#something about the tone and pitch of his voice idk

[lincolndjarin]

Not So Secret Santa

javier peña x fem!reader

this is a part of the @pedrostories gift exchange!!

summary : you get the only person you didn't want for your offices secret santa.

warnings/tags : 18+ mdni, enemies/friends to lovers, canon divergence, steve is your boss/close friend, reader and javier have a complicated relationship, reader is insecure, brief mentions of alcohol, porn with plot, smut, light angst, javier and reader fight physically but it's very light with no actual injury, masturbation, semi-public sex, p in v, idk how to properly tag this but javi likes boobs in this so he touches boobs, unprotected sex (don't do this, wrap it this holiday season), use of a makeshift gag, rough yet very loving sex because it's christmas and christmas magic means i can write what i want.

tldr : you and javi have sex in his office and you put his tie in his mouth to shut him up.

word count : 4.4k

✦ : merry christmas @taro-666 !!! i'm your secret santa !!! i hope you're well this holiday season and i hope you enjoy this fic !! i haven't written much peña, despite how much i love him so i hope i did him justice and i hope you have a wonderful holiday <3 <3 (also sorry this is a little late (20 minuetes left before midnight so we're good). i was out with family all day and was only just now able to get to my laptop, i promise i didn't forget about you lmao)

no use of y/n, reader has hair and painted nails & javier sort of half picks her up at one point, nothing else is described besides clothing.

lovely dividers by @saradika-graphics

“Please, Steve, I’ll give you a week's pay.” You lean across his desk, genuine desperation in your voice after an hour of begging. 

“Not gonna happen.” He doesn’t even bother looking up from his computer.

“A month.” Your voice is starting to pitch up, something similar to anguish in your tone. Your offer finally gets a reaction out of him as his eyes widen, head tilting up.  

“Jesus, you can’t be serious.” He’s examining your expression, trying to determine the sincerity of your claim. 

“My entire Christmas bonus.” 

“Okay, stop.” He sighs, giving you a sympathetic look. “We’re not allowed to switch.”

“When did you become such a stickler for the rules?” You cross your arms in front of your chest. 

“It’s just a secret Santa. He’s our friend, whether you like it or not, you two are close and this shouldn’t be this big of a deal, now go, please, I need to finish up here so I can leave at a reasonable hour.” He loosens his tie as you sigh. 

“It’s not just a secret Santa, Steve. It’s an opportunity for him to tell me that I once again didn’t do something right. No matter what I get him, it isn’t going to be good enough.” Even as you’re saying it you can see that he isn’t going to change his mind about this. 

“He’s a dick to everybody. That’s inevitable, it just means he’s comfortable with you.” He’s already turning back to his work. 

“Please, Steve.” 

“No.”

You glare down at him, giving him your angriest look as his gaze tilts back up to meet yours. 

When it’s clear that he isn’t going to switch you turn and leave, slamming his office door in the process. 

“Don’t forget, I need you here early to help set up for the party!” His muffled voice seeps out into the hall as you walk away. 

Once you’re out in your car and far away from prying eyes you unfold the damned slip of paper you’d drawn earlier today. 

Javier P. 

Of course, you got stuck with fucking Peña, a nickname you’d given him a few months ago. He absolutely hates it but the entire time you’ve worked for the DEA he’s gone out of his way to bother you. Sure, he’s your “friend”, in a strange, complicated way. But he still drives you up the wall with his constant need to one up you and the way he’s constantly making passes at women around the office. 

And it’s not like you have any problems with him sleeping around, lord knows you’ve had a fair amount of one night stands, but he just has to hit on every woman you work with. 

Every single woman, except you. 

You’d never admit it of course but a part of you will always be self conscious about that fact. It doesn’t help that Javier absolutely adores bothering you at every possible moment. He loves nothing more than to pester, annoy, and mock you, spending nearly half his day leaning over your desk despite the million complaints you’ve sent Steve about his persistent partner. 

He’ll sit on your desk, doing an endless amount of things to cause you distress. Like crowding you with his cigarette smell and vanilla cologne as he tells you you’re filling papers wrong, or telling you what colors to paint your nails, or solving your cases before you can even get to them, or teasing you about your shitty car. Today he wouldn’t stop bothering you about your weekend plans like he doesn’t already know exactly where you’ll be. 

“Are you doing anything this weekend?” He’d asked with that devastating smirk and eyebrow raise combo. 

“I have to go buy my secret Santa gift, just like everyone else.” You’d turned away, avoiding eye contact as he scoffed. 

“What about Saturday?” He continued to pry, you wanted nothing more than to shove his perfect ass off your desk. 

“The Christmas party, Javi. Just like everyone else.” You had sighed, squeezing the bridge of your nose as Emilia had walked past your desk. Javier immediately forgot your entire conversation as he turned to her. 

“I love your nails.” He’d pushed his hair out of his face, holding his hand out to take hers, getting a closer look at the well manicured designs. 

You had tuned out after that. Not wanting to be involved in the exchange as you went back to typing. Acutely aware of your own nails. 

Red chipped paint. 

You couldn’t help but wonder what it must be like to be the object of his affection.

It wouldn’t matter if he did hit on you, you would probably reject him anyway. 

Probably. 

It doesn’t matter, it’s never gonna happen so why let it bother you? 

With a sigh you toss the paper into your cup holder, reaching to turn on the radio, maybe some Christmas music will make you feel better. Of course nothing happens as you turn up the volume knob but it makes you want to scream regardless. 

Stupid fucking Peña. 

Stupid broken radio, stupid shitty car. 

“Fuck.” You mumble under your breath as you shift into drive.

Before you know it you’re back in your car in the DEA office parking lot, this time a few things are different though. 

You’re dressed nicer, trading your slacks in for a skirt and your dress shirt for a sweater. And of course you now have a small wrapped box in your lap. 

Since you had yesterday off for the holiday you spent your Friday at the mall, searching for a gift for Javier. Eventually you had settled on three little things; Nicotine gum, mostly because you’ll get more work done if he isn’t constantly dragging you outside for his smoke breaks. He complains too much about going alone and it’s always been easier not to argue, now he can stay at your desk with his gum. Beard oil, the fancy stuff he always insists on using in his mustache. You’d bought him the wrong kind last year for his birthday and you still haven’t heard the end of it. And a lighter, you had to beg the shop owner to make an exception and do a same day engraving of his birthday. 

Jesus. 

You know way too much about him. 

You arrived two hours early as requested by Steve to help him set up. With the wrapped box tucked under your arm you anxiously tap the patterned wrapping paper with your freshly manicured nails. 

“You should paint your nails green, I love green.” He had said through a drag of his cigarette. 

Why did you let that idiot's opinions influence this decision? You feel foolish. The green chrome polish shimmering in the street lights in the parking lot as you step into the building. You had extra time while you were waiting for the engraving and you just couldn’t help yourself when the salon was just a few stores away. The image of Javier holding your hand and examining your painted nails while telling you how nice they looked was just too tempting. Maybe he’d even ask if you did it just for him, and you could drag him into a closet at the party, the exact situation you watched unfold last year. Except in that scenario you weren’t the lucky lady he’d run off with that night. 

There’s no time to be thinking like that.

You shake off whatever filth you were imagining as you look around the hectic mess of garland and glitter.

Steve is already stressing, setting up tables as you set your gift under the tree before getting to work. The office is already mostly decorated but with his new position as supervisor Steve is insistent that everything be perfect his first Christmas in charge. So you plate food, and you mix drinks exactly as he wants them, and you hold the ladder steady when he insists on putting more lights up. When you’ve got about a half an hour before guests start arriving you’re finishing up and last minute touches, the two of you crowded around a drink tower. 

The tension from your conversation yesterday seems to have fizzled out as you become engrossed in your work, when you’ve both finished he gives you an appreciative look.

“Thank you, seriously, it means a lot.” You help him adjust his tie as he straightens out his shirt. 

“Anytime, although I’m surprised you didn’t just ask Javier.” You pat his shoulder as you finish, brushing a stray blonde hair out of his eyes. 

He laughs, a nervous chuckle that makes you raise an eyebrow but when you open your mouth to comment on it he lets out a relieved sigh as the first of your coworkers arrive.

More people show up than you could have expected. 

You stay near Steve for most of the beginning until he gets dragged away by one of the higher ups who had made an appearance, leaving you alone to sip your drink against the back wall. You hum along to a Christmas song that plays loud enough to drown out any conversation you might eavesdrop on to entertain yourself in his absence, your eyes scan the crowds as you try to match up the people you work with with their spouses. 

You’re getting ready to find another group to talk to when you catch a glimpse of him standing against the opposite wall, talking to Bonnie, the woman who works in the cubicle next to yours. 

Fucking Peña. Dressed in a stupidly tight green dress shirt. 

You should leave them alone, especially if he’s trying to make a move on her. But you can’t help it as you make your way around the room towards them, a vague sense of jealousy settling in your stomach. 

String lights twinkle across the ceiling of the office, creating a warm ambience throughout the space, just as you’re about to tap him on the shoulder you overhear their conversation. 

“I had to beg Steve to switch with me, took an hour of convincing and a week's paycheck but it’ll be worth it to see the look on her face.” His back is to you as he leans in closer to Bonnie. 

He’s probably talking about one of the other women from the office. Steve probably had someone Javier was trying to impress and that’s why Steve didn’t want to trade with you, he had already promised his pick to Javier. 

Whatever, you can’t be too bothered about that. It does make you want to return to your spot on the other side of the room but you don’t get the chance to as the music is turned down rather suddenly.

One of the secretaries, Benjamin, stands on a chair, making an announcement that it’s time to do the secret Santa. You manage to twist through the crowds so Javier never sees you, finding his gift and bringing it to where he now stands, simultaneously keeping an eye out for your own gift.  

You hand him the box, watching the way his face lights up. 

“You picked me?” He grins as you nod, carefully peeling back the wrapping paper as you feel a tap on your shoulder. Benjamin waits behind you, leaning in to whisper while you watch Javier open his gift. 

“It was short notice so we didn’t have time to get you a back up gift but your secret Santa told us at the last minute that he forgot to get you something, he promised to bring in something after New Years, I’m so sorry.” You feel a little disappointed as he murmurs but it isn’t that big of a deal, it’s a busy time of year and people can forget things. 

“No worries, do you know who it was? I’d like to at least tell them it’s fine.” You turn away from Javier as he smiles at the nicotine gum, Benjamin's eyes flicker from your face to Javier’s before he gives you a sympathetic look, walking away. 

Javier traded for your name? 

As your head tilts to look at him now you can see the smirk he’s now sporting. 

“ …but it’ll be worth it to see the look on her face.”

Javier had made a conscious effort to get your name just so he could not get you something.

Huh.

That doesn’t feel great. The look he gets to see on your face is betrayal and then just sadness. You don’t really care what the reason for his decision is, you turn and walk away from him regardless. If he tries to say something to you it’s drowned out by the music that starts once again. 

Why are you so upset over some stupid joke? If it had been anyone else you wouldn’t have cared, you’d have brushed it off as a harmless accident but this wasn’t an accident. 

Maybe he didn’t really think of you as a friend. 

Maybe all of the teasing and one-upmanship really was from a place of animosity and you were just too blind and too infatuated to see it. You want to cry but you don’t want to give him the satisfaction so you sift through the bowl of keys, searching for the Star Wars keychain attached to your lanyard but you can’t find it. The combination of the blaring Christmas songs with the frustration you’re currently feeling only makes you more emotional.  

You don’t want to go to the bathrooms where you might run into someone and you can’t go to Steve’s office because he might be talking to his supervisor, so you go to the only place you know there won’t be people. 

Javier’s office. 

You walk as quickly as you can, slipping inside as you slam the door shut behind you, clicking the lock in place before turning around, resting against the door as you feel tears spilling from your eyes. It isn’t until he clears his throat that your head snaps up.

Today is just not your day.

Did he know you’d come here? How the hell did he beat you here? He’s fidgeting with the lighter you bought him, watching it light and go out as he sits with your keys in his other hand. 

Your face feels hot as you take in the sight of him. 

“Give me my keys.” You hold your hand out, wiping your eyes with the other as you wait. Of course he doesn’t hand them over, that would be too easy and today is insisting on being difficult. 

“I really liked your gift. Seriously, this is… outrageously thoughtful.” He murmurs, seemingly unaware of your mood until he takes a closer look at you, his expression shifting as he realizes your eyes are rimmed with red. “Why are you so upset? What happened?” He slides open a drawer, tossing your keys into his desk while you consider calling a cab. 

What a foolish question. 

How could he possibly not know?

“I want to leave, I’m sick of this party.” You turn to leave, maybe Steve can drive you home. 

“Come on, the parties barely started.” He’s on his feet, he doesn’t try to corner you, if anything he sets himself against the wall. 

“And I want to leave.” When you reach for the doorknob he grabs your wrist, holding it as he stares at you, a look of impatience crosses his face. 

“Don’t tell me you’re mad about the secret Santa.” His brows furrow. 

“This isn’t about a stupid secret Santa.”

“It sure seems like it is.” He’s still holding your wrist, why is he still holding your wrist?  

This isn’t about the secret Santa. It’s a lot more than that, and after ages of keeping your thoughts to yourself in front of him you just let it out. 

“This is about the fact that you don’t even care about me enough to make any sort of effort. I know you deliberately chose me, you specifically chose to do this to me and I don’t care that it’s just a stupid prank. It still- It’s still a shitty thing to do.” Your voice starts cracking half way through and you can feel your eyes welling up again but it doesn’t matter anymore, you were wrong, the two of you aren’t friends. 

“So this is about the secret Santa.” 

Of course he wouldn’t get it. 

“You’re an idiot.” You finally pull your wrist from him. 

You aren’t sure what else to do so you shove him, his back hitting the wall with a soft thud as you push past him to get to his desk, hoping to grab your keys but he catches your waist first. 

“Can you stop being so stubborn for five seconds and just let me explain myself?” You can tell his patience is wearing thin, his voice is strained as he pulls you back against him, caging you against his chest with his arms. 

“Fuck Javi- let me go-” You try to kick his knees but he anticipates it, shifting his legs to avoid you.

“Just wait- listen to me.” He swings you around a bit as he tries to still you, you can feel his breath hitching, the buttons of his shirt digging into your back. The two of you thrash around for another moment until you freeze, feeling something poking your hip. When he realizes why you stopped putting up a fight he lets you go in an instant. “Shit- I-I’m sorry.” He stammers as you turn around towards him, eyes wide. 

You never thought you’d see Javier Peña flustered yet here he is. When you take a step back his cheeks are burning red, his fingers twitch nervously at his side, and as much as you try to ignore it, his pants are tighter than usual. (And considering how tight they usually are this is quite a feat.) He won’t look you in the eye. 

“It- It’s fine, Javi.” You adjust the hem of your skirt, trying to fix your hair. You just can’t catch a break today. “It was an accident, there was a lot of- of friction and it happens. I think I should just go.” You stutter a bit trying to find the right words. This entire evening has been catastrophic, and you’re more than ready to call it a night. 

“It’s not an accident.” He mumbles, finally looking at you, not bothering with subtlety as he adjusts himself. “You should probably go.” 

If it’s not an accident you don’t want to go. 

You want to stay and keep making accidents, starting with rushing forward into him, taking his face in your hands and kissing him. Which is exactly what you do. At first he doesn’t react and you worry you read the situation wrong but when you pull away, just an inch, his hands envelop you. 

Hips, waist, back, shoulders, hair. He’s everywhere, all consuming as his teeth graze your lips, in an instant your backside hits his desk.

When he finally does remove his lips from yours his are slick and a tiny bit swollen, his pupils swallow his irises whole. 

“I loved your gift, I wasn’t joking, it’s perfect and the last thing I want is for you to think that I don’t care about you. Of course we’re friends, you-” As he rambles on you ball up the end of his tie, unceremoniously shoving it between his teeth. 

“Talk later, this now.” You grab the bottom of your sweater, pulling it up over your head, watching his jaw tense at the sight of your chest, his hands playing with the strap of your bra as you hop up onto his desk. Hiking your skirt up, he slots himself between your legs, your own fingers push your panties to the side as he reaches behind you, easily twisting the clasp of your bra to release it, tossing it to the side as his enormous palms engulf your breasts. 

You dip your fingers into the wetness between your legs, briefly taking a moment to wonder how you found yourself here. Just moments ago you were ready to leave and consider your friendship with Javier over, yet now you’re spread out on his desk, on display for him as you sink your fingers into your eager cunt. 

You don’t get to linger on the thought for long because he groans into the fabric of his tie and you’re pulled back into the moment. 

Jesus you’re soaked. 

You have no trouble pushing two slick digits into yourself. You can feel the outline of him against your thigh and you know that you need to warm yourself up to take him. He’s too engrossed in your tits to do it right now and you’ve waited too long for this, you don’t want to wait, you just want to have him. 

He’s tender at first, squeezing and softly tracing the outline of your areola until he seemingly can’t control himself any longer and he pinches, rolling your nipples between his thumb and pointer finger as your whine. Back arching of the oak of his desk as you curl your own fingers. Even through the tie his moans are still somehow louder than yours, you’re briefly worried about someone hearing as you let out a whimper while he tweaks your nipple but the music’s so loud at the party you can hear Mariah Carey from here. 

You don’t stop for a second, putting your focus on reaching the peak that you find yourself already getting startlingly close to. You can feel yourself pulsing as you pick up the pace, reveling in the way his eyes devour the very sight of you. You’re agonizingly close when he grabs your wrist, removing your fingers carefully as you try and resist, wanting to finish what you started, you’re about to whine when he begins unzipping his pants. You can feel your pussy clenching at the very sight of him, of course he isn’t wearing any underwear under his dress pants so the second his zipper is fully down his cock springs free.

Javier fucking Peña has a gorgeous cock. 

Standing stiff and proud without either one of you even having to touch it. Pretty and pink on the tip, already leaking down the shaft. And heavy, as he takes it in his hand, his other hand gripping your waist as lines himself at your entrance. He takes a moment, eyes scanning your face, silently asking for permission. 

You can’t nod fast enough but the second that you do he slides into you. 

You could never conjure up something this good in your fantasies. The way he fills you, stretching you open as he whimpers into the fabric of his tie, you like that he listened, that he kept it in his mouth this long. His strokes are needy and fast, like he’s been waiting for this for so long and now he can’t help but be ravenous. You were already painfully close before he filled you with his perfect cock, it takes only a few minutes for you to be right back there. His fingers dig into your waist so hard that you’re certain he’ll leave marks as he slams in and out of you, pulling out almost entirely with every thrust. 

You’re vaguely aware of the sound of his trinkets rolling off his desk and onto the floor. 

“Javi, Javi, Javi.” Between gasps you chant his name, the sound encouraging him as he pushes in deep, his pelvis grinding against your clit until you see stars. Your cunt clenching around him as your orgasm is ripped out of you. Messy and loud and blurry, he fucks you through it. You’re so blissed out you can barely focus on the persistent pounding into you until you manage to come back to your senses and his hands leave your waist, instead intertwining with your fingers as his hips twitch forward and you feel him hastily pull out of you.

He spits his tie out, opting to instead bite your shoulder as he comes, the groan that leaves his throat is obscene. Raspy and filthy as he collapses down on top of you, the two of you sweating and gasping amongst the paperwork and pens now scattered across his desk. 

Did that really just happen?

He manages to collect himself first, leaning back and tucking himself into his pants before quickly tending to you. He grabs a few tissues, wiping your stomach where the product of your activities lay, before redressing you, slipping the flats that had slipped off, back onto your feet, pulling your skirt back down to cover you as he slides your panties back into place, and retrieving your bra and sweater, lifting you into a sitting position as he redresses you, kissing your cheeks, nose, and forehead the entire time. 

“All good?” He whispers, gentler than you’ve ever heard him as you nod, grinning. 

“Good enough to make me forgive you for not getting me a present.” You reach into his drawer, grabbing your keys before sliding off of his desk. 

“Maybe this was your present.” He tilts his head, kissing you again, smiling all the while. 

“That was the perfect gift then.” Probably the best you’ve ever gotten.

“Are you gonna stay for the rest of the party?” He takes your hands in his, his thumbs absentmindedly rubbing circles into your skin. 

“I think I need to go to bed after that.” You laugh as you jingle your keys, turning towards the door as he catches your lips in another kiss. 

It makes your heart flutter. The continued affection makes you think this isn’t a one time thing. You want more. You want conversations about feelings, and to talk about what just happened, you want to feel him inside you again, and the look in his eyes tells you that you’re going to get all of that. But right now you’re tired, so the rest can wait. 

“Can I walk you to your car?” You nod as he murmurs.

He doesn’t let go of your hand, walking you out of the building towards your car, opening the door for you and giving you one last kiss with a promise that he’d call you tomorrow, before you watched him walk back into the building.

Your phone buzzes as you turn your key in the ignition, the sound of Wham! fills the car, Last Christmas playing softly. You take your phone out of your pocket, checking the text notification from Javier. 

[ i forgot to tell you how pretty your nails are. merry christmas hermosa ]

Your head turns up in surprise as you realize your radio is working. A new radio system is installed in the center of your dashboard, with a little green bow taped to the top, and a paper tag with Javi’s familiar messy handwriting. 

from : your secret fucking santa

a/n : happy holidays everyone!!

[spncvr]

HIII I kinda suck at writing so maybe you could take my idea and use your amazing writing skills and make something of it? (Only if you want ofc!!) hear me out yk how Spencer rambles about random facts and everything at the bau imagine if he had a partner (was a profiler as well) and that knew a lot about musics or movies and would ramble about it to him?

Ignore this if it sounds stupid 😭

rambles | s. reid

summary: you talk a lot, spencer doesn't mind.

pairing: spencer reid x reader

warnings: okay so idk if this counts as gn!reader?? but reader wears a dress lol. drinking, and again my terrible english,, lmk if i missed anything!

a/n: hey beautiful!! this deffo does not sound stupid i had fun writing it but this is so bad im sorry i didn't do u justice *crying emoji* also im so sorry this took me forever to finish LMAOOO

masterlist

YOU CAN FEEL it.

In your spine, in your ears. The song’s quiet but it had you in its grip, tight and firm—music’s always been like that to you. It didn’t matter if it was Hendrix, Queen or even Chopin; it has always been the one thing to make you stop dead at your feet. It’s a feeling you can’t quite put your finger on. There wasn’t a word in the English language that could possibly describe how it made you feel. Perhaps, you think humorously, you ought to learn another language, or two. 

You’re wearing this dress. This sweet, white silk thing that sweeps against your knees each time you take a step. The taste of expensive wine sits against your lips, lingering. The glass rests idly around your hand and your grip is careful. Expensive red wine and a cheap dress don't usually mix well together. 

“You okay?” 

You smile, teeth and all. Spencer who’s found his place next to you, furrows his eyebrows worry painted against his soft features. He looks tired. But he’s here, with the rest of the team; he always is.

“Fine,” you say, blasé. “You, Dr. Reid?”

His eyebrows raise slightly, “Yeah, fine.” then, “nice dress.” It’s a small whisper. 

You brush your tongue against the wine on your lips. The comment catches you off guard—especially when he’s dressed like this and looks at you like that. So, all that leaves your wine-stained lips is a small: “Oh.” then, because you remember your manners you say, “Thank you.”

The song changes, and Spencer smiles, “The songs—” he says “they’re nice.”

“I—” You stop yourself from rambling because really, they’re more than nice. It’s Elle Fitzgerald. She’s—Her voice, her instrument is clear as a bell, with diction that’s almost impossible to misunderstand. Her rhythm is— well it’s, you can set her as the metronome for her own band. Which, well, isn’t exactly easy to do. The way she’s able to scoop and bend her pitches with such precision is, beyond, nice. So the song, really it’s, more than nice, it’s a masterpiece it’s—

“Uh, yeah, s’nice.” you pause, “More than nice, really.”

Spencer smiles, amused, “More than nice?” he echoes.

You clear your throat, “It— yeah. I mean, it’s Fitzgerald, you know…”

“I don’t know,” he says simply.

Figures, you think. “No, yeah. She’s, like, got this tone in her voice, you know? And it’s like she’s the one leading the band— with the rhythm, I mean. As in like, instead of the drummer, which isn’t exactly easy to do. You know, actually, some people say she — she’s got the voice of an angel. Or something along the lines; can’t really remember and—” you pause, slightly embarrassed at how much you’ve been talking.

“Er, sorry,” you mumble sheepishly. The edge of your shoes had suddenly become increasingly interesting. “didn’t mean to go on a tangent.”

Spencer kisses his teeth, and you look up to find him grinning. “No, uh,” he scratches the edge of his eyebrow. “You don’t need to apologize for talking about something you like.” He seems to think about his next words as he brushes his hand against your arm. It sends a shiver that lingers longer than the touch itself. Spencer Reid could be so cruel sometimes. 

“I love listening to you talk.”

Your dress ends up wine-stained, anyway.

as usual my inbox is always open for requests (or just to talk lol) but it will take 192374 years to actually finish it,, reblogs are soo appreciated !! (u guys r always so kind idk why im asking for them) so is feedback btw!! (despretely in need of some)

[joequiinn]

As We Combust | Emperor Geta x Priestess!reader

Summary: The Priestess is the only one who can ever tell Geta what to do...

Warnings & Tropes: SMUT, fem reader, both praise AND degradation kink, fingering, oral (fem receiving), sub!Geta, dom!reader, 3rd person pov, historically inaccurate rep of Roman priestesses

A/N: idk I frantically wrote this in an hour like I was possessed. The Priestess is a character I've been working on since the trailer dropped - she's meant to be a reader, though in this instance the 3rd person pov sorta suggests she's an oc maybe she'll become that idk. Something about awful, cruel Geta becoming a pathetic sub for a woman speaks to my soul, so we'll be seeing more of these two in the future~~

W/C: 1,162

!!! MINORS DNI !!!

A blaze so high it lights the night / Long fingernails dug in my skin

Yourself so wet invites me in / Our lust increased feeds desire

As we combust, yeah we on fire / I feel you shake so deep inside

Oh scream my name and squeeze me tight / I'll do anything to make you come

“Look at you, being so good for me.” The Priestess praised in a husky tone, rolling her hips in time with the feverish lapping of Geta’s tongue. She watched through hooded eyes, lips parted with heavy breath, while beneath her the Emperor sat atop his knees, mouth ravenous as he licked at her core. The rumble of his moan vibrated against her sensitive nerves, causing her toes to curl as she threw her head back, “Gods, just like that…”

Her fingers pulled roughly at his hair, nails scratching fiercly against his scalp. Another elicit groan sounded from the Emperor, his own pleasure rapidly mounting as the leg hiked over his shoulder began to quiver. As one hand squeezed the soft flesh of the Priestess’s thigh, his other bounced up and down his cock in jerky, aching motions. He was so close now, the beads of precum wetting his fingers each time he squeezed the bright red head of his cock.

But the Priestess wasn’t there yet, and he knew she’d be displeased should his climax arrive before hers.

Practically whining as he extracted his hand from his pulsing cock, Geta brought that same hand to her slick lips, teasing them momentarily, only to have his hair yanked in disapproval - the Priestess wasn’t one to play nice when teased.

“Behave.” She gasped out, rutting her hips with a stutter against his open, drooling mouth. The command drew more desperate sounds from the pathetic Emperor, who promptly did as he was told and inserted two fingers between her folds, curving them once he was knuckles deep. The sound of intense pleasure that escaped the Priestess was a beckoning siren’s song to his ears, a wanton encouragement to bring her to the cliff’s edge. He dexterously sucked her clit while slowly dragging his fingers in and out, in and out, relishing in the sweet taste and quaking thighs of the Priestess now at his mercy.

“Yes, yes--!” Her pitch increased as she gripped his shoulders, nails so sharp that they broke skin. Her hips rolled with more and more fervor, her chest rising and falling in rapid shudders as Geta’s greedy mouth sucked and licked and nipped at her clit. His fingers slid faster and rougher, practically drenched in the Priestess’s desire as his knuckles slapped against her skin again and again and again. His cock was throbbing, desperate for relief, but he knew better - he knew that the Priestess must come first.

His jaw nearly hurt as he kept lapping her up, but the Emperor dared not disrupt his pace - she was so close, and he needed to watch her come. The Priestess’s leg tightened on his shoulder, her pussy clenching around his fingers, and in his need to make her come absolutely undone, Geta slid one more finger between her drenched folds, causing her toes to curl in eager surprise.

“Fuck--!” Her hands roughly grabbed at his hair, tugging as if her life depended on it. Her voice was a sultry, low moan as she instructed, “Look at me.”

A sound of desperation escaped Geta upon hearing her command; he opened his deep brown eyes and tilted his head back just enough to meet the dangerous, lustful gaze of the Priestess. His tongue swirled her clit, watching hungrily as her lower lip quivered, practically drooling on herself as she rolled her hips against his mouth. Sweat glistened down her neck and chest, highlighting the dip of her collarbone, the curve of her breasts - just the sight of the Priestess alone was nearly enough to ruin him, nearly enough for Geta to spill all over his quaking thighs.

The hooking of his fingers at just the right angle finally sent the Priestess over the edge, her pussy clenching selfishly around him, her eyelids fluttering shut as her head shot back; sounds of utter ecstasy leapt from her dangerous, sultry lips, the seductive call daring to beckon the attention of the entire palace.

Geta’s other hand held tightly to her quivering thigh, realizing with a gasp that he was too close, his coil unwinding to the sound of the Priestess’s gasps. His jaw quaked against her center as he withdrew his soaking fingers, roughly clenching his cock in his hand as if he could somehow control himself. But it was too late for the Emperor, the pressure of his squeezing hand sending him to the brink.

As his warm seed spilled out and drenched his already soaking hand, he withdrew his mouth from the Priestess, a near flustered look in his eyes as he watched the cum drip from his fingers and onto the floor, his moans loud and uneven as his chest heaved deeply.

Still riding out her orgasm, the Priestess clung to Geta for balance, her body shaking and shuddering as she saw stars behind her eyes while coming back down to earth. She finally met the Emperor’s gaze, taking a moment to drink in his dark eyes, his full lips, his flushed face; she realized, then, that he was staring back at her in guilty desire.

The Priestess’s eyes slowly crawled from his face to his leaking cock, staring with both satisfaction and disapproval as she eyed the puddle of cum between his legs. As her tongue traced slowly along her lower lip, her sultry gaze returned to Geta’s face, causing him to practically shiver in anticipation, a breathless gasp leaving his mouth.

“Look at the mess you’ve made,” The Priestess scolded as she caught her breath, lowering her leg from where it had been resting atop his shoulder, “You know better.”

He nodded quickly, his hair sticky with sweat as he watched the Priestess as if hypnotized. She smiled wickedly, relishing in just how pathetic Geta was for her, and her alone. She delicately but firmly pressed two fingers beneath his chin, tilting his head back as she leaned down, the two of them almost nose-to-nose as she assessed him with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. Her teeth were like fangs as she grinned largely and cruelly, looking between his face, his cock, and his mess.

“Clean it up.” Her words were but a hot whisper across his lips, causing the Emperor to shudder as she shoved his face back. She turned to walk from him, her strut slow and sultry as Geta stared at the shiny peach of her ass. She lowered herself into a chair, her stare commanding as ever as she raised a cruel brow, once more looking between him and the puddle of cum he let spill on the floor. She clicked her tongue in reprimand, “Oh, don’t start behaving poorly now. Do as you’re told.”

With a gulp, Geta slowly lowered to the floor, tongue hanging hungrily from between his lips as he dared not break eye contact with the Priestess. Her mouth gaped in intense desire, her eyes a dangerous pair of daggers piercing into his own, “See, you're so, so good for me…”

[puppym3]

OKAY SO I HAD MORE THOUGHTS

virgin!felix being embarrassed about the noises he's making desperately biting his lip so he can keep them down cause there all high pitched and he knows you like his deep voice but your sucking the soul out if him so he can't keep them down and he's all embarrassed

Idk where you could go with this SOOOO ydealers choice lol

Sorry if this is a little weird lol my humiliation kink is wild and there are NOT enough fics about it to satisfy me 😔

♡ ̆̈ felix x reader

wc: 1.4k

warnings: MDNI! 18+, literally just straight smut, shy!felix, sub!felix, dom!reader, oral (m. rec), experimental first time, (lmk if i missed any!)

a/n: thank u my love @lixies-favorite-cookie my mootie! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡ i hope you liked this one!!! i don't mind writing felix fics 4 you guys

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖

You and Felix sat on the edge of the bed, the quiet hum of the night outside the only sound breaking the silence.

Felix’s hand was warm and slightly trembling in yours. You could sense his nervousness, the way his eyes darted around the room, unable to settle on one thing for too long. He bit his lip, a habit you had noticed he did whenever he was anxious.

“Hey,” you said softly, turning to face him and gently cupping his cheek. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

He looked at you, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and desire. “I… I want to,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I just… I’ve never done this before.”

A tender smile spread across your face. “It’s okay, Felix. We’ll take things slow. There’s no rush.”

He nodded, taking a deep breath as if to steady himself. “I trust you,” he murmured, his eyes finally meeting yours.

You leaned in, capturing his lips in a gentle kiss. It was soft and reassuring, a promise that you were there with him, every step of the way. As the kiss deepened, you felt him relax slightly, his hands finding their way to your waist, pulling you closer.

You broke the kiss, looking into his eyes. “Just tell me if you want to stop at any point, okay?”

“Okay,” he agreed, his voice a bit stronger now, bolstered by your reassurance.

You began to undress him slowly, your fingers deftly undoing the buttons of his shirt. With each piece of clothing that fell away, you pressed kisses to his newly exposed skin, making sure he felt cherished and desired. Felix’s breathing grew heavier, a mixture of excitement and nervousness evident in each exhale.

Once he was completely bare before you, you paused for a moment, taking in the sight of his lean, toned body. A faint blush tinted his cheeks, and he averted his gaze, suddenly self-conscious.

You reached up, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. He leaned into your touch, his eyes fluttering closed. You brushed your thumb over his cheekbone, before trailing it down to his lips. He shivered at the sensation, his lips parting slightly as you traced them.

Your eyes locked on his, you leaned in, your mouth hovering just above his. Your warm breath ghosted over his skin, eliciting a soft whimper from his lips. You closed the gap between you, kissing him with a passion and tenderness that left him breathless.

As the kiss deepened, his fingers fumbled with the buttons of your shirt, eagerly trying to get it off. You pulled away, grinning as you took over the task, undoing the last few buttons before shrugging the shirt off and tossing it aside.

Felix gazed at you in awe, his eyes roaming over your bare chest. His cheeks flushed a deep red, and he couldn't help but stare.

"Felix..." you murmured, running your fingers through his hair.

"Sorry," he apologized, his voice shakier than usual. "I've just never seen... um... anything this close..."

"That's okay," you replied, giving him a reassuring smile. "You can touch me, if you want."

He hesitated, then reached out a tentative hand, his fingertips brushing against your skin. You shivered at the contact, and he quickly drew back.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked, worry etched on his face.

You shook your head, laughing softly. "No, you didn't," you reassured him. "It felt good."

Encouraged by this, Felix repeated the motion, his hand lingering a little longer this time. As he began to explore your body, you felt a sense of excitement growing in the pit of your stomach. Your breathing became shallower, and you were unable to suppress the small whimpers that escaped from your lips as Felix's hands roamed over your bare skin.

Felix stopped, his hands hovering above you, unsure. You smiled at him, biting your lip and nodding encouragingly. His face reddening even further, he continued to touch you, his movements becoming more confident as he found himself unable to hold back any longer.

You sighed contentedly, arching your back to press yourself closer to him, your hands tangling in his hair. The sound of his own moans filled the room as his arousal grew, his hands wandering across your skin, searching for a way to quell the burning need he felt within.

A part of you was surprised he was so vocal. After all, you had seen the way he behaved in public. The idea that you could have such a strong effect on him filled you with a heady mixture of pride and desire. You were eager to find out what other noises you could pull out of him, to see what he looked like when he lost himself.

You pulled away, crawling down to get on your knees in front of him. Felix whimpered at the loss of contact, but was quickly silenced when he realized your intentions. His breath caught in his throat as he watched you lean in, pressing a kiss to the tip of his cock.

The kiss became a teasing lick, your tongue swirling around the sensitive head before taking him fully in your mouth. The suddenness of it all made Felix cry out, his eyes closing tightly and his hands clutching desperately at the bedsheets as he bit down on his lip.

It was like music to your ears, the sound of his muffled whimpers and groans as you slowly moved up and down on him, your hand cupping and stroking the parts that weren't able to fit in your mouth. You were enjoying yourself more than you could have ever imagined. It wasn't just that he looked adorable, the way he squirmed and whimpered underneath you. No, it was the feeling of power that you had over him, the ability to bring him so much pleasure with just the use of your lips and tongue.

He was trying desperately to be quiet, not wanting you to hear the desperate whines he made as his pleasure mounted, but the more you teased and tormented him, the harder it became for him to hold back. The way you took him deep into your mouth, your lips and tongue working his aching length in ways he had never dreamed of, made his entire body tense and shiver.

Felix bit his lip, desperately trying to stifle the moans that threatened to escape. His back arched as you took him as deeply as possible, the sensation of your wet heat surrounding his cock causing him to shudder with need. His eyes fluttered open and closed as his mind and body were overwhelmed with sensation.

The sounds that slipped out of his mouth were nothing less than adorable, small whimpers and moans as he lost himself to pleasure. Felix let out a muffled groan, his eyes fluttering open and shut. "S-so... close..."

The heat between his thighs was becoming unbearable, the tension inside him building to a fever pitch as your movements became more erratic. Your name left his lips, a breathless gasp as he felt himself reaching the edge.

Just as you thought he was about to cum, he let out a strained moan, his hand suddenly grasping the sheets tightly as his orgasm overtook him. His entire body seemed to tremble as the pleasure washed over him, leaving him spent and boneless on the bed.

As his breathing began to return to normal, Felix gazed down at you. "I-I'm sorry, I-" His face reddened in shame as he realized what had just happened. He had tried his hardest to hold back, but the feeling of you pleasuring him was simply too much for him to handle. "I didn't mean to..."

You simply smiled at him, crawling back onto the bed beside him. You wrapped your arms around him, holding him close as you pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

"There's no need to apologize," you murmured, gently stroking his hair. "I loved hearing your noises. It's good to know you're enjoying yourself."

Felix blushed, burying his face against your shoulder. He took a shaky breath, nodding against you. "I... I didn't know they would sound like..." He trailed off, too embarrassed to finish the sentence.

You smiled, your fingers brushing against his cheek. "Don't be shy," you cooed, "I think they're adorable."

His blush deepened, a smile forming on his lips despite the embarrassment he was feeling.

"Can I hear them again?" you asked gently.

He hesitated for a moment, before nodding again.

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖

taglist for my beauties : @loverbangchan, @reignessance, @imperfectlyperfectprincess1, @armystay89, @ihrtlix, @jiyeonslays, @lovestaysblogs, @jeyelleohe, @celebration88

[sahisan]

★ summary: scaramouche x fatui!fem!reader. you lost some important documents, and now he's giving you a punishment.

☆ cw: nsfw(?). drabble. this is either nsfw or really, really suggestive. spanking. mention of reader wearing a skirt. scara's a bit rough. idk what else to write, there's not much of anything else. 717 words.

"speak." scaramouche's stern voice can be heard behind you.

you don't think you're able to talk right now.

you're settled ass up and bent over his knees, your skirt slid down to your ankles, your lacy panties still on - as if upon seeing the garment he decided that he'll keep it on for his advantage. your flushed face was hidden in the crook of your folded hands that rested on the bedhseets. you didn't have the strength to look back at him even once.

"i thought i said something." scaramouche spoke again, firmly spanking your red buttcheek once more - is this... fifth ot sixth time? you forgot to even count. you barely hold back a mewling gasp from the sharp pain that muffles by your position.

you knew your mistake, you know you did something wrong, and this was the punishment.

a perfect punishment, in fact. but an embarrassing one.

"i-i'm sorry!..." you mutter, head slightly tilting to the side for him to, at least, be able to hear you. "you know i really a- ah!.."

"i've heard that already." he hisses, his palm hitting another one of your asscheeks yet again to shut you up, hearing another small yelp that you couldn't hold back in time, his palm now rubbing the skin he had just hit. to prepare you for more or to comfort you - you couldn't know exactly. "didn't you say you'd be more responsible?"

"i- i did, but it was-"

"no buts." he cuts you off, and another skin slapping sound is heard as he speaks. you whine, starting to writhe, but his other hand grabs you under your belly and steadies your hip with a frim grip on it.

your face buries even more in the crook of your hands as you understand just how damp is the cloth of your panties. embarrassing.

"i only asked you to deliver some documents to pantalone. it's been two days. where are the documents, [name]?" he pronounces every word in a serious tone and with pauses, emphasizing every and each one.

he frowns when you don't reply.

"i. slap can't. slap hear. slap you. slap." scaramouche smacks your buttcheeks one by one, one spank after each word.

oh, how scara loves seeing the pink and irritated flesh on your ass go ripple after each time his palm spanks you. and gods he loves hearing your cute little mewls, whimpers and yelps every times he smacks your sensitive skin. and he doesn't even try to deny that now that he thinks about it, it's not a punishment anymore - he's doing all of this just for your reactions. and he damn well knows from the damp cloth of your panties you're enjoying this too, a little too much.

"i- i lost them, okay?!.. i just lost them!..." you raise your high-pitched voice a bit for him to be able to hear you properly, your head doesn't move from its position, your flushed face remains hidden in your hands and hair.

scaramouche goes silent. this is when you tense up.

"...repeat yourself." he says after a small pause, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. his palm laid flat on one of your rosy buttcheeks, as if warning you. you swallow.

"i... i lost the documents.." you mumble, now a bit more quietly. "l-look, they might be somewhere in my drawe- aah-!..mmn-"

"you little minx," he growls, grabbing a handful of your hair and yanking your head back to see your face. you yelp, hands coming to grab the bedsheets to keep steady, eyes focused on him, lips slightly parted. "i thought we've already talked about that, [name]."

"i know, i know, i-i'm sorry, scara!.." you say, eyebrows knit together in a sympathetic look. he knows damn well you absolutely love it when he pulls on your hair, so he tugs on your hair once more, making you face him and let out a small, shaky whimper.

"a simple "sorry" won't do it, and you know it." scaramouche leans in, lips hovering dangerously close to your ear, sending shivers down your spine immediately. he slaps his palm across your buttcheek again, reminding you who's in charge here.

"i hope those pretty lips of yours still remember how to beg properly, because you'll definitely need that knowledge right now."

[thesolarangel]

Claim me

Halsin x plus size GNC reader · rating: +18 · words: 652

content warnings: Breeding kink (no mentions of pregnancy), creampie, size difference, PIV Sex, dirty talk, hair pulling, unprotected sex (don’t do this IRL!)

read here on AO3

Here here and here is some spicy fanart that inspired me!

The first time you laid with Halsin a few weeks ago was romantic, gentle and you’d remember that night forever. Him whispering sweet adorations into your ear, softly nibbling at your lips and slowly stroking over your body with his large hands.

This wasn’t going to be anything like it.

“If it gets too much, you know the word and I’ll stop immediately”, he reminded you in a loving tone. You had talked about this in detail beforehand.

You sent a silent prayer to the oak father that you won’t be needing your safeword. Halsin had prepared you generously with his broad fingers and plenty of lubricant. You were ready.

“I know…” you cupped his face. Your hand looked tiny as you caressed his cheek with your thumb. You gazed deeply into his eyes. “Fuck me, please, Halsin. Don’t hold back.”

Halsin positioned himself at your entrance and pushed slowly inside. You moaned with pleasure as he fed you inch for inch of his glorious cock. Once he was fully inside you and had given you a moment to adjust to his girth, his face changed.

He loomed over you, an almost feral expression on his face, his large shape shadowing over you, ready to pounce. 

Halsin grabbed your plump waist, your love handles, and started slamming into you mercilessly, his massive cock hitting your g-spot in an unyielding manner, making you see stars.

Heavens, he was big.

And you loved it. 

You whined needily, grasping desperately at his broad forearms, urging him to go harder, faster.

“You want me to claim you? Make you mine?” Halsin’s voice was low and rumbling, his hunger for you coming from deep inside him.

Your answer got lost in a choked noise as he thrust deeper into you.

Suddenly Halsin slipped out, leaving you empty, but before you could complain about it, he had already turned you over onto your knees. He grabbed your hips with one hand and held you down with the other on your neck and slammed back into you with reckless abandon.

The sounds of his rough grunts, your high-pitched whines, and his balls slapping against your skin filled the room.

“You want me to fill you up… You want my seed?” He grunted above you, his words going directly to your pussy and you clenched around him.

“Please… claim me.. fill me up!” you cried out desperately. You were so close.

And with that, he took a fist full of your hair and pulled while fucking into you hard and fast. Your orgasm hit you with such brutal force, it pushed the air right out of your lungs, and the wrecked noise you were about to make got stuck in your throat. He fucked you through your orgasm, his movements getting more and more erratic and with a few short but hard thrusts he spilled inside you. 

Halsin groaned loudly, pushed inside once, twice, three more times as he filled you up with his seed. There was so much of it, it oozed out of you, making a mess on the sheets.

After a few minutes, he carefully slipped out and turned you back around gently.

“Are you alright, my little flower?” he whispered, kissing your forehead.

“I am… amazing, Halsin, my love,” you uttered, still a little out of it, floating with pleasure and love for him. You gave him a little kiss, before he got up to fetch something to clean you both up with.

Then you got comfortable under the sheets, Halsin spooning you from behind, wrapping his big arms around you. You felt safe and loved. And very sleepy, but immensely satisfied.

“My heart, I love you so much” Halsin murmured into the crook of your neck as the both of you drifted off to sleep.

tag list: @lordoftheelves @orehuna @bunnydiamond ? idk who else to tag, so if you'd like, I'd be happy to tagy ou next time!

dividers by @cafekitsune and @saradika-graphics

[tonowarii]

this is probably a lame idea, but can you write a one shot that takes place sometime after twow. where tulkun are returning again and ao'nung tells his spirit brother that he became mated with sully!reader? maybe reader is clueless what they're talking about idk. i just want some established relationship fluff with him and there are not a lot of writing like that 😣

DEFINITELY NOT A LAME IDEA!! BUT IM SO SORRY I THINK ITS TOO SHORT!

ao'nung x gn! reader

It was an ordinary day. The Sully family welcoming the day by spending the time together in their marui. Laughing and catching up with each member of the family. Their laughter was cut off when the horn sounded again, and they heard it.

“Everyone, the Tulkuns have returned!”

Your ears perked up at the sound of Tsireya’s joyous voice. It had been something you hadn’t heard in a long time. All of your siblings looked at each other, excitement filling your eyes as you all scrambled to stand up and race outside your marui.

Neteyam laughs in victory being the first one to step foot outside. “No fair, bro!” Lo’ak playfully shoves Neteyam as Spider came second with you. Then Kiri and Tuk.

“Let’s go!” Tuktirey shouts, running and calling for her ilu.

Everyone followed her, but Lo’ak went out of his way to go over to Tsireya. While an all too familiar figure walks towards you, his signature smile plastered onto his face.

You already feel your body reacting on its own as you smiled back, cheeks warming. “Hey there.” Ao’nung greeted, taking a glance out in the sea to find everyone finding their own spirit sibling.

“Care to join me?” Ao’nung offers his hand.

Who were you to refuse your mate?

“Gladly.” You reply, taking his hand. Ao’nung called to his ilu and you already made your way behind his back, your arms wrapping around his waist as he looks hack at you.

“Ready?”

Once you have him a nod his ilu was off, diving into the ocean. Ao’nung’s eyes scanned the water for his own spirit brother.

It also registered to you that this’ll be the first time you’d see his spirit brother, and you suddenly got nervous. But you really did not have the time to learn what they were saying, so it made you all the more nervous.

Once Ao’nung finds his spirit brother, his smile grows approaching the Tulkun.

His ilu slows.

Your eyes then travelled to the creature in front of you. It was huge and it had the same tattoos on its belly like on Ao’nung’s arm. Your eyes widened. Then the two of you dismount his ilu.

You watched as Ao’nung approached his tulkun, signing his greetings which you knew.

`I see you, brother’ Ao’nung signs towards his spirit brother, who in turn sounded his reply.

Your smile only grew seeing Ao’nung catch up with his tulkun. But to be honest, you really didn’t know what he was saying, nor what his spirit brother was saying.

On Ao’nung’s point of view, however.

Ao’nung takes a glance at you before signaling for you to come closer.

You shy, but follow him as you swam beside him, facing his tulkun.

‘This is (Y/N)’ He signs to his spirit brother.

You could hear him squawk in a high pitch tone.

‘And they’re my mate’ Ao’nung signs rather proudly.

You were still confused as Ao’nung’s smile grew as his brother responded.

‘That is amazing news, I feel the two of you are made for each other’

Ao’nung nods before replying ‘I don’t know what I’d do without them, I’m really thankful for it’

Then his spirit brother turns to look at you and you swore by the way its head tipped down and its eyes bore into yours that it had accepted you. You smile, signing your greeting.

After they had caught up, Ao’nung invited you to ride with his spirit brother.

‘Hold here’ He signs, patting its fin. You follow, placing your hands on its fin. Ao’nung did the same beside you as he signals his tulkun brother to go.

Then you both were being swam around, doing a couple of loops.

Ao’nung occasionally glances at you, his heart being overwhelemd as you had a huge grin on your face as you signed ‘Thank you’ to his tulkun.

And after that, the two of you found yourselves atop his tulkun, sitting across from each other.

“Ao’nung, I cannot describe how this makes me happy.” You say, referring to him and his tulkun’s connection.

“He knows who you are already.” He replies, taking your hand in his and stroking the back of it.

“He likes you.” Ao’nung said after you didn’t respond. “Really?”

“Yes, really, you know what else he said?” Ao’nung smirks at you, now pulling you close to trap you in a hug.

“What?”

“That we’re made for each other.”

[inmyheaddd]

play stupid games, win stupid prizes - jameson hawthorne x reader

a/n: this feels different from my usual writing style, idk if i like itt, lmk what u guys think! warnings: swearing, suggestive jokes??, possibly ooc jameson (his fboy era), popular reader x popular jameson wc: 1k masterlist

you couldn’t have been more reckless. really. jameson hawthorne? out of all the people?

it was supposed to be a one time thing, a stupid 7 minutes in heaven dare at a stupid party, his stupid friend who gave him your number, and his stupid decision to text you after the party. and your stupid decision to text him back.

—

lunch break finally came. you were sitting in the cafeteria as your friend swirled her iced coffee, “girl, how’d you get jameson hawthorne to literally be thirsting over you?”

you giggled and looked at him briefly, he was sitting a few tables over, but you could see the way his eyes were fixed on you. 

you shrugged as you turned your attention back at your friends. “guys, it’s not even that big of a deal, we’re barely even together.” the smile on your face said otherwise, one of your friends raised her eyebrows at you.

“i promise! besides, he’s the king of “casual,” and “mixed signals,” you know? i shouldn’t get my hopes up.” 

“i mean, this whole thing has been going on for 2 months now, things with him usually last a week. he’s definitely feeling something.”

“stop!” you exclaimed with a laugh, “you’re actually going to get my hopes up. don’t do that!” you snuck a glance over to his table, and he was talking to his friends.  

like he could sense your gaze, he looked at you, offering you a wink with his signature smile. you smiled back and looked back at your friends, only to find them all looking at you with the same expectant, knowing look on their face. 

“what?” your voice pitched higher, you felt like you were in court.

“you look so in love, it kind of sickens me.” your best friend piped up. 

“i’m not in love.” you shot back. a little crush was way different.

—

it was the end of the school day, jameson found you after class and walked to the car park with you. “i saw you at lunch today,” he glanced at you before wrapping his arm around your shoulders, steering you both to his car. 

“yeah? i saw you too.” you tried to bite back a smile as you glanced up at him. 

he hummed, “you seemed excited, what were you talking about?” the teasing tone in his voice was as clear as day.

“not you,” you replied, rolling your eyes at his cheshire cat smile, and when it only widened at your reaction, you continued. “i can assure you.”

he chuckled, “yeah well, some of your friends can be very loud. i wouldn’t be too sure.” 

you pursed your lips, “hmm, i have no idea what you’re talking about.” you shook your head, trying to change the subject before your cheeks could heat up any more. “where is your car anyway?” 

“relax, princess. i know where i’m going.” he chuckled, before finally arriving at his car. 

it was new, you realized. bright red, convertible, lamborghini, and the license plate was different. 

it wasn’t his usual “WRECK2002”, and after looking for another second, you noticed something.

“are those our initials?” you couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of jameson picking it out. it was cute in a way. 

“yes, they are. you like it?” his hand traveled up and down your back as he watched your reaction.

you hummed, “it’s alright, i guess.” you said smiling at him, knowing fully well you were obsessed.  

his grin widened as he cocked his head to the side. “guess i’ll have to do better next time, then.” he replied with another wink, before he opened the passenger seat door for you. 

“guess so,” you said, not tearing away from his gaze once as you got in. 

he closed your door for you, and then began to lean over the window. 

his lips hovered over yours, teasingly close, making your breath hitch. your eyes flickered down to his lips.

but then he pulled back, moving a strand of hair out of your face and giving you a grin. you couldn’t help the scoff that escaped your lips, and he he chuckled at that. douchebag.

—

he got into the drivers seat and started the car, one hand on the wheel as he leaned back in his chair. 

you tried to ignore the way his adam’s apple was on full view, the way his jawline looked so sharp, you really did, but it was damn near impossible. 

“where to, princess?” 

“my house, obviously. where else?” you replied with a hint of sarcasm.

he shot you a look, one corner of his mouth lifting. “and here i thought you’d want to take a detour. maybe show you a few of my favorite spots?”

“and what might those be?” you asked, playing along, even though you already knew where this was going.

“let’s see…” he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, pretending to think. “well, there’s this one place, it’s called my bedroom.”

you rolled your eyes, unable to stop the smile tugging at your lips. “you’re nothing if not predictable, jameson.”

“predictable?” he repeated, feigning offense. “i’ll have you know, i’m full of surprises.”

“oh really?” you asked, leaning back in your seat, watching as he drove with one hand casually draped over the wheel, the other resting dangerously near your leg. “surprise me then.”

he glanced at you with an amused look on his face briefly, before turning his gaze to the road. you couldn’t miss the mischievous glint in his eyes and his turned up lips. “you should be careful what you wish for.”

—

he pulled up to your house, and before you could move, he was already opening your door, standing so close you could feel the heat radiating off him.

his eyes flickered to your lips, and your hands found their way to his chest. just as he was about to break the space, you took a step back, on your tiptoes reaching up to ruffle his hair. 

after muttering a small, “thanks for the ride,” and walking off, smiling to yourself in achievement, jameson let out a scoff of amusement, maybe even disbelief.

just as you got to the door, you turned around, giving him a little finger wave.

jameson was still standing there, dare you say even gobsmacked. his head was tilted to the side, and his eyes were narrowed ever so slightly. he had a challenging grin on as his face as he waved back, sending you a chin nod.

—

as you lay in bed, facetiming your friend and giggling nonstop about what happened, a thought crept in. whatever this was with jameson, you silently hoped it wouldn’t end up like everything else with him usually did —wrecked.

taglist: @sweetlikeanangel @x-liv25-jamieswife @thecircularlibrary @wish-i-were-heather

@whatsamongus @littlemissmentallyunstable @sheisntyou @maybxlle

@anintellectualintellectual @tornqdowarnings @emelia07 (if you would like to be added or removed lmk 🤍)

[itsjustrosee]

Hii!!! Im literally in love with your work 😍it’s so good!!!! I was wondering if you could do a Minho x fem reader where the reader is really feisty and sassy on the outside but soft and scared inside. So when she first comes up in the box as the only girl, her fight or flight instincts come in and she starts running (sorta like Thomas in the beginning of the movies) and she almost makes it into the maze (bc shes really fast) but bumps into Minho who’s on his way out. He grabs her and after that he was instructed to always keep you in his sights bc he’s the only one who can handle/calm you? And you become a runner with him and grow feelings. Something like that idk!

Very cute idea!! I loved writing this, thank you so much for the request!!! This definitely helped me get out of my writing slump so thank you <3

UNDER CONTROL Minho x Fem!reader

Context: look above for summary ^

Warnings: Spice and cursing

Wordcount: 3.4k

! proof read but there might still be some mistakes !

You woke up just to be greeted by almost pitch-black darkness. Questions raced through your mind as your eyes slowly adjusted to your surroundings.

You were in some sort of box. All four walls, including the floor and the ceiling, were made of metal, and you could say that it was almost like you were stuck in a crate of some kind.

There were boxes of food and clothes around you but you didn't have much time to focus on that, not when the cage you were in moved up what seemed like some sort of elevator shaft at an alarming speed.

You tried standing up but you couldn't keep your balance. You landed right back on the floor so you shuffled over into a corner of the box, screaming for help until your throat became raw and you didn't have enough energy to scream anymore.

Hot wet tears streamed down your cheeks and you eventually passed out from exhaustion. When you opened your eyes again, the shaft was still moving but then suddenly it came to an abrupt halt.

You stayed in the corner, curious about what was to come next. Thoughts raced in and out of your brain as you tried to come up with an explanation as to why you were stuck in this cage. But that only made you question even more things. Where had you been before this? Who had you been before this? Who are you?

Your thoughts were interrupted as the crate's ceiling opened, and sunlight from above poured into your box. You looked up as your eyes adjusted to yet another change in lighting and to your surprise, you saw a large group of boys huddled around the perimeter of the box. They all stared at you, some shocked and some surprised.

You heard a couple whoops and hollers being exchanged from those above you and you could hear someone exclaim, "It's a girl!"

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Suddenly a hand reached down to pull you out of the box, "Welcome to the Glade shank," A boy with odd-looking eyebrows explained, the tone of his voice not welcoming once so ever.

"Come on Gally be nice to the greenie, I mean she is a girl," Another boy said, talking to the one who pulled you out of the box who you now knew was Gally. The boy who was talking to Gally was blonde and different from the others, he had a British accent.

You grabbed the hand of the boy hesitantly and got pulled up to the surface. You felt relieved to be standing on grass, let alone solid ground, until you actually looked at everyone around you. The only people you could see were boys. Only boys.

So that's what they meant. You were the only girl there.

Oh fuck no.

That was the only thing on your mind as you sprinted away from everyone. You shoved past the crowd of boys and ran. You ran like your life depended on it. Your heart beat out of your chest as you flew past everyone, you didn't even know where you were going but you just didn't want to be near anyone else, especially not them. This was too overwhelming for you and you shut your eyes as your mind raced almost as fast as you.

Just as you thought you would be successful in your escape, you slowed down your pace just slightly, finally opening your eyes and looking in front of you.

Walls. Four ginormous stone walls loomed over you.

All you could do was stare at them as you continued running, in awe and in horror.

You were too busy peering up at the walls to even notice the boy that you ended up running right into. You slammed into his chest but he barely even got knocked back by you, even though you ran like hell straight into him.

You subconsciously gripped onto both of his biceps with your hands to steady yourself while his hands both flew to your waist to keep you from falling. As you picked your head up to get a look at the person you collided with, your heart practically beat out of your chest.

Jesus Christ this man is hot.

He was much taller than you, your head only reaching his collarbone. He had a muscular frame and from what you could tell from the veins and muscles on his forearms, he was strong.

But it wasn't just his figure that made him attractive, it was also his face. He had a sharp jawline and a pair of hooded dark brown eyes that drew you in, like there was something just so captivating about them but you didn't know what it was.

As he looked you up and down for a moment, he had a mix of shock and realization on his face. "You must be new here, huh?" He said with a soft grin. God even his voice sounded hot.

You could only stare back at him, a look of terror on your face as you did so. As you looked past him and back to the walls, your eyes prickled with tears, ones that threatened to start streaming down your face any second.

Whoever the boy who stood in front of you was, took one good look at your face and his expression softened. "Hey look at me," He said, removing one of his hands from your waist and putting it on your chin as he moved your head so you'd look at him. "This whole thing seems terrifying, trust me I know, but it isn't as bad as you would think." He finished while putting his hand back on your waist.

"Where am I?" You squeaked out, your voice still slightly hoarse from all the screaming you'd done when you'd been stuck in that box.

"The glade," The boy answered. You gave him a look of confusion because it's not exactly like his reply really answered your question. He opened his mouth to speak again, "Alright it's kind of hard to explain all of this, and I really can't tell you all of it now. I know it seems unfair but you have to trust me, you'll learn everything in time."

"Okay," You mumble out with a small nod of your head.

"My name's Minho by the way," He adds as he removes his hands from your waist and crosses his arms, you quickly follow suit and take your hands away from his biceps and put them to your side. "You might not remember your name now, but you'll get it back in a couple d-" You cut him off before he can finish.

"(Y/N)." You say, the name almost sounding foreign to you, "My name is (Y/N)." You muster out again, this time more slowly as if you're actively trying to tie yourself to that name again.

"(Y/N), huh? You know, most people don't get their names back until a day or two out of the box. It's impressive that you remembered yours so quick." He says with a smile that makes your heart melt.

"Guess I'm lucky then," You say while the tips of your lips drag up to form a small smile.

"Guess so," Minho says, returning your smile as he looks back at you.

You hear footsteps approach and you turn around quickly, taking a step back as you do so. Minho puts a hand on your shoulder and suddenly you feel safe, protected almost, by his presence. You take a deep breath in, and a deep breath out. You don't need to run.

Your eyes land on the thankfully smaller group of boys than before, walking up to you and Minho. "Jeez Minho how the hell'd you calm her down?" Someone says while another replies, "Guess he's just skilled with the ladies," Nudging his friend's arm as they both snicker.

"Slim it Fry. You can't blame the poor girl for being totally freaked. I would've done the same if I were her," The blonde one states.

"Alright settle down," One of the boy's who is walking with them states. He's different from the rest though, he looks older, not by much, but just enough to set him apart. He holds himself with confidence and his voice drips with authority and respect.

The two boys next to him quiet down as they walk over. Gally, the Brit, the guy whose name is Fry, a short chubby kid who radiates little brother energy, and the one who you're assuming is the leader, all stood in front of you.

"That was quite the run you made there." The leader states before continuing, "I'm Alby, I sorta run this place, and this," He points to the blondy, "Is Newt, my second in command." He says while Newt gives you a wave.

"I'm (Y/N)." You state.

"Wow, you already remembered your name? It took me a while to remember mine," The chubby boy replies, looking at you as if you're the coolest person he's ever met.

You give him a warm smile and as you're about to speak, someone else cuts in, "Oh slim it Chuck. No one cares," Gally says rudely, "Shouldn't you be cleaning up klunk in the toilets right now anyways?" Gally says with a chuckle.

For some reason, you feel compelled to defend this little kid. "Don't talk to him like that. You don't run the place, so who are you to go around telling everyone what to do?" You say taking a step forward towards Gally. You disliked him already, despite only knowing him for a couple of minutes.

"I can talk to him however the shuck I want, greenie." Gally sneers as he steps towards you. "You just got here and I don't think that you'd want to get on my bad side already." He spits out.

You scoff, "Honestly, I couldn't care less whether or not I'm on your 'bad side'." You grin while mocking him which only makes him angrier. You're now standing toe to toe with him and his face was only inches away from yours. "What are you going to do, huh? Fight me?" You say while finding your ability to get a rise out of him beyond entertaining.

"You little-" Newt pulled Gally away from you before he could do anything he might regret but you just stayed right where you were. This wasn't over, not in your eyes at least.

"Oh come on. Let him at me. I mean look at him, he's practically frothing at the mouth like some sort of wild animal." You say with a chuckle, meanwhile, he looks like he wants to maul you, but you could care less. "What? Are you afraid of getting your ass beat by a girl or something?"

That was all it took for Gally to pounce on you, but Minho pulled you to his side with two firm hands on your hips before he could reach you. Gally missed the both of you in his attempt to tackle you, resulting in him on the ground. While he tried to get up, both Newt and Fry had to hold him back.

"That's enough." Alby's voice booms while stepping between you and Minho and Newt, Fry and Gally. "Gally you've been here for far longer than she has and you are well aware of our rules here," Alby states while staring at Gally, who, after thrashing around, stands on his knees and finally calms down. Neither of the boy's grip on him gets any softer though.

While Alby lectures the both of you, Gally's too busy glaring at you. He was giving you a look that would seem threatening if anyone else was doing it, but his eyebrows shred the illusion of it being anything close to scary or intimidating.

"Alright Gally you get one night in the slammer, and you," He turns his attention to you, "Though you didn't put your hands on Gally, you should still be held responsible for some of this."

"That's fair," You say with a shrug.

"Minho you aren't allowed to leave her side for the next week," Alby states without missing a beat.

"Wait, what?" Both you and Minho say in unison.

"But I need to go in the maze, how is she supposed to be with me then?" Minho questions.

"That won't be a problem because you will be teaching her to become a runner," Alby explains before looking at you, "I've seen a lot of shanks come up through that box and claim they want to be a runner all for the glory of it, but you, you can actually run." You feel a sense of pride as Alby finishes speaking.

Gally finally gets up and starts walking away and Fry walks with him. As Newt stands up, he whispers something into Alby's ear.

"Minho you're going to have to keep her under control and tour her around the glade tonight after you go to the maze room, alright?" Alby confirms.

"Alright," Minho replies in agreement and both Newt and Alby begin to walk away. He takes his hands off your hips and stands in front of you before you can walk away.

"Well, that was quite the introduction you made for yourself, huh?"

"Dude, what do you expect me to do? Do you guys just let him talk to people like that?"

"Well, unfortunately, that's just kind of the way that he is."

"Now that's just a shitty excuse," You say, rolling your eyes.

"Look, I'm not the biggest fan of the way he acts either but you just need to get to know him." He says while shooting you a pleading look.

"Yeah, I think I'll pass." You say with a chuckle.

"Okay I get it, you don't need to be friends with him or anything, you just need to get along with him well enough," Minho says with a sigh.

"Alright fine. I will."

"Good," Minho says with a smile, "Meet me at the box after dinner, I'll show you around the glade afterward."

You give him a thumbs-up and he turns away, walking to, you're assuming, some place called 'the maze room'.

Just as you're about to walk away, to god knows where because you seriously don't even know where the hell you are, you stop in your tracks as you feel someone tug on the hem of your shirt from behind you.

You turn your head to see the kid from before that you defended, and immediately your expression softens.

"Hey, you need something?" You ask softly while turning towards him.

"Oh um, no, I just wanted to thank you for earlier," He says and you are literally fighting every urge you have to just hug this kid and squeeze the shit out of him. "Not many people are really willing to stick up for me around here, so, thank you."

"Of course. I mean, I couldn't just let that loser push you around like that,"

He gives you a genuine smile before speaking again, "My name's Chuck by the way."

"Chuck, huh? Well, it's nice to meet you Chuck," You say, returning his smile, "You wouldn't mind showing me where we have dinner would you? I don't know where the hell I am," You add with a chuckle.

Chuck agrees happily, and soon enough, you were sat down on a bench at a table eating dinner. You sat down with Chuck and a few others, and you made sure that you stayed as far away from Gally as possible.

After dinner, Minho showed you around and told you about the glade and how everyone was kept in here in some maze. Honestly, you couldn't focus on a word he was saying because you couldn't keep your eyes off the way the moonlight perfectly hit his face. It made him look like some kind of god, and to you, staring at him was far more interesting than realizing you all were stuck in here like some sort of lab rats.

Ok so maybe you developed a little crush on him. Who could blame you? He was hot, but he also had a really good personality. The type of personality that lights up a room, one that makes people want to be around you. That's what Minho had.

As you got to know him more while in the maze and out of it, your feelings couldn't help but grow deeper. Not to mention that he was the only person in the whole glade that could actually handle you. Well, Chuck could too, you had become very close with him, but when it came to fights, you told him to stay out of it. After all, you always knew that Minho would be there to pull you away and calm you down, so you didn't want Chuck to bother getting himself into trouble while trying to bail you out.

And tonight was no different. You'd gotten into an argument with Gally at the bonfire, but this one was worse than most. His words were harsher this time, and it pushed you over the edge.

Minho could tell that you actually felt hurt at what Gally said, so he dragged you out of the bonfire and into his hut where he hugged you as you cried into his shoulder.

You never cried in the glade, not once, yet as Minho hugged you, his arms wrapped around your back tightly as he rubbed circles into it, you couldn't help but let out soft sobs into his shirt.

"Shh," Minho whispered into your ear, "Let it out. You're safe here," His words made your heart melt, partially because he was being so nice to you and partially because he was right. It didn't matter where you were, as long as Minho was there, you felt safe.

"It's just so stupid, I shouldn't be crying over this. He's mean to me all the time I need to get over it," You sniffled, your words muffled by the material of his shirt as you spoke into it.

Suddenly, Minho moved his hands to your shoulders and pulled you away from him slightly so you could face him. "Don't say that, alright? It's not stupid." Minho explained, "He was being a total shuck face you have a right to feel frustrated," He said while taking a thumb and whipping a tear from your cheek.

He rested his hand on your cheek as he looked into your eyes and you felt your face flush.

Suddenly, there was a thick tension between both you and Minho. It was a mix of longing and desire, which only intensified after looking back at him.

You couldn't help but glance down at his lips for a split second, hoping he didn't see it but he definitely did. His hand wrapped around your back moved to your waist as his face leaned into yours, and your lips collided with his.

He kissed you softly and tenderly and you couldn't help but kiss him back with the same amount of passion. You moved your arms around his neck as you melted into his touch. You wish you could savor everything about the way he kissed you.

Minho slid one of his hands down your shirt and up your bare back, causing shockwaves to spread throughout your entire body because of the skin-to-skin contact.

The kiss deepened as he became more and more passionate and desperate with you. You slipped your lips open to allow his tongue to enter your mouth and he proceeded to explore every inch of it.

The ache between your legs only grew greater as you felt Minho's bulge press onto it. He hummed into your lips as he moved his hand from your cheek to under the front of your shirt.

Suddenly, he pulled away, biting down on your bottom lip as he did so. He moved his lips to your jaw, down your neck, and eventually down to the sensitive skin on the crook of your neck. He softly bit and then sucked on the skin, leaving a hickey that multiple people were guaranteed to point out tomorrow.

You moaned softly as he did so, and before you and Minho could continue, you heard the door knob of Minho's hut open.

Shit.

"Hey (Y/N) I wanted to apologize for earlier, I didn't mea-" Gally begins to say, but you can imagine the rest of the words get caught in his throat as he sees you and Minho before him.

"Gally get the shuck out-" You say loudly but before you can even continue, Gally's already out of the door as quickly as he came in.

Alright guys, I did it! Heres another request fulfilled!! I actually really liked how this one turned out and I hope you guys do too!!!

I also wanted to thank each and every one of you who's been supporting me even while I haven't been super active, it really means a lot to me <33

ALSO THANK YOU GUYS FOR 50 FOLLOWERS!!!!! that is literally so insane to me. I cannot thank you guys enough for how kind you've all been

[aaaaafro]

Princess. Must Handle With Care! - IVE - Wonyoung x M! Reader (+18)

tw: idk lol just seggs, I've gotten too lazy to proofread.

Have you ever held something so precious that it might just break at the lift of a finger?

It's like getting handed a precious diamond, polished to its perfection, that even leaving a print of your finger on it would be detrimental to its value.

That's the feeling of having Wonyoung's skin against your touch. A diamond in its perfection, it feels illegal just grazing a part of her skin, but yet you're...

"AHHH! Fuck!" The girl hiss as you threw her almost inhumanly easy, on the thankfully soft bed.

"A-are you mad?" Her soft innocent tone paired with her glassy eyes on the verge of tears was such an irony from her earlier state.

"No..." Your answer helps slightly ease up the lady.

"I'm fucking fuming." Each syllables etching fear and excitement in Wonyoung as she struggles to keep her composure.

Your reasoning is coming back slowly seeing Wony squirming, as tears start to fall down her pearl like face. Just as then you're able to keep your sanity, before you questioned yourself, if its even worth it to continue your fit.

"W-why d-daddy?" And there goes the remaining guilt in yourself.

"Holy fuck, you really can't fucking control yourself?"

"N-no daddy~" Her voice trailing off almost as if she's teasing more rather than pleading for her well being.

"Couldn't you just fucking contain yourself until we're home?"

"B-but!" Wony tries to answer.

"But?! But what?! Nothing! You really should realize what you've just done!"

Wonyoung stayed silent as she tucks herself on her knees sulking as she reminisces about the moments leading to where you two are.

- - - - - flashback - - - - -

"AHHH! Fuck!" You sigh as you approach the fancy diner.

"What's wrong babe?" Your girlfriend asks.

"Nothing, It's just... my nerves are getting to me."

"Oh come on babe. It's just my friends! Plus, I've already told them how great of a guy you are." She tries to encourage you.

"I know that, but still, what if they don't like me?"

"Oh baby!" She grabs you by the cheek before boping her nose on yours.

"They'll like you, but just 'like'... Since, I'm the only one who'll love you." She smiled before pulling away with a proud look as she entered the diner and you quickly followed along.

"Omg! There they are!" You can hear the high pitched voices as Wonyoung and her friends finally meet.

"And you must be the lucky one!" One of her friends says as she gives you a good scan from head to toe as the others follow along with the teasing, and you just gave them a hesitant smile.

"No, I am. I'm the lucky one." Wony replies helping ease up the tension.

All of you sat around the table and you've finally introduced yourself, going around one by one the girls start introducing themselves as well, starting from the one on the other end of the table .

"I'm Liz, it's nice to finally meet you." The girl says with her smile forming the cutest ball of sunshine you've ever seen.

"Hi, I'm Gaeul, finally Wonyoung can stop describing you whenever we're hanging out." The girl with the short hair smiles as the others immediately laugh while your girlfriend just hides her blush.

"Hello! I'm Leeseo, I'm the youngest." Another girl greets and she certainly looks the youngest.

"I'm Rei, it's nice to finally see the guy Wonyoung is getting crazy about." Another girl greets you as she gives you another infectious smile.

"Finally!" The girl right next to you  and the one who gave you a scan earlier sighs in relief as her turn comes.

She prompts herself up with a hand on your shoulder and the table, the girls laugh seeing this sight but Wonyoung looks like she's not enjoying it.

"Well! My name's Yujin." She smiled as she gave your shoulder a light squeeze.

"Oohh!" She mouthed, feeling the muscles behind your suit.

"Ehem?!" Wonyoung fakes a cough as Yujin finally lets her hand off of you.

"Right, so, I'm Wony's fave friend." She confidently states as they all look at the two just giving each other a stink eye.

"I can clearly see why Wonyoung has been, too out of it lately." Yujin adds before placing her hand on your shoulder once more.

"Ya!" Wonyoung reacts as she pulls you away violently from her friend.

"Woah! Babe!" You panic seeing the girls surprised faces.

"Jeez! So possessive! I was just kidding." Yujin eases up the crowd but makes sure you to give you a subtle wink and a smile that makes your throat dry as you try and calm your girlfriend down.

The rest of the dinner was normal, or you thought so, as the wines get involved you see the sudden shift of their attitudes. Except for Leeseo who needed to head out first as she still has something to do. For the rest... well... "I still can't believe you're Wony's boyfriend."

Yunjin's comments earn her a couple of awkward chuckles as the other girls are nowhere near as sober as you are. You sat there silently, as they all told a bunch of cute but slightly embarrassing stories of each other, one trying to one up the other.

It was all fun and games but then something else happened. During one of the playful arguments that the girls are having Wonyoung was going up against Yujin on who's the better girlfriend material.

Obviously as they're going along, you're bound to get involved.

"First of all, I'm better at taking care of people!" Yujin says as the other girls are now a laughing mess at the side.

"Well, if you are, then how come you haven't introduced anyone to us?" Wonyoung rebuts before she quickly clings onto you, as they all shoot a look at you.

"Isn't that right, baby?" Wonyoung looks at you with a great longing for an answer. Quickly scanning the rest of the girls as you realized that they're anticipating a response.

"Hehe." You could only chuckle awkwardly as your girlfriend presses herself against you even harder.

"A-are you g-girls always like this?" You asked and they quickly nodded.

"Pft! Just because you bought your boyfriend doesn't mean that you're a better girlfriend material than me!" Yujin suddenly retorts.

"Oh really?"

You just sat there thinking that this cute argument is normal with them. Taking a sip of water, as your throat was drying up. When all of a sudden.

"Yeah! I bet you can't even please him as much as I probably can."

You almost spew the water across the table after hearing Yujin's claims. You look over Wonyoung who's currently awestruck at what her friend just said.

"E-excuse me?!" Wonyoung questioned and Yujin just gave her a scoff.

"Am I wrong?!" Yujin suddenly aims her sight on you.

Beads of sweat forms on your forehead, as the girls shoots a look at you with a visible anticipation of your answer. With your throat drying up. You gave Wonyoung a small tap under the table but that wasn't even necessary as Wony suddenly got up from her seat diverting everyone's attention towards her.

"I please him very well myself..." Wonyoung says in such a stern way that everyone's jaw just dropped.

"H-Hold on-." You try to interrupt and switch the subject but Yujin suddenly silenced you with a finger.

"Really?" Yujin mocks as she gave Wonyoung an unimpressed look.

"Yeah, that's right. Isn't it daddy?" Your heart drops when Wonyoung suddenly uses your bed name even placing her hand over your arm and brushing it up and down and giving a good squeeze in before continuing the motion..

"W-wait-..." You tried calming down the situation but your girlfriend isn't backing down and so does her friend.

"Why? Am I wrong? Don't I pleasure you well daddy?"

"W-wony." You start to panic as the girls starts to look at you suspiciously.

"Yes daddy? The way you rail me the other night. How hard you're penetrating your length in me–."

You've never even wished to be swallowed by the earth as much as you have currently, as you sat there while your girlfriend does her best to tell her friends how hard you're fucking her. As her hands travels down your chest towards your thigh.

"Oh you've gone silent?" Wonyoung's proud voice directed towards Yujjn whos sat there speechless after hearing her friend's proud sex story.

"Still think I can't pleasure him? Why'd you think he's here with me right now? That's right! Because I'm the perfect girl for her! He just can't get enough of me and we'll probably do it again later tonight."

"W-wony." You whispered but she's in too deep on her fit.

"He's gonna be fucking me all night. Pounding away at my tight–."

"Wonyoung!" You had enough as you've realized how ridiculously awkward the situation is as the other girls sat in silence.

"Oh..." Her confidence fades in an instant hearing your hardened voice and she sees everyone awkwardly silent.

"S-sorry." Wonyoung's voice is almost nonexistent as she takes a seat.

The rest of the dinner was definitely the most awkward dinner you've had. All of you stayed silent and no one even dared to speak up even afterwards. The only time someone spoke was when you're about to part ways.

"W-wonyoungie... I'm sorry." Yujin says softly as they both hug each other.

"I'm sorry as well for making it awkward."

"It's fine, really... but you do have a lot of things to work out with your boyfriend." Yujin jokes as you sit there trying your best to calm yourself as they all laughed at Wonyoung's blush.

With all of you finally saying your goodbyes to each other and taking separate ways to your respected rest of the night. You're now left with Wonyoung in your passenger seat as she fidgets with her phone trying her best to not acknowledge the fact that she made one hell of an introduction of you to her friends.

- - - - - flashback end - - - - -

"Now talk."

"B-but isn't it true?!" She counters with a weirdly proud tone as if what she did wasn't wrong.

"Don't I pleasure you well?"

"Don't you just love it when you're balls deep inside of me daddy?"

"Wony-..."

"Am I not your slut princess?!"

"Or is it because you'd want to fuck Yujin instead of me?!"

That last question took you out of your head. Seeing Wonyoung's emotions pouring out as she looks at you with such need of validation. Wonyoung is... Jealous?

"Wony." You softly called as her tears start to fall down.

"No! It's because you've seen Yujin and now you don't want me anymore!"

You stood there looking stupid and fucked by seeing your girlfriend crying out loud as she starts lashing out how Yujin's hand didn't even wait a second to touch you and how you didn't even dare to resist it.

"Babe." You called, as Wony just balled up and hid herself under the covers.

With nothing else but guilt, you quickly joined Wonyoung under the covers. You leveled your face with hers as she just hides her face on her hands, your hand captures her hip pulling her towards you.

"Wony."

"You know none of that is true, right?"

"You're my one and only." You can see her eyes peeking through her fingers as your words didn't fail to reach your sulking girlfriend.

"R-really?" She whispered as you gave her a reassuring smile and nod.

Quickly removing her hand off of her face she captures your lips with hers engaging in a much needed dessert as the meal earlier clearly didn't hit the right spot.

"Mhmm..."

"Ngnhnnnngg." Wonyoung moans as she presses herself against you even more trying to feel as much of you as possible.

Finally detaching away from each other a trail of spit hangs on the edge of her lips and Wonyoung is quick to catch it before leading it into her mouth with a finger.

"Am I really your one and only?" She asks with such curiosity that it's almost insulting the integrity of your words

"Of course baby." You assured.

"Mhmm." Her hum sounded a bit suspicious as she suddenly slides her hand down your chest to your abdomen.

"So, I'm the only one you love?" She asks

You just nodded and her finger took its time fiddling with your belt though you know where all of this is going. You just knew that words are never enough for her to begin with.

"And that also means that I'm the only one who can pleasure you, right daddy?"

"W-wony."

"No! I don't want that name."

Of course. She's not a big fan of any sweet names you've given her in this particular type of situation... Only one name can satisfy Wonyoung's neediness.

"My slut princess."

"Mhmmm... Yes daddy." As her temperature reaches an all time high, she quickly connected her lips with yours before following up with a tongue.

"Nnnhhnhnnggg!" Wonyoung squirm under your touch as you've switched your position. With you now topping over her, as you then press your girlfriend down the bed.

"Are you gonna f-fuck me now, d-daddy?" She asks after you've pulled away from each other.

"No."

"WHAT?!" Taken aback by your answer she accidentally raised her voice and looks at you in disbelief before realizing what she has done.

"W-wha... Daddy." Her tone switching back to being needy voice was such a music to your ears.

"You need to learn your lesson. No fucks for you today." You tried getting off of Wonyoung but her long legs caught you immediately locking you in place.

"Look at you." You said with such disdain seeing the desperation from your slut princess under you.

"P-please daddy?" She pleads pulling you towards her.

As your lower halves touched, you can't help but notice that the woman under you is already soaking wet that her juices are seeping through her underwear that you've failed to realize when she discarded her pants.

"Oh... Look at the little slut princess." You mocked as she squirms even more.

Pressing you on her harder as your member twitches under your pants. Wonyoung felt this and had given her a glimmer of hope.

"See?" She smiled. "Daddy's body can't resist his slut princess." With a proud tone, Wony pulls you in for another kiss but you resist as she adds another arm on your nape to try and pull you down.

"Daddy!" She cries as you just smiled at her proud of the damage you're causing though it might be a bit too much.

But you know Wonyoung too much even just after being with her for only a few months. You smiled as she started grinding her lower half on you and you did your best to press yourself against her that made her enthusiastic.

"Mhmmm daddy!" She happily continues to grind as you relish the feeling of her moist clothed core.

Getting caught in the feeling she lets her guard down that allows you to escape her legs. Wonyoung gasps as you leave the bed.

"Daddy!" She begged.

"Please..."

"Give me one good reason on why I should be balls deep inside you right now."

Your proposal didn't even give Wonyoung a doubt as she suddenly starts removing the rest of her clothing.

"You want a reason?" She asks before slowly spreading her legs apart giving you a good view of her glistening entrance.

You must've swallowed a gallon of spit seeing the sight of your girlfriend in front of you. A smirk forms on her lips seeing how awestruck you are.

"Didn't you say it yourself daddy?" Her words cutting through your defenses like a hot knife on butter.

"I'm your only one."

"Which means only I can pleasure daddy." She smirked as you started to make your way back towards the bed.

"Now daddy..."

"I'm your slut..." She awaits your response as you've finally stood on the edge of the bed in front of her.

"Princess." You answered before diving face first onto her core.

"Mhmmm! Yes! Get in there daddy..." Wony moans as she tussles with your hair trying to pull you in deeper.

You did your best to taste as much as you could before you then started to work on removing your pants without letting off on eating your girlfriend out.

"Look at how hard you are daddy!" Wonyoung states after catching a glimpse of your engorged rod.

"Did your slut princess turn you on that much?"

You gave her a glance as you regretfully detached yourself from her heavenly feast. Wonyoung eyes lights up as you go ahead and line yourself in front of her entrance.

As you're about to indulge in the feel of her walls clenching you, you paused for a moment and gave Wonyoung a look of admiration, you can see the glimmer in her eyes as she slowly anticipates your entry.

A slight nod from her signals you to go in... And go in you did, feeling her walls clasping your member and despite her tight walls your entry was all smooth thanks to her juices mixed with your spit dripping from her core.

"Y-yes! You're so big daddy~!"

"You're fucking tight princess."

The two of you keep a steady pace of hissing and moans as you feel each other's love pouring with every motion. You threw your head back trying to alleviate some of the pleasure from the intercourse but Wonyoung wasn't having any of it, as she pulls your face back down and quickly feasting on your lips.

With her tongue dancing inside your mouth, your member twitches inside of her, your heat spikes as Wonyoung pushes you inside of her even more using her long legs.

"Ngnhnnnngg! Fuc–... I... L-love it daddy—.” She mumbled into the kiss as you doubled the efforts and intensity of your thrusts making your girlfriend a moaning mess when she detached her mouth with yours.

Seeing her sprawling out, spazzing, as you continue to bury yourself deep inside her, your mind kept coming back to the thought you had earlier before you tossed her on the bed after that eventful dinner with her friends.

"You're so precious." You whispered as she giggled at such a contrast of your words from your actions.

"W-why?"

"N-nothing... Hehe, I love you daddy." She smiled before placing a kiss on your lips.

"I love you more." You respond with a kiss on her forehead as you continue to pound away at your girlfriend.

After a few more strokes in then Wonyoung suddenly gets you off of her before repositioning herself in all fours. Greeting you with a great view of her back side as she gives you a wink and you already knew that this'll be the position you'd finish.

You prompt yourself behind her before giving her plump ass a good slap as she yelps in surprise before giggling as your  member finally enters her with relative ease. You placed your hand on top of the mark your slap left.

"Mmhhmm yes!" Wonyoung hums as you start stroking her ass and your thrusting becomes more and more aggressive.

As you've started to keep a steady state of motion and power in your thrust your mind starts to get clouded by her airy and shaky moans. With Wonyoung's hand gripping the bedsheets rather tightly, you start to admire her back, glistening with sweat. You then unconsciously leaned down and placed a kiss along her shoulders "D-daddy!" She called.

"Yes my slut princess?"

"I love it!"

"Of course you do." You smiled with confidence as her face digs back into the bedsheets trying to muffle her moans.

Minutes of passionate fucking passed, Wonyoung mumbles something from the bedsheet. It got you thinking for a minute but when her core suddenly clasps your member significantly tighter you knew what's happening.

"Y-yes daddy! Uuugghh shit! It's so fucking gooood!!" She moans before you feel something gushing out of Wony.

You pulled out and to your surprise her juices sprayed all over your stomach. Wonyoung collapsed on the bed as you stood there looking at the scene of her juices dripping out of her core as your eyes traveled scanning your girlfriend's heavenly body and you realized that she has lost consciousness.

A scoff escapes you before fixing her position on the bed even swapping the bedsheets that are soaked with her wetness. With her body temperature lowering down you feel her shaking under your touch. You then took your discarded shirt and covered her, doing the best that you can to not wake her up.

Soon as you're finished with everything, you stand right next to your bed and stare at your Wonyoung who looks so peaceful sleeping, you may be a bit disappointed that you didn't get to finish but it was nonetheless great. A smile forms across your face and your heart starts to skip a beat. All of a sudden Wony suddenly whines, you panic thinking you've done something wrong to disturb the peace of your princess.

"I'm sorry baby, did I woke you up?" You whispered as Wonyoung was trying to open her eyes.

"You didn't finish in me." She responded.

You chuckled hearing Wonyoung's reply as you joined her to bed and quickly embracing her before saying; "Later."

[greenorangevioletgrass]

fever pitch (b.b.) - part one

previous part | series masterlist | next part

soundtrack: bewitched - laufeypairing: footballer!bradley x popstar!readersynopsis: you and Bradley find a secret garden and get acquainted... or maybe you already have?warnings: language, tension, fluff, angst but hypothetical?? idk, bradley is a dreamboat but what else is newnotes: the saga continues! i had a whole outline planned out, but then as i wrote it, it turned into a beast of its own and honestly, im just an employee here 🤷‍♀️ happy reading, and please let me know what you think in the comments, reblogs, and asks! i would love love loveeee to hear it from you &lt;3

✨I do not have a taglist. Please follow @ficsbygreenorangevioletgrass and turn on the notification to get the latest update on my fics✨

“Are we even allowed in here?” 

You and Bradley turn a corner from the club area into a narrow hallway. There’s a door that leads outside, thanks to the little glass pane, you can see a little terrace situation outside. Bradley tries the doorknob… and it opens.

“I mean, there’s no sign that says we can’t…” Bradley shrugs, offering his hand to guide you in.

Like Alice in Wonderland, you step into a formal English garden in the heart of this complex of townhouses-turned-clubhouse. In the middle of the bricks and noises of the city, there are beds of roses and manicured hedges and ravines over a stone arch. It’s small, but very intentional even with the mosses growing on the edges of the fountain in the middle. A Dionysus statue sits atop the fountain, as if pouring wine instead of water. A nice touch to celebrate festivities.

“Wow. This is straight out of the old movies we talked about.” You marvel at your surroundings. “Like… The Sound of Music or something.”

He chuckles. “Yeah, exactly.”

Bradley starts humming My Favorite Things as you stroll your separate ways around the garden, marveling at the evergreen shrubs and colorful perennials. You eventually meet each other again right in front of the Dionysus statue. It feels like a sign from the universe for him, so he asks,

“May I have this dance?"

He can't be real, can he? "Like a 'dance' dance?"

"Absolutely." He says it with such conviction that it's easy to forget that the deafening, thumping electronic music from the club is completely shut out from your little pocket of a park. And the only semblance of music you can hear is the rustling of leaves, the trickling of water, and the fluttering memories of Bradley's velvety tone.

So you take his hand. He pulls you in and leads you into a slow dance. You were expecting to just sway, this is surreal enough as it is, but as you dance around the fountain, you slowly notice… the slow and simple rhythm, the unmistakable one-two-three, one-two-three count… This is a waltz step.

“You are full of surprises, aren’t you?”

“I try my best.” In a swift movement, he twirls you away and reels you back in with a spin. He just prays to God or whoever is listening that you can’t actually feel his racing heart as he holds your back flush against his chest.

(You can’t. You’re too busy calming your own.)

“So… you and your friends celebrating the success at Wembley?”

His voice tickles the back of your neck, and this sudden closeness is too much for you to bear. You strategically turn around so you’re facing him again. “Oh, no. This is just my night off. I still have… three shows left here.”

“So how long will you be in town for?”

“Another week.”

“And after that…?”

“Paris.”

“Right…” he nods. “And home is in… Los Angeles?”

The question catches you off-guard for some reason. You know he’s probably just asking where you live, but something about the way he asks it makes it sound like he’s asking about… ‘home’ home. “Technically, yes.”

He makes a face. That’s a strange answer… “What do you mean, technically? I’m sure you must have at least one home base somewhere, right?”

“I do, yeah.” You smile sheepishly.  “LA is my home base. But… it’s not like I have any emotional attachment to the city or anything.”

“Where’s that, then, if not LA?”

You give it a good thought… but you got nothing. “I don’t know. Ask me tomorrow.” Maybe it’s the romance of the setting—although his warm hazel eyes play a crucial role too— it makes you feel more inclined to be more honest than you usually do.

Bradley smiles. He’s so fascinated by you, but at the same time, he has an inkling that he might need to solve a few puzzles himself before you let him in. And he would gladly take his time to get there.

At the same time, slow-dancing to a hummed classic with this man away from a modern-day nightclub… It makes you wonder what kind of person he is. “And you? You’re an American in London. Where’s home for you?”

“Well, I think Virginia will always be home, but this place has really grown on me. I’ve been here for most of my adult life, and this city, the team, the people… I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

“Virginia, huh?” you smirk—imagining him growing up near the water, a sunkissed teenage boy shooting the shit with his friends.

“Yes, ma’am. Born and raised.”

It’s only at this moment that Bradley is so much like this garden. Seemingly out of place, frozen in time while the world moves all too fast around it. But at the same time, perfectly placed, a calm in the eye of the storm. Just for this little pocket of a park.

Just for you.

“Are you normally this… Southern gentlemanly? With the suit and the sweet disposition and the waltz…”

“Honestly? Not really.” He admits bashfully. “But, I don’t know. I feel like I’m in another era with you right now.”

“Oh?”

Bradley doesn’t elaborate right away. Instead, he asks you, "Do you believe in past lives?"

Your face lights up, and he knows he just asked the right question. "I don’t know. Do you?”

"A little…" he nods, thoughtful. "Maybe not in a religious sense where you die, you get judged, and then come back as a... worm or whatever. But.. I kinda like the idea that... no one is ever really a stranger, you know? That our paths have crossed at some point."

"And you're saying we've met before?"

"Oh, yeah." Again with the conviction, this motherfucker. 

“Really?” You step away from him, entering a more cerebral dance than the one that you just swayed into. Your fingers barely touch the surface of the water on the fountain, and ripples it over as you walk by. "Where do you suppose we have met before?" 

He looks up at the sky, moving clouds and all, pondering his answer. "I was thinking the 40’s and 50's—you know, the Golden Age. But I think it's a little earlier than that, don't you think?" 

"Like... the Roaring Twenties?"

“Yes!”

His enthusiasm amuses and fascinates you endlessly, and you never needed much to fuel your active imagination anyway. "I like that. I can see you as... a former pilot who fought in World War I. And then went on to become a poet. Or a pianist."

"I think I'm better off as a pianist.” He’s not very good with words—he’s much better plunking the ivories to get the party going.

"Fair, fair. A jazz… pianist, maybe?"

"Ooh, interesting." Bradley smiles, picturing it in his head. "And what would you be?”

"I don't know. You tell me." You lean back against the stone arch, looking at him expectantly. His answer will determine how he sees you and thus, how you feel about him. And you want him desperately to have a good answer.

"I wanna say... the starlet, or the mysterious singer—" 

"Oh, come on. Even in my past life, I'm still a singer? Can't I be something else?” You groan in protest.

He chuckles, settling right across from you. "Okay, okay..." he looks at you deeply, pensively for a moment. "You're one of those socialites, who drank martinis and danced the Charleston until morning."

"Makes sense. I do love martini... and the Charleston." 

"Right? You'd be one of those girls who rebelled against daddy dearest and partied all night, maybe broke a few hearts along the way."

"Including yours?"

“I don't know. You tell me."

Now it's your turn to pause and take a good look at him. You try to picture it; how boisterous and bright he must be, getting the party going by playing ragtime or samba. And you try to picture toying with his feelings; those irresistible hazel eyes watching you longingly across the room as you give some random man time of day for no other reason but to spark his jealousy... 

"Nah. I think yours is the only one I didn't break. Not on purpose, at least,” you conclude definitively. The thought of leaning over the piano, sipping on cocktails while he croons out some love ditty—or sitting on his lap while he teaches you a Christmas tune at a holiday party seems way more appealing.

"What do you mean?”

"Well, you said so yourself about daddy dearest. He wanted me to marry one of his business associates, an heir to a shipping company or something.” You cheekily stroll past him, down the little path towards the fountain again.

Bradley smiles knowingly, just a step behind you. "Ah. And I'm just a lowly little pianist. What chance did we have, huh?"

You halt your steps and turn around to face him, a mischievous smirk on your face. "Would you have fought for me?"

To your surprise, he meets your gaze with a soft, unwavering look. "Without a doubt. I would have stood up to your father and told him that we were meant to be together, come hell or high water."

The phrase echoes in your head. Come hell or high water. It’s so loud, it sends you reeling and you had to sit down on the edge of the fountain. Suddenly the image of a screaming match flashes so clearly in your mind. Bradley's hand gripping years for dear life. The shallow sobs under the suffocating constrict of your dress. The tears blurring the sight of him leaving…

“But it didn't work, did it…”

He doesn't hear a question in your words —it sounds like a statement. And Bradley, ever the hopeless romantic, wants to say no. Of course it worked out, it had to. Maybe you ran away with him and lived a life of simple means. But it wouldn't have mattered, because it would've been full of music and dancing and love.

But the heartbreak in your eyes is so palpable, so...real. For a moment, it felt like the two of you actually lived it. You were just retracing the forgotten steps now. 

"No.” He shakes his head softly, sitting next to you. "We tried. We fought, but... we lost.” 

You know that, but it hurts to hear it anyway. Still, you can't help but continue the story. "I think I ended up marrying the businessman, do the right thing for my family. And let you go... play your music in Paris or something. Chase your dreams."

The life he imagined. Of simple means and abundant music... just no you. "I would have written so many songs about you..." he chuckles wistfully. As painful as it would've been to keep picking at old wounds, at least he would still have you in his life.

"I think I would've found your record eventually,” You pipe up, partly in self-consolation. Sure, it might be a stretch, but you're way beyond caring. You needed a piece of him, too. "And I would put it on every time I missed you. Which was every night."

The night is so still, even the leaves seem to give you a moment of privacy. Your little fingers barely touch on the edge of the bench as you sit and grieve for a tragic love story that never happened. 

Eventually, though, you take a deep breath and break the silence. "Fuck. I could write a whole album based on that."

Bradley laughs at your sudden interruption, glad that you snapped him out of his reverie and brought him back to reality. "Yeah? I would be happy to help you brainstorm." 

You throw him a look. It feels weird to return to this point of acquaintance after feeling like you’ve gone through lifetimes with him. But you’re glad to start anew in this life. "Is that your roundabout way of saying you wanna keep seeing me?"

"Maybe. Is it working?"

"I don't know. I don’t do maybe’s. You should ask me for real.”

Holy fuck. He closes his eyes for a moment as his heart skips. You always seem to keep him on his toes, do you? "Alright. Can I see you again? Maybe take you out to dinner?" 

"I would like that. Does tomorrow night work for you?" 

"Perfect." he beams at you. Fuck playing it cool, he just won himself a date with you.

"We should swap numbers so we can figure out the details.” You reach into your purse to grab your phone. And then, something dawns on you, making you smirk devilishly at him, "You wanna put your number in, or would you rather give me that friendship bracelet I heard you made for me?"

Bradley stops dead in his tracks. Of course that public declaration was gonna bite him in the ass. He was doing so well, dancing and talking and making an actual connection with you...gosh, he must've looked stupid right now. "You knew about that?" He grimaces.

"Of course. I have eyes and ears everywhere, " you sling coyly, letting him punch his numbers into your phone with great embarrassment. "That, and Natasha might have sent me a post on Instagram.” 

He sighs in defeat as he hands your phone back. "Goddamn it, Natasha…"

[inkdrinkerworld]

⟼ Pomegranate Cider !! miguel o’hara + “you think i’m jealous?” maybe?? idk he’d definitely say that if he was trying to act like he wasn’t jealous lmfao

He’s seething. If he were in a tv show, there’d be steam coming out of Miguel’s ears as he sits at his desk and tries not to look at you and Peter from Earth-2024 as you chat.

There’s some heat in his chest, it burns and makes it hard to breathe deeply as he sketches more changes to his dimension jumper.

“Yeah it was pretty good! Maybe you can do it with me next time?” Peter Earth-2024 says and Miguel’s pencil snaps between his fingers.

You look back at Miguel when he grumbles and frown.

“Maybe, but there’s always something new coming up.” You say, waving away Peter as he heads for the door.

“Miguel, you okay?” Your hands coast down his shoulders and to the middle of his back as he’s hunched over the table.

“M’fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” His jaw in clenched and his pencil hasn’t been replaced with another one.

“You broke your pencil, and you’re way hotter than you usually are.”

“Mm, didn’t know you were una doctora, amor.”

Your eyes widen at his snark, but then you’re relaxing when he sighs and pulls at his hair. “What we’re you and Peter talking about?”

You smile, “You didn’t hear? We’re going out soon,” you’re only saying it to rile him up and it works.

“Going out with him for what?” There’s ice in his tone and it makes your smile even wider.

“Are you jealous of Peter, Miguel?” You ask it so casually, that he almost, almost confesses.

He doesn’t and instead he sucks at his teeth. “You think I’m jealous.” There’s a high pitch to his voice that makes you giggle and he finally turns to look at you.

“Miguel, you’re seething. What else am I supposed to think?” You wheedle your way into his lap and lock your arms around his neck.

“Well don’t think that,” he mumbles, tucking his chin over your shoulder. Silence engulfs you both for a couple minutes and then, “Are you actually going out with him?”

You pull back from him, your hands cupping his strong jaw. “I was just being polite Miguel,” he rolls his eyes and you tut. “He’s just a friend and plus, I’d much rather spar with you.”

Miguel hums, “Good,” he kisses you chastely and then actually gets back to his work.

“Celoso,” you whisper in his ear before hopping off his lap and going back to your own table, but not before Miguel slaps your ass in warning.

[lovelywhiteroses]

HI omg I’ve never requested anything but I love your writing anyways can you do Lloyd from Ninjago and his nightmares (he’s a traumatized boy) and the reader comforting him idk just fluff

✨🌹Oh of course my Dear Anon! I got the perfect scenario for you. I’m glad you asked dear anon. Now then. I also apologize for this being very late. Let’s get going now. Shall we?🌹✨

Ninjago

Lloyd Garmadon x Reader

Worst nightmare

The night was quiet, and so was the monastery. Everything was silent except the the crickets and the soothing wind. The ninja and you were sleeping peacefully.

Lloyd however seemed to be shifting and muttering something while it was clear it was a nightmare he was having. His nightmare was nothing short of terrifying for him.

He looks around, every l thing is pitch black, he starts to wonder. The walk seeming never ending, until he comes upon a figure……

You

He then walks over to you.

“Hey, is everything alright?” He placed his hand on you’re shoulder, yet you didn’t respond. He then goes infront of you, you’re expression looked…… empty…… he waved his hand in front of you’re face to get you’re attention but it doesn’t work. He wonders what’s going on.

“Hey you holding up ok……?”

Kai speaks in a worried and saddened tone behind Lloyd. He walks past him to you. You don’t answer you only cry putting you’re hands up to you’re face. Kai giving you a side hug, as to try and comfort you. Lloyd is even more confused and doesn’t know what is going on. “Hey what’s going on? Sweet-“ as he goes to hold you’re hand he suddenly stumbles and falls……

Right through you.

He was confused. How come he was able to touch you before but not now? “Hey… I hope I’m not intruding on anything.”

Nya had arrived as Lloyd got up, you and kai look over to her. Nya seemed to have… flowers? But what for?

Suddenly a table appears making Lloyd more confused and weirded out on what’s going on. You seem to be on the verge of crying again. Nya hugs you. “Hey, it’s alright…… we’re going to miss him to. I image it’s tougher for you though… I wouldn’t know how I could go on knowing Jay is gone.”

Wait…… what…?

“Have room for more?”

Jay comes in along with Cole, Zane, P.I.X.A.L, and Master Wu. Lloyd is even more determined to know what’s going on. He walked up to them and was more eager to know. “Guys! What’s going on? What’s happening-” with that all of them walked right through him. They placed thing on the table, just like how Nya placed the flowers. “I can’t believe he’s gone……”

You finally spoke, you’re voice was more shaky and you’re eyes still teary. Nya and Kai comfort you. The others paying respects to something. But what? “Guys…… this isn’t funny…”

“I’m going to miss Lloyd…”

Lloyd’s heart stopped.

What was Kai talking about?

“I thought maybe things would’ve worked out… you know…?”

You try to say through tears. Kai comforts you. Nya sighing seeming more saddened as P.I.X.A.L put a fixed a picture that had a familiar face on it…

Lloyds Face…

“Let’s all go. I think they need space.”

Cole suggests as they leave you in the now shown room of the monetary. The voices of the others and their footsteps going quieter and quieter.

Silence hits upon the room… you’re face, now in you’re hands. Assuming you’re crying…… “sweetheart, it’s ok I’m not-”

“Idiots…”

Lloyd then looks to realize you’re…… laughing. You look up and laugh a bit, silence hits again. You then gave his portrait a wickedly sickened grin. You step closer and touch his portrait tracing your finger along his face in the portrait. An unsettling feeling comes over Lloyd.

“I really didn’t think it would be that easy to get rid of you… who would’ve know all I had to do was bat my eyes and try my best not to act like Harumi did and I’d be able to wrap you around my little finger……”

“Wha…?”

Lloyd looks at you unsure if this is the person he fell for, all they see is a wicked person right in front of them.

“So easy…… too easy…… how cute it was… unfortunately for you… it wasn’t enough to save you. Stupid… it’s so foolish. Haha!”

You wrapped you’re arms around yourself and laughed.

“Killing you myself was so easy! Slipping that poison in you’re tea was so stupidly easy! It’s hilarious! The way you let you’re guard down……”

You then look at his portrait and grin.

“I wouldn’t love a fool like you… even if the world were to end……”

Suddenly you turned to the real him……

“You… you’re not-”

He stepped back, terrified, confused, betrayed, angry…… all his emotions boiling over as he stumbled back. You took some steps closer, you placed you’re hands on his shoulders and leaned into his ear.

“Trust nobody…… dear……”

You pushed him, but the wall wasn’t there……

“Lloyd Garmadon.”

He fell as you laughed, the fear of losing someone he love so dearly… ended up betraying and deceiving him… this can’t be real can it?

WAKE UP!

WAKE UP!

PLEASE LET THIS ONLY BE A NIGHTMARE!

PLEASE!

“Lloyd! Wake up!”

With a cold sweat he woke up from his nightmare, hyperventilating, scared out of his mind of what he just saw, his dream felt real? Did it actually happen? Was it a vision? What even was that?! You carefully and gently comforted him. He had tears in his eyes…

“Hey it’s alright.”

With that you guide his face to look at yours he looked into the eyes he knew all too well, that was genuine and knew he could trust. You’re eyes. With that he hugged you, thanking the first master underneath his breath that it was all just a nightmare, and that wasn’t you. You held him close gently running you’re fingers through his already messy hair.

“You’re real right? I can trust you right?”

You kiss his forehead, before taking his hands in yours.

“Yes Lloyd. I’m real, you’re alright. Don’t worry, it was only a nightmare.”

With that Lloyd finally relaxed, he then gone ahead to hold you in his arms, he always love the warm comfort you bring to him. He then kisses you and you jokingly stick out you’re tongue.

“Ew you already have morning breath.”

Lloyd only smiles as you and his end up sleeping together in his room for the rest of the night……

Having nothing but the sweetest of dreams…

✨🌹Bonus scene!🌹✨ 🤭✨

“Hey Lloyd have you see-”

Cole quickly stops seeing how you two are sleeping in each others arms. He quickly shuts the door. “Did he have it?” Nya asks as Cole only shook his head no and sighed. “No if anything I think Jay has the wooden sword, he has been trying to one up Kai lately.” Cole smiles, knowing well that it’s better don’t to bother the two of you.

✨🌹That’s the end of our journey my dear, I do hope you enjoyed it. Again, so sorry it took so long for me to respond and write this. I hope you have a good day, afternoon, or night wherever you are. Do be sure to take care!🌹✨

[tainted-heartz]

idk if you got my other ask but can i request reader with those 1960s phones and they’re in their bed talking to their friends about something (homework, concerts, gossip, etc) and then they hear wally’s voice come from the other end ( ^ω^ ) maybe wally heard them talk for hours and immediately wally starts rambling? ORRR what if reader says “why are you talking to me through my phone?” and it cuts to their friends voice saying like “what do you mean??” GOD THat would be so epic

tysm AND ALSO you can imagine what happens next i just thought of this idea out of randomness (´∀｀) - 🧠 anon

| ooh I like this idea and I'm sorry my inbox has been full so I've been hopping from fic to fic but I can gladly do this for you!! I'd wanna think you and wally are already close in some way in this fic- |

- you laid back on your bed and rambled onto your friend about some gossip hopping around and some new music you've gotten into. that was till you heard wally cut your friend off and probably kick her off the line as well. “ dearesttt! ” he said in his usual high pitched tone. “..why are you talking to me through my phone , wally. you can come out my tv for hells sake- ” “lazy.”

- you sighed and flopped onto your side as you looked at the ceiling. “..what do you want to talk about?” you asked wally but he suddenly started to ramble about how much he's missed you. hell you were flattered but knew the feeling was wrong. “ oh darling , that look on your face says it all. you love me don't you? ” “how can you see m-” once you sat up from your bed there he was , wally was on your screen. he was sat on a red sofa with his phone rested against his ear as he stared you with hearts in his eyes.

- “ so you aren't lazy to turn the tv on yourself but can't just come here yourself? funny. ” you laughed as you propped yourself up on some pillows so you could look at him. “ you know me.. as much as I'd love to see your pretty face in person. ”

- “ god will you ever stop flirting? I can't even tell my friends ‘ oh yeah I'm dating this puppet thats on my tv and sometimes comes out ’ this isn't a movie. ” this made wally laugh as he turned away from you to get comfortable on the couch he was sat on. “ isn't that the best part? no one will believe you plus if I wanted to I could take you at any second. ”

- “ oh please , you wouldn't. ” you scoffed but flinched as he slowly stepped out of the tv , the phone still in his hand. “ ..who said I wasn't? ”

[outerbankspov]

Hi I was wanting to request a drew x y/n idk why I keep thinking about this so drew is out at a bar or a club or something with the cast and y/n is there with like her own circle of people and has no idea who drew is or what outer banks is and drew sees her and is like absolutely starstruck and needs to get her attention and talk to her and he’s pleasantly surprised to find out she has no idea what his show is and you can make it end with like a steamy makeout or something idk and add whatever you want to make it more interesting but pls and ty you’re writing is so good 🤞😇😇💗

OO PLS I LOVE THIS!!! (Lowkey want to make this a series… should I?)

- You and your girls made your way into the last booth available at the bar laughing and eating chips with your drinks. “Wait so he refused to eat your food?” One of your friends ask your other friend with a laugh. You look up from your friend and spot this guy, 6’4, blue eyes and beautiful. He flashes his beautiful smile at you and you blush. He was with a lot of people, they all seem pretty close and man do they all look EXPRESSIVE! He starts doing karaoke and singing to you and making a big fool of himself, you found it adorable and smiled wildly. After he’s done he goes to the bar and looks at you again. “I’m gonna get another beer” you excuse yourself and confidently walked beside him and ordered your drink making it known to his ears. “You have an eye for good taste” he smirks. You finally meet his eyes and your heart almost fell apart. “Thank you.” You eye his drink and smiles. “I could say the same, whiskey huh?” The tension was strong already, you can feel it. “Mhm” he nods. “I’m Y/N. And you?” Your say sweetly hoping your voice didn’t sound to high pitch. He stares at you for what seems like hours. He couldn’t believe it, he’s Almost relive that this beautiful women he met at the bar doesn’t know who he is. “I’m Drew Starkey” is all he said. “Drew! I like that name” you lean a little into him and he looks down at your lips. “Do you know me?” He asked and immediately regretted, a really stupid question. She playfully glares at him before taking a sip of her drink. “Never in my life! But I happen to meet a man name Drew here so….” He laughs and leans into her so he’s whispering in her ear. “ you’re hot by the way.” your cheeks immediately flushed and you are glad for the bar lighting. “Anywho. Here’s my number” she kisses the napkin with a red lips stick and folds it, slowly putting it in his front pocket. Biting her lip with bedroom eyes she smiles and hurry’s away to her friends.

A little more later….

“He’s totally checking you out! Go for it!” Lucy one of your best friends tells you with a hint of mystery. What y/n doesn’t know is that Lucy and her friends all know well on who Drew Starkey is and the crew he’s with except y/n herself. It’s not that she’s clueless or anything she just don’t know who he is. “Okay fine. Wish me luck?” You say taking a strong shot of your liquor. You get up and makes her way to the table, very bold move but hey you have liquor in your system. “Drew ?” You say while everyone has their eyes on you with smiles. He turns with a big grin on his face. “Hey you! What’s up?” He stands up and excuses himself from his friends. “I was maybe thinking…” you bite your lip, nervous as hell. “Go on” he demands. “I will love to go on a date with you” he says before you can even spit it out. “I’m more then excited for that!” You say in a low tone. You both just look at one another, he can’t believe you have no clue who he is and it makes him happy. You, you’re just so love stuck by this man. “Do you maybe wanna?” He grabs your hand and pulls you towards the bathroom, pushing you into the stall and locking it. “need your lips on mine now” he mumbles. He pulls you into a kiss and you both moan softly. He licks the bottom of your lips asking for permission and you grant it with a groan as his tongue massage yours. “Fuck” he groans into your mouth. Hands grabbing at anything he can find. “Drew” you say when you hear people enter the bathroom. But he doesn’t let up, he’s so obsessed with you that all he can think about is YOU. “Do you know how happy I am that you came up to me? I’m a chicken shit, was so scared to come up to someone this gorgeous” he mumbles as he takes your boobs in his hands and squeezes them, casing you to let out a soft moan. He bucks his hips forward and apologizes. “Sorry, you just sound so sexy” he laughs. “God Drew, you make me feel so good” he picks you up and leans you against the stall wall, groaning into each others mouth.

“Take me home Drew Starkey” you look him up in the eyes and he almost moaned out loud. “Yes come on” he grabs your hand and you both leave the bar, both looking at their friends with a smile. “Gonna make you mine.” Drew whispers into your ear as you both walk to the car.

[theetherealbloom]

UNEVEN ODDS — CH. 3

Chapter Three: Light Carries On Endlessly Even After Death

Summary: The Reader is dragged into the Last of Us universe and has no choice but to watch the events unfold or will she be able to change what was already written?

Paring: Joel Miller x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Age-gap Romance, Violence, ANGST, tiny fluff, PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Crying, Singing, Suggestive content, the pandemic, character death, Zombies, eventual SMUT, MY SCIENCE IS WONKY, probable plot holes, rusty writing

Word Count: 9.7k

A/N: This chapter is inspired by a mix of quotes and songs! Super unrelated, but it occurred to me, if I was in TLOU universe, I would not survive. I need my antidepressants and immediately would call it quits LMAO. (I know dark humor sorry :,) If you want to see my thought process (idk if you want to) I’ll put it at the end notes! Thank you for your comments, reblogs, and notes! I genuinely appreciate it and it means alot to me &lt;3

Song: Make You Feel My Love by Adele

Previous Chapter -> Next Chapter | Series Masterlist

TLOU WORLD — 2023

TEN MILES WEST OF BOSTON – DUSK

You trek your way into the forest, you hear your footsteps squishing through the mud and dirt, and the pounding of your breath. The sun is beginning to set, dusk then brings you moonlight, a time to reflect on the day that has past and look forward to the day that will be refreshed by the glow of the sun. It is the time when the birds sing farewell till the stars call them to sleep under the wings. Each color intensifies in beautiful solemnity, uniting in the darkness. 

No one spoke for the entirety of the hike, the silence carries your melancholy, yet it is a permanent friend of your subconsciousness. The deafness is only broken by ragged breaths and the beating of human hearts. Joel comes to a stop, his back facing you and Ellie as he speaks, “We’ll camp here for the night. I’ll take watch.”

You look to Ellie who merely shrugs, the two of you say nothing and begin to set up camp on the forest floor. You hear the rushing water of a river nearby and realize where you’ve ended up. Placing your backpack on the floor, you raise your arms and stretch to the sky, undoing the painful knots in your back and neck. You let out a sigh of relief and prepare for the inevitable. Joel calls out your name and you turn to face him, ready to take on the brunt of his pain and rage.

His eyebrows lower slightly, and the tone of his voice goes down a pitch, “You and I need to talk.” You take an uneasy breath and nod in agreement despite the sweat coating both palms. He takes a step closer to you and asks, “Did you know?” he raises his voice a little, “Did you know about Tess?” You look down in shame and whisper, “Yes.”

It takes everything he has to keep his control, jaw clenched and narrowed eyes, “Why?” he says. A question so simple, a three-letter word holding so much weight, and so much anger towards you. “Why didn’t you tell me?” You swallow and avoid responding, choosing silence over an argument. He scoffs and shakes his head, and you cross your arms across your chest. The more he fumed, the smaller you made herself.

You shift your weight from one foot to the other, and only look up to see his broad shoulders and back facing you, he mumbles with a quiet rage, “I’m gonna go check the area and make sure it’s safe and that there aren’t any infected nearby.”

“This ain’ gonna work if you keep hidin’ secrets from me Hummin’ bird.” He turns and walks away, disappearing into the woods. “Well, that was dramatic.” You turn to find Ellie sitting comfortably, back resting against the pine tree in a crisscross position, you open your mouth to ask if she was okay but decided against it. Instead, you nod, “Yeah. I’m, um, sorry about that.” Ellie only shrugs, “He must’ve loved her or something.” Your gaze softens as you whisper into the cool navy twilight, “Or something.”

YOUR ORIGINAL OBSERVABLE UNIVERSE — JANUARY 2023, NOON

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY, FUNDAMENTAL QUANTUM PHYSICS LAB

The sleeves of your white lab coat itch your arms as you focused on typing up your report. The clacking sound of your keyboard could be heard from around the lab as you typed. You were invited to assist in a study focusing on quantum mechanics and theory. The lab wasn’t as busy today, most of them had decided to join the conference that was being held at Harvard, busy networking and connecting with possible investors or fellow researchers.

It was only you and Adam that was left in the lab, his excuse was he would rather put acid in his eyes than shake hands and give fake niceties. He’s nearby testing his new hypothesis, and decides to make conversation with you, “If we manage to prove this, then it is possible, somewhere in the many worlds, a pandemic happened earlier in a different universe.” You roll your eyes in amusement, “Yeah, I guess so.” You’re in thought for a moment before asking, “Do you think humanity won? Like, they overcame it?” He hums, “Maybe. Or maybe they lost.” You snort and throw a careless joke, “Everyone would blame our shitty government and us, the scientists. How ignorant must you be for it to happen twice?” 

“Well, all disaster movies start with a scientist being ignored.” He says matter-of-factly, and you give no response,  and you continue typing up your report. Silently hoping that if it were true, that humanity would still have hope, small but just enough to let the shine through, and believe that they haven’t lost yet. You look at the time and log out of your work computer, packing up your things, and asking Adam if he would like to join you for lunch he politely declines, so you bid him farewell as you head out the doors to step on the grey pavement of the campus and make your way to a nearby restaurant. It’s a beautiful day, you think to yourself, clear blue skies and a cool breeze that caresses your skin. You take notice of the blue butterfly fluttering its wings and flying right past you, you smile as it leaves an afterimage of change.

TLOU WORLD — 2023

TEN MILES WEST OF BOSTON — CIVIL TWILIGHT DAWN

You wake up with a deep inhale, your eyes struggle to open, and try to understand where you were. Tired from the dream, well, a memory that replayed like a cassette tape on a player that pressed rewind. You blink a couple of times before rubbing your eyes awake and retrace your steps in your mind as you recall what happened last night, only to remember giving Ellie your jacket and waiting up for Joel to come back from scouting the area for any signs of danger.

You sit up a little straighter and crack the aching parts of your neck, you look next to yourself and see Ellie lightly snoring up against a tree, still asleep. You look at the familiar jacket draped over your body that had kept you warm during the cold night. Joel must’ve placed it on top of you when he found you barely awake and functioning.

You can’t help but smile and feel your heart flutter at the thought of him taking care of you. You feel the muscles of your cheeks tighten as you try to hide away your smile and hoist yourself up quietly, not wanting to disturb Ellie’s slumber. Letting Joel’s jacket drape off of your shoulders, you use your hands to hold the collar, creating a cape that drapes behind you. 

You head towards the sound of the stream, it burbles as it travels along its bed, bubbling over rocks and branches. It was a delicate duck-egg blue, like the delicate sweep of a painter's brush. It snuck and snuck its way past all impediments, even the river's stones. Twigs spun across its murmuring surface, small messengers from the mountain trees that had brought them there. The creek rushed across the riverbed's pebbles. It sounded like a starling flock's airy, silky spin.

In the background, the mountains stood silently, a sullen presence of sky-punching glory. Snow brooches adorned their lofty peaks, which were encircled in angel-white wreaths. A weeping torrent cascaded down the granite wall. It appeared to be a silk-blue slide pouring down the mountain. It looked to be bound in silver as it carried its burden of ice crystals. It emitted a distant thrumming sound, similar to the constant rumble of a drum roll. It glowed brightly as it fed the riverbed, the forest's lifeblood. It was a breathtaking sight.

Your gaze turns to fine Joel’s figure kneeling, hunched over, and quietly picking stones from the river’s edge. You watch from a distance as he silently stacks a pile of stones to create a cairn, a memorial for Tess. You make sure your footsteps can be heard as you approach him, but he gave no acknowledgment as you decide to sit atop a large rock. It takes a while before he looks at you, and finds you staring right through him with sorrowful eyes. 

You let out a huff of air before speaking in a neutral tone, “I don’t mean to keep secrets from you. If I had come here a day before the pandemic, a day before your birthday, I would have done everything to make sure this never happened.” You paused for a moment then continued, “You asked me why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t tell you because I thought I could do it on my own. I’ve been doing this for my whole life, keeping the peace and fixing things by myself, and I got it right every time. And the one time I get it wrong it cost someone’s life.” 

You feel your voice quiver as you spoke, eyes darting to look past him, afraid of the rage and grief he feels, “Someone you loved is gone. I’m sorry, Joel. But God, I know that will never be enough and no amount of apologies will bring her back. I had a chance and I fucked up. If I could… If I could press rewind and trade her life for mine I would if that would make it any better for you.”

“No.” Joel states and your eyebrows furrow in confusion, and slowly bring your eyes to look at him, “No?” And he shakes his head and picks up another rock as he says, “I accept your apology, but stop doin’ that.” You tilt your head quizzically, “Don’t do what?” He gruffly replies, “Minimize your life as if it doesn’t matter. As if it ain’t just as important.” She felt her breathing pause and peered intently at him before trying to argue, “But–” He shuts her down before she could go on, “Stop it, as you said, no amount of apologizin’ is gonna bring her back. She’s gone. I made a promise to her that I’m plannin’ on keepin’, you gonna help me or not?”

That throws you off balance, you expected him to lash out, maybe throwing a rock or two at you, not this. Slowly you nod, “Yes. Yes, I will.” Joel looks and searches for any form of malice or lies and finds none. He simply stretches his arm to you, the rock he previously took from the river’s edge, and holds it out to you like an olive branch. You slide off the rock you were sitting on and take the rock from his hand, crouching down and quietly placing it on top of the cairn. 

You stare at the pile of rocks for a moment, quiet in thought, but then Joel says your name in a whisper that wouldn’t even fog the glass, you raise your eyes to look at him as he asks, “Was she, in your world, did she, um, already um…” And you already know what he’s wondering before he tries and say the words, so you save him the trouble of continuing, giving him a nod you reply solemnly, “Yes.”

“And when we get to Bill and Frank’s? What do you know about that?” He says, and you blink back your tears, flashbacks of that episode occur in your mind, remembering their love for each other and what would happen once we got there. You apologetically smile at him, “Out of respect for the both of them. It’s best to find out when you get there.”

His eyebrows arch inwards in concern, “Are they okay?” And you hesitate, thinking how to appropriately word this without lying, but then you remember, “Yes, they’re content.”

Joel’s eyes look back down at the cairn the decides to get up. You see him hold out his hand for you, and you take it to hoist yourself up. “Let’s go back and see if Ellie’s awake.” He states, then let’s go of your hand, making his way back to the kid. You stand there for a second, glancing at the pile of stones that represent her legacy, then back at Joel, you decide to walk forward toward your future beginning to unfold.

TEN MILES WEST OF BOSTON — DAY

The sound of birds chirping can be heard as you walk behind Joel, finding Ellie awake with her sitting upright with her knees pulled to her chest and your jacket still being used as a makeshift blanket. Joel goes through his pack to get a bark of food and Ellie breaks the silence to question you, “You want your jacket back?”

You nod and grab it from her as she holds it out to you, putting it on, you remove Joel’s brown jacket to place it on top of Ellie. Her face drops, “Seriously?” And you shrug to whisper, “You guys need to talk too.” You begin to pack up and wear your backpack.

Joel takes a bite from his food only to crumple the wrapper to throw it at Ellie as if she was some dog. You look at him in slight annoyance as Ellie rolls her eyes and takes picks it up from the ground to also take a bite of food. He makes himself busy as he adjusts the strap of his worn-out backpack, trying to ignore the kid, but Ellie is persistent, “I’ve never been in the woods.” She chews before continuing, “More bugs than I thought.” Joel doesn’t respond, disregarding her statement, and fidgets with the buckles and straps. Ellie huffs, her shoulders tense and her voice louder as says, “Look, I’ve been thinking about…”

Joel shoots straight up to swing his backpack over his shoulder, “I don’t want your sorries.” Your eyes swing over to Ellie as she retorts, “I wasn’t gonna say I’m sorry. I was gonna say I’ve been thinking about what happened. Nobody made you or Tess take me. Nobody made you go along with this plan.” Joel stands there as he listens to her go on, “You needed a truck battery or whatever and you made a choice.” Then her voice lowers an octave and slightly quivers, “So don’t blame me for something that isn’t my fault.”

Joel has his jaw clenched and you could see the vein in his neck preparing to burst, but all he does is give a silent nod at Ellie, then she looks away. Joel picks up his rifle and Ellie stands up to walk to him, backpack, and food, in one hand and Joel’s jacket in the other. She stretches out her arm for Joel to take it from her, a truce, as he gently grabs it and folds it. A small smile stretches across your face and you relax.

“How much longer?” Ellie asks him, and he responds calmly, “Five-hour hike.” The kid nods and states, “We can manage that.” 

You take note of the trees arching and twisting from above you, the leaves creating patterns with their shadows, and not a single blade of grass out of place. It’s surprisingly quiet and almost peaceful as you follow Joel and Ellie across the wooden bridge, letting your mind wander, and quietly hum tunes that remind you of home. And when you no longer wanted to hum, you reflected on what happened on September 26, 2003. When it all fell apart on Joel’s birthday. The day seemed so normal, with clear blue skies and a celebration of life between a father and a daughter. You should have known, but now you learn, blue skies were a sight you never trusted again. 

“You’ve gone this way a lot? No infected?” Ellie asks, seemingly exhausted from not talking for so long. “Not often, no,” Joel replies, steadily looking for any form of danger, “What are you looking for?” And you respond for him, “People.” Ellie hums in acknowledgment, “Are Bill and Frank nice?” Joel replies lightly, “Frank is.” Glad you’re behind the two, and maybe it’s the past that’s talking, but flashes of their love come back to you in a blur. 

Ellie continues asking Joel the question, “Where’d you get that scar on your head?” You frown at that and remember exactly how he got it, he sighs at her. “What? Is it something lame? Like you fell down the stairs or something?” Ellie teasingly said, and his whiskey-deep voice gravelly replied, “I didn’t fall down any stairs.” 

“I fell down the stairs a lot in high school. Every year for four years.” You mumble your input without any thought and Ellie looks over at you with concern, “How the fuck are you still alive.” And you frown slightly, “To be honest, I have no fucking clue either.” The kid turns back to Joel, “Okay, so what then?” Ellie asks and Joel vaguely replies, “Someone shot at me and missed.”

“See, that’s cool. Did you shoot back?” The young girl states and looks at Joel with so much wonder and amazement, Joel glances at her and then responds, “Yeah.” Ellie continues, “You get him?” He’s practically done with her asking so many questions but replies anyway, “No, I missed too. It happens more often than you think.” 

“Because you suck at shooting or, like, in general?” You then bite back a laugh at Ellie’s comment, however, your eyes crinkle as you do. Vexed, Joel turns to look at Ellie, then away from her, “In general.” You snort at his response and this time he looks over his shoulder to look at you and you stare right back at him. 

Ellie glances at Joel’s revolver gun in its holder and looks back up at Joel, “You know, seeing as it’s just the three of us, and she has a gun already, I was thinking I should pro–” Joel doesn’t hesitate with his response, “No.” Ellie only rolls her eyes at his response and keeps quiet for a bit.

The three of you step over a fallen electric pole and turn a corner, “Cumberland Farms.” Ellie reads out the sign as you pass by it, Joel hurries his pace a bit before saying to you both, “Hang back a minute. I gotta grab some stuff I stashed.” 

“Stashed? Why do you have stuff stashed here?” Ellie asks still following Joel, irritated he says, “You ask a lot of goddamn questions.” She smirks, “Yes, I do.” Joel opens the door to the store, the sound of metal scraping against the floor as he does. “So, you gonna answer me or what?” Joel sighs and gives in, “We hide supplies on routes in case we find ourselves short on gear which I currently am because…”

“No way!” Ellie exclaims happily, and hurriedly makes her way to a Mortal Kombat machine, “You ever play this one?” You watch her mash buttons and mess with the joystick, while Joel lingers around, “I had a friend who knew everything about this game. There’s this one character named Mileena who takes off her mask and she has monster teeth and then she swallows you whole and barfs out your bones.” She sighs, “Oh man.” You look to Joel, entertained by him looking through a bunch of junk, Ellie turns to notice what you're looking at, “You forgot where you put your stuff.”

Joel shakes his head and denies, “No. I’m just zeroing in on it. It’s been a couple of years.” You lightly laugh, your shoulders slightly bouncing up and down as you do, “So, what? You’re using echolocation to look for it?” Joel only glances at you and sighs. Ellie smiles and says, “Okay, well, I’m gonna take a look around. See if there’s anything good.” Joel kicks something and replies, “Trust me, it’s all been picked over already.” Ellie hums thoughtfully, “Maybe, maybe not.” She makes her way to an open door and asks, “Is there anything bad in here?”

“Just you.” He retorts, and Ellie sighs, “Ah, getting funnier.” 

Joel shoves something and it doesn’t budge, “Fuck.” You laugh again at his struggle, and he looks at you unimpressed, “Do you, by any chance know where it is?” You smirk, “Yep.” He raises his eyebrows at you, “Do you wanna, maybe, I dunno, help me?” You twist your mouth to the side, cross your arms across your chest, and look up, mockingly thinking, “Eventually.”

Joel sighs at you, one hand on his hip as he does, then he says your name in a low-pitched voice, and you smile innocently at him from across the store. “And why won’t you tell me where it is?” You shrug and playfully say, “I like seeing you struggle.”

Electricity fills the air and you feel the warmth on your face, his brown eyes have now turned a shade darker than usual, and you watch him breathe a little deeper. Your tongue darts out a little bit to wet your lower lip and feel your heart race wildly. He stands there confidently, you notice his salt and pepper hair, his beautiful tan skin, and how the lines under his eyes and forehead remind you of maps you wish to trace your fingers on as they stretch, and there are too many miles to count. 

Wide-eyed in realization, you open your mouth, finding words to explain or excuse yourself but found none. Closing your gaping mouth, you quickly turn around to walk out of the store. Joel says your name, low and thick, you can feel the vibrations through your bones, it stops you in your tracks with your back facing him, “Where do you think your goin’? Turn around.”

You close your eyes for a second and try to quiet your beating heart, you follow his command, like a puppet on a string. “Where is it?” He asks as you feel his stare roam all over your body even from the large gap between you two, and you blink owlishly at him and out of breath, “Um, it’s at, um…” You clear your throat and try again, “It’s at the end of the aisle, underneath the newspapers.” 

“Come over here and help me lift this shit.” And your feet move forward to the man who is now crouched down and waiting for you. You kneel next to him, and as you tilt your head to look at him, you are now inches apart and unknowingly even closer at heart. You shyly look down on the piece of wood hiding his stash, “You should um, probably open it.”

He says nothing in response and you watch as he pulls his knife out and slices through the wood to create a small gap to lift it off the ground. You help him move it to the side, fingertips brushing against each other, feather-light touches that ignite a fire within you. In the corner of your eye, you see him begin to dig through the supplies he had left behind. It then occurs to you that you haven’t heard from Ellie in a while, you look to Joel with a concerned look, “We haven’t heard Ellie in a while,” you whisper.

He nods and proceeds to call for her, “Ellie?” He receives no response and the worry expands in your belly. Joel gets up and so do you, this time you try to call for her, “Ellie.” Getting nothing as well. Joel pulls out his revolver and turns to you, “Wait here.” You nod and follow his request, he approaches the door, “Ellie?” and she walks out fine and unscathed, “Picked over, my ass.” She says holding up a box of tampons. 

You let out a sigh of relief, even though you knew she would be fine, but the nagging voice in the back of your mind reminds you that things could change for the better or worse in any situation. Your being in this universe has an effect now, especially the fact you’re running around with the two main characters of this story. Whatever you say or choose not to say will have repercussions if you’re not careful. That’s something you learned the hard way.

Joel puts his gun away as Ellie shoves her find into her pack. He kneels down to put away the green toolbox and rifle under his stash, Ellie watches and asks, “What are you doing?” He responds, “There’s not much ammo out there for this thing. Makes it mostly useless.” You help him put the board back on and to no one’s surprise she tries to take advantage of the opportunity, “Well, if you’re just gonna leave it there…” Joel stands and you follow suit, he looks at Ellie sternly, “No.”

He turns to walk out of the store and Ellie follows after him, defeated. You watch the two go-ahead before glancing at the open door, knowing exactly what Ellie had found down there. Swallowing down your fear, you force yourself to keep going.

You continue to walk along the road, the clouds march on and the trees bow down to give their leaves, to offer you some shade along your journey. Walking by you see the wreckage of an airplane atop a hill, broken parts, and pieces scattered along the field. Ellie breathes out, “Holy shit.” The three of you stop walking to gaze at it fondly, “You fly in one of those?” The kid asks you and Joel, and he replies, “Few times, sure.”

Ellie is looking up at you, searching for your answer, and you give her a nod, “Yeah, a couple of times.” She brings her focus back to the wreckage and sighs, “So lucky.” Joel disagrees, “Didn’t feel like it at the time. Get shoved into a middle seat, pay 12 bucks for a sandwich.”

“Dude, you got to go up in the sky,” Ellie says, and you frown, simple things that got taken for granted, you knew all too well. “Yeah, well, so did they,” Joel says with dejection in his voice, then decides to keep moving. Something all he’s ever known. Ellie mutters, “Grim.”

“So everything came crashing down in one day?” Ellie questions and Joel nods, “Pretty much.” Ellie doesn’t settle for that and chooses to follow up with a, “How? I mean, no one was infected with cordyceps. Everybody’s fine eating in restaurants and flying in planes. And then, all at once? How did it even start? If you have to get bit to get infected, then who bit the first person?” She pauses, “Was it a monkey? I bet it was a monkey.”

You huff in amusement, “If it were a monkey, this wouldn’t have happened.” Joel looks at you then turns back to Ellie and replies, “It wasn’t a monkey. I thought you went to school?” Ellie frowns, “FEDRA school. They don’t teach us how their shitty government failed to prevent a pandemic.”

You flinch at her statement and think for a nanosecond, fuck. You hear your memories echo back to you. You snort and throw a careless joke, “Everyone would blame our shitty government and all the scientists. How ignorant must you be for it to happen twice?” Adam replies, “Well, all disaster movies start with a scientist being ignored.”

You painfully exhale and look to Ellie, parroting back the words you heard not long ago, “All disasters start with a scientist being ignored.” Joel and Ellie listen to you intently as you remember what had happened, and you continue on, “A scientist named Dr. Neuman sometime in the 1960s had feared this would happen. People laughed and brushed it off.” 

You close your eyes and try and untangle the strings of memories and information about their world, “Your outbreak started in Jakarta, Indonesia on September 24, 2003. A flour and grain factory,  on the west side of the city. The perfect substrate. A normal woman suddenly turned violent, attacked four of her coworkers, and bit three of them. They locked her in the bathroom and when the police arrived, she tried to attack them, and they shot her. The people she bit were taken for observation. You could imagine what happened a few hours later.”

You open your eyes to realize you had stopped walking and see Joel and Ellie analyzing the new information, you press on, “No one knows who bit her first, but there were fourteen coworkers missing. Possibly already spreading the virus. The cordyceps mutated because the world got warmer, and some of it go into the food supply. Flour was the case, and there were certain brands of food that were sold everywhere all across the country, and across the world. Bread, cereal… pancake mix.” You paused, unable to go on, so Joel picked it up from there and continued walking as he spoke, “If you eat enough of it, it’ll get you infected. So the tainted food all hits the store shelves around the same time Thursday. People bought it ate some Thursday night or Friday morning. Day goes on, they started to get sick. Afternoon, evening… they got worse. Then they started biting. Friday night, September 26, 2003. And by Monday, everything was gone.”

Ellie is quiet for a bit then nods, “It makes more sense than monkeys. Thanks.” Joel lifts a shoulder, “Sure,” while you only nod with the silence that you continue to carry. Joel raises his arm to stop you and Ellie, “What?” She asks him. He exhales, “We’ll cut across the woods here.” Ellie looks at him skeptically, “Isn’t the road easier?”

“Yeah, it’s just… There’s some stuff up there you shouldn’t see.” Joel says, the tone in his voice very fatherly. You look to Ellie expectantly, as she cheekily smiles at him and walks ahead, “Well, now I have to see.”

“I don’t want you to.” Joel comments disapprovingly, but Ellie marches on, and he grunts, “Serious. Ellie.” You follow after the two, and the young girl asks, “Can it hurt me?” Joel replies straightforwardly, “No.” She turns and walks backward as she talks to him, “You’re too honest man. Should’ve said ax murderer.” Ellie carries on walking normally, while you and Joel look at each other consciously, with full awareness. 

You decide to take a risky leap, gently take his hand, and squeeze it reassuringly. His weary eyes are drawn to your linked hands, fingers interlaced like a beautiful zipper of prayer. Hands are the maps and compasses we use to navigate our lives. Some people read palms to predict the future but you read hands to predict the past. Every scar has a tale worth sharing. Each calloused palm and fractured knuckle represents a missed punch or years spent in a factory. Your eyes tell him, ‘It’s okay, let her know.’ And he seems to understand, giving you a short nod. Because, what is a girl if not a buzzing creature discovering what the world will take from her?

“Whatever it is, I think it’s gone,” Ellie yells out to you both, only to stop short moments after to look at the ditch below. Skeletons were jumbled together and littered the dirt. You and Joel reach Ellie, with hands still intertwined, she’s looking up at you both for an explanation. Joel emits a long, deep, audible breath expressing his sadness, “About a week after Outbreak Day, soldiers… went through the countryside and evacuated the small towns. Told you you were going to a QZ, and you were… if there was room.” He hesitates, “If there wasn’t…” 

These people were wiped clean away, leaving only a wristwatch or a blanket. The only proof that they ever existed. Ellie feels out of sorts as she mutters, “These people weren’t sick?” Joel replies fixed and controlled, “No, probably not.” The girl nods while blinking away her melancholy and frustration she asks quietly, “Why kill them? Why not just leave them be?” You take a shaky inhale before responding, “Because dead people can’t get infected.” 

Joel squeezes your hand in reassurance, and it grounds you from remembering what had happened that sunny day. How easy it was for the government and military to manipulate everyone into believing everything was under control. People that you trusted and elected for a hopeful cause only for them to betray you in the end. You tip your head up to Joel and he looks at your sparkling eyes, looking up at him searching for some kind of answer. But he gazes at you, with no answers, instead, is filled with promises. Because what is an adult if not a terrified being desperate to protect something you can't save?

AMHERST COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS, LINCOLN, – NOON

You, Joel, and Ellie approach the electric fence gate surrounding the small town of Lincoln. The site is hauntingly beautiful, a white large house can be seen from a distance, while trees dance in the wind, you can picture this neighborhood having plenty of kids playing out on the street without a care in the world. As you approach the gate, there’s a number keypad attached to the side, he glances at you and Ellie, “Stay there.” He punches in the four-digit code and there is a high pitch ring, indicating that the passcode was correct, and the metal gate unlocks.

Joel opens the gate for Ellie to walk through first, and then you. He closes the gate behind him as he follows you both inside. The environment is suspenseful and suspiciously quiet, Joel places his hand on his revolver while noticing the wilting yellow flowers outside the house. He pushes down on the door handle, surprised that it was left unlocked, he removes his revolver from the holster and cautiously walks inside. Ellie mumbles, “What the fuck?” while Joel yells out, “Bill? Frank?” Your palms begin to sweat and you discreetly wipe them down on your pants, Joel turns to look at you and Ellie, “You stay there. You hear anything… you see anything yell.” 

“What if they’re gone?” Ellie asks and Joel doesn’t respond, only looking at her before turning and opening the door to the kitchen. She sighs and proceeds to look around the house. A grand piano sits in the living room, and Ellie curiously presses on a bunch of keys to listen to the notes play. And then you spot it, head tilting, you carefully take the envelope and key that sat on top of the wooden table, and feel the sense of sorrow you knew followed you around like a shadow. 

You look to Ellie who was staring at you expectantly and then hand her the letter. You didn’t need to read what you already knew. Your footsteps are heavy as you pull out a seat from the dining room table, and fold your arms atop the desk before bending your head down. Your muscles were aching and exhausted, while the pounding in your head decided to return for another round. Ellie pulls out the chair next to you and opens the letter, quietly reading it.

You hear Joel from down the hall, trying to knock and unlock the door of Bill and Frank’s room, but hear the front door shut from the wind. This causes him to jump and call out for you and Ellie. None of you decide to reply. He stalks down the hall and turns right to the dining room, to find you quiet and resting your head against the dining table with Ellie reading the letter.

“It’s from Bill.” The girl says, and Joel decides to holster his revolver again. She reads aloud,  “‘To whomever, but probably Joel’. I figured I fell into ‘whomever.’” And then shrugs, “It came with this,” she pushes a key across the dusty table adjacent to her and he removes his backpack before tossing it to the floor. He grabs the key to inspect it and then states, “So they’re dead?” Ellie nods, “Mhm. You wanna…” Joel shakes his head no, “Go ahead. You do it.” 

Ellie clears her throat before reading out loud the words you cried over for a good week, “August 29, 2023. If you find this, please do not come into the bedroom. We left a window open so the house wouldn’t smell but it will probably be a sight. I’m guessing you found this, Joel, because anyone else would’ve been electrocuted or blown up by one of my traps. Hehehehehehehehe.” She pauses in confusion but goes on, “Take anything you need. The bunker code is the same as the gate code but in reverse. Anyway, I never liked you but still, it’s like we’re friends, almost. And I respect you.”

You can already feel the flip in your stomach before you’ve even heard the part that would hit him the most, “So I’m gonna tell you something because you’re probably the only person who will understand. I used to hate the world, and I was happy when everyone died. But I was wrong because there was one person worth saving.” 

And it all comes rushing back to you, the love story of Bill and Frank, a chance meeting that would have only happened during the end of the times. You quietly tried your best to sit up straight, but your posture is still drooping and sagging. Placing your elbows on the table, and folding your hands, interlocking your fingers, you closed your eyes and let your head rest against your hands. And when your eyes closed, your guards came down, tears freely flowed down your cheeks, mentally deadened, tired, and nauseous as you listened, “That’s what I did. I saved him. Then I protected him. That’s why men like you and me are here. We have a job to do and God help any motherfuckers who stand in our way. I leave you all of my weapons and equipment. Use them to keep…” Ellie stops abruptly, not wanting to continue. 

Ellie purses her lips together in a line while Joel snatches the letter to read what she could not. To keep Tess safe. He swallows down his guilt and anger, “Stay here.” You open your puffy, bloodshot eyes as you hear him storm out of the house leaving the door open behind him. Feeling out of focus and indisposed, like a single loose thread that comes all undone. You curl one leg up to your chest and let your chin rest on top of it, and you can feel the snot dripping down your nose as you do. Bring the sleeve of your jacket, to wipe it off from your face, then use the palms of your hands to wipe the tears away. 

But it proves useless as the tears continue to flow, Ellie silently moves to stand next to you and then gives an unexpected, but not unwelcomed, hug. You continue to cry harder, choking on every breath you take as you do, as you wrap your arms around Ellie’s waist and silently stroke your hair. Joel comes back to the house finding the sight of you broken and sobbing uncontrollably. Ellie only looks at him with saddened eyes, and a silent plea to help you.

You’re uncomfortably shattering into pieces,  stitch by stitch it tears you apart, and a stained-glass variation of the truth leaves your brokenness on display. Joel walks behind you, unsure what to do or say, but he can feel the magnetic pull of wanting and needing to help you, quietly he asks you, “What do you need?”

He wouldn’t have heard it if it wasn’t incredibly silent if your voice hadn’t echoed off the walls, your voice hiccuping, so small and soft as you admit, “I don’t know…” But Joel does. Without question, Ellie gently lets go of you, to be replaced by Joel’s large arms wrapped around your shaking frame.

The seasons will eventually change, and you may choose to go into them shattered and busted, with stiff souls, wounded hearts, and raggedy spirits. But the tiny part of you will continue on because hope endures the agony of sadness; it does not require your protection or defense. For now, you will allow yourself to cry, sigh, and wish for things to be different in the comfort of the two people you’ve grown close with. Later, you will discover raw, wrung-out calm when you allow yourself to be human.

After a reprieve, you willed yourself to stop crying. You take a shaky inhale and be the first one to pull away from Joel. Sweaty, puffy, and slightly dehydrated, from the amount of crying you’ve managed to do in a small amount of time. You feel drowsy, exhausted, overwhelmed, and embarrassed. Rubbing your face with both hands, you heavily exhale and try to regroup yourself as you do.

Joel gently holds your wrist to reveal your face, he’s kneeling down in front of you, “You good?” Your eyes shift uncontrollably across his face, not able to focus on him properly but you nod anyway, you have to keep going, “Mhm, yes. I’m good now,” you said. He gives you a short nod and slowly pushes himself up to face Ellie who was quietly sitting down again, “Show me your arm.”

Ellie stands up and lifts her sleeve to reveal the bite on her arm already healing. Joel nods and says, “I just finished making a truck battery. It’s charging right now.” Ellie nods back, “Okay.” He continues on, “I have a brother out in Wyoming. He’s in some kind of trouble and I’m headin’ out there to find ‘em. He used to be a Firefly.” Ellie continues to silently nod, indicating that she was listening to him as he spoke, “And my guess is he knows where some of them are out there. Maybe they can get you to wherever this lab is.” 

Ellie blinks, “All right. Listen about Tess…” But Joel shuts that down pretty quickly, he lifts his hand to stop her, “If I’m taking you with me, there’s some rules you gotta follow. Rule one, you don’t bring up Tess. Ever. Matter of fact, we can keep our histories to ourselves. Rule two, you don’t tell anyone about your… condition. They see that bite mark, they won’t think it through. They’ll just shoot you. Rule three, you do what I say when I say it.” 

Joel looks at you pointedly, “Rule three applies to you too Hummin’ bird.” Your face scrunches up in annoyance and exclaim, “But I’m a grown adult!” Joel only lifts his eyebrows, “Do you know exactly what happens now from here on out? You ever lived in an apocalyptic world?” You move your eyes away from him and mumble defeatedly, “No, and just a few hunches and theories, I guess.” He harrumphs and looks at you and Ellie, “Are we clear?” He says. You both respond, “Yes.”Joel’s eyes narrow and says without smiling, “Repeat it.”

“What you say goes,” Ellie says and he looks to you for the same statement, “What you say goes, Cowboy.” He lets out a huff and shifts his weight to his other foot, “Okay,” he mumbles. The kid questions aloud, “So what now?” And Joel decides it’s time to start preparing, “We grab what we can.”

Loud footsteps are heard as the three of you descend the metal stairs, Joel flicks on a switch and the lights flicker open. The sound of the 80s playlist playing can be heard filling the room. Joel goes to pause it while Ellie takes a good walk around the bunker, and looks at the wall of guns, “Holy shit. This guy was a genius.” You laugh lightly at her comment, walk over to Joel’s side to look at the playlist and security cameras, saying “Well, under normal circumstances, this would be seen as paranoid.”

Ellie snorts in amusement and acknowledgment, she turns to Joel and asks, “Why was the music on?” Joel places his hands on the table and replies contemplatively, “If he doesn’t reset the countdown every few weeks, this playlist would run over the radio.” Ellie makes her way to the side of the monitor, she peeks at it and states, “‘80s.” He glances from behind him, not wanting to dwell on it any longer, and tells the kid, “Grab some cans from over there. Nothin’ dented or swollen.” She lingers a bit by the wall of guns on display and points at it saying, “Dude.” Only to be replied with Joel’s firm, “No.” Ellie exasperated, “There’s a wall of them.” He gives her one hard look and Ellie pinches her lips into a thin line, walking away to start grabbing the canned food.

Joel’s gaze turns to you, while you tilt your head to the side to look up at him, and you feel a question forming on the tip of your tongue, the way you hold your breath as you wonder if it’s even worth bringing up, you and him inches away from touching, lingering and wanting you to say something. Instead, you pull away from his malt-musing mountain gaze, away from the comfort of his warmth and inviting pull. Afraid of what this could mean, or the possibility you might wake up and find yourself alone again. To only find his ghost wandering in your kitchen, haunting you if this all turns out to be nothing.

“I’m gonna go, um, help Ellie.” You say pointing behind you with your thumb, and then stumble your way around the bunker to look for the young girl. He watches you leave his side, and if he could have one wish it would be to have more time. He’d like to stop the clock and make time stand still because this is just how he always wants to feel. To hear the way she stumbles when she answers, and just for a little bit, secretly, he forgets about his cynicism because he can't wait to see what happens next.

You three end up going through everything in Bill and Frank’s home. On the upper floor, you and Ellie look around the bedroom as Joel opens the door to a closet, pulls on the pull cord switch of the light, and grabs a box of women’s clothes in Ellie’s size and yours. You and her open the box and happily dig through the pile of clothes that had been left behind. Eventually, you settle on a basic white tee, a pair of cargo pants, new white socks, and a lovely maroon leather jacket.

All three of you decide to check on the battery, Joel turns the knob of the charger and grunts, “Needs another hour.” Ellie checks the faucet by the sink and turns it to the right and happy squeals, “They have hot water! I’m taking a shower.” She then looks to Joel who was busy sorting through the clutter, “And then you’re both showering. Because seriously…” And before walking away she makes a sound to signal you both that you reeked of sweat and more stench imaginable. She walks away to go back inside the house and leaves you both alone together. 

Not knowing what to do or say, you give yourself a hug, arms folding in front of your middle, eyes darting to everything but him. Joel watches the way you shift around the bunker. He does not know what you are thinking, how you prefer your tea, if you take sugar in your coffee, or whether you like walking in the rain. He takes notice of the way you keep going just like he does, when you laugh it sounds like a melody he’s all too familiar with but there’s a different hidden note between each breath you take. 

You are impossible. Impossible is admitting you came from a different universe, it’s also attempting to connect in this world, trying to hang on to others while everything around you is exploding. And yet you’re standing there in front of him, real and full of light. He does not want to believe it, he worries in his mind that he will destroy each and every part of you, engrossing darkness and bitterness he has accumulated for the past twenty years. Beginning on the day the world fell apart, when it took Sarah away from him. And the weight of the world was placed on his shoulders.

You begin to hum to yourself as you take a walk around the bunker and appreciate the lengths Bill went through to keep him and Frank safe. Joel finally gives in to the tug of war in his mind and asks, “What song were you hummin’ on the hike here, Birdie? I didn’t recognize the melody this time.” His question pulls your attention away from the wall of guns and you incline your head toward him, “Oh? Uh, just a song from my world, I guess…” He looks at you expectantly and you take it as a cue to continue, “It’s a song by Adele.” You said as you scrunched your nose a bit.  A look of puzzlement crossed his face, “Who’s Adele?” he says. You slowly blink at him, “Damn, your world ended too soon and robbed you of Adele.”

The conversation continues on, it goes from books to favorite drinks, and bit by bit you’re beginning to piece together the man in front of you. It astounds you, how he kept going even when the world took away the people he loved. And later you hear Ellie yelling from the house, telling you both she’s done, you look to Joel and he tells you to use the shower first. You smile at him and give him a small thanks as you head up the stairs. The small talk you both had left him floating and hates that his mind continues to think about worse-case scenarios and look for emergency exits just in case. But is it courage or faith that he shows up every day? And maybe one day he won’t be afraid.

After the nice steaming hot shower, and changing into your new-ish clothes, you yell Joel’s name to tell him it’s his turn. He proceeds to go into the bathroom and you go downstairs to see Ellie messing with the piano keys, you gently tap her shoulder and she looks up at you with adorable eyes full of wonder, “Scoot over.” The kid moves and you sit down on the piano bench next to her, you mumble, “I’m surprised it’s still tuned after all these years.” Ellie’s ears perk up, “You know how to play?” and you tilt your head to the left, “Just enough to impress friends now and then.” She smiles, “Can you show me? Please?”

Your mouth pinches in thought, wondering which song you could play, “Hrm, I guess I could. But you might not recognize this piece of music since it was never released here.” She nods excitedly, “It’s no big deal. I need to hear you sing since you keep humming all the time.” You roll your eyes at that, “Okay, okay.”

You ready yourself, comfortably slouched, and your head down. Your fingers glide over the keys and you begin to sway as you play the starting notes of Adele’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’. “When the rain is blowing in your face. And the whole world is on your case. I could offer you a warm embrace. To make you feel my love,” You sang softly as your fingers continued to dance over the ivory keys, your spirit became virtually an allure with each small sway of your head and body. Joel silently walks down the stairs, enchanted and allured by your melodious voice. He leans on the frame of the foyer, slicked back salt and pepper hair, and currently has the softest eyes for you.

“The storms are raging on the rollin' sea. And on the highway of regret. The winds of change are blowing wild and free… You ain't seen nothing like me yet.” You sang and the buildup as it developed into a slow roll that shattered into the souls of everyone who listened like a tremendous tsunami. Joel and Ellie were entranced by the enticing music emanating from your voice, resulting in a tranquil silence. The lyrics soared and swelled from the depths of your spirit as if everyone in that room could sense your hope and affection. Your love became their love, and the audience and singer became one.

“I could make you happy, make your dreams come true… Nothing that I wouldn't do. Go to the ends of the earth for you, to make you feel my love. To make you feel my love.” You vocalized and slowly stopped playing on the ivory keys, letting out a sigh of relief you turn to Ellie who is in awe of your talent and skill. “Damn, I wish we could bring this with us.” She says and you throw your head back in laughter, your shoulder moving as you catch your breath, “Joel would break his back carrying this thing.” 

“You callin’ me old, sweetheart?” Joel says smugly, you and Ellie swiftly turn to look behind you, to find him relaxed, happy, and all cleaned up. You can feel your body begin to burn in embarrassment and attraction to the pet name he called you. Including the fact, he’s pulling off the wet look pretty damn fucking well. Ellie saves you from having to explain yourself and comments on his appearance, “Well, don’t you look pretty.” 

That brings him back to reality and begins to become grumpy old Joel once more, “Shut up.” He mutters and then tosses her a stick of deodorant which she catches. The kid looks at it and comments, “Nice,” then proceeds to get up from the bench with you following after the both of them.

You make your way to the blue Chevy S-10, Ellie goes to the front passenger seat but Joel clicks his tongue, “Go sit in the back, Ellie.” She groans and as she was about to walk to the back of the Chevy you shake your head, “It’s okay, you can take it for the meantime, I suspect you haven’t been in a car before.” And Ellie is practically vibrating with joy as she hops inside the car, Joel looks at you from the rearview mirror and you give a thumbs up while Ellie continues to explore parts of the car, “It’s like a spaceship,” she says and you hide a laugh while Joel mumbles, “It’s like a piece of shit Chevy S-10 but it’ll get us there.” And after a moment he adds, “I think.”

Joel begins to put on his seatbelt and he tells Ellie to do the same, but she only gives him a perplexed look, which he then shows her and she clicks it in place while smiling, “So cool.”

He turns the key and the engine rives to life, Ellie opens the glove compartment and finds a cassette tape, he glances at her, “Would you leave it?” Ellie gives him a cheeky grin to slide it into the radio. “Put it back. Ellie.” Joel states in a serious tone. Linda Ronstadt’s ‘Long Long Time’ begins to play, the first ever song you hummed a couple of days ago. You look out the window to the left, Joel and Ellie converse as you tune out the rest of the world, only listening to the music. You hear the buzzing of the gate open and Joel drives into the open road, and the lovely voice of Linda Ronstadt reminds you that love will transcend into every universe, and the thought of that lulls you to gently close your eyes and let yourself fall asleep.

Previous Chapter -> Next Chapter

End Notes: (Idk do people read this? Btw this is lengthy since lol almost 10k words o-o)

Yes, Type 9 is The Runner-away-er of Conflict… hecking I had this whole argument planned out at first, all the yelling and fighting between the reader and Joel and nearly going through with that concept, but in the end decided against it. Because to me, it felt too soon. It wouldn’t progress the story forward, it would have just taken twenty steps back lmao. Joel is the type to keep going, to keep moving cuz he has to. So him reminiscing would be out of character and the reader getting mad and confronting him wOULD ALSO BE OUT OF CHARACTER LMAO

Anyways, as you read, I ended up giving them a moment to mourn and talk it out, because I felt like you needed to hear those words too. Do not throw away your life just to make someone happy. That’s destructive. 

I tried my best to write about grief this chapter, and had to rewatch Episode 3 to put myself through the torture again hooray! Towards the end, you can see my writing become somewhat poetic(?) but honest. I didn’t want to extremely exaggerate it but just enough to hopefully make u cry a bit. If you did cry pls tell me, it tells me that I wrote okay enough for you to cry)

But I also wanted it to give you some hope and to remind you that you are a light in many people's lives I promise.

Furthermore, I lowkey procrastinated on this chapter, I was hoping it would be out by Wednesday but the new Hogwarts Legacy game has me in a chokehold so I 1000% got distracted!

OFF TO EPISODE 4 I GOOOO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING UR COMMENTS MWA ILY &lt;3

-Grace

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