#so I’m not going to let her emotions about it spill over onto me

[whentherewerebicycles]

ok I napped three times, walked twice, read a lot, called my mom, and wrote a couple thank you notes. not bad! hands are bothering me a lot but taking a break from reading will help. heading to dinner with liz & family now then I’ll swing by the grocery store on the way home. meals this week:

sweet corn pasta

roasted veggie bowl with tahini sauce

linguine with roasted broccoli & ricotta

[oceantornadoo]

protective ex-husband!simon, implied violence/break-in

“i know! and that’s when i told her-“ you paused, your hand halfway to the keys at the bottom of your purse. your apartment door was open, a menacing sliver of darkness awaiting you. “hey, i’m going to have to call you back.” you ended the call with your friend, slowly backing away from your door. shit. you knew you locked the door when you left for work, and no one else had a copy of your key. a creeping sensation came over you, like someone was watching from within. slowly, you retreated, taking the elevator down to your apartment’s lobby as the anxiety crawled through your body. you wracked your brain, wondering if you should call the police. wondering if they would even believe you. there was only one call to make.

“come on, pick up.” you tapped your foot impatiently as your ex husband took forever to answer the phone. it was all you could do to not think about your home being violated, about a potential stalker or date gone wrong.

“‘ello?”

“si- simon, it’s me.”

“i know, lovie. that’s why i picked up.” you let out a quiet sob of relief at his voice, the bottle on your emotions starting to leak.

“what’s wrong?” his voice changed, immediately hearing your silent tears. he could always read you too well. “i don’t want to bother you but” you hiccupped. shit. “but my apartment door was open and i’m pretty sure i closed it, i usually do. i don’t know if im being silly but now im in the lobby and im just scared, simon.” there was a fumbling sound, the echoes of simon zipping up his jacket and pulling on his shoes.

“go to that cafe across the street, dove. go get yourself one of those overpriced hot chocolates. i’ll be there in 15.”

9 minutes later, your shaking hands were tapping random patterns on the cafe table, unable to raise your drink to your mouth without spilling it. your eyes were locked onto the wood grain, counting lines to distract yourself.

suddenly, a gloved hand covered yours. you looked up and there he was, your ghost in all his glory. you forgot everything for a second, forgot the past arguments and the strained silences, and flung yourself into his arms. you breathed in his comforting scent of pinewood that masked his cigarettes, a cologne you got him four years ago for christmas. your face was wet, and as he pulled you back to check you for injuries, his thumb brushed a stray tear away from your face. you didn’t even realize you were crying.

“‘s okay, baby. i’m here now. give me your keys.” you fumbled for your keys, purse strap sliding off your shoulder as your hands shook too much to keep it balanced. simon caught it gracefully, finding your keys in the same pocket you always kept them. “stay here. i’ll be back.” you nodded instinctively. only when you saw his figure retreat to your apartment building, clothed in all black like a figure of death, you realized you hadn’t told him your new apartment number.

twenty minutes passed. simon’s presence had worked like medicine as your heart rate has now dropped back down to normal, your hands stable enough to finish your drink. any other person would be worried for simon’s safety, but you knew the only person you should be concerned for was your intruder.

“you’re stayin’ with me tonight.” he was back, looking exactly the same. he wasn’t even winded. “thank you simon, but don’t be ridiculous. i can get a hotel. you live so far from my work anyways.” he approached you, crowding into your space as he leaned over you, even with a cafe table in between. “consider it payment then.” he tilted your chin up with his left hand as he hid his other one, covered with blood, in his pocket. “one way or another, you’re in my bed tonight, dove.” you gulped at that. “and i’ve got riley in the car. you wouldn’t abandon him, would you?” of course he had gotten your cat when he checked out your apartment. riley hated men, but never simon. cheeky bastard.

“you win.”

fast forward a couple of hours and you were getting ready for bed at simon’s, belly full from the meal he had made you. riley made himself at home on the living room couch, of course. “he’s in my spot.” you gestured to your cat on the couch. “wha’ d’ya mean?” your husband simon was now in sweats and sweats only, clean from the shower he had after you both got home back to his place. you pretended not to see him methodically wash blood out of his fingernails, reasoning quite easily with yourself that it was for a good cause.

“my couch for tonight.” simon moved toward you and you avoided his eyes, trying not to stare at how beautiful he still was. muscular but thick, torso adorned with scars you used to trace on sunday mornings when you both stayed in bed until the afternoon. he gripped your chin, forcing you to make eye contact. “told’ya you were in my bed tonight, dovie.” you swallowed and he watched your throat move, memories of you swallowing something else countless times rising to the surface.

“don’t be silly, simon. that would cross a line.”

“what line?” his arms were crossed now, drawing your attention to an unfamiliar tattoo right above his heart. a small dove.

“we’re not together anymore, simon.”

“you’re still my wife.”

silence. he was always like this, pushing you until you broke. he was unwilling to compromise, even on the smallest of issues. usually you’d fight him, spit fire until you lost your voice. tonight though, you were reminded of how he was the only person you were able to call, the only one committing dark sins without asking, all for your safety. instead, you threw your hands up and walked into his bedroom, mechanically stripping as you put on one of his shirts and a pair of boxers. you felt his eyes on you, burning a hole through the fabric. you were tired, so tired of this push and pull.

“what.” you whipped around, all venom. his eyes were impossibly soft, holding yours with a peaceful caress. “you’re as beautiful as the day i lost you.” your fire went out at that. “you’re just trying to get me naked.” you mumbled, looking down as you fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. you watched as his body came into view, pressing your forehead against his bare skin.

“could see you in a thousand layers and you’d still be the most beautiful person i’ve ever seen, dove.” ever so slowly, your hands crept up his body to grab his shoulders and neck. he picked you up with ease, turning the lights off and tucking you both in bed. “when did you get the tattoo?” you asked in the dark.

“3 months and 12 days ago.” what would have been your 3rd year of marriage, your anniversary. you lowered your head and gave him a kiss right where the tattoo was. “can we talk about it in the morning?” you snuggled into him, that familiar scent calming you once again. “always, dove.” he kissed your forehead, smiling in the dark.

----

idk why im obsessed with the break-in and simon to the rescue trope but its fueling me lately

[amirasainz]

Can you do one where leclerc sister is competing at the Monaco Tennis tournament and a lot of drivers are there rooting for her. And Charles is being like, that's my baby sister right there

Enjoy reading and send some requests!!!

-xoxo babygirl ♥️

The Court is Yours

The sun gleamed brightly over the Monte Carlo Country Club, its golden rays bouncing off the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean in the distance. The air was abuzz with excitement as the Monaco Tennis Open reached its semi-final stage. Among the competitors was the youngest sensation to ever grace the court, 17-year-old Yn, a prodigy whose name was whispered with awe by tennis enthusiasts and commentators alike.

In the VIP section sat her brothers, Charles, Arthur, and Lorenzo, joined by several Formula 1 drivers who had decided to attend, curious about Yn’s much-talked-about talent. Charles leaned forward in his seat, visibly tense, while Arthur alternated between yelling encouragement and nervously chewing on his nails. Lorenzo, ever the composed eldest, watched with a proud smile, though his fingers drummed restlessly on his knee.

“I can’t believe she’s only 17 and playing at this level,” Pierre said, shaking his head in amazement.

“She’s been playing since she was a kid,” Charles replied, his tone a mix of pride and protectiveness. “It’s all she’s ever wanted.”

“And she’s a Leclerc,” Carlos added with a grin, nudging Charles. “Winning runs in your family, doesn’t it?”

Charles chuckled but kept his eyes glued to the court. “I’d like to think so.”

As the match began, Yn stepped onto the court with her signature grace and determination. Her opponent, a seasoned 25-year-old player, was known for her aggressive playstyle, but Yn didn’t look the least bit intimidated. She adjusted the brim of her ponytail, gripping her racket with confidence.

“Let’s go, Yn!” Arthur shouted, earning amused looks from the other drivers.

“Arthur, you’re going to embarrass her,” Lorenzo chided, though he too couldn’t help but clap enthusiastically.

“She can’t even hear me,” Arthur argued.

Yn glanced at the stands briefly and smiled. She had seen her brothers and the group of familiar F1 faces earlier, and their support meant the world to her. But now, she needed to focus.

---

The match was intense. Yn’s precision and agility were on full display as she returned every volley with breathtaking speed and accuracy. Her opponent pushed her hard, but Yn didn’t falter. She played each point with the kind of passion and skill that had gotten her this far.

“Did you see that drop shot?!” Lando exclaimed, nearly spilling his drink.

“I think she’s better at tennis than we are at racing,” Pierre joked, earning a glare from Charles.

“Shut up and watch,” Charles muttered, leaning forward, his eyes wide with pride as Yn won another crucial point.

In the third and final set, Yn and her opponent were neck and neck. The crowd was on edge, each rally more electrifying than the last. Arthur could barely sit still, bouncing in his seat. “She’s got this,” he muttered like a mantra.

When Yn finally smashed the winning shot past her opponent, the crowd erupted into applause. Yn dropped her racket and sank to her knees, overwhelmed by the moment. Her brothers were the first to leap to their feet, cheering louder than anyone else.

“THAT’S MY SISTER!” Charles shouted, fists pumping in the air.

“She did it!” Lorenzo yelled, his voice hoarse with excitement.

---

After the trophy ceremony, Yn made her way to the players’ lounge, where her brothers and the F1 drivers were waiting. The moment she entered, Charles pulled her into a tight hug, lifting her off the ground.

“I’m so proud of you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

“Charles, you’re crushing me,” Yn laughed, though she hugged him back just as tightly.

Arthur was next, practically tackling her. “You were amazing! Did you see me cheering? I think the whole stadium heard me!”

“I did,” Yn teased, ruffling his hair. “You’re impossible to miss.”

Lorenzo stepped forward, his eyes glistening with pride. “You were incredible out there. Watching you play… it was like watching art in motion.”

“Thanks, Enzo,” Yn said softly, hugging him.

The F1 drivers crowded around her, offering congratulations.

“You made that look easy,” Pierre said, shaking his head.

“Easy? Did you see how hard she worked for every point?” Carlos countered, patting Yn on the back.

“Seriously though,” Lando chimed in, “we’re all fans now. Can we get signed tennis balls or something?”

Yn laughed. “Maybe. But only if you guys promise to keep cheering for me.”

“Deal,” they chorused.

---

Later, her brothers took her to a nearby café to celebrate privately. They insisted she order anything she wanted, despite her protests.

“Stop arguing,” Charles said, handing the waiter the menu. “Today is about you.”

“And tomorrow, we’re going shopping,” Arthur added. “You deserve to be spoiled.”

“I already feel spoiled,” Yn said, looking at them with a warm smile. “You guys being here means everything.”

Charles reached across the table, squeezing her hand. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

As the evening went on, the siblings reminisced about Yn’s journey, from playing with makeshift rackets as a child to winning at the Monaco Open. They laughed, teased, and celebrated her victory, the bond between them stronger than ever.

Yn went to bed that night with her trophy by her side, her heart full of love and gratitude. She had won more than a championship—she had her family and friends cheering her on every step of the way. And that, to her, was the greatest victory of all.

[megameatymatt]

TW !! can you do matt comforting reader after her panic attack ? 🎀

Overwhelmed - Matt Sturniolo

TW!: fighting, crying, swearing, panic attack, angst, fluff

A/N: feedback and requests are appreciated!

You walk into your apartment, kicking off your shoes and plopping onto your bed, tears forming in your eyes. You pick up your phone to call Matt, no answer. You try again, no answer. This usually wouldn't have bothered you, but you and Matt had planned this night together days prior. The both of you have been so busy and stressed you haven’t had time to see each other. You were on the verge of tears the entire day. The only thing that got you through it was knowing you would get to curl up in Matt’s arms. He made you feel safe

You try texting him, asking when he's gonna be here

*read at 10:35pm*

You feel your heartache. “Is he mad?”, “Maybe he’s just busy”, “what did I do?” You start to overthink, thoughts filling up to the brink of your mind.

 You didn't want to let this bother you, maybe he's filming. You stumble onto your feet and into the bathroom. You look in the mirror, and puffy red eyes stare back at you. You let out a deep sigh before soaking in a hot bath and then putting on your pyjamas. As you walk into your living room, you hear a familiar knock at the door. Your eyes light up and you rush over to unlock it. “Matt!” you squeal, leaping into his arms. 

He smiles looking down at you, You lift your head off his chest to look at him “Why the fuck did you leave me on read?” you say faking an angry tone. “I was busy,” he says, brushing past you to take off his shoes. You furrow your eyebrows and walk into the kitchen locking the door behind you.

“You didn’t bring any snacks? You always bring snacks on movie night...” you tell him, a little disappointed “ God, Y/N. When did you become such a big fucking baby? Always whining about everything” His words spill out his mouth laced with anger.

 It feels like you’ve been stabbed in your stomach. The last thing you needed today was someone yelling at you, and out of everyone, it had to be the person you loved the most.

“I'm sorry Matt, I-” you start trembling, your vision blurry “Now you’re fucking crying, oh my gosh Y/N. Grow the fuck up, not everything's gonna go- ” He stops.

he watches you grip the counter, hands shaking, tears streaming down your face. He immediately walks over to you, getting you to sit on the floor as he holds you in his arms. 

You can’t even explain what’s happening. Your head is spinning, you can barely breathe, and your hands are shaky and sweaty. You're so overwhelmed by all the emotion you're feeling, you're convinced you're gonna pass out. Then you hear Matt’s voice. “Hey baby, look at me, listen to me” Somehow, your eyes manage to find his. 

This has happened before but never this bad, this was new.  “Breathe for me. In and out, slowly okay?” He breathes in and out with you, holding your hand the entire time. You take many shaky breaths letting out a sob between each one, before slowly calming down. You look away from him, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Hey, are you okay baby? You alright now?” He says running his fingers through your hair as you lay in his lap. “I'm fine Matt,” you say, letting go of his hand. He quickly takes your hand back, holding it tighter. 

“I’m so fucking sorry Y/N. I didn’t mean any of it, you know that. I would never say that to you I'm such a fucking idiot.” You stare at him, his eyes glistening. “You didn’t deserve that, I've just been so stressed and tired lately. But I know you’ve been hurting too. I shouldn’t have let my emotions get a hold of me like that.” He’s crying now, tears staining his cheeks. “I love you Y/N, I hope you know that”. You smile, moving the hair from his face. “I love you too Matt. I'm sorry for stressing you out like that, it was wrong”He kisses your forehead before lifting you up and dropping you on the couch, peppering your face with more kisses. You squeal with joy and he laughs before sitting beside you and taking out his phone. “Pick a movie, I'll order some pizza,” he says, handing you the TV remote. You take it and snuggle up next to him. “I'm still mad about the snacks”  He rolls his eyes and laughs. You feel warmth grow in your cheeks, your head no longer pounding. You're not stressed, angry, or overwhelmed with Matt by your side.

[ms-snape]

Prejudices (young!remus lupin x slytherin! reader)

request: not a request, request are OPENED

Summary: Remus is in a relationship with a slytherin and his friends are... NOT happy about it

Warning: Angst, argument between lovers, argument between friends...

Wors Count: 2776

Masterlist

---

The soft light of the setting sun filtered through the ancient trees of the Forbidden Forest, casting long shadows on the ground. Remus Lupin stood at the edge of the forest, his heart pounding against his ribcage like a caged bird desperate to escape. He glanced over his shoulder, scanning the clearing for any sign of his friends. He could hear their laughter in the distance, a familiar sound that filled him with both warmth and dread.

“Hey,” a soft voice broke through his thoughts, and he turned to see Y/N approaching, her long Slytherin robes billowing around her. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her green eyes sparkled with mischief. “You’re not going to run off again, are you?”

“No,” he said, a smile creeping onto his face. “I just… I was thinking.”

“About what?” she asked, stepping closer. The air between them was charged, electric, filled with unspoken words and the weight of their secret.

“About us,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

She tilted her head, a playful smirk on her lips. “You mean our relationship that’s destined to cause chaos?”

He chuckled softly, but the laughter died in his throat. “You know how it is. I told them about us, but I can't introduce you to them. They’d never understand.”

Y/N crossed her arms, the playful glint in her eyes replaced with something darker. “And why is that, Remus? Because I’m a Slytherin? Because your friends hate my House?”

“It’s not just that,” he replied, running a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “They wouldn’t see past the House rivalry. I don’t want to lose you, but I can’t risk losing them either.”

A flicker of disappointment crossed her face. “So, you’re choosing them over me?”

“No!” He stepped forward, his voice rising slightly. “I’m trying to protect what we have. It’s complicated.”

She scoffed, shaking her head. “Complicated? Or just cowardly?”

“Y/N, please,” he pleaded, his heart racing. “I just need time.”

She took a step back, her expression hardening. “You know what? Maybe we don’t need time. Maybe we just need to face the truth.”

Before he could respond, she turned on her heel and walked away, her robes swishing in the fading light. Remus watched her go, his chest tight with an emotion he couldn’t quite place.

The next day, Remus found himself in the Gryffindor common room, surrounded by his friends. James, Sirius, and Peter were engaged in a game of Exploding Snap, their laughter echoing off the stone walls. But Remus couldn’t concentrate. His thoughts were consumed by YN, by the conversation they’d had, and the rift that was growing between them.

“Oi, Moony! You’re awfully quiet,” Sirius said, glancing up from the game. “What’s up? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Just tired,” Remus said, forcing a smile. He picked at his sleeve, avoiding their eyes.

James raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “You’ve been off for weeks now. Is it because of that girl Slytherin again?”

Remus’s heart dropped. He had been careful to avoid mentioning Y/N, but it seemed James had picked up on his distracted demeanor. “No, it’s not—”

“Because if it is,” Sirius interrupted, leaning forward, “I’m telling you, Moony, you can do better than a Slytherin. Those snakes will stab you in the back the moment you let your guard down.”

“Yeah, man,” Peter chimed in. “You know they’re all about ambition and power. It’s in their blood.”

Remus clenched his fists, tension coiling in his gut. “You don’t know her, okay? Y/N isn’t like that.”

James’s expression darkened. “Then why are you hiding her? If she’s so great, why not introduce her to us?”

“Because it’s complicated!” Remus snapped, the words spilling out before he could stop them. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try us,” Sirius challenged, his jaw set. “We’re your friends, Remus. We care about you.”

“Do you care about me, or do you care about your stupid prejudices?” Remus shot back, his voice rising. The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

“Moony, we just want what’s best for you,” James said, his tone softer now, but still firm. “Slytherins are dangerous. You know that.”

“Dangerous?” Remus echoed incredulously. “Or just different? Y/N is not dangerous. She’s smart, funny, and she cares about me. Why can’t you see that?”

Sirius’s face hardened. “Because we know how this ends, Remus. You think you can make it work, but she’ll end up breaking your heart. They always do.”

“I can’t believe you guys,” Remus said, shaking his head in disbelief. “You’re acting like you own me. I’m not a bloody puppet!”

“Then stop acting like a fool!” Sirius shot back, standing up now, his hands clenched at his sides. “You can’t just ignore the truth because it doesn’t fit your little fantasy!”

“Guys, calm down…” Peter stuttered, glancing nervously between them.

But Remus was beyond reason. He felt the weight of betrayal crashing down on him. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I am a fool for thinking you would support me.”

He turned away, storming out of the common room and into the maze of corridors that led to the dungeons. His heart raced as he navigated the familiar path, each step echoing the turmoil within him.

Y/N was waiting for him by the entrance to the Slytherin common room, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. The moment she spotted him, the tension in her posture visibly relaxed. “You came,” she said, relief flooding her voice.

“Yeah,” he replied, his voice heavy with unspoken words. “But it’s not good news.”

Her expression shifted, concern flickering in her eyes. “What happened?”

“James and Sirius are idiots,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “They… they still don’t approve.”

“Of course not,” she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. “They’re Gryffindors, and I’m a Slytherin. What did you expect?”

“I thought maybe they’d be okay with it,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But they’re not. They think I’m making a mistake.”

“Are you?” she challenged, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“No! I’m just trying to figure out how to make this work without losing you or them,” he exclaimed, exasperation rising in his chest.

“Maybe you should have thought about that before getting involved with a Slytherin,” she shot back, hurt flashing across her face. “It’s not like I forced you into this, Remus.”

“I never said that!” he argued, frustration spilling over. “I care about you, but they’re my friends—”

“Your friends who don’t care about you! They only care about their stupid prejudices!” YN snapped, her voice rising. “You’re so afraid of losing them that you can’t even stand up for what you want!”

“Maybe I’m just trying to be realistic!” he shouted, the words echoing off the stone walls around them. “You think this is easy for me? Hiding who I care about just because they might not accept you?”

“Then stop hiding!” she yelled, tears welling in her eyes. “You say you care about me, but it feels like you care more about their opinions than about our relationship!”

“I’m trying to protect us!” he exclaimed, his heart racing with anxiety.

“Protect us?” she said incredulously, stepping back as if struck. “You mean protect your friendship with people who don’t even see me as a person! They see me as a stereotype!”

“Y/N, please…” he said, his voice cracking.

“No! You can’t keep playing both sides!” she cried, her voice trembling. “Either you stand by me, or you let me go.”

“Y/N, don’t say that,” he begged, desperation creeping into his voice. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“Then you need to make a choice, Remus,” she said, her expression resolute. “Because I won’t be your secret anymore. I deserve better than that.”

With that, she turned and disappeared into the darkness of the corridor, leaving Remus standing alone, the weight of his choices crashing down on him like a tidal wave.

Days passed, and the rift between Remus and Y/N deepened. The halls of Hogwarts felt emptier without her presence, and every time he saw James and Sirius, the anger bubbled to the surface again. They had no idea how much he was hurting, how much he missed her laughter and her teasing smiles.

“Moony, you’ve got to get over this,” James urged one evening as they both sat in the Great Hall. “There are plenty of girls in our House.”

Remus shot him a glare. “I don’t want anyone else. I want Y/N.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” James asked, leaning back in his seat. “Just tell her you’re done with the secrecy. Bring her here, introduce her.”

Remus slammed his hands on the table, the sound echoing through the hall. “You don’t get it. It’s not that simple!”

“Why not?” James insisted. “If you really care about her, you’ll find a way.”

Remus stared at them, feeling the weight of their expectations pressing down on him. “You want me to choose between you and her.”

“We want you to be honest with us,I'm sure that's what Pads and Wormtail want as well ” James said quietly. “We want to understand.”

“I’m trying,Prongs” Remus said, his voice breaking. “But it’s hard when I feel like I’m fighting everyone I care about.”

“Then make a choice,” James said softly. “You can’t keep living in the middle. Either you stand up for what you want or you let it go.”

Remus looked down at his plate, the reality of James' words sinking in. It was time to make a decision, to confront the truth of his feelings and his loyalties. He knew what he had to do, even if it meant risking everything he had.

Outside, the crisp evening air hit him like a slap. He walked aimlessly, his thoughts a chaotic whirlwind. Memories of YN flooded his mind—the way her laughter would light up a room, the way she challenged him and made him feel alive. He missed her so much it was like a physical ache in his chest.

Just as he rounded a corner, he spotted YN standing by the lake, her figure silhouetted against the moonlight. His breath caught in his throat as he took a step toward her, but she turned away, her posture tense.

“Y/N,” he called softly.

She didn’t respond, staring out over the water, her expression inscrutable.

“Please, can we talk?” he asked, his heart pounding.

After a long silence, she finally turned to face him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “What’s there to talk about, Remus? You’ve made your choice clear.”

“I haven’t made any choice,” he replied, stepping closer. “I don’t want to lose you. I’ve been trying to find a way to make this work, but my friends… they don’t understand.”

“Maybe they’re right,” she said, her voice breaking. “Maybe it’s just too complicated for us.”

“No,” he said fiercely, shaking his head. “We can make it work. I want to fight for us.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” she replied, her voice laced with pain. “You’re not the one who has to deal with the fallout of being with a Gryffindor. You don’t know what it feels like to be judged every single day.”

“I know what it feels like to be judged,” he said, desperation creeping into his voice. “I’m a werewolf, YN. I’ve felt that sting my whole life.”

She looked at him, her eyes wide. “But you have friends who support you. I don’t have that. Not now, not ever.”

“You could have me,” he said, stepping closer, his heart pounding. “I want to be with you, but I need you to believe that.”

“Believe what?” she asked, her voice trembling. “That you’ll stand up to your friends for me? That you’ll choose me over them?”

“Yes!” he exclaimed, the words pouring out of him. “I choose you. I choose us.”

“Then why don’t you prove it?” she challenged, her gaze unwavering. “Stop hiding me. Bring me to your friends, face them together. Show me you really mean it.”

Remus’s heart raced at the thought. He had been so afraid of the consequences, of the judgment, but now he saw clearly. YN was worth it. “Okay,” he said, determination filling him. “I’ll do it. I’ll bring you to them.”

A flicker of hope crossed her face, but it was quickly replaced by uncertainty. “And if they don’t accept me?”

“Then we’ll deal with it together,” he vowed, his voice steady. “I won’t let them dictate our happiness.”

She stepped closer, her eyes searching his. “You really mean that?”

“Yes,” he said, reaching for her hand. “I won’t let fear keep us apart anymore.”

YN hesitated for a moment, then took his hand, their fingers intertwining. “Okay, but if they make a scene…”

“They won’t,” he promised, squeezing her hand gently. “I’ll make sure of it.”

With a small smile breaking through her tears, YN nodded. “Then let’s do this.”

The next evening, Remus gathered his courage and headed to the Gryffindor common room with YN by his side. His heart raced as they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady, her gaze scrutinizing them both.

“Password?” she asked, her voice dripping with skepticism.

“caput draconis,” Remus replied, his throat dry.

The portrait swung open, and they stepped inside. The warmth of the room enveloped them, but the laughter and chatter stilled as everyone turned to stare. James, Sirius, and Peter sat at a table in the corner, their expressions shifting from surprise to confusion.

“Moony?” Sirius said, rising to his feet. “What’s going on?”

Remus took a deep breath, feeling YN’s hand squeeze his for reassurance. “I want you all to meet someone,” he said, his voice steady. “This is YN. She’s… she’s my girlfriend. I told you about her”

The silence that followed was deafening. Sirius’s expression hardened, and Peter’s eyes widened with shock. James looked between them, a sligh smile on his face.

“You can’t be serious,” Sirius finally said, disbelief etched on his face. “You brought a slytherin into our commun room?”

“Yes,” Remus said, feeling a surge of defiance. “And I care about her.”

“You know she’s not like us, right?” Sirius pressed, crossing his arms. “She’s a Slytherin.”

“Last time I checked, love doesn’t have a House,” Remus shot back, his heart racing. “She’s a person, just like you and I.”

Peter stepped forward, trying to mediate. “Look, Moony, we just want to protect you. You know how Slytherins can be.”

“Right, because all Slytherins are the same,” Y/N interjected, her voice sharp. “You don’t know me. You don’t know anything about who I am.”

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but Remus held up a hand. “Let her speak.”

Y/N took a step forward, her confidence shining through. “I’m not here to cause troubles. I care about Remus just like you three, and I’m willing to prove that to you. But I need you to give me a chance.”

“Prove it how?” Sirius asked, skepticism still etched on his face.

“By showing you that I’m not a stereotype,” she replied, her voice steady. “I want to get to know you all, but I can't do it if you’re going to judge me before you know me.”

James looked at Remus, searching his face for a sign of uncertainty. But Remus felt only determination. “She’s right. If you want me to be happy, you have to accept the person I care about.”

The tension in the room was palpable, and for a moment, it felt like everything hung in the balance. Finally, James sighed, running a hand through his hair and adjusting his glasses. “Okay,” he said slowly. “Let’s give her a chance.”

Sirius shot him a look of disbelief. “James, are you serious?”

“Yeah, I am,” James replied, his tone firm. “If Remus cares about her, then we owe it to him and to her to see what she’s really like.”

Remus felt a wave of relief wash over him. “Thank you,” he said, glancing at YN, who looked equally surprised.

“But,” James added, raising a finger, “you better not pull any Slytherin tricks on us, or I swear…”

“I won’t,” YN promised, her voice steady. “I just want to be treated like everyone else.”

“Just don’t expect us to let you win at Exploding Snap,” Sirius added with a smirk.

The tension in the room began to dissipate as the other Gryffindors resumed their conversations, albeit with curious glances at YN. Slowly, she began to relax, and Remus couldn’t help but smile at the small victories.

[hxney-lemcn]

Late Night Chaos — Daisuke x gn! reader

summery: continuing to struggle with coming to terms, reader seeks solace in Anya, trying and failing to confess, until they finally couldn't avoid it any longer.

tw: reader is bad at feelings.

a/n: this has become a series...

wc: 2k

Master List

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine

In response to your newfound feelings, you decided to do what you do best. Ignore it. Ignore the fluttering of your heart when Daisuke looked towards you after a joke, like he wanted to make you laugh specifically. Or the quiet moments, sitting side by side at night, you didn’t miss the way he would stare at you instead of the fake sky, making your insomnia problem worse. Or how he had become more touchy, how had you not noticed it before? They way he’d brush the back of his hand against yours when walking side by side, or how he’d bump shoulders with you more often than not, or the brief hugs he’d give you if you looked particularly down. 

It was eating at you, but you’d be damned if you were gonna say anything. You can’t remember a time you felt this strongly about someone. Sure, you’ve had passing crushes and found people attractive, but those all passed. But this? You were stuck, hurtling through space, with someone you not only found attractive, but were also falling for. You felt like you were going to tear your hair out. This wasn’t good for your health. It felt like you were going crazy. Not to mention the constant urge to just get all your aggression out by squeezing the living daylights out of Daisuke. 

It seemed you weren’t hiding your deteriorating mental state well. Finishing your daily tasks for Anya, she seemed to have noticed the tired look in your eyes…or maybe the eye bags, those might have been a dead give-away. 

“Have you been sleeping alright?” Anya asked, eyes holding concern. 

“As good as it’ll get,” You shrugged, deflecting the question. 

“If there’s something on your mind you can always talk to me,” She remarked. “It may be my job, but I also care about you.” That made you pause, biting your lip and you mulled over your options. Either keep your feelings to yourself and go nuts or talk to the only other person you feel comfortable with…

Sitting down, you kept your gaze on your lap, fiddling with your fingers, “I’ve…uh. I’ve come to a sudden realization.” 

“And what might that be?” Anya asked softly, watching your anxious movements with a trained eye. Your fidgeting grew worse, now messing with the sleeves of your uniform. If you said it outloud that would make it real, and that was what was holding you back. All these new emotions scared you, and for all you knew Daisuke only thought of you as a friend. The uncertainties of the whole situation made you want to grasp onto any semblance of control you held, and that was holding onto your emotions, keeping them in check and acting like you didn’t want to kiss the living daylights out of one of your crewmates. 

“I think I’m going crazy.”

It's not what you wanted to say, but the truth felt too heavy on your tongue, unable to push the words past your lips. Avoiding her gaze, you looked at the board behind her, eyes landing on a drawing of Jimmy with the word yimpy. Glaring at the image, you wondered why traces of Daisuke seemed to follow you no matter where you went. 

“Hmm,” Anya hummed, tapping her pen against the desk. “Why?”

“I…I,” You tried so hard to say it, to get the damn fuzzy yet heavy feelings off your chest, but your mouth wouldn’t let you. Thankfully, Anya was patient, analyzing you to make sure this wasn’t too serious to your mental health. Squeezing your hands into tight fists, you pushed through, the words finally spilling past your lips, “I think I’m falling for Daisuke!” 

Your eyes widened at how loud you said it, cheeks warming and glancing behind you to make sure no one was eavesdropping. Anya’s demeanor softened, letting out a small sigh of relief. You really scared her for a second. But now that the dam had broken, you couldn’t seem to stop yourself from gushing. 

“I-I’ve never felt this way before and it’s so scary. And it’s hard to avoid because he’s always following me around and making me laugh, and when I’m with him it doesn’t seem so bad, but then when I’m alone I overthink everything. It’s driving me crazy.”

Anya nodded, taking in your words and coming up with a thoughtful response, “New things are scary. But it seems like you both really like each other. I’d say the best way to go about this is to confront the problem, tell Daisuke how you feel. As scary as it may be, it's better than keeping it in. Of course if you two do start dating then you’d both have to fill out some paperwork-”

“I think we’re skipping a step,” You said, words muffled as you shoved your face in your hands. 

…

You knew Anya was right. You should just tell him, that’s the most logical conclusion, but if you struggled to tell her, how the hell were you supposed to tell the actual person? You glanced at your main problem, wearily eyeing him as Swansea was trying to guide him in fixing a pipe. You weren’t an idiot, you knew that he liked you, but the question was how much? Was it all platonic? Maybe a hint of romantic feelings? Was he already crushing on you? How the hell were you supposed to know? It angered you, you were out of your depth and it was scary. 

“I did it!” Daisuke exclaimed, smiling brightly towards Swansea than you.

“Good job,” Swansea muttered gruffly. “You didn’t break anything this time.” 

When his eyes landed on you, expectant look in his eyes, you found yourself folding, “You did great.” Curse your traitorous heart speeding up when his grin brightened. He was nearly jumping across the halls, vibrating where he stood.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, kid,” Swansea shook his head. “The question is can you do it again?” 

“I’m sure he can,” You remarked offhandedly. The old man glanced at you before shaking his head, muttering something about kids these days. 

“Let’s take a ten minute break,” Swansea grumbled. “Not sure how much longer I can deal with you two.” You watched him leave with a raised eyebrow, your lips slightly lifted in a small smirk. 

It was silent for a few moments before Daisuke spoke up, “Hey, are you okay?”

“Hmm?” You hummed, tilting your head. “Yeah, why?”

“You just…seem a bit off,” He muttered, scratching the back of his neck. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You snarked, eyes falling into a glare. 

“N-nothing bad,” He defended, holding his hands up like a shield. “You just…you can talk to me y’know. We’re friends after all.”

Letting out a sigh you deflated, “Sorry, I know. It’s just…hard to explain.”

“Harder to explain than stealing the Captain's scanner for some sweetener packets?”

“Hmm,” You genuinely thought about it, amused. “No, I don’t think I can beat that.” The two of you chuckled softly before it was quiet again. With the way Daisuke worriedly looked at you, you felt a bit guilty. You had been snapping at him more than usual (easy to beat as you never really snapped at him), taking out your frustrating emotions on those around you. You had been unfair, and now seems like the perfect time to finally get the weight off your chest…and apologize properly.

“I, uh, have something to admit,” You confessed, rubbing your arm awkwardly. “Just…let’s not make it weird-”

“Alright,” Swansea unknowingly cut you off, coming back in. “No more time to dawdle, the ship won’t fix itself.” You huffed, glaring at the ground. It was just your luck that right as you were about to do the grown thing and talk about your emotions someone had to cut you off.

Pushing yourself off the crate you were sitting on, you waved at the two on your way out, “I’ll see ya around.” Not looking back, you missed the way Daisuke watched you in concern.

…

You paused mid-turn, freezing when you heard someone knock on your door. Daisuke’s muffled call of your name rang through your room. Grumbling to yourself, you got up. It’s not like you were getting any sleep anyhow. Pulling down the handle, the door slid open to reveal Daisuke, his hair was ruffled and he was wearing his pajamas. A frown tugged at his lips, eyes watching your sluggish form. “Come in,” You murmured, stepping away from the door and sitting on your bed. Closing the door behind him, he sat next to you. No words needed to be shared, you knew exactly why he was here. Once again, you found the silence to be terribly loud, racking your brain on where to start. 

“I’m sorry for treating you like shit,” You apologized, gaze focused in front of you.

“What are you talking about?” Daisuke asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Y’know,” You grumbled, picking at the blanket beneath you. “I keep snapping at you out of nowhere. It’s not right, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Oh,” He nodded in realization.

“Yeah,” You sighed.

“Something been irritating you?” He asked leaning down to try and meet your gaze. 

“That's…I…” Once again, you felt your tongue grow heavy at the thought of admitting your feelings. Allowing yourself to be so vulnerable was terrifying. It was like carving your heart out and serving it on a platter, hoping that he’d treat it with care. The question was, were you willing to put the knife to your chest and cut? 

Meeting his eyes, held with concern and something you couldn’t put your finger on, you could feel the knife twist.

“I think I’m falling in love with you.”

Daisuke’s eyes widened with wonder, looking more awake than ever before, tanned cheeks turning red. He felt like he was dreaming, but at the same time it felt off. You were confessing to him, something he had hoped for…but you also seemed…sad. Like it was taking a toll on you, and if that was the reason why you were more easily irritated…does that mean you don’t like it? Was there a way to fall for someone and hate them for it? 

“And that’s a bad thing?” He managed to ask, voice wobbling in fear. 

“No,” You whispered, tilting your head down and facing your lap. “It’s just scary. I’ve never felt like this before and I don’t know how to handle it.”

“That’s okay,” Daisuke whispered back, inching his hand closer to your own. “I’m new to this too. We can figure it out. Together.” Biting your lip, you eyed his hand that stopped just before touching you. In a short burst of confidence you linked your pinkies, bathing in the warm feeling that expanded through your entire being instead of running from it. 

“Do you think you can stay?” You asked, your skin bristling at the vulnerability in your tone. 

You were silly to think that Daisuke would treat your heart carelessly. No, he was going to treat it tenderly, caring for it as if it were his own. In return, he carved his own heart out, giving you an equal offering. 

“Of course,” Daisuke nodded, his usual boyish smile more tender and warm. 

Bonus:

Both you and Daisuke had been late to breakfast, and Anya had a small hunch as to why. So she offered to get you both, ignoring the way Jimmy grumbled about you both being spoiled brats. Knocking on your door, she heard shuffling on the other side, hushed whispers, and finally footsteps walking towards the door. Cracking the door open, you peaked your head out, sleepy eyes staring up at the nurse.

“Good morning,” You muttered, voice still laced with sleep. 

“Good morning,” She greeted back with an amused smile. “You and Daisuke slept in.”

That seemed to make you wide awake, muttering curse words before rushing back into your room, a muffled sorry yelled through the door. Walking back to the main hull, Anya shook her head in amusement. It seems you finally followed her advice.

[rafesbabygirlx]

Don’t Smile

Masterlist

Rafe x Reader Angst

Inspiration: Don’t Smile by Sabrina Carpenter

Result from this poll.

Summary: You and Rafe are both struggling with your break up. I’m much different ways. Based in end of season 1 beginning of season 2.

Neither of you wanted the breakup, but you couldn’t handle his erratic behavior any longer. You thought you’d be okay, but for three straight weeks, you lay in bed, unable to eat or find any joy. The months that followed were spent in isolation, shutting yourself off from everyone. Eventually, your friends had enough. They forced you out of bed and insisted you join them at the annual bonfire. You took a shower while they pregamed in your room, the warm water a small relief after three days without one.

You hadn’t charged your phone since the day you shut everyone out, but tonight you decided to. As you finished getting ready, you reached for your phone and your screensaver lit up—an old picture of you and Rafe, taken during happier times. You were on the beach, resting on his chest as his strong arms wrapped around you, squeezing your cheeks together in playful affection. Your heart clenched. Without thinking, you tossed your phone to your friend and asked her to delete his number.

At the bonfire, you grabbed a drink and settled onto a log with your friends. For the first time in a while, you admitted it felt good to be out, even if you had to fake your laughter. Scanning the crowd, you felt a brief moment of peace until your eyes locked on Rafe. He was laughing with his friends, the sound of it carrying over the fire. Your vision narrowed, body turning numb. When Topper shifted, you saw her—a blonde girl hanging on his arm. You knew Rafe could move on quickly, emotions never being his strong suit, but seeing it firsthand cut deeper than anything before.

Time seemed to blur as you stared, your focus broken only when you noticed Rafe looking back at you. A wave of nausea rolled over you, and without a word, you told your friends you were leaving. Before they could respond, you dropped your drink and made your way to the parking lot.

You hadn’t reached your car when you felt a familiar hand on your shoulder. “Where you going so soon, princess?” Rafe’s voice was low, almost gentle.

“Don’t touch me, Rafe.”

“I’ve been trying to call you for weeks. Your parents won’t let me see you. I needed to talk to you.”

“Please, just leave me alone. Go back to your new friend. Please.” Tears gathered at the corners of your eyes, threatening to spill.

“Not if you’re not okay.” His grip on your shoulder remained firm.

“Does it make you feel better? Girl after girl? Do you numb yourself with them? Do you even think about me, about how I feel when you’re with them?”

He didn’t answer. His silence confirmed everything. The mask he wore—the pretense that everything was fine—made you sick. And from the way his jaw tightened, it was clear that it made him sick too when you shoved his arm off.

“You can keep pretending, Rafe, but I know.” You turned and walked to your car, leaving him behind as you drove away.

Reblog if you enjoyed. Support your writers.

[megalomaniacz]

CRYBABY! - (E.W) PT3

pairing: mean/cruel ellie x sensitive/emotional reader.

synopsis: she’s the same ellie she’s always been.

a/n: am i building up tension so they can be genuine enemies to lovers? maybe…

why’d you have to make a record ‘bout me?

masterlist.

“what the actual fuck ellie?” you storm into the dressing room, startling jesse and dina, who’d been sitting on the couch. jesse jolts up to walk over to you but you jerk your body away and rush at the laughing girl. “you wrote a fucking song about me?”

“why are you so pissed?” she rolls her eyes. you take a deep breath before turning around to face jesse and dina. “can you guys tell her why i’m pissed? if i do she’ll be leaving with a disfigured face.”

“i’d love to see you try to fuck me up.” ellie chimes in. you’re about to turn and yell at her when jesse grabs your arms and leads you outside. dina shakes her head, walking towards ellie, looking displeased. the last thing you hear before jesse closes the door is ellie’s crude laughter.

“did you know she was gonna do that?” you furrow your brows. he shakes his head rapidly while pulling you in for a hug. “no, i’m so sorry. if i did i would’ve never let her onstage.”

you’re sobbing now. tears of embarrassment pooling from your eyes and onto his shirt. memories of the moment flash before your eyes. her ridiculous and crude lyricism. the smirk on her face as yours fell. her making it painfully obvious that she was singing to you. about you. and not in a good way.

jesse pats your back while shushing you, repeated apologies falling from his lips. he catches their manager walking by and calls out to him. “hold on i’ll be right back. i’m gonna talk to jace about this.”

you nod, slumping down on the floor as he walks away. it takes you several deep breaths to not burst through the door and bash her head in. then you hear her talking nonchalantly on the other side. “dina it’s not that big of a deal. seriously. she’s such a fucking crybaby.”

you’re reminded of the night you’d cried into ellie’s lap. the next day you showed up apologizing profusely with a new pair of pants for her. her telling you that it’s fine. inviting you in. offering you a snack. a bottle of water. asking if you wanted to watch videos with her about space.

how could such a sweet person be such a fucking asshole and barely show any remorse? how were you meant to just get over everything she’d done? how could you let that person kiss you? see you in your most vulnerable state? call you a crybaby?

before you know it, you’ve stormed back into the room. ignoring dina’s calm and soothing voice, to punch ellie in the face. you’re hyped on adrenaline until the pain settles in. your knuckles burning and her nose bloody. what had you done?

“i’m gonna fucking kill you. so you better choose your last words carefully.” blood was spilling into her mouth. the overflow of iron settling thick in her throat. dina steps between the two of you holding her hands up. “ellie, why do you always do this shit? your nose should be permanently broken from all the fights you get into. just let it go.”

“not too good to fight with me now, huh?” ellie talks over dina’s back. her words are muffled by her hand over her face. you hit her hard as fuck, and a secret part of you hoped it knocked some sense into her. the rest of you felt an overbearing sense of guilt. lashing out was her thing. fighting was her thing. blood was her thing. you had been trying so hard not to get caught up in all that. you even had hope that she was really changing for the better.

it seems you were wrong.

“i’m so-“

jesse bursts into the door, anger all over his face. he whispers something under his breath before looking up and taking in the scene. “fucking hell, what happened?”

you lower your face in embarrassment. “i don’t know what came over me. i’m so sorry ellie-“

jesse throws up his hands. “you know what, let’s not worry about this right now. we have to perform in five minutes.”

dina scrambles to grab her leather jacket off the couch and follows a frantic jesse out of the dressing room. you shake your head as you hear ellie burst into laughter. she’s hysterical, damn near falling out of her chair.

“jesus williams, what’s so fucking funny?”

“nothing—“ she chokes back more laughter attempting to speak. “it’s just— you know how to throw a fucking punch.”

[forever-rogue]

Hellooo 😄 I love your blog and your fics so much! You’re very very talented and you’re feeding my tlou clown brain lmao. If you’re still taking requests for Joel, I think a fic with joel fussing over his shy girl after a close call with a clicker would be super cute. He’d be super worried and she would be the one doing the comforting bc dammit he’s lost so much already almost losing her leaves him emotional.

AN | Aww, but I love this. Just a whole lot of fluff and sweetness! 

Pairing | Joel Miller x Fem!Reader

Warnings | Language; TLOU typical violence

Word Count | 3k

Masterlist | Joel, Main

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You were trying your best to be as quiet as possible, which happened to be quite a challenge when you were walking through the woods. It was impossible to know exactly what was lying ahead, so all you could was to be as alert and cautious as possible, 

And you were positive that you were doing a good job…until you stepped on a thick branch and it snapped loudly under your feet. You swallowed thickly as you froze, looking around wildly to make sure nothing heard you or decided to come out and attack you. You know, just the average afternoon in this world.

As you got ready to move on, deciding that nothing was coming after you, the unmistakable sound of a clicker. You were trying to decide if you should run away in panic, call for Joel, or try and handle it on your own. 

In the midst of your dilemma, the clicker made its appearance and was running towards at a speed that it really shouldn’t have possessed. Fuck. 

Your shaking hand was reaching for the knife that was strapped to your thigh as you tried to walk backwards. But, as fortune would have it, your foot caught on a tree root and you tripped over it, stumbling and landing on your back. It was rapidly lunging at you and your first instinct was to hold up the knife and wave it around to try and get a good stab in. 

But before you even had to worry about attempting to stab its brain, a gunshot rang out. The frantic scrambling of the clicker ceased and it crumbled to the ground, landing on your feet. Your entire body was shaking as you scrambled out from under its grasp, dropping the knife as you tried to keep the tears from spilling over and crying out loud.

“Honey,” you heard Joel’s voice before you saw him. At this point, your tears pearled up and ran down your cheeks as he dropped to his knees and looked you over. There was nothing but pure worry on his face as he looked you over. You shook your head, silently letting him know that you were okay and had escaped unscathed, “are you okay? What happened?”

“I-I’m okay,” you promised in between sniffles as he took your face in his hands and gently brushed your tears away, “I stepped on a branch and it heard me and then came at me so fast. I tripped over a root a-and it was coming at me. You saved me.”

“Shhh,” he gently shushed you as he pulled you into his arms, hugging onto you tightly as you melted into his arms, “you’re okay. I’ve got you - I’ve always got you, baby.”

“I thought it was going to get me,” you buried your face into his chest, trying to slow your cries down, “I-I thought it was going to-”

“Hey,” he rubbed your back in soothing circles, trying to get that horrible image and idea out of your mind. He didn’t even want to think about it…it might have been the worst thought that he could have had, “don’t worry about that. It didn’t happen, it won’t ever happen.”

“Okay,” he felt you nod, your tears wetting the collar of his shirt. It didn’t matter to him though, he would have taken a million wet shirts as long as he knew that you were okay, “you’re right. Nothing bad will ever happen when we have each other.”

“Exactly,” he promised, pulling back so he could press gentle kisses to your cheeks and forehead before stopping at your lips, “I love you.”

“I love you.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You could feel his eyes on you. Again. 

It seemed you could never go far anymore without him watching you, making sure that you were okay. You looked up from where you were sitting near the dying fire, offering him a small smile before you turned your attention to the smoldering embers. Once upon a time ago, you would have been making s’mores. 

Joel made sure to check on Ellie who was lying in her sleeping bag and reading a book she had brought along before making his way over to you. He sat down on the log next to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulder as you leaned into his side. 

“You doin’ alright?” he whispered softly as you let out a small sigh. It had been a couple days since the incident and he almost hadn’t let you out of his sight since. You shrugged and Joel’s arm instinctively tightened around you, “what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you shifted so you could look at him, a pout on your lips. You knew he wouldn’t let it go until he got a decent answer; his stubbornness was one of the things you loved most about him, but sometimes it was overwhelming, “I just feel bad, I dunno.”

“Whatever for?”

“Worrying you,” you admitted shyly, “making you feel like you constantly have to look out for me now. There’s so much else to worry about, including Ellie, and now you have to add me to that list.”

“Is that really what you think?” he asked, an eyebrow perking up in surprise as you found it hard to meet his eyes, “you think all I do is worry about you?”

“I don’t think that’s all you do,” you bit the inside of your cheek as you tried - a vain attempt - to keep from getting too emotional, “I just feel like…I guess I’m just like a burden to you.”

“You are a lot of things,” he laughed softly and the change of emotion caught you off guard, “but a burden you are not. You are anything but a burden, baby.”

“Are you-”

“I’m positive,” he pressed his finger to your lips and shook his head. You couldn’t help the small laugh that bubbled up at his silliness, “all I’m doing is looking out for my baby, okay?”

“Okay,” you mumbled against his finger before wrapping yours around his wrist and gently pulling your hand away, “I’ll protect you too if you ever need it.”

“I know,” his smile was breathtakingly beautiful; you tried to coax it out of him as much as possible, “I know you’ll kick everyone’s ass if you need to.”

“Duh.”

“Can you guys stop being so gross and lovey?” Ellie groaned at the top of you before she tossed an acorn over at the two of you, “some of us are trying to read.”

“We love you too, Ellie Bean,” you said softly and despite her words, you spotted the smile tugging up the corners of her mouth.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Joel insisted that he wasn’t overstressed or worried about you. But that had been a lie; he’d always been big on protecting you but after your close incident with the clicker, that urge to keep you safe increased ten-fold. 

And to be quite honest…you didn’t totally hate it. The primal part of your brain melted at the idea of Joel looking out for you and protecting you. You were his sweet, shy girl, he’d always keep you safe. 

“Are you warm enough?” his sleepy, gruff voice cut through your late night thoughts as he pulled closer into his body. You were all curled up into him, his frame practically draped all over you and his smell comforting. How could you not be warm enough?

“Mhmm,” you shuffled around in his arms so you could turn to face him. You offered up your own sleepy smile as you captured his lips in a soft kiss. You liked kissing Joel, a lot, but there was something about late night sleep kisses that always made your heart melt, “plenty warm and toasty, handsome.”

“You’d tell me if you were cold, right?” you could pick out that tone of worry in his voice immediately. You chuckled softly and nodded as best as you could, “I don’t want you to freeze.”

“I’m not going to freeze,” you huffed in amusement, “you’re like a radiator anyway.”

“Just want to make sure you’re okay,” his pretty eyes were already closing again, his arm wrapped around your waist and his fingers tracing aimless shapes into your soft skin, “can’t have you suffering.”

“I’m not,” you promised, “now hush so we can both get back to sleep.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Joel fretted over you, looking over every inch of what you were wearing. You tried to wave him off but he was having none of it. His hands were on your shoulders and his brow furrowed as you tried to contain the grin on your face.

“Are you sure you’re all geared up?” he was asking himself more than anything, a concentrated expression on his face. He looked over your shirt, and sweater, along with the knife on your thigh, the flashlight clipped to your backpack strap, and checked to make sure your boots were properly laced. 

Once he was satisfied with his look over, he put a finger under your chin and turned your face up to his. A reverent little smile was tugging up the corner of your mouth as you studied those pretty honey brown eyes, “well, tell me, am I properly geared up?”

“I suppose you’ll do,” he tried his best to keep his voice serious but you could hear the amusement, “you comfortable, baby? Not too hot, not too cold, everything secured?”

“Affirmative captain,” you beamed and the sight was almost enough to make his heart feel all warm and fuzzy, “what about you, Joel? Got everything you need, all comfortable and ready for action? Which hopefully won’t happen…”

“I’m all good,” he was quick to dismiss your worry but you weren’t about to let him get away that easily. You tutted at him, putting your hands on his shoulders and leaning up to press a kiss to his lips, “really, I-”

“No, no, no,” you narrowed your eyes at him, in malice in the look, only affectionate sternness. He held up his hands in mock surrender as you gave him a firm, satisfied nod, “you get to fret over me, so I get to do the same over you.”

“But there’s-”

“You should know better than to argue with your…what does he call you?” There was a shit -eating grin on Ellie’s face as she looked between the two of you. Joel had experienced one moment of panic and slipped up and she hadn’t let him live it down since, “mine? I think that’s what you called her. Don’t argue with your mine!”

“Ha ha,” he rolled his eyes at the younger girl but there was a pretty tinge of pink coloring his cheeks as you laughed at the two of them. He turned his attention back to you, opening and closing his mouth a few times, “I…didn’t. It just happened in the moment.”

“Lucky for you I like being called yours,” you playfully patted his cheek, “besides, I think labels at this day and age just feel so…weird? Arbitrary? Something like that.”

“It wouldn’t feel right calling you my girlfriend,” he agreed, “you’re so much more than that.”

“Consider me flattered,” you took a step back and gave him a coy little smile, “too bad I only think of you as my boyfriend.”

You turned on your heel as you trekked after Ellie, a spring in your step. You felt him staring after you, able to perfectly picture the expression on his face. 

“Wait -” he followed after you, easily catching up with you, “what do you mean just your boyfriend?”

“Relax,” you turned around so you were facing him and walking backwards, “it was just a joke, handsome. You’re so much more than just my boyfriend. You’re…well, I can’t really put it into words. But, if it’s any consolation, you’re everything to me.”

“Now you’re just flattering me,” he snorted as you shook your head.

“I mean it, Joel Miller,” you reached for his hand, threading your fingers through his, “I love you, handsome.”

“I love you, baby.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The rain had brought life back into the woods you were still working your way through; it was an oddly comforting thing. You broke off from Joel and Ellie once you were all settled for the evening and went down to the pond where you’d noticed a bunch of frogs start to come out.

You grinned as you made your way over to the edge, listening to the melodic croaking from all around you. This reminded you of all the times you’d done this as a kid - even as a young adult - before the world fell apart. It was something so simple, but so comforting. 

Despite the fact that the ground was muddy and wet, you plopped onto your bum and started watching the frogs and other creatures going about their little business. You had to repress your squeal of delight as some of the frogs came near you, and an even braver one jumped into your hand. 

“Hey there little buddy,” you held him up to your face so you could study him, grinning when he crooked softly at you, “it’s so good to see you too. I’m sure you must really like the rain.”

Almost as if he understood you, he made a few more sounds before settling himself in your palm. The sheer trust this little critter had in you made your heart ache; if only people could be like this. You like to believe in the kindness and good hearts of people, but the years had taught not to be so trusting. 

As if you were some sort of Disney princess, you spied a few bunnies coming out and hopping around, their little noses twitching happily. You remained still as you held out your hand in a silent invitation; you were even more surprised when the small bunny decided to take you up on it.

The chocolatey brown rabbit made its way over, sniffing your hand and studying you for a few moments before nudging his head against your hand. You let the small fluff ball take his time before finally petting him out of your own volition. 

“Hey friend,” you cooed softly, “you are too cute.”

He wiggled his way into your lap, already so trusting as you just beamed at him. You inhaled excitedly as you petted him, tears threatening to well up. It had been so long since you’d gotten to pet or touch any sort of animal. This was a moment that made the world feel much less terrifying and harsh than it was.

“I like you,” you picked him up and clutched him to your chest, pressing a kiss to the top of his head and velvety ears. You knew that if Joel was there in the moment, he’d chide you for getting so close to a dirty animal. But you didn’t care - not that at that moment.

You laid down, back on the damp ground but not a care in the world. Your new companion hopped all over your torso, chasing your hand for pets and rubbing its little face onto your skin. 

“That tickles,” you told him through giggles but the little bunny didn’t care. You started to play with him, laughing and squealing at how funny and happy he was, “you’re so cute, it’s not fair!”

You didn’t hear the footsteps running through the clearing until you heard his sharp call of your name. You startled at the sound and lifted your head off the ground to find Joel standing at the edge of the pond, chest rising and falling heavily as he stared at you. His face was an indiscernible mask as you held up your hand in a weak little wave.

“Hi,” you gave him a guilty little expression as your new friend also looked at Joel, “everything alright, my love?”

“I called for you,” his hands were on his hips as he walked over to you. You knew that stance all too well, “and you were gone. I’m walking around and looking for you when I heard what could be either crying or laughing. Naturally, my mind went to the worst possible conclusion. Especially after what happened not that long ago - you need to be more careful, baby.”

“Sorry,” your face flushed with warmth as you slowly sat up, gently holding onto the bunny, “I said I was going to the pond, I thought you’d heard me.”

“It’s alright,” he came over and crouched down so he was eye level with you. With a heavy sigh, he pressed a kiss to your forehead, “I’m glad you’re okay. What are you even doing out here - it’s wet and cold.”

“Enjoying a slice of life,” you gestured around, “the frogs came out with the rain and I wanted to see them. I used to love seeing them as a kid. And then I met this little guy! He’s precious…I wish we could keep him.”

“You’re something else,” he shook his head with nothing but reverent fondness as he too touched the bunny’s ears, “but I’m glad you were able to find a little bit of peace. If things were different, I’d say we could keep him, but…”

“I know,” you smiled sadly at the creature, “it was nice while it lasted. Sorry buddy…I’m sure you’ll be happy to stay with your family.”

He nudged his nose against your finger, almost as if he could understand what you were saying. You set him back down and he started to hop away, but turned around before he disappeared and gave you one last look. You saw his little family waiting nearby for him. 

“Hey,” Joel gently tapped his fingers against your cheek, “it’ll be okay. One day we’ll get a pet in our own home.”

“Promise?”

“Of course,” he took your hand in his much larger one and helped you to your feet. He pulled you into his arms and pressed a kiss to the crown of your head, “I love you, sweet girl.”

“I love you, handsome.”

[nahoney22]

wondering if you could do something fluffy with Tech where he walks in on reader (f) singing softly to herself and he’s completely enamoured and mesmerised please? Many thanks and congratulations on the following - that’s awesome 👏🏻 ❤️

Songbird

Tech X F!Reader

word count: 1.8k

When Tech hears you singing for the first time, he can’t help but fall for you just a little more and let slip his feelings.

warnings: SFW, fluff only, mutual pining, non-established relationship, first kiss. Crosshair being a wingman.

authors note: such a cute idea! I’m definitely missing him this season 🥺 hope this is okay anon and again, as always, sorry for the wait 🤍

Tech found himself perplexed by the notion of Crosshair's teasing when he began to declare that he, Tech himself, harbored feelings for you. He wasn't programmed for emotional attachment; his purpose was solely to fulfill his duties and utilise his expertise. Yet, as he contemplated Crosshair's jests and observed you with what he could only interpret as affection, he began to entertain the possibility that his brother might be onto something.

But of course at first, he dismisses it.

“Are you going to look me in the eye and tell me she,” Crosshair looks to you from across the threshold and then locks eyes with Tech, “is not pretty?”

“I do not recall ever saying that she wasn’t.” Tech states with a frown. “Any sane person would find her beautiful-.”

Crosshair said nothing as Tech ate his words, his mouth tight lipped at his spill. Crosshair could only smirk before he strolls away.

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he scours his mind for a pinpoint in time where this crush had emerged; yet all he could find was that as he recalled being In your presence, his heart would race. His hands even fidgeted and his gaze lingered on you as you leaned over him, demonstrating a curiosity for his tinkering or the contents of his datapad.

Now that he thinks about it, he would try and control his breathing, not wanting to sound breathless when you asked him something. All the whilst Crosshair would smirk knowingly from across the ship. He was rather grateful he maintained the discretion not to divulge his feelings to you.

He knew he had to do some reasearch on this after recognising his unfamiliar emotions and so sought guidance from the holonet later that night. Though, he was unwilling to express his sentiments until he comprehended them himself. Thus, he opted to bide his time and maybe this will pass.

It did not.

As days turned into weeks, his affection for you only swelled. Simply witnessing you smiling at Omega or indulging in a mundane activity like blowing steam off your morning caf on your bunk brought a smile to his face. And despite his efforts to suppress these newfound emotions, he found the prospect of harbouring feelings for someone exhilarating. Albeit marred by bouts of jealousy, particularly when he observed a bartender attempting to woo you with pickup lines one time.

One warm evening, Tech finds himself outside the Marauder, engrossed in his weekly maintenance routine. Assuming you had accompanied the others into town for potential work opportunities, he's startled by your gentle greeting, causing him to inadvertently collide with a metal pole, eliciting a pained reaction.

“Tech!” Concerned, you rush to his side, apologising for the unexpected interruption. “I am so, so sorry! I thought you knew I was here?”

With a weak smile of reassurance, Tech brushes off the incident, though his heart races as you approach, your proximity sending a warmth to his cheeks. "I can confirm that I was not aware of your presence, but accidents happen.” Despite his attempt to maintain composure, your tender gesture—placing a hand on his face and tilting his head gently to the side to inspect him—sends a wave of warmth through him, momentarily leaving him flustered. "T-There is nothing to fret over," he added, his voice faltering slightly, though you seemed oblivious to his nervousness.

"No," you said softly, amusement dancing in your eyes as you smiled at him. "But there's nothing wrong with checking you over. Is there?" As you express your concern with a voice so soft and somehow alluring, his resolve wavers, unable to resist your caring demeanor. Succumbing to your gentle attention, he allows you to fuss over him, though he had initially insisted he was fine.

It was almost impossible for Tech not to melt under your gaze. "I suppose not, no.”

“So,” you begin, breaking out of the trance as you step back, “need any help with anything?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” Tech, seizing the opportunity, requests your aid in powering up the ship, knowing your familiarity with the process from observing him countless times. Eagerly, you agree, practically bouncing with anticipation at the prospect of taking control of the Marauder's systems.

With a nod of confirmation, Tech passed you his datapad, meticulously detailing the steps for initiating the ship's systems from the pilot's seat.

To his relief, yet not entirely surprised, you flawlessly executed the instructions, following them to the letter and giving him your undivided attention. Another trait he mentally noted as a reason why he might harbor feelings for you.

After explaining over the comm channel that he would wrap up his work outside, Tech took just a few minutes to complete his tasks before returning up the gangplank. Yet, a soft noise caught his attention, causing him to pause in curiosity.

Quietly approaching the cockpit, Tech was taken aback when he heard it—your voice, singing softly. Entranced, he felt as though his entire being had turned to jelly, captivated by the angelic melody that seemed to cast a spell over him. Accompanying the serenade was the gentle hum of music from a makeshift radio, a project that you and Omega had persuaded him to undertake some time ago.

Normally indifferent to such things, Tech found himself utterly enchanted, simply content to stand and watch you. Seated in the pilot's seat with your eyes closed, swinging side to side slowly and lost in your own world, you appeared ethereal. It almost seemed a shame to interrupt you, but Tech couldn't resist the urge to linger a little longer, soaking in the enchanting moment.

As you swung around in the chair a bit too much, you ended up facing Tech directly. “Oh hi Tech!” You grin as you stand and approach him. “Are the repairs done?”

He found himself momentarily frozen, struggling to find his voice. When he finally spoke, it was not in response to your question about the repairs. "I wasn't aware that you could sing well," he remarked, his words lacking their usual technical precision.

Your laughter rang out softly as you tilted your head, teasing him gently. "I wasn't aware that I could either. Are you sure you didn't hit your head too hard?" you joked, though a hint of modesty coloured your words. However, as you noticed the earnestness in Tech's gaze, you began to reconsider.

"You sing beautifully," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Your smile faltered slightly, replaced by a look of concern as you approached him. This was not like Tech to be so shy. You reach out to him once more, your touch gentle as you inspected his face for any signs of injury that you may have missed.

Closing his eyes, Tech savoured the sensation of your fingers against his skin, his thoughts scattering like leaves in the wind. In a moment of vulnerability, his carefully guarded emotions spilled out before he could stop them. "I have romantic feelings for you."

Your eyes widened slowly, mirroring his realisation, as he watched the weight of his confession settle between you. Dropping your hand and meeting his gaze, you processed his words with a mix of surprise and disbelief. "Wait, what? You serious?"

Tech swallowed hard, his heart racing as he grappled with the consequences of his impulsive admission. "Yes, I am," he affirmed, his voice steady despite the turmoil within him.

For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air, punctuated only by the soft hum of the ship's systems and the radio that still played in the background. Then, with a deep breath, you spoke again, your expression a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "I... I don't know what to say," you admitted, your words tentative as you processed the revelation.

Tech's gaze remained fixed on you, his vulnerability laid bare in the openness of his confession. "I understand if you need time to think, I… I shall leave you to your thoughts. I hope this has not jeopardised our friendship.” He offered quietly, his tone gentle as he turned to walk away.

“Tech, wait.” As you reached out to stop him, Tech's movements slowed, his gaze shifting to where your hand rested on his wrist. A wave of warmth spread through him as your touch lingered, guiding his attention to the intertwining of your fingers, a simple gesture that held a world of meaning.

"I never expected you to feel the same way," you whispered softly, your voice a gentle caress against the stillness of the cockpit. Tech turned to face you fully, his heart racing as he met your gaze, searching for any hint of uncertainty or hesitation.

His breath caught in his throat as he tried to process your words, his mind reeling with disbelief and hope in equal measure. "'The same way'?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper, his eyes locked on yours.

You nodded, a tender smile gracing your lips, a smile that seemed to light up the dimly lit space around you. "Of course. Why do you think I always stay behind or bother you with questions about tasks?" you teased, the playful lilt in your voice bringing a sense of ease to Tech's racing thoughts.

A surge of relief washed over him, the weight of uncertainty lifting from his shoulders as he realised the depth of your feelings mirrored his own. "I did not think you would reciprocate your feelings for me. At all. I am not the most ideal—" he began, his words faltering under the weight of vulnerability.

"Don't," you interrupted, your voice firm yet gentle, refusing to let him diminish himself in your eyes. "I think you are perfect."

A soft exhale escaped Tech's lips, his chest tightening with a mixture of gratitude and disbelief. Gently squeezing your hand, he found solace in the warmth of your touch, reassuring him this was not a dream. "This is very gratifying to hear, I confess. But I must admit I do not know where to go from here."

Your eyes sparkled with anticipation, a hint of desire lacing your voice as you leaned in closer, closing the distance between you. "If it's not too soon, may I propose a kiss?"

A soft chuckle escaped Tech's lips, his eyes softening as he drew you nearer, his free hand finding its way to your waist, drawing you into his embrace. "I'd be happy to oblige."

Leaning down, Tech closed the remaining space between you, his lips meeting yours in a tender kiss that spoke volume. The galaxy seemed to fade away, leaving only the warmth of your touch, the rhythm of your breaths, and the gentle cadence of your shared kiss.

Your hands move to the back of his neck, your body flushed against his eliciting a soft moan of satisfaction. With fingers tangled in his hair and his hand tightening around your waist, Tech felt a sense of completeness wash over him, knowing that he had found something truly special in you. “May I suggest you sing more often by the way?”

“If this is the result I get. Of course.”

Masterlist

More Tech Works

Tags: @littlefeatherr @kaitou2417 @eyecandyeoz @captxin-rex @jesseeka @theroguesully @ladykatakuri @jambolska-grozdova @arctrooper69 @padawancat97 @staycalmandhugaclone @ko-neko-san @echos-girlfriend @fiveshelmet @dangraccoon @plushymiku-blog @chrissywakingup @pb-jellybeans @nunanuggets @sleepycreativewriter @erellenora @zippingstars87 @ezras-left-thumb @the-rain-on-kamino @tech-aficionado @grizabellasolo @therealnekomari @tech-depression-inventory @brynhildrmimi @greaser-wolf f @tinyreadersmur @seriowan @kaminocasey @marvel-starwars-nerd @ladytano420 @ladyzirkonia @thesith @raevulsix @mssbridgerton @cw80831 @knightprincess @crosshairlovebot @imalovernotahater @whore4rex x @imperialclaw801 @temple-elder r @lulalovez @mysticalgalaxysalad @photogirl894 @id-rather-be-a-druid @the-bad-batch-baroness

[starly-amazing]

In Baths and Salts: Stinkfrin Gets Cleansed

Rating: Teen

Summary: Siffrin is a stinky fella after the loops. Isabeau and Mirabelle take it upon themselves to give them a nice relaxing bath and some much-needed pampering. Emotions and minimal crying are to be expected. Happy 1st Anniversary ISAT!

Tags: Bathing/Washing, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Mental Health Issues, Queerplatonic Relationships, Fluff, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst

archiveofourown org/works/60726061

--- --- ---

"Siffrin, you smell terrible." Odile sighs as soon as the party makes it back inside the clock tower. The festivities outside were set to go on well into the night, but none of the Saviors had any desire to mingle—or be showered in praise, food, gifts, or marriage proposals.

Isabeau gasps as if personally insulted. "M’dame!? That’s so blunt!" He grips Siffrin tighter as he helps them to the dining table.

They flop over in their chair and let out a harsh wheeze. They don't even try to argue.

She lowers her glasses and raises an eyebrow. "So we’re in agreement, then?" Her arms fold over her chest.

"Well... " He rubs his shoulder. He sniffs his shirt where Siffrin had been leaning and makes a face.

“I’m in an an-greement!” Bonnie yells and fans the air in front of their face. “Belle too!”

“What!?” Mirabelle sputters in the middle of wiping a spot of Siffrin’s blood off her dress. “Bonnie, why are you bringing me into this?”

"Bath sounds nice," Siffrin mumbles into their cloak. The clock tower surprisingly had a full washroom with plumbing. They couldn't imagine why, but they're not about to complain. The bathtub, complete with a crafted heating element, had tempted them so many times during the loops, but they could never justify using it.

But now... 

They're still not sure they can justify it but maybe they should just say ‘blind it all’ and do it anyway.

“Yes, see? Siffrin didn’t need any convincing!”

Though, it seems like their family isn’t going to give them much choice either way.

Odile smirks and tilts her head at Mirabelle.

“Don’t say it!”

“Hey, hey, don’t bully poor Sif! What they need right now is some nice gentle reassurance!”

“And a bath!” Bonnie adds. They start putting away the plates of food that grateful villagers and Housemaidens managed to laden them all with.

“Yep,” Siffrin mumbles, too tired to be phased.

"I'll get it ready!" Isabeau chirps and heads to the washroom.

Odile doesn't even try to hide The Smirk.

Siffrin puts his head down and closes his eye. He breathes deeply a few times and lets the sounds of his family wash over him. Odile is scribbling more in her notebook. Bonnie is messing with the food and gifts. Mirabelle is rummaging through her bags.

"How are you feeling now, Siffrin?" Mirabelle asks after a few moments.

"Gross." They rub at a bloodstain on their cloak.

"Good thing that's going to be remedied soon," Odile hums. She scribbles something down in her notebook. “Teasing aside, is there anything you need—or want us to do for you now? It doesn’t have to be big if you’re not yet comfortable asking, just something that might help you feel more at ease.”

Siffrin eyes the bottle of gifted wine by the sink.

Odile follows their gaze and shakes her head. “Anything but that. We’re not going to let you pick up any new self-destructive habits.”

Siffrin grunts. “Water then, please.”

“I got it!” Bonnie races to the sink and fills a glass in record time. They rush back to Siffrin and nearly spill it onto them.

“A good snack duty-er also includes hydreeshon!”

“Hydration, Boniface.”

“That’s what I said!”

Siffrin cracks a small smile and takes a sip. The cool water is a shock to his parched throat but after the initial tingle fades he downs the rest in a few gulps.

“Wow! Super fast!” Bonnie grabs the cup and runs back to the sink. “Want more?”

Isabeau calls out from the bathroom. “Okay, I think it’s about ready!”

“I’m fine, thank you Bonbon!” They move to get up but their body protests. They flop back down and lay their face on the table again. “Urgh.”

“Whoa, Frin. Do you need help getting to the bathroom?”

“No, no I’m fine I—” They try to push themself up but fail. “Okay maybe yes please.”

It takes both Bonnie’s and Mirabelle’s help to get Siffrin to their feet but once they’re standing they’re able to blink some of the exhaustion back. Still, the two each take one of his arms and help him maneuver to the bathroom. Odile follows close behind, hands at the ready in case his legs decide to give out on him.

The bathroom isn't anything spectacular. Just plain stone floors and walls with some generic concentric circles etched in to break up the monotony. It has nothing in the way of storage; the party all had to drag in some barrels to hold their supplies. It’s a miracle it even had a toilet and bathtub with working plumbing.

At least they can expect hot water. Despite the fever that still makes them sweat, they want nothing more than to get their sore, cosmically stretched, and clone-attacked muscles soaked to the bone.

Loop.

They touch their neck and hope it hasn’t bruised visibly yet.

They'll be back. They have to come back. They just need rest, too.

"Everything okay, Siffrin?” Isabeau hums nervously. “I mean, well, relatively speaking"

"Yeah," they nod and take a step forward. "Just... crowded."

"Come on Boniface." Odile picks them up by the armpits with little effort. "There are some things you are not meant to see here."

Peak physical condition is right.

"Aww come on, let me help, I won't look!" They wave their arms with one hand still gripping Siffrin's. The tug hurts a bit but it's too cute to pull away.

"You can help by fixing up all the food everyone gave us and some more things our little problem child hasn't eaten in a long time."

"Oh! Oh, you're right!" Bonnie wiggles their legs until Odile puts them down. They run out of the bathroom, almost tripping on themself. She chuckles at them, her hand on her hip.

"I suppose I'll go help. You two probably can handle it on your own and my knees will not allow me to do any of this."

Mirabelle and Isabeau both nod as Odile turns away.

"Wait, handle what?" Isabeau tilts his head.

"Giving said problem child a bath,” she says over her shoulder.

"Oh!" He gasps.

‘ Oh’ is right! Siffrin feels their arm hair stand on end.

“Uhm, I think I can handle it on my own.”

But do I want to?

She turns to meet his gaze. "Siffrin. You needed all three of us to help you walk twenty feet to the bathroom. We wouldn't want you falling asleep and drowning. Unless that's something you want to risk, I believe that supervision is warranted."

“Ah, right. That’s a... that’s a good point!” Siffrin stammers and both Isabeau and Mirabelle nod rapidly.

"Good, now have fun." With that, she shuts the door and leaves the three of them alone.

"Well, uhm. So," Isabeau begins. His face is already a shade darker. "So how do you want to do this? I mean we can just, you know, hang out without looking while you clean yourself, and just—then we just make sure you're okay or something!”

"Can I wash your hair, Siffrin?" Mirabelle eyes the rat's nest that’s grown atop their head.

Wash my hair?

They run their hands through the tangled mess until their fingers get stuck in the greasy locks. She’d have her work cut out for her... he’s not sure he can accept the favor so soon.

But, ohh they need it. They need the feeling of Mirabelle's fingers combing through their hair and massaging their scalp. He thinks of how her nails will feel digging deep into their skin. They imagine her reaching through their skull and ripping out every bad thought and memory straight from their mind. It sends a small shiver down their spine. It's all too much for Siffrin to process. They shrink down in their cloak and turn away.

"It's okay if you don't! We'll just be here for moral support!" Mirabelle waves her hands and Isabeau nods.

"I... uh... washing... washing my hair sounds... nice," they manage to force out.

"Ohh!" Mirabelle clasps her hands together and does a little skip in place. Her dress flutters and part of it sticks to the rim of the tub. "Oh, maybe I should change into something else."

"Oh, me too!" Isabeau nods and then turns to leave but stops. "Actually." He removes his sash and outer shirt then gives his undershirt a good tug. "This should be good."

Siffrin takes off his own cloak and reaches for his shirt... 

Oh.

He looks at the lightless fabric of his sleeves—at how some spots stain just a bit darker than the rest. The little gaps in the fabric where light shows through shift slightly with each breath.

Oh no.

He didn't tell Mirabelle about that when she healed them. Nobody has seen.

What do they do? They can't stand the thought of being alone. Not now. Maybe he should have them look the other way the whole time, after all.

But... They promised to be honest now. Though, if they didn't ask, is it really dishonest? He clenches his jaw. It is, he's still hiding something from them.

... They can’t really expect him to be able to open up about everything right away, right?

Still... 

They squeeze their eye shut.

“Sif?”

"Siffrin, what's wrong?"

Breathe. In, and out.

They turn their back to them and grab the base of their shirt.

In, and out.

"Please don't freak out."

Deep breath.

They pull their shirt over their head to reveal the mottling of fresh cuts up and down their arms.

Silence.

Dead silence.

He bites his lip hard enough to hurt. He swears he can almost, almost taste blood.

Each second of nothing wears on Siffrin and they fight the urge to cover back up. The distant sounds of Bonnie rummaging around in the kitchen grate in their ears.

"Let me heal you, Siffrin," Mirabelle breathes.

They nod and slowly hold out one arm behind them. She gently takes their fingers in her hand and places her palm on the back of his. She whispers a few things under her breath and starts moving her hand up their arm. The soreness dissipates in little ripples out from her fingertips.

Isabeau shifts behind them and starts swirling his hand in the bath.

"The water should be good," he murmurs.

Siffrin flexes their arm in front of them as Mira begins on their other one.

Scarred. Of course. Most have faded but the deeper, star-shaped ones remain. They no longer hurt, at least, just a dull ache if they move too much. That could also just be everything else wrong with them.

"I'm sorry, Siffrin," Mirabelle murmurs when she sees them scrutinize one of the larger scars. "I—I couldn’t prevent them from scarring. I just don’t have the Craft energy."

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, they're all probably beyond exhausted from dealing with your tantrum.

Why didn't you even consider that until now? Even Bonnie is probably tired from everything and now they're out preparing you a full-course meal.

Siffrin pulls away and holds their half-healed arm to their chest, out of reach.

"I'm—"

"No, Siffrin, it's okay." Mirabelle reaches for them but they turn further away. “I’m happy to finish healing you, really.”

“You’ve already done so much.”

“And I’m willing to do more.” She takes a step closer. “You’d do the same for me if our positions were switched, right?”

“Of course I would!” He whirls around. They squint as their head spins a bit. “You are all..." he pauses, voice lowering. “So important to me.”

Isabeau pulls up two stools to the tub. “And you’re so so important to us too.” He frowns slightly as Siffrin shrinks into themself more. “We choose to do this Sif. We want you to be safe, healthy, and happy and we’re all willing to push ourselves like this to make sure of it.”

“But..." Their voice trails off.

“Siffrin, I promise I’m not putting myself in any danger doing this. It’s just tiring and nothing a few good night’s sleep won't fix.”

“I guess..."

Mirabelle gives Siffrin a tired smile. She reaches for their face.

A stinging memory flashes through their mind and they flinch. They recoil. Their hand flies part way to their cheek but they freeze.

He blinks, blinks, blinks away the memory. He sees Mirabelle standing there with her hands clasped at her chest. Her body is stiff—as if she's frozen in time—but her rapid breathing betrays that.

"Siffrin, I'm... " She worries her lip and picks at her fingertips. "I'm so sorry. I—I shouldn’t have... I know I was angry at those awful things you said but I still shouldn’t have slapped you."

"Of course you should have!" They dig their nails into their arms, threatening to undo everything Mirabelle just healed. "I said all those... cruel, horrible, untrue things when you were stressing out so much about everything! You had the weight of all of Vaugarde on your shoulders! And then your—” they stop themself. “The papers... Why wouldn't you slap me?"

Her face pulls into a grimace. "I still should have kept trying to figure out what was wrong! You're right, I was so stressed and anxious about everything..." She takes a shuddering breath and squeezes her eyes shut. “And it really did hurt... what you said... But I... I just assumed the worst of you... that you never really cared about me... when I knew that wasn’t true. I should have known it wasn’t that... " Her voice quiets to a whisper. “I shouldn’t have given up on you.”

"But... how were you even supposed to guess what was happening?"

Isabeau chimes in. "Well, we wouldn't have figured out the specifics but it was obvious there was something ."

Their shoulders fall. "And I... still wouldn't have said anything.”

Silence.

Wrong response, stupid, stupid, stupid.

"You should have slapped me too, Isa. How were you so calm?"

Worse response! Stop it!

"Sif, I would never hurt you. I couldn’t.”

Mirabelle’s jaw clenches and her face pulls tight.

Isabeau jumps slightly and holds his hands up. “Ah—sorry Mira, I didn’t mean to imply anything! It’s just... you know, defender training and just... my own..." He brings a hand to his chest. “Er—yeah, I’m not judging you or anything for your reaction! Anyway, Sif!” He lets his hand fall to his side and meets their gaze. They have to fight not to look away.

“We all made mistakes yesterday... and we’re all willing to go to great lengths to help you and each other, even if we’re tired. Even if we’re angry.”

Siffrin can't keep his gaze.

Isabeau hums for a moment and then lights up with a small gasp. "Okay, give me your hand."

He hesitates.

Isabeau holds his hand out, palm up. It glistens a bit in the candlelight—from sweat or bath water, Siffrin isn't sure.

Slowly, carefully, they place their closed hand in Isabeau's. He lifts his other hand slowly enough that it doesn't startle them and then very lightly smacks his fingers against their knuckles.

"Whap! There's your slap."

Despite themself, they couldn't hold back a snort.

"Ohhh, the pain~" they whine in a weak, almost ghost-like manner.

Isabeau releases his grip and Siffrin shivers at the sudden coolness.

"Oh, uh, you should probably get in the bath before it gets cold too, huh?"

"Ah, right, yeah." They gaze at the inviting water. They realize their legs are shaking more. "Can you... look the other way for a minute."

Isabeau spins around and Mirabelle covers her eyes.

Siffrin fumbles with their belt—their grip is weaker and stiffer than before. Was it the scarring? Or just exhaustion? They didn't have the energy to think too hard about it. The bath was calling to them.

He slips out of his pants and kicks them to the corner. They approach the tub and tentatively stick in their toe.

Warm. A bit too warm.

They could use all the warmth they can get.

They step inside and settle in quickly. The water burns at every little cut Mirabelle didn’t manage to heal. He grits his teeth and just waits for it to ease up.

They wish for would like a bubble bath so they could hide under a foot of suds, but the bare-bones bathroom doesn't afford such luxuries. Still, they splash a bit of soap in to create a facsimile of a foam shield and cover up their unmentionables with a washcloth.

"Okay," they breathe.

Mirabelle drops her hands and Isabeau waits another second before turning around. Siffrin holds their arms against their chest. There's not much to hide, but still.

The two of them settle down on small stools next to him.

Silence.

Siffrin pokes at a small bruise on their knee.

"Uhm, Siffrin?"

He glances at Mirabelle and tilts his head.

"Are you ready for me to wash your hair?"

Their eye widens and flashes of the past flick through their mind. Her gentle hands worked through his hair as she brushed it, picking out dirt and pulling out tangles. It was so nice they couldn't bring themself to accept any other time she offered.

But now... 

" Please ."

Mirabelle perks up with a smile and grabs two shampoo bottles from atop a barrel.

"Okay, so we have a lavender scent here. It's good for calming you down and helps with sleep." She holds up the other one. "And here we have pineapple sc—"

"LAVENDER!" Siffrin yelps, causing Mirabelle and Isabeau to jump.

"Okay, okay! Lavender it is!" She puts the other bottle far away from Siffrin. “I didn’t think you had such strong feelings for some foods!” She pours a generous amount of the other onto Siffrin's head until a drop of it splatters on his shoulder. Siffrin clenches his jaw and decides against letting that bit of information out for now.

Mirabelle rubs her hands together and gets to work.

Almost immediately he lets out a sigh as her nails rake across his scalp. His eye rolls back into his head and he sinks deeper into the water.

They're floating, becoming one with the Universe. Their pain fades into dull static as their mind focuses solely on their head.

It's heavenly.

"Uh, Sif," Isabeau's voice is soft.

"Mmm?" they hum.

"Anything I can help with?"

Siffrin cracks his eye open at Isabeau. He's sitting with his head turned to the ceiling and scratching at his chin.

"Oh, uh... " They pause and think. It'd be too cramped to ask him to wash anything else while Mirabelle is still working, but his touch is just so inviting all the same.

They mull it over for a moment. They look at their hand, flex their stiff fingers, and reach out.

"Can you... hold my hand?"

Isabeau gasps. "Of course!" He wipes his hands on his pants and takes Siffrin's between them.

It's nice.

They smile and let out a long sigh. He closes his eye and feels the weightlessness of his body. The way Isabeau’s hand molds around his. The way Mirabelle oh so gently tugs at the many tangles in their hair.

How it feels like... 

His mind wanders.

A tear floats gently in front of him. He’s in the house again.

Ugh. He squeezes his eye shut. Now’s not the time for those thoughts.

It’s completely different, anyway. Tears were always so cold and touching them felt more like missing a stair step and falling forever... and the dreams... the dreams were always so weird.

But now! Now he’s warm and feels like he’s being lifted up, up! And no dreaming! Just perfectly controllable awake thoughts.

... 

He’s in the house again.

Their family is there. Talking about something he can’t quite process. The images and sounds are warped and garbled. They can barely make out Bonnie making snacks in the corner.

Their family goes quiet. Everyone looks over at Bonnie.

They aren’t cooking.

Nope! Not that memory!

They shift in the tub and try to force a different thought, hoping nobody notices their discomfort.

Mirabelle continues scrubbing. Isabeau gives their hand another squeeze.

They are in a hallway now. Things look even more warped and broken; the pillars are sinking through the floor, a haze of static obscures almost everything, and the walls seem to be melting. He can still make out his family standing a few paces ahead, surrounding... him?

They’re smiling at him, and then their expressions fall. “He” vanishes.

No, not that one either.

He’s in front of Isabeau by the tree. They reach out and grab his shirt--

No no no!

They pull into themself and furiously wipe their mouth.

“Sif? What’s wrong?” Isabeau puts his other hand on him. Mirabelle stops and places her hands on their shoulders.

“S-sorry, I just..." He doesn’t want to get into it.

Just be vague. Honest, but vague.

“Just thinking about the loops again.”

They both give him little squeezes.

“It’s okay, Siffrin. We’re here.”

“You’re safe,” Isabeau adds, “it’s over, I promise.”

“Yeah,” they swallow a knot in their throat, “yeah it’s over.” He forces himself to relax and give them a reassuring smile. They close their eye again and wait for Mirabelle to continue scrubbing their hair.

But the memories aren’t over--they won’t ever go away, will they?

They’ve forgotten their own family member’s names. They’ve forgotten their home, their language, their past, and whole chunks of their journey before the loops began.

But the loops themselves are so etched into their mind... 

No. No. It’s too early to even think about that. They’ll fade. They won’t keep popping up every time they have a moment of rest. Maybe they’ll even be able to start remembering things from before the loops! It’s just going to be a recovery process.

A long, long recovery process.

It’s fine though! They have their family! They promised they’d be there for him. As long as he can make himself talk about his feelings sometimes, it’ll all work out fine!

They smile and sigh.

Just happy thoughts for now. Focus on Isabeau’s and Mirabelle’s hands. Think about her brushing your hair or Isabeau holding your hands on the rooftop. Think about Odile ruffling your hair or Bonnie’s hug.

His mind starts to drift again.

In the echo of a memory, the Head Housemaiden is crying. Their family calls out to them from the distance. They race to him and he reaches out. He can barely make out anything through the static but their calling his name is unmistakable.

The scene cracks, and breaks, and he’s back in Dormont. Mirabelle screams. Bonnie cries. Odile grips his cloak. And Isabeau... 

Siffrin’s face pulls into a grimace and he shifts in the tub.

They were loved.

They were loved, they were so loved, and yet, they ruined it.

Isabeau locks their fingers together. “We’re here, Sif.”

Mirabelle holds his head in her hands. “Siffrin, you can talk to us about what you’re thinking about if you want.” Her voice is so soft, so gentle. “But... if you can’t right now you can tell us that too... We can just talk about something light instead... to keep your mind off things.”

‘ So you should just accept it! Accept that you'll always be alone!’

They dig their heels into the bottom of the tub.

“I just—” he chokes.

They say they forgive you, but... 

“Sif.” Isabeau pulls their hand closer.

‘ I know what kind of person you are, now. A Coward, Isa. Never able to say what you mean, never able to do what you want.’

You can’t take it back. Can’t undo it all.

“I—” His breathing quickens. Their chest starts to burn. He tries to speak again but only choked sounds come out.

‘ Deep down, you know you can't escape yourself.’

They won’t forget what you said.

A tear runs down their face. It joins the many drops of water clinging to their neck.

‘ Just leave me behind! Just like you left Ka Bue behind!!! Just like your mom lef̵͉͘ţ̷̟̪̀̒͗́͠ ̵̠̩͕̘̫̈͗̌̊y̷̧̡̼͕̮͆̔̆̀̔o̷̝̓̑̍̚͘ŭ̴̘͇̮̄͜ ̷̻̮͔̖̬̇͌̐̒b̵͔͇̤̽̾̽̕͘͠e̶̘̮̦̬͍̿̒ḣ̶̛̝̤̑̈̎̎i̷̪̮͝ň̷͖̣̱̽d̸͙̿̈́́̊̏̿̚!̶͔̻͇̥͎̒͊̅͘’

They’ll live with your words wearing on them forever.

“Siffrin, it’s okay, you don’t have to say it right away.”

They whine and begin to pull away. Their chest is heaving. The room is starting to spin. Stop it. Stop it. Stay in the moment.

“Sif. Breathe with me,” Isabeau’s demand is gentle yet it’s enough to pull their attention to him.

They see him through the tears. He has his hand on his chest. He breathes deeply.

Their head hurts and their hands are shaking and their heart is beating like it's about to explode, so they probably should.

In, and out.

Siffrin tries to copy. He only manages a few shallow gasps at first.

Isabeau doesn’t stop though. He keeps breathing. In and out. He squeezes Siffrin’s hand with each breath.

In. Siffrin closes his eye and inhales. It’s smoother now. He can hear Mirabelle joining in.

Out. He squeezes Isabeau’s hand back.

In. The burning starts to fade.

Out. They can focus on their surroundings more. On the tug of Mirabelle’s fingers in their hair. On the gentle tremble of Isabeau’s hand. On the sounds of their unified breathing.

The echo of their cruel words gets fainter each time, but still crowd the margins of their consciousness.

One more breath.

They slowly open their eye. Isabeau is smiling gently at him.

“Mmmsorry,” Siffrin mumbles.

“It’s okay,” Isabeau assures and Mirabelle hums in agreement.

“I just—” Not again. The tension begins to creep back.

Just say it. It’s no worse than what you’ve already talked about.

"Why'd it... why’d it have to be this time?" they mumble.

"What do you mean?" Isabeau tilts his head.

Another deep breath. "Why'd this loop have to be the one we broke out of? Why this, and not one where I did everything right and you all..." He kicks at the side of the tub, “loved me?"

Isabeau winces. "We do love you now, Sif." They can feel the pain in his voice.

"But I hurt you all so much!”

“Not enough to stop us from loving you.” He squeezes their hand. “Not even close.”

Siffrin’s throat tightens. He paws at the water and watches the bubbles swirl around.

Mirabelle pulls at their hair. "Siffrin, everyone has bad days. People say cruel things they don't really mean to their friends."

Isabeau nods. "Yeah, you just happened to have a really, really long string of really, really bad days. So you only snapping at us now is pretty... urhm... impressive."

Siffrin pops a bubble.

"We really mean it when we say we forgive you, Siffrin." She gives their hair another gentle tug. "And we'll keep reminding you every time we need to."

"But... " They sink against the side. "You said you'll have time to be mad later. So how are you forgiving me so soon?"

Siffrin could sense Mirabelle frowning. "I can forgive you even if I'm still mad! O-or hurt! Just like I can be mad at you and still love you!"

Isabeau nods. "People are just full of conflicting emotions, and it's pretty normal to feel ones that are at odds." He rubs a thumb over Siffrin's scarred knuckles.

"I guess." They pick at a small scab on their forearm until Isabeau puts his other hand over it.

He leans closer. "The important thing is that you're doing what you can to fix it and keep it from happening again."

"What if it does happen again?" They mumble and sink a little further.

"You try harder next time.” He slides his hand up their arm. “And keep trying."

Siffrin mumbles under their breath. "How many times can I mess up before you all hate me?"

Isabeau squeezes their hand. "There's nothing you will do that'll make us hate you. Maybe get mad, or upset—"

"Or worried!" Mira added, picking at her nails.

"Or worried. But we could never hate you. Never. I promise!"

"Siffrin, you know you're such a genuinely good friend, right? We trust that you'll never try to hurt us on purpose. And... we... " She twists a lock of Siffrin's hair around her finger. "You have to trust us to all work things out together if you make a mistake!"

"Yeah!" Isabeau smiles. "You have to trust us too, Sif."

"I do!" Siffrin bolts upright, splashing water over the two of them. "Sorry!"

"Sif! It's okay, it's just water."

Siffrin whines.

Mirabelle pulls his hair and makes them lean back against the tub. They groan softly and move to cover their mouth, but they stop halfway. No point.

"Hehe! Now that we know you like touch, we're gonna make you relax and be nice to yourself! Oh, I mean if that's okay with you! I mean if that's too much it's fine, but we want you to be happy!"

"You make cute noises, Sif," Isabeau blurts out.

"What?"

"What!? Sorry, that just came out!" He covers his mouth. "Mira is right! We're gonna make you care for yourself and be nice and stuff! But only in ways you're comfortable with of course!" His grip tightens and he scratches the back of his head.

The way his cheeks darken and eyes dart around the room is... 

Cute.

"I'm happy to uh... " They sink until their mouth is just above the water. Their knees come up and they pull them closer. "Make more cute noises later, maybe. If it means you'll uh... play with my hair... too."

Isabeau's body jolts and he nearly crushes Siffrin's hand. Mirabelle bites her lip to (poorly) hold back a long 'awwwww'.

"Hahhaha! Yeah, that sounds great! I'll give you a full body massage and everything, I mean if that's what you're okay with obviously I know I've said it before but I just want to make sure you know I'm not gonna do anything too soon or make you uncomfortable I know you said you'll think about it and stuff so it can be a totally platonic massage or none at all but I just want you to know I'm here to make you feel better in whatever way I can!" When he stops he has to catch his breath.

Siffrin holds back a laugh. Isabeau's grip is still rock solid and their hand is beginning to hurt. "Isa," He tries to flex his fingers.

"Oh, oh Sif I'm sorry!" he cries, releasing his grip. Siffrin turns their hand around and makes a fist a few times. The pain fades quickly and they re-link their hand with his.

Isabeau coughs out a laugh. "S-see!? See this is what I mean where you can feel many emotions. Your hand can hurt from my sweaty rock grip but you still love me!" His eyes widen. "R-right?"

Siffrin bites back a snort. Isabeau tugs at his hair. "No, of course not," they say, sticking their tongue out. "Hand hurty is my limit!"

"Nooooooooooooo!" Isabeau cries out and leans back to press the back of his hand to his forehead. "Not the—ACK" The small stool slips out from under him and he goes crashing to the floor, dragging Siffrin out with him. They land hard on top of him and they both wheeze. Soap-suds splatter across Isabeau's face.

Mirabelle jumps up, nearly toppling over as well but only manages to grab the towel bar at the last second.

"Owwie," Siffrin grunts.

"Sif holy crab! I didn't mean to do that I'm so sorry!" Isabeau sounds on the verge of tears. Immediately his hands are on their shoulders and Mira is behind them a second later. It’s cold, it hurts, and they might have soap in their eye but... Isabeau’s warm. They almost don’t want to get up, but before they can even finish the thought Isabeau and Mirabelle are both helping him to his feet. They stumble a bit; their legs are still weak from the shock, but they manage to get their footing. Mira pulls her hands back but Isabeau keeps his grip solid as Siffrin steps back into the water.

Ahh, warm again.

“I am so sorry, Sif. I didn’t mean to keep holding on!” he whines. “... Or to fall in the first place.” He finally lets go of Siffrin only to bury his face in his soapy, wet hands. He groans loudly.

"Isa, it's okay!" They wince and put their hand to a reopened wound but don't stop laughing even as Mirabelle frantically works to close it back up.

More or less okay.

As she finishes and wipes her arm on her brow with a long sigh, Siffrin begins to giggle.

"Ribs hurty too," they wheeze through a bout of laughter.

The muffled sound of stomping catches their attention.

"FRIN! ZA! BELLE! ARE YOU OKAY IN THERE!?"

"Are you being too rough with them Isabeau?" They swear they can hear the smirk in Odile's voice. "In front of Mirabelle, too?"

Isabeau makes a choked sound and turns to the door. "N-no! We aren't doing anything like that!" He whines as Siffrin's laughing grows ever louder. "It's fine!"

Oh stars, it hurts, it hurts so much but they can't stop.

Oh no, you're being weird again. Stop it!

They crack a glance at Mira and Isabeau. They're... 

Trying not to laugh, too?

Isabeau snorts into his hand and joins in, Mira soon after.

He feels tears welling in his eye. He can see them in Isabeau's, too.

"HEY, WHAT'S SO FUNNY" Bonnie yells and smacks their hands against the door. "DID FRIN MAKE A DUMB CRABBING PUN AGAIN?"

Quick, think of one!

"Oh, it's—" Siffrin wheezes. "Uhhh... "

"It appears Sif has really fallen for me!" Isabeau says through giggles.

"BAD! YUCK! THAT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY YOU GUYS BETTER NOT START BEING GROSS ALL THE TIME!"

"Boniface, you're going to burn dinner."

"OH CRAB!" There's a sound of rapidly retreating stomps and then silence.

"Hahha—oww." Siffrin grips their sides again.

"Siffrin, be careful." Mirabelle holds out her hands but stops. Her genuine concern is broken by giggles she can't quite bite back.

They wave a hand at her before wiping his eye. "It's fine." They cough. "I actually feel... better, now." His gaze lands on Isabeau, who’s looking away with a crooked smile and a burning blush.

...Huh?

Isabeau’s shoulders still shake from barely contained laughter. His chest is covered in soap suds, and he is digging his fingers into his wrist.

"Oh, um... Siffrin... " Mirabelle picks something up off the floor and hands it to him.

The washcloth.

"OH!"

Siffrin nearly splashes half the water out of the tub slapping it back over their groin. He pulls his knees back to his chest and winces at the strain.

"Ow."

"Be careful, Sif!" Isabeau does a quick double-take before looking at them again.

Siffrin holds their hand out to him and he takes it. They sway them from side to side.

Mirabelle lets out a small whine. "Madame Odile is probably going to be at our throats if we stretch out your recovery more like this!" She wrings her hands together, then places one on top of Isabeau's. "And I can't imagine how Nille will react if we take longer getting Bonnie back home because of... this!"

Siffrin coughs out a few more chuckles and sighs.

Actually... they think about the things Bonnie has said about Nille. About her suplexing a guy for touching her. About crafting a hammer so big it broke the wall she hung it on.

He fails to suppress a shudder at the thought of her giving him a whole new set of wounds. Despite them becoming unimaginably strong during the loops, they still wouldn’t want to cross an angry and protective sibling.

“Getting cold, Sif?”

They’re snapped back to the present. “Oh, yeah, a bit.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. The water was starting to lose its delightful heat.

"Do you want us to heat it up more or are you done?"

Siffrin mulls it over for a moment. "No, I probably need to lie down after all that," they chuckle.

Isabeau lets out a long whine. "Sif I'm still so sorry about that!"

"Isa," Siffrin squeezes his hand as hard as they can... which is admittedly not very hard with how exhausted he is. "I promise it's fine. I... really needed that laugh." They pull their other hand away from their knees and place it on top of their friends' hands.

"Also, uhm, Isa, " they look away as their face grows hot. "Can you, um... "

"Yeah, what's up Sif?" He leans closer.

"Can you rinse my hair for me?" He looks at Mirabelle. "Oh, i-it's not that you did a bad job at washing my hair or anything! It felt great!"

"I get it, Siffrin," she chuckles. "You did promise him you'd let him help too."

"Wait, I did?"

"No, but you should have!" Isabeau teases in mock offense.

Siffrin pouts. "Well you get to anyway, so here!" He pushes a cup into Isabeau's hands.

"Gasp! You have bestowed upon me the sacred goblet with which I will complete my holy task." He holds it gingerly in his hands and bows to them.

“Of course, my loyal knight.” Siffrin bows back. “There are not many I trust to handle such an arduous task!”

“Did you really have to say ‘gasp’ out loud, Isabeau?” Mirabelle shakes her head with a sigh and a barely restrained smile.

“I sure did!” he hums with a wide smile as he squeezes the suds from Siffrin’s hair.

They take another washcloth to their arms and start scrubbing, smiling.

"Do you want me to get your back, Siffrin?" Mirabelle asks.

"Please," he sighs.

She hums and begins with their shoulders. She rubs gentle circles down his back and is oh-so careful to avoid any visible wounds. Isabeau holds his palm against Siffrin's brow as he pours water over their head. They almost fall asleep right then and there as they’re cared for with such gentleness.

Having so many hands on them felt so... 

Nice.

Much harder to get distracted with dark thoughts with so much going on.

Yet it was getting to the verge of overstimulating. Especially each time he passes his washcloth over the not-fully-healed wounds speckling his arms.

But it's okay. They've waited so long for this. Nothing's perfect, after all.

They move to their chest, then to their legs. He's able to scrub a bit harder now—only old wounds and a few bruises there. He’s definitely working faster than the others. He almost wants to have them help with that too but he doesn’t quite think he’s ready yet.

"Thank you," they breathe.

"Of course," Mirabelle and Isabeau both hum in response.

Just about done. Siffrin finds the stopper with his toe and pops it out.

Isabeau squeezes the water from their hair and they let out another involuntary sigh in response.

They start to stretch their legs as the water drains, remembering at the last moment to slap the washcloth back over their crotch. They suppose Isabeau wouldn't mind seeing what they have but they couldn't subject Mirabelle to the horrors.

"Do you want me to dry your hair too?" Isabeau asks quietly.

"Don't get greedy, Isabeau!" Mira teases with a gentle shove to his soapy shoulder. She makes a face and rinses her hand off in the nearly-drained water.

"Whaaat! I just want to be helpful to our little rogue!"

Siffrin tries to reach for their hat to cover their blush but, once again, grabs empty air.

"I can dry their hair and you can brush it, how about that? Er—" he turns to Siffrin. "If you’re okay with it!"

Siffrin nods stiffly while biting their lip. They shudder from the exposure and Isabeau rushes to grab towels. He drapes one over their shoulders and gets to work on their hair.

"Oh, we should probably get you a change of clothes." Mirabelle eyes the tattered and bloody pile in the corner. She opens the door to find all three sets of their sleeping clothes neatly folded right outside.

"Aww, thank you, Madame!"

"Are you DONE NOW?" Bonnie groans. “Dinner's been done since forever and it's gonna get cold!"

"It hasn't even been ten minutes, Boniface." Odile sighs.

"FOREVER!"

Mirabelle giggles and struggles to close the door with her arms full of clothing.

Isabeau holds his hand out for Siffrin to grab onto and slowly helps them to their feet. Steam wafts off from their shaking legs. They hang on tighter and step out, but don’t let go of Isabeau for another moment.

“You okay?” he asks softly.

“Yeah.” They nod. They let go but hover their hands over his forearm for a moment until they can calm the shaking of their legs enough. He towels himself off and slips into his soft, clean night clothes while Mirabelle and Isabeau switch into theirs. It’s barely a second after they finish before Isabeau is back to drying their hair.

Their knees grow weak and they lean against him.

"Whoa, Sif. Let's get you to bed. We can eat there too."

Siffrin stumbles upright and nods. "Sounds good. I uh... think I could sleep for a year."

"Hah, I think we all could." He takes Siffrin by the shoulders and guides them over to the bed. He flops down halfway on it and both Isabeau and Mirabelle have to maneuver his limp noodle of a body into a more comfortable position. They wrap him up in many blankets and settle in on either side of him. Bonnie and Odile arrive soon after with plates piled high with food.

Siffrin smiles and leans his head against Isabeau’s chest.

Warm.

[brainddeadd]

Lost Puppy

The door creaked open, and Yn stepped into the dimly lit apartment she shared with Jack. She closed the door quietly, trying to stifle the wave of emotions crashing over her. The date had been an absolute disaster—a mix of awkward silences, forced laughter, and a guy who seemed more interested in his phone than her.

She tossed her keys onto the kitchen counter and sank onto the couch, burying her face in her hands.

A soft rustle came from the kitchen, and moments later, Jack emerged, his usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a concerned frown. “Hey, are you okay?” he asked, his voice gentle but laced with worry.

“Just peachy,” she muttered sarcastically, peeking through her fingers to meet his gaze. Jack’s heart sank as he took in the defeated expression on her face.

He shuffled closer, leaning against the back of the couch, arms crossed. “Bad date?”

“Let’s just say it was a total nightmare,” she sighed, looking up at him. “I don’t even know why I bother anymore.”

Jack felt a surge of frustration bubble up inside him. He’d been watching her struggle in the dating world, waiting for the moment she’d realize he was right there, always ready to be more than just her best friend. But here he was, again, standing on the sidelines while she fell for the wrong guys.

“You know, I’ve been following you around like a lost puppy since the day we met,” he blurted out, surprising both of them. “Yet you couldn’t see?”

She blinked at him, taken aback by his sudden confession. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” he continued, his voice growing stronger, “I’ve been here, cheering you on, trying to help you through all this crap, and you’re so caught up in these stupid dates that you can’t even see what’s right in front of you.”

Yn stared at him, her heart racing. “Jack, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying I like you. Like, really like you. Not just as your best friend.” His cheeks flushed a deep red, and he ran a hand through his hair, the tension spilling out of him. “I’m tired of pretending I don’t when all I want is to be with you.”

Silence hung heavy between them, and Jack's heart raced as he awaited her response. He had put everything on the line, and now he just hoped she wouldn’t shut him out.

Finally, she spoke, her voice soft. “Jack, I—”

“Look, I know you’re not ready for anything serious right now, and I get that,” he interrupted, panic rising in his chest. “But can you at least consider it? I’m not just some guy who wants to hook up; I want to be there for you, for real.”

Yn took a deep breath, her mind racing. She had felt something for him for a while but had been too afraid to act on it. But seeing Jack so vulnerable, so earnest, made her heart flutter.

“Jack, I…” she started, but he shook his head.

“Just give me a chance. Let me show you that we could be more than just friends. Please.”

His sincerity broke through her reservations. She had been afraid of ruining what they had, but standing there in the dim light of their shared apartment, the weight of his words settled over her like a warm blanket.

“I… I think I’d like that,” she whispered, a smile slowly spreading across her face.

Jack’s heart soared, relief flooding through him as he took a tentative step closer. “Really?”

“Yeah. I’ve just been scared,” she admitted.

He grinned, the weight of his feelings lifting off his shoulders. “So, how about we start with a movie night? Just us?”

Yn nodded, laughter bubbling up inside her. “Definitely.”

As they settled in together on the couch, the tension faded, replaced by the excitement of new beginnings. Maybe this time, things would finally go right.

[oceantornadoo]

protective ex-husband!simon, implied violence/break-in *gender neutral version*

“i know! and that’s when i told her-“ you paused, your hand halfway to the keys at the bottom of your backpack. your apartment door was open, a menacing sliver of darkness awaiting you. “hey, i’m going to have to call you back.” you ended the call with your friend, slowly backing away from your door. shit. you knew you locked the door when you left for work, and no one else had a copy of your key. a creeping sensation came over you, like someone was watching from within. slowly, you retreated, taking the elevator down to your apartment’s lobby as the anxiety crawled through your body. you wracked your brain, wondering if you should call the police. wondering if they would even believe you. there was only one call to make.

“come on, pick up.” you tapped your foot impatiently as your ex husband took forever to answer the phone. it was all you could do to not think about your home being violated, about a potential stalker or date gone wrong.

“‘ello?”

“si- simon, it’s me.”

“i know, love. that’s why i picked up.” you let out a quiet sob of relief at his voice, the bottle on your emotions starting to leak.

“what’s wrong?” his voice changed, immediately hearing your silent tears. he could always read you too well. “i don’t want to bother you but” you hiccupped. shit. “but my apartment door was open and i’m pretty sure i closed it, i usually do. i don’t know if im being silly but now im in the lobby and im just scared, simon.” there was a fumbling sound, the echoes of simon zipping up his jacket and pulling on his shoes.

“go to that cafe across the street, dove. go get yourself one of those overpriced hot chocolates. i’ll be there in 15.”

9 minutes later, your shaking hands were tapping random patterns on the cafe table, unable to raise your drink to your mouth without spilling it. your eyes were locked onto the wood grain, counting lines to distract yourself.

suddenly, a gloved hand covered yours. you looked up and there he was, your ghost in all his glory. you forgot everything for a second, forgot the past arguments and the strained silences, and flung yourself into his arms. you breathed in his comforting scent of pinewood that masked his cigarettes, a cologne you got him four years ago for christmas. your face was wet, and as he pulled you back to check you for injuries, his thumb brushed a stray tear away from your face. you didn’t even realize you were crying.

“‘s okay, baby. i’m here now. give me your keys.” you fumbled for your keys, backpack strap sliding off your shoulder as your hands shook too much to keep it balanced. simon caught it gracefully, finding your keys in the same pocket you always kept them. “stay here. i’ll be back.” you nodded instinctively. only when you saw his figure retreat to your apartment building, clothed in all black like a figure of death, you realized you hadn’t told him your new apartment number.

twenty minutes passed. simon’s presence had worked like medicine as your heart rate has now dropped back down to normal, your hands stable enough to finish your drink. any other person would be worried for simon’s safety, but you knew the only person you should be concerned for was your intruder.

“you’re stayin’ with me tonight.” he was back, looking exactly the same. he wasn’t even winded. “thank you simon, but don’t be ridiculous. i can get a hotel. you live so far from my work anyways.” he approached you, crowding into your space as he leaned over you, even with a cafe table in between. “consider it payment then.” he tilted your chin up with his left hand as he hid his other one, covered with blood, in his pocket. “one way or another, you’re in my bed tonight, dove.” you gulped at that. “and i’ve got riley in the car. you wouldn’t abandon him, would you?” of course he had gotten your cat when he checked out your apartment. riley hated men, but never simon. cheeky bastard.

“you win.”

fast forward a couple of hours and you were getting ready for bed at simon’s, belly full from the meal he had made you. riley made himself at home on the living room couch, of course. “he’s in my spot.” you gestured to your cat on the couch. “wha’ d’ya mean?” your husband simon was now in sweats and sweats only, clean from the shower he had after you both got home back to his place. you pretended not to see him methodically wash blood out of his fingernails, reasoning quite easily with yourself that it was for a good cause.

“my couch for tonight.” simon moved toward you and you avoided his eyes, trying not to stare at how beautiful he still was. muscular but thick, torso adorned with scars you used to trace on sunday mornings when you both stayed in bed until the afternoon. he gripped your chin, forcing you to make eye contact. “told’ya you were in my bed tonight, dovie.” you swallowed and he watched your throat move, memories of you swallowing something else countless times rising to the surface.

“don’t be silly, simon. that would cross a line.”

“what line?” his arms were crossed now, drawing your attention to an unfamiliar tattoo right above his heart. a small dove.

“we’re not together anymore, simon.”

“you’re still mine.”

silence. he was always like this, pushing you until you broke. he was unwilling to compromise, even on the smallest of issues. usually you’d fight him, spit fire until you lost your voice. tonight though, you were reminded of how he was the only person you were able to call, the only one committing dark sins without asking, all for your safety. instead, you threw your hands up and walked into his bedroom, mechanically stripping as you put on one of his shirts and a pair of shorts. you felt his eyes on you, burning a hole through the fabric. you were tired, so tired of this push and pull.

“what.” you whipped around, all venom. his eyes were impossibly soft, holding yours with a peaceful caress. “you’re as beautiful as the day i lost you.” your fire went out at that. “you’re just trying to get me naked.” you mumbled, looking down as you fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. you watched as his body came into view, pressing your forehead against his bare skin.

“could see you in a thousand layers and you’d still be the most beautiful person i’ve ever seen, dove.” ever so slowly, your hands crept up his body to grab his shoulders and neck. he picked you up with ease, turning the lights off and tucking you both in bed. “when did you get the tattoo?” you asked in the dark.

“3 months and 12 days ago.” what would have been your 3rd year of marriage, your anniversary. you lowered your head and gave him a kiss right where the tattoo was. “can we talk about it in the morning?” you snuggled into him, that familiar scent calming you once again. “always, dove.” he kissed your forehead, smiling in the dark.

—

someone requested gender neutral so i hope i did you justice! i consider dove, love, lovie, and baby to be gn so i didn’t change them if you were wondering

[cal-flakes]

dealer rafe stroking readers hair when she’s stressed

heavy on this rn cause this is all i need.

╰┈➤ comfort with dealer!rafe

warnings: hurt/comfort, just fluff tbh.

summary: y/n has a bad day and just needs rafe to hold her.

she sniffed as she heard him close her front door, his heavy footsteps hurriedly making their way to her room where she lay drowning in the covers of her bed, tear stained. “angel?” he cooed breathlessly, a lingering reminder of his quick journey, having dropped everything to comfort her after hearing the heartbreaking sounds of her whimpers through the phone.

she felt guilty enough for interrupting his meeting with barry, nevermind unintentionally making him come over.

the creases on his forehead softened at the sight of her quivering frame beneath the covers, her manicured hands clutching the material as she peaked her head out. “oh, sweet girl, what happened?” he muttered, rushing to her side.

shaking her head, she simply shifted the blankets away from her face, exposing her flushed cheeks, covered in the crust of her dried tears. “baby, what happened? did someone upset you?” he asked quickly, his tone suddenly changing at the thought.

struggling to catch her breath, she began to stutter. “angel if someone’s upset you, you need to tell me” he pushed more sternly.

her head shook frantically this time, deflating his fleeting anger. “no-nobody’s upset me rafe, i just- just had such an awful day” she whimpered, shuffling closer to his upright figure, nuzzling her head into the side of his leg as his hand cupped her cheek.

“why was today so bad my love? i thought you were working today?” he queried, pushing some stray hairs away as he moved to stroke her tangled hair. “i was- i was at work, and it- it was just so busy, and people were getting frustrated with me and it was just all too much..” she rambled, her chest heaving as she lost herself in the re-appearing feelings from a few hours prior.

“shh, calm down. i’m here now m’kay?” he cooed. “move along baby, let me get in..” he whispered, shooing her away for a moment to slip underneath the covers before pulling her weight back onto him, holding her head against his chest.

she sighed into his shirt as she held him tightly, afraid he’d disappear if she let go. “you wanna talk about what happened?”

“no, i just want you to hold me, please..” she croaked weakly, tears threatening to spill as the love between them coursed through her like an emotional overdrive.

“okay baby, whatever you want..” he whispered, resting his chin on top of her head as he continued raking his fingers through her hair.

[voidvannie]

꒰ఎ CRUEL SUMMER! ━━ PART TWO

⋆✩⋆ ─── adore you masterlist main masterlist

⋆✩⋆ ─── part one part three

⋆✩⋆ ─── IN WHICH . . . emersyn surprises her best friend by showing up at the lake house, and quinn soon goes to his brother when he realizes his feelings for the singer.

⋆✩⋆ ─── feel free to send in any request for things you want to see in this series, or in any of the other series on my page. Or if you just want to share some thoughts about what you read, or if you want to talk about oc's!

June 1, 2022

“Hi, Emmie, we miss you!?”

“Mama H!” Emersyn cheers as the woman answers her FaceTime call.

“Is that Emmie?!”Jim’s face appears next to his wife’s, ginning widely at the girl he saw as his daughter. “Hey, superstar!”

“Hey, Papaw H! How are you guys?” She asked, looking off screen as a voice calls her name, “The blue one, Justin!”

“We’re good, honey! What with the call?” Jim asked the brunette as he smiled.

“Well, I wanted to let the two of you be the first to know that I’m coming to the lake house risk summer!”

A gasp leaves Ellen’s lips as a smile makes its way onto her face, “Are you serious?!”

“Yes! I feel like it’s been a long time coming, and besides, I miss everyone.” Emersyn pouts, “And with mom and dad going on their little getaway and Ryder busy with his own life, I need this.”

“I’ve been telling you that you need a break!” A male voice calls throughout the background just as a shirt lands on her head.

“Justin! Stop messing up my bedroom! Go home to your wife!”

“You said you would go get waffles with me!”

“Ugh! Fine! I’ll see you guys in a couple of days! Love ya’ll!”

“We love you, sweetheart!” Ellen blows the young woman a kiss before hanging up, “Oh, I’m so happy! Our girl is coming home for the summer!”

Jim smiles sweetly at his wife, his own excitement building up in his chest, “Maybe this is the summer where Quinn will get his head out of his ass and finally admit that he’s had feelings for her from the very first summer she stopped coming.”

June 10, 2022

The slick black car pulled into the driveway of the Hughes lake house, cars piled up outside from the amount of people staying there this summer.

Choosing to get her stuff from the trunk later, the brunette girl bounces up the stairs and knocks on the door.

The red wooden door opens up and Emersyn grins when she notices that Ellen is the one to open it.

“Emmie, my sweet girl!” Ellen pulls her into a tight hug, both women hugging each other for dear life, “Oh, I’ve missed you so much!”

“I missed you! You’re making me cry!” Emersyn can feel herself tear up as they pull away from each other, the brunette wiping her tears away.

“I heard our girls voice!” Jim’s booming voice filled the air as he comes around the corner, straight to the girl he had practically helped raise since she was eight. “Hi, honey.”

“Hi.”

“Come on, all the boys are out on the dock.” Jim leads the girl towards the back door as his wife follows along. “Hey, boys! Look what that cat dragged in!”

Everyone turns in the direction of Jim's voice, shouts of happiness leaving the lips of those who knew Emersyn on a personal level as they rushed to hug her, all of them talking over each other.

But two people stood off to the side, both with totally different emotions swirling around.

Jack stood with a dropped jaw, tears pooling as he it had been years since they had spent a summer with each other. Of course, the two talked on the daily and texted, checking up on each other. And Emersyn had been to a handful of his hockey games while Jack tried to go to as many concerts of hers as he could.

But they hadn’t actually spent a summer together since the summer that Quinn had embarrassed her after Luke spilled her secret about her crush on Quinn — one that was still so much present even though it had been years.

Quinn sat off to the side, his entire body frozen as he takes in the girl standing in front of him. The two hadn’t talked since that one summer. And every time Quinn tried to get Jack to give him the singers new number, his brother always refused.

If she wanted him to have it, then she would’ve given it to him.

“Holy, fu— is this real?” Jack asked from his place, watching as his best friend nodded her head.

“Hi, Jacky.”

And that’s all it took for the two best friends to rush towards each other, Jack picking the brunette up to hold her to him tightly, the middle Hughes boy swaying them slightly.

“Are you here for the summer?” He mumbles in her neck, only loud enough for her to hear.

“Yes. I decided that it—,”

“No. Let me help you get your stuff up to your room.” Jack cuts her off, placing a hand on the small of her back, pushing her towards the inside of the lake house.

It’s quiet as Jack watches Emersyn unpacking her stuff in the bedroom that was designated for her when she came to the Lake House for the summer, which for the last nine years had stayed empty.

“The entire summer?”

Emersyn laughs as she pushes the now empty suitcase under the bed, “I’m here the entire summer. Well, I do have to fly back to California in a couple of days just for a concert. I promised Justin I’d come sing Overboard with him.”

Jack nods as she comes to sit next to him on the bed, “How’s that crush on Quinn?”

Emersyn groans, throwing herself back as she uses the palms of her hands to cover her eyes, “You would think that after nine years, and one toxic ass relationship, that I wouldn’t have one anymore but it hasn’t gone away.”

“Might help if you stopped watching his games, or stopped looking over his Instagram, or let me set you up on a date with —,”

“I’m not going on a date with anybody for your team.” She cuts his off, “Dawson and Nico are great guys, but no.”

“Worth a shot.” He shrugged.

“I tried really hard to forget about my crush on Quinn, but it seems impossible. And I know that he doesn’t feel the same way, he made that pretty clear in 2013, but….,”

“You want him to return the feelings.” Jack smiles softly.

“Yeah.” Emersyn sighs, “God, that sounds so stupid.”

“Maybe one day he will. It’d be nice if you were my sister one day.” Jack smirks, nudging his foot with hers before the smirk drops, “I don’t know how I’d feel about it though.”

“What do you mean?” She sits up, eyebrows pinched together is confusion.

“Emmie, he broke your heart to the point that you haven’t been here is nine years. He let his friends laugh at you. He embarrassed you.” Jack shakes his head, “He’s by brother, and I love him, but your my sister and I love you just as much.”

“Jack! Stop hogging Emmie!” Trevor rushed into the bedroom, cutting off the conversation between the two best friends as he picks the singer up and throws her over his shoulder.

“Trevor!” Emersyn squealed, clutching tightly to his sides to make sure she wouldn’t slip from his grip. “Put me down!”

“I don’t think so, pop star.”

June 11, 2022

Emersyn had officially made it an entire day without talking to Quinn. Trevor and Jack had done a great job at keeping her as far away from her as possible.

But this morning as she was sitting on the porch, watching the sun rise, she had no luck seeing as she was the only one awake.

“Hey.” Quinn comes to sit in the empty seat next to her.

“Hi.” She doesn’t turn her head to look at him as he shoulders tense.

Quinn notices the way she rubs the palms of her hands on her bare thighs, a habit that she picked up on when she was nervous about something.

“How’s things in sunny California?” He asked, leaning back in his seat.

“Good. I finally moved out of Justin’s place.” Emersyn nods, “Which isn’t all too great ‘cause I live next door and he can just walk in whenever he feels like it.”

Having been a minor when she first moved to California, her parents staying in Michigan, she needed an adult to live with, and Justin offered to be her legal guardian until she was old enough.

And the brunette wanted to move out whenever Hailey had moved in with him, but both told her to stay, and she ended up doing that until about a months ago.

“Emmie.” The door slides open and Luke pops his head out with a pout, “Will you make me some of your pancakes?”

A giggle leaves her lips as she stands up, walking towards him, “Come on you big baby.”

Quinn watches the girl walk inside with his youngest brother, a sign leaving his lips as he throws his head back, “I am so fucked.”

June 14, 2022

“We need to talk.” Quinn shuts Jack’s bedroom door as the Devil’s player was trying to find a specific t-shirt that Emersyn had asked him to get so that she could throw it over her swim suit.

“Talk about what?” Jack doesn’t turn from his closet as he pushes clothes around.

“I’m in love with Emersyn.”

Jack freezes as the words come from his brother’s mouth, t-shirt clutches tightly in his fist before he shakes his head, “No.”

“No? What do you mean ‘no’?” Quinn looks at his brother in confusion as Jack turns to him.

“You think I’m going to let you love my best friend after what happened?” Jack asked, a dry chuckle leaving his lips. “Think again.”

“Jack—,”

“No. It has been nine years since I’ve spent an entire summer with Emmie because of you.” Jack tells him, “Hell, she didn’t even come to Luke’s first NHL game that she promised him she would come to because she didn’t want to face you.”

“I know! Jack, I was 13–,”

“I don’t give a damn if you were 31! Emmie has spent her entire life trying to please you, to make you see her as more than my best friend!” Jack’s voice grew louder as his grip on the t-shirt got tighter, knuckles turning white out of anger. “I’ll be damned if you hurt her all over again!”

“Jack—,”

“Tell her.”

“What? No!”

Jack’s jaw flexes as he clenches down on his teeth, “Either you tell her right now, or I do it.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Not fair? You what’s not fair?! Her being gone for nine years, not wanting to step foot into this lake house, because you hurt her and embarrassed her!” Jack’s voice carried throughout the house as he makes his way down the stairs, feet pounding loudly with each step that he took.

“Jack! Stop!”

“Emmie!” Jack calls out for the girl as he holds the t-shirt out to her.

“Oh, thank yo—,”

“Quinn is in love with you.”

Silence falls over the entire lake house, Emersyn's standing in shock as she holds the t-shirt in her hand.

"Jack." Quinn hisses, not able to tear his gaze away from the fallen expression on Emersyn's face. "Emmie."

"Stop." Her voice cracks as she holds a hand up, pushing the t-shirt into his chest as she walks by him and heads up the stairs.

"Seriously?" Quinn looks at his little brother before following after the brunette, "Emmie! Hey, Emersyn, talk to me!"

"What the hell just happened?" Trevor asked after closing his mouth after it fell open in shock.

“Emmie, will you please open the door?” Quinn calls out as he knocks on the bedroom door, forehead pressed against the wooden surface.

Silence fills the air as the brunette inside doesn’t say a word, throwing stuff into a suitcase as she texted Justin that she wanted to come back a day earlier for at least a couple of days to clear her head.

"Emersyn, please!" Quinn knocks once again before the doorknob is turning and the Canucks player pushed it open standing in the doorway, "What are you doing?"

"I have to go back to Cali to do a show. I don't have the time to talk." She replies as her phone dings, Justin texting her back with flight information for flight that was leaving in two hours.

"So, you're just gonna runaway again?"

Emersyn spun around, "I didn't runaway the first time! I was heartbroken, embarrassed! I took some time for myself because thirteen-year-old me was heartbroken!"

"Emmie--,"

"I seriously don't have the time for this." Emersyn says with a shake of her head, grabbing the now zipped suitcase and quickly walking out of the bedroom.

Quinn stands there for a moment before he's rushing after her, ignoring the looks from all of the hockey players spread out in his lake house living room. "I love you! Is that what you wanted to hear?! I'm in love with you!"

"I am not talking about this right this moment. I have a plane to catch."

"So that's it?"

Emersyn spins around to look at him once more as a tear falls from her eyes, "I waited nine years for you to say something, to heart you say that you loved me the way that I love you. Nine. I'm sure you can wait a couple of days before I'm ready to talk."

And with those last words, Emersyn walks out of the door, leaving Quinn standing there.

[crashandlivewrites]

ber i'm sad and insecure :( i'm begging you for fluff about simon holding reader and reminding her that he thinks she's so pretty :(( calls her "lovie" and praises her a whole lot. that would heal me <3

Of course my darling <33 anything for my cherry 🍒

CW: talks of insecurity and negative self talk, tender fluff and love

Lying in bed, you were curled into a ball, exhaustion taking hold of your body despite feeling that you hadn’t really done all the much today to warrant feeling so drained. The mental list of chores you had been planning to do went unchecked, leaving even more to do tomorrow, yet you couldn’t stomach the thought of dragging yourself out of bed.

Your ears perked as you heard the front door click and you shot upwards, realising your boyfriend had been due home today and you hadn’t done anything to prepare for it.

“No no no no…” You cursed at yourself for being lazy, for not being aware of the day, for not paying attention, for every tiny little detail you felt you could criticise yourself on as you ran around the room, picking up dirty, discarded clothing that hadn’t yet made it to the laundry. Stepping into the bathroom, you shoved as much of the washing you could into the hamper as the door was pushed open and Simon walked into the bedroom.

“Lovie, you home?” He called softly, his heavy footfalls stepping closer.

“Just in here,” you called, stepping quickly out of the bathroom, almost running head first into his solid chest.

“Hey, there’s my pretty lady.” Tapping his finger on the underside of your chin, he encouraged your head to tilt up, making your eyes meet. You immediately saw the drop in his expression and couldn’t help the shame that filled you.

“I’m sorry.” You whispered. “I didn’t realise what day it was. I haven’t done what I was supposed to but I plan on doing it tomorrow, I promise. I just…” You trailed off as his hand tipped your head up once again.

“What’s wrong, lovie?” He asked softly. Your expression was tight, pinched in confusion as you shrugged helplessly. “You don’t know? Just haven’t been feeling good?”

You shook your head, eyes still glancing away from his, worried you were going to find disappointment and disapproval in them.

“Look at me.” His voice was barely above a whisper as he tapped your cheek. Swallowing, you finally gained the courage to look into his eyes, seeing nothing but worry and care for you. “Whats going on in that pretty head of yours, sweetheart? You sounded alright on the phone a few days ago.”

“I don’t know.” You answered, just as quietly. “It just all crept up on me.” Simon hummed, wrapping his strong arms around you and pulling your body into his chest. A hand carded through your hair, brushing gently through the strands as he stood there, breathing slowly and deeply.

“You know I’m always here. Whatever you need, right?” He said as he pressed a kiss to the top of your head.

“I know. But you’ve got so much on your plate that I don’t—”

“No. Please, lovie.” He tugged you over to the bed where he sat down, looking up at you standing between his legs. His hands ran down your arms, fingers trailing soothingly along your skin until he reached your hands, lacing his fingers through yours.

“I know what you’re like when you get into your head. Don’t shut me out. Let me help you, please.”

“You already do enough for me.” You shake your head, but the furrow of his brows stops you from making any further complaints.

“I always want to do more for you.” He whispered, sliding a hand up the back of your neck to rest your forehead against his. “It doesn’t matter to me what you have or haven’t done round the place. You’re here. That’s what matters to me. You sit here and you wait for me to come home. That means more to me than anything.”

You swallowed, struggling to look into his eyes as the emotion of the last few days threatened to rear its ugly head and spill over your cheeks. He cooed softly, caressing your face as he pulls you onto the bed, lying down so you were facing each other.

“I haven’t washed the sheets, Si.” You murmured. His brows furrowed and he shrugged.

“So, they smell like you, why would I want them washed? Coming back home to a place that looks, feels, and smells like you, my pretty little thing, is a dream. Especially because I know when I’m gone, you sleep on my side.”

Your face flushes as he guesses correctly and you make a whining noise of protest, pushing against him playfully. Simon sighed, one arm hooked under the pillow his head was resting on, and the other was gliding tentatively over your shoulder.

“You mean the world to me, lovie. You don’t need to face everything by yourself. It hurts me when I see you like this. Next time, you promise to let me know, let me in so I can help?” His voice was sincere as he stared deep into your eyes.

“Yes Simon. I promise.” You whispered. His lips spread into a tired smile.

“Then come here. I’ve had a long few days and don’t plan on leaving this bed at all tomorrow. Just wanna cuddle with my pretty girl all day.”

“What about all the—”

“Nothing else matters but me and you, got it?”

“I got it, Simon.”

Remember: you’re loved and appreciated no matter what. Take care of yourself and also don’t beat yourself up if you didn’t achieve everything you wanted to