally let out small whines or whimpers, wanting to somehow make you pay more attention to him

You chuckle

"what is it, sweetheart? Got something on your mind?"

He groans, trying to burry his face more into your neck. "Mmh just missed you,wanna have you all to myself. I've been so busy I almost never get time to be with you" He whines

You chuckle,your hand making its way to the back of his neck. You start gently rubbing that spot

"yeah baby,I know,I know..I missed you too, so much,I miss touching you"

Izuku whimpers as he can feel himself getting hard already. He lifts his head up, looking at you with sweet eyes

"please let me have you tonight? Please baby,I've been so pent up lately,need to have you.. please"

His hand makes its way to your lower stomach, caressing your skin softly

You chuckle again as you nod

"of course, izuku,I'd love that so much I missed your touch"

Izuku doesn't waste any time, quickly removing your pants, throwing them across the room.

He takes in your appearance for a bit,just admiring how beautiful and sweet you look. he smiles at you

"you're as beautiful as ever, my love"

He starts playing with your boxers as he finally takes those off too. Your cock stands up proudly as it was already kind of hard. He left out a small gasp as he laughs

"awh baby you're so hard also"

He very gently wraps his hand around the base of your cock, moving his hand up and down as slowly as he could. You let out a softer moan, leaning your head back

"lemme prep you, yeah,baby? Need you to be ready for me to stuff you with cock.."

He said as he reached over to the desk next to your bed. He takes out some lubricant, gently applying some to your needy hole. He then quickly puts it away,his fingers making their way to your entrance. He rubs your hole a bit but his fingers quickly slide inside, your mouth letting out a whiny moan at the contact

He takes his time with it,his fingers gently moving inside, trying to find your sweet spot. Once he finds it he'll never stop abusing it. He started pumping his fingers in and out of you

You whine and moan like an animal in heat,your hips twitching involuntarily. Your cock was already rock hard but izuku was feeling mean today so he didn't stroke it for you as he usually would do

"yeah baby? Is this good? You're gonna take it so well for me right baby? God imma fill you up so good ,my sweet boy"

He says, whispering lewd things to you

" Are you stretched enough to take my cock in? Need to be inside you already..I can't wait any longer"

He says as his fingers slip out of you with a small pop. You whimper

"mhm..yeah im ready, izuku"

He leans in closer, placing a small kiss on your forehead. He then moves down, kissing your cheeks, then your nose and finally your lips. You giggle at his behavior

"you know the safe word in case something happens, yeah baby?"

You nod your head, smiling at his words. He kisses your forehead again then slightly pushes you down on the bed. He lays over your chest,bringing his face into your chest. He then gently pushes his cock inside your already stretched whole. It slid in pretty easily since he prepped you beforehand.

He let out a small whimper,as his hips started moving involuntarily. He went slow at first but he quickly picks up the speed. It's like his hips were moving on his own

Since his face was buried into your neck,he was close to your ear,you could hear his moaning and whimpering and god he sounded adorable

"nhh..fuckkk baby"

"nmhh.. fuck fuck fuck..so sweet"

His cock quickly found your spot as he started picking up his speed once again. His hands make their way to your hips, making you gasp

He starts thrusting with more force than before, keeping his face so close to your neck. While he was thrusting he started placing small kisses around your neck jaw and chest

"uhhggh..so beautiful mmh..feels so good baby,I'm already so close can I please please cum inside.. please lemme do it inside baby, please"

He whines and begs as his thrusts become more rough. You wrap your arms around his back, pulling him closer

"mhm.. yeah please,you can do whatever you want izuku"

He groans and grunts as he was getting closer and closer. He could never last,poor baby always cums so fast,it's not his fault though! Can you really blame him? When you're just so Irresistible and so beautiful,he just can't hold back,not his fault,swear!

He whimpers your name, calling you sweet things, whining and moaning like a girl,he can't control his voice when he's just pounding so good into you

"fuck baby..fuck fuck fuck I'm gonna cum. Nghhh baby I'm cumming I'm cumming inside"

A loud moan leaves his mouth as he finally cums. He ties burying his cock deeper inside you, making sure his cums stays there. His hips thrust into you a few more times as he whines

He then lays down completely on top of you, breathing heavily as he's coming down from his orgasm. He always cums so much but he's so adorable like that

Poor izuku just fell asleep on top of you like that

[bitterrfruit]

he wakes you up

waking up hungover after letting a cocky scottish stranger spend the night. indie sleaze!Soap x reader, no cw. 1.4k words, mdni an: never posted a part 2 to my old fic trainspotting, but i wrote a good chunk of it. sleazy brow ring johnny is still close to my heart so i thought i'd share a bit of it <3

You wake up slowly, sweatily, mouth dry and fuzzy like you had swallowed a lump of cotton – so delirious, for a moment, that you expect to hear your mother calling for you to hurry up or you’ll miss the bus.  

No, instead, you hear the sparkling white noise of running water. Can’t be rain, because the sun beams brightly through your open window – directly onto your face, blinding you, sending you spinning as you tug your thin pillow and hold it over your head to shield yourself.  

Groaning, your brain throbs swollen and heavy, your skull an iron vice. You force yourself to sit upright, hoping your feet on the ground will calm the swelling nausea, turbulent in the pit of your stomach. It doesn’t.  

Bathroom. Bathroom.  

You leap out of bed, sprinting to the door of the Jack-and-Jill bathroom that separates your and Katie’s bedrooms. Throwing it open, you tumble to the toilet, hair unfortunately coating the toilet seat as your abdomen lurches noisily – tossing a pitiful spoonful of pink, cherry-flavoured vomit into the clear water with a foul splash. Ew.  

The shower is running, you realise, in the subsequent post-puke calm. You would have expected Katie to say something to your intrusion, but after a year of living together you have very few boundaries left. You wonder what time she might’ve come home during the night – suppose the bloke she went home with must have been a disappointment if she didn’t even stay till morning. No surprises there.  

You hear the thud of the shower lever and the water shuts off. After a few deep breaths, you build up the strength to apologise for barging in, sitting on your knees on the tiled floor.  

“Sorry – hic – couldn’t hold it in,” you burp, rubbing your forehead, tearing off a piece of loo paper to wipe your nose. “How was–” 

“Mornin’, hen,” comes the low voice of a man, tired and gravelly. “How ye feelin’?”  

Not fucking Katie.  

You cock your head back in shock, swiping your matted hair from your face, as your eyes shoot to the polyester shower curtain being tugged open with a screech.  

Hairy legs jut out from the cubicle, big feet land on the shaggy bathmat. Your eyes follow them upward, thick thighs, rippling muscle under a layer of flesh and furry skin. Until your stare hitches on the cock hanging brazenly from a fine carpet of brown curls – thick from base to tip, uncircumcised but its meaty pink head exposed, a hefty vein running down the length of it. Looks heavy even soft.  

You choke on any words you might be able to utter – jumping from shock, to fear, to awe, back to confusion. Who… 

“Eyes up here, bunny.” He teases you, that gruff voice barely familiar.  

A response suddenly comes to you, remembering it vaguely, and your lips form the words as if it were a realisation.  

“They’re just as pretty,” you croak, staring into the void of space before you finally glance at the man’s face.  

The shaven head, the brow ring, the glint of that golden tooth sparkling from the cocky smile that puckers dimples into his cheeks – now, yes, you somewhat remember him.  

“Ah, good. Y’do remember.”  

Suddenly humiliated, realising how much of a fucking mess you must be – you look down at yourself, seeing your vastly oversized Strokes band tee that you do not remember putting on. Nor do you remember getting out of the miniscule body suit you had worn to the party, nor peeling off the fishnets that had been flossing you from front to back for the duration of the blurry evening.  

There’s probably makeup smudged into racoon-like circles around your eyes, there must be smears of your pink lip-gloss in the corners of your mouth. If you weren't so ill, you'd run and hide from him.

“Did I-” you stammer aloud, attempting to connect the dots. “Were you at the party?”  

He tuts, huffing disappointedly, as he reaches for the yellow floral towel hanging on the rail. Katie’s towel.  

“Och, dear,” he grunts facetiously, as he rubs it vigorously over his head, patting under his chin, chest, arms. Doesn’t seem to bother asking as he uses it to dry his balls, mammoth dick flopping around shamelessly as he does so. Your cheeks burn pink.  

“You weren’t?”  

“If I’m honest, hen,” he remarks, as he ties the towel nonchalantly around his hips, tucks it in just above his mound. Still brandishes that happy trail, and the sharp angled creases below his abs that carve from his hips to his cock. “Ye got me feelin’ a bit guilty.”  

“Why?” You swallow, doing your best to stop ogling him like a little animal.  “Did we…”  

He snorts. “You wish.”  

You frown, suddenly failing to suppress the admonishing smirk that curls in your lips. “We didn’t do anything?”  

He shrugs, rubbing the top of his buzzed head with his palm. “We had a wee bit o’fun,” he admits, a twinge of shame in his rumbling throat, “but no, nothing too regrettable.”  

You find yourself weirdly disappointed. “Why not?”  

And your slightly dissatisfied query seems to lift some weight from his shoulders, he returns with a grin. “You were a bit steamed, hen,” he says. “would’ve been dodgy of me to stick it in ye while y’were like that, eh?”  

“Mm,” you nod, concealing your chagrin, the memory of running into him on the road suddenly flies back to you, colliding with you like a slap.  

A complete stranger. Naked (mostly) in your bathroom.  

“Didn’t expect you’d be such a gentleman,” you gripe, a tad facetious. 

He smiles. “Disappointed, are ye?” He jibes, tilting his head. “Y’were definitely disappointed last night. Poor wee thing. Got all whiney.”  

You flush hot as that memory slithers back to you, too. Cheeks aren’t the only thing that burn at the thought. You suddenly harken back to the weight of his palm on your cunt, the mocking pressure of the heel of his palm grinding against your clit. Your stomach drops at the memory. 

“Did not,” you murmur.  

“Uh-huh,” he chuckles at you, sauntering in your direction, he holds out a hand for you. You smile bashfully as you take it, and he lifts you to your feet so deftly you’re almost lifted into the air. “Feelin’ alright?” 

You’re a little dizzy after standing so quick, you blink heavily as you swallow. “Mm. Been better,” you huff, “I probably look like shit.”  

He frowns at that, tutting in disapproval as his raffish eyes linger on your lips – you lick them, worried there might be a speck of residual puke in the corner of your mouth.  

“Ye’re havin’ me on,” he chides, disapproval in his tone.  

“Am I?” You groan, wiping under your eyes with your fingertips in the hopes of swiping away some running makeup.  

He shakes his head. “Far too pretty to be talkin’ like that, bunny.” 

With a grimace, then a snicker, you glance downward at the chipped pink glitter on your toenails. “That’s nice, but–” 

“Psh,” he immediately cuts you off. “Don’t y’believe me?”  

Reeling in awkward embarrassment, you cross your arms, digging nails into your biceps as you look everywhere but him. Through a strained chuckle, you answer, “Not really.” 

His attention is almost intimidating; an unwavering, low-lidded glare as a smirk tugs in his lips. Tucks a hooked finger under your chin, coaxing your head to lift just slightly enough to look along your nose at him.  

From his throat, he rumbles, 

“Need me to show ye how pretty y’are, hen?” 

Your skin turns molten, glowing and pliant, eyes glossy and eager as you stare up at him through clumped lashes. He simply wears that snide little grin, proud of himself, only growing prouder as he notices how flustered he’s made you. Fuck! 

Lips part to let words free but they turn sticky on your tongue, and he brushes your chin with his thumb.  

“Look at’cha,” he sneers, letting go of your face; using the tip of his thick finger to sweep a rogue hair from your forehead with a gentleness that you’re earnestly surprised he’s capable of. His tenderness is fleeting, though, because he chuckles; “Too easy.”  

Jaw agape, you only laugh as you cover your eyes with your palms. “God, you’re such a dickhead.”  

He hums, a giggle, swaggering around you before swinging a quick smack on your ass, making you yip – casual and in passing, such a brash show of lude badinage that you can only gawk at him as he wanders into your room.  

“S’why you invited me in, in’t it?”  

Crossing your arms, you follow him sheepishly, squinting as you step into morning sunlight. “I don’t think I can remember why I invited you in, to be honest.”  

“Mm, well,” he grumbles, “I’ll have t’remind ye, won’t I?”

[lee-laurent]

Pushing Through - Quinn Hughes

Summary: faye and quinn navigate parenthood

content: pregnancy, angst, fluff, family issues, mentions of sex but no explicit smut, arguments

wc: 15.3k

notes: part two of 'a love like no other' as requested by multiple people! i hope you all enjoy!!! (not proofread)

Faye sat on the edge of her bed, cradling a swaddled James in her arms. The lamp on the bedside table illuminated her tired face, her hair messy, and her body aching. Quinn stood awkwardly by the bassinet, watching her, unsure of what to do next.

"Do you want to sleep?" he asked quietly, stepping a bit closer. "I can hold him for a while."

She shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't think I can. Every time I close my eyes, I feel like I'm going to miss something. That he's going to need me and I'll be asleep."

James shifted as much as he could in his swaddle, letting out a cry that sent a wave of panic through her. Faye immediately shushed him, rocking him slightly, trying to calm him down. The exhaustion was a lot, but the fear of not being there for her baby was worse.

Quinn sat next to her, rubbing her back gently. "You're doing great, Faye," he said softly, his hand warm on her shoulder. "He's just getting used to everything, too. This is his third night out of the womb. He's probably still confused. I'd be."

"I don't feel like I'm doing great," she admitted, her voice breaking. "I feel like I'm failing him already. What if... what if I can't do this, Quinn?"

He put his thumb on her chin, forcing her to face him. "You're not failing. You've been doing everything for him. He's healthy. He's here, Faye. We've got this."

Her eyes were full of doubt, but something in his voice reassured her. He was scared too, she could tell, but he was trying--for her, for James. That mattered more than anything.

"Why don't you let me try?" Quinn offered again, gesturing to James. "You can sleep for a bit, just an hour and I'll wake you up."

She hesitated before nodding, her body craving some rest, no matter how short. She carefully handed James over, her hands lingering for a second as Quinn took him.

Quinn looked down at his son, eyes wide with wonder. He rocked him gently, his hands almost comically large compared to the newborn. Faye watched them for a moment, feeling an emotion she couldn't quite name. Maybe it was relief. Maybe it was love. Exhausted, she lay down, her eyes closing as soon as her head hit the pillow.

When she blinked awake, Quinn was asleep next to her. He hadn't woken her up like he'd said, but she appreciated it. She needed sleep. She shifted and a damp feeling woke her up further. Her shirt was soaked, and she groaned softly, glancing down at the growing wet spot on the fabric of Quinn's Canucks t-shirt she'd stolen. The ache she felt was unmistakable--she was leaking.

Quietly, she sat up, not wanting to disturb Quinn, who was still fast asleep. She peeked at James in his bassinet next to the bed, peacefully sleeping after hours of restless crying and squirming. But she knew she couldn't wait.

With a quiet sigh, she picked him up, cradling him in her arms. He stirred slightly, but didn't wake. She leaned over to grab her nursing pillow, cringing when James whimpered. "I'm sorry, little man," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his head. "Time to eat."

She sat back against the headboard, lifting her shirt up, positioning James to nurse. He latched quickly, and Faye felt so relieved. There were times where he struggled, but he seemed to be working with her this time. His eyes were closed, peaceful and content as he ate.

Faye brushed the few strands of dark hair on his head, her eyes drifting to Quinn, who had shifted but was still fast asleep. The sight of him, his arm flung over his eyes, made her smile. He had been so helpful, and seeing him with James made her heart ache in a new way.

James finished feeding, and she carefully pulled him away, wiping a little milk from the corner of his mouth. She lifted him up, quickly burping him before he fell back asleep. "You full, buddy?" The night had been long, so she was praying he'd sleep for at least a couple more hours.

He squirmed, but after a couple minutes he settled, and she placed him back in his bed. When Faye finally climbed back into bed, her body was sore, and her eyelids were heavy. She lay down, listening to the breathing of her boys filling the air, she eyes started to close, and she whispered softly, "We're doing okay, James. We're doing okay."

~~

The air in the apartment felt heavier than usual. It had been two weeks since James was born, and Quinn had to head back to hockey. Faye paced the kitchen, her fingers running through her greasy hair as she glanced at Quinn, who was zipping up his duffle bag. James slept peacefully in his bassinet, oblivious to how his parents were feeling.

"I don't know if I can do this, Quinn," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I've never been alone with him for this long. What if something happens?"

Quinn paused, crossing the room to her. "You're not alone, Faye. I'm a phone call away. Your mom is coming to help. My mom is always willing to help. You can do this."

Her arms crossed tightly over her chest as tears welled in her eyes. "But what if I mess up? What if I miss something? He needs so much, and I just--"

"You won't mess up." His voice was steady, but his eyes were misting too. "You've been doing everything since he was born, and you've been amazing. I've seen it." He took a deep breath, his voice faltering as he looked over at James. "And I don't want to go either. It's killing me to leave him."

Faye saw the first tear slip from Quinn's eye, and it broke something in her. She let out a sob, falling into his arms, and he held her tightly, his chin resting on top of her head.

"We'll make this work," he whispered, his voice cracking as he tried to keep it together for her. "I'll come back when I can. I'll FaceTime every night... I don't want to miss anything either, Faye."

She pulled back, wiping her eyes. "He's going to forget you."

Quinn shook his head, squeezing her hands. "He won't. He'll know who I am. I promise you, Faye."

For a few minutes, they stood in the kitchen, holding each other, the only sound being James' white noise machine. Finally, Quinn leaned down to kiss her forehead and walked over to James, who was still fast asleep. He bent down, wiping a tear from his own cheek before pressing a gentle kiss on his son's head.

"I love you, little Hughes. Dada will be back soon."

He straightened up, wiping his cheeks and grabbing his bag, hugging Faye one last time. "You've got this."

And then he was gone, the door closing with a soft click. Faye stood there, staring at the door while she cried, she wanted him to stay. But a part of her was finally believing that maybe, just maybe, she could do it.

~~

1 month

Faye was hunched in the driver's seat, her back aching with every turn she took. James's cries filled the cramped space, louder than usual, as they pulled into the lot of the pediatrician's office. He hated the car. The only time he didn't cry when driving was if he was asleep. She parked and took a deep breath, squeezing the steering wheel to steady her hands. The pain in her chest, most physical and emotional, had been growing as rapidly as James's appetite.

She looked at him in the mirror attached to the headrest of his seat. His face was bright red, tears staining his chubby cheeks, his little fists clenched in frustration.

"It's okay, buddy. We're almost getting out," she whispered, her voice shaky. Her throat had that tight feeling she got when she was about to cry. Crying had become too frequent, and she was tired of it. Exhausted, actually.

She pulled James and his carrier out of the car, a sharp pain shooting through her back almost immediately. She winced, gritting her teeth. The pain was never ending--between the back pain from months of carrying him and the stabbing soreness in her boobs from endless nursing, it seemed like her body was rebelling against her. How did people do this?

Inside the clinic, she rocked James, hoping to soothe him before they got in to the see the doctor. Faye scanned the other moms in the room, all of whom seemed much more put together than she felt. They probably didn't Google every little thing like she did. She'd spent hours the previous night searching for ways to alleviate nursing pains. Articles about creams, different positions, and "healing times" flooded her search history, but nothing seemed to help.

She glanced at the time on her phone, seeing Quinn's missed text from an hour earlier, telling her about his insurance covering everything except a small co-pay for James' appointment. He called every night since going back to Vancouver, even during travel days. But it really wasn't the same. She missed him being there physically and as much as she wanted to tell him about how hard it had been, she couldn't bring herself to do it over FaceTime. Not when he already looked so sad every time James fussed or cried without him there to help.

James let out another wail, and Faye quickly stood up, bouncing him in her arms.

"We're almost done, baby. Mama promises," she whispered. He'd been feeding constantly the last few days, hitting a growth spurt that left him fussier than usual. The pediatrician said it was normal, but the combination of sleepless nights, endless nursing, and a gnawing anxiety in her gut had worn her thin.

The nurse finally called them back, and the examination felt like a blur. The doctor smiled, congratulating Faye on how well James was growing, how strong her was becoming.

"All those long feeding sessions are definitely paying off," the doctor commented, jotting down some notes. "You're doing an amazing job."

Faye forced a smile, nodding in agreement even as her mind screamed otherwise. She felt like she was barely holding it together. James squirmed as the doctor measured his length and weight, making a small squawk before falling silent.

"Everything looks good," the doctor continued, probably used to seeing delirious new moms. "Just make sure you start doing tummy time with him regularly. It'll help with his development."

"Tummy time," Faye repeated. "Right. We... We'll get on that."

~~

The apartment was quiet, except for the soft hum of the white noise machine on Faye's nighstand. James was finally asleep after hours of cluster-feeding. Faye sat against the headboard, her legs stretched out and a heating pad resting on her lower back. Every muscle in her body ached, and the pain in her chest had barely subsided. Even the act of nursing had become an ordeal, a reminder of how fragile her body still was.

Her phone buzzed, Quinn's contact photo lighting up the screen. She quickly answered, her tired face reflected in the small window in the corner. His eyes, though tired, lit up when he saw her.

"Hey, how'd the checkup go?" he asked, adjusting his position on his couch.

"It was fine," she replied. "He's doing great. He's growing so fast. They told me to start doing tummy time."

"That's great!" Quinn's voice was filled an enthusiasm that Faye wished she could share. "And you? How are you holding up?"

Faye hesitated. She didn't want to burden him, not with the pressure of work and being away from his son. But the truth sat in the back of her throat, burning. "It... It's a lot, Quinn. The feeding, the crying... I really just didn't expect it to be this hard. My back's killing me, and the nursing--" her voice cracked, "I've tried everything but it's still sore."

"I wish I could be there with you," he sighed. "I'm so sorry you're going through this alone."

"You're not gone, Quinn," she whispered, wiping a stray tear away. "You're here, just in a different way. You FaceTime every day. That's more than some people get."

"I just don't want you to feel like you're doing this alone, Faye. I'll come visit as soon as I can. And in two months, our family will be together in Vancouver."

"I know." She looked at James, flipping the camera so Quinn could see him too. "I just... I really don't want him to forget you."

"He won't. We'll make sure of it."

They spent the next half hour talking--about hockey, about James, about the little things they missed about each other. Quinn talked to James, pulling goofy faces even though the baby was fast asleep.

Faye couldn't help but cry as she watched. She couldn't help but feel like everything was falling through the cracks.

~~

2 months

Faye was knelt on the floor, her phone propped up on a stack of books, capturing the perfect angle of James lying on his play mat. His legs kicked in the air, and his tiny fists waved in excitement as Faye set up for their morning FaceTime with Quinn.

"Hey, you two!" Quinn's voice was soft but excited. "How's my little guy doing today?"

"He's ready to show off," Faye said, a grin on her face as she angled the phone more toward James. "He's been lifting his head more during tummy time. Watch."

She gently flipped James onto his stomach, and within seconds, he lifted his head, his chubby cheeks wobbling as he tried to hold the position. Quinn let out a laugh, clapping his hands through the screen.

"Look at him! Strong like Dada," Quinn joked. "Man, I miss you guys so much."

Faye smiled, but she could hear the longing in his voice. James lifted his head again, and his eyes caught the phone, recognizing the sound of his dad's voice. His little mouth curled into a smile, wide and gummy.

"There it is! He's smiling at you," Faye laughed. "He's been doing that a lot lately. I think he's finally realizing we weren't trying to torture him by taking him out the womb."

"That's my boy," Quinn whispered. "You're getting so big."

As they continued to talk, Faye positioned James on his back, watching as he squirmed, trying to roll over. His movements here jerky, uncoordinated, but Faye knew it wouldn't be long before he'd finally manage.

"He's working on rolling," she explained. "He gets so close, then he just stops. But I think he'll get it soon."

They spent the next few minutes chatting while James babbled away, his little coos and gurgles filling the room, making Quinn laugh. "He's making more sounds now, too," Faye noted, adjusting James's onesie. "He doesn't cry as much anymore, thank God."

~~

The routine had finally started to feel manageable. James had settled into a more predictable schedule. He woke around 6 each day, with five short naps throughout the day, and went to bed around 10pm. Faye cherished the moments during the morning and evening when she could actually think, when her whole focus wasn't on feeding and changing diapers.

Since starting to freeze her milk, things had become easier as well. She could give James a bottle at night, which gave her a break from the soreness. She'd learned to power through it though when she had to. It was for James after all.

It was around 11:30pm when James started stirring for his first nighttime feeding. Faye set down her book, grabbing the bottle next to her that she'd already warmed up. He drank slowly, grasping her shirt as his eyes fluttered shut.

After getting him back down, she scrolled through her messages with Quinn, admiring all the photos she'd sent of James. She swore he looked more and more like Quinn every day. She really couldn't wait to see Quinn again.

~~

3 months

James lay on a blanket on the floor, his tiny fists clutching a bright yellow teething toy, occasionally letting out a giggle as he gnawed at it. His wide blue eyes followed Faye's every movement as she worked through organizing and packing all their belongings.

Her parents, who had come to help, were bustling around the room, thought their conversation had shifted to more serious territory.

"I just don't understand why you have to go so soon," her mom said, folding one of James's blankets and placing it in a box. "You have everything you need here. We're here. Your support system is here."

Faye froze mid-pack, her stomach twisting. She had been dreading this conversation from the moment her parents had arrived, and now that it was happening, she wasn't sure if she could deal with it.

"I've already explained it, Mom," Faye replied. "Quinn wants us to be with him. We've been doing this long-distance thing for three months, and it's hard. He wants to be there for James. In person."

Her father, who had kept quiet until then, cleared his throat. "But you're already doing so well here. You've settled into a routine, and with us around to help, you've got all the support you need."

Faye dropped the stack of board books, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. The exhaustion and the stress of moving hit her all at once, and she felt tears prick her eyes. "I'm not staying in Michigan. Quinn needs to be with his son. And I need to be with Quinn."

Her mom exchanged a glance with her dad. "We're just worried, sweetheart. You've already drained, and moving across the country with a three-month-old isn't easy. If things don't work out..."

"I know it's not easy. None of this has been easy, but staying here won't make it any better. Quinn and I want the best for James--together. He deserves to be a part of his child's life every day, and not just over the phone."

Her parents didn't press the issue further, but their disapproval hung heavy in the air. Faye took a deep breath, blinking away her tears. She crouched down next to James, who was contently chewing on his hand, oblivious to what was happening.

She smiled at him, brushing her fingers through his hair. "We're going to be okay. We have to be."

~~

The flight had been long, and by the time Faye and James landed in Vancouver, she was completely drained. Quinn had met them at the airport, grinning from ear to ear as he scooped up James, pressing kisses all over his tiny face. After months of separation, they were finally together again.

They arrived at Quinn's place in the late afternoon, James asleep in his carseat as Quinn carried him up the stairs. The space was modern and clean--clearly the home of a bachelor who hadn't yet baby-proofed his life. But Faye didn't care. It was their home now.

Quinn set James down in his crib--a new addition to his bedroom--and turned to Faye, pulling her into his arms. She melted into the hug, the weight of the past few months melting away. For the first time in months, she felt herself relax.

"You made it," he whispered into her hair.

"We made it," she corrected, tilting her head to look up at him. "We're here."

Quinn smiled. "How's he doing?"

"He's good. Much more aware now. Lifting his head, grabbing anything within reach. You'll see for yourself tomorrow."

They spent the rest of the day unpacking essentials--diapers, bottles, baby clothes--while James slept, blissfully unaware of the major change to his life. Faye couldn't help but smile as she watched Quinn move around the apartment, organizing toys and blankets in his precise, methodical Quinn-way.

They sat on the couch, exhausted but happy. Faye leaned against Quinn, her hand on his knee as they talked quietly about routines and being a family together.

Quinn reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it. "I'm so glad you're here. I missed both of you so much."

"We missed you too. But we're here now. And we'll figure everything out."

"We will."

~~

It was late, pushing midnight, and the only light on in the apartment was a bedside lamp. James was nursing in Faye's arms while she sat propped up against some pillows. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, her t-shirt stained with milk, eyes half-closed with exhaustion. Quinn lay beside her, his arms lazily draped over his chest, watching them both under the dim light.

As Faye moved James to swap sides, Quinn's voice broke the silence. "You know," he started, a smile tugging at his lips, "It's been exactly a year since that party."

Faye looked at him, blinking in confusion for a moment, clearly not connecting the dots. "What party?"

Quinn chuckled, rolling on his side to face her. "The one where we... created James."

"Ew. Don't say it like that," Faye's face flushed, and she let out a soft groan, rolling her eyes at him. "Oh, God. Don't remind me though."

But Quinn's smile didn't fade. His voice dropped to a quieter, more serious tone. "When I saw you at that party, I never imagined we'd end up here." He gestured toward James. "You, me... our son."

Faye swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of how close they were. She could feel the tension between them, and she shifted slightly under his gaze. "Yeah, I didn't exactly seeing this coming either."

His eyes lingered on her, a quiet admiration in his expression. "But I'm glad it did."

Faye wasn't sure what to say, so instead, she offered a small smile and turned back to James, who had finally finished eating. Quinn didn't push it, but he still watched as Faye burped the baby and set him back in his crib. Neither of them would say it out loud, but they knew something between them had shifted.

They lay there in the dark, side by side, as the tension slowly dissolved into their usual, comfortable vibe. But somewhere far in the back of Faye's mind, she wondered how long they were going to ignore what was clearly growing between them.

~~

4 months

The lake house was Quinn's sanctuary--a place where he could let loose, hang out with Jack, Luke, and their friends, and forget about responsibilities. But this year was different. James was now four months old, and Faye had come along for the annual summer trip, bringing a sense of responsibility Quinn wasn't used to.

The weather was perfect, the sun glistening off the water, and laughter echoed from the dock where Jack, Luke, and their friends--Trevor, Cole, and Alex--were playing around, just like they always had. But Quinn wasn't out there with them, at least not in the way he wanted to be. Instead, he sat on the dock, not on edge but in the middle, as Faye had insisted. He had a wiggly James in his lap and Faye hovered nearby, her eyes flickering nervously between their baby and the group of people gathered at the water.

Faye couldn't shake the anxiety that she felt. The lake was beautiful, but there were so many people. James had never been exposed to that many people. It wasn't that she didn't trust Quinn's friends; she just felt so out of place. The constant noise and joking around so was different than the quiet routine she'd created with James.

Jack and Luke were in love with their nephew, constantly cooing at him, stealing him away for cuddles, or playing peek-a-boo to make him laugh. Even the other guys--especially Trevor--were coming up to Faye, asking to hold him or play with him. And while Faye knew they were just excited to see the baby, her nerves had her constantly on edge, afraid James would be overwhelmed.

As soonas the boys came out of the water, Trevor was bouncing James on his knee. Faye bit her lip, her heart racing as she watched. "Maybe it's time for his nap?" she suggested hesitantly, not trying to sound overly cautious.

Trevor grinned at her. "Nah, he's having fun! Right, little Hughes?"

Quinn, sensing Faye's anxiety, stood up from his spot, taking James from Trevor. "Yeah, maybe he does need a break," he shot Faye a reassuring look. "We'll be back in a bit."

They retreated into the air-conditioned living room. Faye sat on the couch, holding James close as she rocked him gently, still in overprotective mode. Quinn sat beside her, resting his hand on her back.

"You don't have to worry so much," he said softly, eyes flickering to look at his brothers through the window. "They love him. They'd never do anything to hurt him."

Faye sighed, looking down at James, who was eating his hand. "I know... I just... it's hard. I feel like I'm always on high alert."

"Faye, you're doing great. He's fine. He's more than fine. I think he's obsessed with Luke."

Faye nodded. She knew Quinn was right, but being there made her feel even more protective than she normally did. James had started to roll over and lift his head with ease, his giggles filling the house, and even though she loved watching him grow and interact with everyone, she felt like their perfect little bubble was about to pop.

Quinn glanced outside again, a conflicted expression on his face. He wanted to join his brothers, enjoy the lake like he always did, but things were different now. And though he loved James, he couldn't help but feel trapped in his new reality.

~~

The lake was peaceful at night, but inside the house it was anything but. James's cries echoed through the halls. He had been fussy for days, barely able to sleep, a common sign of the dreaded four-month sleep regression. His routine had been completely upended, and Faye had spent countless nights pacing the floor with him, her body bgging for rest.

Faye sat up in bed, bouncing James gently in her arms as he wailed, his fists clenching and unclenching. Her eyes stung with tiredness, and every muscle in her body ached. Quinn, lying beside her, let out a heavy sigh, his patience wearing thin.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," he muttered, running a hand over his face. "I haven't slept in days."

Faye didn't look at him, focusing on calming her baby. "Welcome to my life," she said under her breath, though she didn't mean for it to come out so sharply.

Quinn sat up abruptly. "You're not the only one dealing with this, Faye. I've been trying too."

She looked over her shoulder, her exhaustion fueling her frustration. "You've been trying, Quinn? Really? Because all I've seen is you getting more and more frustrated with every cry. He's a baby--this is what babies do."

"I'm young, Faye. We're young. I wasn't supposed to--" He cut himself off, but the damage was done.

"What are you saying?" she whispered.

Quinn shook his head, clearly regretting his words. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Then what did you mean?" Faye demanded. "Because it sounds like you're saying you don't want to be a dad."

I'm just saying... this isn't what I imagined my life would be like right now. I didn't plan on dealing with this--sleep regressions, constant crying..."

Faye stood up, clutching James tightly to her chest, tears spilling down her cheeks. "If that's how you really feel, then maybe we shouldn't be here." Her voice cracked, but her anger kept her moving. "Maybe we should go."

Quinn's eyes widened, panic flashing across his face. "Faye--wait, I didn't mean--"

But she didn't wait. She grabbed the diaper bag and stormed out of the room, heading down the stairs, her breath coming in shallow, painful gasps. James, still fussy, picked up on his mom's distress, his cries growing louder. Faye rushed to the car, buckling him in and driving away from the lake house, her hands shaking on the wheel.

~~

Hours had passed before Faye returned. By the time she pulled into the driveway, the sun was rising and her anger had changed to a deep sadness. James had finally fallen asleep in the backseat, and Faye was feeling drained and hurt.

Quinn had called her countless times, his messages a mixture of apologies and pleas for her to come back. She hadn't answered any of them, but she knew she couldn't ignore him forever. She spotted Quinn standing on the front porch, his face pale and anxious, as she approached with James and his carrier in hand.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I was stupid, Faye. I didn't mean it. I love James. I love doing this so much. I was just frustrated."

Faye didn't say anything, walking past him and into the house. She carefully laid James down in his crib and turned to face Quinn, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Don't you ever," she began, her voice low and firm, "make me feel like you don't want him. Like you don't want us. If you say anything like that again, Quinn... I won't come back."

He swallowed thickly, nodding. "I know. I'm sorry. I swear I'll never say anything like that ever again."

They stood in silence for a couple minutes, until Faye finally nodded, her shoulders sagging. She didn't fully forgive him, not yet, but she was willing to give him the time to make things right.

~~

The tension from the argument still hung in the air, but things were slowly starting to feel normal again. Quinn spent as much time with James as possible, trying to make up for what he'd said. One afternoon, while Faye watched from the deck, Quinn lay on a blanket in the shade with James. He held him up, making airplane noises as James giggled, his tiny hands reaching out to touch Quinn's face.

"Who's the best little guy?" Quinn cooed, kissing James's cheeks and making him burst into more giggles. His blue eyes sparkled as he pulled his son close, holding him against his chest.

Faye wanted to be mad at Quinn, but it was hard when he looked at James with such love and pride.

Later that day, James was the centre of attention on the dock. Jack and Luke couldn't get enough of their nephew, constantly offering to hold him, while Trevor, Cole, and Alex took turns trying to make him laugh.

Trevor waved the bright toy in front of James's face, his goofy expressions earning a high-pitched squeal. "This kid is gonna be the funniest Hughes yet," Trevor said, grinning up at Faye.

"Look at him," Luke chimed in, leaning over to blow a raspberry on James's belly. "Coolest baby at the lake house."

Eventually Quinn had to take him away for bed, earning groans from all the guys. They all decided to head out to some party they'd heard was happening. When Quinn was done putting down James, he found Faye curled up near the fire pit, a baby monitor resting beside her.

"I know you're still mad," Quinn started. "But I'm really trying here, Faye. I want to be better--for you, for James."

She glanced at him, biting her lip as she considered his words. "I know you are. And I appreciate it. It's just... what you said, it really hurt. I don't want to ever feel like you regret this."

Quinn shook his head, reaching for her hand. She tugged it away and his expression fell. "I don't regret any of it. I was an idiot for saying that shit, Faye. I love James, even if I'm too damn stubborn to admit it sometimes."

She let out a soft sigh. As much as she wanted to be pissed with him, he made it really hard. She finally gave in, squeezing his hand. "I'm not saying I've completely forgiven you. But we're getting there."

"I'll keep trying."

Things weren't perfect by any means, but they were moving in the right direction.

~~

The boat swayed gently, the hum of the motor the only sound on the calm lake. James sat on Faye's lap, his hands grabbing onto the front of his bright yellow life jacket, bringing it up to his mouth to chew on. His wide blue eyes peered out from under the little sun hat Faye had tied on him, his legs kicking in excitement as they cruised over the water.

Quinn sat at the steering wheel, sunglasses perched on his nose. He hadn't said much, just a few comments in his baby voice that always made James laugh. Faye could feel the weight of something unsaid hanging between them. But Quinn just stared out over the water, lost in thought.

Faye glanced at him, then back down to James, brushing her fingers gently over his chubby cheek. "He loves this," she murmured, watching their son bounce with excitement at each tiny wave they hit.

Quinn looked over his shoulder quickly before looking back at the water. "Yeah, he does," he agreed, his voice quieter than normal. There was a pause, a long stretch of silence where Faye wondered if he was going to say something else. And then, finally, he spoke, his tone serious.

"I've been thinking a lot," he stopped the boat, turning to look at James who was still gnawing at his life jacket. "About what I said. About how stupid it was."

Faye kept her eyes on James, unsure of how to respond.

Quinn leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I don't ever want you to feel like I'm not in this--like I don't want to be here. With you. With him." His voice caught, and he cleared his throat. "I've never regretted him, Faye. Not for a second."

She nodded, holding James a little tighter.

"I was angry," he continued. "I'm not used to this, ya know? Not having all the freedom I used to have, especially here with all the guys. It used to be just us, messing around. But I was selfish. I didn't think about what you've been through--how hard it's been for you."

"Quinn..."

He held up a hand, shaking his head. "No, let me finish. I love James... and this family we've created. And I know I haven't said it enough, or made it clear. I'm all in, Faye. I'm sorry I made you think otherwise."

"Like I said... I don't want you to ever say anything like that again," Faye whispered, her voice trembling. "I can't... I can't do this alone. And if you ever make me feel like you don't want us... I'll move back to Michigan."

"I know. I swear to you, Faye. I'll never say anything like that again. I don't want to lose you or James."

James babbled as if he was giving his two cents, making Faye giggle quietly to herself.

"You're gonna have to make it up to both of us," she teased.

Quinn chuckled, the sound full of relief. "I will. Whatever it takes."

~~

5 months

The setting sun filtered through the blinds in the living room where Faye was sat on the floor with James. He was fussy, gnawing on a teething ring while she bounced him on her lap, her anxiety mounting as the minutes ticked by.

"We don't have to go if you're not ready," Quinn said gently, coming up behind her as he placed a hand on her shoulder. He was dressed in a nice button-up and some jeans, his hair neatly styled for the first time in weeks. "It's fine if you're too nervous."

Faye bit her lip, glancing down at James, who let out a whine as he chewed on the ring. "I've never left him alone, Quinn," she whispered, her voice strained. "He's teething. What if something happens? What if--"

"He'll be fine," Quinn assured her, crouching down and taking James's hand in his. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't trust her. Emily's got two kids, and she offered. They'll take care of him like he's their own."

Faye knew Emily was trustworthy--one of the other team moms, she's been nothing but friendly and supportive since Faye'd moved to Vancouver. But leaving James with anyone, especially a non-family member, felt overwhelming.

"What if he just cries the whole time? What if he doesn't sleep? What if--"

Quinn placed a hand on her cheek, tilting her head toward him. "Faye, he'll be okay. We'll only be gone a few hours. We deserve this."

She felt like she was going to puke, but she could see the excitement in Quinn's eyes. She had to admit, the idea of a real date, just the two of them, was tempting. After months of sleepless nights, teething struggles, and never-ending routines, she needed a break. And she could tell Quinn did too.

"Okay," she swallowed her fear. "But if anything happens--anything--we're coming right back."

He smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Deal."

~~

Faye thought her heart was going to burst out of her chest when they stepped inside Emily's house, her arms instinctively tightening around James. Emily greeted them warmly, her two kids--ages 6 and 8--rushing over to peek at the baby.

"He's so cute!" one of them exclaimed.

"Yeah, he's... he's a good baby. Just a little fussy because of his teeth."

Emily waved her hand, completely unfazed. "Oh, don't worry about that. We've got teethers, and the kids loving having babies around. We'll take good care of him, I promise."

After a few minutes of reassurances and very reluctant goodbyes, Quinn gently coaxed Faye out the door. She glanced back several times, but Emily's smile never wavered.

"He'll be okay," Quinn said again as they walked to the car.

Faye nodded, though she couldn't shake her nerves. She couldn't believe she was doing this.

~~

The restaurant was intimate and elegant, the soft lighting and quiet music setting a romantic tone that felt miles away from their hectic lives as parents. Faye felt almost out of place in her dress, her hair done up for the first time in months.

Quinn smiled at her as they sat down, his eyes warm and full of affection. "You look beautiful."

Faye blushed. "Thanks. It's weird being here without him, though."

"I know," he reached across the table to take her hand. "But it's nice, too, isn't it? Just us."

Faye nodded. She hadn't realized how much she missed this--missed him. The constant demands of being new parents had consumed so much of their lives, she hadn't had the time or space to really focus on Quinn. But sitting there, seeing him all dressed up, she couldn't deny the attraction she felt.

They talked about everything as they ate--James, their future, how far they'd come in the last few months. Quinn made her laugh, telling her stories about his teammates and teasing her about how nervous she was leaving James with a babysitter.

She giggled, feeling a lightness she hadn't experienced in forever. "Okay. Maybe I was a... little over the top."

"You're a great mom, Faye. You worry because you care. But you're also allowed to relax."

She glanced down at her plate, her heart thumping as she realized something. She was falling for him. The thought hit her with a sudden, startling clarity. She never expected to feel like this about him when they first met. But there she was, realizing how much he really meant to her.

When they finally arrived back at Emily's house, Faye's nerves were back. She was thinking about everything that could've gone wrong while she was gone. But as soon as they stepped inside, her fears melted away.

James was fast asleep in Emily's arms, his face peaceful.

"He did great," Emily smiled. "Cried a little at first, but he calmed down after a bit. He's a sweetheart. Definitely has his dad's personality."

"Thank you," Faye sighed.

Quinn wrapped an arm around her, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "See? He's fine."

"Yeah, he is."

As they headed home, Faye couldn't help but steal glances at Quinn. Maybe it was more than just co-parenting.

~~

Faye stirred awake, surprised to hear the sounds of James cooing and giggling down the hallway. She blinked, her brain still foggy, then sat up, noticing the empty spot next to her in bed. Usually, James would be fussing by now and Quinn would still be asleep.

She padded into the living room, stopping at the doorway to take in the scene in front of her. Quinn was sitting on the floor, legs stretched out, holding James upright on his lap. James was all smiles, his fists wrapped around Quinn's fingers as Quinn bounced him gently.

"Look at you, buddy," Quinn murmured, his tone filled with pride. "You're getting so big. Almost ready to crawl, huh?"

James giggled, kicking excitedly. Quinn laughed too, his face lighting up in a way that Faye had never seen before. She stood there, quietly, watching, not wanting to interrupt.

A bottle sat on the coffee table, and it was clear Quinn had already fed James without waking her. Watching Quinn like that, so at ease with their son, was almost overwhelming.

"I didn't want to wake you," Quinn said softly, glancing up at her as if he'd sensed her presence. "Figured you could use the extra sleep."

"Looks like you've got things under control," she teased lightly, sitting beside them on the floor.

"Yeah, we've got our routine down, right, little man?"

James babbled happily, reaching up to grab Quinn's hair, and they both laughed. Faye leaned over, resting her head on Quinn's shoulder. "You're getting really good at this, you know."

"I've got a pretty great teacher."

~~

6 months

The sound of tiny wheels squeaking against the hardwood floor echoed through the apartment as James, nestled comfortably in his new sit-in walker, zoomed across the living room. He giggled as he kicked his legs, propelling himself toward the couch where Faye sat, laughing at her son's new found mobility. His chubby hand gripped the clip of his pacifier, his face lighting up every time he managed to turn himself in a new direction.

"Look at him go!" Quinn grinned, standing by the kitchen counter, watching James navigate his way through the room. "He's unstoppable."

James's mouth formed a toothless smile as he bumped into the couch, his feet scrambling to turn himself around. Faye leaned down, helping him redirect his little walker, her heart swelling as she watched him scoot away again, this time heading for the kitchen.

Quinn met him halfway, stopping the walker with his foot. "You coming to help Dada cook, buddy?" He leaned forward, kissing James's cheek and pulling a silly face, earning more giggles from his son.

There was something so beautifully simple about it--the three of them, together, in their cozy apartment. Quinn had become so at ease in his role as a dad, effortlessly balancing his time between the rink and home. The domesticity of it all was something Faye never imagined she would have with Quinn, but it felt so natural, so right.

"Think we should put up a speed limit sign in here?" Faye teased, raising an eyebrow as James headed towards the coffee table.

"Yeah, or maybe some baby traffic cones," Quinn laughed, grabbing James before he could knock into anything else.

James squirmed in his dad's arms, still eager to explore every inch of the apartment. Quinn kissed the top of his head, setting him down to continue his adventure. It was moments like that--watching Quinn and James together--that made Faye realize just how much her life had changed. And for the first time, in a long time, she wasn't scared of it.

~~

Faye stood at the counter, carefully spooning a bit of soft rice cereal into a tiny bowl, her hands moving with nervous precision. James was sat in his high chair for the first time, his legs swinging beneath the tray, eyes wide as he watched his mom's every move. Today was a big day--his first taste of real food.

"He's going to love it," Quinn said from beside her, grabbing his phone off the counter. "I bet he's ready to dive right in."

They had done the research, talked to the pediatrician, and Quinn had been more than eager to introduce James to baby-led weaning. But now that it was actually happening, Faye felt a little uncertain. "What if he doesn't like it? Or what if he chokes?" she asked, glancing at Quinn.

"He won't choke. We've got this, and we'll go slow. He's going to have so much fun with this."

With a deep breath, Faye walked over to James, placing the small bowl in front of him. His little hands immediately reached for the spoon in his mom's hands, eager to grab whatever was in reach. Quinn knelt down, phone camera in hand, ready to capture every moment for their families.

"Here we go, bubba," Faye whispered as she scooped up a bit of the rice cereal and offered it to him.

James tried to grab the spoon again, but instead of trying to put it in his mouth, he smeared it on his hand. "Well... that's one way to start."

Quinn laughed, "Looks like we've got a future artist on our hands."

They spent the next few minutes encouraging James, offering him small tastes of the cereal, though most of it ended up on his face, hands, and the high chair. Every bite was like a new experience of James, who made loud smacking sounds and grunts as he demanded more food.

Later that evening, they tried mashed sweet potatoes. Quinn held a spoonful out to James, who immediately leaned towards it, though most of it fell out of his mouth. But this time, Faye saw his face light up as he tasted it. He definitely liked it more than the cereal. "You like that, don't you?"

James responded with a happy, gurgling sound, orange puree smeared across his lips.

"That's my boy," Quinn said. "Eating like a champ."

Faye exchanged a look with him, grinning as he wiped a stray bit of sweet potato from James's nose. There was a growing closeness that neither of them had fully admitted, but both were beginning to feel.

~~

It was late, around 9, and the only sound in the apartment was the hum of the dishwasher. James had gone down easily after a long day of excitement, and Faye was curled up on the couch with a book while Quinn finished tidying up the kitchen. His eyes kept drifting over to her, the soft curve of her smile as she flipped through the pages of her novel.

He felt it then--like a weight settling on his chest. He was in love with her. Really, truly in love.

It wasn't just that he admired how good of a mother she was, or that they had built this life around James. It was the way she made their chaotic life feel... complete. The way she laughed, the way she challenged him, the way she looked at James like he was her entire world. Somewhere between the late-night feedings, baby giggles, and stolen moments of quiet, Quinn had fallen for her.

He wanted to say something, but every time he tried, the words caught in his throat. Was he supposed to? Was this the right time? He sighed, feeling the uncertainty. With a quick glance to make sure Faye was still absorbed in her book, Quinn slipped into the bedroom and dialed Jack's number.

"Hey, man, what's up?" Jack's voice was loud despite it being midnight where he was.

"I need your help," Quinn blurted out, his voice quiet. "It's about Faye."

There was a pause on the other end. "Wait--what kind of help? Are you in trouble?"

"No, no. Not like that." Quinn ran a hand through his hair, pacing the length of the room. "I think I'm in love with her, Jack. I know I'm in love with her. But I don't know how to tell her. Or if I even should."

"Whoa. Okay, first of all, that's awesome. But also, are you sure? Like... love, love?"

Quinn nodded, though Jack couldn't see him. "Yeah, man. I've never felt like this about anyone. Not even close. It's just... I don't wanna screw things up with her. Especially with James in the picture."

"Look, if you know you're in love with her, then you've gotta be honest. Don't hold it in until it's too late. She probably feels the same way, but even if she doesn't, you'll regret not telling her. You've already built something with her. Just be real."

"You're right. I don't know why I'm so nervous about this."

"Because it's real," Jack replied. "You care, that's why."

Quinn felt a sense of clarity wash over him. He didn't have all the answers, but he knew what he had to do. "Thanks, Jack. I'll figure it out."

He was in love with Faye, and somehow, that felt both terrifying and perfect all at once.

~~

7 months

James was babbling, rolling around on the floor with a bright green baby spoon in hand. The window was cracked slightly, letting in the crisp September breeze. Faye watched James from her desk, her laptop open to a half-finished essay for one of her online classes. Juggling motherhood and trying to finish her degree had been hard, but she was finally starting to find a rhythm, learning how to balance everything with a bit more confidence.

James on the verge of crawling--he could prop himself up on all fours, rocking back and forth, but hadn't quite figured out how to move forward yet. Every time he did it, Faye would hold her breath, wondering if today would be the day. So far, though, he seemed content to sit back down and continue his rolling, chewing on toys as he went.

In the kitchen, Quinn was prepping breakfast--he had been squeezing in family time whenever he could, especially with preseaon training and media appearances taking up most of his days. Hockey season was fast approaching, and as much as he loved being at home with Faye and James, Quinn could feel the pressure building. His days were getting busier, and he hated missing moments with James, especially with how fast he was growing.

"I swear, he's gonna start crawling the second you leave for practice," Faye called over her shoulder, eyeing James as he rocked again. "He's getting closer every day."

Quinn chuckled as he set down two plates on the table. "Of course. But knowing him, he'll wait for the exact moment we're not looking."

James babbled in agreement, kicking his feet as if to emphasize his point. Both Quinn and Faye turned to look at him, laughing as he rolled onto his back and gave them a big, gummy smile.

~~

Later that afternoon, after Quinn had left for practice, Faye sat on the floor, carefully spooning mashed carrots into James's mouth. He scrunched up his face at the unfamiliar taste, but after a few moments, he opened his mouth again, curious.

"Good job, baby," Faye cooed. James was eating more and more baby food, slowly transitioning away from breastfeeding--a shift that made Faye feel a bittersweet mix of emotions. Her plan had always been to stop breastfeeding around the 8-month mark, and with that deadline creeping closer, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought of letting go of such a large part of their routine.

At the same time, though, she knew it was the right decision. James was growing, becoming more independent every day. She was proud of him, proud of how far they had come together, even if letting go of that last bit of babyhood felt daunting.

As James player with his spoon, Faye leaned back against the couch, glancing at her laptop on the coffee table. She was doing well with the school balance, using James's naptimes and the quiet moments after he went down for naps. It was hard work, but she liked the structure.

But even as she focused on her future, her mind drifted to Quinn. Over the past few months, she had really noticed the shift in how she felt about him. It was something deeper than co-parenting. Something that made her stomach flutter when he smiled at her, or when they got into bed after a long day.

She wasn't exactly sure when it happened, but she knew her feelings for him had changed. It was no longer just about James or being parents. It was about Quinn. She had fallen for him.

But for now, she kept it to herself, not ready to admit it. Not to Quinn, not even to herself really. There was too much at stake. And the last thing she wanted was to complicate the family dynamic they had created.

By the time Quinn got home, James was already in bed, his tiny snores filling the baby monitor on the coffee table. Faye was on the couch, scrolling through class notes while some medical drama played on the TV.

"You're up late," Quinn said, dropping his gym bag by the door.

"Just finishing up some homework. How was practice?" she smiled tiredly.

"Exhausting," he sighed, their legs brushing as he sat next to her. "I missed James, though. He almost crawl yet?"

"Not today. But you might want to cancel all your plans for tomorrow. I think he's planning something big."

Quinn chuckled, but Faye could hear the exhaustion in his voice. She turned to look at him, sweaty and tired, but still there for her and James.

"You're doing great," she said softly. "I know things are getting busy, but you're still here. You're still with us."

"Thanks, Faye."

~~

8 months

Faye moved through the kitchen, preparing a bottle for James, while Quinn sat on the floor in the living room, watching their son as he crawled around, exploring every nook and cranny he could find. James was fast, his hands and knees carrying him across the floor with a newfound determination. Quinn couldn't take his eyes off him--each moment with James a reminder of how quickly his baby boy was growing up.

"You're fast, huh?" Quinn called out, grinning as James crawled back toward him, babbling away. "What're you trying to say, Baby Hughes?"

James stopped right in front of him, rocking back on his knees. His big blue eyes focused intently on his dad, and he raised his arms as if he was about to say something important. For a second, there was nothing but silence, and then...

"Dada."

Quinn's heart stopped.

He blinked, staring at James in shock, unsure if he'd really just heard what he thought he had. "Did... did you just say 'dada'?" Quinn whispered.

James giggled. "Dada!"

Quinn scooped him up into his arms, laughing with pure joy. "That's right, buddy! I'm Dada!" He pressed kisses to the top of James's head in disbelief.

Faye rushed into the room, a questioning look on her face. "What's going on?"

"He said it," Quinn beamed. "He said 'dada.'"

Faye's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes widening as she knelt down beside them. "He did?! Oh my God, he said it?!"

James, delighted by all the attention, clapped his hands together, clearly pleased with himself. Faye leaned in, pressing kisses to his cheeks. It was just them, their family, in their own perfect little moment.

~~

Faye stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the Canucks jersery she had put on James. The jersey was loose around him, but the back said it all--"Daddy" with Quinn's number 43 beneath it. It was a custom jersey that Quinn had ordered months ago, waiting for the perfect moment for James to wear it. And tonight was that night.

She knelt down, fitting James with his oversized baby headphones. The large, puffy protectors looked comically big on his head, but he didn't seem to mind them. His eyes were wide as she strapped him into the baby carrier, ready for his very first hockey game.

Faye was nervous. It was her first time sitting in the WAG section. She'd met some of them casually, but this was different. She stepping into a world as more than just the mother of Quinn's child.

The women greeted her warmly. A few of them fawning over James, who was peeking out from his carrier, taking in all the sights. "Oh my God! He's adorable!" one of them gushed, lightly touching his jersey. "And that jersey! So cute!"

Faye smiled, pulling him from his seat. "Yeah, Quinn had it made. First game day."

"You guys must be so excited," another chimed in. "You and Quinn must be like so happy right now."

"Oh, we're not... sorry, we are. We're so happy to have James here. Quinn is like the best to co-parent with."

There was a brief pause before the women exchanged surprised glances. "Really? I... wow, I just... the way he talks about you and James, it seemed like..."

Faye felt her cheeks flush, why had she said anything. "It's fine. We're not together... just working together to parent James."

~~

As the game started, James's head bobbed back and forth, his eyes tracking all the things happening around him. Faye held him close, watching the game unfold below as the Canucks took the lead in the first period. She was surprised that the bright lights and noise weren't bothering James--he seemed enthralled if anything.

When Quinn skated onto the ice, Faye felt her heart swell with pride. She glanced down at James, who was happily chewing on his fist beneath his massive headphones. "There's Dada," she whispered, her lips brushing the top of his head. "Look at him go!"

At the end of the first, Quinn looked up towards the family suite, offering a small wave even though he couldn't quite make them out from so far. Faye waved back, but decided it was time to head out. James was starting to fuss and she didn't want to push him too hard. As they left the arena, Faye shot Quinn a text, telling him how proud they both were and how much James adored his first hockey game.

It would be the first of many.

~~

James had officially entered the phase where everything within reach ended up in his mouth. From his toys to Quinn's dress shoes, nothing was safe from his curious hands. Faye and Quinn had been busy, crawling around the apartment on their hands and knees, checking for potential hazards and baby-proofing every corner. The cabinets were locked, electrical outlets covered, and sharp edges padded.

James, however, seemed unfazed by their efforts, determined to chew on anything that came his way.

"Looks like he's after your hockey stick," Faye teased, watching as James, equipped with a teething toy, crawled toward Quinn's gear bag by the door.

Quinn swooped in, scooping James up and giving him a playful toss in the air. "Nice try, buddy, but you're not getting your hands on that just yet."

James squealed his delight. He was becoming more independent in his play, spending longer stretches rolling around with his toys, but there was something about playing with Quinn that always brought out his loudest laughs. Quinn loved it too. Whenever he had a break from the rink, Faye could find them building block towers, playing peek-a-boo, or engaging in a game of chase around the baby-proofed living room.

That evening, after a long day of chasing James around the apartment, Faye had finally gotten him down for the night. She stood in the living room, picking up James's toys scattered around, lost in thought. It had become part of her nightly routine--cleaning up the remnants of their busy days, reflecting on how much had changed.

Quinn emerged from their bedroom, lingering by the doorway for a moment as he watched Faye tidy up. She didn't notice him right away, too focused on straightening up the apartment.

"Faye," he said softly, his voice cutting through the silence.

She jumped slightly, startled by his sudden presence. "Hey. I thought you went to bed."

He moved toward her with a seriousness in his eyes she hadn't seen in a long time. "I've been thinking about something for a while... and I don't want to keep it to myself anymore."

"What is it?"

Quinn took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair like he always did when he was stressed. "I'm in love with you," his voice was raw, vulnerable. "I know I've probably been in love with you for a while now, but I couldn't admit it--to myself or to you. But I can't keep pretending. I'm in love with you, Faye."

Faye froze, the words hanging in their air around them. She wasn't sure what to say. She had felt it too--the growing connection between them, the way her heart raced when he was around, the way he made her feel safe. But hearing him say it out loud, took her completely by surprise.

"Quinn..." she whispered. "I... I love you too."

The words had been spoken. There was no turning back.

Quinn's face softened and he stepped closer, gently cupping her face in his hands. Their eyes met, and the world around them seemed to fade. Slowly, he leaned in, and Faye closed the gap, their lips meeting in soft, meaningful kiss.

It wasn't rushed or uncertain. It was tender, full of all the things they had never said before. When they finally pulled apart, Faye looked up at him, love in her eyes.

"I've been wanting to say that for so long," he whispered, leaning his forehead agaisnt hers.

"Me too."

Everything felt right... more than right. It felt like the start of something new, something real, something they both knew had been there all along.

~~

9 months

James was full of energy, pulling himself up to stand using the edge of the couch, his legs wobbly as he gripped the fabric. Faye stood nearby, ready to catch him if he lost his balance, but James's focus was elsewhere. He had become fascinated by music, especially when James and Faye sang to him. He loved it so much that he would start bouncing to the rhythm, his knees bending as he held onto the couch for support. Just as he was doing now, dancing to the music Faye had playing through the TV.

"Look at you, little dancer," she laughed, watching him bounce up and down, his face lighting up. His giggles joined the music, bounching with the melody.

Quinn, who had just come home from practice, leaned against the doorframe. "He's gonna be a musician at this rate," he joked, walking over to join them. Jame's eyes darted to his dad, his smile widening as he continued to dance.

"Dada! Dada!" he squealed.

As much as Faye and Quinn wanted to believe he knew what he was saying, the pediatrician had told them that James had yet to associate the word with Quinn. It was just the only word he could say, so he said it ALL the time.

Quinn bent down, pressing a kiss to the top of James's head. "That's right. I'm Dada."

~~

Faye placed a spoonful of mashed sweet potatoes onto the tray of James's high chair tray. His hands reached for the food, eager to explore the new texture. He picked up a "handful" and brought it to his mouth, smearing most of it across his face but managing to get some in his mouth. He eyes lit up, and he made a delighted sound, flapping his arms as if to sign for his approval.

"He loves it!" Faye smiled, wiping his cheeks with a warm washcloth.

"Well, we can add that to his list of favourites." Quinn leaned forward, placing a bit of steamed broccoli on the tray next. "Let's see how he feels about this."

James picked it up, his expression puzzled before he shoved it in his mouth. He made a face, spitting most of it out, but then grabbed another piece, curious enough to try it again. Quinn and Faye laughed at his determination to eat the broccoli that he didn't even seem to like.

~~

As soon as James was "realeased" from his high chair, he crawled over to his stuffed rabbit. The toy had been gifted to him by Ellen and Jim when he was born. It had become his biggest comfort, going with him everything, especially when he was upset. Lately, he had become particularly attached to it, making "grabby hands" whenever he couldn't reach it.

"Where's your lovey?" Faye asked as James crawled toward the couch, reaching for the bunny. She handed it to him, watching as he clutched it to his chest, giving it a big hug. "There you go, bubba. All better."

Quinn, too, had noticed this new attachment, and without telling Faye, he had already ordered a second rabbit online. He didn't want to risk a meltdown if something ever happened to the original.

As they got ready for bed, a knock came at the door. It was a neighbour who was asking to see if they'd been having the same issue she was in their apartment. The moment she left, James who had been watching from the floor, waved his hand enthusiastically, repeating his new favourite trick.

"Are you saying 'bye-bye?'" Faye laughed. "You're such a smart boy."

~~

Faye stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her dress for the tenth time. It had been months since she'd properly gone out. And now that she wasn't breastfeeding, the thought of drinks with the WAGs was tempting. But still, the nagging worry about leaving James tugged at her.

"You look amazing," Quinn said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You should go. It'll be good for you."

Faye met his eyes in the mirror, chewing on her bottom lip. "What if he needs me? I feel like he always knows when I'm leaving."

As if on cue, James, who had happily been playing on the floor, caught sight of her near the front door and immediately starting screeching, his arms outstretched in protest.

Faye groaned, turning to Quinn. "See?"

Quinn picked him up, bouncing him lightly in his arms. "I've got him. Go out, have fun. He's with me, and we'll be fine."

She hesitated, but the promise of a night with the girls, free from mom duties, was far too tempting. "Okay," she agreed, grabbing her purse. "But if anything happens--"

"I'll call you. Now go," he interrupted, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

~~

It felt liberating to be out in the world again, without a diaper bag or baby wipes, just her and the girls.

"You made it!" one of the girls exclaimed, pulling her into a hug. "We were starting to think you'd never leave that adorable baby behind!"

Faye laughed, taking a sip of the cocktail someone had ordered for her. "I almost didn't. He screeched the second he saw me heading for the door."

"That's what they do," another girl said knowingly. "They always make you feel guilty, but trust me, Quinn's got this. He's great with James."

"Yeah, he really is the best."

A few of the girls exchanged knowing looks before one of them grinned, leaning in closer. "So, does that mean you two are, like, official now?"

Faye bit her lip, unable to hide the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Actually... yeah. We're official. Quinn's my boyfriend."

The table erupted into cheers, the girls hugging Faye and bombarding her with questions. They had all assumed for months that something was happening between Faye and Quinn, but hearing it confirmed had sent them into hysterics.

"You two are so cute together!"

"I knew it! He's like so in love with you!"

Faye blushed as the table toasted to her and Quinn. It felt good--really, really good--to finally say it out loud. Quinn was hers, and she was his.

~~

When Faye got home, all the lights were off. She kicked off her heels, tiptoeing into the living room, and the sight made her heart melt. There, on the couch, were Quinn and James--both sound asleep. James was sprawled on Quinn's chest, his tiny fist clutching the fabric of Quinn's shirts, his lovey on the floor next to them.

Faye pulled out her phone and snapped a quick picture, smiling as she set it as her new phone background, replacing the picture of her and a newborn James in the hospital.

Careful not to wake Quinn too suddenly, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hey, we've gotta get him in his crib."

Quinn stirred, blinking groggily as he looked down at James. "Oh, right," he mumbled, carefully lifting their son into his arms.

Faye followed him into the office they had made into James's bedroom, the two of them working together to get him into bed. As they stood over the crib, watching James settle into sleep, Faye whispered, "I can't believe that we could create something so incredible."

Quinn wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "Yeah, we did. I can't believe it either."

After moving across the hall to their room, Quinn spoke up again. "I missed you tonight."

"I missed you too. The girls were happy for us."

"Yeah?"

"They all assumed we were together already," Faye whispered, her breath catching as Quinn leaned in.

"Well, they're right now," his lips brushed hers.

"I love you."

"I love you too"

~~

The house was quiet when Faye, Quinn, and James made their way downstairs on Christmas morning. The lights on the tree reflecting off the ornaments and setting the scene perfectly. Faye's parents were already in the living room, waiting with coffee in hand, their smiles warm but reserved. Faye hated the tension that was still there. Even though they had been kind and welcoming since their arrival, Faye knew deep down, that her parents hadn't fully come to terms with the path her life had taken.

Her father looked up from his tablet, offering a smile when he saw James. "Good morning, little buddy," his expression softening for his grandson.

Faye took a deep breath, adjusting her grip on James as she sat next to Quinn on the other sofa. They were trying to show her parents that things were working, that Quinn was a good day and an even better partner. But her parents' unspoken disapproval of the fact that Quinn had, in their eyes, "ruined" their' daughter's future was still there.

As Quinn moved James to his lap, helping him unwrap one of his gifts, Faye noticed her mom watching them with a furrowed brow. "He's getting so big."

Faye nodded, leaning over to pull a piece of wrapped paper from James's mouth. "He's growing fast."

"We've been trying to get him used to solid foods," Quinn chimed in, telling her parents about their grandson's latest milestone. "He's still not sure about broccoli, though."

Her parents chuckled slightly, but it felt forced. Quinn was trying so hard to prove himself, and she was just desperate for her parents to see what she saw--that he was a loving, attentive father and boyfriend.

And as the morning went on, the mood lightened. James, giggling and crawling around the room with his new toys, brought a warmth to everyone. Faye watched as her dad bent down to play with James, and for the first time that morning, she saw genuine joy in her father's eyes.

"Look at that," her mom whispered to her. "He's a little explorer, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is. Everyone always says he takes after Quinn."

"Well... isn't that something."

~~

By early afternoon, the family of three had moved on to the Hughes household. Jack and Luke met them at the door, their faces lighting up when they saw James bundled up in his little snowsuit.

"There he is!" Jack called out, basically snatching the baby from Quinn as soon as they were inside. "Merry Christmas, Baby Hughes!"

James squealed in response, grabbing at Jack's hair in excitement. "Dada! Dada!"

"I'm not your Dada, silly," Jack laughed, tossing James into the air much to his delight.

Faye felt an ease that she hadn't felt at her own home. There was no unspoken judgement or grudges. Everyone was happy to be together. To spend their Christmas with people they loved.

"Look at him, all bundled! He's like a Quinn clone, huh?" Ellen said, pulling Faye into a hug, before turning to Quinn. "You two look happy."

"We are."

James spent the afternoon crawling around, pulling himself up on furniture, determined to keep up with his two favourite family members, Jack and Luke. Faye couldn't help but smile as Luke helped him stand, his hands steadying his nephew as he bounced up and down, giggling.

"Babababa!" James exclaimed, earning a nod from Luke.

"I couldn't agree more, James. You're so right."

"What're you two talking about?" Quinn asked, patting his youngest brother on the back.

"He was just telling me that he has the best dad ever."

"He really does," Faye agreed, scrunching her face as Quinn pressed a kiss to her nose.

"I love you," Quinn mouthed, pulling Faye onto his lap.

"I love you more," she whispered back.

"Impossible."

~~

10 months

James babbled as he carefully pilied the colourful rings of his stacking toy on top of each other, only to knock them over and start again, squealing at the result.

"Getting pretty good at that," Quinn nodded, shooting a look to a half-awake Faye standing by the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, he loves those things," she said with a tired smile. James had become increasinly attached to her, to the point that she could barely move without him following close behind, ready to cry.

Faye took a deep breath, trying to mask her weariness. "He's such a mama's boy," she added with a chuckle, though it was clear the constant attention was getting to her. James's separation anxiety was growing stronger each day.

"He'll outgrow it," Quinn said softly. "It's a phase but I know it's hard."

"I can't even go to the bathroom without him losing his mind. I love that he's attached, but... I'm exhausted, Quinn. I feel like I can't get anything done around here."

James, as if sensing he wasn't the centre of attention, looked up from his toys and spotted Faye standing by the counter. His face scrunched up and he let out a loud wail, crocodile tears already streaming, he crawled to her as fast as he could.

She sighed, setting down her coffee and scooping up James, his cries softening the second he had a handful of her shirt. He clung to her like Velcro, his head resting on her shoulder.

"There we go, buddy," she whispered, kissing the top of his head. "Mama's here."

~~

James had been extra clingy, refusing to play unlesss Faye was sitting next to him, but he seeemed content for now, crawling around with his Lovey.

Quinn sat on the floor, his legs stretched out as James crawled back and forth between him and Faye, occasionally stopping to blow kisses, something he'd recently mastered. He loved blowing kisses to anyone who would watch, his hand slapping against his mouth before sending the kiss off with a giggle.

"He's obsessed with you too," Faye laughed as James babbled to Quinn, still clutching his Lovey.

"He's obsessed with you more."

Suddenly, James crawled to the edge of the couch, pulling himself up. He stood there for a moment, wobbling slightly but steadying himself by holding onto the cushions. Faye and Quinn watched quietly, not wanting to break his concentration.

And then, in a moment that seemed to go in slow motion, James let go of the couch.

He stood there, swaying for a second, and then took one tiny step. Then another.

"Quinn, look!" Faye gasped, swatting at her boyfriend's leg. "He's walking!"

"James, bud, you're doing it!"

James took one more shaky step before falling onto his butt in a fit of giggles. Faye and Quinn burst into cheers, clapping for his first real steps.

Faye picked him up, smothering him in kisses as he babbled "mama. dada," between his giggles. He didn't know why they were so excited, but he was eating up the attention. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered.

"Growing up so fast."

"Too fast."

~~

11 months

James toddled across the living room, his legs carrying him to his toy kitchen with a newfound confidence. He reached for a plastic pot, stirring it with a spoon, before grabbing a plastic carrot. Wobbling back over to Faye, who was seated on the couch with a cup of coffee, he proudly held it up for her to see.

"Mama, mo!" James said, grinning as he pushed the plastic carrot toward her, expecting her to "eat" it.

Faye laughed, leaning down to take a bite. "Mmm, delicious, bub!" James giggled, returning to his kitchen to give Lovey a taste as well.

"Looks like someone's been busy," Quinn crouched down next to James. "What're we cooking today, Chef Hughes?"

James held up the carrot again. "Dada! Mo?"

"More? Alright, I'll take some more," Quinn also took a pretend bite of the carrot.

James, seemingly satisfied with his parents' reactions, continued to "cook." Throwing things into the small pot that surely didn't go together. Some plastic spaghetti mixed with some plastic ice cream. He was experimenting with flavours, that was for sure.

The only downside of his confidence in walking was that it was even harder for Faye to escape him. His separation anxiety hadn't eased at all, it had gotten worse. He would cry if she dared to leave the room. Whether she was folding laundry, cooking dinner, or trying to take a shower, he was there waddling after her.

"I was thinking about taking James for a walk. You can take a bath, get ready for date night if you're still up for it."

"That sounds perfect. And I'm not missing date night for the world. God knows we need it."

~~

Faye sat across from Quinn, sipping on some expensive wine he'd ordered for them. The conversation between them was flowly easily--telling stories from their university years, discussing James and how big he was getting, simply enjoying each other's company.

"I love when it's just us. Don't get me wrong, James is the best thing to ever happen to me, but... we never got to experience the regular dating stage."

Quinn smiled, "Me too. I like having a moment alone with you that isn't us getting ready to sleep."

Faye had fallen in love with Quinn slowly, over time, but moments like that made her realize how much their love had grown. He wasn't just the father of her child--he was everything.

As the night went on, they moved from the restaurant to a quiet bar. Quinn leaned in closer, his hand resting on her thigh, his voice dropping. "You're so beautiful."

"Thanks, Q. You're not too bad yourself."

His gaze shifted, his fingers brushing lightly over her exposed skin. "Let's get out of here."

~~

12 months

The living room was decorated with soft blue and white balloons, streamers hanging from the ceiling, and a large banner that read Happy 1st Birthday, James! The coffee table held a neatly wrapped pile of gifts, and at the centre of the kitchen room table was James's smash cake--covered in light blue frosting with tiny white stars piped along the edges.

Faye was adjusting some last-minute details while Quinn brought James over to the guests. They had kept the party small, just a few of Quinn's teammates, their partners, and some of their kids. It was the perfect way to celebrate without overwhelming James with too many new people.

"Look at him," Quinn said, pride shining in his eyes as James toddled over to Brock with his Lovey in hand, showing it off to his dad's friends. "He's so big already."

"He really is," Faye replied. Watching James reach his first birthday felt surreal--it was hard to believe how much he'd grown over the past year, how he'd gone from a newborn to this curious, adventurous little boy.

James was in his element, giggling and chasing after some of the older kids, his legs carrying him as fast as they could. He had only recently starting running--well, running as much as he could--and even though he tumbled over constantly, he was always ready to bounce back up, laughing each time like it was all part of the fun.

"He's tough," Elias commented with a grin as they watched James take a small fall before pushing himself back to his feet, his face lighting up as he ran toward Quinn. "Guess that runs in the family."

Quinn chuckled, reaching down to pick him up. "Yeah, he's a little warrior."

~~

When it was time for the cake, everyone gathered around, singing as Faye placed the cake in front of the birthday boy. His eyes widened at the sight of the blue frosting, and without hesitation, he plunged both hands into the cake, squishing it between his fingers before bringing a handful to his mouth.

The room erupted into laughter as James smeared the frosting across his cheeks and nose. He squealed happily, clapping his sticky hands together, making a mess as Faye and Quinn watched on proudly.

"He's having the time of his life," Faye laughed, snapping pictures of the moment while Quinn wiped a bit of frosting from James's dark curls.

"Not sure he's ever been this happy," Quinn added as he watched their son enjoy his first taste of birthday cake.

James, now fully engrossed in smashing the cake to pieces, occasionally grabbed a piece and offered it to Quinn and Faye, babbling happily as if inviting them to join him. Faye pretended to take a bite, saying "mmm" as she wiped more frosting from his hair.

Once he was all clean, James got to open his presents. They were mostly clothes but his favourite was a toy truck gifted by Brock. He wanted it out of the packaging as soon as he tore paper off, pointing at it and chanting "dada."

He was quick to run around the room with it, putting all his toys in the back of it, then dumping them out in a pile and starting again. Faye couldn't believe how confident he'd become around people he knew. He'd grown so much in 12 months.

"Can you believe he's already one?" Quinn asked, pulling Faye into his side.

"No... it feels like just yesterday we brough him home from the hospital."

"We've got a pretty amazing little boy, don't we?"

"We really do."

~~

Faye stood in the bathroom, brushing her teeth and winding down for the night. But there was a nagging feeling in her brain, one that she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried. Something felt off. But she couldn't quite place it. The only other time she'd felt like that before was...

Was she pregnant?

She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but the thought was ever present. It felt impossible--she and Quinn hadn't even discussed having more kids yet. They were still trying to perfect their balance with James, and now that he'd just turned one, the idea of another baby was very overwhelming.

She dug through one of the drawers under the sink, trying to find the tests they'd bought just in case. Her hands were trembling as she unwrapped it. The wait felt like hours, though it was maybe four minutes, and when she finally glanced at the test, her heart sank.

+

She felt like she was right back where she'd been two years ago, staring at a positive test and trying to process the reality of an unplanned pregnancy. They hadn't talked about this. They hadn't planned for this. They were careful now. They used condoms every time they slept together.

She sat on the edge of the bathtub, her hands shaking. The piece of plastic fell to the floor with a clack. James was just now walking, they had just celebrated his first birthday, and the chaos of parenting had already left her feeling stretched thin. How were they supposed to manage two kids under two?

She felt the same emotions as the first time. The fear, the anxiety, and the excitement. But mostly, she was stressed. What would Quinn think? How would he react? They hadn't talked about having another baby, and she wasn't sure he was ready for this news.

For now, she'd keep it to herself. To process it, to figure how she felt before bringing Quinn into it. But maybe just like James... this was another unexpected gift in her life.

~~

Faye and Quinn were getting ready for bed, the room softly lit by their bedside lamps. Faye was standing by their dresser, brushing her hair, her mind still trying to catch up with everything that had happened so far in March. James turning one, the party, finding out she was pregnant... what a whirlwind.

She gave Quinn some side-eye. He was being unusually quiet, his movements slow as he changed into his boxers. He had been fidgety all day, like something was weighing on him, and Faye couldn't help but wonder if he sensed her unease. She was still trying to figure out how to tell him, in fact, she was still working on processing it herself.

"Everything okay?"

Quinn looked over at her, taking a deep breath, clearly nervous. "Yeah," his voice was quieter than usual. "There's just... something I've been wanting to ask you."

Faye scrunched up her face in confusion as he walked over to his nightstand and pulled something from the drawer. Her heart skipped a beat when he saw the small velvet box in his hand, and suddenly, all her other thoughts melted away.

He took a shaky breath, standing in front of her, his fingers fidgeting with the box. "I know it's early," he began, "and maybe it's not the perfect moment, but... this family is everything to me. You and James--you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I don't want to wait any longer."

He opened the box, revealing a dainty, beautiful ring. "I love you, Faye. I love our life together, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

For a moment, Faye couldn't speak, the weight of his words hitting her like a truck. "Yes," she whispered, clearing her throat. "Of course, yes."

Quinn slipped the ring onto her finger before pulling her into a hug. It wasn't flashy or over-the-top, it was just them, in the quiet of their room, with the life they'd created. And it was perfect.

~~

13 months

James had three words in his arsenal now: "mama," "dada," and his favourite "doggy." Anytime Faye or Quinn took him on a walk, he would eagerly point at every dog they passed, his little finger stretched out, shouting "doggy!" with a wide grin. He was utterly obsessed.

Faye loved how seriously he took his dog-spotting duties, pointing at each dog with the same amount of energy, as though it was the first time he'd ever seen one. He was so curious about the world around him and it brought Faye so much joy.

"Doggy!" James shouted, shoving his plush golden retriever in his mom's face.

"Yeah, that's your doggy."

He had also mastered the art of drinking from a cup--or at least, he was trying to. Every meal came with the thrill of watching James tip his little plastic cup back, usually spilling half the water on himself before getting a successful sip. But he was determined, even if the messes were endless. Strong-willed just like his dad.

But nothing got James as excited as he was when he saw Quinn on the TV. Anytime a game was on and Quinn's face appeared, James would point excitedly, bouncing in place. "Dada! Dada!" he shouted, over and over again, as if the more he said it, the closer Quinn would be to hearing it.

Faye sat beside him, giggling at how easily James recognized his dad, even through the screen. She leaned over, kissing his cheek. "You love watching Dada, don't you?"

"Dada!"

"Can you say 'go Dada'?"

"O Dada!"

"Good job! Go Dada!"

~~

Quinn was sat on the edge of the bed, scrolling through his phone. Faye had spent days going over how to tell him about the pregnancy. The positive test had been hidden away in her underwear drawer, as if that would keep it from being real.

He had been her rock since James was born, and now that they were officially engaged, she knew he'd be there for her. But this pregnancy wasn't planned again, and the shock of it had her feeling vulnerable, just like she had when she found out about James.

"Quinn, there's something I need to talk to you about."

Quinn looked up as soon as he heard the seriousness in her voice. He put his phone down, his face covered in concern. "What's wrong?"

Instinctively she placed a hand on her stomach, "I... I'm pregnant."

The air between them seemed to still. Quinn's eyes were wide, and he was opening and closing his mouth like a fish, attempting to process what she was saying.

"You're... pregnant?" he repeated, his voice full of disbelief but not in a bad way--more of a he was trying to catch up kind of way.

"I know it's a shock. We didn't plan this, and I've been so scared to tell you because we haven't even talked about having another baby yet. I just... I don't know how we're going to handle this. I'm terrified."

Quinn stood frozen for another few seconds before he wrapped her into a bear hug, rocking them back and forth. "Faye... this is amazing."

"You're not upset?" she pulled away, looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"Upset? No. I'm not upset. I'm... I'm shocked, yeah. But I'm excited. We've made this beautiful little family together, and now we're adding to it. How could I bet upset about that?"

Faye's fear slowly dissipated as Quinn's words sank in. "I was so scared to tell you," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I didn't want you to feel like we weren't ready."

Quinn cupped her cheeks in his hands, his thumbs brushing away tears as they fell. "Faye, we're going to be okay. I know it wasn't planned, but that doesn't change how much I love you or how excited I am to add to our family. And this time, you won't go through it alone. I'll be here for everything. Every doctor's appointment, every late night--everything."

"I love you," she whispered, unsure of how to put her thoughts into words.

"I love you too. We're going to be okay, Faye. We've got this."

Faye knew that the pregnancy was going to be a challenge, but she'd have Quinn by her side this time. And that made it feel slightly less terrifying.

Quinn pulled her closer, resting his chin on top of her head. "Our little family is growing... and I couldn't be happier."

"Who knew all of this could come from a college party."