#so this guy was introduced to me by a mutual connection and he wants me on board

[buckydeservesthebest]

The lack of media literacy of some Sam Stans is frankly disturbing and should be made to look ridiculous.

To rely on the fanfiction in their minds to jump to the conclusion that Bucky and the others "work for Val", just because we DID NOT know how Bucky proceeded after the abrupt ending of the movie, and we STILL don't know how the New Avengers operate, because we only had a 2 minute post-credits scene whose sole purpose was to connect to the events of Avengers Doomsday, which basically gave NO information about them as a team. It's stupidly absurd.

Just because Bucky and the others decided to stay as a team (because literally the movie was about a group of people being forced to work together to confront a seemingly indefensible threat, and to connect and form a bond of mutual support in the process), and take the Avengers name is NOT proof that Val is somehow exerting her influence on them. Did these people even watch the same movie?? Do you really think that Bucky, Yelena and the others would listen to any of the lies of an evil manipulative person like Val after all that happened?? Tell me you didn't understand any of the plot without telling me...

Val does NOT own the Avengers name, so her publicly introducing them as the New Avengers does NOT mean shit. Bucky was already an Avenger since Infinity War or before. John literally said people considered him an Avengers since TFATWS.

Clint brought Wanda to the team, and Steve brought Sam to the team as well, there is no clause prohibiting members from inviting their own recruits to the team. So of course Bucky would have every right to decide to form his own team and invite his new teammates. Bucky has as much right to do this as Sam.

Literally people forget that Val has NO support, she is in the crosshairs of the authorities, she got rid of all her labs and all her research. Her only hope was to be able to control Sentry and of course it slipped through her fingers. Literally Bucky, Yelena and the others have her on a short leash, and they can literally take her down whenever they feel like it.

Also, exposing Val at the press conference wouldn't have worked as the only people who knew Bob was Sentry and The Void were Val, Mel and The Thunderbolts. If they'd presented Bob who didn't even remember what just happened people would have thought they were crazy or just lying to try and bring her down.

Even if Yelena and the others were to say publicly that Val hired them to get rid of any evidence that might convict her, it would be their word (that of former criminals) against hers. It could equally be interpreted that they are just lying because they have no evidence.

And another thing, when Bucky captured the Thunderbolts he was going to take them to testify with the impeachment committee. Their statement would only be useful against Valentina in this situation. For this information to be made public before it got to the Committee would have been counterproductive and would have most likely lost its credibility. So there is literally nothing to prevent Bucky from later arranging a deal in which Yelena, John and Ava could testify against Val in exchange for protection, a reduced sentence or even a government pardon.

People make a stupid fuss that the New Avengers might be somehow related to the government, when we don't even know if this is true or to what degree, but they conveniently forget that the OG Avengers were literally formed by SHIELD, a government organization. And their first team mission was ordered by SHIELD as well. In CA:TWS Steve and Natasha are still considered to be working for SHIELD, i.e. the Government. That only stopped because SHIELD was bought down. The Avengers only gained autonomy because the government organization controlling it ceased to exist.

The idea to form a new Avengers team in CA:BNW literally came from Ross, the same guy who wanted to have enhanced people under his control, the same guy who said Bruce's body was government property, and the same guy who ordered an extrajudicial execution order against Bucky, convicting him as guilty for the UN bombing without a fair trial which is literally a violation of his human rights. Ross is NO better a person than Val, and Sam was going to work with him just because he told him he "had changed", as if Ross wasn't known for lying, he already did it by telling the Avengers that they were "going to have a degree of freedom" if they signed the Accords, and this is NOT true.

Had the scandal of Ross transforming into the Red Hulk not happened on national TV, and thus not ended up in prison, Sam would have ended up working with him. The line between Sam "and when we disagree on how to manage a situation… what happens then?" and Ross "we figure it out together" literally already is a clear implication that they were going to work together.

I bet if BNW had ended up in a similar situation, with no word on whether Ross was arrested or not, and before that he had introduced Sam, Joaquin and maybe others as the New Avengers, people wouldn't jump to the conclusion that Sam is now working for him.

BECAUSE AGAIN, WORKING IN COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT MEAN BEING SUBJUGATED BY IT. AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE OG AVENGERS, WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH SAM'S FUTURE TEAM AND WHAT MAY HAPPEN WITH THE NEW AVENGERS.

Literally the only mention of the government with the New Avengers was Yelena's "we're the Avengers, the government said so," which couldn't be more ambiguous. Bucky literally has his trusted contacts within Congress, so without any problem they could have been the ones who could have offered them backing. Bucky literally already worked within the system and that did NOT stop him from stepping in and running things his own way. Of course he is going to seek that same freedom for his team.

In the same PC scene Yelena says that "there is a possible space threat and no one is informing them". If the New Avengers were really a government sanctioned organization, why isn't the government asking them to be the ones to investigate this? See the lack of sense? Bucky told Yelena to get a satellite image and send the jets when they are being kept out of the situation. That is literally clear proof that they are handling the situation their way and NOT asking for any permission.

Valentina is NOT the entire government, and NOT all members of the government are corrupt criminals. There's Rhodes who remained a colonel in the army even after he knew the system was infiltrated by Hydra, but that doesn't make him any less of a hero or any less of one.

Sam Stans think that Sam is supposedly so worried that now "the Avengers name is linked to a corrupt politician like Val", and that's why he waited 14 months to file a copyright lawsuit, when TB* could easily use a variant like The Revengers, The Avengerz, The New Avengers, East Coast Avengers, or any other that doesn't infringe copyright. Because avoiding that "The Avengers name is linked to Val" is the problem, not that a "bunch of super people are working for her" 🤡🤡

[lilhughesy]

Excuse me, you look like you love me | Jack Hughes x Fem!Reader

warnings! mentions of sex (brief! not full smut, just a hint towards it. don't read if it makes you uncomfortable!), angst, panic attacks, cheating (?), fighting/pushing, nicknames (princess, pretty, blue, bluesy, bluey, etc. mentioned!)

word count: 25.7k (oops!)

summary: Y/N is Trevor Zegras' best friend, and he is more than excited to introduce her to his friends Jack and Cole during a house party in the summer before senior year of high school. The four quickly become close, eventually Y/N bonding to Jack the most. After a summer at the Hughes lake house, Jack and Y/N start developing feelings for each other. In attempts to avoid ruining friendships, they try to ignore their feelings but does it hurt the other person when one starts to pull away?

a/n: Hi everyone! I went a little (a lot) overboard with this one, I'm sorry it's so long! I will mention that not everything in this is accurate, I am aware! Thank you for all the positive feedback for my previous fic, and I hope you enjoy this one too!

(not edited!)

Jack remembers the exact moment when he laid eyes on her and knew that she was meant to be his. It was during a house party when he and his best friend, Trevor Zegras, were 17 in the summer. Trevor insisted that Jack and Cole came with him to yet another party since Trevor wanted them to meet a few of his friends from high school.

Of course, neither one of the boys were the types to say “no” to a night of drinking and fun — the three always ended up being the lives of the party. Jack walked through the glass front door with Cole next to him, immediately darting towards the makeshift bar in the kitchen.

The music was blasting off the multiple connected speakers and the LED lights were shining purple. Bodies of teenagers were scattered throughout the main level of the house and the large backyard.

“Hey! You boys made it!” Trevor exclaimed, approaching his friends and giving a firm slap on the back, “Shane said to help yourselves to any drink you want. Beers in the fridge, there’s also a keg outside and a cooler jam packed with drinks.”

“This is a crazy party,” Cole chuckled while handing Jack a Budweiser can, “You know everyone here, Z?”

Trevor only shrugged, “Yeah kinda, bunch of mutuals, y’know? Come on, let’s out outside! I want you to meet a few of my buddies.”

Jack’s eyes scanned the scene outdoors, the fairy lights strung up across the top of the fences and the crowd gathered around the keg. Trevor led the two towards a group mixed of guys and girls that were sitting around the nonexistent fire pit.

“Boys! This is Jack Hughes and Cole Caufield, I told you guys about ‘em” Trevor said to the group, “That’s Shane, he’s the lad hosting this thing. Over there in the green hoodie is Dyl, Kayden, and Stevie. The ladies are Maddy, Linds, and Y/N!”

The group of teens all smiled at the two hockey players, each giving their hellos to them as they were introduced. Jack’s eyes were immediately drawn to Y/N, who seemed more shy in comparison to the other girls. But Jack swore he’s never seen a girl as pretty as her. The way that the golden sun rays hit her hair, the pretty lip gloss she wore, and the way she made it look so effortless. He offered her a small smile, in which she immediately returned — she secretly hoped that he wouldn’t notice the rosiness of her cheeks.

Jack, Trevor, and Cole all sat down to join Trevor’s friends, fitting right into the conversation that was going prior. The group of ten laughing, cracking jokes, and overall enjoying the flow of summer break.

As the night went on, the group started the scatter to socialize with their other friends that came to the party. The three hockey players mostly stayed together although on a few occasions where one would deviate to spark a conversation with a girl.

Jack found himself sitting on the steps of the back patio, sipping away at his beer whilst leaning his elbows on his knees and enjoying people watching. Cole drifted away from him to chat it up with a cute blonde a few feet away, Trevor catching up with his boys since coming back from hockey camp. Jack didn’t mind, it was nice to be a regular teenager and to enjoy parties like this without the stress of morning practice.

His eyes often looking around at the different teens that were dancing or talking or singing, but his line of vision would constantly shift towards Y/N. She stood a ways away from the main crowd with her friend… “What’s her name again?” Jack thought to himself, “Madelyn? Madison? Maddy? Something like that.”

She would often glance up and make a brief second of eye contact with the blue eyed boy before he would instantly look away. Her heart warmed at the idea that he didn’t want her to catch him staring, “He’s really cute.” She smiled to herself at the, what felt like, fifteenth time of the two catching eyes.

Every time, she would feel the blush rise up on her face and her attention shifting away from the conversation that she was holding with Maddy.

“Girl, did you even hear what I just said?” Maddy asked jokingly after snapping her fingers in Y/N’s face. She blinked out of her train of thought, looking back to Maddy,

“Y- Yeah, of course I did!” She stuttered, covering her embarrassment. Maddy playfully rolled her eyes,

“Did you really or are you too busy playing eye-tag with Jack?” Maddy teased, “He’s really fucking cute, you should go talk to him!”

Y/N shook her head in response, “No way, I couldn’t.”

“Why not? He keeps looking at you when you’re talking to me. Like, he’s seriously staring!” Maddy giggled as Y/N lightly shoved her shoulder, “He looks like he’s in love with you!”

“What would I even say? I never approach guys,” She sighed, glancing over to where Jack was seated. Only for her to lock eyes with his yet again.

Her friend smiled at her, knowing that Y/N wasn’t ever the type to approach a guy she thought was cute.

“Just walk your gorgeous ass over there and say ‘excuse me, you look like you love me’!” Maddy told her, “If you want to be bold of course but you can play it off as a joke. If not, then maybe something about his staring problem?”

Y/N rolled her eyes, “I don’t want to start a conversation like that. It sounds like I’m full of myself or something.”

“Just go over there! If shit goes downhill, at least you’ll never see him again,” Maddy reasoned, “He doesn’t go to our school or anything. Just shoot your shot! If you don’t, I know you’re going to regret it for the next month straight.”

She could only sigh, fully aware that Maddy had good points regarding the fact that she would never have to face him again if it didn’t go her way. Also, the idea of her regretting not speaking to Jack, who in her mind was the prettiest boy she’s ever seen, would likely haunt her forever.

Y/N looked over to Jack as he tossed his empty can perfectly into the nearby trash bin. Her stomach doing multiple flips at the sight of him adjusting his hat to sit backwards on his head, “Wow, could he be any more perfect?”

Maddy squeezed her hand, “You got this! I believe in you!”

Y/N nodded at her friend, absorbing the positive vibes that Maddy was giving her. With that she threw out her empty Twisted and went over to the outdoors cooler. She grabbed herself a bottle of Smirnoff Ice and another beer for Jack.

She stood next to the cooler after closing it, giving her a moment to collect her thoughts with a deep breath. “I can do this.” She thought to herself, and began walking towards Jack. Maybe the sudden surge of confidence was from the few drinks she had or her best friend’s words, she couldn’t quite grasp which one it was.

Y/N sat down next to him, a foot or two in between them, “Excuse me, you look like you love me.”

His head darted up and he looked over to her, a surprised yet amused expression painted across his face, “Wh- What?”

She laughed, shaking her head in disbelief that she actually used the line Maddy gave her, “I’m kidding, but your hands look empty.” She told him and offered him another beer.

Jack chuckled, trying to wrap his head around the fact that this cute girl was now next to him. He gratefully accepted the drink, “Thanks, Y/N - I appreciate it.”

“You enjoying the party?” Y/N asked him, a small strand of hair falling in her face, “There’s so many people, I would be stressed if I was in your position. So many strangers and all.”

“Yeah, this is great,” He smiled, “It’s pretty cool to see a bit of Trev’s life outside of hockey.”

It was only getting louder outside with more people moving to the backyard since the fire pit was starting. Y/N moved slightly closer towards Jack to avoid being stepped on by the individuals that stumbled past her. On occasion, nearly toppling over the girl.

“He just eats, sleeps, and breathes hockey I swear,” Y/N said to Jack, “Even at school, all he thinks and talks about is hockey.”

Jack had to inch closer to her to hear her voice properly, “Do you maybe want to move somewhere quieter? You know, to avoid you getting stomped on?”

She laughed and Jack swore it was the best thing that he’s ever heard, it was magical and magnetic.

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

He rose to his feet and offered her a hand, which she gladly took. Jack led her back into the house, hand in hand, which the indoors still remained relatively noisy. He leaned down towards her ear, “I don’t know my way around this place, you know any place we can go where we don’t have to shout?”

Y/N nodded with a soft smile shining on her face, “Yeah, but does it matter to you if we leave the party?”

“Doesn’t matter to me, just gotta swing back so Cole and I can leave together.”

“Come with me!”

She and Jack weaved through the teenagers and towards the front door. Y/N guided him towards the sidewalk where it was finally more quiet, “There’s a park about a block away we can go to.”

“Yeah, sounds perfect.”

They sat on the swings, both barely swinging back and forth as they engaged in a conversation.

“So how did you and Trevor meet? He’s so loud and extroverted, and you seem more like the quiet type.” Jack asked her, watching her kick her feet back and forth against the sand, “No offence, of course.”

“None taken. We met when we were younger because he hit me in the head with a soccer ball during P.E. and I don’t know, we just stuck together after that.” She chuckled at the memory, “He typically does the talking for me, I’m more of the observing friend.”

“Sounds like something he would do, that lil fucker.” Jack joked, “Hm, tell me something that no one else knows, pretty girl.”

“Pretty girl?” Her eyebrows raised slightly in pique of curiosity, “Alright, let me think,” Y/N started in attempts to ignore the flush climbing up her neck and ears at the nickname that Jack had given her.

“I think that I’m absolutely terrified of growing up… Like, don’t get me wrong, I am so excited for college and moving out and exploring everything life has to offer but I can’t help but feel so scared too.” She sighs, melting a bit into the seat of the swing and her hands slowly grazing up and down the cold of the metal chains, “The fact that I’m closer to being twenty and having to be an adult with all the responsibilities than being a kid again is so, so scary… I like the parties and stuff,” Y/N continues while lazily waving her hands in the direction of the house party that they ditched,

“But sometimes I wish I could go back to being like eleven years old and my only worries are making sure I’m back home before sun down when I played soccer with my friends.” She added, giving Jack a sheepish smile, “I guess it’s the fear of the unknown and having to face it alone, you know?”

Jack stares in awe at the girl; for someone he assumed was shy and quiet, he was surprised how deep she went into detail. He anticipated a response amongst something along the line of having to act sober in front of parents or shoplifting an item. Though he was surprised, he felt even closer to the girl than ever before.

“Wow, I was expecting something stupid like accidentally greeting a stranger you thought was your friend or something. But, I know exactly what you mean,” He replied, reaching over to Y/N to give her shoulder reassuring squeeze, “I hate to bring up hockey, but the idea of getting drafted and playing for the NHL is something I’ve always dreamed about. But I agree, sometimes I miss just being able to play with my brothers on the ice or streets without a care in the world. No pressure from anyone, just having fun and being a kid.”

Her face softened as he spoke, “Who would’ve thought that the hotshot hockey player could also miss being a kid,” She lightly giggled, “But for something stupid that I’ve never told anyone, I once had a hickey on my neck and I couldn’t get rid of it. So I told everyone for a week straight that I burned myself with a hair curler… even though I wore my hair natural the entire time. Though, now I think of it, I don’t think anyone believed me.”

Jack let out a loud laugh, his eyes having small creases at the edges. It warmed her entire body as he held eye contact the entire time they were together,

“You little rebel.”

“What can I say?” She giggled with a shrug, “We should probably head back, it’s sort of getting late.”

A small frown tugged at his lips, “Yeah, I guess so. Don’t want to keep Cole waiting, he’s one of the most inpatient guys I’ve ever met.”

The two slowly started walking towards the house, their shoulders lightly bumping against one another. Each time they did, they would look at each other with amusement evident in their eyes. The cool summer breeze brushed against them, making Y/N shiver with only wearing a tank top and shorts.

“Are you cold?” He questioned, slowly peeling off his Team USA hoodie that he wore the entire evening — leaving him in a plain black t-shirt and athletic shorts, “Here, wear this.”

Y/N glanced at him and his sweater, waiting to see if he was going to retract the item of clothing. He seemed insistent, eventually placing it in her hands,

“Are you sure?” Y/N looked up at his face, “It’s a special hoodie, I don’t want to take it from you.”

“I don’t mind, besides I have plenty of others at home.” He grinned, “If you’re that concerned, you can give it back when we get inside but seriously just put it on, you’re shivering.”

With that, Y/N slid on the navy Team USA hoodie, sighing in relief at the warmth from Jack wearing it the whole time alongside the softness of the material and the mixture between laundry detergent and his cologne. She adjusted it on her before looking back at him and raising her arms slightly, “How do I look?”

“You look… absolutely perfect.” He breathed out, his ears and apples of his cheeks turning a light shade of pink, “It looks so much better on you.”

Jack took a mental photo of the sight of Y/N, who stood shorter than him, wearing his hoodie. It was oversized on her, the ends of the sleeves running over the length of her hands. He knew that she was pretty, but in that moment, he didn’t think that she could be any more beautiful. The dim light from the lamppost shining over her, shining her features and the fact that she was wearing his hoodie. His last name on the back with his jersey number. Jack’s entire life revolved around hockey, all he thought about was hockey but in this exact situation where he stood in front of her — holding her precious eye contact. He thought, maybe there is a future that isn’t just hockey. Maybe the future that waits for him wouldn’t be as intimidating if he had Y/N at his side. Maybe this was what he was made for, to be here with this amazing girl, giving him the cutest and sweetest smile.

“Jack?” She repeated, causing him to snap out of his trance, “You okay?”

“Uh, yeah, I’m good!” He sputtered, trying to push the flood of thoughts out of his head, “Come on, pretty girl.”

Jack offered her his hand which she shyly accepted, their fingers intertwined. He briefly looked at their hands, and how they fit perfectly in one another, “Nothing has ever felt this right before” He thought to himself before giving her a gentle squeeze which she returned back.

When they returned to the backyard of the party, they saw everyone standing or dancing near the fire. Trevor and Cole were actively animating a story out loud, over-exaggerating their actions — causing those listening to laugh in response. They were the lives of the party.

Jack and Y/N stood side by side, his arm loosely over her shoulders and they watched the two boys reenact the amusing memory. Jack on occasion chiming in with a comment or two to egg on his friends and their ridiculous but entertaining banter.

The party started to die down slowly, people filtering out with their friends and finding their rides home. Jack stood by Cole and Trevor whilst Y/N was assisting Shane and Lindsay by picking up the leftover trash that was scattered around the yard.

“So, Y/N eh Rowdy?” Cole teased, wiggling his eyebrows at the brunette, “I see her wearing your hoodie.”

Jack rolled his eyes and chuckled, “Yeah, she’s pretty cool.”

“She’s pretty awesome, I’ve known her for years,” Trevor told him, “One of my oldest friends I would say. Bluey’s always been there for me and had my back, she’s quiet but so unbelievably loyal and way too nice for her own good.”

“Bluey?” Jack asked, with a raised look.

“Yeah, we all call her that because she always is wearing something blue and Linds says she only ever wears some sort of blue nail polish.” Trevor explained to his friends, “Just don’t hurt her, Hughes, if you’re planning on doing anything with her. I love you brother, but she’s a day one.”

“All your friends are great, Z,” Cole added, tapping his can against Trevor’s, “It would be great to hang around them more often.”

“Yeah, love ‘em all. Some of them like Dyl and Kayden, I’ve had a rocky history with but we all go to school together, so not much I can do about that.” Trevor shrugged, “There’s a few that I’m ready to leave behind once we graduate.”

“What time should we head out?” Jack questioned, while typing into his phone, “I can get Q to come get us.”

“I’m cool with whenever, Rowdy.” Cole said back to him, “Z, are you coming with?”

“Yeah, yeah I will. I just told Bluey that I would drop her home.”

“We can drop her off when Q gets here.” Jack told Trevor, “He won’t mind, don’t worry.”

“Yo, Blues!” Trevor shouted over to the girl, she looked up at the direction of her nickname and straightened her stance, “Yeah, Trev?”

He waved her over which she quickly tied up the filled trash bag and jogged over to her friend,

“What’s up?” She asked as she wiped the palms of her hands against her denim shorts.

“His brother is coming to get us and he can drop you at home if you’d like.” Trevor replied, motioning over to Jack, who glanced up from the illuminated screen of his phone.

“Are you sure?” Y/N said to Jack, “I hate to be out of the way.”

“It’s not an issue, don’t sweat it,” Jack reassured her, “My older brother, Quinn, already said it’s fine.” He added while showing her his text conversation between himself and his brother.

“Okay, thank you. I appreciate it a ton.” She grinned.

Quinn’s car eventually pulled up on the driveway, Y/N giving Shane a quick side hug as a goodbye. Trevor called shot gun as they approached the vehicle, cackling as he climbed into the seat and greeting the eldest Hughes brother,

“Q, this is Y/N! She’s a friend of mine.” Trevor quickly introduced him to her as she squeezed into the middle seat between Jack and Cole.

“Hey, Y/N! I’m Quinn, Jack’s older brother.” Quinn smiled back at the girl, who gave him a shy wave,

“Nice to meet you! Thank you for the drive, I really appreciate it.”

“What if Bluey comes to our place?” Cole asked, looking over to Jack, “If Ms. Ellen doesn’t mind of course.” As Cole and the rest of the Hughes family were renting a home for the week following their training camp, to allow the boys to hang out together outside of just practice.

“Mom would be fine with it,” Quinn chimed in, “If anything, she’d be grateful that there’s another girl in the house.”

The rest of the living resulted in the three boys and Y/N whispering and letting out quiet giggles while lounging in the living room after Quinn bid them goodnight. The group of four bonded together, the boys’ group of three now expanding to be a group of four. Trevor and her passed out on one couch together while Jack took the other, leaving Cole knocked out on the carpet.

Y/N was included more with group hang outs and activities — due to not only Jack and Cole appreciating her presence but also because of Trevor wanting to slowly pull away from their high school friends. Which he had deemed to be more toxic than he anticipated and was getting tired of dealing with unnecessary bullshit. Since him and Y/N were friends first and the two being significantly closer with each other in comparison to their other friends, he decided to pull her more towards his hockey friends.

Trevor watched his best friend open up more and more around Cole and Jack over the following months, which he was beyond thrilled about. His favourite people growing closer together, why would he ever complain. For their last spring break of high school, the Hughes family was kind enough to invite the three over to spend their time off together. He laughed from the opposite side of the kitchen counter as Cole chased Y/N with a spoonful of wet pancake mix. While she was screaming for Trevor’s help,

“Cole! Get away from me!” She squealed, tucking herself into Trevor to avoid the boy.

“Oh c’mon, Blues! I thought you loved me!” Cole pouted, jokingly, trying to pull her away from Trevor, “Don’t run away!”

“Actually, Bluesy, maybe you should try a new hair colour?” Trevor smiled sweetly, petting the top of her hair and twirling a strand of it around his finger, “I honestly think this colour that Cole is so graciously chosen would be absolutely stunning on you!”

“Trevor!” Y/N cried out as she ducked from Cole and running straight into a solid wall. She collapsed on impact, letting out an audible ‘oof!’ when she landed. She looked up to see Jack, who was seriously trying to hold in his laughter, standing over her.

“Falling for me already?” He smirked, “I thought you would have at least made it a bit more secretive, pretty. Hey Cole, I think our girl here needs a helping hand, don’t you think?”

Y/N rolled her eyes at his comment before scrambling when she saw Cole approaching her. A mischievous glint in his eyes as he proudly held up the weapon, “Sorry, Prince Charming isn’t saving you from your fate!”

“Yeah, definitely not…” She sighed, “But Luke will!” Y/N beamed as the youngest Hughes walked into the kitchen, clearly confused at the commotion.

“What?” He said, lowering his phone while Y/N hid behind him.

“Lukey, they’re all plotting against me!” She told him, pointing at the three boys, “Please!”

He laughed at the way Trevor, Cole, and Jack all stood in the kitchen. Luke looked down to see the terror in her eyes. Even though he loved some chaos, he also didn’t want Y/N to hate him for sabotaging her. So, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to his room.

The two giggling like crazy as they ran to the safety of his room. Luke immediately shutting the door and twisting the lock, “I think you’re safe now.”

“My saviour!” She exclaimed, “You have no idea what they were putting me through. Trevor and Jack both sold me to Cole! I thought they would’ve had my back.” Y/N joked as she made herself comfortable in Luke’s bedroom. It wasn’t the first time she was in his room, the two of them often hanging out when the other boys got too rowdy and loud. Often watching TV shows together or scrolling through TikTok while quiet country music played in the background.

“Yeah, can’t ever trust those three” He teased, “I’m glad to be your saviour then.”

Luke flopped onto his unmade bed, reaching over to his nightstand to retrieve the remote, “Wanna continue The Office?”

She grinned, “What kind of question is that?”

He was quick to pull up their current show while the two made themselves comfortable on his bed. Their upper backs against the cushioned headboard. They watched in a comfortable silence as they typically did, before being interrupted by loud knocking against the door.

“Oi Rusty! Open up! Promise we’re done with the whole batter thing,” They could hear Trevor shout from the other side, the handle of the door shaking as he tried opening the locked door, “Hey! Why is this shit locked? I swear to god, Lukey! Your pants better be on and you better not be hooking up with Blues, she’s off limits! You know that!”

Luke’s entire face and ears turned a brilliant shade of red as Y/N laughed at Trevor’s panicked voice. She swiftly got off the bed and went to unlock the door, causing Trevor to nearly fall over the second the door swung open.

“I swear to God! Oh-” He looked at Y/N, who stood with her arms crossed, “You are fully clothed.”

“Nice observation, Trev. Can I help you?” She asked with a brow raised, “Or can Luke and I go back to watching our show in peace?”

“Oh, man! I seriously thought that you two were fucking for a minute!” Trevor cackled, “Ouch Blues, the hell?” He winced as she smacked the back of his head.

“That’s for having your stupid head in the gutter, you freak.”

“Hey! The door was locked and y’all were weirdly quiet okay? Not my fault!” He defended, raising his hands up in surrender, “Pancakes are ready by the way.”

“Oh shit, foods ready?” Luke asked, standing up from his bed, “Yeah okay we’re coming.”

The three slowly made their way towards the kitchen where Jack and Cole sat eating their stacks of pancakes and eggs. Both looking up as they entered the room.

“Doors locked ‘n everything to watch TV is crazy work” Trevor scolded, “Why was the door locked?”

“Since when did you become my mother?” Y/N was quick to respond to her best friend, “Plus, you guys were the one threatening to put pancake batter in my hair. It was for defence.”

“His room was locked?” Jack asked, his eyebrows furrowed slightly at their conversation. His expression was unreadable as Y/N turned to look at him.

“Whose room was locked?” Another voice chimed in, Quinn’s, as he walked up behind the three.

“We were literally just watching the Office.” Luke explained, putting food onto his plate, “You guys are making this a bigger deal than it is.”

“Why was it locked though?” Cole added, “And at ten in the morning is crazy! Lukey’s gone crazy!”

“Guys” Luke whined, “Come on!”

“With his brother’s best friend too?” Quinn teased as Luke and Y/N both shot him warning looks, “We’re just joking, we don’t care that much. Don’t stress, Rusty — Guys, leave them alone.”

Quinn, always the mediator in these situations. Y/N gave him a small smile as a silent ‘thank you’ before going to get her plate for breakfast.

“I care!” Trevor commented to Quinn’s words, “I legit told you boys that Bluey is off limits.”

Everyone seemed to dismiss Trevor as they were all focused on eating, thankfully. Y/N sat in between Trevor and Jack at the table, the rest of the boys falling quickly into an easy conversation about hockey and the results of last night’s games.

“You know what I’ve been thinking about?” Jack perked, catching the attention of everyone at the table. Like always, Jack had something magnetizing about him. Whenever he entered or room or spoke, people were always drawn to him.

It’s hard to not be drawn in by Jack, his charismatic personality, sparkling blue eyes, addicting sounds of his laughter, and his picture perfect smile. He could easily win hearts with just a flash of his grin.

“What?” Cole replied, a mouthful of food whilst looking at his friend.

“I think you three should come up to the lake house this summer,” He stated, glancing at the three guests at the Hughes household, “You guys get along with everyone in the family and I think it’ll be one hell of a time.”

“That’s actually not a terrible idea,” Quinn said as he placed his fork down and shows a look of thoughtfulness, “They’re practically always here and it could make the summer really fun.”

Luke nodded as his eldest brother spoke, “Yeah, and we definitely have the space too at the house.”

“Hey, I ain’t ever the one to turn down a trip.” Trevor laughed, “Plus more time to spend with Huggy and Rusty? Can’t complain!”

“I mean, I’m down if you guys are down,” Cole added, lifting his hands up as if he was saying ‘this was your idea, not mine’.

“What do you think, Bluesy?” Quinn asked as he turned his head slightly to look at the girl,

“If your parents are okay with it, then I don’t mind.” She said with a smile, “I just don’t want us to be a burden for your family or disrupt any family time.”

Ellen and Jim were more than happy to have Cole, Trevor, and Y/N stay with them at the lake house for the summer. Claiming that it would be nice for them to spend time together before the boys were to be drafted to the NHL — and spending quality time together may become significantly more limited. Including the fact that Y/N committed to UMich for her bachelors. Although the boys could get loud and competitive, they raised three boys themselves and found it rather normal to hear constant banter. All the kids got along very well and were very much capable of keeping each other company.

LAKE HOUSEEE

Huggy 🧸

11:23AM | When are you guys coming?

Rustyy

11:25AM | Plz we been waiting alllllll day

Blues 🫐

11:25AM | we’re otw 🕺🕺

Rustyy

11:26AM | YESSS FINALLY

Coleee

11:28AM | ETA says 15 mins

Z 🔥

11:29AM | Yessuh

Huggy 🧸

11:31AM | Who’s driving

Coleee

11:32AM | Z

Blues 🫐

11:32AM | Trev

Rowdy 🤠

11:35AM | Lord tell him to stop texting and driving

11:35AM | That’s illegal

Z 🔥

11:36AM | 👍

Coleee

11:40AM | We karaoke 🎤

11:40AM | Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone

11:41 AM | I’ll be waitinggg all you have to do is run

Blues 🫐

11:41AM | u be the prince and i’ll be the princess

Z 🔥

11:41AM | ITS A LOVE STORY BABY JUS SAY YESSSSSS

Rowdy 🤠

11:42AM | What did I just say🤦‍♂️

Huggy 🧸

11:42AM | You’re all gonna die before getting here

Rustyy

11:44AM | Man wish I could join in😔

Trevor and Cole were basically bouncing out of their seats the second they parked their car on the Hughes’ lake house driveway. Y/N jumped out of the car, taking down her messy bun which she wore the entire drive up. The two guys opened the trunk to unload their suitcases as Luke and Quinn came out the front door.

“Hey!” Quinn shouted, “You guys made it.”

The two brothers jogged towards the car, “Finally!” Luke exclaimed, pulling Y/N into a tight embrace, “How was the drive?”

“It was good, lots of karaoke.” She laughed, returning the hug.

“Except for when she got car sick from reading her kindle.” Cole commented, shaking his head lowly.

Quinn’s lip tugged into a small frown, “That sucks, I’m sorry to hear. Are you feeling better?”

Y/N nodded. Luke went over to Trevor to dap him up and give a one armed hug while Quinn got his turn to hug the girl,

“Here, let me take this.” Quinn told her while pulling her backpack off her shoulder and taking her two suitcases.

“I’m so lucky she didn’t yack in my car dude, she’s done it before when we were like fifteen.” Trevor grimaced at the memory. She shot him a look,

“Oh come on,” She groaned, “I thought you said you would let that go.”

“Let’s get inside, we have lunch ready and put on your swim suits ‘cause we’re hitting the lake right after!” Luke urged, already moving towards the house with a suitcase.

Y/N followed Quinn into the home, taking in the decor and the many windows that brought in the summer sunlight. The walls were decorated with lake-themed signs with cheesey quotes alongside many photos of the Hughes family.

Quinn led her up down one of the hallways on the main floor and used his foot to open the door, “This is the guest room you’ll be staying in.” He explained to her as he dropped off her backpack onto the chair in front of a desk, “You get your own room since you need your own privacy, Trevor and Cole are across the hall. Me, Lukey, and J are upstairs.”

“Thank you,” She offered him a grateful smile.

“Of course.”

He left soon after to let her settle in. She walked around the room to take it all in. There were two large windows that faced the forest that surrounded the home. A queen sized bed with a few decorative pillows and throw blankets. A short hallway with a closet, it led to a private bathroom with a shower, toilet, and a sink along with a large mirror.

Y/N started unpacking her things, hanging up the few sun dresses and hoodies she brought. Placing shorts, t-shirts and swim suits into the dresser alongside her underwear. She left her toiletries and her make up bags on the bathroom counter space.

She put on a baby blue swim set, the top being a triangle bikini and the bottoms being a bit cheeky with ties on the sides. She scanned over her figure in the bathroom mirror, adjusting it to ensure there was no risk of anything slipping out. Y/N quickly touched up her makeup slightly and brushed out the knots in her hair before pulling on an oversized shirt and a pair of denim shorts.

There was a knock on her door, which she answered right away. She opened the door to see Jack standing on the other side with lavender swim trunks, a black t-shirt, and a white backwards baseball cap. His hair was grown out since the last she saw him. He grinned at her,

“Hey pretty,” He said, walking into her room as she pulled the door wider, “Settled in?”

“Yeah, for the most part anyways.” She replied as he turned to face her. The sun shined through the window in her room that made his blue eyes sparkle, her heart beating a bit faster as he looked down at her.

You look heaven sent.

“I missed you,” Jack murmured, his voice significantly softer than before. He took a step closer to her, his hand tucking away a loose strand behind her ear, “You excited for this summer?”

His hand lingered near her face, she prayed that he couldn’t feel the heat radiate off her skin with its close proximity. She could only muster a nod, scared that she would say something that would embarrass her if she were to open her mouth. His hand dropped from the side of her face to graze her upper arm, giving it a little squeeze, “Good, I’m excited too.”

“Yeah?” She asked with her tone just above a whisper.

“Yeah.” He smiled, “Come, lunch is ready and I think Trevor is gonna cause Q to have a heart attack if they’re alone for any longer.”

Y/N giggled as Jack pulled her along with him out the bedroom and towards the kitchen. The other four boys were scattered around the area with Luke sitting on the counter, Cole on one of the bar stools with an open can, Quinn leaning against one of the opposing counters, and Trevor looking inside the fridge.

“Fucking finally!” Cole sighed, throwing his arms up, “Took you long enough, Blues.”

“Yeah, what the fuck were you doing? Unpacking or something?” Trevor joked, cracking open a Twisted while using his elbow to close the fridge.

She rolled her eyes playfully, “Yes, actually. Didn’t you?”

“Nope!” Trevor responded, putting an extra emphasis on the ‘p’.

Luke slid over a plate of food for her, it had a salad, a sandwich, and a handful of fruit, “Lunch for you.”

“Thanks Rusty” She beamed, taking the plate from him and sitting on the barstool next to Cole. He immediately snatched one of the strawberries on her plate and popped it into his mouth.

Jack perched himself up on the kitchen island next to Y/N, scrolling casually on his phone while she ate. Afterwards, they were all quick to run down to the boat, making it a race of who can reach it the fastest. Quinn settled into the drivers seat while Jack and Luke were untying it from the dock.

Trevor took aux and played his country playlist as they drove towards the middle of the lake. The group spent hours on the water, the boys taking turns on the wake board, Y/N enjoying the summer heat while reading her book and listening to the sounds of summer. When Quinn eventually stopped the boat and lowered the anchor so they could swim. Y/N laughed as Trevor shoved Cole into the water, Cole letting out a high pitched scream as he fell. She got up from her seat and peeled off her shirt and threw it towards the front of the boat.

Trevor whistled at her as she shimmied off her shorts, “Looking good, Blue!”

“Oh shut up” She said while putting her sunglasses on top of her kindle.

Quinn, Cole and Luke were already in the water when Trevor flipped off the edge of the boat, smacking his lower back against the surface of the lake. Y/N stood at the top of the boat when she heard from behind her,

“Hold your breath!”

In seconds, she heard Jack’s running feet and felt his muscular arms wrap around her waist as she let out a scream as they contacted the water.

“Jack!” She exclaimed, the second she swam up to the surface, “I was gonna jump in!”

He popped up right next to her, shaking some of the water from his hair. Jack gave her a cheeky grin, “Yeah, but that was more fun.”

“At least he didn’t shove you in!” Cole chirped, swimming towards them, “Blue is definitely your colour, Bluesy”

She could only laugh, feeling immense levels of happiness in the moment. They all swam in the water for a while until their limbs started to get tired. Eventually, they started to return back up onto the boat. Trevor settling down next to Y/N with a loose arm around the back of her seat. She tucked her legs near her chest and laid her head on his shoulder as she typically did and closed her eyes.

“You falling asleep on me?” Trevor questioned in a hushed voice, she hummed, “Alright, sleep well then.”

The rest of the summer looked like this. Quieter mornings with her and Quinn reading out on the porch with a cup of coffee. Everyone on the boat, singing their hearts out to songs and swimming until they got tired. Evenings were bonfires and sharing memories. Their nights either in the basement shooting pool or everyone curled up on the couches and watching a movie together.

It was the perfect routine. Y/N found herself getting even closer with the group of boys she considered her best friends. The lake house feeling like home. She spent her time with Quinn, bonding over their recent reads alongside deeper conversations when they found themselves up late at night in the kitchen. Cole showing her new country songs to add to her playlist and telling her all about the new girl that he had been talking to. Her and Luke being the s’mores connoisseurs and mastering the craft of building the perfect s’more. They also spent the rainy afternoons together, catching up while watching their current TV show together. Her and Trevor were as close as ever, often spending time together in her bathroom as she got ready and he sat on the empty counter space in the smaller room and listening to her while giving her advice — and the other way around, especially when Trevor found out the girl he was seeing before the summer started, was seeing someone new.

Y/N and Jack, though, spent most of their time together. Whether it be making breakfast for the group together and dancing to Zach Bryan or Luke Combs in the kitchen while everyone else was asleep. His hand twirling her around before pulling her into his chest to sway her back and forth to the song. Jack soon took Trevor’s unclaimed seat next to her on the boat, becoming her new pillow when she took her quick nap and basking in the sun. They would be partners for every game, for pool, for pong, for any board game.

At the ungodly hours of the night, when the stars were out, the two would lay on the dock. Y/N pointing out the different constellations to him and explaining the stories behind each. Jack would try to stay focused on the shining stars in the black skies but he would find himself more interested in her as she spoke about them. The way her eyes beamed as she told him different stories, or the way her nose would scrunch for a moment when she realized she made a minor mistake in the tale of the stars. How effortless she made it to be so perfect in those moments.

When it would get too cold, the breeze biting at their skins, they would move indoors and to her room as it was the closest. They would lay on her bed, facing each other and learning more about each other. Stories of their childhoods, or different stories between their friendships with Trevor. Embarrassing moments in their lives, or even their wildest dreams.

At the end of summer, as everyone packed their things into their suitcases. Jack knew Y/N like the back of his hand. He could read her like an open book at all times. Her fingers drumming quietly against the table when she loses focus on the conversation, or how she would crack her knuckles when she started to get nervous. If she found something actually funny, the way she would throw her head backwards as she laughed and covered her mouth. Which comments he would make that would make her cheeks turn into a light shade of pink and her eyes darting away from his to avoid eye contact.

Jack hugged her tightly after he put her luggage into the trunk of Trevor’s car, “Text me whenever you want, okay? I’m never too busy for you.” He whispered into her ear, “Whenever you need me.”

“Same goes to you,” She mumbled back, “Good luck with the combine and with the draft, hotshot.”

They pulled away, her eyes slightly glassy as his hands ran up and down her shoulders, “I’ll see you soon.” He told her, “Promise.”

“Alright, lovebirds!” Trevor announced, clapping his hands together loudly, “We gotta hit the roads!”

Y/N quickly bid her goodbyes to Quinn and Luke, telling them to stay in touch and how she would miss them. She hugged Ellen and Jim, thanking them for letting her stay for the summer and how much she appreciated it.

Cole, Trevor, and Y/N soon got into the car and waved from the windows as they pulled away and drove down the road.

Jack sighed, his shoulders dropping as he watched the car disappear. Quinn placed a hand on his younger brother’s shoulder, “It’s alright, we had an amazing summer with them.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know…” He replied, “I just got really close to Y/N this summer and I don’t know when I’ll see her next.”

“She’s Z’s best friend,” Luke added, “You’ll definitely see her soon.”

Jack’s rookie year came and went, he complained about the lows but celebrated with her on the highs. She would tell him about the drama happening in her circle at UMich. Jack being invested with the business of people he never even met. They would often call each other at the end of their days as they unwinded for bed, catching up on the events that took place. Although Jack felt on multiple occasions that he was drowning or was under-performing in his first year in the NHL, it would give him some peace to know that he would be on the phone with her that night. She would listen to all his problems and his frustrations, and she would reassure him on all these occasions that he was deserving of his position, he was doing his best, and that she was proud of him.

The phone calls with Jack were her escape from the stressors of college. It distracted her from overthinking about her grades or the dilemmas within her social life. But she also found herself, growing more and more fond of Jack. The soft spot in her heart for the blue eyed brunette growing bigger each time she picked up the phone. Every Snapchat that he would send her, she would spend a bit longer admiring. The way a tuff of hair fell perfectly in front of his face that made her pulse race. His smile or his eyes in every photo, being the exact same as she remembered from the summer when she would look at him as she rested on his shoulder.

She found herself lying on her bed in her dorm, late at night, reminiscing about their time together at the lake house. The way his hands fit perfectly in hers and he pulled her towards the boat or how he would spin her around in the kitchen as they danced together. It kept her up at night, wondering if he felt the same way.

And he did.

What she didn’t know was the second that she left the lake house that summer, he changed the lockscreen of his phone to a picture that his mom took of the group during one of their movie nights. Though the sounds of it is friendly, when anyone inspects the picture closer, they would see how Y/N was perfectly tucked into Jack’s side in the corner of the couch. He had an arm around her that kept her close, she was snuggled into him while wearing his USA hockey hoodie. Her head on his chest with a bright smile, his favourite smile, painted across her face. Everyone else in the picture is sprawled out and grinning at the camera, but he was staring down at her when the photo was taken. “You look so cute right now.”

He missed having her only a few rooms away or the way her hair would smell as he held her close. He missed the way her laugh would light up the room, making everyone else smile more or join in on the laughter. The way she would use her drink as a makeshift microphone when she would sing her heart out on the boat.

When he spoke about her to a few of his teammates, they managed to drill in the idea of long distance relationships often not working out. They mentioned how lucky they were that their wives, fiancés, and girlfriends were willing to move with them when they came to the Devils. Others mentioning how they had to break up with past girlfriends over the distance since it was difficult for them to stay on the same page considering how demanding it was to be a professional athlete. Jesper asked Jack about if he were to pursue Y/N, if it could possibly affect their friendships with his brothers or with Cole and Trevor. All in which, Jack never really thought too much about.

“She deserves someone who can be there for her. And not across state lines.”

The idea of Y/N transferring schools to be closer to Jack was basically zero to nothing, he knew how much she loved UMich and her friends there. He could never ask of her to leave it behind. On the contrary, he also knows from past conversations he’s had with Y/N, how they both think that their love languages are physical affection. She even mentioning that she couldn’t ever handle long distance relationships often because of the lack of physical presence.

Jack also wanted the ability to see his hypothetical girlfriend whenever he wanted, most importantly at the end of the day so he could hug and cuddle her before they fell asleep. He would want to have her around at all times, to come to his games and to get coffees together in the morning. He wanted all of that, but it wouldn’t be possible when she’s in Michigan and he’s in New Jersey.

In addition to the hundreds of miles between the two, he knew how deeply she appreciated her friendships with Quinn and Luke. She held her friendships with his brothers very close to her heart. She cherished them as much as she cherished her friendship with Jack. Her childhood best friend was Trevor, who also happened to be one of Jack’s best friends. With that, she was also close with Cole — especially after spending a whole summer with him.

Jack thought to himself how messy things could get if he and Y/N were to get involved. Would Trevor allow it? Or would Trevor push them away and how much it would hurt her to see her best friend leave. It would be so much worse if it didn’t work out for him and Y/N. Trevor and Cole would have to pick sides, Luke and Quinn would very likely take Jack’s side since they’re his brothers but would they resent him? Y/N would lose all of them in some way and did Jack want to be the reason for that?

He wasn’t too sure if he wanted to take this risk anymore. As much as his heart longed to be with her, remembering the way she looked when he first laid eyes on her at the house party ages ago. Did he want to put her friendships with everyone important in her life on the line for it? For the sake of himself?

Jack’s mind would spiral over the multiple possibilities and honestly, he didn’t even know if she liked him as much as he did. He dwelled on the idea but eventually deciding on shoving his feelings away and putting a lock on them. He would let her make the moves and decide, almost refusing to allow himself to act on any emotion he had towards her.

They are just friends.

It’ll be easier this way.

Summer quickly came around, and the lake house was back in full swing. Luke used her lap as a pillow as she explained the story that Jack already heard to the rest of the guys on the boat of when her and her friends experienced their first college homecoming weekend. He loved the way her eyes would sparkle and how her hands moved around as she animated the story, almost similar to how Trevor acted when he retold stories to his friends.

“I was so drunk when I woke up, I literally could not tell if I just blinked or if I was wildly hungover!” She laughed, “It was so bad, I was searching the house for water and even our brita was filled with tequila.”

Quinn grimaced at her story, “That must’ve been a brutal cup of water.”

“No, like I chugged it… Thinking it will help sober me up,” Y/N explained, “I passed out drunk on my bathroom floor like ten minutes later!”

Everyone laughed and Trevor shook his head, “Still can’t handle your alcohol?” He teased his best friend.

“As if you can chug a whole glass of tequila and still function afterwards?” She scoffed jokingly, “I don’t even remember that weekend, I only know what happened from the photos and videos my friends and I took.”

She noticed how Jack didn’t look her in the eye the whole day. “Did I do something?” How brief their hug was when she first got there, unlike how she was expecting it to be after not seeing each other for nearly a year. She had envisioned that he would embrace her tightly and express how happy he was that she was there — but she supposed that she may have been too imaginative for that scenario.

Later that night, Y/N was leaning her forearms against the rail of the balcony and admiring the moon light reflecting off the water. Everyone had retreated to their rooms about a half hour ago. She was wide awake, her head too busy running over the different times throughout the day where Jack seemed off. Was she too optimistic that he would behave the same way that he had the summer prior? Maybe she had her hopes too high and expecting him to be as excited to see her as she was to see him.

She heard the door slide open and closed behind her, another presence joining beside her,

“Can’t sleep?”

Y/N looked over to see Quinn standing next to her, also looking out to the lake, “Yeah,” She responded, “Lake is pretty right now too.”

He hummed, “Something on your mind?”

She could only shrug, “Sort of, but I think I’m just overthinking over nothing.”

Quinn looked at her, seeing the way her eyebrows her knit together and how she played with one of the rings she always wore,

“I’m sure it’s not just nothing,” He assured her, “Wanna talk about it?”

“It’s stupid.”

He sighed, “If it’s causing you to lose sleep, then I doubt it’s stupid, right?”

She turned to lean her back against the rail, looking down at her hands, “I guess today just wasn’t what I was expecting it to be.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. I mean, Jack and I basically talked every day all year, I guess I just expected him to be more excited about seeing me,” Y/N explained to the eldest Hughes brother, “He didn’t even look at me.”

Quinn sighed, adjusting his stance to mirror hers and crossed his arms over his chest, “I’m sure he didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I know he cares about you, maybe there’s just something else going on in his life right now.”

She pursed her lips, “Yeah, that’s true.”

“Listen,” He said, giving her a gentle smile, “Jack wouldn’t purposely make people feel uncomfortable especially when it comes to you, Trevor, or Cole. He could be just adjusting back to the slower pace of life after his first year in the NHL, just give him some time and don’t let it bother you.”

Y/N lips twitched upwards, “Okay.”

“Okay.” He repeated, before pulling her into a comforting hug. It was something about Quinn’s big brother persona that brought comfort to Y/N as she explained to him her worries from the day. She was used to sharing them with Jack but with him immediately heading to his room after the fire died down, she didn’t want to bother him.

He could feel the tension diminish from her body when he wrapped his arm around her. Already aware of Jack’s weird behaviour throughout the day, and seeing her face fall for a split second every time she would look over to Jack to see his reaction, only to see him occupied by his phone.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Jack only slightly warmed up towards her. Though he didn’t sit next to her, dance with her, or did any of the same things that they did the summer before. At least he was speaking to her, somewhat. He would chime in on conversations, crack jokes when he felt like it, and on occasion asking her to choose on movie nights. It was better than nothing in her eyes.

Trevor could tell that something was bothering Y/N, so he kept her more company than he typically would and also asked of Cole to do the same. Cole would sit on the empty desk, reading out his text conversation with his current summer fling, while Trevor sat on the edge of the bed listening intently to his friend and Y/N laying on her stomach next to her best friend.

Trevor reclaimed his spot of being Y/N’s partner in games as they always were when they were growing up, leaving Jack and Cole to pair up with little to no argument. He had also fully embraced his former position as her best friend, allowing her to lean on him on boat rides or on the couch as they watched the TV.

The two boys did a great job of keeping her distracted from whatever it was that was on her mind. Trevor fully aware of not needing to ask her since she wasn’t the type to keep her emotions bottled up; when she was ready, she would tell him. Though he often played the more clueless friend role, he grew up with her and knew that it was Jack’s more absent presence that was constantly on her mind. She told Trevor about how often the two would speak to each other and how happy she was that they maintained a close friendship throughout the school year. But with Jack avoiding her, he wouldn’t force her to speak out on it until she was ready.

Luke and Quinn also did their best to fill in for the gap Jack made. Quinn often spending his evenings sitting next to her at the fire and the two sharing their different yet similar experiences with college. He saw her as the little sister he never had and wanted to protect her from being hurt, even if the cause was his own brother. Luke on the other hand, helped with keeping this light and fun. He would dance with her in the kitchen or whenever things would get a bit too quiet, he would pull her away to his room to watch their show. Luke would give her a similar safe space that Jack used to provide in the summer. They would talk a lot about everything yet also absolutely nothing.

Jack watched as she seemed fine with the distance he had created between them. His heart would twist at the sight of Quinn and her sitting together on the porch at night, when he would fill up his water bottle. At the way Trevor and her seemed so comfortable cuddled up on the couch, he would force himself to stare at the screen even though he wasn’t paying attention to the movie playing.

He didn’t like it. Not at all.

Which brought him, a month into summer, standing outside her door with his hand hovering as he contemplated his next move. He sighed and knocked on the door, Jack could hear her soft, “Come in.” from the other side.

He carefully twisted open the door to see the room dimly lit, with the two lamps on and a candle on the desk burning. She was snuggled up under the blankets with her kindle in her hands, “Hi,” He greeted gently, as he closed the door behind him.

“Hey,” She said back, her voice laced with a bit of surprise. She expected maybe Luke, Quinn, or even Trevor to be the one at her door late into the night, but Jack? He was the last person she expected.

“Sorry, it’s late,” He told her as he approached the bed, she adjusted her position to sit up a bit higher, “Can I sit?”

“Yeah, of course,” Y/N motioned to the bed where he sat at the foot of it, “Everything okay?”

Jack’s gaze was on his hands, trying to figure out what he was going to say. The conversation he planned in his head before coming to her room, flying out of his brain, “Uh, yeah… Actually no.”

Her eyebrows furrowed at his words before he continued, “I just- Um, fuck well, I-“ Jack paused, wincing in slight embarrassment over his stumbled words, “I guess what I’m trying to say here is that I’m sorry.”

“…You’re sorry?” She repeated, and he slowly nodded.

“Yeah, I’m sorry.” He confirmed, finally taking a breath and looking at her, “I’ve been a dick towards you since you got here and it’s not fair to you.”

She listened intently, her eyes locked on his.

“I just, I’ve been avoiding you because fuck, I don’t know how to say this.” He groaned, rubbing a hand over his jaw as he looked up at the ceiling.

“Hey it’s okay,” She reassured, “Just take your time.”

“I guess I caught feelings for you last summer and I’ve been trying to get over my feelings towards you, which has been so much harder when you’re here with me than when I’m in Jersey and you’re in school,” Jack said, his hand running through his hair, “If I acted the same way as I did last summer, I wouldn’t be able to get over these feelings and I don’t want to fuck up our friendship or something.”

Y/N held her breath unconsciously as he spoke, trying to nod along and keep up with his words.

“And it’s nothing to do with you, I swear. It’s just we both have too much on the line, you know?” He looked up at her, but her expression was hard to read, “We’re both so busy and like I said, you’re in Michigan while I’m in Jersey for most of the year… I don’t want to hurt you or anything.”

“Y- yeah,” She finally breathed out the air she was holding, “I get that.”

“But, I did hurt you with how I’ve been acting lately,” Jack sighed, “And I’m sorry for that.”

“I just wished you talked to me about it before you did it,” She expressed, twisting the ring on her finger, “But I guess I can understand why you did it.”

“I just think it’s better if we stay friends,” He said, his voice just barely above a whisper, painful to say it out loud than when it was floating in his head, “I think I just need like, space or something like that.”

When Jack looked up from his lap, she could see the small line of tears that brimmed his eyes. Her eyes glassed over at the sight, “Yeah, for now it probably would be best if we do that… But, um,”

He leaned the smallest bit forward, almost impossible to notice if it weren’t for the slight shift of weight on the mattress.

“Maybe after I finish school?” She proposed, her voice also sounding delicate as the question danced on a fine line, “If we still feel this way, maybe we can try then?”

He swallowed hard, the dryness of his throat pushing down the knot that was building throughout the course of their conversation, “Yeah, I would like that… a lot actually.”

They gave each other sad smiles, before she motioned him to come closer. He moved up on the bed to be next to her when she wrapped her arms around her neck, his instinctively going around her waist. Jack buried his face in the crook of her neck, “I’m sorry.”

“Shh, it’s okay.” She whispered into his hair, “I understand.”

“It’s not fair,” He mumbled, placing a feather-like kiss on her temple, “I wish I could be stronger and more willing to do distance.”

Her hand brushed through the hair at the base of his head, “It’s not your fault, and it’s not my fault.” She reassured him, “It’s not fair but we didn’t do each other wrong. It’s just not the right time for us now.”

He reached to intertwine their fingers together, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, “Still friends?”

She gave him a teary smile, “Still friends.”

They say like that for a while, taking in the comfort of the silence and each other’s presence as they both absorbed the truth of their conversation. It was painful to hear but also necessary to avoid hurting the other person more. Y/N felt her heart sink into her chest when he spoke but she was also aware of the importance it was for the two to communicate their emotions. Rather than to continue going on with how they were acting for the first half of their summer.

She knew that Jack knew her well, Jack knew about her feelings towards long distance relationships long before this conversation. She also knew that they both didn’t want to jeopardize the other’s friendships with their friends.

It gave her hope however, to think that they could still have a chance after she finished school, yet that was so far away and so many other possibilities could intercept during this time. They could very much be in different positions by the time she finished college. Different circumstances, different relationships, who knows.

Jack’s head was in a whirlwind of emotions, somewhat relieved to get his feelings off his chest. But with a punch of regret when he saw her glossy eyes as he spoke, made him want to take back everything he said. He didn’t know why this hurt like a break up, even though his past actual break ups didn’t squeeze his heart the same way that this conversation did.

They basked in the silence for a few moments longer before Jack rose from the bed, bidding his goodnight before leaving her room quietly. Once she heard his sock clad feet padding up the stairs, she reached over to her phone to text Trevor.

Blues 🫐

11:47PM | trev r u awake rn?

11:47PM | pls be awake

Z 🔥

11:50PM | Ya I’m up wsp?

Blues 🫐

11:50PM | can u come to my room :(

Z 🔥

11:50PM | But I’m comfy asf in bed rn

Blues 🫐

11:51PM | please?

Z 🔥

11:51PM | Ok

Within seconds, her door creaked open. Trevor rubbing his eyes as he shut the door behind in and walked towards her. He looked up at Y/N while slipping his phone into the pocket of his athletic shorts.

“You good?” He yawned, settling into the empty space next to her. He perched himself on his elbow, resting his head on his hand as he faced his friend.

She rolled onto her side and looked at him, her bottom lip quivered as she bit the inside of it between her teeth. The tiredness from his eyes washed away the second he looked at her. Y/N shook her head slightly as more tears threatened to spill,

“Oh, come here,” Trevor told her, opening his arms up and engulfing her with a hug, “It’s okay, Bluey.”

“Nothing even happened,” She explained between breaths as tears fell from her eyes, “I don’t even know why I’m crying.”

Trevor rocked her slowly, running fingers through her hair to comfort her, “It’s ‘cause you’re still sad and you’re allowed you cry.”

“We agreed to stay friends,” She sniffled, “And he said he’s been trying to get over his feelings.”

“What an asshole,” Trevor said under his breath, “You’re okay, you don’t need him.”

“I’m mad because I don’t know why I’m crying and am so upset over this.” She groaned, pulling away from his chest and flopping onto her back.

“Maybe because you’re a little sensitive,” Trevor mumbled in a lightheartedly manner, “You’ve always been a lil sensitive, nothing’s wrong with that.”

“We weren’t even dating!” She huffed as she turned her head to look at Trevor. He frowned slightly as another tear fell from her eyes,

“You liked him, that’s not your fault,” He said, wiping a tear off her face, “It didn’t work out which is also not your fault. Sometimes things like this just happen, but doesn’t mean that something better isn’t coming your way.”

“You think so?”

“I know so,” He smiled, poking her cheek, “You’re my best friend, something amazing is gonna come to you and you’re gonna forget that all of this happened.”

“Can you stay?” She asked in a hushed tone, her eyelids already drooping from exhaustion.

“Of course,” He responded, crawling underneath the comforter, “Anything to avoid Cole’s sleep talking.”

Y/N let out a soft yet sleepy chuckle, “Love you, Trev.”

“Love you too Bluesy,” He mumbled back, “Always here for ya.”

After that night, things resumed as if that night never happened. There was a silent and unspoken shift in the lake house. Thought only Jack, Y/N, and Trevor knew exactly what had happen that one night. Cole, Luke, and Quinn knew that something changed in the air. It could be the fact that Jack and Y/N gave each other some distance but whenever one wasn't pay attention, the other was often looking at them. Or how Jack silently pouted when Y/N sat next to Luke on boat days or when Cole and her would make cookies together in the afternoons.

When the end of summer came around, goodbyes were said. Suitcases were packed. Jack gave Y/N a small hug, "Sorry again for everything," He said into her ear, "I hope school goes well for you and I'm still here if you need me."

"I know." Was all that she told him but the look in her eyes said everything she couldn't manage to vocalize in the moment. He knew. How her eyes said that she was also sorry and didn't blame him for how summer ruled out, how she was wishing him good luck for the upcoming season, and most importantly, how she is also there for him if he ever needs it.

As usual, the Hughes brothers stood at the top of their driveway of the lake house and watched Trevor's truck pull and way and disappear at. the end of the road.

"Some summer, huh?" Luke sighed, breaking the silence between him and his brothers, "You alright, J?"

He slowly nodded, "Yeah, I think I'll be alright."

"Things will work out," Quinn told his middle brother, bumping into his shoulder lightly, "They always do."

When it neared Christmas break that year, Luke invited Y/N over to spend time together and also quietly hoping that Jack and her would fix whatever they were going through.

Rustyy

1:23PM | Hey! Are we still good for tdy?

Blues 🫐

1:30PM | yk it!

1:31PM | just finished my last exam yesterday

Rustyy

1:32PM | Ayy that’s what I like to hear!!

1:32PM | Hope it went well

Blues 🫐

1:33PM | ya i feel pre good abt it:))

Rustyy

1:33PM | I’ll come pick u up in an hour

He drove over to pick her up from her apartment which was a few minutes away from campus. She approached his car as he rolled down the window with a large smile on his face, “Hey you!” She waved at the curly headed boy while settling into her seat.

“Hey, Blue,” He gave her a one armed hug while pulling away from the curb, “How have you been?”

“You know how school is,” Y/N said, “How’s senior year treating you?”

He shrugged, “Eh, it’s alright.”

They drove to a nearby Chiptole to grab food before heading back to the Hughes home which wasn’t terribly far. The two caught up during their drive, well as much as they could considering they often texted each other during the school semester.

Luke rolled into his driveway, tugging his jacket tighter to brace for the Michigan cold. He led her into the familiar home,

“Hi sweetheart!” Ellen greeted her as she watched the two kick off their shoes and shrug off their winter coats.

“How are you?” Y/N gushed, hugging the woman, “You look great!”

Ellen grinned at the girl, kissing her cheek, “Awh, you’re too too sweet! We’ve been good, happy to have all the boys home and ready for Christmas!”

Y/N chuckled, taking in the various holiday decorations scattered throughout the home. Her heart paused momentarily at Ellen’s words of her sons being back, meaning Jack was home.

“Alright, I’ll let you to go. Let me know if you need anything, hun!”

Luke and Y/N walked to his room, where they settled into their typical positions, “Jack’s home?” She asked while he plugged his phone into its charger.

“Yeah,” He hummed, sitting back down next to her, “I didn’t want to scare you off but yeah he’s back. He won’t bother you though.”

“It’s okay, I was just curious.” She muttered, “So what did you plan for us?”

“Well, I was thinking we could either bake or make this gingerbread home that Mom bought. We could also go to the rink if you’d like?”

“So many good options,” Y/N laughed, “Let’s build that gingerbread house first. At least your Mom can use it for decor.”

“Bold of you to assume that we won’t eat most of it while we make it,” Luke teased, standing up from his bed. Y/N following his steps,

“Bold of me to assume that we could keep it standing.” She challenged which made his eyebrows raise,

“Are you implying that you and I can’t build a standing gingerbread house and decorate it?”

She replied with a click of her tongue, “I don’t know, can we?”

He playfully pushed her out of his door, guiding her back down towards the kitchen, “C’mon, we can definitely make it stand.”

They didn’t.

The two current stood with the packaged frosting over their hands as they attempted to keep each piece of the cookie house to stick together. Y/N used the back of her hand to brush away a loose hair fallen from her pony tail,

“How do people do this?” She groaned, pushing the edge of two walls together while Luke applied, yet again, another line of frosting.

“No wait, this looks promising!” He exclaimed, standing back up from his bent stance, “Just hold it like that!”

“That looks terrible,” Quinn laughed from the doorway, leaning away its frame, “You should just stick to puck, Rusty.”

“Oh shut up, Q! I doubt you could do any better,” Luke shot back, giving a slight grin to his brother.

Quinn pushed himself off the door frame and walked towards the pair, “Here, let me help.” He sighed, settled in the spot next to Luke and taking the plastic bag from his hands, “Lukey, hold that right there, yeah perfect.”

Luke huffed but inevitably listened to the eldest Hughes brother as he guided them through the building process. Jack walked down the hallway to the kitchen, hearing his brothers’ banter and curious of what they were up to. He froze when he saw her sitting there, neck craned back as she laughed at Quinn and Luke arguing.

It was the first time seeing her since the lake house and he wasn’t expecting her to be here, in his kitchen with his two brothers. Her hair was tied up and she wore one of his old hoodies that he had let her borrow ages ago. His heart swelled at the sight, “Always beautiful and always smiling.”

He approached the three, “I hope you’re not trying to build a gingerbread house, ‘cause that looks nothing like one.”

The three sets of eyes all looked at the middle Hughes brother as he sat in the empty seat next to Y/N. Their eyes locked for a second, the same old warm feelings enveloping their chests. Y/N took a sharp breath before looking away and back to the house.

“I’ve never seen you make one before,” Quinn told Jack, “But since you’re here, help Bluey hold the walls together?”

Jack nodded, his hands next to hers as they helped Luke hold it all together. His senses were taken over by the soft scent of her perfume, the same one that she always wore.

“We just have to keep it together for a bit longer to let the frosting harden,” She explained, “Then we can finally start decorating!”

Quinn chuckled, opening the plastic bag of gum drops and eating a few, “All you guys, I’m enjoying this.”

“Give me some,” Luke complained, watching Quinn eat the candy in front of him.

A few minutes passed before the three of them held their breaths as they carefully withdrew their hands from the gingerbread house. Cheers being thrown around as it stayed stable without their support. They started decorating their house, placing rainbow colour candy on the roof and edges. Y/N at some point connecting to a speaker to let her holiday playlist hum quietly in the background.

It wasn’t perfect, definitely had its own take, with Jack sticking on the little gingerbread man onto the roof, claiming ‘he’s stargazing’.

Luke and Quinn were settled on the couches in the living room, debating on which film to watch. She was washing the mess of sugar off her hands when Jack came by to lean against the counter space next to her, “I wasn’t expecting you to be here today.” He said softly, while she wiped her hands on the red towel.

“Luke invited me a few days ago,” She replied, looking up from the towel to meet his eyes, “I didn’t know you would be home, otherwise I would’ve told you I was coming.”

“How did your finals go?”

“They went well, for the most part I think. I’m just glad that they’re over.” Y/N laughing lightly towards the end, maybe as a way to break the awkwardness between the two, “You played really good the other night.”

His eyebrows raised in response to being surprised by her comment, “Thanks, you watched?”

A faint, nearly unnoticeable, blush painted across her cheeks as she adjusted her hair, “Yeah, I’ve watched all of your games this season so far.”

Jack’s stomach flipped at her shy confession, “No wonder why I’ve been playing so well then, guess you’re my lucky charm.” He grinned, nudging her shoulder while washing his own hands.

She gave a small smile, the edges of her mouth tugging upwards slightly, “Do you maybe wanna talk?”

“Yeah, you sure Lukey won’t be upset that I’m stealing you away from him?”

“He’ll survive.”

Jack motioned with his head for her to follow him to his room, where they would have a bit more privacy away from his two brothers. Luke looked up from his spot on the couch, watching Y/N and Jack walk down the hallway. He smiled to himself, knowing that his plan is working — he just hoped for a positive outcome. She needed Jack and he knew that his brother needed her as well.

Jack shut the door softly, making his way to sit at the foot of his bed. Y/N sat next to him, being somewhat cautious of the space between the two. Her hands laid in her lap, fingers twisting around her rings.

“What did you want to talk about?” He asked her in a kind tone, his torso twisting to face her.

Her eyes glanced up to see him looking at her before darting away to her hands, “I don’t want us to be awkward anymore.”

“You think we’re being awkward?”

“Don’t you?”

He sighed, running his hands through his hair, “I thought we were doing fine.”

“I miss you,” Y/N mumbled, finally making eye contact with Jack, “I miss my best friend, I miss talking to you all the time.”

His lips twitching down for a fraction of a second, “Me too.”

“I know you asked for space to figure things out but I didn’t really expect you to disappear from my life while doing so,” She told him, her voice cracking at the end, “There were so many times where I wanted to call or text you about something that I knew you would find funny. Or about stuff I just wanted to talk to you about.”

“You should’ve”

“I didn’t want to overstep or anything, you know?”

He frowned, “I know what I told you this summer, I think about it a lot more than you probably think. I missed you too. But I am always here for you, pretty.”

Her eyes searched his face for any trace of lies, none to be found. His features only read with honesty from his words, and hope that she would believe him.

She slowly moved her head in agreement, “Okay, and we won’t do whatever that was, again?”

He chuckled softly, “Yeah, let’s never do that again.”

The two were reunited and back to how they were prior to the past summer. They continued to call and text each other whenever they met a moment of freedom, away from their obligations. Jack avoided thinking about how he used to feel around the girl, shoving those feelings so far down and putting a lock on them. The last thing he wanted was the urge to see her anything more than a friend - if he did, he was putting their rekindled friendship at risk again. He reminded himself the look on her face and the twinge in her voice whenever they discussed being more than friends, and he never wanted to go through that again. Besides, neither can get hurt if they can just ignore the magnetic pull.

Rowdy 🤠

3:12PM | Did u see the TikTok I sent u

Blues 🫐

3:27PM | ...yes

3:27PM | why would u send me that

Rowdy 🤠

3:32PM | Cuz its hella funny 🤣

Blues 🫐

3:35PM | its rlly not

3:35PM | idt the average person finds that dude funny

Rowdy 🤠

3:40PM | U hurt me ☹️

Jack rolled his eyes playfully as he sent the text before placing his phone down. He contemplated the actual question he was meaning to send her, almost nervous for her response despite the chances of Y/N turning him down was little to none.

Rowdy 🤠

3:45PM | Are u coming to the lake house this summer?

Blues 🫐

3:47PM | as long as i'm still invited

3:48PM | when r u guys planning on going?

Rowdy 🤠

3:49PM | Wdym as long as ur still invited??? Ofc u are. It wouldn't be the same without u!

3:49PM | We probs going in like 2 weeks ish? Have to check w Cole and Z when they're free

Blues 🫐

3:51PM | ok

3:51PM | i can probs go but idk how long i can acc stay since i have an internship set up for this summer :/

Rowdy 🤠

3:53PM | CONGRATS!! Thats huge! Atta girl 🙌

Blues 🫐

3:53PM | haha thank youuu

Rowdy 🤠

3:53PM | But yes, absolutely still come! We all want u there

A smile drew upon Y/N's face as she read the text messages coming into her phone from Jack. She pulled up her Apple calendar to glance at her schedule, seeing that her internship wasn't planned to start until a bit later into the summer due to the person she was working under being away for their own summer break.

She drove by herself to the lake house, arriving a few hours after the boys because of some traffic she hit on the highway. Y/N stepped out of the car, going to retrieve her suitcase from the trunk when she was scooped into strong arms,

"Bluesy!" The voice exclaimed, pulling her into a hug, "You took forever to get here!"

"Hi Lukey!" She laughed as she looked up to see the head full of curls in front of her, "Crazy traffic on my way here, sorry about that."

"Pfft, I was only joking. Do you need help with anything?" He asked, letting her go. She rolled her suitcase in his direction,

"Just this," Y/N grinned as he dramatically sighed,

"You just use me for my big muscles, I swear."

"Do not... Maybe." She teased back as they walked towards the entrance.

"Hope you're prepared to be attacked by the rest of the boys," He warned her with a playfully glint in his eyes, "Jack and Z have been moping while waiting for you."

"Oh, I am ready."

Luke shrugged before swinging open the front door, "Special guest is here!" He called out, seconds later a series of loud footsteps clambered against the hard wood floors.

"My bestie!" Trevor shouted, quickly approaching her and pulling her into an embrace, "Look at you, Blues! You get hotter every time I see you!"

"Stop it," She whined, smacking his shoulder while he squeezed her tighter, "You look good too, Trev."

Y/N hugged Cole and Quinn after, talking to them briefly when it was their turns. Both of them not failing to compliment her on the glow that she radiated.

Jack walked over to her back as she talked with Quinn. His arms wrapping around her middle with ease, "Hi pretty," He said into her ear, "It's so good to see you."

She extended her neck back to rest on his shoulder, looking at his face, "He's so gorgeous in this light."

"Hi J" She smiled softly at the brunette, "It feels good to be back, even if it's only for two weeks."

He sighed, "Wish you could stay longer, but you got your big girl job waiting for you."

"Yeah, we heard about that," Cole commented, causing her to pull away from Jack to face the rest, "Congrats, Blue! That's really sick."

"Thanks guys." She flushed slightly at the attention from everyone, placing her hand over her heart, "We will have so much fun while I'm here, gotta make this break worth it."

"Of course, we will." Quinn reassured her, walking towards the living room and the other five trailing behind him.

And they definitely did make the most out of her two weeks. Long days on the boat, soaking in the bright Michigan summer sun on the water. Drinking their Truly's and Bud Lights around the fire and enjoying the fact of everyone being together yet again. Jack and Y/N stayed glued to each other's sides, absorbing the most of the other's presence before she had to leave for her internship. They stayed up late together on the back porch, slowly sipping their drinks while telling their stories of the time they spent away from each other. He would hold her close when she got cold, her frame melting into his like two pieces of a puzzle. Jack would sway their bodies side to side when they danced together to country music on the boat, singing the lyrics to her which made her break into a fit of laughter.

Y/N splashed the cold water flowing from her sink onto her face, trying to snap out of the haze she was living through, yet again. Every time Jack was near her, she felt her heart pick up its pace, her stomach doing somersaults in her gut, the tingles that were left on her skin when he grazed her. The way chills would run up her spine whenever he would lean down to whisper something into her ear, away from everyone else hearing his words. His teasing and playful tone of voice directed towards her, causing her body to increase in temperature by a smidge - not enough for anyone else to notice except for her.

She knew the repercussions of her feelings towards the Devils player, she suffered through them before and she did not want to go through that sort of heartbreak again. Not when they were finally back to normal.

Her hands brought the soft white towel to her face, patting off the cold droplets on her skin. She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, knowing that she was about to leave and head back into the reality of life. Out of her realm of freedom that existed in the lake house.

"You all pack?" Trevor poking his head into her bathroom, startled the girl.

"Holy shit," She gasped, clutching the towel to her chest, "You scared the fuck out of me."

He barked out a laugh, "Sorry, Bluey. You okay?"

Y/N looked away from him, "Erm, no yeah, I'm fine."

"C'mon, don't do that," Trevor groaned, stepping into her bathroom and leaning his back against the counter top, "You know you can't lie to me, I've known you for too long for you to get away with that bullshit."

Her shoulders sank as he spoke, knowing that he was right, "It's just me having stupid emotions... again."

He frowned, "I see."

"Just forget it, I'm leaving today anyways." She sighed, hanging her towel on its designated hook.

"Are you going to tell him?"

Y/N's eyes widened, "Are you crazy?"

"No, I'm Trevor..." He mumbled, mischief in his expression, "I'm joking, sorry, 'm only trying to make you smile."

Her gaze softened, "I know, but you know that I can't. Not after everything we went through, it's not worth it."

"Says who?"

"Says me, dumbass," She told him, walking past him and into her room to collect her phone from its charger, "It's stupid, they'll go away eventually. He doesn't want to do long distance anyways, plus its been like year since the talk. There's no chance he'd suddenly change his mind now."

Trevor shrugged, following her around the room, "You never know, B. I see how he looks at you and the way he talks about you."

"You don't know what you're talking about." She huffed, shoving the leftover items scattered across the room into her bags.

"Sure," He replied with ease, "I don't know what I'm talking about when I tell you that he was whining 'bout you leaving today in my room last night, but yeah, I don't know what I'm saying."

"Stop," She said, a bit harsher than she expected her tone to be as she whipped around to face her best friend, "Just... Stop, please. I can't get my hopes up again and I can't do this whole stupid thing again." Y/N told him, her voice gentler this time while waving her hands around.

Trevor slowly nodded, giving her an understanding look, "Okay, I just don't like seeing you like this."

"I'll be fine."

"Just call me when you get home, yeah?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I will."

Y/N shared her goodbyes to the rest of the boys before driving off. She twisted the volume dial in her car to maximum as she blasted her music, hoping that it will help her drown out her thoughts while she drove.

She distanced herself from the rest of the group for a while after leaving the lake house, using the excuse of her internship swallowing up the majority of her time. When in reality, she was avoiding them to run away from her feelings towards the middle Hughes brother.

Meanwhile, at the lake house, Jack's shoulders were slumped as he scrolled through his phone on the boat. Not even paying attention to the videos he was 'watching'. Cole sat next to his friend, noticing his strange and withdrawn behaviour since the girl left last week.

"You good?" Cole asked, nudging his shoulder with his own, "You've been quiet."

"Yeah, 'm fine." Jack muttered, not bothering to look at Cole.

"The boys and I are planning on having some girls over tonight, we met them at the store earlier this week." Cole explained to him, "They're our age and they're super chill, you should hang out with us."

"Sure," The brunette shrugged, "Whatever you say."

Cole frowned at Jack's attitude, but deciding to not press him any further, "Okay."

There were four girls who came over to the Hughes lake house. The group of nine lounging around the chairs that surrounded the bon fire. Most of the guys talking to a girl with the exception of Luke, who had invited a few of his buddies and them keeping mostly to themselves for the night. A little blonde, named Olivia, sitting next to Jack throughout the night.

He didn't mind too much, Olivia was pretty. She had bright eyes and an effortless smile when she talked to him. Maybe it was from the alcohol he had been drinking the whole day, but the flirts being tossed between him and Olivia came with ease.

Every compliment she gave him, he was able to give her one back. Causing the blonde to smile and flutter her lashes to him.

Maybe it was from the multiple beers that Jack managed to kill at the fire that brought him to where he was now. His chest pressed up against hers, sandwiching her between Jack and the wall of his bedroom. They shared desperate kisses, her hands pulling at his hair, making him let out a low groan. They drunkly stumbled towards his bed, articles of clothing being tossed to random corners of his room as they moved. Jack threw Olivia without effort onto his bed, crawling up to meet her into another heated make out. He pulled the covers over their bare bodies, hiding away from the world from his next moves. Hiding away from what would possibly be his biggest mistake that would come and haunt him.

Luke bid his friends goodbye, late into the night as they drove back to the city. He closed the front door before roaming the somewhat empty lake house. Trevor and Cole still outside with the girls they had invited, Quinn on the contrary went to bed. The exhaustion of the long day spent on the water getting to him.

The youngest Hughes brother walked around the kitchen, throwing out the empty cans that were left behind. After making the space somewhat decent, he sat at one of the bar stools and scrolled through his Twitter feed while eating a slice of leftover pizza.

"Have you seen Olivia?" A girl asked him after stepping into the space. Luke looked up from his phone, seeing that she was speaking to him,

"Uh, no?" Luke said to the unknown girl, although it came out more like a question, "But then again, I didn't catch all your names." He chuckled.

The girl gave a small laugh, "I'm Ashley. My friend Olivia, she's blonde and I think she came in here with Jack. We're planning on leaving and she isn't replying to her texts."

His eyebrows shot up, "Jack?"

"Mhm," Ashley hummed, "They were flirting and shit all night before they left us at the fire. I don't know if she's spending the night but I kinda need to know if we're leaving her here or not, y'know?"

Luke slowly nodded, trying his hardest to stay up to speed with everything Ashley was telling him. Although he was still focused on the fact that Jack, his brother who was hopelessly in love with his friend Y/N, was supposedly with another girl at this moment.

"Um, yeah. I can go ask, just wait here." He told her before dropping his half-eaten pizza on its plate. Luke pushed off his seat and began walking towards the second floor of the house. He approached Jack's room, halting in his movements when he heard the muffled moans and sounds of sex coming from the room.

His ears turned red, quickly walking away and heading back to where he left Ashley, "Uh, I think it's safe to say that your friend is probably spending the night." He mumbled out, still slightly embarrassed at what he heard.

Ashley thanked Luke and left through the back door to retrieve her friends. Luke stood somewhat frozen in his spot, his hands reaching into his pocket to shakily pull out his phone. His thumb hovered over her text contact, debating whether or not to tell her. He felt conflicted since it was his brother and that the two were not exclusive. But anyone with eyes could tell that Y/N and Jack had undeniable chemistry and feelings towards each other. She was his friend nonetheless, one of his closest friends too. The two got even closer after he committed to UMich for the upcoming school year.

He swallowed harshly as his fingers moved around his screen, silently apologizing to someone for what he was about to do. He couldn't decipher if he was sorry for Jack, somewhat sabotaging him behind his back, or for Y/N, who he knew was going to be heartbroken once she found out. Luke told himself that she deserved to know and he wasn't going to be the type of friend to hide this from her.

Rustyy

11:52PM | Hey are u awake?

Blues 🫐

11:54PM | ya i am

11:54PM | what's up?

Rustyy

11:54PM | Um I have to tell u smt and u might get upset

Blues 🫐

11:55PM | huh?

Rustyy

11:56PM | Jack is hooking up with a girl rn

11:59PM | Blues?

12:02AM | Are u still there?

12:05AM | Are u ok???

Blues 🫐

12:06AM | no i'm here

Rustyy

12:06AM | I'm so sorry

Blues 🫐

12:07AM | its not ur fault

Rustyy

12:07AM | Ik but I still feel awful

Blues 🫐

12:07AM | its his life

12:08AM | he can do wtv he wants

Rustyy

12:08AM | But hes hurting u :(

Blues 🫐

12:09AM | ill be fine

Rustyy

12:09AM | Are u sure?

Blues 🫐

12:09AM | ya

Rustyy

12:10AM | I'm always here for you🫶 If u ever wanna talk about it

Blues 🫐

12:13AM | thanks lukey

Rustyy

12:14AM | For the record, I think Jack is a fucking idiot for hurting you like this. An idiot in general tbh

Luke sighed, placing his phone down and rubbing his jaw with his hand, "Fuck's sake."

"You okay, bud?" Trevor asked, closing the glass door behind Cole as they walked in with their hands full of empty cans.

Cole tossed the cans into the trash, "You seem stressed, you good Lukey?"

"No yeah, I'm good." He lied, checking his phone to see if Y/N had responded yet.

"Then why are you checking your phone for notifs?" Cole chuckled, settling in the bar seat next to the youngest Hughes, "Who are you waiting a response from?"

"Rusty got a girl?" Trevor asked jokingly wiggling his eyebrows, leaning on his forearms from the opposite side of the kitchen counter.

Blues 🫐

12:21AM | ya ik but i let him do it anyways

The screen lit up as her notification appeared. Cole, ever the curious one, looked over to see if he could catch the name, "Y/N?!" He let out, a little too loudly.

Luke shushed him immediately, "Dude, shut the fuck up!"

"You're hooking up with her?" Trevor's voice being more aggressive than before, "Are you fucking kidding me right now?"

"No, it's not like that!" Luke huffed, his eyes pleading to the two boys, hoping that they would believe him, "I just had to tell her something, but I swear we're not anything like that."

"Yeah right," Trevor scoffed, walking over to the side where Luke sat, "You and her have always been close, I just thought you two were like siblings."

"Trevor, trust me on this," Luke told him, careful with his next words, "We are not like that, at all."

The Ducks player only rolled his eyes, "Okay, then what is it like?"

Luke swallowed hard, seeing that both of Jack's best friends were staring intently at him. It was hard for him to tell her, but exposing his brother's actions to Cole and Trevor, who both cared deeply for Y/N, was another level of difficult.

"Jack is hooking up with that Olivia chick right now," Luke muttered, his voice a little shaky as he spoke, "One of the girls that came over. I heard it 'nd everything, I had to tell Y/N. She deserves to know."

Cole's jaw dropped slightly, his hands swinging up to cover his open mouth, "What the fuck?" He let out, just barely above a whisper, "Are you fucking for real?"

Trevor stepped back, nearly stumbling in his movements, "Are you fucking with us right now?"

Luke shook his head, "I wish I was. One of her friends came in and asked me to check if Olivia was still with Jack, I went upstairs to check and I heard it." He shuddered as the memory flashed in his head, "I wouldn't lie to her."

He handed his phone to Cole, revealing the text conversation between himself and Y/N, as evidence of proof. None of the guys would lie to her about a topic as heavy as this, they all silently knew what she felt for Jack and vice versa.

Trevor stood behind Cole, also reading the messages. His eyes widening as the information sunk in, "Oh, that's fucked up."

"They're not official though, right?" Cole asked the two, his eyebrows knit together.

Luke shook his head, "No, but like, they basically are."

"If he could just grow a pair and tell her," Trevor scoffed, "I know she would never just upright confess to him, but he could. I don't get why he doesn't."

"It's because of the distance, neither one wants to do long distance." Cole explained, "I know that he would ask her out immediately, if it weren't for the fact that she's in Michigan and he's in Jersey."

"He could fly her out every weekend if he wanted to," Trevor argued, "Fucking hell, I've flown her out to Anaheim for a weekend before."

"Should we tell Jack that she knows?" Cole asked to two, "Or do we let him figure that out?"

Luke dragged his hand across his jaw, "No, this is his mess to figure out."

"Agreed." Trevor nodded, "Knowing Bluey, she's gonna push herself away and Jack doesn't deserve to get the easy answer to why."

Cole hummed in agreement, "Yeah, facts. I can't believe he would do this to her, she just left last week and I swear they were cuddling and shit the whole time she was here."

"Yeah, they were." Luke sighed.

"She told me the morning she left that her feelings towards him were coming back." Trevor frowned, thinking out the way her face looked so defeated, "And the night before, Jack told me that he still liked her and his feelings never went away."

"This is so fucked." Cole groaned, Luke mimicking his actions.

Y/N seemed to evaporate from Jack's world. The morning following his drunken hook up with Olivia, he noticed that Y/N hadn't sent him a single TikTok or meme - somewhat unusual for her even though she had claimed that she'd been busy. Cole, Trevor, and Luke filled Quinn in the next day on Jack's activities, Quinn sharing his own disappointment in the middle Hughes brother.

Jack continued to invite the blonde over as a indiscrete way to fill the void the Y/N left behind. Completely oblivious to the other four's feelings towards his summer fling. To Jack, it appeared that the other guys didn't seem to care much. They never said anything against him and Olivia. To Jack, Olivia was nothing like Y/N. She didn't have creative comebacks, she didn't have the same heartwarming laughter, she couldn't point out the different constellations. But to Jack, Olivia was still pretty - a different kind of pretty, and she was fun. They had fun together and she was thrilled to discover that he was a NHL player.

Little by little, Jack found himself thinking less of the girl and directed his attention more towards the blonde. The more focused he was on Olivia, the less his heart hurt thinking about how he and Y/N couldn't be together. He convinced himself that she only saw him as a friend now, and he had to continue to bury his feelings for her.

He knew deep down that this wasn't fair to Olivia, but what she didn't know couldn't hurt her. Olivia was fun and extroverted, similar to him. She liked to party, a lot. Jack didn't mind, the alcohol drowned his feelings towards the girl he was missing.

She didn't seem to miss him though. Y/N disappeared. She went from barely responding to him, hours to maybe days between responses, to none at all. He scoffed at her behaviour, Jack knew that he hadn't done anything to Y/N. Except for the fact that he was hooking up with Olivia practically every day, but Y/N wouldn't know that. How would she? Jack had full faith in Cole, Trevor, Quinn, and Luke that they wouldn't tell her because bro-code and all. Besides, she saw him as a friend so why would she care who he was hooking up with?

Him and Olivia agreed that it was a fun summer fling, he had to return to his normal life and she had to go back to Miami - where she went to school, he learned. She had teased the fact that she might come back the following summer, hinting to press resume on whatever they called their situationship or relationship. He only laughed in response.

When Jack, Quinn, and Luke returned back to their parents' house for a few nights before the two had to fly back for the season, he heard his older brother on the phone when he walked past his room. Jack didn't usually care who Quinn was talking to, but a mention of one's name caught his attention.

He lingered outside the half-closed bedroom, trying to see if he had maybe misheard.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Quinn spoke into the phone, "I'm really sorry again for what you had to go through, Bluesy."

Jack's heart stopped. "Why the hell is she calling Quinn when she's going through something? I'm the person she always talks to."

There was a pause, for what Jack assumed Y/N was now talking.

"Yeah, I know - He's an idiot for doing that to you. You didn't deserve that." another pause. "Mhm, flying out tomorrow morning.... I miss you too.... Yeah, definitely come fly out during your break! I would love to show you around Van."

"What the fuck?" Jack rolled his eyes in frustration, "Not only did she not tell me that she was talking to some dude who's now hurt her, but she wants to visit Quinn? Why doesn't she ever ask to visit me?"

The middle Hughes brother walked away, upset that she wasn't coming to him about her problems anymore. He had thought that she'd been too busy with her internship to update him on her life, but clearly not when she was on the phone with Quinn. "When did she replace me with my own brother?"

Jack laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling with several different emotions flowing through his system. He snapped out of his haze after hearing Luke and Quinn in the hallway, his door was closed so their conversation was muffled.

"Were you on the phone with Blue?" He heard Luke ask. His curiosity got the best of his and he quietly crept to his door, placing his ear against it to listen better.

"Yeah, I just got off a call with her."

"How is she doing? Better I hope."

Jack heard Quinn sigh, and he imagined that Quinn was running his hand through his hair.

"Slightly better, I think. She's still crushed though, I could tell by her voice that she was trying not to cry while talking about him."

"He basically cheated on her. I was sick when I told her."

Jack's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "How did Luke know she was in a relationship? How did I not know? Who is this dude?"

"I bet, I'm glad you told her though. She deserved to know."

"Yeah, I know." Luke told Quinn, "I FaceTimed her the next day and she was a mess. She cried to me for like an hour straight and it killed me that I couldn't be there for her."

"It's okay, she knew you were there in like spirit or something like that." Quinn chuckled, "Come on, let's see if mom needs help with anything."

Jack slowly stepped back from his door, his mind running through his interactions and conversations with Y/N. He searched for any indication or mention that she was seeing someone. Then he wondered if she was seeing this mystery man while doing her internship. He couldn't figure it out, so he decided to hear it from her.

They haven't talked in weeks, but he knew they were still friends. She left the lake house, giving Jack a tight hug and telling him she would call. She'd been busy so maybe now with the school year around the corner, she would be free to text. Well, in Jack's head she was, she had just finished calling Quinn so surely, she could respond to a text message.

Rowdy 🤠

5:35PM | Hey its been a min lol

5:35PM | Hope everything is ok

5:39PM | How was the internship??

5:46PM | U should visit Jersey sometime! I can get you the best tickets to a game 🙃

Jack's leg bounced anxiously as he waited for her to respond, but she never did. "She's just busy. Probably packing for her move." He told himself to soothe the anxious feeling building in his chest.

"Hey," Jack mumbled, walking into the living room where his two brothers were lounging and playing madden on the TV, "Have you guys heard from Y/N?"

Luke and Quinn broke their focus on the screen and glanced at each other. Quinn paused their game, lazily resting the controller on his knee,

"Yeah, I texted her a few days ago. Why?" Quinn asked, clearly lying to Jack's face. He didn't know that Jack had heard their conversations just over an hour ago.

He shrugged, "Just curious, I haven't heard from her in a while and I heard that she was cheated on or something."

For the second time, Quinn and Luke looked at each other. Luke's eyebrows scrunched while Quinn's looked more confused.

"Where'd you hear that?" Luke crossing his arms over his chest, his own controller left on the empty space on the couch.

Jack's eyes darted away from his brothers, "Uh, Cole mentioned it but he said that he didn't know the guy, do you guys know? She never told me." He added, hoping to pry some information from the two.

"Yeah, no idea." Quinn replied, leaning back into the cushions, "You said Trevor told you that?"

"Mhm." Jack hummed out, not even noticing that Quinn brought up their other friend.

Quinn scoffed, finally putting the pieces together that Jack was eavesdropping on their conversation from earlier. He shook his head lowly before resuming the game.

"You don't know the guy?" Luke repeated, Jack nodding as a response, "That is wild." Luke mumbled, exacerbated and copying Quinn's movements of his head.

"What is?" Jack questioned, looking back at his brothers, "Oh come on, bro, you're not gonna tell me?"

Luke rolled his eyes, playing attention to the video game, "If you don't know by now, then I guess you'll never figure it out. She probably doesn't want to tell you."

Jack huffed, "What the fuck is that even supposed to mean?"

He stood for a moment longer before realizing that neither of them were going to tell him who this guy is. Jack grumbled something about Luke saying a cryptic message underneath his breath before leaving the room, going to his room where he left his phone. He was hoping by the time he returned to it that she would've responded.

He never did hear back from her. His mind went elsewhere as he moved back to New Jersey and got swept up by the daily practices and going straight into the busy routine of being an NHL player. He thought about her occasionally.

Jack only got updates on her life through her Instagram and not surprisingly Luke's Instagram and Snapchat. Luke had started his freshmen year at UMich and he fit right in. Y/N seemed to have taken him along with his new friends from the hockey team under her wing and showed them around. Jack saw the numerous stories of Luke with his friends and Y/N there too. He saw when Y/N would post herself and her friends at Luke's games, wearing some of Quinn's old UMich hockey clothes.

Luke appeared in a few of the photos she had posted in a photo dump, the two getting frozen yogurt together, them studying together, and the one that hit him too close to home: Luke and her on the ice together. The photo was the last in the collection of pictures. Y/N was on her back, clearly after falling on her skates, and Luke hunched over laughing at the sight.

A couple weeks later, she posted that she was in Vancouver and posted Quinn with the text 'best tour guide!' over it. Quinn included her in two pictures in his own Instagram post. One with her flexing the Hughes 43 jersey, the second one being a photo of her curled up in a blanket on his couch. Jack discovering that she had stayed in Quinn's apartment during her trip.

The ugly feeling of jealously burned deep in Jack's chest every time he saw her post another photo of her hanging out with Luke on campus. He told himself that he would talk to her when he comes home to Michigan for Christmas, but he didn't get the opportunity to see her. Trevor flew her out to LA to spend her Christmas in the sunny state, and Jack saw the what felt like endless pictures of her and Trevor together at Disneyland and exploring the city.

Rowdy 🤠

2:03PM | How's LA?

2:05PM | Acc fuck that Idc abt LA. Why are you ignoring me? What did I do?

2:10PM | Jesus the least u could do is respond. How immature do u have to be to ignore all my texts??? Yk I didn't do shit to u

Blues 🫐

2:27PM | yo this is trevor

2:27PM | bro just give her the space she needs k? and yk ily dude but dont talk to her like that. tf is wrong w u?

Rowdy 🤠

2:28PM | Mb

Trevor handed her phone back to her, "There, that should shut him up for a bit."

"Thanks, Trev." She smiled at her friend before stuffing her phone into her pocket, "I appreciate it."

The barista placed their iced coffees on the counter, Trevor taking a hold of both of them and giving Y/N her drink. The two walked out of the cafe and onto the boardwalk,

"You know I always got your back." He told her, "I can't believe he hasn't realized that he was the one who caused this shit."

She chuckled for a moment before her shoulders slumped and her gaze dropping, "'Yeah." Y/N murmured.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tugging her smaller frame to his side, "Cheer up, Blues! You're here in sunny LA and you don't deserve an idiot like him. He doesn't get to upset you, especially not when I'm around!"

"You're right." She grinned at his goofy expression, knowing that he was simply trying to get her mind off of things. Just like how Luke was by spending his free time with her and introducing her to his teammates, fully aware that they never shut up therefore not giving her a moment of silence to drop back into thinking about his brother. Just like how Quinn flew her to Vancouver for her mid-semester break to cheer her up.

Jack on the other hand seemed to be in a bad mood since receiving the message from Trevor that was sent through her phone. He wore a scowl and seemed to dish out backhanded insults towards his brothers during his time in Michigan. Luke had found out via FaceTime with Y/N, where Trevor also made an appearance, of what had happened. Luke could only roll his eyes at Jack's behaviour, him and Quinn in disbelief that Jack was yet to put pieces of the puzzle perfectly laid out in front of him together.

Luke sat on her bed, watching her flip through flashcards before her last final. He finished his just days prior, but decided to keep her company as she studied,

"I hate to ask this," Luke said softly, causing her to look up from the cue cards, "But are you planning on coming to the lake house this summer? I know it's a stupid question since you know who is going to be there, but I hope you know that the rest of us do want you there."

She sighed, placing the flashcard into her lap, "I don't know Luke."

He gave her a reassuring look, "I know, I just figured I would ask. Quinn, Cole, Trevor, and I were talking about it and I told them how you've been doing better and everything."

"Yeah, I know," Y/N shifted her position at her desk to face Luke, who was laying on her bed, "I barely even think about him anymore and it's because you and the rest of the guys have been doing such a good job taking my mind off of the whole situation." Referring to both the guys he mentioned alongside Luke's teammates.

"I just don't know how I would handle seeing him in person," She explained to the younger Hughes, "I don't want to mess up everyone's summer too."

"You know you wouldn't, if anything it'll be him ruining our summers." Luke chuckled, "But I get it. I don't want to pressure you or anything."

"I'm sorry." She told him, giving him a sad look.

"Don't be sorry, we just want whatever is best for you, okay?" He said, "Maybe not this summer but I'm sure in a few, you can finally face him. Maybe he'll finally get it through his thick skull that he's the fuck up."

"What do you mean she's not coming this summer?" Jack asked, shutting the fridge with force causing multiple eyes from the kitchen to look up at him, "She always comes to the lake house."

Quinn shrugged from the bar stool, flipping through the pages of his book, "She said she was busy with work this summer."

"That's gotta be some bullshit." Jack huffed, cracking open his second beer of the day.

"You do realize that a lot of people have to work to support their living, right?" Cole commented, still drying the lake water from his hair with a towel.

"Yeah, not everyone is blessed to have an NHL contract under their belt." Luke chuckled, leaning against the glass sliding door.

"But still, she always comes to the lake house," Jack told the guys, "It's not like she has an issue with spending our NHL contract money either." He mumbled the last part, hinting towards her trip to Vancouver and LA that Quinn and Trevor both covered.

"Okay, thats not fair," Trevor groaned, pushing himself off of his spot on top of the counter, "She was on break and she deserves a trip away from Michigan. She lives here both in and out of school."

"Exactly my point!" Jack exclaimed, raising his arm up, "We're here in Michigan at the lake house and she can't come? It's like she's fucking avoiding us."

"Maybe she has good reason for that." Trevor muttered, turning away from Jack.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Jack raised his voice towards the Ducks player. Luke buried his face in his hands, Quinn closed his book, and Cole poking his eyes out from the towel he held. The three fully anticipating what was coming. Jack and Trevor had history of getting hot-headed in certain situations, and it was very evident that this moment was one of them. Both of them were frustrated at the conversation but for different reasons.

Trevor was already irritated that Jack was behaving the way he was over the fact that Y/N wasn't planning on coming to the lake. Jack being oblivious to the underlying reason of this decision, which he should have realized months ago. Trevor loved Jack like a brother, but spending years of showering Y/N with compliments, cuddles, and actions filled with love: the forehead kisses, the hugs from behind, holding her hand in public, letting her wear his clothes to name a few. Then, sleeping with some other girl the moment Y/N leaves the lake house, and continue hooking up with this girl for the remainder of the summer - to take out his frustration on Y/N was where Jack crossed the line in Trevor's head.

Jack was beyond pissed off that Y/N had abruptly cut him out of her life. It seemed as though after everything, the late night conversations, dancing with each other on the boat, cuddled up together in front of bon fires, she was more than okay to drop him. He couldn't understand it. He thought that she would at least return to the lake house this summer. She always came after the initial invite three years ago, but the ignoring to not even letting him know that she couldn't make it because of "work" was what he called a load of bullshit. Jack fully blamed her for how their friendship was now, he put himself in the awkward position a few years ago when he distanced himself from her. She couldn't do the same for him?

"It fucking means that she doesn't have to be here if she doesn't want to be." Trevor spat back, mirroring Jack's intensity.

Jack scoffed, pushing Trevor's shoulders, "You keep saying all this fucking loaded bullshit about her not wanting to talk to me, she needs her space, that she doesn't want to be here. Why can't you just fucking say it to my face what you've been wanting to say?"

Trevor shoved Jack's shoulders back in response, "Maybe if you weren't so fucking blind, you would realize it by now."

"Just fucking tell me! Say it to my fucking face, stop hiding under all these cryptic ass messages." Jack shouted, returning the push with significantly more force than the last. Quinn stood up, prepared to have to break them apart along with Cole, who had placed his towel on the countertop.

"Have you ever thought that you fucking some blonde, days after you were cuddling and whispering in Y/N's ear wouldn't get back to her?" Trevor snapped, venom laced in his words, "She fucking knows you dipshit. She's known since the first night you hooked up with that girl."

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Jack yelled, repeatedly shoving Trevor backwards until he stumbled into the edge of the coffee table in the living room, "You're so full of shit! I bet you two have been fucking around too, no wonder why you wanted her in LA so bad!"

The two collided to the ground after pushing each other around with a bit of too much force. Yelling and shouts being aggressively thrown at one another, insults and curses intertwined in their sentences. Quinn and Cole immediately stepping in to pull the two apart. Cole grabbing Jack and yanking him back towards the kitchen. His hair was disheveled and face red with anger,

"You so full of fucking shit all the motherfucking time!" Jack yelled at Trevor, trying to break away from Cole's firm hold on him. Luke also at Jack's side, a tight grip his shoulder.

"You don't remember fucking that girl all summer?" Trevor spat back, fighting less against Quinn, who kept him in place in the living room.

"C'mon, Trevor. Let's take a break," Quinn told him in a steady voice, "Let's go before you say something you'll regret."

Quinn slightly pushing Trevor towards the hallway that lead to the front door, Trevor still had eyes on Jack, "You can't just lead Y/N on for years, practically treating her like a girlfriend and making her fall for you then you sleeping with the next girl who looks at you! She deserves so much better than a piece of shit like you!"

Jack stopped his struggle against Cole and Luke's hold, his face dropping as it all clicked for him. His face visibly paled. Him and that blonde last summer, he couldn't even remember her name anymore or what she looked like. Jack completely forgot her the second they left the lake house last summer. All the pieces of the puzzle coming together and he felt sick to his stomach.

"Oh my fucking god." Jack breathed out.

Luke and Cole let go of Jack as they watched it sink in for him. He was shaky as he took a step back, his hand flying to his hair.

"She knew?" He whispered out, looking up at Luke and Cole.

Quinn managed to pull Trevor out of the house to cool down on the front porch while leaving Jack with Luke and Cole.

"Yeah, dude." Cole slowly nodded, taking in Jack's distraught appearance, "She knows."

Jack's chest rose and fell faster, fingers continuously rushing through his hair, "Fuck, fuck, fuck." He muttered to himself.

Luke placed a light hand on his brother's shoulder, "Bro, you have to breathe."

Jack tugged at the collar of his shirt, feeling the air getting heavier, "How long? Tell me Trevor was lying when he said she's known since the beginning. How long has she known?" He begged his brother.

Luke looked at Jack, seeing his desperate eyes brimmed with tears and his chest heaving, "Jack, you got to breathe."

"I- I can't."

"Hey," Cole told him softly, "Look at me, just copy my breathing okay?"

Cole inhaled and exhaled slowly, using his hands to demonstrate the motion, "Just breathe, Jack."

"I c- can't breathe." Jack stuttered, clamping his eyes closed and rapidly shaking his head.

"Yes, you can." Luke reassured him, "Pay attention to Cole, copy him."

Jack glanced at Cole, who was encouraging Jack to deep breathe. He shakily inhaled and his breath trembled as he exhaled. Luke and Cole nodded, "Yes, exactly. A few more times, Rowdy."

He copied Cole for a few more breaths, his chest no longer rising and falling at a fast pace. Jack's body relaxed as he caught his breath. Cole led Jack back towards the barstools, where Luke handed him a glass of water,

"Drink this, you'll feel better." Luke said to Jack, who glumly hummed a response.

Minutes passed and Jack was back to normal, although his head was cradled in his hands, "Lukey, how long has she known...?" He asked, scared of knowing the answer but he had to find out.

Luke looked at his brother, he swallowed hard, "Since the first night at the bon fire."

Jack inhaled sharply, squeezing his eyes shut, "How did she find out?"

"I told her." Luke said to him, "I'm sorry but she deserved to know."

He shook his head, "Why didn't you tell me that she knew?"

"It's not his fault, man." Cole sighed, patting his back gently, "You put yourself in that position, we thought that you would figure it out eventually."

"I really fucked up." Jack breathed out, "Oh fuck."

"Yeah maybe," Cole replied, "Do you still have feelings for her?"

"Of course, I do." Jack mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Cole's eyes widened, "Really? After a year of you two not speaking and you being pissed at her?"

Jack scoffed, "Shut up dude, I can't get rid of them. Trust me, I've tried."

"Should I call her?" Jack turned to his younger brother, who he knew grew extremely close to the girl.

Luke shook his head, "Don't. Give her space, you owe that to her."

Months came and went, Luke moving to New Jersey after being drafted to the NHL halfway through college, Y/N finishing her degree around the same time. Luke was the one who broke her the news that Jack finally figured it out. He left out the fact that Trevor was the one who let it slip during a fight. It was around 4 months after that day when Y/N bravely decided to call Jack. She couldn't put a finger on the exact reason why she had to urge to. It could've been the fact that she had finally realized that she no longer had any sort of romantic feelings towards the man. It also could have been the fact that she missed being at the lake house with her closest friends. She was nervous just prior to the call, Luke on FaceTime with her as he was retuning from a meeting and encouraging her to press the button. He promised that Jack was at home and he came to terms with his mistakes, he only wanted to apologize to the girl.

So she called, he picked up almost immediately, a bit shaken up to see her contact photo on his screen. They talked for over an hour, where he apologized profusely for his actions and where she listened and also gave him her piece. After the call, she returned to her own reality of life.

She dated another classmate for a brief time, Jack also finding himself in a handful of short relationships.

All that mattered to both of them was that they could agree to put that year behind them. It seemed that actually talking it out, even if it was just over the phone, worked well. Y/N could hear the pure honesty in Jack's voice when he gave her a whole-hearted apology. He knew that he made a grave mistake that hurt her beyond belief, and his behaviour towards her only amplifying the hurt she felt. But those months and that summer away completely away from him allowed her to find her peace and find herself outside of just Jack Hughes.

She travelled outside of her annual visits to see Quinn, Trevor, and Cole (who was added to the routine soon after her initial trips in her junior year). She was now 23 and about to start her summer. She paced around her room, double checking to see that she had packed everything she needed.

Her phone lit up, an incoming call.

"Hey!"

"Hey Blues, I'm outside. Let's hit the road!"

She laughed, "Okay, coming down now."

Y/N grabbed the handles of her bags and made her way towards the front where she saw the familiar car. A large grin drew upon her face, when he stepped out of the car.

"Look at you!" She exclaimed, hugging him tightly, "New Jersey looks good on you, Lukey!"

He chuckled, "Ugh, I missed you. Missed Michigan in general to be honest. I sometimes wish that I was a UMich student again and do stupid college student things."

She rolled her eyes, "You don't wish that."

"I do!" Luke grinned, "Okay, maybe not the school work stuff but you know what I mean."

"Oh whatever, let's get going!"

"Are you nervous at all?" He asked her as they drove on the high way.

She shrugged, "A bit."

Luke glanced over to her, "It'll be good."

Y/N took a deep breath as Luke stepped out of his car. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for being back to the familiar lake house.

He opened her door with their suitcases at his feet, "You can do this. I believe in you."

"Yeah." She breathed out, slowly moving out of the vehicle.

"Hey, tell you what," He nudged her as they walked towards the door, "If it really sucks, like really fucking sucks, you tell me and I'll drive you home. No questions asked."

"I can't ask you to do that." She chuckled, climbing up the front steps.

They paused at the front door, he looked down at her and his eyes were full of sincerity, "I mean it. I'll drive you back if this whole thing is awful for you."

She swallowed and slowly nodded, "Alright, let's do this."

Luke opened the door, motioning her to enter first as he followed behind her with their luggage. Quinn lifted his head from his spot at the bottom of the stairs, he was anticipating their arrival and wanted to be the first one there.

"Hey," He gave her a small smile, "I'm really glad you decided to come."

"Hi Q," She grinned, hugging the man, "I'm happy to be back."

"You let me know if there's any issue okay? I'll drive you home the second you feel uncomfortable." He whispered into her ear, "I know you guys talked it out but still."

Y/N squeezed him a bit tighter, "You and Lukey are the exact same, I swear. Thank you."

The three walked towards the main area, Trevor had his arm deep into the chip bag when his eyes landed on her, "Blue!' He shouted, mouth somewhat full of food.

Cole snapped his head backwards, "You're here!"

The two bodies collided with hers in a group hug, she laughed at their reactions.

"You guys act like I didn't just see you at my graduation."

"Too long." Trevor complained, ruffling her hair as he pulled away, "You look good, as always."

"Like you say, Z, she gets hotter every time I see her." Cole snickered, very obviously checking her out with his eyes travelling up and down her body.

Trevor smacked the back of his head, "Off limits, you know that."

"And you know that I'm joking!" Cole winced at the contact.

Y/N only giggled at their interactions before walking into her self-proclaimed bedroom. She took it all in. It had been over two years since she last stepped foot into the room. Yet, everything looked the exact same. She started to unload her things into their designated spots.

A light knock was placed against her door, "Come in!" She sang out as she danced to the music playing off her phone.

The figure stepped into her room, cautious of the space it was entering.

"Hey," He gave her a smile.

She looked up from the dresser, "Hi, Jack."

"You made it," He said, slowly entering further into her room, "How was the drive with Rusty?"

"It was good. We caught up on everything." She replied, sitting down on the foot of her bed, "How are you?"

"Good, good," Jack mumbled, "Just wanted to check in and see if you were settling in alright."

Y/N chuckled, "Thanks."

He gave a small nod before turning towards the door. She stood from her bed,

"Hey Jack?"

"Yeah?" He looked over his shoulder to see her, "Perfect as ever." Jack mentally told himself.

"I missed you." She breathed out.

His eyes widened, her words being the last thing he was expecting her to say, "I missed you too. I'm really happy you decided to come this summer."

"Me too."

The sun was beginning to set on the lake, the beautiful hues of pinks and oranges stretching over the sky. The frogs and crickets making their noises in the grass, filling the air. Luke and Trevor were competing in some game at the picnic table outside, Jack and Cole tossing a football between each other while catching up, leaving Quinn and Y/N sitting outside with their kindles in their laps.

"Yo, Bluesy and Hughesy!" Trevor barked towards their direction. The two looking up from their books, "Play some music, would you?"

Quinn rolled his eyes, standing up to retrieve a speaker from the kitchen. He returned and placed it on the grass, "You can connect to it." He told the girl.

She scrolled through her music, trying to find a perfect playlist to play. Fully knowing it would be the same playlist that she always used at the lake house. Morgan Wallen played from the speaker, erupts of cheers from the boys as the song started.

Quinn started building the bon fire with help from Cole. Luke and Trevor claiming to be the ones responsible for getting the drinks and s'mores ingredients. Y/N sat in one of the chairs facing the bon fire, her knees tucked to her chest.

"Feels like home?" Jack asked, settling into the chair beside her. She hummed,

"Exactly."

"I saw your pictures from graduation," He told her, the two facing each other now, "Congratulations. That's really impressive, I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," She smiled sheepishly, in reaction to the attention, "It wasn't easy but I'm glad that I did it."

"I would die to have a brain like yours, I cannot imagine going through college."

Y/N laughed, "And I would die to be a hotshot hockey player that everyone knows."

"This almost reminds me of the first time I met you," Jack said, glancing at the unlit fire, "Do you remember that?"

"Yeah, I do. At that house party right?"

He nodded, "Yeah, and you used that crazy pick up line on me."

Y/N's face heated up at the memory, "Oh boy. What was it again?"

"Something about me looking like I was in love with you?" Jack laughed, looking at her to see if she could recite it.

"A fruit punch Truly for you," Luke sang out which interrupted the two, handing her the red can, "Hope UMich parties haven't ruined this drink for you like it did for Pink Whitney."

"It did not, so thank you!" She grinned as Luke plopped into the seat on the opposite side of her, drinking from his bottle of beer.

Jack eventually moved a few seats over since Trevor complained that he wanted to sit next to the girl. Everyone was a couple drinks in, finally reaching full summer mode and relaxing around the well built fire. The group watched as Y/N and Luke explained to them, once again, how to properly build a s'more to perfection.

"And voila! The perfect s'more!' Y/N giggled, holding up her prized possession, "Here you go, J!"

Jack eyes widened in surprise as he leaned over to take it from her hand, "Why thank you!"

"Me next, Bluey!" Cole exclaimed, raising his hand.

Luke pouted the infamous Hughes pout from his spot, "I'm the one who taught her the craft of the perfect s'more."

"Lukey, you can make mine." Trevor chuckled from his seat., "Blues, want another drink?"

"Yes!" She laughed, reaching for her fourth? Maybe fifth, or sixth drink of the night.

Quinn lowly shook his head, "Maybe your last drink of the night?"

She frowned, "Boo, don't ruin my fun, Huggy Bear."

He raised his hands in surrender, "Okay, I won't tell you want to do."

"Race to shot gun?" Trevor challenged her, "For old times sake?"

He was referring to their old tradition of shot gunning a drink at every party in high school. She gave his a grin, mischief shining in her eyes,

"You are going down, Zegras."

"Oh, I love your enthusiasm, Bluesy! Hate that I'm going to have to ruin that for you." He said, cheekily.

Cole and Luke pulled out their phones to record whilst Quinn wore an unimpressed look on his face, when deep down he was also enjoying their playful banter.

Y/N and Trevor both used their teeth to crack a hole at the bottom end of the can. They stood facing each other, both determined to win the challenge, one in which they haven't took part in since their high school days.

"Go!" Cole shouted out, the two immediately bringing the popped hole to their lips and cracking open the tab. Cole was basically bouncing in excitement, Luke and Jack both grinning impossibly as they watched.

The sound of a can crushing echoed the area.

"Fuck yeah!" Trevor hollered, raising his can in celebration but only to look at Y/N who also held her can up high.

"I won that!" She exclaimed, "Don't even play with me."

"Nah, I easily won."

They turned to face the other four, hoping that they would confirm who won.

"Uh, I think you guys tied." Cole told the two, looking at the video to see them both finish chugging at the same time.

Trevor groaned, "No fucking way."

"You're joking!" Y/N cried out, "I swear I had that one in the bag too."

"Yeah, no," Luke laughed, rewatching his own recording, "You guys finished at the exact same time. That's crazy."

She pouted and stumbled in her step back towards her seat, the alcohol dragging her limbs down. Y/N went to flop into her seat, nearly missing the chair if it weren't for Jack who conveniently stood next to it.

"Alright," He chuckled, arm around her middle, "This girl is going to bed."

"I'ms not drunk," She slurred, attempting to straighten up.

"What did I say," Quinn rolled his eyes playfully, "Do you need help, Rowdy?"

Jack shook his head, "I'm fine, I'm going to put her to bed though."

He tightened his arm around her, carefully walking her towards the house, "Come on, pretty. Work with me here, I can't drag you the whole way."

She giggled in his arms, "I like it when you call me that."

Jack smirked, "Yeah?"

"Mhmm" Her eyes closing with drowsiness.

"I'll call you that more if you can use your feet up these steps." He cooed into her ear.

Y/N groaned, sloppily walking up the steps, "I thought you are a big hockey player, can't even carry me?"

"You can do it." He laughed at her drunken state.

"'m not even that drunk."

"Sure, princess."

Her head snapped up from its low position, "That's a new one!" She exclaimed.

Jack eventually managed to get her to her room, silently thanking the fact that she stayed on the ground floor or else he would have actually needed to carry her up the stairs. Y/N happily flopped onto her bed.

"You want to change into your pyjamas?" He asked her, pointing at her denim shorts, "I'm sure they're comfier than these."

"Mhm"

He searched her drawers before pulling out an oversized UMich hockey t-shirt, which he assumed belonged to Quinn or Luke originally along with loose shorts.

"Here, put these on." Jack told her, handing the clothes.

She took them from his hands, "Don't look!" She said to him, her voice nearing a shout.

"I won't, I won't." He reassured her, turning around to face the opposite wall.

He could hear her shuffling to change into the new clothes, hearing the sounds of her denim shorts contacting the hardwood floors.

"Okay, you can look." She sang out, he laughed as he spun around to see her curled up in a ball.

Jack smiled at her, "Goodnight, pretty."

Y/N sat up, "You're leaving?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I'm gonna go join the boys outside for a bit then head to bed."

"Can you stay?"

Jack paused. He looked at her, "You know I can't."

"Why not?"

"You know why."

"Is it because I'm drunk or is it because of our big fight?" She questioned, her head tilting, "Or is it because we used to have feelings for each other?"

Jack approached the side of her bed, pulling out a Liquid IV from her bedside drawer and putting it into her water bottle, "You're drunk, just make sure you drink this before you sleep."

"I'm not tired yet." She told him as he shook her bottle to mix the powder.

"Yes, you are." He chuckled softly, "Once you lay down, you're gonna pass out."

Y/N laid down for a brief moment and sat immediately back up, her body slightly swaying from being dizzy, "See? I didn't fall asleep."

"Y/N..." He sighed, handing her the bottle.

She took it from his hands and sipped it, "Can you stay until I finish this?"

Jack tilted his head back to look ash the ceiling, before gazing down at her, "Okay, fine."

A bright smile drew upon her face, his favourite. She shuffled to the other side of the bed and patted on the empty space next to her. He cautiously sat down, "So,"

"Do you know how pretty you are?" She asked him abruptly.

Blush rose on his face, tinting his cheeks and ears pink, "What?"

"I think you are so pretty," She told him before taking a drink from her bottle, "Like, the prettiest man I've ever seen."

"You're drunk."

"Drunk or not, I think you're pretty."

He smiled at her, seeing the softness in her features as she snuggled deeper into her bed, "Can we be friends again, Jack?"

"That's up to you." He said to her, voice delicate more than ever.

She hummed, "Yeah, we should be friends again."

"Go to sleep, princess." Jack mumbled, taking the empty bottle from her hands.

"Just sleep here." She whispered to him, seeing that he was already looking at her, "We're friends, you slept here before."

"I don't know, Y/N."

Y/N squinted her eyes at him, "Okay."

He laid on the bed next to her, waiting for her to fall asleep. Moments passed and her chest rose and fell as a consistent pace, light snores leaving her lips. Jack leaned over to pull the blanket over her curled up figure, his fingers carefully brushing the hair out of her face.

"Sweet dreams, pretty." He said softly, before placing a light kiss to her temple. Jack used all his strength to pull away from her bed and made his way to his own room. Despite wanting to comply to her wishes, he knew that he couldn't do that unless she was sober.

He laid in his bed, mentally cursing the lake house for bringing up old feelings for the girl. It seemed as though they never failed to come back whenever they were back at this place. Jack tossed and turned, waiting for sleep to envelop him.

The lake house was back in full swing at its normal environment. Y/N and Quinn spending their mornings cooking while discussing their shared experiences of college along with their thoughts on the book that they were reading together. Luke and her spending spare time hanging out in their rooms together, making up for lost time for when he left Michigan for New Jersey. Cole learning the meaning of different Taylor Swift songs from Y/N, along with the lore of the Folklore triangle. Trevor and her never failing at making fun memories and talking about his new girlfriend.

As for Jack and Y/N, they drew closer together like always. It was the magnetic pull they had between each other. It started off slow, the two having conversations on the boat together to him tackling her into the water for a swim. From sitting across each other at the couches as they drank their morning coffees to Y/N being cuddled into his side during movie nights. To bidding each other goodnight from the hallway, to him laying next to her in bed as they talked about what they imagined their futures to look like late into the night.

Y/N stood outside, dancing around with Luke to the music playing as the sun began to set. The rest throwing the football around and watching in amusement at the two.

"Bluesy, have you listened to the new Ella Langley album?" Luke asked her, pausing to change the music.

She nodded, "Yeah, it's pretty good."

He handed her the phone, "Pick the next song."

Y/N hesitated before selecting track 3 of the album, realizing what Luke was hinting her to do. The evening before, she was in his room explaining how this song was so similar to her first encounter with Jack. She also confessed to Luke how she felt her old feelings towards Jack returning, and the fact they mentioned to try a relationship when she completed school. Luke helped her weigh her pros and cons in the situation and ultimately, told her that he knew that his brother still had strong feelings towards her and she should shoot her shot. He reminded her that even though Jack hurt her in the past, Luke has never seen Jack so broken after realizing his mistakes. Jack was never one to pine after a girl, he only really treated Y/N like the way he did. With care and love, extra cautious of their surroundings when they were out. How Jack still knew her like the back of his hand, how his every move came with ease. How Jack nearly drove the long distance to her door when he came to terms of his mistake a few summers ago and was fully prepared to get down to his knees to apologize, if it weren't for Luke telling him to give the girl distance.

The song started to play loudly from the speaker, Luke twirling her around and making her laugh. Jack stepped away from playing football, somewhat confused at the song. One that he's never heard. He watched her smile and giggle next to his brother before Luke whispered something to her. He ran off into the house as Jack slowly approached her,

"Can I be your temporary dance partner while Lukey is gone?"

She nodded.

"What song is this?"

"A new one," the chorus started, "And I said baby, I think you're going to want to hear this." She dramatically lip sync-ed towards him.

His eyebrow raised and he smirked, taking a hold of her hand.

Y/N turned her head away from him before looking back, "Excuse me, you look like you love me. You look like you want me to come on home."

Jack's mouth opened agape at the lyrics, chills running down his spine as the memory of their first conversation flashed through his mind. He grinned at her as he spun her around, pulling her close so her back met his chest,

"And baby I don't blame you, for looking me up and down across this room," She hummed to the tune, "I'm drunk and I'm ready to leaving, and you look like you love me."

"Did you write this song?" He teased into her ear, she turned around to face him,

"No, but it's a crazy coincidence, right?"

Jack laughed, "Yeah, an insane one."

"Jack," She said softly, "Can we talk?"

He looked at her, "Of course."

She led him down towards the dock, a ways away from the rest so they could speak in private. His hand grazed over her bicep,

"You okay?" He asked her, playing with the sleeve of her t-shirt.

Y/N sighed, preparing herself, "Do you remember our conversation, years ago?"

"Depends," Jack told her, looking into her eyes that always seemed to sparkle, "Which one?"

"I asked if we could try... a relationship after I graduated and if the timing was right." She replied, twisting the ring around her finger.

He nodded, "Yeah, I remember that one. Why?"

She swallowed down the nerves building in her throat, "I told you that if we still had feelings for each other, then maybe it'd be worth a shot. And," She paused,

"And?" Jack repeated.

"And, I don't know if you feel the same, after everything...." She whispered, her eyes staring into his blue ones, "But, I love you Jack. Even after everything, I love you and I don't think I could ever stop."

His eyes softened, "I think I fell in love with you when you told me that crazy pick up line when we were seventeen, Y/N."

Y/N let out the breath that she had been holding, "So I was right?"

"With?"

"When I told you 'excuse me, you look like you love me'" She giggled, "My intuition must be amazing."

He laughed, stepping closer to her so their chests touched. His hand cupped her cheek while the other rested on her waist, "I guess so."

His fingers danced to her chin, tilted her face upwards where their faces were now millimetres apart, "Can I kiss you?"

"Please." She whispered, her eyes fluttered shut when Jack finally closed the gap between their lips. His soft lips meeting hers, molding into each other perfectly.

His hand on her waist squeezed her as her hands trailed up to tug lightly at the hair at the back of his neck. She sighed in pure happiness when they eventually pulled apart,

"You are perfect, beyond perfect." He mumbled against her lips, placing a gentle peck on them after, "I love you, Blue."

"I love you too, Jack."

"God, I can listen to you say that forever." He chuckled, pulling her into a tight embrace.

[lovetaroandtaemin]

Cosmic Connection

Boo Seungkwan x Reader

Word Count: 4,725

Genre: Fluff, smut, angst, non idol AU, alien AU

Rating: Explicit, MINORS DNI!

Summary: While you're initially very uncomfortable around your new coworker, your feelings quickly shift after running into him at a mutual friend's party. The only problem is that you don't know if he wants the same things that you do.

Content Warnings: Seungkwan is an alien! This is your monsterfucking warning!! Unwanted flirting at a party (not from Seungkwan), some alcohol use, soft dom!Seungkwan, unprotected sex, creampie, praise kink, oral (f recieving), he spits in her mouth, multiple sex scenes, they're fucking idiots your honor, miscommunications, awkward moments. If you think I missed a warning, please let me know!

A/N: This fic was a (slightly late) birthday gift for the absolutely amazing Booki, aka @kwanisms! You're genuinely one of my favorite writers on this hellsite, and I'm really happy that we're friends!!! I hope that your birthday was as awesome as you are! Sorry about the fic being a few days late.

I also want to quickly acknowledge the lovely @gyubakeries and @hyperbolicheart for their help in the brainstorming process and listening to me yap during the writing process! I love y'all <3

Taglist: @xomakara, @notyourjaem, @heechwe, @shadowkoo

Fic is under the cut.

You knew that something weird was going to happen the moment your boss introduced you to the newest member of your department, Seungkwan. For the most part, he was a normal guy, if a bit shy, so at first, you had nothing to back up the feeling of unease in your gut that started the moment you laid eyes on him.

And then you actually talked to him.

“Hi, welcome to the team! I’m (Y/N),” you said, reaching your hand out for him to shake.

“Why is your hand out?” he asked, looking at you like you’d done something offensive.

“I’m offering a handshake,” you answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world, because in your mind, it was.

He responded by saying, “Oh, ok,” but he made no move to shake your hand. He just stared at you, and that was when you noticed that his eyes seemed to have star shaped pupils. The sight struck you as odd, but you tried to write it off, assuming he was just wearing weird contacts.

There was an awkward silence after that, so you brought your arm back to your side and said, “Well, I hope you have a good day.”

“Thanks. You too,” he responded, but every word sounded far too rehearsed. You were still a little bit suspicious of him, but in the end, you figured he was just nervous about starting a new job. So, you went about the rest of your day, ignoring your new coworker.

Seungkwan was attracted to you from the moment that he laid eyes on you. He didn’t quite know what it was about you, but he really wanted to get to know you better. Of course, based on how uncomfortable you looked after he introduced himself, he was pretty sure that he’d fucked that up irreparably. So, he decided to just give you some space.

Working with Seungkwan was far more awkward than you’d originally expected. Sure, you knew that the two of you probably wouldn’t be best friends, but every time you tried to talk to him, he acted weird in some way. If it wasn’t something that he said, it was something that he did.

For the most part, you could ignore the jokes that you honestly weren’t entirely sure were jokes. But the way he acted around you was odd, to say the least. Every time you looked at him, he turned away from you like he hoped that he’d disappear if you kept looking. Sometimes, you tried to approach him, and he ran the other way. Not walked. Ran. Like he was trying to get away from a serial killer. You had no idea what the fuck to do in those situations.

So, in the end, you decided to just not talk to him.

Unlike your expectations, you started to warm up to Seungkwan after you ran into him at your friend Soonyoung’s birthday party. Shortly after you arrived, Seokmin, another friend, approached you and asked, “Have you seen Seungkwan?”

“No, I haven’t. Why?”

“He showed up, got into an argument, then disappeared. We figured you might know where he went.”

“Why would I know where he is? We don’t even interact outside of work.”

“But he said- oh, nevermind. I’ll keep looking for him. Thanks.”

“What did he say?” you asked, but before you knew it, Seokmin was gone.

After the slightly strange interaction with Seokmin, you struggled to enjoy the party. You didn’t want to leave though, since you’d been looking forward to celebrating Soonyoung’s birthday with him for weeks. So, you choked back your discomfort and tried to focus on having a good time.

While you talked to your friends and enjoyed the many snacks that Soonyoung and your other friends had prepared for the party, you found yourself looking for Seungkwan. You had no clue why, though, since you really didn’t want to see him. In the end, you figured it was probably because Seokmin had asked about him. Still, you didn’t wanna worry about your coworker anymore that night.

At some point during the party, you were dancing with a few of your friends when you heard an unfamiliar voice calling your name.

You turned around to see a man you didn’t recognize in front of you, and you said, “Hi. Sorry, but you don’t look familiar.”

“Oh, sorry. I’m Mingyu. We work in the same office.”

“Oh, right! Sorry I didn’t recognize you. How are you doing?”

“Better now that I’m talking to you.”

You cringed at the cheesy attempt at flirting, but you still tried to make small talk. Every one of your attempts was met with a similar response, though, and after a while, you started to get uncomfortable. Not wanting the conversation to go on anymore, you said, “Well, it was nice to see you, but I have to go now.”

“Where are you going?

“None of your business,” a third voice said. You turned to see who it was, and you saw Seungkwan glaring at Mingyu. He was so angry; you could have sworn that his eyes had turned red.

“Who are you?” Mingyu asked.

“Her boyfriend,” Seungkwan answered, grabbing your hand. You weren’t exactly thrilled that Seungkwan was lying about being your boyfriend, but you knew that it would get Mingyu to leave you alone. So, you didn’t say anything.

Mingyu immediately walked away, and you let go of Seungkwan’s hand before you turned to him and said, “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Both of you were silent for a minute before you asked, “Do you wanna dance?”

“Sure. That sounds nice.”

With that, you and Seungkwan started to dance together, and you felt just a little bit less uncomfortable around him. It took a bit longer than you would have liked to find a groove, so to speak, but once you did, you found yourself actually having fun with your awkward new coworker.

After Soonyoung’s party, you felt a lot more comfortable around Seungkwan. Sure, you still felt anxious around him, but it was a different feeling than before. Instead of the dread that used to fill the pit of your stomach when you saw him, you felt a kind of giddy nervousness instead. It was almost like you were attracted to him, but there was no way in hell that was possible.

At least, that was what you thought at the time.

A few weeks after the party, Seungkwan approached you at work with shaky hands and a soft smile on his face and asked, “Hey, do you wanna get dinner with me and a few other people after work?”

“That sounds great. Who else is going?”

“Seokmin, Soonyoung, and their girlfriends.”

“Are you asking me on a group date, ‘Kwan?”

“I mean, maybe,” he mumbled, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks.

You softened when you realized how nervous he was and said, “That sounds great. Where are we meeting?” Seungkwan gave you the name of a local restaurant, and you said, “I can’t wait.”

“Me neither.”

The rest of your day went by shockingly slowly, since you were so anxious to go out with Seungkwan. When the time finally came, you could hardly contain your excitement. So, as soon as your shift ended, you clocked out and drove to the restaurant that he’d mentioned earlier.

When you arrived at the restaurant, Seungkwan was standing outside waiting for you. When he finally noticed you, he smiled and said, “Hi! I’m really happy you could make it.”

“I really appreciate you inviting me. I don’t know if I’ve ever been here before.”

“I haven’t. Seokmin recommended this place. He said it had the right vibes. Not quite sure what he meant, but it’s a really nice place.” There was a brief moment of silence before he added, “Are you ready to go in?” You nodded, and he took your hand before leading you into the restaurant.

Once you were inside and seated, Seokmin looked at you and Seungkwan and gave you a knowing smile. You wanted to ask him why he was so happy, but you didn’t have time before Soonyoung glared at Seungkwan and said, “Come on, man. We talked about this.”

“Talked about what?” Seungkwan asked, though you knew from the tone in his voice that he knew exactly what Soonyoung was referring to.

You didn’t, however, so you asked, “What’s going on?”

“He knows,” Soonyoung answered flatly.

You turned to Seungkwan with a puzzled look on your face, and he said, “Sorry.” His apology left you even more confused, but you decided not to worry about it too much. You could just ask Seungkwan about it after you left the restaurant.

The rest of the dinner was pretty boring, if you were being honest with yourself. Still, you appreciated the time with Seungkwan and your friends. The conversations were funny, the food was delicious, and the restaurant’s atmosphere was warm and welcoming.

Over the course of the dinner, though, you noticed Seungkwan getting increasingly touchy with you. It started with him holding your hand whenever he wasn’t actively eating, but after a while, it escalated to his hand on your thigh, rubbing soft circles on your skin. You hated to admit it, but the gesture turned you on quite a bit.

By the time your meal was finished, and it was time for you to go, you were desperate. When Soonyoung and Seokmin weren’t paying attention, you whispered in Seungkwan’s ear, “Do you wanna go back to my place?”

“That sounds great.”

And with that, everyone was ready to go.

After you left the restaurant, you drove Seungkwan back to your apartment. The entire time you drove, his hand was on your thigh, slowly creeping closer to where you wanted him most as you got closer to your destination. When you finally pulled up at your apartment, he said, “You alright?”

“Yeah. Can we just go inside, please?” you asked, hoping that your embarrassing desperation wasn’t obvious.

Once you were inside, he pulled you close and kissed you, holding you like you’d disappear if he let go of you. When you pulled away from the kiss and looked up into his eyes again, you were surprised that the color seemed to have shifted. Whereas they were typically pale green, the irises now looked to be soft pink. The star shaped pupils remained, though, a feature of his that you’d grown to love. With a hushed voice, you asked, “What’s going on with your eyes?”

Seungkwan sighed like he was struggling to decide whether he should tell you before he said, “They change color based on how I’m feeling.”

“Where the fuck did you get contacts like that?” you asked, shocked by his answer.

There was a moment of incredibly awkward silence before Seungkwan answered, “They’re not contacts. They’re just my eyes.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that my eyes are just like that. My species-”

“Species?”

“Yes. Species,” he said. He paused for a moment before he added, “I’m not human.”

“Then what are you?”

“Well, the specifics are far too detailed to get into right now, but let’s just say I’m not from this planet.”

Holy shit. You were just making out with an alien.

In any other situation, you would have been terrified of the idea that you were speaking with someone from another planet. But because you were with Seungkwan, and far more turned on than you had any right to be in that moment because of how he’d treated you at the restaurant and on the way back to your apartment, you couldn’t help but feel excited by the idea.

You must have gotten lost in your thoughts, because the next thing you knew, Seungkwan let go of you and said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

“’Kwan, the only thing you need to apologize for is not fucking me already.”

A smirk appeared on Seungkwan’s face before he said, “Well how can I make it up to you, starlight?”

“Please just touch me.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere. Please?”

His eyes shifted to a darker shade of pink as he said, “Gladly.”

Seungkwan started to kiss your neck, biting down occasionally. Every touch made your head spin, and you almost forgot the other question that you wanted to ask him. In between soft moans that slipped out every so often, you asked, “What does the pink mean?”

“What pink?” he asked, looking up at you.

“Your eyes. You said they change color depending on your mood. Right now, they’re bright fucking pink. What does that mean?”

“Pink indicates arousal,” he answered matter-of-factly before going back to marking your neck. You shuddered at his words, more turned on than you wanted to admit by both the intensity of his gaze and of the color of his eyes.

“Fuck,” you groaned. “Want more. Please.”

“What do you want, starlight?”

“Want you to fuck me.”

“Are you sure?”

You nodded and said, “Please?”

“Are you completely sure?” he asked. You nodded, and he said, “If you change your mind, you need to tell me.”

“I will, promise.”

“Good girl.” There was a brief silence before he asked, “Where’s your bedroom?”

“Follow me,” you said, taking his hand and practically dragging him to your room.

Once you were there, he smiled at you and said, “Strip for me, starlight.”

You did as you were told, watching Seungkwan rid himself of his own clothing. As you watched him undress, you couldn’t help but notice that, aside from his eyes, he looked strikingly human. At least, he did until he took his pants off.

That’s when you realized that his cock was bright blue and bigger than any that you’d ever seen before. The idea of that going into you was a little unnerving, if you were being honest with yourself, but it was also thrilling. You wanted, no, needed him to fuck you as soon as possible.

You must have been staring, because Seungkwan let out a soft laugh and asked, “So, do you like what you see?” You nodded in response, too turned on to speak properly. “Words, starlight.”

“Yeah, I do,” you choked out. “’s big.”

“Do you think you can take it?” he asked with a soft smile on his face and a teasing tone in his voice. You nodded, and he said, “We just talked about this. Use your words, or everything stops here.”

“I can take it. Please just fuck me,” you begged.

Before you could even process what had happened, you were pinned to your bed, and Seungkwan was aligning his tip with your entrance. Before he actually slid into you, however, he looked into your eyes and said, “Open your mouth.”

You did as you were told, and you felt a small amount of saliva fall into your mouth. The seemingly small gesture ordinarily wouldn’t turn you on, but because you were with Seungkwan, the action only made you more desperate for him to fuck you, if that was even possible.

After you swallowed, Seungkwan asked, “Are you absolutely sure you wanna do this? I won’t be upset if you changed your mind.”

“Seungkwan, if you don’t fuck me right now, I’m gonna break your dick off and use it as a dildo.”

With no further questions, he slowly moved his hips forward, and you grabbed onto his shoulders as a loud moan left your lips. After a brief moment of stillness to allow you to adjust to his size, he started to slowly move in and out of you. Loud whines slipped out as he fucked you, and you couldn’t help but notice the pink in his eyes getting just a little bit more intense as time passed.

“How does it feel, baby?” he asked.

“So good. Please don’t stop,” you begged.

“Not planning on it,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re doing so good for me, starlight.”

You moaned louder at his words, holding onto Seungkwan for dear life while he gradually increased the speed of his thrusts. As he fucked you, the sweetest moans you’d ever heard slipped out of his mouth, and every moment made you want more of him, if that was even possible.

It took a surprisingly short amount of time for Seungkwan to feel his release start to approach. He wanted to try to last a little bit longer, but when he saw the look in your eyes as he pounded into you, he knew that there was no way that was going to happen.

“Fuck, ‘m close, starlight,” he groaned. “What do you want me to do?”

“Cum inside me, please,” you begged.

That was all it took for Seungkwan to still inside of you as he reached his high, kissing you in an attempt to muffle the sounds leaving his mouth as he came undone. Once he came down from his high, he pulled out and dropped in front of you, attaching his mouth to your core. The stimulation to your clit was exactly what you needed to fall apart, screaming Seungkwan’s name as your orgasm washed over you.

While you caught your breath, Seungkwan helped you clean up and put your clothes back on. When he was sure you were comfortable, he put his own clothes back on, getting back into bed with you. Once you were both clean and comfortable again, he held you close and asked you if you were ok. You didn’t respond verbally at first, which worried him, but after a few more deep breaths, you said, “’m ok.”

“Was what we just did too much, starlight?”

“Not too much. Just a lot.”

Seungkwan laughed softly and said, “You’re so cute.” You whined in response, and he asked, “Are you sure you’re ok?”

“I’m ok.” There was a brief silence before you added, “Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, of course. What is it?”

“What was Soonyoung so mad about earlier?”

“What do you mean?”

“When we were at dinner, he said the two of you talked about something. When I asked him what it was, he just said, ‘he knows.’ What did you do?”

Seungkwan laughed and answered, “He saw the color of my eyes. That was his not-so-subtle way of warning me to chill earlier.”

“What color were your eyes?”

“Pink.”

“Really?”

“What can I say? I liked the dress you were wearing.”

You blushed at his words and said, “Seungkwan?”

“Yes, starlight?”

“What do purple eyes mean?”

“Are they purple right now?” he asked. You nodded, and he answered, “It means that I’m happy.”

“I’m happy too.”

“Good.”

A comfortable silence fell over the room, and you relaxed while Seungkwan held you. You didn’t mean to fall asleep, but you were so cozy, you couldn’t help yourself. When he noticed that you were asleep, he let himself relax too, falling asleep shortly after.

The next morning, you were confused as to why there was another person in your bed. Then, you heard Seungkwan’s snoring, and the events of the night before came back to you. When you thought about what had happened the night before, you found yourself getting aroused all over again, though. An unfortunate problem, but you would deal with it after Seungkwan left.

At least, that’s what you thought until you heard Seungkwan moan your name in his sleep.

With a soft voice and softer touch, you shook Seungkwan awake and asked, “Is everything ok?”

“Yeah, everything is fine,” he answered sleepily.

When the two of you made eye contact, you noticed that his eyes were pink again, and you bit your lip. With a teasing tone in your voice, you asked, “Is there something on your mind?”

“What do you mean, starlight?”

“Your eyes are pink again.”

“In my defense, you’re just so fucking beautiful,” he said before he kissed you.

A soft moan slipped out when you felt Seungkwan’s lips on yours, and you tangled your hands in his hair, tugging slightly. A groan left his mouth, and you pulled away just long enough to say, “Fuck me.”

“Oh, come on, starlight,” he teased. “You can do better than that. Ask politely.”

You rolled your eyes at the request, but you still asked, “Will you pretty please fuck me?”

“Good girl. Of course I will.”

Within minutes, you were both naked again, and Seungkwan had you bent over your bed. Just like the night before, he eased into you slowly, moaning softly as he felt you wrapped around him again. He stayed still for a few minutes to avoid overwhelming you too quickly, and so that he could savor the feeling for just a little bit longer. After a bit more begging from you, though, he started to move in and out.

“Fuck. Taking me so well, starlight,” he said.

“Feels so good, ‘Kwan. Harder, please.”

Seungkwan happily obliged your request, pounding into you mercilessly while he told you what a good girl you were for him and how good you felt around him. Every word he said left you even more desperate to please him as you lost yourself in pleasure.

Just when you thought that the pleasure you were feeling couldn’t get anymore intense, Seungkwan leaned down closer to your ear and whispered, “Play with your clit for me, starlight.”

You did as you were told, loud moans leaving your mouth as the combined stimulation from your hand and his cock brought you closer to the edge. You wanted to warn Seungkwan when you started to feel your release approaching, but before you could, you came undone around him, screaming his name as you rode out your high.

Seungkwan continued to gently fuck you through your release, stilling inside of you once he reached his own high. A loud groan slipped out as his orgasm washed over him, and you couldn’t help but think about just how beautiful you thought his voice was.

After you both came down for your highs, Seungkwan helped you to stand and cleaned you up, helping you back into your clothes once you were steady on your feet again. After you were dressed again, he put his own clothes on again and held you close.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, he laughed softly and asked, “So, what do you wanna do now?”

“How about a movie?”

“That sounds great.”

Once you were cleaned up and comfortable again, you and Seungkwan spent the rest of the day watching movies and talking, getting to know each other better like you probably should have before you fucked him. As the conversation topic changed from your job to what his life was like on his home planet, you found yourself wishing that the two of you could have a different type of relationship than the one you had in that moment.

Seungkwan knew from the moment you looked into his eyes that morning that he wanted a deeper connection with you, and as he spent more time with you, he only grew more certain. The only thing he wasn’t certain of, however, was whether you wanted the same thing. So, after he went home for the night, he decided to play it safe and try not to come on too strongly.

The next time you saw Seungkwan at work, your interactions with him were far more awkward than you expected. Every time you tried to talk to him; he got flustered and refused to respond. You tried to approach him, and he’d walk away before you could reach him. All day, he avoided you, and you couldn’t help but wonder if it was because he only wanted sex. The thought killed you inside, but you couldn’t think of any other explanation. So, you decided that if he was going to avoid you, you were going to avoid him too.

Seungkwan knew that he was being a dick, but he couldn’t help it. Every time he saw you, he got nervous all over again, and he couldn’t bring himself to talk to you. Not because he didn’t want to, of course, but because he was terrified of fucking up your relationship. Maybe if he’d known that you wanted the same thing that he did, he wouldn’t have avoided you in the first place.

Seokmin watched you and Seungkwan drift apart, and he wondered what the fuck happened between the two of you. The last time he saw the two of you, you were practically inseparable. After a while, though, the two of you would hardly even look at each other.

It hurt Seokmin to see his two friends fighting. Especially when they were as perfect for each other as he thought you and Seungkwan were. So, being the type of friend that he was, Seokmin decided to try one of the dumbest ideas he’d ever heard and pray to whatever god would listen that it would actually work.

To start, he texted you and Seungkwan individually, asking to meet at a local bar for some drinks after work the following Friday, without mentioning to either of you that the other would be there. You both agreed, and that was when the next step of his plan could begin.

When Friday finally came, you went to work like usual, hoping that you wouldn’t see Seungkwan or his stupid pretty face. You were in a far better mood than usual, though, since you were looking forward to drinks with Seokmin after work. It had been far too long since you’d spent time with your friend, and you were hopeful that a night out would distract you from your disappointment that things didn’t work out with Seungkwan.

Of course, because you were hopeful, the universe laughed in your face by sending Seungkwan to the same bar where you’d agreed to meet Seokmin. Right after you walked in and found a seat, he walked in and took the spot right fucking next to you. You wanted to walk away, but before you could, he turned to you, gave you a shy smile, and asked, “So, how have you been?”

“Don’t. I’m just here to meet Seokmin.”

“But he texted me a few days ago to meet him here.”

As you realized what your friend had done, you groaned and said, “That motherfucker.”

With a sigh, Seungkwan asked, “I’m guessing he texted you too?”

“Yep. This was a setup.”

“Well, since you’re here, we could catch up. If you want, that is,” he said, clearly nervous.

You wanted to ask Seungkwan why he was so anxious, but you decided against it. Instead, you asked, “Do you honestly expect me to believe that you just wanna catch up?” Sure, it was probably a dick move to ask that particular question, but you didn’t care. You were pissed off and wanted answers.

“I don’t expect you to believe it, but it is the truth.”

“We wouldn’t need to catch up if you weren’t avoiding me.”

“I am not avoiding you.”

“What is it called then when someone refuses to speak to you then, Seungkwan?” He was silent in response to that, and you added, “What did I ever do to you, anyway? We were fine one day, and the next we weren’t. Did I do something wrong?”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Then what is it, Seungkwan? Is it because you just wanted sex? If that’s the case, just-”

“No. I didn’t just want sex.”

“Then just tell me what’s going on!”

Seungkwan was silent for a minute before he mumbled, “I was scared.”

“Of what?”

He looked up at you, and that was when you noticed that his eyes had shifted to a deep blue. Before you could comment, though, he said, “Pushing you away.” You were silent in response to his admission, so he sighed and added, “I like you a lot. I got so nervous every time I tried to talk to you. I just didn’t wanna mess this up.”

“You are such a fucking idiot,” you said, laughing softly.

“Wow. Ok, that hurt.”

“No, wait. I didn’t mean it like that,” you said. “I like you too. Now will you please stop avoiding me?”

With a smile, he said, “Yes.”

“Thank you.” After a brief pause, you asked, “Would you wanna go back to my place after this?”

“That sounds great, starlight,” he answered, his irises shifting to a deep purple.

Thank you so much for reading! I hope that y'all enjoyed this one. It's new territory for me, but writing it was a fun challenge! If you did enjoy it, make sure to write and reblog! If you'd like to check out my other works, you can find my masterlist here. If you want to see what's in the works, my upcoming works list is here. If none of that interests you, or there's something specific that you wanna see, feel free to send a request via my asks or dms! If you want to be tagged in future posts, my taglist is here!

Thank you again for reading and interacting with my fics. Happy belated birthday, Booki!

[s4vcu]

blue.

| pairing: seishiro nagi x (f!) reader

| in which he comes to realize his (developing) feelings and how much you truly mean to him, all during your absence.

| ft. blue by yung kai! (will always love this song, overrated or not 🥹)

a/n: this is honestly very random yet i couldn’t help but connect nagi to the song blue somehow..so here it is! this super duper long, so i apologize..but anyways that’s that! i hope u enjoy hehe :)

——————————————————————————

as far as seishiro nagi knew, everything was seen as a hassle, even if he was given a simple task and used to being alone. aside from having reo as his friend, choki to keep him company, his phone and his bed, that’s what he thought was all he needed - until you came along.

initially finding you annoying due to your persistence of wanting to be friends with him, he reluctantly let you into his life since reo, a mutual friend of you two, tried convincing him before - but mostly because denying you of a friendship would mean you’d be even more persistent than you already were, which was already a hassle for him to deal with. of course.

“seishiro nagi? that’s a cool name!!”

“sure. what was yours again?”

“(f/n) (l/n)!”

“i see.”

“that’s all?”

“pretty much, yeah.”

“oh..well anyway..can we be friends now?”

“no thanks.”

“again?!”

“mhm.”

‘sigh..’

at the start showing his disinterest in mostly anything you had to say or anything to do with getting to know you, your observant quality allowed you to know more about him and understand him better - slowly but surely, though deep down he was just as subconsciously observant but in his own subtle way, unbeknownst to you.

seeing how you somehow managed to put up with him and his behaviour that he was accustomed to had sparked something. something that made him realize that there was more to you than he thought.

your amount of patience that was endless, your constant kindness and respect towards everyone (even to those who were rude or mean to you), and most of all the comfort in your presence, whether the both of you knew it or not, was something taken for granted in those moments.

and so, the indifference and tolerance he felt towards you and the so called friendship had grown into appreciation of your presence and a now mutual willingness to form a deeper friendship.

and so, time passed by as you, reo and nagi were together in nagi’s dorm, hanging out like the usual before reo brought up soccer and how there was a new program.

“ooh! it’s called blue lock? i see!” you say as reo smiled, introducing the program and talking about what it’s going to include.

meanwhile, nagi was busy as per usual on his phone, though instead of usually and entirely being submerged into his game, he was listening in to the conversation, also taking a few quick glances at you. the more blue lock was being discussed, the more he found himself noticing the hint of sadness in your expression.

“so that means you guys will be leaving me soon.” you muttered, a small pout on your lips as reo could only smile softly, feeling bad as he comforted you the best that he could.

“i know, (y/n). there's still two weeks. it’s okay, we-“ reo says before interrupted.

“we won’t be there for long.” nagi says, catching the two of you off guard.

“i’m surprised you were listening, sei.” you said in response, reo nodding along. “but still, you and reo are leaving me.” you say, a hint of sadness in your tone.

“i know.” he simply responded before unexpectedly turning off his phone, looking up at you and making direct eye contact, focusing on you. “but we’ll still come back to you.”

you paused, about to say something but didn’t follow through with it. what he just said wasn’t something to make a big deal out of, yet there was a deeper meaning, to you atleast. something that meant more - his reassurance to you. it was then that your heart fluttered.

“you promise, sei?” you say, much softer this time, the sadness more evident now.

“yup, promise.” he replies, reo also further reassuring you, though all that was in your mind was a replay of what he said, how he stopped what he was doing, the way he looked at you - all of which that had just happened seconds ago.

since then, you couldn’t help but feel something different. why was your heart pounding uncontrollably whenever nagi was brought up, whenever the two of you would lay on your stomachs together and play his favorite game? it’s nothing new, you’ve gotten used to that, it became a regular occurrence..so why..?

why did you just fall for the seishiro nagi who probably didn’t even know what love was?

as the days passed and you were listening to music while you studied in nagi’s dorm room, reo leaving you and nagi alone since he had something to do with his parents and focused on the material you were reviewing, you were completely unaware of nagi’s unusually curious glances at you. before you could notice, he suddenly sat beside you, resting his head on your shoulder, finding comfort in your presence and getting your attention.

"(y/n).." he grumbled.

“hm? what’s up, sei?” you said softly as you moved one side of the headphones off your ear, your heart racing so fast you swore that he could hear.

he gestured to your phone and then your headphones.

“what’re you listening to?”

you tapped the phone lightly, your lockscreen glowing, showing him what song was playing.

“blue by yung kai. it’s my favorite.” you say, smiling. “you should listen to it sometime.”

“mm..'m too lazy to.” he replied, though there was a hint of something in his eyes, almost as if he was actually considering it for another time.

“of course you would say that.” you simply say, laughing softly as the two of you continued to do your own thing, his head still on your shoulder.

it was those moments that were simple, yet taken for granted. soon enough, the two weeks that you had left with the two passed by. you said your goodbyes to them both, though tears were in your eyes as reo gave you a quick hug, leaving you and nagi behind briefly to talk. they were all you had, changing your life in ways they didn’t even know, especially nagi. though you kept your feelings hidden away, the painful reality that you wouldn’t be able to see and be with him everyday anymore made your heart hurt deeply.

“sei..please do your best, okay? but please come back soon.” you muttered, sniffling as he surprisingly, for the first time, pulled you in for a hug, though very awkwardly.

“mm..i’ll see about that. and i told you already, i’ll come back. so don’t be so sad.” he replied, letting you drench the fabric of his hoodie with your tears before pulling away a bit, looking down at you. “besides, i’ll text you every chance i get.”

“..okay.” you mumbled, sniffling as you hugged him tight once more before pulling away from him entirely, apologizing for getting his hoodie wet as he shrugged it off. you found yourself missing the warmth of his embrace already as he nodded before turning around and walking away from you. “i’m always going to be supporting you. even if i’m not around. take care..” you say, unsure if he heard or not but wanting to get that out - and he did, his heart unusually fluttering at what you just said, wondering what he felt. he looked down at his hoodie, the area where your tears drenched the fabric being just at the spot where his heart was. what was that he felt just now?..it feels..different.

and so, two weeks later, nagi found himself asking fellow roommates or anyone for earphones, headphones of any sort that he could borrow - eventually listening to blue, thinking of you.

“reo, do you have headphones with you?”

“no, why?” reo replied, silence filling the room before he suddenly smiled.

“wait…is it because of (y/n)? finally gonna listen to the songs she’s been recommending you to?” he teased, immediately knowing.

“yeah. i guess..it’s nothing.” nagi replied, shrugging it off, though feeling a pang of something in his heart from the teasing.

reo laughed. “things will make sense soon, don’t worry.” he replied, walking away. what did he mean? what would make sense..? nagi thought as he finally found headphones he could borrow, settling into his shared room and laying in his bed, searching up blue and listening to it.

“your morning eyes, i could stare like watching stars. i could walk you by, and i’ll tell without a thought you’d be mine, would you mind? if i took your hand tonight..know you’re all that i want in this life.”

he sighed, thinking back to the moments your eyes locked with his own, the detail of your lashes fluttering gently with every blink, the warmth in your eyes..he could vividly remember it all. he wondered what it would be like to hold your hand in his - though quickly pushing that thought away.

“i’ll imagine we fell in love, i’ll nap under moonlight skies with you..i think i’ll picture us, you with the waves, the ocean’s colors on your face. i’ll leave my heart with your air, so let me fly with you. will you be forever with me..?"

what was love? what was it like to be in love? were questions he asked himself, continuing to listen to the song. as it finished, he found himself replaying it over and over in hopes that there was some sort of answer the song could give him - and the more that he did, the more he solely thought of you - your kindness, your patience with him, your profuse amounts of support for him and every single moment which he had taken for granted, slowly coming to understand what he’s been feeling lately.

as he could only sigh and replay your favorite song over and over again, slowly continuing to understand everything and letting things settle in, one thing was for sure:

he misses you and your presence, dearly - almost to the point where he was considering quitting, just to come back to you already like he had promised. to think the one person who he found annoying at first had slowly paved their way into being someone who truly means so much to him..and going to say as far as becoming his motivation, even, changed everything.

"hey, (y/n). i listened to blue like you said i should. i like it a lot." he texted, followed by another text.

"..i miss you."

[watermelonlovershigh]

Returning Favors {part 5.} (housemate!harry series) (SMUT)

A Shift Occurs {part 4.} (housemate!harry series) (SMUT)

AN: when i started this chapter i had intended for it to go in a completely different direction but as i began writing it, i let the words flow and wrote it this way instead. i really hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave your feedback and remember to send in things you'd like to see in this series. xoxo

This story contains: mentions of handjobs and blowjobs, slight angst, pillow talk, cunilingus, fluff

{ housemate!harry - friendrry - friends to lovers trope - softrry }

word count- 3,459

While making arrangements to introduce your friends to Harry, he seizes the chance to ask about your abrupt departure after your intimate encounter earlier that day. This conversation unexpectedly leads to Harry performing oral sex on you for the first time.

As you make your way around the street corner, you are greeted by your friends, Mave and Charlotte, who are waving you over to the table they had set aside for your brunch. The cafe features a beautiful outdoor space, perfect for the current time of year. Upon joining them, they quickly pick up on your more upbeat attitude. While you typically don't appear gloomy, you have been feeling rather indifferent for the past year. However today, they observe a slight improvement in your mood.

"Hi, Hi." you lean in to kiss each of their cheeks and sit down at the round table.

"We've ordered you a mimosa. Wasn't sure what you wanted to eat so we haven't ordered our food yet though." Charlotte explans.

"Oh, well thank you." you take a sip of your mimosa and moan at how delicious the drink is.

"What's making you so cheerful today? Is it because of Harry?" Mave questions with cheeky smile, aware of your growing connection with your housemate and the recent revelation of your mutual feelings towards one another. Your friends are genuinely happy for you, knowing how long you've been single and how it affected you.

Brushing them off, you answer, "What? A girl can't look happy on a Sunday morning without there being a reason?" But they know you better then that. The aurora you're giving off is one of a girl who's in love. Though they wouldn't tell you that this soon in your relationship with Harry.

"No it's just," Mave starts, "look, we want the details. Did you guys have sex this morning? Because you look like your glowing and it's not from your skincare routine." Her and Charlotte stare you down, waiting for an answer and you know you must give them one. Otherwise they'll never let this conversation rest.

"Alright, alright. We did do some sexual stuff this morning. But not sex. I just kind of gave him a handjob which then turned into a blowjob."

Your two friends are smiling ear to ear at your confession. "And.... what else? Don't tell us he left you high and dry after you literally had his dick in your mouth." Charlotte utters in a hushed yet audible tone, ensuring that you can hear her amidst the bustling traffic and crowd, while hopefully keeping your conversation private from others.

You express with annoyance in your tone, "It wasn't as you think. I woke up to find him cuddling me and noticed he was aroused. Therefore, I chose to assist him. Once he woke up and realized he was hard, he eventually agreed to my help. I began by giving him a handjob under his briefs, but then decided to go further with a blowjob. And he didn't reciprocate because I left quickly after he came. So, I'm unsure whether he would've wanted to do something for me in return."

Mave reaches across the table and playfully swats your arm. "You fuckin' idiot. You should have stayed to see if he would've pleasured you as well. You could've gotten an amazing orgasm out of him."

"Hey," you spit back, "I did have an amazing orgasm this morning. Just... with my vibrator in the shower before I came here." Though you're sure Harry would beat every single one of your toys if you gave him the chance to prove it.

After chatting for a few more minutes you realized just how hungry you were and decided to order your food and another round of mimosas. You catch up on each others lives and make plans for them to come by the house to hang out one night. They have yet to meet Harry and you thought what better way to introduce them than to invite them over for some drinks and maybe a card game. You'll just have to ask him if that would be okay.

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

Upon returning home later that evening, you notice Harry seated on the sofa, engrossed in a pile of papers and his laptop resting on his lap. Presumably grading tests, you assume. After placing your bag in the entryway, you make your way over to the couch. Surprisingly, the atmosphere doesn't feel as awkward as you had anticipated, considering the events that unfolded earlier in the day.

"How was your brunch?" Harry questions, shifting to set all of his work onto the coffee table.

"Great. Really fun." you answer before continuing, "So I have a question."

"Hm, so do I actually but go on." Harry replies, taking a sip of his coffee. He doesn't know what your question is but he knows his question is in reference to why you ran off so quickly this morning after you gave him that blowjob. It's been eating at his mind all day and he'd really like some closure so he can relax.

"Okay, so I was thinking we could have a little get-together with my friends, Mave and Charlotte. They're eager to meet you, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to invite them over this upcoming weekend. We can enjoy some drinks and perhaps even play that card game I purchased some time ago but haven't had the chance to play yet."

Harry nods in agreement. "Yeah, sounds great. How about this Friday night? I can stop by the shops on my way home from work and grab some alcohol. Just let me know what kind they prefer." He is genuinely excited to finally meet your friends. Since becoming your housemate, you've kept your personal life mostly private from him. As a result, he hasn't had the chance to meet any of your family members and has only heard stories about your friends.

"Fantastic," you declare, jumping up from the couch excitedly. "I'll call them right away and let them know. They'll be so happy." Just as Harry was about to remind you that he had a question as well, you've already disappeared from his line of sight. Your sudden departures today seem to be a trend. He reckons he'll have to wait a bit longer to find out the reasoning behind your quick exit this morning.

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

At approximately ten o'clock at night, you and Harry are lying in your bed, watching reruns of Friends while trying to stay awake. The room is dark besides the glare of the tv and his cat Pixie is nestled in the middle of the bed, sleeping soundly. Although she hasn't always been allowed in your room, ever since Harry started visiting so frequently, you have embraced her presence as well.

Right as your eyes began to shut, you remember how Harry had a question for you earlier but never got to ask it. You didn't mean to run off like you did. You just got excited to call your friends and let them know they're welcomed to come by the house this Friday for the small gathering. Which in turn made you totally forget he had a question in the first place.

"Harry," you say aloud. The call of his name startles him. He'd just dozed off to sleep and your voice pulled him away from the unconsciousness he was about to enter.

"Mhm, what?" he grumbles, eyes half open as he tries to stay awake in order to hear you speak.

"What's your question? You said earlier you had a question but you never got to ask me it."

Harry found himself more awake as he thought about how to bring up his question. To be honest, he was feeling a bit nervous to ask. Even though this question had been on his mind all day, he hesitated to ask, not wanting to make you uncomfortable or create any distance between you. "Um, was just gonna ask why you left so suddenly this mornin'. You know, after you gave me that blowjob? It seemed like you were ashamed of your actions or somethin'. I was plannin' to return the favor, but you left before I had the opportunity to ask."

With heart shaped eyes, you coo softly, "You were?"

"Well yeah. It's only right that I returned the favor you did for me. I'm not a douche bag like some men can be."

"Awe, that's so sweet of you. But um, I don't know. Guess I remembered how I'd just woke up and maybe didn't smell the best down there or that I may have tasted bad from the hours of sleep I was in prior. Just didn't want to disgust you in any way."

With a gentle tone, Harry expressed, "Y/n, your scent or taste wouldn't have been an issue for me. Even if it was there, I wouldn't have mind. Because it's you, and I genuinely care about you. I would have found pleasure in it regardless. If anyone has ever made you feel insecure about the natural smell of your vagina, they are truly right dicks"

Breathing deeply, you sadly admit, "Yeah, I've had some men attempt to go down on me first thing in the morning but complained about the way I smelt or tasted and so, I just didn't want you to do the same as them."

Sliding impossibly close to you, Harry responds back, "Well I'm not those other men. I respect women more than that and I may just have a thing for oral sex. Givin' and receivin'. Plus, it feels even better when you really know and trust the person."

You giggle shyly and except his closeness, the two of you laying on your sides facing each other. "Dick or pussy though?"

"What?" Harry asks with a sleepy smile, unsure of what you're questioning.

"You said you had a thing for oral sex. So do you prefer sucking dick or eating pussy?"

"Mhm, depends on who the person is and my connection to them. Both are great but it also depends on what mood I'm in to give you a solid answer." It's no secret Harry likes men as well. When you first moved in with him he had a short fling with a guy and you assumed he was gay for like the first month. But then when you heard a girl moaning through his bedroom walls, you realized that wasn't the case. The next day you questioned him and he confidently came out as bisexual to you.

Deciding to continue these questions just to see where it could lead, you keep going, "And, what mood are you in right now?"

Harry suddenly became aware of the dense atmosphere, yet he responded truthfully. "Considerin' that I'm currently in your bed, nearly cuddling you, and you happen to possess a vagina, I would say 'pussy.' However, if I were to discover that you possessed a penis, the answer would be 'cock.'"

He moves one of his hands up to cradle the side of your face. It's so incredibly close to his that he can just about taste the mint of your toothpaste. "Good thing I have one of those two options then and I'm not some alien with no genitals at all."

What Harry wants to say is that he'd love you just the same, even if you were a genitalless alien, but he can't. Not yet anyways. So he responds, "Wouldn't change how I feel about you." With the close proximity, you get the sudden urge to surge forward and clash your lips with his. As if he felt this coming, Harry didn't react surprised at all and accepts the kiss. You both realized this is the first time you've kissed each other. You've shared your feelings, your beds, and you've gave him a blowjob. Yet this makes your first time kissing.

Harry intensifies the kiss by gently prodding his tongue against your lips, and you grant him permission to enter. The kiss is wet, rushed, and somewhat messy, yet incredibly enjoyable. After a minute of exchanging saliva, you pull back to take a deep breath and confidently state, "Prove it then. Prove you're in the mood for some pussy."

With surprise written on his face, Harry leans back a tiny bit to make sure he's reading you correctly. "You sure? I don't have to if......" He'd be more than happy to eat you out right here, right now, but he doesn't want you to ask because you feel obligated to agree or because you're in the heat of the moment.

Responding eagerly, you assert, "Yes, I'm sure. But please be quick before I change my mind." The mention of urgency and the potential for a change of mind prompts Harry to swiftly toss the covers back and carefully positions himself between your legs. He gently lifts Pixie from the bed and places her on the floor where she discovers her cat bed near the window sill and resumes her peaceful sleep.

At this very moment, Harry finds himself surprisingly nervous as he positions himself between your legs. Although he has longed to perform oral sex on you, both this morning and in his countless fantasies, the actual prospect of doing so fills him with apprehension that he may not satisfy you adequately. Additionally, he frets over the possibility of being unable to bring you to orgasm.

Curiosity arose within you as to why Harry was taking such a long time, prompting you to prop yourself up on your elbows. From this viewpoint, you observed him fixating on your bottom half, which was concealed by some skimpy shorts you typically sleep in. However, as soon as he notices your gaze upon him, he swiftly reaches up and tugs at the waistband of your shorts, pulling them down your legs. To his astonishment, you're not wearing any panties which causing Harry to let out a moan upon catching sight of your naked pussy.

Despite the room being enveloped in a soft glow from the television, it remained dimly lit and quiet. Harry couldn't obtain a clear image of your exposed cunt but he could perceive enough to develop a strong liking to it already. However, this attraction isn't solely based on the physical appearance of your vagina, but rather because it's a part of you.

Harry looks up once more to ensure your approval for his actions. With a nod of reassurance from you, he eagerly begins. His mouth envelops your entire pussy, as his tongue moves from your wet entrance to your sensitive clit. The flavor of you on his tongue almost brings him to climax instantly, hands free. This is undoubtedly the best cunt he's ever had. Your skin is incredibly soft and inviting, with only a few short hairs littered around your bikini area from the shave you did two days ago.

As your elbows grow weaker, you find yourself sinking into the comfortable bed below. Harry's tongue skillfully laps up your arousal before focusing on your clit and experimenting with various flicking patterns. Each time his tongue glides over the sensitive nerves, your entire body responds with a powerful jolt of electricity. It's no secret that your clit is extremely sensitive when receiving attention from the right person.

"Oh fuck, Harry. Feels so good." you moan aloud, reaching down to grab onto his curly locks.

You fear he'll tell you not to touch him, but as he briefly moves his mouth away, he commands, "Tug my hair, baby. It feels amazing." Could it be that he just referred to you as 'baby' for the first time? You believe so, and it heightens your arousal even further.

Listening to Harry's wishes, you pull his hair tightly in your fists, causing his face to be nestled against your pussy impossibly closer than before. You begin to move your hips, creating a subtle rocking motion. Although he may feel a slight burning sensation on his scalp due to the intensity of your grip, as he mentioned, he loves the sensation it gives.

A minute more goes by of Harry munching down on your wet pussy when you feel your orgasm nearly bubble over. "I... I'm..." you try to warn but can't even get the words out from how much pleasure you're in. Harry doesn't say a word back, just goes in even harder, more determined to bring you over the edge.

You finally achieve orgasm when he seals his lips around your clit, applying firm and forceful sucks. Your clitoris pulsates within his mouth, causing you to release an animalistic scream as your orgasm sweeps through your body. Your entire body trembles, compelling Harry to firmly hold your hips to keep you in place. He continues sucking on your clit until your orgasm begins to fade and overstimulation sets in.

The hands that once laced in his hair start trying to push his head away. "Har.... Oh God!" you gasp when he gives your tiny nerve a few more kitten licks to make sure he's pulled every ounce of pleasure from you that he can. You lie there trembling from the aftershocks of your orgasm as Harry sits up on his knees, breathing heavy with a glossy mouth.

Eager to know, though the answer should be evident with how you look right now, Harry asks, "So.... was I any good? Did that prove what mood I was in to you?"

You glance forward to see a devilish smile plastered on Harry's face and just know he's proud of himself. Which, he should. You don't think you've ever came so hard in your entire life. "Yes," you heave, "Oh God, yes. I'm...., that was, God. That was the best orgasm I've ever had."

"Yeah? You just tellin' me that to boost my ego or are you tellin' the truth?"

"Harry, I quit literally can't feel my bones right now. They're like jello. No man nor any one of my strongest vibrators have made me come that hard. No wonder the ladies liked you."

With the awareness that it's already very late and he has work the next morning, Harry decides to rise from the bed and make his way to the bathroom in the hallway to fetch a damp cloth. Your exhaustion prevents you from mustering the energy to question his actions. When he returns, you immediately recognize what he has and instinctively close your legs, still experiencing discomfort.

Harry takes a seat on the edge of the mattress and lightly taps your thighs, silently requesting you to open up. Reluctantly, you comply. As you feel the damp cloth glide over your swollen pussy, you try to pull away, but he firmly holds you in place with one hand on your hip bone. "Shh, it's alright," he reassures you in a gentle tone. "I'm just gonna clean you up, and then we can sleep, okay?"

As you lie on the bed, you notice Harry's erection prominently displayed through his black briefs and a pang of guilt washes over you for not pleasuring him. "But.......what about you? You're still hard. I could give you another blowjob or handjob. Whatever you want." Despite the tempting offer, Harry is too exhausted to engage in any additional activities tonight. Prior to this moment, he was on the brink of unconsciousness. Consequently, his drowsy state has returned as the explicit actions have ceased.

"It'll eventually go away, Y/n. I've got work in the mornin' and it's past midnight as is. Plus m'too tired to do anythin' more tonight. But, if I wasn't so tired and didn't have work so early, then you bet your ass I'd take you up on that offer."

Harry finishes cleaning between your legs and helps you slip your shorts back on. He then turns the TV off and crawls back into your bed beside you. Though your limbs are still weak, you manage to slide over until your head rests on his bare chest and your top leg is thrown over his hairy thigh closest to you.

As the moonlight glows through your bedroom window, sleep takes over both of you as the world around becomes quiet. The only sounds that can be heard are Pixie's soft purring from her location on the floor, the steadiness of Harry's heartbeat, and your exhails of breath.

In your dreaming state, you're still excited for the arrival of this upcoming Friday where you eagerly await the moment when your friends will finally have the chance to meet Harry. With high hopes for a successful gathering, you envision a joyous time ahead. Unbeknownst to Harry, the card game planned for the small get-together holds an R rating, implying that it will serve as an opportunity for everyone to bond and deepen their connections without the need for uncomfortable conversations in the future. Plus, mixed with the alcohol, you can't wait to find out some of Harry's dirty secrets.

(PLEASE REBLOG BECAUSE WRITING IS NOT EASY AND IT'S FREE SO JUST DO IT)

(no more tags are allowed because i've hit my number limit. sorry : ( )

tag list: @one-sweet-gubler // @harryscherrysugar // @hsfanficsrecss // @lollypopsx // @harrycanyonmoonn // @allthelovehes // @damnasstyles  // @mrsstylesharry // @softmullet  // @meetmyblondemuffins  // @thegirlnextdoorssister // @stanleystyles  // @haarrrys // @michellekstyles  // @skyangel57   // @the-gardener-31 // @lhharrylilpumpkin // @yousunshine-youtemptress // @clairestylessss  // @kissmyaxe140  // @goldenmelonsugar-hi // @kaitieskidmore97 // @florencepughily  // @alienorknight //@dancearoundthelivingroom  // @swiftmendeshoran

 // @luv-flor7777  // @alohastyles-x // @tenaciousperfectionunknown  // @sleutherclaw // @siredtohybrid // @whoscamila // @a-strange-familiar  // @golden-elodie // @mrspeacem1nusone //  @goldenkhae // @lntwithhrry  // @shadowygladiatorlight  // @manifestrry  //@mendesblurb // @sunshinemoonsposts  // @depersonalizationsucks // @academiaghost // @zendayassimp // @reveriehs // @vsnnstuff // @dancinsunflowerkiwi // @quinnsgrapejuice // @walkingintheheartbreaksatellite // @justlemmeholdyou // @hsonlyangelxo // @luvonstyles // @howdey

______________

My Masterlist Masterpost

The Rated R Card Game {part 6.} (housemate!harry series)

[verstappenverse]

how do camgirl and max end up meeting irl? is it because max arranged it or just by accident? / does cam girl know who max is at that point? im giddy just thinking about how much max would lose his mind when it happens 😭

Okay, so I won’t go too in detail on this for 2 reasons, first I think this will be a major part of the main fic/part 2 but also mainly because I can’t decide 😭 I need you guys's input on this 🙏 here's what I'm thinking:

1 - Completely unplanned: They end up at the same event—a club/party, brand deal event, ect... Max spots her instantly because of course he does, he'd spot her anywhere. Meanwhile, she knows it’s Max Verstappen but has no idea it’s her Max. He tries to play it cool, determined to come across 'suave and confident', but the second she looks at him with those big eyes, lashes batting, he just… loses it. Max is an awkward, blushing, fumbling disaster. But there’s an undeniable spark, and she can't shake it.

2 - Max can’t leave it to chance—he’s way too obsessed for that. So he pulls all the strings he can, making some serious moves behind the scenes to get her on the guest list for a sponsor gala or exclusive event. He’s been planning this for weeks, thinking about every detail just to make sure she shows up. When she walks into the room in some breathtaking dress, Max almost blacks out. She’s even more beautiful in person, and it’s hitting him that this is real. He tries to introduce himself, but for a second all the confidence he’s planned vanishes. He’s drooling, brain fried, trying to steady his nerves as he stumbles over his introduction. But Max being Max, he regains his composure and spends the rest of the night working to charm her—soft touches, smirks, and some harmless flirty comments that leave her head spinning.

Meanwhile she’s totally clueless that this guy is the same person who’s been obsessing over her streams. She just knows there’s something magnetic about him, and it’s throwing her off her game. But Max? He’s thriving. His plan is working and he’s convinced that by the end of the night she’ll be just as hooked on him as he is on her.

3 - This one’s more mutual—they’ve been chatting privately for a while through dm's and private streams their connection deepening every day. Max proposes finally meeting, and to his shock (and relief) she agrees. He’s been counting down the days, obsessing over every detail, and replaying all their conversations in his head. He made sure the bar is private - he can’t risk anything ruining this.

When she walks in his heart nearly stops. She’s even more gorgeous in person and he can barely think straight. He’s staring, completely mesmerised, until she notices him. As she walks over there’s something familiar about him that she can’t place. But when she’s close enough to see his face properly it hits her like a ton of bricks. Max Verstappen. She freezes mid-step, wide-eyed.

Max notices her hesitation and immediately moves forward desperate to close the gap. “I - I was going to tell you,” he says, voice low and almost pleading. “I didn’t want to lie to you—I just needed to see you.”

----

Soooo… which one do we like the most? Or is there a better idea floating around? Let me know!

[ageofjoshua]

Jake Kiszka One Shot: Bed Chem

A chance meeting at a party ignites a flirty, tension-filled connection between Y/n and Jake, leading to late-night conversations, playful games, and undeniable passion.

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

Jake x Fem!Reader

Inspiration - Bed Chem by Sabrina Carpenter

Warnings - 18!!! smut, strong language, unprotected sex, cream pie, overuse of the world “baby.”

Disclaimer - excuse any errors and as always, let me know if any warnings i missed!!

MasterPost

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

As you stepped into the party, you instinctively smoothed out your dress, scanning the crowd for any familiar faces. The room buzzed with energy, laughter, and the clinking of glasses, but no one immediately stood out.

Your eyes landed on the bar, and you decided that was your best bet for a drink—and maybe some company. As you weaved through the crowd, relief washed over you when you spotted Megan standing by the counter.

“Megan!” you called as you reached her.

She turned around, her face lighting up with a bright smile.

“Y/n!” she squealed, pulling you into a hug. “You made it! And, oh my God—look at you!” She leaned back, giving you an approving once-over. “You look HOT.”

You smiled.

“Thanks.”

Megan gestured to her drink. “Want one?”

“Please.” You chuckled.

She waved over the bartender and ordered you a drink. As she did, your gaze drifted back to the crowd—until it landed on someone. A stranger. A ridiculously handsome one.

Your breath hitched.

Long hair, a bit of facial hair, and the most stunning brown eyes you’d ever seen. He exuded a quiet confidence, effortlessly drawing your attention. You were so caught up staring that you barely noticed Megan tapping your shoulder.

“Huh?” You blinked, turning to her.

“Your drink,” she said with a knowing chuckle, handing it over. “So… who’s got you all dazed?”

You took a sip, your eyes instinctively finding him again. Megan followed your gaze, and the moment she spotted him, a smirk curled on her lips.

“Oh,” she mused. “That’s Jake.”

Your head snapped back to her. “You know him?”

She nodded. “We have mutuals. He’s a cool guy…” She leaned in slightly, her voice lowering. “And he’s very single.”

You felt your stomach flip.

“Want me to introduce you?” she teased.

Your eyes widened. “I don’t have nearly enough alcohol for that.” You laughed nervously, taking another sip.

Megan grinned. “Then hurry up and drink—because we’re going over there.”

After another drink, you and Megan made your way over. Though the alcohol loosened you up a bit, you were still nervous as hell but tried to act as normal and chill as possible.

“Jake!” Megan called out.

He turned toward the sound of her voice, and the moment his eyes landed on you, your knees nearly gave out.

“Hey, Megan.” He grinned, pulling her into a casual side hug. “How’ve you been?”

Megan barely acknowledged the question, her focus locked on introducing you.

“Jake, this is my friend, Y/n.”

His gaze shifted to you, warm and undeniably captivating. “Hey.” He extended a hand. “Nice to meet you.”

You reached out, shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you too.”

Megan smirked, then dramatically cleared her throat. “Welp! I need a drink.” She turned, winked at you, and disappeared into the crowd, leaving you alone with Jake.

He watched her go, then quickly looked back at you. “So, Y/n, are you from here?”

“Yeah, born and raised.”

He nodded. “Huh. Then how come we’ve never met? How long have you known Megan?”

The way he said it made heat rise to your cheeks, but you tried to play it cool.

“A few years now. We met in college.”

Jake nodded, taking a slow sip of his beer, about to say something when someone called his name from across the room. At the same moment, your phone buzzed in your hand. One glance at the screen made you roll your eyes—you had no interest in dealing with this right now. You wanted to stay. You wanted to keep talking to him.

But when you looked up, Jake was already speaking.

“I’m sorry, I have to go.”

“I have to get going.”

Your words overlapped, making you both pause before breaking into quiet laughter.

“Sorry,” you said first, tucking your phone away. “It was really nice meeting you, Jake.”

“You too.” He nodded, but just as you turned to leave, he called after you.

“Hey, Y/n.”

You glanced back, waiting.

“Can I get your Instagram or something?”

That night, the moment you got home, you found yourself glued to your phone. Sitting on the couch with a glass of wine, you waited—refreshing your notifications, anticipation buzzing under your skin.

Then, your screen lit up.

Your heart skipped a beat as you quickly set your wine down and grabbed your phone. And there it was—an alert that made you squeal in excitement. Jake had followed you.

Wasting no time, you clicked on his profile, hit follow, and began scrolling.

Every photo left you breathless. He was drop-dead gorgeous—effortlessly cool, exuding charm in every shot. With each scroll, you pieced together his vibe, imagining what it would be like to be with him.

And, yeah. He was huge.

The brief interaction at the party had already sparked something, and now, as you stalked his page, you could feel it—undeniable chemistry.

Then, another notification popped up.

Your breath hitched. A DM. From him.

You hesitated, fingers hovering over the screen before finally clicking into your messages.

“It was really nice meeting you tonight :) Maybe our paths will cross again when we’re both not in a rush.”

And they did.

Over the next few weeks, you and Jake kept talking, effortlessly falling into a rhythm. The conversations flowed, and soon enough, you made plans to see each other again.

The hangouts were casual—grabbing coffee, late-night drives, lazy afternoons—but the tension was anything but casual. Subtle touches, lingering eye contact, the way he leaned in just a little too close—it confirmed everything you’d been suspecting.

He felt it too.

As the days passed, familiarity settled between you. There were no awkward pauses, no hesitations. Just you and Jake, getting closer. And neither of you seemed to mind.

“More wine?” Jake asked, holding up the bottle.

You nodded, extending your glass as he poured.

“Wanna watch another movie?” you asked, settling back into the couch.

“Or…” he set the bottle down, a mischievous grin creeping onto his face, “we could play Never Have I Ever.”

You chuckled. “Never Have I Ever?”

“Yeah.” He plopped down beside you, eyes twinkling with amusement. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”

With a shrug, you got comfortable, sipping your wine as you waited for him to start.

“Alright…” Jake tapped his chin in thought before smirking. “Never have I ever… gone skinny dipping.”

You studied him for a moment, then lifted your glass and took a sip—watching as he did the same. The game carried on, laughter filling the room as the questions got more ridiculous.

“Okay, okay, my turn.” You straightened up, a playful glint in your eyes. “Never have I ever… done anything in a public place.”

Jake arched a brow, then, without hesitation, brought his drink to his lips and took a sip.

Your jaw dropped. “Jake!”

“What?” he asked, feigning innocence.

“Oh my God!” You laughed, setting your glass down.

“You’re the one who asked,” Jake smirks, swirling his drink in his hand.

“And where, exactly, did that happen?”

“You really wanna know?”

“Yes.” You nod, curiosity piqued.

Jake sets his glass down, shifting closer to you on the couch. His hands find your waist, effortlessly guiding your legs over his lap. “It was at a party,” he murmurs, fingers grazing your thigh. “Had her like this… and, well, you can figure out the rest.” He chuckles, his voice low and teasing. “It was dark, so no one even noticed. At least, I think they didn’t.”

Your breath catches slightly at the closeness, warmth radiating between you. “I see…” you manage, voice softer than intended.

“Yeah…”

Neither of you move, the air between you thick with something unspoken. Then, Jake reaches up, tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear, his touch lingering against your cheek.

“You’re absolutely beautiful, Y/n. Did you know that?”

Before hesitation can creep in, your hands find his face, pulling him in. His lips crash onto yours, and in an instant, his grip on your waist tightens, drawing you onto his lap. The kiss deepens, growing heated, urgent.

In one swift motion, Jake shifts, flipping you onto the couch beneath him. A quiet gasp escapes you as you stare up at him, your pulse hammering.

“Let me show you,” he murmurs, his gaze locked onto yours. “Let me show you how beautiful you are.”

You nod, words failing you.

Jake’s lips return to yours, trailing slowly down to your neck. Your fingers tangle in his hair, a soft sigh slipping past your lips as his hands roam, exploring, teasing. His touch ignites something electric beneath your skin, sending warmth coursing through you.

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” he whispers against your skin.

You don’t. You know he knows that.

Still, you nod—because this moment belongs to the both of you.

And neither of you plan to stop.

Jake’s hands find your waist, fingers slipping beneath the fabric of your sweats.

“Lift your hips for me, baby,” he murmurs against your neck, his voice low and coaxing.

You obey without hesitation, and he tugs them down, his touch lingering as his gaze sweeps over you.

“Good girl…” he breathes, his lips curling into a smirk as his hand drifts lower, tracing slow, teasing circles over the thin fabric still between you.

“How’s that feel, pretty girl?”

You let out a soft moan, and Jake’s smirk deepens at the sound. His touch lingers for a moment before he pulls away, straightening up.

His movements are swift as he tugs off his sweats, the strain beneath his boxers evident. Your eyes stay locked on him, anticipation thrumming through you.

You were right.

He was huge.

Your excitement grew.

He meets your gaze, something dark and heated flashing in his eyes before he presses a hand to your hips once more.

“Lift for me, baby,” he murmurs, voice thick with intent.

You nod again, doing as told so he can get off your panties.

You nod again, following his lead as he slips your panties off.

His hands grip your hips, pulling you in closer until he’s settled between your legs. With a firm touch, he guides them apart.

“Keep them just like that for me, okay, baby?”

Another nod.

Jake leans down, positioning himself right at your entrance, his eyes locked onto yours.

You both let out breathy gasps as he teases your entrance, dragging the tip of his cock along your folds. The sensation sends a shiver rippling through your body.

“Yeah? You like that, baby?” His voice is low, teasing.

A soft whine escapes you as you nod, already aching for more.

Then, he pushes in.

Your arm wraps tightly around his neck, a sharp gasp leaving your lips as he stretches you inch by inch.

“That’s it… you can take it, baby,” he murmurs, his breath warm against your skin. “Just a little more…”

Your grip around his neck tightens as he sinks in fully, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. He starts to move, slow and deliberate, dragging out every sensation.

His face hovers just inches from yours, eyes locked onto your expression, drinking in every reaction.

“You look so pretty like this, Y/n…” he murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek without breaking his rhythm. “You take me so well.”

A loud moan slips past your lips, his words only intensifying the pleasure.

Jake smirks, picking up the pace.

“That’s right, baby… let me hear you,” he coaxes, dropping another kiss to your cheek. His thrusts grow sharper, deeper. “Look at you.” His voice is thick with admiration, his breath hot against your skin. “So beautiful.”

Your moans grew louder with each thrust, the sensation overwhelming—you swore you could feel him deep in your stomach.

Jake’s face was a picture of pure pleasure, his brows furrowed, jaw clenched, completely lost in the feel of you.

“Fuck,” he groaned, his voice strained. “You’re so tight… so perfect.”

A desperate whine left your lips as your legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him in even deeper.

Jake let out a low, guttural grunt, his pace quickening.

“Shit!”

You were close—you could feel it building, the heat coiling deep inside you.

“Jake…” you moaned, your voice laced with urgency.

“Yeah, baby?”

“I’m gonna come…”

Jake moaned, his pace growing erratic.

“Me too…”

Your eyes locked onto his, watching every flicker of pleasure cross his face.

“Come in me.”

A deep groan tore from his throat at your words, his thrusts growing sloppier.

“Fuck, Y/n…”

“Jake… I want you to.”

That was all it took. His body tensed, a shuddering moan escaping his lips as you both tumbled over the edge. The feeling of him spilling into you only heightened your own release, sending waves of pleasure crashing through you.

“Y/n! Fuck—”

You clung to him, breath hitching as his hips jerked before finally going still.

Collapsing onto you, both of you lay there, panting. After a moment, Jake lifted his head, brushing a stray strand of hair from your face, a satisfied smirk tugging at his lips.

He glances at the door leading to your balcony, then back at you with a teasing glint in his eyes.

“Never have I ever done it on a balcony?”

You laugh, shaking your head. “Never.”

Jake’s smirk widens as he pulls back, sitting up and extending his hand toward you.

“Well, let’s fix that.”

[dannydoesthisthing27]

Pt. 3 of songs that remind me of redacted characters ✨️✨️

Cut because I talk a lot

Hymn to Viril by Hozier - Fooliverse Milo and Sweetheart (listen listen please listen I'm so normal I promise please 🙏🙏 now fooliverse Milo before Sweetheart? No probably not, BUT after meeting them???? Oh my GOD YALL WANT TO TALK ABOUT MAIN UNIVERSE MILOS DEDICATION????? TALK ABOUT FOOL MILO MY GUY LITERALLY HAS THE ABILITY TO GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THEY COULD WANT😭😭😭 I might make a whole separate post for the two of them because oml I love them)

Arsonists Lullabye by Hozier - Darlin' (idk the verses "you soon find you have few choices, I learned the voices died with me, when I was a child I'd sit for hours, staring into open flame." Reminded me of Darlin)

Messy by Lola Young - Bright Eyes at Fredrick[Freddy?](like the previous one, it just felt right. In my mind they kind of made up after they fought, but there's still a lot of tension. I also think that they both took up smoking to cope, but Freddy does it much more often than Bright. They argue often about really small stuff, including their mutual messy ability to cope. They both instigate, but Sam has gotten a lot better about diffusing and helping them communicate. He also apologized for his early behavior towards Bright.

NWFWMB by Hozier - Sam/Damien/Guy/Imp!Vega (I have no good explanation except for Guy. He's a writer, he likes being eloquent with his Honey. I also really like the idea that of the two of them, he is the more possessive one. For no reason in particular he just loves letting people know they're his.)

Accidentally in Love by Counting Crows - David/Huxley/Honey/Guy/Vincent (I will explain in emojis and a phrase. David "oh shit I'm in love 🤦‍♂️" , Huxley "oh shit I'm in love 🥰" , Honey "oh shit I'm in love 😵‍💫" , Guy "oh shit I'm in love 😏" , Vincent "oh shit I'm in love 😳")

Somebody to Love by Queen - Lasko (I'm sorry ok, he was so desperate to get with someone in the best way. Not even in the "all my friends are together and I'm lonely" way, he genuinely just wanted someone to connect with outside of his friend group. I think that's why he took so long to introduce them to the rest of the crew. He wanted to make sure he was going to be respected and valued before he introduced them to his family.)

Money, Money, Money by ABBA - Treasure (they fucking love ABBA they told me themselves and they absolutely have convinced Porter (pre argument or post makeup your choice) at some point to watch and then choreograph the entirety of Mama Mia with them. Also I'm sure Porter is wealthy just look at the other Solaires. He takes them out for expensive dates all the time.)

Come and Get Your Love by Redbone - Sam (Darlin' had a bad day once and was laying in bed afterward just trying to forget and be alone for a bit. Once they had unlocked the door to the bedroom, Sam played this song. While wearing cowboy boots, a cowboy hat, flannel, and flared jeans. Danced into the bedroom while carrying the broom pretending it was a microphone and proceeded to make himself and his Darlin' laugh harder than either of them ever had. Darlin' has evidence, and only Asher has seen it. He was sworn to secrecy, and he happily agreed because it meant bonding with Darlin')

Im A Believer by Smash Mouth - Angel/Asher/Darlin/Lovely/Ollie/Elliott (they are all the ones that strike me as religiously watched Shrek when it came out and still do to this day)

That's all I've got for today, but I'll be back :)

[late-to-the-party-81]

Cuddles are the cure

Ask: Omg omg omg Jen please please can I have some Bruce/Hulk and Reader. I'm in desperate need of some super fluff, like imagine Hulk just picking you up and snuggling you all warm when you're I'm you're sad 🥺🥺🥺

AN: Super fluff, you say, Elsie? In fact it’s so fluffy I had to throw in reader comforting Hulk too - mutual comforting. Set in the world of You, Me and the Other Guy and slots in as part two of the series.

Beta’d by @lunarbuck

Moodboard by me and dividers by @firefly-graphics

Master list | Series Master list

Relationship: Bruce/Hulk x Reader

WC: 1.5k

CW: Fluff. Lots of cuddles. Soft kisses. Implied Tony being a dickhead. Working in customer retail sucks.

In every way that mattered, your life had improved immeasurably since you and Bruce had started dating. You already had a friendship, a connection, and you couldn’t believe how easy the two of you just fit. 

It was still early days though - you had your shifts, and when Bruce, or rather the Hulk, wasn’t off saving the world with the other Avengers, he had his research and other interests.You didn’t want to live in each others pockets, but still made the effort to see each other at least three times a week, and spoke on the phone all the other days.

You’d introduced him to your small circle of friends, and none of them realised who he actually was, aside from being a sweet nerd who’d swept you off your feet. It was the one advantage of having two personas, you supposed - it meant that he could maintain privacy when out and about.

In return, Bruce had invited you to come and meet the other Avengers. He’d done that charming thing of coming over all shy, asking you while cleaning his glasses with his shirt, so that he wouldn’t have to look at you and risk rejection.

“I mean, you only have to come if you want to. I don’t want you to be disappointed or overwhelmed, because they can be a handful. Tony will tease me… and flirt with you, Steve’s actually got a filthy potty mouth, Nat can be pretty intimidating, Thor, when he’s here, is loud and Clint… well… he’s got a specific sense of humour.”

You’d reached out and placed your hand on his arm, and he’d put his glasses back on and looked at you, expression unreadable.

“I’d love to meet them, and not because they’re the Avengers, but because they’re your friends and colleagues.”

“As long as you’re sure.”

You’d shifted closer, cupping his face with your hand and brushing your nose against his.

“Certain.”

They’d been everything Bruce had described and more, but you’d won them over, and now had your own Avengers Tower access clearance. Sometimes you and Bruce met up there, especially if he was working late, or had been on a mission. It was also the best space for you to hang out with Hulk. The green giant was actually a massive cuddle bug, and enjoyed lounging in his/Bruce’s room, watching Disney movies with you while eating insane amounts of popcorn and candy. 

At first, Bruce had been reticent about letting you spend time with his other persona, but you’d convinced him that you would be fine. You knew almost from the first moment that you’d met him that you and Hulk would be friends, because he and Bruce were two sides of the same coin - he would never hurt you.

Now, so far in your relationship, it had all been sunshine and roses - well, apart from that night, but considering what it had led to, you couldn’t be too upset - you and Bruce having cute dates, sweet kisses and lots of laughter.  As you got off the subway you hoped that he’d be able to manage something different, and you didn’t mean intimacy. Well, that would be nice, but also, you were content to wait until it felt right for both of you. What you did need today was comfort, because it had been A Day TM (a really shitty day) because even the best relationship could improve what it was like to work in a retail job.

It wasn’t as though you weren’t used to asshole customers - you had to usually deal with one or two every day, but today! It was like they’d all held a meeting and decided to show up at the same time and be meaner and more horrible than normal - asking for complex drinks that made no sense, then telling you that you’d done it wrong, when you’d actually triple checked with them before starting.

Walking up to the front entrance of the tower you fanned your face, trying to disperse the tears that threatened to fall from just thinking about it. You wouldn’t let them bring you down!

Striding into the building, you flashed your access card to the security guard before swiping it at the executive elevator. You were glad that you’d be able to travel straight to Bruce’s floor. He wasn’t expecting you at this time, but one of your colleagues had owed you, so you’d ended your shift a couple of hours early and made your way straight here. Hopefully you’d be able to hang out in his room while he finished up his work for the day. Or maybe you could keep him company in the lab if you signed some kind of NDA.  

You could feel yourself spiralling and you swallowed back a small cry, turning it into a hiccup as the elevator came to a halt and you virtually stumbled out into Bruce’s living room…

… to be met with the sight of Hulk, sitting on the floor, worry beads around his neck, watching Lilo and Stitch.

His face broke into a broad smile when he saw you, and he clambered to his feet as quickly as he could.

“Pretty Girl!” He turned and looked at the clock and then back at you. “Pretty Girl early!”

You bit your lip and nodded. Despite your mood, a small smile played at the edges of your mouth.

“Uh-huh. I just needed to see you… or Bruce.”

Hulk looked at you for a moment, and blinked. “Pretty Girl okay that Hulk here, not Bruce?”

You nodded, his earnestness and innocence threatening to destroy the last of your control. You took a step towards him, followed by a second and then you were throwing yourself into his arms, pressing your face against his chest and letting the tears of frustration flow.

Slowly, Hulk wrapped his arms around you, and you noticed he was a little unsure.

“Pretty Girl sad. Did bad man come back and try hurt you?”

You lifted your head, and sniffed with a little smile. “No. Nothing like that. Just a bad day at work.”

You eased out of his hold so you could drop your purse and take your coat off.

“How Hulk help? Want Hulk smash?”

He was too sweet. It was tempting.

“No. No smashing. Just be you, buddy. Sit back down and I’ll join you - we can finish watching together. I just need some cuddles.”

He let out a light snort and lumbered back over to his pile of cushions, dropping down heavily. You knew that Tony had had this floor reinforced, but you were still astounded when the floor didn’t shake. Once he appeared comfortable you joined him, climbing up into his lap and pressing into his side. He was so warm!

You watched in silence together for 10 minutes or so, both of you letting out the odd bark of laughter at the antics of Lilo and her extraterrestrial friend. You could feel yourself calming down just through this - being here and being cared for, with no expectation, something that previous boyfriends had never given you.

You were glad you had Bruce, and Hulk. Which brought you back to why the latter was here.

“Hey, Big Guy. Any reason you’re out today? Was there a mission, because I know Bruce had a load of scientific stuff to do today.”

You felt his body stiffen under you.

“No mission. No smash. Stark happen.”

You sighed - it stood to reason.

“Did he frighten Bruce again?”

He let out a resigned huff.

“Wanted to know what makes Hulk appear. Now Hulk not want to go back. Hulk come here, home. Watch movies, try to be calm.”

You rose up on your knees and pressed your palm to his cheek, feeling him lean into it gently.

“So you’ve had a bad day too? I’m sorry. What about if I get some more snacks and you pick another movie. How does that sound?”

“Hulk like snacks. Hulk like movies. Hulk love Pretty Girl.”

You dropped a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“Love you too, Big Guy.”

You got up, and went to the kitchen, rummaging through the cupboards for enough snacks to keep Hulk sated. You smiled to yourself as you heard him talking to FRIDAY, picking the next thing you were going to watch. Snacks and drinks obtained you took your place, back on his lap.

The opening credits played and you smiled - the Little Mermaid.

“You know, if you ever have this problem again, ask FRIDAY to call me. I’m more than happy to help cheer you up. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Yes. Hulk and Pretty Girl best friends.”

You both settled down then to watch Ariel fight for her true love. Hulk kept an arm around you, holding you close, but without squashing you, and every so often you ran your hand up and down his arm or scratched your fingers into his black hair, quietly soothing him.

About 10 minutes from the end, Hulk started to fidget and shift under you. You got up and watched as he slowly shrank, and his skin returned to pink. Bruce looked up at you, slightly chagrined, from the pillow nest on the floor. “Hey.”

You smiled and sat back down next to him, wrapping your arms around one of his and leaning your head on his shoulder. “Hey, yourself. Feeling better?”

“Absolutely.” Bruce leant over and pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “And you? Sorry I wasn’t here to help.”

“Not your fault. And I’m sure there will be another day with a-hole customers. I’m also certain that Tony won’t frighten Hulk out of you again.”

Bruce chuckled. “You give him more credit than he’s due. Although he might not try it again for a while - the Other Guy smashed up his new Porsche…”

You couldn’t help it - you laughed out loud, cuddling into your boyfriend, and realising that life wasn’t so bad after all.

Tag list: @jobean12-blog @tuiccim @krissy25 @bodeckersdiamonddoll @goldylions @luxeavenger @wheezy-stucky @doasyoudesireandlive @chemtrails-club @peaches1958 @pono-pura-vida @writing-for-marvel @esposadomd

[drkmgs]

Back up plan

Warning: Angst, mention of pregnancy, swearing

pairing: Jenna Ortega x GN! Reader

story type: one shot

A/N: It's a short and painful one. Part 2? or let's settle with this ending. Also, it's not proofread...

You got your first job as a barista and met Jenna, who was already working there for 2 years now. At first, you weren't sure if she liked you or not, so you only talked to her if it was necessary, but one day, she approached you and exchanged numbers.

Both of you got to talking, and soon enough, you found yourself falling for this girl. You have had your fair share of heartbreak and that not just in romantic relationships. You confessed having a crush on her. She rejected you but wasn't pushing you away. She wanted you to stay. She wants you to stay. So, you stayed.

Soon, she became busy with her acting activities, which you respected and continued to maintain the communication, but one day, she may have had a bad day and took your joke personally. You who has their hearts on their sleeves took that as a sign. You have been too clingy.

You didn't want to be that person in her life. So, you stopped texting her, and at work, you only talked to her if it was necessary. The teasing and the joking around vanished.

It has been weeks since you two had a conversation. "Hey- uhm- can we talk?" She nervously said. "Sure, right now?" You are getting ready to go home because your shift ended. "I- I don't know if it can wait." Jenna continues. "Okay. Then shoot." You nod towards her while you're fixing your jacket.

"Can we talk outside not in here." She drags you out through the back door where the trash are. You silently waited for her to talk. "Remember the manager of my agency?" With that start, your entire mood shifted. You knew who she was talking about. You knew this guy. This guy who is married but still look at his talents like they are not at the same age as his kids. This guy is the definition of disgusting.

"We kinda started talking-" You stopped her mid-sentence. "Talking? I- Jenna, this guy is married and has fucking kids the same age we are. He introduced me to his wife the other day while preparing his coffee." You couldn't contain the anger that is rising up.

"I- I'm pregnant."

That's when your whole world went into spiral. There was ringing in your ears. "Jenna, I love you, but this was a dumb thing to do. I know you are intelligent, but believing in his lies. Does he know?" You honestly let out. "Not yet. But I know the feeling is mutual." She desperately wants to convince you or herself. "Mutual? Do you think he'll leave his wife and kids for you? That's only 5% out of 80% because the rest are scattered between your other co-workers at the agency." You start to phase back and forth.

"What are you going to do? Are you going to keep the baby, and how about your dreams of being an actor?" You stopped phasing and looked into her eyes. It was watery and bloodshot. You couldn't hold on anymore. You stepped in front of her and embraced her. That's when her tears fell.

"I want to keep the baby, but I also want to keep auditioning, and I also want him to be involved. This is his responsibility, after all." You heard her say despite being muffled in your embrace.

You sighed. You let go of her and took a step back. "Jenna, why are you telling me this? If you already know what to do?" You coldly said. There's just one sentence repeating in your head, and you definitely don't want her to say it out loud.

"I- I saw how good you are with kids, and I was hoping that you would help me if he doesn't." The hesitant in her last words came to you like a truck in high speed.

"You want me as your backup plan."

This time, you are the one who has watery eyes. You just couldn't believe it. After years of long-distance relationships, you finally found someone who you connect with in person but fucks with you, like this. You let your tears fall.

"I'm sorry. I love you, but this. It's too much. I'm sorry."

and with that, you left her there standing. You went back inside the shop, took your belongings, and went home.

[raapija]

OKAY, HERE WE GO FINALLY

So, let me introduce you to Nando's Nuggets aka his three little McChildren aka Carlito, Landito and baby Oscar 😘😘😘 (...aka the ultimate nepo baby trio of F1)

This kind of (I feel like this is a hedcanon more) belongs in the pookie au, go check it out ! ->

Huge thanks to everyone in my inbox for fueling this obsession 💚

Lando was a happy little accident born when Fernando was just 18. The relationship with Nando and Lando's mom, Ms. Norris, was pretty chaotic and turbulent and they ended up breaking up before he was even born. Lando stayed mostly with his dad and grew up as a grid-baby with other F1 drivers taking turns in babysitting him. He went through school in the UK since Nando kept his residence there most of the time and Lando got the English accent from there. He's always been around motorsport and it was just a matter of time before he would end up in F1.

Lando and Oscar grew up apart from each other, as Oscar was living in Australia. But whenever they were together while it was Nando's turn to have Oscar for a week or so, it was the highlight of their childhood. They got along well since they were pretty close in age and quite similar in other ways, too. Lando's mom wasn't around a lot when he was growing up, but as of lately, she has reached out to him again and is in good terms with the whole bunch.

✨✨✨

After Fernando separated from Landito's mom in the late nineties, he got together with this little known Aussie GT driver named Mark Webber. It was love at first sight and they had a really strong bond from the very start. They decided to get a kid together, which was wild since both were quite young and because of how difficult it was at the time for two men to get a child together. But, they somehow pulled through it and in April 2001, baby Oscar came along. (He is biologically Nando's through a surrogate) After a few quite happy years with this little family of two boys, Mark and Fernando eventually started to drift apart and the relationship fell flat. Through a mutual decision, they broke up and Oscar went off to live with Mark in Australia. Fernando still spent a lot of time with Oscar of course, but it was never enough. It was always sad to say good bye at the airport.

As time went on and Oscar grew older, he wanted to stay in the UK more. He got interested in karting like his two other brothers, and eventually moved over to try and make it into motorsport and connect better with Nando's side of the family. Mark was still very much around as he became Oscar's manager and pulled all kinds of stunts to get little Oscar in the best possible teams. Mark and Fernando are still very good friends and get along well. Oscar is definitely the most spoiled of them all.

✨✨✨

Carlos was an absolute menace and a troublemaker when he was young. When he was around 13-14, he took part in one of Nando's karting camps in Spain and that was really the only thing the kid was interested in. Later, tragically, Carlos would lose his parents in an accident and since he was such a difficult child, no one would take him in. But alas! Fernando heard about it and since he had seen how talented and passionate Carlos was about driving, he wanted to give him a chance and enrolled him into more karting classes at his own expense. Eventually, they became close and Fernando figured out since nobody else was gonna have him and the poor kid needed a proper home, he adopted him. Carlos immediately took the role of big brother to Lando and Oscar and would start to settle down since he now had a responsibility to be their role model. In time (and with lots of trial and error), Nando raised Carlos to be a sensible and well-adjusted young man who could safely be let out into the world knowing he was gonna be okay.

Carlos' protective nature over his little brothers and dad resulted in him beefing with Lance for years since he didn't exactly like the idea of his dad dating a guy who's four years younger than him. When Nando and Lance got married, it was finally enough proof that Lance wasn't going to leave and break his dad's heart like others had before. Now they're in good terms and Carlos thinks of him quite fondly, but will never admit it. Fernando is incredibly proud of how far Carlito has come and how he's now at Ferrari.

Lance has a pretty good relationship with the bunch overall despite Carlos' apprehensions. He often takes Lando or Oscar on fun trips and likes to hang out with them. Carlos sometimes asks Lance to go golfing with him since he can actually give him some competition.

It's strange for everyone that their step-dad is almost the same age as them (and younger, in Carlos' case), but somehow they make it work. He never actually considers himself to be a parental figure to them, more like a weird kinda fun uncle 🤷 It's weird, the whole family is weird, but they make it work. ❤️

Family portrait:

+This son inherited the magical powers:

[pseudowho]

Hi Haitch!!

How are you? I hope your kids are feeling better from the fever!! I need advice on a situation I'm in. How do you tell a guy that he's being too clingy(?) without hurting his feelings?

I'm currently friends with a guy who used to like me but I friendzoned him so we decided to stay friends. However, he is quite clingy at times online. For eg, he would text me non-stop when I haven't replied to his message or would sometimes touch my shoulders and direct me in the correct direction even though I knew where I was going. There was also a moment where he tried to put his arm around my waist but was unsuccessful since I was carrying a backpack. However, that did not sit right with me. I would admit that I'm a horrible texter(I would reply a few hours after someone messages me), but I did tell him that at the start of our friendship.

Also, ngl, I don't really like it when he touches my shoulders or me since we(more like I) made it clear that we wouldn't be touchy with one and another since it is weird for me since we're not in a relationship(this was happened when I asked him if he liked me) and from my past friendships with guys, they don't really touch their female friends in general. (I'm quite a sheltered kid who doesn't make friends with guys quite often unless my friends introduce me to theirs)

I might be paranoid about his behaviour. I'm not sure, but some things he does just throw me off. I did ask for advice from friends, especially mutual friends who know him, and they said to just cut connections with him. However, I don't want to be mean and do that since he is a nice dude, but sometimes I just dread texting or meeting up with him to study together. I'm not sure if his behaviour is him being clingy or he still likes me(he told me he doesn't anymore) but I'm getting kinda uncomfortable or at least weirded out by his behaviour. I'm really at a loss here. :(

- internally confused anon :°

P.S

I'm sorry for overloading this with you, Haitch! I don't have any older sisters. I could ask for advice on this, and this has been weighing heavily on my mind for quite some time now. :(((

You have, at multiple points in this Ask, used misogynistic, woman-blaming language to diminish the ways in which he is ignoring your blatant wish to not pursue a relationship with him.

"Friendzoned". "Without hurting his feelings". "I'm a horrible texter". "Paranoid". "He is a nice dude".

Aside from the longer-term importance of you increasing your self worth, and not continuing to parrot the fundamentally victim-blaming language of the society you have grown up in (not your fault!!), there's one straight answer here.

Stop trying to protect his feelings. He knows exactly what he's doing. His continued abuse of your personal space and lack of consent relies entirely on your submission, and your wish to not hurt his feelings, and he is taking advantage of that.

He seems to believe that your "No" actually means "Keep trying-- try harder, in fact! Eventually, she will say yes". The sad thing is, you haven't felt confident enough to say "No", because you're prioritising his feelings when he's prioritising getting into your clothes.

Don't protect someone who isn't protecting you. He's not a "nice guy", kiddo.

Get tougher. Call it out directly.

"I told you I don't want you to touch me like that-- if you don't stop, I won't be spending any more time with you."

"If I don't message you back, it's because I don't want to right now, and I don't need your permission or approval to do that. Constant messages while I'm not wanting to talk, is harassment, and I hate it."

And the good old:

"I don't view you romantically, and I won't view you romantically. Stop."

Ghosting him isn't a way out-- it's a sticking plaster over a gaping wound. I implore you to see the way society has conditioned you to believe that it is your job to school the behaviour of boys and men, and I implore you to fight for your own rights.

This may sound harsh, but step back. Be as angry as you should be. I believe you can do this.

None of this is your fault. You've made it clear in every way other than words, and he seems to think you need to paint "NO" across your body in red, for it to count.

Love,

-- Haitch xxx

[lainiespicewrites]

Hi friends!

So I’m tagging everyone that’s on the tag list for Coach Sy in this! Just because I’m not sure who all my mutuals are yet. Or how else to get this out there to the people I think are actually wanting to read my Walter story 😂🥲 Anyway! I just wanted to get some feedback! You totally don’t have to answer or say anything or interact at all obviously. Because you’re human and you all have free will! But …I’m rambling because I’m nervous …wow I really am turning into my self insert characters ���or I write myself well…and I’m deflecting

Okay getting to my point! I’ve started my Walter story (literally have not even introduced him yet and I’m already panicking and doubting myself) but what I’ve realized is that because Walter is a comfort character to me. Because he is a police officer. And how his whole job is safety, I’ve been using this story as like a form of therapy? And started to recount my own Sexual assault and have been sort of trauma dumping into this story. Which has been a great release.

Night hunter the movie is super heavy. We all made a conscious choice to watch it. Some of us just because Henry is in it though. And might not like heavy triggering content like that. Others like myself. Might oddly find comfort in intense films like that. What I’m trying to say or ask is. Is this a theme you guys are okay with reading? It’s a lot different from coach Sy obviously which is healing in a different way because it’s so soft and sweet and comforting. And Walt will be too but. I just have to get the trauma out. Either way I think I’m gonna finish the story. But what I’m asking is do you guys want me to post it …or rework something else for Walter?

I’m not gonna be offended! I understand it! I’m totally okay with putting that out there because it helps me. And I know that if it helps me it’s very likely someone could connect with it and help others. I just didn’t realize that I was ready to pretty much tell the exact situation in a story. Sorry this is such a heavy subject guys. I love writing and I love that it brings us together and that we all can connect over someone that we love and brings us joy and comfort!

That’s kinda how I stumbled so hard into Henry! I knew of him but I hadn’t seen much of his stuff. But I saw him in Enola Holmes and (well first of all he looked damn good) but he was so big and something about him felt safe and protective. I’ve kind of hidden in that for a while.

Wow didn’t mean to get all emotional! But that’s tumblr! Thank you guys for all the love! Again you don’t have to say anything! If I don’t get too many responses I’ll probably just post it and see what the response is! I honestly love the little fan club i feel like I’ve gained here! You guys are awesome!!! ❤️🥰

Leave a comment, or reblog that’s totally fine, or if you’re more comfortable messaging me my dms always open! I just wanna make sure we’re all comfortable and safe here obviously I’d use tigger warnings and stuff but I also don’t want to post it if the majority of people won’t be comfortable. 💕

Tumblr tag list

@summersong69 @carrie80reads @identity2212 @caramariehurst @redheadrouge @warriormirkwood @gummydummy19 @deandoesthingstome @shellyshellshell @mary-ann84 @starfirewildheart @foxyjwls007

[aeroburning]

Congratulations on your latest milestone! What has been your favorite part of writing Let the Past Die so far?

Oh man, that’s a such a dangerous question to ask me. I’m a certified yapper 😂

But one thing I wanted to mention before I get to my part. For those that don’t know, this is actually a joint effort between me and @ratprt (Delratty on AO3) This has been a story that we’ve worked on together for a very long time.

Every draft I write is sent to them first and nothing goes out without mutual approval, so not only do I have a beta reader, but someone with me every step of the way to make sure the story is on track.

I figured it would be great to get their thoughts in response to this question alongside my own.

“putting characters in a metaphorical blender for fun. 😄 you'll see 👍 👍 👍 also im sure this is news to nobody but im pretty much always having a ball anytime lumine yaps. and its been really really fun to expand the world of mmx into something that feels much more living and breathing, while still having it be a pretty reasonable expansion on whats already present in the games.”

- quote ratprt 'the lumine guy' ratprt

So with that being said, we can move on to my thoughts.

My (Aero) favorite part has been the expanding of the story. I also saw it as my biggest challenge, because trying to expand upon something sensibly is really hard, at least in my opinion. We all know that the gang fought Lumine on the moon, but we never really know why Lumine did what he did outside of what he mentions in X8.

What was his motivation? What inspired a plan to attempt genocide? Sometimes it’s compelling to see a villain do things for the sake of something simple or selfish, but what I really wanted was for us to get a glimpse of Lumine’s motivation, while also allowing that to pave the way for what happens next.

So, to address both, we thought we should ask a simple question: What was Lumine’s creator like?

Introducing OCs into canon is something that, depending on the fandom, is hard to get right, in my personal opinion. At least, with the direction we are going, I saw it as something that would take a lot of care to get right, as well as having readers care about them in the first place.

At this point, it’s no secret that Kain Jakob is the reason behind what drove Lumine mad. We don’t have the explicit details, but context clues from what we’ve seen in Paradise Lost paint a picture, as well as the power he has over Lumine’s predecessor, Jet.

Jet isn’t a character of Lumine’s power or ability, she was created before New Gen’s even existed, a Reploid from the pre-Eurasia world. She’s been with Kain longer, knows him better than anyone.

Lumine went insane, but Jet remains. The readers are left with what those implications mean, and I think that works as the perfect bridge to what happens next. We know that Kain contacted the Hunters for help after incident with the elevator, he is Lumine’s creator, and is strategically withholding information from the world, with only the Hunter’s knowing the true story.

And then there’s Axl, still incapacitated from Lumine’s attack and the Hunter’s are trying everything to figure out what’s wrong.

This allows for a story ripe with tension and progression, with both sides essentially needing something from each other. Kain want’s the Hunter’s silence on the matter of Lumine going Maverick, where the Hunters want to know what Lumine did to Axl, so they can bring him back.

The expansion of the story has set multiple pieces in play, and that’s only covering the Jakob related elements. We’ve also seen expansion on X’s power that he showed in Maverick Hunter X, while also building upon events of Mega Man X4 as well as the Eurasia incident.

Let The Past Die is a story that looks to use pieces of the Mega Man X lore to move forward, while also including original elements as a means to connect everything together. I feel like that allows the ideas and setting to feel lived and as well as the OC’s involvement to not only feel earned, but also feel that they matter.

Big ol rant, haha, but I think that’s what’s been so fun to me. It feels like every bit of expansion we are doing works together with each other and it just makes writing the story feel so natural and effortless as a result.

[lwritez]

“Trust me, I got nothing for you other than love.”

—Ethan Landry

PAIRING: ☁️Ethan!Landry x Fem!Reader

no ghostface au (Quinn and Ethan Are known as siblings as well as detective Bailey as their father. Also Richie still dies but instead of Sam murdering him in a car accident) overly sensitive ethan

TW: feelings of being insecure, kinda of angst? Mostly fluff. Not sure. Relationship complications?

SUMMARY: your boyfriend is insecure and doesn’t know how to express his feelings to you.

TAGS: @theyluvvstu

you and Ethan started dating about 4 months ago, you two met at the party. He caught your eye and you caught his. You felt a connection between you two and you saw him eying you down the whole party. But the good thing about that was that you knew his roommate, Chad. Chad introduced you two and you guys hit it off pretty quick.

after a while in the talking stage ethan decided to build up the courage to ask you to be his girlfriend at your favorite cafe. Although you thought he was quite attractive you also loved his personality and everything about him so you easily accepted his offer. Ever since that has happened you two have been dating and you slowly started to hang around that friend group and got closer to Mindy and Tara.

but lately… you’ve noticed that Ethan was slowly drifting away. Was it because he didn’t like you anymore? Maybe he found somebody else?? But little did you know the real reason was because he thought he wasn’t good enough for you. He was never that type of boyfriend to be overly protective or controlling. You were his first girlfriend actually, he didn’t know much about relationships until he met you.

growing up Ethan never really had much experience with love. His mother and father always arguing and his late older brother and sister arguing also. He never knew what real love was, since he was kinda in the middle of everything he was neglected from a lot of events and social life until he met all of you in college and he’s really thankful for that.

he was having a bad day and he decided to go back to his dorm, when he opened his dorm he saw you and Chad sitting on the couch talking. It kinda surprised him since you didn’t tell him that you were coming over but then again Chad knew you before he did and you were probably closer to Chad. When he came in you both greeted him and you got up to hug and give him a kiss on the cheek “hey e” you say with a big smile on your face. Him looking at your beautiful smile comforted him. “You should watch a movie with us” Chad offers to him with a smile on his face.

Ethan politely declines the offer with the excuse that he was tired. But in reality he was kind of upset. He saw the way Chad was looking at you and to him that was the look of love. You saw Chad as a brother and the feeling was mutual. He saw you as another sister!

before you could convince him to stay because you missed his company. he walks into his room. Leaving you a bit confused thinking he was mad at your or something. But he wasn’t mad at you he was just overthinking to himself once again. He was always an overthinker no matter what the topic was about. “She seems so happy with him…” he thinks to himself as he sits his backpack down and sits on his bed.

“did I do something wrong?” you ask Chad in a worried tone hoping for a reliable answer. “Maybe he’s just tired?” Chad suggests while still sitting down. He doesn’t seem as worried as you. You tried to calm down.. as much as you wanted to burst into his room and apologize for whatever you did you didn’t want to bother him Incase chad was right. Little did you know how much better he would feel of you did bother him, he needed you in his touch and he just wanted to hug you so badly. He started to feel frustrated and tears started falling from his eyes.

he knew it was too good to be true from the beginning. “I don’t know what I expected..somebody as beautiful as Y/N couldn’t be interested in somebody like me.” He says out loud to himself trying to calm himself down. He wasn’t mad at you he was just upset that he wasn’t enough for you. Chad had everything Ethan didn’t. He was Athletic confident and outgoing. While Ethan on the other hand was better at the academic stuff and stayed to himself more.

you decided to pause the movie to go to the bathroom, chad had already fell asleep. The bathroom was near Ethan’s room and right beside chads room. All of a sudden while you’re passing by to enter the bathroom you hear sounds of sniffling coming from Ethan’s room. Concerned you quickly open the door scanning around the room to see the brown curly haired dude covering his face with his hands. This view made your heart break completely. Your boyfriend was in his room crying the entire time and you had no idea at all. You quickly walk over to him and grab him by his hands. “E… are you okay?? What happened!” looking him in his eyes to see them all red and watery. He couldn’t even talk he just gave you a hug

and of course you accepted that hug. This calmed him down immediately. “Y/n..you know you don’t have to be with me if you don’t want to.” This catches you completely off guard as your eyes widen. “What do you mean e…?” You were confused completely and scared that he was gonna end things off with you. “Did I do something wrong?” You ask again in a worried tone. “No no.. you didn’t do anything wrong” he reassures you while taking one of his hands to wipe his tears off his face. “It’s just..I seen the way Chad looks at you. You two seem so happy together” it all starts making sense to you now. You suddenly start laughing which causes more concern to the boy

“Ethan, I think of Chad as a brother and I can tell you right now the feelings mutual” saying this confidently with a reassuring smile. It definitely reassured him. He got embarrassed quickly and started laughing “this is so embarrassing..” which makes you chuckle more. You feel more relief to see him like this. “Ethan I love you so much, I would never choose anybody else but you” you say while giving him a kiss on the lips and hugging him. “Trust me i have nothing else for you BUT love” taking his hands back into your hand.

“I love you too y/n”

(also you did text him to tell him you were coming over, his phone was just dead and he didn’t see then notification until later)

Lmk if this is good I was tired when I made it … it was jus an idea I had in my head

[cherrynwinesk]

HII HRU :33 I saw your little Quackity oneshot and LOVED how you narrated it, I wanted to ask if you could write one about a male!s/o (or fem, if you want) x Quackity, male!s/o It's a singer and sings "Once more to see you - Mitski", dedicating indirectly it to Quackity who is watching him among the people with VIP tickets and his fans notice :'3, thx very much!!

🍒: Hii! I'm fine, what about u? Your request has been very cute!

Lights off ~ Quackity

pt.2 here

Story g: sfw/soft

Language: English/Inglés

⚠️: None (?)

CC's: Quackity

Reader g: Male reader

📝: All the content is fictitious and an attempt is made to adapt the PUBLIC personality of the cc's, that is, the personality that is shown in front of cameras, I do not know the true personality and any resemblance to reality is mere coincidence.

🍒: Hello, writing requests are always open, if you want something in particular, ask without fear. I clarify that English is not my main language, I apologize for any error and accept corrections to improve the quality of the content

Master List

The VIP ticket had arrived at Quackity's email, his cell phone vibrated showing the email notification and he immediately opened it, it had taken a while to arrive by the way.

A few weeks ago you had released dates for a tour of the country through Twitter, being part of a small band but with loyal fans, the tickets were sold out.

"The tickets sold out very quickly, I did not get a ticket for your presentation in Los Angeles"

"I'll send you a ticket, leave it to me, I got you"

Quackity and you had been friends for a short time, almost less than two years maybe, you were introduced by Glaive, he being a mutual friend.

The concert in Los Angeles was the last of the tour, appearing in a small auditorium. The team arrived early to prepare the stage, connect cables here and there, countless sound checks and check that everything was in order. Your phone vibrated with a message, it was Quackity

"I will arrive a little bit late"

"A guard will be waiting for you outside'"

The show hadn't started yet and this guy was running late, typical of him, and it wasn't a bother, you knew he was a busy man and you were so grateful that he canceled some plans to come see you sing.

At 8 pm, the auditorium opened its doors giving way to the fans, half an hour later, the concert began. Playing some recent songs and some old ones, interacting with the public.

You felt nervous, but not exactly because of the show, the audience or the fact of making a mistake when singing and playing the guitar at the same time, you had already gone through all this in several cities, it was something normal for you. What made you uncomfortable was that the person who made your stomach tickle was not yet in the VIP area.

As your songs were being played, the nerves to see him again and the fear that he had something else to do combined, you didn't even know which of the two situations made you more nervous.

You had exchanged messages with Quackity many times, he always sent the first message, complimenting your music every time you updated Spotify with a new song, you even got to see him talk about your songs on some of his streams, recommending you.

At no time did you realize that you were feeling those typical butterflies in your stomach every time you saw a message from him, not constant, but the blood rose to your head when you looked at his notifications.

You never really realized it, until one day you caught yourself thinking about Quackity while writing a new song.

You stopped the show to drink some water and clear your throat when the audience started to scream again, you could see the security guard coming down the hall and behind him, a head with a black hat. Your heart started pounding and your stomach warmed.

"Guys, Quackity is here"

You spoke into the microphone, trying to hide your nerves and let him know that you were happy to see him arrive, he reached his place in the VIP area and from there he greeted you with his big smile and a wave of his hand.

You felt your cheeks burn, and the immense need to smile without control, but you had to continue with the concert. A couple more songs, cheering the crowd up with a few jokes, nearing the end of the show, the last song that would be played was the song you caught yourself thinking about Quackity on. A cover more than anything, and that you decided to add only for the presentation of Los Angeles

"For this song I need the lights off"

"Once more to see you" by Mitski had crossed your mind so many times when you knew that Quackity would be present, you had a long time without seeing him face to face.

"But with everyone watching us, our every move

We do have reputations

We keep it secret

Won't let them have it"

Present in front of so many people, feeling like you were naked in front of everyone cause of what you were doing, singing to him like there was something between you.

Did you even know what his current sexuality was, did Quackity like men? Would you have a chance? Wasn't this very selfish of you? Thinking only of your feelings, not knowing what Quackity thinks of you. Would Quackity be able to tarnish his reputation?

"Then I wouldn't have to scream your name

Atop of every roof in the city of my heart

If I could see you

Once more to see you"

Looking in his direction, Quackity was just looking at you, not moving from his place, attentive to you, as if he could sense that this is directed at him.

Quackity was only thinking about how beautiful you sang, admiring the tone of your voice, paying attention to the lyrics of the song and deciphering the reason why you only presented this cover today.

You finished the show, the audience was starting to leave, and you walked up to Quackity to say hello, hugging each other for the long time they hadn't seen each other.

"The concert was very nice"

Over the next few days, fan-taken videos circulated all over Twitter, especially the one of your performance of "Once more to see you."

'he sang it for Quackity' 'he was looking at Quackity while he sang' 'y/n is in love with Quackity' 'Quackity didn't take his nap to go see y/n'

Thousands of similar comments circulated along with the videos, initially scaring you for being so obvious and making someone uncomfortable with your impulses, but then you just thought Quackity would take this as a fan joke. You didn't talk about it, you just left it as a joke and that was it.

At night you got a text, it was Quackity again;

"I just want to know if everything that is circulating on the internet is true..."