#sorry I wrote that post and then my brain caught up to the rest and was like 'wait this take is bad'

[yusuke-of-valla]

Also gonna add that it's kind of a false dichotomy to say Yusuke's not poor he's just irresponsible with money because, putting aside that I think treating art like a frivolous expense is wrong for the situation, like if Haru impulse bought two lobsters no one would bat an eye, because she's rich

That's what being rich means, you can buy frivolous shit and not have to worry about anything

[javierpena-inatacvest]

Promises

Summary: When you wake up to find your house quiet, your first reaction is panic. But after you find Javi and learn what he has planned for you this morning, your mood becomes a whole lot better.

Pairing: Dad!Javi x Wife!reader (Reader's nickname is Osita, no use of y/n)

Word Count: 4.1K (Y'all I wrote this in like a few hours I was feeling some typa way)

Warnings: SMUT (18+), unprotected p in v sex (don't do this pls but also they want another baby), vaginal fingering, oral (f receiving) creampie, cum play (ig??), praise kink, the biggest, fattest, nastiest breeding kink (... Don't look at me), ass slapping (but affectionately), mentions of body insecurity post pregnancy, Javi being the biggest menace of all time (this man has a MOUTH on him, lawd have mercy), Javi being the best husband and literally being so in love, it's honestly sickening, Chucho patiently waiting for his next grandchild 9 months from now LMAO

A/N: ... Hey... I'm gonna need all of you to not look at me for the next 7-10 business days after this one.... I'm not sure what's in the water over here, but uh... Yeah. I'll leave it at that. Thanks to @endlessthxxghts for letting me share my horny thots about our favorite dad, sorry for waking up on the feral side of the bed this morning 🥴

Part of the Forever and Always Series!

It was quiet. 

Way too quiet. 

You couldn’t remember a time in the past 5 years where you had woken up to the house being so silent. 

No TV, no commotion, no little squeals and giggles from your girls waiting impatiently for you to get up and out of bed, and if you weren’t already confused enough, you rolled over to be greeted by the empty space where your husband should have been, the usual warmth left radiating after he had gotten out of bed before you long gone. 

But the real kicker was that when you turned back over again to peek at the flashing numbers of your alarm clock, your eyes went wide at a number that you hadn’t seen since well before kids. 

10:39 A.M. 

“Jesus Christ…” You whispered to yourself, frantically rubbing the sleep out of your eyes and tossing the comforter off of your body before scrambling out of bed in distress, as your brain pieced together the worst sort of panicked puzzle as to why it was so late, so quiet, and Javi was nowhere to be found. 

You pushed open the bedroom door, peeking into the hallway, just as ghostly and empty as you had suspected, each of your daughter’s bedroom doors wide open with neither of them in sight.  Rushing back down the hall towards your stairs before stopping in front of Javi’s office, you paused your search at the sound of familiar, muffled humming coming from behind the door. 

Pushing it open, you were shocked to see the image of your husband sitting at his desk, leaning back in his seat with a book in his hand and feet propped up against the wooden surface, quietly humming to himself as he turned a page, seeming completely unbothered by his solitude. As the door creaked open further, it caught Javi’s attention, peeking up from over his book with a smile on his face as he dogeared his current page, pushing himself out of his chair to walk towards you. 

“Wow, look who’s up! I was gonna give you ‘til 11:00 before I really started to get worried. How’d you sleep, Hermosa?” He cooed, wrapping his arms around you to pull you in for a hug, pressing a soft kiss into the sleepy tangles of your hair, gently cupping your face and forcing your worried gaze up towards him. 

“Javi, what’s- what’s going on? Where are the girls? Is everything ok-” Before you could finish the rest of your thought, Javi’s lips were pressed against yours, the familiar bitterness of black coffee and minty gum still lingering in his mouth as he caught the rest of your sentence with his kiss, the hand cupping your cheek now letting his thumb swipe gently across your soft skin. 

“Relájete, mi amor (relax, my love)” Javi laughed, pressing another kiss onto your forehead, smiling down at you, “I know how tired you’ve been the past couple of weeks, and rightfully so. You take such good care of our girls- you are the most incredible mom to them, but it’s only fair that you deserve a break every once and a while, too. So,” he smirked, tightening his grip around your waist, letting his hand creep slowly towards your ass, “I asked my dad last night if I could drop Lucy and Elliot off with him this morning so we could have a day just the two of us. He’s more than happy to keep ‘em for as long as we want, so I figured I'd take him up on the offer and I can get some time alone with my beautiful wife to help her relax and show her how much I appreciate her.” 

You could the anxiety and worry instantly wash away from your body, the fear that had been consuming you since you had woken up now replaced by excited butterflies swirling in your stomach, heat creeping through your cheeks as you smiled back up at him, tears welling in your eyes in appreciation for how goddamn lucky you were to have someone who cared about you as much as Javi did. 

“Thank you.” You whispered, biting at the inside of your lip to try and keep yourself from crying, Javi immediately tilting your chin up towards him in response, softly swiping away the wetness pooling in your eyes. 

“Hermosa…” He cooed, looking you up and down with an empathetic smirk, brushing a stray piece of hair from your bed head out of your face, tucking it behind your ear, “It’s the least I could do. Now, why don’t you go get back into bed. I picked up a breakfast sandwich and coffee for you from Leo’s on the way back from Pop’s place, figured you might be hungry, considering you slept until almost lunch time. And after you finish eating,” He rasped, leaning his head down to nip at your neck, the hot words of his breath dancing against your skin, the shift in his tone instantly sparking a fire in your core, “I think I might be feeling hungry, too.” 

“You are a menace, I hope you know that.” You sighed, trying with every ounce in you to keep your composure, the tickle from Javi’s mustache at least providing some relief from the tension as you burst out into giggles, Javi playing along by digging his fingers into your hips, running his hands along your sides until you had exploded into a fit of laughter, flailing and squirming in his broad grasp. “Stop it, you meanie! You can’t just promise me food and sex and then hold me hostage like this!” 

Finally releasing you, Javi grabbed your face to pull you in for another kiss, this one slow and tender, an electric energy pulsing between the two of you as your lips brushed against one another, only pulling away after Javi’s hand planted a loving smack on your ass, making you squeal in surprise. 

“Go get your ass back in bed, Osita. I’ll be back in a second with breakfast.” 

“Okay.” You giggled, turning back on your heels out the door, but not before turning back around to peek your head through the doorway with a sneaky grin on your face. “And you’ll also be back with sex?” 

“Baby, you have no fucking idea.” 

As you jumped back into bed, tucking yourself back into your sheets, it wasn’t long before Javi was back in your room with the first part of his promised bargain- Your favorite breakfast sandwich and an extra large coffee, grinning in delight as he passed both over to you before settling next to you, wrapping your arm around your shoulder as you demolished the better part of your food. 

“Oh my god, I haven’t had one of these in so long. God, I love you so much.” You sighed, taking another bite of your breakfast as Javi laughed at the ferocity at which your sandwich had disappeared. “I bet the image of this is really doing a lot turn you on for the second half of your promise. If I would have known, I would have at least put on cuter pajamas.” You snickered, gesturing down to your nearly finished food and Javi’s worn, oversized shirt and boxers you still had draped over your body. 

“Shut up. You know I think you look sexy in anything. I love seeing you in my clothes. Drives me fucking crazy. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it.” Javi smirked, rubbing his hand along your thigh, his thumb rubbing soft circles into your skin. 

“You just like it when I don’t wear a bra.” You snorted, rolling your eyes at Javi as you crumpled up the wrapper of your finished sandwich, setting it on your nightstand before rolling over to rest your head on Javi’s chest, draping one of your arms across his stomach. “You’re sweet, Jav. Sexy in anything seems like a bit of a stretch, there’s about half my closest I refuse to make eye contact with after having Elliot.”

You let out a quiet sigh, trying to hide the frown pursed between your lips, thinking about how much your body had changed since the first time you had ever worn Javi’s clothes all those years ago. Two kids and lots of time later, you couldn’t help feel a little self conscious about how different you looked from when the two of you had first met. And even though Javi said it to you all the time, it was much easier said than done to always believe it yourself. 

“Hey…” Javi replied softly, looking down at you with a frown on his own face, “Osita, you know I’m being serious, right?” 

“Well, you’re my husband, you kind of have to be.” You huffed, half forcing your laughter as you immediately began to feel yourself become more and more conscious of your weight laying on top of him, almost trying to shift yourself away before Javi’s hand was wrapped around your back, pulling you over to lay completely on top of him and forcing you to look at his serious expression. 

“Out of all the women in the world, you are the only one I ever want. You are just as beautiful, if not even more beautiful than the day I first met you, you know why? Because your beautiful body that I love every fucking inch of has grown and carried our daughters. You’ve made me a dad, you’ve given us a family, you are the most incredible wife and mom I could ever imagine. Baby, if that’s not the fucking sexiest thing, then I don’t know what to tell you.” You could feel the warmth blooming in your chest as Javi looked up at you with his sweet brown eyes, his hands roaming down the sides of your body until his fingers were digging into your hips and ass, kneading the soft flesh in his grasp. “Promise me.” 

“Promise you what?” You whispered, an ache beginning to grow between your legs as you could feel Javi’s bulge hardening beneath you, his hands roaming relentlessly around your body, making it hard for you to even think straight. 

“Promise me,” He paused, nipping at your neck, the bridge of his nose dragging along the side of your face until his mouth was ghosting over your ear, his words dancing against your skin, “Promise me that you believe me. That I think that you’re the most beautiful woman in the world. That I know you’re the most beautiful woman in the world. That I love your body so fucking much, that I wanna put another baby into it.”  

His last sentence had your heart literally skipping a beat, a quiet moan escaping from your lips as Javi carefully rolled your body off of his, flipping you onto your back and caging you under his broadness, planting hot, wet kisses down your neck as his fingers toyed with the hem of your shirt, his hands creeping below the fabric to palm at your breasts, rolling your pebbled nipples between his fingers as he waited for your response. Unfortunately, the best you could muster was a soft gasp of his name. 

“Fuck… Javi.” 

“That what you want, Hermosa? For me to fuck another baby into you, huh?” 

Javi knew it was exactly what you wanted, the two of you agreeing you were going to try for a third a few weeks ago, considering he was almost more ecstatic at the thought of growing your family than you were, and that the thought of knocking you up was something that made both of you absolutely insatiable. 

With the wet patch in your underwear growing damper and damper by the second, you barely had enough power in your brain to respond, especially now that Javi had pulled your shirt over your head, letting his kisses travel down your collarbone, chest, and now to your breasts, taking the nipples that he had been toying with between his fingers into his mouth, his tongue flicking and sucking at the harden buds as your moans began to grow like the fire in your belly. 

“Yes, oh fuck- yes. I want you to fuck another baby into me, Javi. Please.” You whimpered, your body squirming under his touch as he let his kisses drift down your stomach and hips, his fingers hooking over your shorts to pull them down off your legs, gently nudging them to fall open for him as he nestled himself between, admiring the wet, aching mess you had already become. 

“Then you have to promise me,” He smirked, draping each of your legs over his shoulders as he brought his face to your soaking heat, gently kissing your clit and letting the strong bridge of his nose ghost over your folds, “You have to promise me that you believe me. That you believe that you’re the most fucking beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Then, I’ll fuck another baby into you, okay? Can you do that for me, Momma?” 

“I- I- pr-promise.” Your voice trembled, ragged with want and desperation as Javi’s mouth hovered painstakingly still over your cunt, waiting for you to fulfill your promise so he could fill you with his. 

“There’s my good girl.” He cooed, feeling his smug smile bury itself into your pussy, letting a long, broad stroke of his tongue drag through your folds, the satisfying sensation making you shutter, your hips instinctively bucking towards Javi’s face as his grip around your legs tightened to hold you in place. His tongue languidly dragged across your cunt, slowly circling around your clit, soaking up the juices of your arousal that had been pooling between your legs, drinking up every single last drop. 

He let the presses of his tongue become firmer and more focused as he unhooked one of his arms, snaking his arm between your legs to gently press two fingers into your soaking entrance, easily sliding through your slick to curl against the soft spot inside you that had you relentlessly crying out his name. 

You couldn’t help but feel your bottom half squirm against your sheets, reaching down to tug at the dark curls of Javi’s hair, trying to find any sort of relief to keep from being a loud, moaning and whimpering mess as his tongue worked along your cunt, lapping you up like a man starved. His mouth latched along your clit, sucking at your sensitive bundle of nerves as his fingers pumped inside you, making the tingle at the base of your spine already begin to build in a needy desperation. 

“Javi, holy fuck- oh my god baby, don’t stop, please don’t stop.” You whimpered, somehow managing to keep your voice just above a whisper as Javi pulled away to respond, still holding a steady pace with his hand as he felt your pussy start to flutter around his fingers. 

“I’ve got you, Hermosa. Want you to soak my face before I feel you cum again around my cock. Give it to me, baby. Cum all over me before I fucking fill you up.”

With that, he was back between your legs, relentlessly working along your heat with his mouth as the coil in your belly wound so tightly, you were on the brink of snapping. 

“Javi, Javi, Javi, oh shit- Fuck, fuck, I’m gonnaahhhhhhhhh.” 

It was barely seconds before your orgasm flooded through your body, pleasure spreading through every inch of you as you clenched around Javi’s fingers, soaking his hand and face with your arousal as you came, screaming out his name as you reached your high. 

That’s it, Hermosa.” Javi smirked, squeezing his hand into the meat of your thigh as you rode out your orgasm, still slowly fucking you with his fingers as you came undone around them, your cunt clamping down on the delicious curve of his digits. Javi peeked his head back up as your breathing began to even out, your chest rising and falling in satisfaction as his kisses began to travel back up your body, stopping at your neck to take extra time to nip along your jawline, his teeth tugging at your earlobe as his voice rasped against your skin. 

“Such a good girl for me, Osita. So fucking wet. Fuck, I need to feel you, baby.” 

Before you even had time to catch your breath, Javi had his arms wrapped around your waist, flipping you over on to your stomach, dragging his hands down your back, stopping at your ass to grab a handful of the plump flesh and smack it, nudging your legs to spread open for him wider, pushing them out with his own. 

Javi worked behind you quickly and methodically, shedding himself of all of his clothes to free his painfully hard cock from his boxers, leaking with precum from the minute he had thought of the prospect of putting another baby in you. 

He stroked himself a few times, using his other hand to swipe through your folds, coating his fingers in your slick before wrapping them around his cock, now shiny with your arousal as he lined up with your entrance, filling you up inch by inch, almost painfully slowly, until he had bottomed out inside you, his hips flushed against your ass, letting you adjust to the sweet sting of his stretch. 

“Javi… Move, baby, please. I need to feel yo- Oh fuck!” You whimpered, your words drowned out by your moans as Javi had pulled himself out, only to thrust his whole length back into, gritting his teeth while a groan rumbled deep in his chest, draping his body over yours, burying one of his hands in your hair, gently tugging at the ends as he whispered into your ear, keeping his slow and meticulous pace. 

“You wanna feel me too, sweet girl? Wanna feel me fill you up when I fuck every last drop into you? Fuck myself so deep inside you it’ll fucking take? That what you want, baby?” 

“Yes, fuck, fuck, yes, please. Fuck, I want you fuck a baby into me, Javi. I wanna make you a Daddy again.” 

Another deep moan feel from Javi’s lips, scooping his hand under you to sit in his lap, your back flushed against his chest, one hand palming at your breast, the other wrapped around your waist, holding you in place as his pace began to increase, just enough to hear the wetness between the two of you with each thrust of his hips. 

You couldn’t help but let your bottom half grind deeper into each stroke, pushing yourself further and further down onto his cock, the sweet stretch of his fullness making your eyes nearly roll into the back of your head, the wanton moans and whimpers babbling from your mouth almost as lewd as the sounds your bodies made as they melded into one another as you let him take everything you had to give. 

“Fuck me- That’s what you want, Momma? Fuck, I can’t wait to get you pregnant. See how beautiful you look carrying our baby again. Let everyone know you’re fucking mine with our baby growning inside you.” Letting his hand shift from your breast, he began sliding it up your chest, wrapping it around your jaw to tilt your head over your shoulder towards him, staring into his deep brown eyes before engulfing your lips in a long, wet kiss, your mouths becoming a tangled mess of tongue and teeth without ever relenting his pace. 

His other hand dipped between your legs to circle your clit, still sensitive and swollen from your first orgasm, now throbbing even harder from his touch and feeling the heat beginning to bloom in  your belly as you felt your second high begin to approach. 

Javi knew just as well as you did that you were close to cumming again, feeling your pussy begin to flutter around his cock as his hips slapped against yours, breaking from your kiss to tug your earlobe between his teeth.

“Give me one more, Osita. Cum all over my cock and I’ll fill you up. Fill up this pretty little pussy ‘til she’s fucking stuffed and it’s got no choice but to fucking take and I knock you up.” 

“You promise?” You whispered, your breath shaky and legs trembling as Javi rubbed tighter, faster circles around your clit, still cradling your jaw to force your gaze on him. 

“I promise, baby. I fucking promise.” 

Almost instantly, you could feel the coil that had been winding tighter and tighter in your core suddenly began to snap, screaming out Javi’s name as you felt your second orgasm crash through you, consuming every inch of your body in euphoria, feeling like you had turned to Jello, the only thing keeping you up being Javi’s firm grasp around you. 

“That’s it, sweet girl. That’s it. Fuck, I’m close too, baby.” He mewled, his pace becoming frantic and sloppy as he held you up, fucking you through your high with reckless abandon, wanting to, no needing, to make sure he made good on his promise- that in 9 months from now, you’d have one more member in your family. 

Even though you were barely hanging on by a thread, you could feel Javi’s grip tightening around your jaw, tilting it back towards him, the firm pressure cupping your face enough to force your eyes open to meet the wrecked and ragged expression plastered across his face. 

“Eyes on me, Hermosa. Fuck, I need to- mierda- need to see that pretty face when I fuck you full of me. God, I love you so much, I love you so-ahhhhhhh, fuck.” It was then Javi’s turn to follow suit, only needing a few more pumps before he thrusted up once more, keeping himself buried deep inside your cunt as hot ropes of his spend covered your walls, making sure to milk himself of every last drop before even thinking of pulling out. 

Holding you in place still sitting on his cock, you could feel the mixture of the two of you beginning to drip down your thighs, prompting Javi to gently ease you off of him, letting your back hit the bed as carefully lifted your hips to slip one of the pillows underneath your bottom half, briefly admiring the wet mess between your legs before taking two fingers and collecting the arousal that had leaked from your cunt, attentively dragging it up your thighs and pushing it back into your heat, making you gasp at the sensation. 

“Gonna keep you full of me all day, sweet girl. Gotta make good on my promise.” He smirked, leaning down to pepper soft kisses to the inside of your thighs before slowly making his way back up your body, stopping at your lips for another tender kiss. 

“Given what just happened, I think you’re trying to kill me before you can make good on that promise, Jav. Jesus Christ.” You sighed, your voice riddled with breathy giggles as you playfully nudged your husband, now lying next to you, pulling you in to rest against the warmth of his bare chest. “You think Peña number 3 is gonna make an appearance soon?” 

“Like I said, mi amor, promise is a promise.” He smirked, boyish grin plastered across his face as he laid your hand across your stomach, gently rubbing it back and forth across your skin. “Plus, I think the girls will be thrilled to have another sister.” 

“Sister, huh? We don’t even know if there’s a baby in there yet you dork, let alone what it’s gonna be.” You snickered, rolling your eyes at Javi. 

“Been right about the other two. I’ll bet you all the breakfast sandwiches you want that it is.” 

“You’re absolutely ridiculous, I hope you know that. Thank you for this morning, Jav. The girls and I are so lucky to have you. I love you so much.” You sighed contently, smiling into Javi’s soft skin. 

“I love you too, Hermosa. All of you are the best things that have ever happened to me. All of my girls.” He winked, gently squeezing the curves of your belly, gesturing towards the daughter he proudly assumed he would be meeting in 9 months. 

“Well, all of us, or your new son and my unlimited amount of breakfast sandwiches.” you snickered, “When did your dad need us to go pick up the girls? We probably owe him a few breakfast sandwiches for watching the gremlins on such short notice.” 

“He said any time later today. Which means…” He smiled, caging his body over yours once again, as much time as we need to make sure that I win our bet.” 

“Game on, Peña.”

Taglist: @cool-iguana @rhoorl @whyjuliaaa @bbiophiliaa @pertinentpostmortem @angelofsmalldeath-codeine @pedrobaby @fatima-marisa @beboldbebravethings @poodlebae @kittenlittle24 @3sriracha @jungchloee @perennialdoll247 @prettyinpunk85 @partyofone3413 @harriedandharassed @pedrohoe04 @theorganasolo @endlessthxxghts @beware-my-thorns @missladym1981 @messinadress @milly-louise @jay-zzle @the-one-with-the-grey-color @persephone-girl @bitchesuntitled @pedropascallvr @millennial-teenybopper @nastiasnow @vee-bees-blog @hopplessilse @mxtokko @its-nebuleuse @mandoisapunk @msmorningstaarr @amyispxnk @honeyedmiller @mountainsandmayhem @picketniffler @burningnerdchild @copperhalfcent @pedr0swh0r3

[danaewrites]

you with the dark curls (you with the watercolor eyes)

part i: and while you were asleep, i was surely awake

james potter x reader // read it on AO3

word count: 2.8k

summary: “Falling in love with your best friend was never a good idea, but you’d managed to do the idiot thing anyway, carrying a torch for a boy who would never look past Lily’s emerald eyes to see the watercolor ones that had always been by his side.”

tags: best friends to lovers, angst with a happy ending, based on the song "dear arkansas daughter" by lady lamb, fem!reader

author's notes: hii y'all, sorry for not posting in a year :P my only excuse is that i didn't feel like taking the energy to actually write out my story ideas. also perfectionism. anyway i somehow wrote this in two hours while procrastinating my college app essays and have plans to make this a multi-chapter fic despite intending to write an angsty oneshot request for a completely different fandom (i see you, beloved anons, and i raise you this completely unrelated fic <3)… the brain of a writer works in mysterious ways.

read it all here: part i, part ii, part iii (coming soon!)

You were in love with James Potter.

It was a fact of life, just like how the sky was blue, or that his favorite dessert was treacle tart, or that you were the only person he’d ever let see him cry besides his mother. You’d loved him from the moment you met him on the train to Hogwarts as a shy, anxious muggleborn unsure of the new world of magic and prejudice you’d been thrown into without so much as a warning. He hadn’t cared at all about your blood status- didn’t even think to ask about it. He had launched himself into your compartment and began talking at you a mile a minute, beaming with every tooth showing once he found out you were hoping to get into Gryffindor, his hazel eyes alight with the joy of making a new friend. And friends indeed you had become; you were proud to remember that you’d known him before Sirius or Remus or Peter did, though it took only an instant after the Sorting for him to become best mates with the rest of them, too.

You and James were inseparable from that moment on, giggling at Professor Binns’ failure to notice Sirius’ antics in the back of class and reassuring each other when home seemed too far away for comfort. He stole sweets from the Slytherin table for you at meals, and you covered for him when the teachers almost caught him pranking Snape– after all, who would believe that sweet, innocent Y/n would ever be involved in such shenanigans? The soft-spoken demeanor and love of everything pastel you’d thought would eventually oust you from the close-knit Gryffindor boys’ group proved to be quite the useful asset when affirming their ‘innocence’.

Not that they only wanted you around because you were helpful, of course. You had quite the talent for exaggerating stories until even Sirius fell off his seat laughing in disbelief, and your creative mind made for some glorious pranks and entertaining mistakes. Peter would blush for an hour straight if anyone mentioned The Great Plum Pudding Incident of Christmas 1974, all thanks to your clever meddling. And Remus– well, he was eternally grateful for your mother-henning during the worst of his moon cycles. You’d been the first to figure out his “furry little problem”, and upon learning that enjoying chocolate was his favorite method of escapism, showed up every month without fail with an armful of Honeydukes sweets. The little ways in which you loved each Marauder meant the world to them. They would do anything to protect you and make sure you were okay, James most of all. You often teased James that he was more bodyguard than friend, with his deep glares at too-forward Hufflepuff boys masking the big softie you knew he was underneath. You remembered fondly the summer days he spent chasing you around your house, scaring your mother half to death with his colander-and-pot ‘armor’ as he declared that as a chivalrous knight, he was meant to save Princess Y/n from the terrible Acromantula King. Privately, you thought James had a few too many Arthurian legends for bedtime stories as a child, but what could you do?

Even now, as sixth years, the bond between you and James never changed, your love for him ever-growing. Your heart melted every time you glanced over your shoulder in the hallway, only to find him chatting softly with a sniffling first-year and guiding them to Professor Sprout’s office for a hot cuppa and a biscuit. You cheered at his Quidditch victories and were euphorically lifted up onto his broad shoulders afterward, whooping as he galavanted through the common room in celebration. You were there when he needed a shoulder to cry on when his grandfather died, softly stroking his hair as he fell asleep in your lap with tear tracks still running down his face. And he adored you in return– braiding your hair while you worked on Herbology essays, racing you on his beloved broom when you stayed with him during the summer, distracting you from your rants about Slughorn’s unfair grading with a trip to the kitchens and a blissfully soft blanket.

James was your lifeline and you his– and nothing in the world could change that.

Except, perhaps, one tiny little complication. A complication with vibrant red hair, sparkling green eyes, and a natural affinity for Potions. A complication that had sparked your jealousy since the first time you noticed James glancing dreamily at Lily Evans in second year Transfiguration, jealousy that had only gotten worse with his grand declarations of love every week. He’d begun to announce his affection for the muggleborn to anyone who would listen in third year, and it didn’t stop there. No, when James Potter loved someone, he loved hard, and that meant that you had to watch as beautiful bouquets appeared on Lily’s nightstand nightly while the rest of the girls in your dorm whispered and swooned. You were a wallflower when he sighed about how lovely her skin was and how bloody talented she was at everything she did during one of your late-night chats in the common room, curling in on yourself with every word he spoke. When he asked her to Hogsmeade the first time (and the second, and the third, and the fiftieth), you observed as she rolled her eyes and shoved past him, despite the small smile on her face.

It wasn’t that Lily wasn’t smart or pretty or talented– far from it. She deserved every good Potions grade she got, and even the pureblood Slytherins begrudgingly noted how she was the darling of Hogwarts society. But you thought that the way she treated your best friend, refusing his advances quite harshly but sending him flirtatious glances and making a show of wearing his flowers in her hair, was rather unkind and misleading. She had James wrapped around her little finger and didn’t seem to want to let go of his attention anytime soon, despite Snape’s protests about how much time he was spending with her. You disliked Severus, but didn’t think he deserved Lily’s bad treatment either. Sometimes you’d see him staring at James and Lily deep in conversation, and shoot him a glance of communal disappointment– before realizing who you were sharing the moment with and resuming an expression of disgust, at least.

At first, you ignored your growing angst about his new obsession, chalking it up to sleep deprivation, stress over your upcoming exams, and even your monthly. But when you started to run out of excuses for the despair slowly overtaking your heart and flashes of his dark curls began to appear in your sweetest dreams, you were forced to admit that your feelings for James ran much deeper than a platonic friendship. From the way he spun you around in the snow to the way he snorted at Remus’ awful puns, you were head-over-heels smitten with your best friend.

The way he’d filled out since the end of fourth year hadn’t escaped your notice, either; you were pretty sure that his pecs should be considered a traffic hazard, with the way you’d fallen flat on your face after seeing him shirtless after a match. He’d rushed over to clean up every one of your injuries, of course, with a touch so gentle it released a whole menagerie of butterflies in your stomach. You’d barely managed to mumble a coherent thank-you before sprinting to take a very cold shower and scream into your pillow with embarrassment. How on earth did Lily Evans even think around him?!

Alas, you’d read your fair share of romance novels, and you knew how this story would end. Falling in love with your best friend was never a good idea, but you’d managed to do the idiot thing anyway, carrying a torch for a boy who would never look past Lily’s emerald eyes to see the watercolor ones that had always been by his side.

That was the state Sirius found you in, broody and lost in thought in a quiet corner of the library. He grinned rakishly, planting a well-polished boot on a nearby chair and leaning over to tap your forehead. “Lots going on in there today, huh?”

You snapped out of your daze and smiled sheepishly up at him. “Sorry, Siri, didn’t mean to ignore you. Just, er, thinking about my Potions essay, do you know how many uses there are for mandelwort? Quite fascinating plants, hones–”

Sirius winced and slid back far across the table. “Oh, no, you are not discussing horrid Potions work with me today when there are so many other wonderful topics.” He gestured to a table of swooning fifth-years gazing dreamily at his backside. “For example, those lovely ladies,” he crooned, sending an exaggerated wink towards them and smirking when they sighed.

You wrinkled your nose and scoffed. “Oh, please, as if I haven’t heard enough about your conquests already. I’m already scarred for life from your stories about that Belgium Veela, let alone the muggle sailor you nearly broke the Statute of Secrecy for.”

He waved a hand, dismissing your allegations of the mental injury caused by his excruciating attention to sordid detail when slightly tipsy in the common room. You made a mental note to charm his shampoo to turn his hair bright lavender for the next week for that little snub. Although, being Sirius, he’d probably just use it as an excuse to sway the rest of the Hogwarts population into going to Hogsmeade with him. “Ah, but darling Y/n, that’s what I’m here for!” He furrowed his brow and stroked his chin in mock consideration. “However, I can’t seem to recall a time when you–” here he poked you in the cheek for emphasis– “confessed to a little tete-a-tete in the hallway. Ever. Which means we have a problem,” he grinned.

You felt rather like prey being hunted for sport. “That would be because I’m not interested in anyone, you dolt!” Crossing your arms, you turned your face back towards your homework. Maybe if you denied romantic interest for long enough, Sirius would leave you alone and go flounce off to flirt with the noisy table of fourth years. “Anyway, I heard Marlene’s been circling Dorcas like a lovesick pigeon lately, so perhaps you should be putting your matchmaking efforts to her benefit instead.”

Sirius rolled his eyes. “C’mon doll, I know you weren’t actually thinking about Potions when I arrived. Who’s the lead actor in those fantasies, mm?” He snatched up your favorite pink gel pen, twirling around his fingers as he looked at you expectantly.

Drat. He wouldn’t be so easily distracted with the latest gossip. You opened your mouth to protest yet again when you caught a flash of red over Sirius’ artfully tousled locks. You watched as James strode up to the alcove where Lily and her friends were studying, transfigured a sheet of parchment into a butterfly clip and held it out to her with a grin. Her laughter pealed out through the library as she let him lean over her shoulder to place it in her hair. He seemed oblivious to the titters of the girls around him while he gazed at Lily adoringly. You felt your heart clench as you recognized the expression on his face; you’d seen it on your own in the mirror after spending time with James, after all. And it seemed like maybe Lily was finally starting to be swayed into accepting his starry-eyed proposals, if the pretty blush on her cheeks was anything to go by.

Sirius tracked your despairing gaze to the couple and immediately paled in realization. “Oh, shit.”

Shit, indeed. Your face turned bright red as you scrambled to pack your bag and leave the area as fast as you possibly could, not sure how you could face Sirius knowing your deepest secret now. The boy had no self-control, fueling the Hogwarts gossip mill with the wild stories he overheard, and he had even less discretion when confessing things to his friends around the common room fire. It’s no wonder he wound up in Gryffindor, you thought miserably. There’s no way he’d be able to keep a secret like the rest of the Slytherins, and definitely not from James. It would only be a matter of time before he let it slip about your feelings to the rest of the Marauders, and— well, you’d just have to face losing your best friend for good once he heard.

Sirius broke your train of thought by wrapping his hands around yours, looking up at you with concern. “Hey, doll, wait— I didn’t know—“

You sniffed and wiped the tears threatening to fall from your eyes away fiercely. “That’s exactly it, Sirius, you didn’t know because you won’t be able to keep it from James.”

He looked guiltily down at the table. “I’m sorry. I’ve been a bit of a git with keeping things private lately, yeah?”

You nodded, covering your face with your hands. Sirius reached out, placing them back down on the table, and softly said, “Listen, I shouldn’t have pried so hard. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.” He broke off, pausing to scramble for a handkerchief from his bag to wipe off your rapidly disintegrating mascara. “And I promise not to breathe a word of this to James,” he finished.

You looked up at him, startled. “Are you serious?” At his answering grin, you groaned. “Don’t answer that. But really, are you sure that you’ll be able to resist telling him everything?” You fiddled with the now-soiled handkerchief and whispered, “You two are so close, I don’t want to drive you apart. If James thought you were hiding something important from him, it would destroy him,” you sniffed.

He frowned. “Doll, you know you’re just as important as James is to me, right?” At your answering slump, his jaw clenched and he continued on with more intensity. “You’re like my sister, Y/n, there’s nothing you could do to make me care for you less. Especially not asking for your privacy. Clearly, I haven’t been treating you as well as you deserve if you doubt that.”

He walked around and took a seat in the armchair next to you, pulling you in to lean on his shoulder. “And I can be discreet, you know. I might not show it often, but growing up in a family of the most intensely secretive purebloods ever to exist taught me a few things.” You glanced at him doubtfully, the tiny quirk of your mouth the only sign that you were joking. “Hey, I’m being serious!” He laughed, then quieted suddenly. “This thing with James— you really love him, don’t you?”

You gave him an exasperated look out of the corner of your eye. Sirius released a breath and gazed deeply into the space in front of him. “Hey, we’ll figure this out together, okay?” He poked you in the side. “If he’s too focused on the smell of Evans’ hair or whatever to see that he already has the perfect girl in front of him, he’s not as smart as you think he is.” You giggled slightly, his words warming you. Sirius smiled, happy to see you cheering up a bit.

“Why don’t we go raid the kitchens? The coolest person I know once told me that elf-crafted mint chocolate chip ice cream is the best way to heal a broken heart,” he teased. You groaned, remembering how you’d told him that as a last resort to get him to stop complaining about how he missed his sailor ex-boyfriend every time you two went to Hogsmeade. At least your random advice wound up benefiting you now, you thought as you collected the last of your stationery and exited the library.

Neither you nor Sirius saw how James watched you smile up at Sirius as you walked away, holding his arm and laughing loudly at something he muttered. Anna Dumotier, a Hufflepuff fifth-year and one of Lily’s friends, would remember later that night how he seemed to tune out Lily’s voice for a moment and stared at the doors to the library with a strange expression on his face. His brows were furrowed like he was trying to decipher the answer to an unfamiliar puzzle, his eyes widened with confusion and a glint of something she could only identify as jealousy before Lily brought him back to the conversation with a graceful flip of her hair. But no— she shook her head— that couldn’t be right. What could James possibly be jealous of when he finally had the girl of his dreams in his arms?

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read on: part ii

[gosmigenergy]

KINKTOBER 2023 / Day Two

FROTTAGE / SEXUAL FRUSTRATION / VIRGINITY

( Triple Frontier Boys x F!Reader )

Summary: After a conscious decision to stop dating, your friend invites you to fight night where more than one person catches your eye.

Rating: 12A?

Warnings: Mentions of dating/bad relationships, allusions to a non-monogamous relationship, language, drinking, teeny bit of masturbation, no use of Y/N

Word Count: 4.4k

Notes: When @absurdthirst announced their Kinktober 2023 list, I actually got inspired to start writing and I’m now taking the plunge by posting them online. It’s been a few years since I wrote smut so bear with me. If there is anything spoken in italics, it’s Santiago or Francisco speaking in Spanish, I didn’t want to just Google translate and butcher it. My brain also didn’t do this in numerical order hence why there is no Day 01 though this story seemed more of a fitting start.

I may not complete the entire list so be ready for sporadic updates, enjoy!

The story of how you ended up in an open relationship with four, rather handsome guys was a simple one.

You were lonely and horny but also indecisive.

Your notable chastity came after a series of shitty relationships and dates with men. After being ghosted, catfished and caught up in a quick partnership with a toxic dom, you had pretty much given up on the male species. Except, once a few months had passed, the sexual urge came back, you couldn’t fathom the strength to go out and find people but there is only so much a toy can do.

“A cage fight? What are we going to do at a cage fight?”

“I don’t know,” your friend spoke with a tone that indicated she knew something you didn’t. “But there will be plenty of men.”

You roll your eyes, she was desperate to get you back out there, she also knew you well enough to know fighting your sexual nature was soon going to become a struggle and she couldn’t handle the idea of another crap hook up for you.

“Fine.”

That evening you found yourself outside of town, in front of a sorry looking hanger with your friend waiting for the rest of the group, watching the slim picking choices of men. 

“If I wanted a frat boy, I could have just gone to that one bar.”

Your friend scoffed, “Frat boys are not the only option here.”

They weren’t but they seemed to be the better option. 

Every other man you saw, you wouldn’t touch with a barge pole. Amongst the Frat boys was portly bikers who could barely remain on their bikes, those who you could only describe as rednecks and guys so terrifying, the idea of approaching them didn’t even come to the forefront of your mind.

“How long do you think the girls are going to be?”

“Fashionably late,” she shrugs.

“There’s a strong possibility they’ll miss their guy.”

You have flashbacks to when you went to a concert and they arrived so late, they only made it in time for the main act. The pair of you had sworn never to attend anything with them unless you had your tickets and could make your way to the venue without them. Tonight, you were both a little worried about how they’d be when they turned up and in an event like this, they’d stand out in the crowd.

You hugged your frame, bobbing up and down on the balls of your feet.

“Could we just get them to message when they’re here?”

“We’ll give them another 20 minutes.”

The flurry of people thickened and you stood to one side to allow everyone to pass without having to go around you. You were watching the time pass by on your phone when your friend’s announcement interrupted you.

“They’re here.”

“Thank fuck.”

You raise your head, about to look passed the incoming audience when you caught sight of someone.

He has his head ducked low underneath a baseball cap, his outfit in shades of navy and grey, hands stuffed in tight jeans pockets. Under the brim, his brown eyes flicked up to yours like he knew he was being watched. A smile came to his lips, brightening his five o’clock shadow, the moment between you was brief.

He carried on walking and you kept your eyes in front, swallowing as you felt his gaze still on you.

“Are you ok?” Your friend queried.

“I’m fine.”

The temperature rises in your cheeks.

“Uh-huh.”

In the venue, the group of you squeezed into a middle row on one side of the cage. The rest of the girls had already arrived a little bit ‘squiffy’ as they put it and on the second round of drinks, you’d offered to head to the overcrowded bar.

You had spent the evening rejecting offers from all sort of men, the cheesiest chat up lines plugged to you in every kind of way - ‘when do you get in the ring’, ‘what’s a girl like you doing in a place like this’ etcetera, etcetera. Your mystery man was nowhere to be seen and you think he was just a figment of your imagination.

Pushing your way through the throng, you manage to grab onto the trim of the makeshift bar and haul yourself forward. You lean your weight on your elbows and wait patiently for one of the bar staff to finish serving another drunkard.

“So, what’s a little girl like you doing in a place like this?”

The way they said ‘little girl’ made your skin crawl, even the guy next to you clocked your discomfort.

“Out with friends and would rather be left alone, thank you.”

“Aw, come on, I just want to talk.”

“I’d rather not, I’ve had plenty of men try and talk to me tonight and I told them the exact same thing. Please leave me alone.”

There was movement behind you but you thought it best not to make eye contact. You felt the air pass your shoulder as the guy next to you threw up a hand and caught the other man’s wrist that was inches away from your body.

“Hey, she’s already asked you nicely to leave her alone.”

Oh god, was a fight going to start because of you?

The growing tension had your heart pounding and your knuckles became white as you held your nerve.

“Who are you, her boyfriend?”

“If I was, would it stop you harassing her?”

The man behind you mumbled something incoherently before squirming out of the guy’s grip and staggering away.

“Thank you,” you finally look his way, giving him a smile.

He smiled, giving you a gestured nod, “You’re welcome.”

Even in this light, he had baby blue eyes and delicate freckles along his cheek bones. His upper body was wide, holding it’s own against wave after wave of people coming in to wait along the bar.

“You have some pretty quick reflexes, are you sure you’re not meant to be in that cage?”

He laughs, shaking his head.

“Nah, not my kind of thing. How about you? That look could have knocked him dead.”

“There’d be a lot bodies on the floor if it worked,” you quip. “I’m here as chaperone to the group of forlorn looking girls waiting for their man.”

His smile broaden, digging dimples into his cheeks.

“And who might that be?”

“Benny Miller,” you shrug.

You’ve been invited to watch him fight but actually have no fucking idea what he looks like, the girls have just been swooning about his ridiculous six pack.

“Really? He’s going to be thrilled.”

“You think?”

“I’m his brother, of course I know.”

You cock your head, eyebrows arching, maybe you could understand the fascination with this fighter if his brother is anything to go by.

“Oh god, how many Millers are there?”

His laugh is contagious.

“Only the two of us. If you count brothers in arms, there’s four.”

You should have guessed with those reflexes he was some sort of military.

Just as you’re about to speak, a bar man appears and he allows you to order your round first, five shots should come quickly. Juggling to get a grip of five tiny plastic glasses in two hands, you flash him another smile.

“Thanks…” You falter, “Sorry, I didn’t ask your name.”

“Will.”

You introduce yourself and thank him again before slipping into the stream of people, excusing and apologising to anyone who got in your way.

“You were gone a while,” you friend said inquisitively after taking a shot of sour cherry flavoured liquor.

You hum, “I got harassed at the bar and Benny Miller’s brother stepped in as my knight in shining armour.”

She laughs, checking quickly to see if the other girls heard.

“What is with you tonight? First that guy at the entrance, now the brother.”

“His name is Will and I haven’t seen that other guy since.”

It was nice to know he wasn’t imaginary.

There were a few rounds before Benny’s, the girls squealing and looking away as two guys beat the living daylight out of each other. They shouldn’t have been there, too much blood, too much violence and too much sweat from the crowd washing over them and it wasn’t like they could talk either.

The break came and as the other girls insisted on another drink, you politely excused yourself to breath some cool outside air.

You refused the offer of a cigarette when you stepped out the doors, eyes flitting to see if there was an empty bench or some patch of grass where you could escape the huddle of people congregating. Wandering around, you found yourself at the side entrance of the hanger, a lone person leaning a brick low barring wall.

There couldn’t be any harm sitting with him, he seemed harmless enough.

“Do you mind if I sit here?”

The man glanced over, brown curls flicking from under his cap.

“Go ahead.”

You side, jumping to rest your ass before taking a massive swing of water from the fountain you’d discovered on your way out.

There was a moment of silence before he spoke.

“No offence but you don’t seem one for violence.”

“What makes you say that?”

“You look too sweet and innocent,” he shrugged.

You hum, “Who says I’m innocent?”

He laughs, dropping his head before taking a swig of beer, eyes in front of him.

“I apologise.”

“That’s ok, I get what you’re saying, it’s been pretty brutal so far.”

His tongue flicked over his bottom lip, “I’ve seen worse.”

“Well, for the sake of the girls I’m with, I hope Benny Miller don’t get the shit beaten out of him.”

“Don’t worry, he won’t.”

He sounded so sure and that’s when your brain made the connection to what Will said earlier.

“You’re one of his brothers in arms, aren’t you?”

The man leaned back, placing one hand on his thigh, the little target tattoo on his hand stretching. He faced you now with a furrowed brow and parted lips, his eyes dark as you could see his mind working out how you knew.

“I bumped into Will at the bar.”

His expression seemed to soften.

“He told you about me?”

“Not specifically,” you winced, trying not to hurt his feelings. “We just got talking.”

The corners of his lips twitched, “He did mention meeting a pretty girl at the bar.”

You had to look away, your cheeks and chest immediately on fire, a spark that travelled your lower belly, spreading with desire. Will said you were pretty and he just clarified the comment, your friend was right, what is with you tonight?

He was just about to speak until the heavy swing of the door made you jump, he barely moved an inch.

“You better get you ass in here, Benny will lose his shit if you ain’t there to walk him in.”

For a brief moment, you couldn’t see who was attached to the voice but it was smooth.

They step out from behind the door and you saw the edge of a blue bomber jacket and the navy peak of a cap, his soft slopping nose and the five o’clock shadow along his sharp jawline.

Oh no.

It was if he caught something out of the corner of his eye, like he saw his friend and wondered why there was another person sat next to him, who was the other person sat next to him. His one eyebrow was arched, his lip straight until he recognised the face.

“Didn’t I catch your eye earlier?”

“I’m sure it was the other way round,” you remark wittily.

He smiled, nodding, “Agree to disagree.”

“If you say so.”

“Are you going to chat up all my guys tonight?”

He points between you and the other guy.

“I think you’ll find they keep chatting to me.”

He laughs, nodding again.

Both of the men shared a look, understanding each other though no word was exchanged, it was annoying yet somewhat enticing.

You wished you could know what they were thinking.

“Come on, Fish, he’s going on in a couple of minutes.”

He got up from the wall, abandoning the empty cup but he glanced one last time at you.

“Fish?”

“Nickname,” he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “It’s Frankie to everyone else.”

You tell him your name and he smiles, nodding as he walked away. Frankie pats the other man on the back, stating ‘hermano’ and sauntering away, readjusting his cap before he disappeared into the venue.

Slipping off the wall, you went to say goodbye before he gestured for you to come through the back.

“Thanks.”

The door slammed behind him and he followed you, body unbelievably close, his breath mixing with the heat contained in the hanger.

“So, do I get to know your name?”

Glancing over your shoulder, he still has that soft smile, eyes roaming what was in front of him that caused goosebumps to arrive on your skin.

“No.”

You walked passed rows of lockers and tired wooden benches before he stopped, letting you walk a little further.

“Go to your left and follow the corridor to the double doors.”

You nod, “See you in there?”

His smile grew, “Sure.”

Following his instructions, the corridor felt like it went on for miles, the music muffled through the brickwork, the only sound your shoes squeaking on tiles. You were trying to wrap your head around what was going on, how had you met three guys in one night who all knew each other and seemed, to you anyway, to be caught in your gravitational pull? Or was your friend right, were you just that ridiculously horny after months of your own hand or toys?

You shake your head, taking a deep breath before joining civilisation again.

“They wanted to get closer,” your friend said, rolling her eyes.

“Aren’t we technically in the splash zone now?”

“D’you think they’re bothered?”

She was right, the rest of the girls were far too gone to even worry about being covered in sweat, beer and possibly blood, all you prayed for is none of them got ahead of themselves and flashed the fighter at the worst time.

After Benny’s name got introduced over the speakers and the match started, you finally saw the other three from the group, distorted opposite by the wire hexagons that followed the cage. Even they were sensible enough to sit several rows back, they cheered and backed Benny the whole way through and when the opportunity arose, fleetingly looked to you.

A heat washed over your body.

“They said this is the way!”

The girls were giggling, tottering up the corridor as fast as they could in heels. You and your other friend held back, mostly to ensure you weren’t connected to the fangirls who were trying to find a battered and bruised man.

You pretended you didn’t know where the locker room was though you were there moments earlier, you couldn’t face the queries from your friend.

“He’ll be in here,” a friend beckons everyone over.

“And I’m out,” you hold your hands up. “I’m not sneaking into the boys locker room.”

“Really? I thought you’d quite like a photographic memory for tonight.”

You shake you head, “I have the internet for that.”

She laughs, nudging your hip.

“I’m just going to see how this all plays out.”

“Sure.”

She pushes you away and you stagger to an empty space on the wall, leaning against it and allowing the cold to spread across you back. Tipping your head back, you close your eyes, taking a breath.

“Don’t want to join your friends.”

A familiar voice breaks the silence.

“Do you always hang round in the shadows?”

He scoffs, “No.”

“I’d rather not be associated with,” you wave a hand. “Their actions.”

He moves to the wall opposite you, copying your stance, his smile curling as he can hear the chaos in the distance.

“You know it’s a shame,” he looked at you through the corner of his eyes. “He would have liked to have met you.”

You scowl, tilting your head.

“You’ve been talking about me?”

“Will and Fish are quite enamoured with you.”

“And you?”

Your heart was pounding, the blood rushing to your head. You were nervous to hear his answer, tongue sweeping over your dry lips and all he could do was smile, breaking eye contact.

“I don’t think you could handle me.”

You hum, “I like a challenge.”

He pursed his lips, cocking his head to one side.

“You look too sweet for me, honey.”

The way he said ‘honey’ was intoxicating, smooth with a hint of his Spanish pronunciation, it made your heart flutter. You push yourself off the wall and take a few steps over to him, folding your arms across your chest, standing tall.

You look him up and down, your expression scrunching, you’d seen someone like him before not exactly like him but they all appear the same.

“Maybe that’s just what you need… A good girl who’ll do as she’s told.”

He turned to face you, eyes almost black and you swallowed. His smile crocked into a smirk, he noticed the falter in your otherwise firm stance. Moving his body close, he leaned forward, hands placed to his hips. He brought his lips to the shell of your ear.

“Then give me your phone.”

You do as you’re told, unlocking the screen as you hand it over.

Taking it in one hand, he gives you space and taps away before giving it back. You check the details on the phone.

Santiago Garcia is a new contact.

“Give us a message if you need anything.”

You blinked at the screen then up at him, his face had softened.

“I’ll hold you to that, Santiago.”

He winked and walked away, out of your vision, he shooed the girls away.

—

“So, did ask her?”

The guys had driven to a late night diner after the match, part of Benny’s post match routine was stuffing his face with a load of carbs.

“Not quite,” Santiago took a bite of a fry. “I gave her my number.”

Benny practically made a raspberry noise like a child.

Santiago shook his head, throwing his hands up, “The balls in her court.”

“You should have just asked her.”

Frankie took a swig of his coffee, “This isn’t the kind of thing you just walk up and ask, she would have run a fucking mile.”

Benny pointed with his fork, “This is why I should have done it.”

Frankie burst into laughter, Santiago and Will shaking their heads, he has no fucking idea.

“What?”

“There’s no way she would have taken the offer from you,” Will was trying to contain his laughter, cheeks turning a faint hue of pink. “I trust Pope, the balls in her court now.”

Benny ladled the last of his food onto his fork, “Do you think she’ll bite?”

Santiago was praying to every god that you did even though he was far from religious. This is the first time back since he felt anything, it was unusual that he found himself vying for attention with the other boys.

This was new territory for him and he’s done a lot of shit.

He thinks back to the conversation with you, he didn’t expect what came out of your mouth and it was like the lure of a siren to a sailor. It’s why he reconsidered you as an option. Sure, you cracked a little when he got close yet who wouldn’t and that’s when he guessed you may have seen it before.

His fingers have been twitching to check his phone all night.

“You’re guess is as good as mine.”

And you were laying in bed contemplating whether it was too early to message him.

After the fight, you thought you’d just go home and crash, you thought wrong.

Stripping off, you decided to take a shower to get rid of the grime from the night. You had an idea you were wet, you just didn’t realise how much your arousal had pooled. There was so many factors you could blame - several matches where two sweaty, semi dressed men were in close proximity to each other, three men’s eyes watching you and your eyes met, Santiago centimetres from your face.

The water fell soothing down your skin and you settled two fingers against your clit, rubbing gently. Closing your eyes, you pictured the fine details, the blonde of Will’s hair, the wideness of Frankie’s hand, the musk of Santiago’s aftershave.

You dragged your fingers along your folds, gasping as you sunk them into your burning cunt.

It was embarrassing how quickly you came to the thought of them, you hands reaching for the cool tiles of your bathroom as your legs threatened to give way. Your breath was shaking, your body vibrating as the warmth travelled up your spine.

“Fuck.”

A message popped up on your phone from your friend, hoping that you had a good night, the winking face emoji a hint to the boys. Messaging now seemed desperate, your teeth grazed you lip.

Rolling over, you prayed that sleep would take you.

You decided against messaging Santiago in the morning, you were groggy and unmotivated with suggestions of a possible meet up would fall on deaf ears. It was in the afternoon, after some good food and a walk in the fresh air that you felt ready.

‘And when you say anything, what did you have in mind?’

That was the question that lead you to the bar tonight.

As it was a dive bar, or so you and your friends believed, you didn’t wear anything fancy however it didn’t mean you under dressed. You wore a dress that accentuated the curves of your body, hiding it with an oversized jacket and trainers. Taking a breath, you pushed through the doors, the vision of Santiago stood at the bar ordering.

“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

“I’m fashionably late,” you retort, taking a note out of your friends’ books.

He laughed, “What are you drinking?”

He bought you a drink and you went to join the boys at the table, finally being introduced to Benny.

“I was kind of insulted you didn’t want to meet me but I’ll forgive you.”

The five of you talked about everything and anything, you learned that Frankie was a pilot, Santiago chased cartels for years after being in the military because he couldn’t stand still and the Miller brothers spent their youth on a family farm. After food and another round, Benny decided that it was the perfect time to get the conversation rolling on to why you were here.

“Are we gonna do this or not?”

He was straight to the point.

“Christ, Benny,” Will could have kicked him under the table. “Always thinking with that dick of yours.”

You guessed the implication would be something sexual, you got that from Santiago last night but his text gave you nothing, actually the whole evening gave you nothing. It was just nice to be in the company of four very different yet very attractive men who hadn’t push any boundaries.

Frankie lifted his cap and ran his fingers through brown curls, his focus pulling to Santiago.

“You want to start? You’re better with words.”

It’s also more his kind of thing, is what he left out, but it wasn’t easy.

Your eyes flicked to every man around the table. Frankie couldn’t make eye contact, Benny glanced between you and Santiago while Will seemed to be the calmest of the lot.

“We got talking yesterday about a girl we saw at the fight and it turns out we were talking about the same one. Now, the guys haven’t really done this before, I’ve shared before but not quite like this —“

“Wait, did you just say shared?”

It was alarmingly hot all of the sudden.

“Yes, I did,” he rubbed the scar along his neck.

Frankie chuckled to himself, “I guess there is no easy way of saying it.”

Santiago could see your mind working overtime, the knot in your brows tightening. Your lips opened before you stopped and thought over your words again.

“Do you guys want a five way?”

You wouldn’t complain if they did.

Benny and Santiago’s brows seemingly raised.

“Not quite, sweetheart,” Will lowered his tone, closing in on you so his frame blocked the rest of the bar from your vision. “We’re thinking more, we share you out evenly, four ways.”

You blink, tongue running over your dry lips, just the thought alone had settled between your thighs.

“So, a different guy every night?”

“If you want,” Benny chimed in.

Santiago shrugged, “I was thinking more of a weekly schedule.”

That would make sense.

Your mind was processing the concept, it could be good, yet it could also be bad, catastrophically bad. That’s what happened with that dom, they made all these promises, that they’d buy you all these rewards and gifts if you did what they wanted, they never came. They had you running round in circles, doing a load of shit you thought you wanted to do when in actuality, you didn’t. They manipulated you until you finally said no and then they gaslighted you into thinking it was all your fault when it never was.

Could these guys do that too?

“What are you thinking, querida?” Frankie broke through the silence.

“Just the string of bad relationships that came before this,” you take a swig of your drink, catching his puppy dog eyes. “Not that I’m saying this is a bad idea, it’s just…”

You chose your words carefully.

“I’d need to see the terms and conditions.”

He nodded, “That’s fair.”

“I’ll get the papers to you in the morning,” Santiago joked.

“I better not see any spelling mistakes or the deal’s off.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that, Will’s my copywriter.”

You tried to keep the upper hand but you broke, the smile cracking on your lips.

“Sooo, is that a yes?”

Benny’s eyes were darting from person to person, this conversation was too cryptic for him, he wanted a firm answer.

“It’s a maybe.”

He pouted, nodding, “I’m taking that as a positive, celebratory shots on me.”

The rest of the boys groaned as he slipped out of the booth towards the bar, Will apologising for his brother’s enthusiasm given the fact you didn’t give a solid ‘yes’. You thought you’d pretty much ruled men out and then suddenly the universe had gifted you four of them.

Maybe this was the end of that dry spell, the possibility of your sexual awakening and more and honestly, you didn’t mind at all.

[campingwiththecharmings]

Can't Fight This Feeling

AN: In a bit of a writing slump so I went back and finished this WIP I've had sitting in my google docs for almost a year lol. Hope y'all enjoy~ (based off of a prompt from this post).

(Un-beta’d)

You and Santi have been dancing around your feelings for each other since the day you met.

Rated: T Words: 2,171 Pairing: Santiago “Pope” Garcia x F!Reader (wrote with a F!Reader in mind but since there's no smut, it can probably be read as GN) Warnings: alcohol consumption, unresolved sexual tension, probably way too much banter, LONGING, friends who are secretly in love with each other. AO3

——————

“Oh, come on, Santi, it’s my turn,” you pout, slouching against the wall where the dart board hangs. 

He takes a sip from his beer and chuckles, throwing one of the darts in his hand at the board by your head. You yelp in surprise as the loud thunk resounds in your ear and shoot him a glare.  

“Probably not the best place to lean, cariño,” he smirks, taking another sip. 

Frankie claps him on the shoulder, turning Santiago’s attention to him. “Hey, I’m callin’ it a night, man. I’m beat.” 

“Yeah, I think we will too, for obvious reasons,” Will says, gesturing to his brother who’s half asleep in the booth beside him.  

“But we just started another game, guys, you can’t leave yet,” you argue before stealing a swig from Santiago’s beer and giggling when tries to take the bottle back from you. 

Will shakes his head fondly, shooting Frankie a look you and Santi both miss while he’s chasing you around the pool table. You steal another sip and raise your eyebrows in challenge, giggling when he grumbles something under his breath. 

“What was that, Pope? Didn’t quite catch that,” you call, holding his beer bottle up tauntingly. 

He rolls his eyes. 

“Goodnight, kids. Be good,” Frankie calls, waving at the two of you. 

“Night, Fish!” you and Santi yell at the same time, sending you into a fit of giggles. 

There’s a chance you might be just a little bit tipsy. 

Santi shakes his head, raising an eyebrow as you absently take another pull from his beer.  

“You realize you owe me a beer now, right?” he asks, gesturing to the bottle in your hand. 

“Nope,” you say, popping the ‘p’ before chugging the rest of Santi’s drink. “I won this fair and square.” 

He scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. “More like ‘stole.’” 

“Like you stole my turn, you mean?” 

“I didn’t steal your turn.” 

“Yeah you did, I was supposed to go first.” 

“Says who?” he scoffs, leaning against the pool table. 

You pause, your brain sluggishly searching for a response. “The…gentlemen’s code.” 

He snorts, eyebrows raising in amusement. “The gentlemen’s code?” 

You nod, crossing your arms defiantly. “Yeah. You know, chivalry or whatever.” 

“Right,” he says softly, mischief in his eyes as he saunters over to you, invading your personal space. “And who said I was a gentleman?” 

There’s a heat flickering in his eyes as he holds your gaze, a small smirk on his lips. You swallow thickly, unable to look away, the spicy scent of his cologne making you feel lightheaded. 

“You want another round?” a voice says suddenly, dragging you both back to reality. 

You both jolt, jumping back from each other as if you’d been caught doing something you weren’t supposed to be doing. 

“Yeah,” Santiago says, nodding at the waitress. “Thanks.” 

She nods distractedly, scribbling something on her notepad as she heads back to the bar. 

The dull thud and subsequent clatter of a dart bouncing off the wall brings his attention back to you. 

“You gotta be kidding me,” he says, watching unamused as you randomly toss darts at the board.  

“What?” you scoff, clutching the remaining darts to your chest. 

“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” 

“What do you mean? I’m playing darts.” 

“No, you’re throwing darts. Playing implies that you have some kind of game plan or general knowledge of the rules.”

 “Oh. Wow, I am so sorry. Please teach me, oh, Master of the Darts.” 

He scoffs. “If I thought you were even remotely serious, I might consider it.” 

“Who says I’m not serious?” 

“‘Master of the Darts?’” 

You shrug. “What? It’s a better nickname than ‘Pope.’” 

The waitress returns with two more beers, setting them on the high top next to Santi. He thanks her, covertly slipping her a few bills as a tip. 

“Hey,” you say, bringing his attention back to you. “How come I don’t have a nickname?”  

He chuckles, twisting off the top of one of the bottles and handing it to you. “What are you talking about?” 

“You and Will and Benny and Frankie all have nicknames. How come I don’t have one?” 

He gazes at you in silence for a moment, opening the other beer and bringing it to his lips. You’re pouting, leaning your elbows on the high top.  

“Half a minute ago, you were going on about how stupid my nickname was.” 

“It is,” you say matter-of-factly. 

Santi laughs, coughing a little as he chokes on his beer. “Then why would you want one?” 

You twist your lips, putting your hand up to cradle your chin. “Better to have a stupid nickname than no nickname at all.” 

He contemplates this for a moment and then nods. “Fair enough. Want me to give you one?” 

You scoff, taking a pull from your bottle. “I don’t want a pity nickname, Garcia.” 

“Better to have a pity nickname than no nickname at all,” he teases, raising his eyebrows. 

You roll your eyes at him, biting back a smile. “Whatever.” 

He chuckles, taking another pull from his bottle. 

The night continues, and so do the drinks, the alcohol making you both klutzier and even more giggly. On your third round of darts, Santi takes it upon him to correct your (apparently) improper form when your dart bounces off of one of the framed photos on the wall and you dissolve into a fit of laughter.  

“C’mere, I wanna show you something,” he slurs, waving you over as he takes another swig from the bottle in his hand. 

You roll your eyes with a huff, but humor him nonetheless, shuffling over and giggling again when you trip over nothing. He waves you over again, this time more impatient and makes a weird flourishing motion with his hands when you stop in front of him. 

“Turn around,” he clarifies when you simply gaze at him in confusion, and you sigh again, doing as he asks. 

You wait, facing the wall with your back to him. After what feels like an eternity, you turn to glare over your shoulder at him. “Any day now, Garcia.” 

He scoffs, moving closer to you, so close he can feel the warmth of you through his clothes. He cups your elbow and moves your arm so you’re holding it at a 90-degree angle. Your hand with the dart is up by your head and his fingers are gentle as they shift yours, changing your hold around the dart. Your skin is smooth and soft and suddenly he wishes he could trace every inch of it. He pushes the thought away, grunting when you fight him a little, chuckling at his frustration; the sound sends a pleasant shiver through him. When he’s satisfied, he releases you, his hand coming to rest on your shoulder. 

He leans in closer with the intention of matching your eye line, but instead ends up with his nose against the side of your neck, the intoxicating smell of you invading his senses. The urge to drag his nose along the shell of your ear is so strong he almost gives in, his breath ghosting over your skin. Instead, he halts, taking a step back, suddenly far more sober than he had been a moment ago. 

He looks up at the sound of his name, your face concerned as you gaze at him over your shoulder. “You okay?” 

He nods, running a hand through his curls. “Yeah, just, uh…got a little dizzy.” 

You turn toward him, now even more concerned. “Do you wanna sit?” 

He shakes his head, smiling slightly as he waves you off. “Nah, I’m good. We should probably call it night though…it’s late.” 

You study him silently for a moment, swaying slightly, before nodding and blinking at him blearily. “Yeah. I’m tired.” 

He smiles, grabbing your arm as you trip over nothing again. You snort, winding your arm around his and laying heavily against his shoulder. “Take me home, Pope.” 

Santiago grunts, stumbling a little at the vice grip you have on his arm, and moves to leave, throwing a few bills onto the table as he walks by. The night air is cool and crisp, sobering him even more, making it hard to ignore how good you feel pressed against his side. You both walk in silence, his brain replaying pieces of his night with you. 

“You’re quiet,” you say, eyeing him suspiciously when he turns to look at you. 

He forces a smile before looking ahead of him again, afraid he’s going to trip over something. “Just tired, like you said.” 

You nod, sighing as you lay your head against his shoulder. “I could fall asleep right now, to be honest.” 

His lips twitch, his actual smile threatening to spread across his lips. “Don’t let me stop you.” 

Your shoe catches on a crack in the sidewalk and you stumble a little, pulling on Santi’s arm and throwing him off balance. He grunts, and you giggle, somehow leaning into him even more than before. When you’ve both found your footing, he shakes his head, a soft smile on his lips. 

“Let’s get you home, you trainwreck.” 

Thankfully, your apartment isn’t far and you both make it safely to the door without further incident.  

“Sure you don’t need help getting up the stairs?” he asks, that crease between his brow deep with concern. 

You shake your head absently, your eyes trailing over the rest of his face—his strong brow, stately nose, chiseled jaw, and plush lips… 

He’s talking but you’re not sure what he’s saying, completely caught up in how gorgeous his face is. Is it weird that you want to touch it? Probably, you decide, yet still you can’t help but imagine whether his scruff would feel scratchy or like velvet against your fingertips. What would his lips feel like if you dragged your thumb across them? Would his chin feel as sharp as it looks if you cradled it in your hands? You want to know, need to know, the desire to touch him overtaking every thought or impulse in your brain until you finally say— 

"I like your stupid face.” 

He pauses, taken a little aback at the admission. After a moment, he snorts, brow furrowing as he chuckles. “Uh…thanks?” 

“It’s just so stupid,” you continue, trying to make sure he really understands. “It’s so…I like it. Can I touch it?” 

Santi chuckles again, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. “You…wanna touch my face?” 

You nod, chewing your lip as you step a little closer, devouring him with your eyes. He swallows thickly, your suddenly ravenous gaze causing something warm to pool in his gut. 

“Can I?” you ask again, your voice soft, like a whisper. 

He shouldn’t, shouldn’t entertain this, especially with the state you’re both in right now, but damn if he isn’t curious to see what happens. So he nods. You smile at him almost dreamily and reach up with both hands to cup his cheeks. Santi’s breath catches a little at your touch, and it takes everything in him not to completely melt into it.

His stubble is a tad prickly against your palms, yet somehow still soft as you swipe your thumbs across his cheekbones. It tickles in such a delightful way; you can’t help but smile. Santi’s lips part as you gently caress his face, drawing your gaze to his mouth. His breath puffs against your skin as you drag your thumb over his bottom lip, unconsciously pulling your own between your teeth. It’s so soft, so pillowy. Your finger catches a bit of his stubble on one of your passes over his lip and your breath catches, the combination of soft and sharp sending a shiver through your body. Suddenly, you wonder what it might be like, how it would feel, to have his lips pressed against yours, his five o’clock shadow scratching against your skin. What would it feel like elsewhere? Against your neck, perhaps or…between your thighs? Unable to stop yourself, you lean in and press a soft kiss to his cheek, your eyes fluttering slightly as the hair on his face tickles your lips. 

You swallow thickly as you pull back, your skin warm, heart beating wildly in your chest. Santiago’s eyes are heavy, pupils wide and dark as he stares at you, your hand still on his face. You sober a little then, shaking your head slightly with a breathy chuckle as you release him and step away. 

“Well, uh,” you say, clearing your throat as you awkwardly shove your hands in your pockets. “Goodnight then, I guess.” 

Santi can’t find the strength to do much more than nod, his mouth still slightly open as he watches you walk up the steps that lead to the front door of your building. 

You wave before you head inside, cringing a little at yourself as you turn away, hoping he won’t remember any of this tomorrow.

If you enjoyed this, please let me know! I appreciate every single reblog and/or comment. Thank you. 💖

🌟 Masterlist 🌟

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[ro-is-struggling]

Hello Hello & Congratulations

Recently gotten back into some Bucky feels & wanted to ask for him with lyric prompt 2 please! Made myself laugh with a friends to lovers idea where you're cooking for Sam & Buck & Sam slides a magnet into your back pocket cause obviously he's the best wingman (& tired of the pinning). Then I found comic panels with Buck & a little white cat & if that's Alpine!! & that first show prompt is open... Don't want to over ask but just know if it's down to the wire & no one asks for it...someone asked for it >.> Thanks for reading and stay hydrated!

Hi beautiful! Thank you so much for participating in the celebration and I’m so sorry it took me so long to post this! I LOVED this prompt and the little twist you gave it so much I wrote this in like a few hours. It’s short and sweet, I hope you like it💜💜💜

More Than Friends || Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: Sam is tired of always getting caught in the middle of the flirting and nervous glances you and Bucky subject him to every time you're in the same room, so he comes up with a plan to give you two the little push you so desperately need to confess your feelings —and laugh at you along the way.

Warnings: set somewhere after civil war where team cap is on the run together, mutual pining, friends to lovers, fluff, humor, Sam being tired of your shit 

English is not my first language

Word count: 2000

Notes: I'm pretty sure this one is gender neutral? but I wrote it with a fem reader in mind so I'll tag it like that just in case some description slipped my tired brain while editing

This fic is part of my 600 followers celeration

Sam was tired of watching you and Bucky dance around the feelings you two clearly had for each other. Sometimes he thought you were doing it on purpose, like some kind of elaborate prank to torture him as revenge for the times he made fun of you. It was the only logical explanation he could find for your attitude. Otherwise he didn't understand why you would continually refuse to face the obvious. You were in love and everyone seemed to see it but you.

Life on the run was torture when he was stuck with the two of you. Watching you two get flustered from being crammed in the back seat of the car, Sam really thought that maybe he should have taken the Clint and Scott route and made a deal with the authorities. Home detention sounded so much better compared to the heavy tension in the air that seemed to follow you everywhere. On particularly bad days - like that time a man flirted with you in a bar and Bucky was in a bad mood all day - even traditional jail seemed like paradise in comparison. 

Sam had tried everything to help you. He used to leave you alone on missions, put you in the same hotel room under the pretense that they had no more rooms, even made you sit together in the back of the car when you traveled. But despite all his efforts, you were no closer to facing your feelings than when he started. Even his subtle comments and pep talks didn't help. Every time he even dared to bring up your feelings, you acted confused and dismissed his words. He had tried it with Bucky and with you separately and you both had had almost the same response, which only proved Sam's point. 

The rest of the team was tired of you too, but since they didn't have to spend half as much time as he usually did stuck with you, they didn't care. Wanda would disappear from time to time to see Vision, and Steve and Natasha were usually together in their own little world, figuring out what the next step would be. Which left him stuck with Bucky, you and the unbearable tension in the air. That's why no one understood his suffering and therefore no one was willing to help him. 

Steve and Nat had told him that he should give you time, that eventually you would figure out your feelings and everything would get better. But Sam was beginning to think that would never happen. You had been dancing around each other since the day you met and showed no signs of changing. He had done everything he could to help you in subtle ways —talking to you privately or creating certain situations without your knowledge— all so as not to expose you and embarrass you, but apparently that was exactly what you needed, for something to expose your feelings and force you to confront them. And he had the perfect idea.

It came to him suddenly as he watched the two of you struggling to get comfortable in the back seat of the car. It was way too small a model, clearly not meant to comfortably transport a super soldier, so Bucky ended up taking up more than half the seat. Sam watched as he fiddled nervously with his hands, adjusting his position every five minutes to make sure his legs didn't accidentally brush yours. And as the sunlight beamed on his metal arm, Sam chuckled to himself at the thought that maybe next time he should give you pants made of magnets just to annoy Bucky. 

It was like a light switched on in his head. It was the perfect way to get back at you while helping you deal with your feelings. A hilarious idea all around that made Sam proud of his creativity. It wasn't hard to execute either, he just bought some magnets and waited for you to leave the bag with your belongings unattended to slip them into the back pocket of one of your pants. 

Not knowing when you would end up wearing said article of clothing added a layer of spontaneity to the situation. Even Sam had forgotten which pants he had chosen and when he saw you emerge from your room in the morning he didn't even realize his plan had been set in motion.

It was the first time in a long time that you hadn't slept in a crappy motel. Thanks to an old contact of Natasha's, you were able to stay in a safe house that had several rooms, good water pressure and a large kitchen. It wasn't the Avengers compound, but it was much better than the places you'd become accustomed to living. So, to celebrate you decided to prepare breakfast for the whole team.

You didn't let anyone help you, the very idea of someone else hanging around the kitchen while you worked on the pancakes made you anxious. You weren't a great cook by any means, but you found it easier and more relaxing to work when you had total control of the kitchen. So you sent everyone to wait elsewhere while you finished cooking. Steve opted to go out for his morning run and Natasha went back to bed, mumbling something about being woken up when there was food on the table. That left you with Sam, who settled down at the kitchen island with a glass of water to chat and keep you company. And not long after, Bucky popped his head through the door frame.

"Bucky! Just the guy I needed right now!" you said with a smile as you saw him enter the kitchen, dragging his feet as he rubbed his eyes to shake off the sleep. "Breakfast is almost ready, could you get the plates from the cabinet, please?"

Sam didn't think much of it, only that he would have to prepare himself for a morning of uncomfortable looks and flushed cheeks since you were in Bucky's way and to help you he would undoubtedly have to get closer to you than he seemed to be able to handle normally. Sam didn't remember his little joke until he felt the unexpected gasp you let out when Bucky's metal hand made contact with your backside as he reached behind you for the cabinet. He nearly choked on his water, laughter getting stuck in his throat as he watched Bucky panic, not understanding what had happened.

"I-I didn't... I mean, I'm sorry, I..." The super soldier tried hard to form a coherent sentence, but his mind was short-circuiting and his cheeks were turning a vivid shade of pink as he pulled his hand away from your body with difficulty. There was an inexplicable pull that drew him to you, making his metal arm move of its own accord, seeking to cling to you again. Bucky had to take a few steps back from you to make sure that didn't happen again. 

"Well, the cat is out of the bag. Finally!" Sam exclaimed with a mischievous grin that told Bucky everything he needed to know. "Although to be honest, I was hoping you'd find a more subtle way to confess your feelings, Buck. Or at least do it in private."

"You did this?" Bucky asked, though he already knew the answer. Sam simply let out a long laugh as he rose from his seat and disappeared out the kitchen door. "You're dead, Wilson!"

“What is he talking about?”

The sound of your voice snapped Bucky out of his angry state, his gaze softening as it settled on your confused expression. The urge to murder Sam faded as he panicked, searching for an answer to give you. This wasn't the way he would have liked to confess his feelings for you, but he couldn't lie to you either-Sam had made sure of that.

"I..." Bucky hesitated, having trouble finding the courage to tell you the truth. He could hardly remember when he had last been in that position of vulnerability, having to search for the right words to express feelings he didn't know how to describe. He was rusty, the skills and confidence that characterized his younger self had been buried in the past and now he had no idea what to say to you.

"Yes?" You spoke as he fell silent, looking up at him with glittering eyes waiting to hear that thing you'd been dreaming of since the moment you two met.

Bucky sighed, defeated. "I like you, doll, like more than just a friend." He said finally, cringing at his poor choice of words. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to find out this way. It's just that Sam figured it out and has been pressuring me to talk to you about it and I guess he got tired of waiting and did all this to fuck with me."

Bucky was rambling, talking at a speed that was not normal for him. He was also having trouble making eye contact with you, his eyes looking at everything but you. You'd never seen him this... nervous. He was nervous. His cheeks turned a darker shade of pink with each passing second and he spoke so fast that his tongue threatened to get stuck halfway through each word. He was so adorable that you couldn't help but let out a giggle.

"I'm glad that he did." It took Bucky a few seconds to process your words, his flustered expression slowly morphing into a frown of confusion.

"What?" he muttered and you smiled. 

Reaching into your back pocket, you pulled the magnet out. It rested flat in the palm of your hand as you got closer to Bucky. In an instant, his metal hand was on top of yours, cold against the soft, warm skin. You intertwined your fingers with his, your smile widening as he copied your movements.

"I might have to thank him later because, you see, I kinda like you too. And I've been trying to do something about it for so long but I just couldn't, so Sam kinda saved me there cause I was starting to lose it." You let out a chuckle and Bucky joined you, completely understanding the sentiment.

The room fell silent, but it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable like other times. Although you could still feel the tension in the air as Brucky's gaze traveled from your eyes to your joined hands, lingering on your lips for longer than necessary. He took a step toward you and your breath caught in your throat, your insides vibrating with anticipation.

"Can I kiss you?" His voice was a soft whisper. His warm breath collided against the sensitive skin of your face as he rested his forehead on yours, looking up at you through his eyelashes with a hint of desperation. He was waiting for your consent, needing to hear it from your voice before proceeding.

"Please." It was all you could say before Bucky's lips crashed against yours.

It was a soft, slow kiss. Bucky's lips moved with torturous sensuality over yours, a gentle brush that barely satiated your need for him. But despite that, you let him guide the kiss to ensure his comfort. Bucky wasn't usually comfortable with physical contact —not after all he'd been through— and you knew this was a big step for him. So you embraced the softness of his kisses, quieting that voice in your mind that was screaming for you to grab his face and intensify it. It was tempting, yes, but you would have time for that.

Bucky didn't pull away from you immediately when you broke the kiss. He kept his forehead pressed against yours as his flesh hand traveled upward to caress your cheek. He looked at you with complete adoration, his fingers gently stroking your skin, as if he couldn't believe what was happening, as if he was afraid of being too rough and breaking the fantasy into a thousand pieces. Then he let out a chuckle and a smile broke out on your face as you heard such a sweet melody.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, is just that... Sam is never gonna let this go."

[modyuki]

Hello! I like the posts you wrote for Project Sekai it made me explode /lh /pos

With that being said—is it okay to request for Mafuyu & Kanade with a reader that has Narcolepsy?

✧ • 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 • ✧

Notes: I'M SO SORRY FOR TAKING THIS LONG REALLY 😭😭😭 , One of my friends is gone I had exams and I had some mental health issues but everything is ok now :3 . Thank you for requesting this I did some research on Narcolepsy so I hope what I wrote is accurate enough. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing it.

TW: chronic neurological disorder (obviously)

Summary: 𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐮𝐲𝐮 & 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐬𝐲

✦ · 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐢 · ✦

⋆ At first Kanade was confused for why you felt tired during the day so much

⋆ I mean you slept for 10 hours how are you tired ????

⋆ When Kanade confronted you about that in one of your visits to her house , you answered her telling that you had Narcolepsy

⋆ You explained to her that Narcolepsy affects the brain's ability to control sleep-wake cycles meaning that your brain couldn't control when to be awake and when to sleep resulting in you being sleepy for most of the day

⋆After that day Kanade did a little more research on it

⋆Which resulted in the both of you mostly having dates where you guys cuddled and slept together while listening to melodies that Kanade Made specifically for these occasions

⋆Kanade once got caught making those melodies by Mizuki and after that day Mizuki would not shut up about how cute it was

⋆ Ena wanted Mizuki to shut up to be honest, but she was happy for you and Kanade and so was Mafuyu even tho she didn’t express it

⋆ Mafuyu even offered to teach Kanade more about narcolepsy and things she could do to help

⋆ Let’s just say Kanade is more than happy to spend time with you specially inside

⋆ She loves having you by her side and even if you have Narcolepsy she will lend you her shoulder to rest

✦ · 𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐮𝐲𝐮 𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 · ✦

⋆ At first Mafuyu thought your behavior was strange but for now she decided to just watch what happens

⋆ After a while Mafuyu noticed that you seemed very tired during the day , even after hours of sleep

⋆ Once Mafuyu confronted you about this you told her that you had Narcolepsy

⋆ Mafuyu had learned about Narcolepsy before so it wasn’t something new to Mafuyu

⋆ Since Mafuyu knows quite a lot on the subject she always tries helping you in any way possible so you are not as tired as you usually are

⋆ Sometimes you can even catch her lightly smiling when you lay your head on her shoulder to sleep, you think it’s adorable

⋆ The two of you usually have dates where the two of you cuddle to sleep, although Mafuyu takes a bit longer resulting in her watching you sleep which makes her blush a little

⋆ But usually you can be find sleeping on the top student’s shoulder during lunch, which the students think it’s quite cute

⋆ She always get this warm feeling in her chest when you sleep on her shoulder

⋆ Mafuyu is always glad to lend you her shoulder to sleep it’s the least she can do , that’s what she tells you

Notes: IM SORRY IF THIS IS SHORT BUT I’LL BE BACK TO WRITING NOW SO, drink water get something to eat and take a break or else stuffed animal gets it 😡

[justanotherblonde]

it's sasodei week 2024!

i have precisely one thing to contribute, but ffs it's not done yet grr!! maybe we can blame my dog... she demanded i come play with her no less than nine times (i kept track) as i wrote this post (she does this by shouting at me then humping my leg to show me who's boss, sometimes pulling on my sweater sleeve with her sharp li'l teefs, beagles, man, i tell ya...) 🐶

anyway!! here's a TEASER of my Day 3 Band/Rockstar/Idol AU story ahhhhh!!! it's not even titled yet!!!!! i don't even really know what the tags will be! and i haven't had time to make a header image!! 😫

but this i know, oh this i know:

Sasori is first chair cello of the Sunagakure Philharmonic

He has a dirty little secret hobby: listening to metal (among other genres that are definitely not classical)

One of the bands he listens to is called C4

Guess who's the lead singer???

Yes, you guessed it, it's Deidara, singer/song-writer, perhaps much more...

In this AU, everybody lives!! Well... okay fine, Sasori's parents still didn't make it, i'm sorry

But that means two important things: Third Kazekage is alive! And there are a LOT of Uchiha running around.

There's more, a lot more, but you'll have to wait until i steal more minutes and hours from my dog and my work! but i'll give it to ya, come hell or high water! or wildfires, earthquakes, debilitating PM 2.5 ratings, or uh... dare i say... another pandemic??? FEAR NOT!

if you want to wait for the full thing to drop to read, i've left the teaser excerpt below the cut.

a million thanks to @sasodeiweek for hosting this event and encouraging us SasoDei creators to flex our creative muscles! loving all the contributions so far!

and without further ado...

Rehearsal ran circles round Sasori’s ears. The music followed him always, all hours.

Chapter 1

Rehearsal ran circles round Sasori’s ears. The music followed him always, all hours.

The fine, agile fingers of his left hand twitched; his right hand swayed side to side, marking the strokes of his bow. Eyes half-closed, his feet kept time on the pavement as he walked. It was Haydn this week, Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major. A weighty yet familiar responsibility for Sasori, first chair cello of the Sunagakure Philharmonic.

He sighed. Rehearsal had wrapped half an hour ago. He was on his way home, and tomorrow was a rest day. He didn’t need to torture himself like this. 

The headphones around his neck were a comforting weight, as friendly and intimate as the straps of his cello case on his shoulders. He flipped them over his ears and dug in his coat pocket for his phone. Scrolling through the saved playlists on his music app, he skipped all of the classical “homework” and went straight for his guilty pleasures: dance-pop, glam-rock, musicals… and heavy metal. 

No one at work knew about his low, low tastes.

Well, the Third had known. 

Sasori gritted his teeth, biting back unbidden memories. Now he definitely needed to blast his brain clean with some noise. 

Something heavy.

Something loud.

Something to transport him far away from the sand-scraped streets of Sunagakure.

His thumb landed on the album he was looking for.

Art is an EXPLOSION by C4. Track 1: “Light It Up.”

From that first haunting guitar chord, the tension Sasori held in his chest and face dispersed. He rode that twisting whine down, down… someplace dark and cool, far beneath the earth. As the barreling drums built to a crescendo, he held his breath—wait for it!—

A million years, through timeless stone I’m damned to walk this path alone This darkness, all I’ve ever known…

The lead singer had a deep, melodic voice. He molded each word of the verse carefully, tenderly, as if he were embarking on a ballad… then WHAM!

Cymbals crashed; the roaring chorus caught the last two notes of an electrifying riff like a surfer hopping a wave:

Light it up! Hey, light it up! Strike a match and light it up! My fuse is short, ’m ready to blow, Crush the ceiling down to the floor!

Not in a million years would Sasori admit out loud to anyone that he listened to C4, especially not now that the public were actually aware of their existence. The metal band had catapulted to fame last year with their single “Burn Down All the Discos,” but Sasori had been listening to them well before that. Three years ago, his music app had recommended him a track from Art is an EXPLOSION—C4’s debut album—based on his eclectic streaming history. 

If the first song Sasori had heard by C4 had been anything but “Artist,” he’d probably never have given them a chance: their usual sound was, on the surface, sloppy, and most of the lyrics were childish boasts. “Look at me!” their vocalist seemed to say in every song. 

But “Artist” was different. It was, inexplicably, an up-tempo perversion of Vivaldi’s Winter Largo in F Minor, lamenting how hard it was to live for art’s sake when the world ran on money and heroic virtue. Listeners without classical training would be unable to appreciate or likely even identify the subtleties of what had been done with the classical score, but the first time he heard it, Sasori had been riveted. Vivaldi’s rhythmic harpsichord had been replaced with a softly tapped snare drum; a mournful electric guitar carried the melody when it wasn’t sung. 

Curiosity piqued, Sasori had investigated the rest of the album, and found similar nods to classical music throughout the tracks, much harder to notice than the adapted Vivaldi, drowned as they were in a thunderstorm of electric guitar and percussion. C4 were more than just a metal band: they experimented with typical traits of the genre and also drew from pop rock, classical music, even musical theatre to create a sound unlike anything Sasori had ever heard. They broke all the rules and they did it with glee.

One day—a rest day—home alone and bored, Sasori had looked up the band online. It surprised him to learn that the lead singer had been only sixteen when the band was formed. That powerful voice certainly didn’t sound like it belonged to a teenager. But the band’s website was light on biographical information, and Sasori hadn’t felt like digging deeper. An overwhelming amount of fan sites and social media accounts had sprung up since “Burn Down All the Discos” and C4’s world tour. Bored as he was that day, Sasori wasn’t about to use his precious free time to obsess over some flash-in-the-pan rock band, especially one fronted by a kid.

And yet, he still listened to them.

“Artist” often competed for the position of most frequently-played song on his app, but only when he was feeling particularly moody. 

It crossed his mind that he ought to check if C4 had come out with anything new lately—the app usually sent a message when artists he’d followed released new music. Pausing to wait for a traffic light, he dug for his phone again.

Lo and behold, a new album had dropped not three days ago.

Beauty of a Moment, it was called. The cover art featured the Venus de Milo... mid-explosion.

Sasori chuckled under his breath. “He really does fancy himself an artist, doesn’t he…” 

What a fool. Popular music was not art. Rock music was not art. It came and went, but the classics stayed. For centuries. Forever.

It was the one thing Sasori and the Third had always agreed on, despite all of their differences. 

Speaking of which… 

...

[myriad-writings]

your love’s like witchcraft - j.b.

-jonathan byers x reader

-600 words 

-soft fluffy nonsense with jonathan. wrote this in like twenty minutes before the thought left my brain

-warnings: mention of weed, that’s it 

The soft lavender scent of forgotten incense travels through the room, the smoke of the burning stick mixing in the air with the remnants of your sesh with Jonathan. The smoke from the joint lazily rises from the ashtray beside his bed, the ashtray that you bought him from your favorite boutique downtown. 

There were other touches of your familiar presence all over his room– the Fleetwood Mac records in his shelf, the rose quartz and amethyst carefully placed on his desk, your shoes by the door, your oversized shirts in his dresser drawer for when you slept over (which was often). Jonathan’s bedroom was slowly becoming a shrine to your energy. 

He wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Argyle had teased him about getting involved with you. How you might put a spell on him, or something like that. All in good fun, though, since it was obvious to anyone around Jonathan that you made him incredibly happy. 

And if you had put some kind of enchantment on him, he wouldn’t mind. Laying with you in the post-sesh haze had him feeling so peaceful and content. He felt like he could lay here with you forever, legs haphazardly wrapped around each other with his arm running up and down the length of your back while you hummed a meaningless tune against his shoulder. 

Apparently he had been lost in thought too long, not realizing his eyes had been focused on your side profile. You, however, felt his gaze on you for a bit longer than usual and lifted your head from its position on his shoulder. 

“What?” You giggled at him, your infectious smile finding its way into his heart for the millionth time that day. 

“Nothing, sorry,” Jonathan shook his head a little, returning the soft smile as you folded your hands on his chest and rested your chin on them. You looked at him like he hung the stars in the sky, it made him stop breathing for a moment. “Just thinkin’.” 

“About what?” You inquired further. 

“You,” he hummed simply, leaning forward to kiss your forehead as blood rushed to your cheeks and you giggled softly. 

“Me? What for?” 

“What for?” He repeated back to you, looking incredulous. “You’re my girl, that’s what for. Am I not allowed?” He wound his arms tighter around your waist while he teased you and rolled the two of you over, causing you to squeal and erupt into another giggling fit. He hovered over you while he peppered light kisses all over your face and neck. 

Once you had caught your breath, you reached up and ran your fingers through his soft hair, smiling up at him. “I guess you’re allowed,” you answered, lifting your head slightly to kiss the tip of his nose in response to the barrage of affection he had just given you. “You always get so sappy when you’re high.” 

“Well, maybe it’s just because you’re around,” he quipped back at you, finally settling his weight down on you and resting his face in the crook of your neck while you continued to play with his hair. He shut his eyes, experiencing what he considered to be the height of comfort and warmth in your arms. “You do have that effect on me, you know.” 

“The feeling’s mutual, pretty boy,” you mused, then kissed the top of his head before continuing the hum the same tune as before, and the room was still and peaceful again. A sacred space, for just the two of you.

[freesia-writes]

Howzer + Aurelia Ch. 34 - Opening Up

Beginning with his shiny days, this story follows Howzer's character arc through some heartwarming romance, action, adventure, yearning, angst, and growth.

Content/Trigger Warnings for Entire Work (individual chapters not labeled): wartime peril, injury, and death; sexual assault up to kissing; relationship passion up to making out and heavy petting; sexual relationship alluded to (smut is posted separately); pregnancy, birthing trauma, and stillbirth (chapters 30-39, can be skipped and still keep up with the story).

Master List of Chapters

Word Count: 2.9k (eep!)

34. Opening Up

"We've got a full workup coming in," the nurse said, flipping pages on her clipboard. "Sounds like he was just rescued from some remote mountain. He's been shot, but they say he's alright, although there's a note on here to check his mental faculties. Something about an explosion, head injury... Whoever wrote this made a complete mess of it."

"Not much of the standard protocols left, it seems," Lennox said, shrugging dismissively. "Let's get him in here. Aurelia, can you please prep the diagnostic bed?"

"On it, Doc," came the reply, as Aurelia bumped a nearby cart with her mildly protruding belly. It had been another couple of months, full of the rhythm of work, rest, and the ever-changing spectrum of pregnancy quirks. Thankfully, the lingering first trimester symptoms had mercifully subsided. Her energy had returned, including an extra spark that she hadn't anticipated, and her baby bump had finally started to show. It was still fairly small, but she frequently found herself rubbing it with fondness, smiling as she thought to herself about all that it represented. 

"I told you! I'm fine!" a voice came from the hall, slightly louder than usual, as a flustered nurse ushered in a clone. He looked diminutive, as they all did without their armor, and his unique appearance was even further accentuated by his strikingly sharp features. His cheeks seemed to be more angular than most, and his expressive eyebrows were working overtime to convey his displeasure. Aurelia smirked at the bravado, but the lighthearted observation was immediately replaced by a stabbing pain as her eyes rose to his hair: he had a faded undercut that reminded her of Howzer, though instead of being thick and tousled on top, it was smooth and laid flat against his skull. 

"You alright?" Lennox asked, appearing at her side. He seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to her, and she could never quite decide if it was helpful or annoying. 

"Yeah, sorry. Just distracted," she flubbed, turning away to continue entering the protocol on the diagnostic bed. 

"Thank you, nurse," Lennox said kindly, turning to face the clone and rising to his full height, standing a good few inches over the head of the newcomer. "Alright, CC-5576 is it?"

"That's my number, sir, but Gregor is my name!" came the answer, and Aurelia tilted her head to inspect him again. He was a standard clone, but his voice had a unique lilt to it that caught her attention. It was hard to describe -- somehow slightly higher in pitch than the others, and as he continued talking, she noticed a periodic squeak on various syllables. She punched in an additional command on the screen for a more thorough vocal cord inspection in addition to the brain scan. 

"Alright, Gregor," Lennox continued evenly. "I understand it's a bother, but we'd like to make sure you're all good to go, and we'll get you back out there in no time. Maybe we can see if we can modify the machine to give you some superpowers while you're in there, eh?" He had a variety of approaches with patients, attempting a variety of humor, discipline, paternal sternness, and gentleness until he found the particular combination that worked for each clone. Aurelia was amazed at his ability to connect with such a wide array of personalities, and she had learned quite a bit in this area during the last four months of working with him. 

"Oh!" Gregor said, "Well now you're talking!" He followed it with a sudden giggle that brought a smile to Aurelia's face without her permission. That was a new one. 

"All you have to do is lie still for a while and we'll do the rest from here, alright Captain?" Lennox said, noting Gregor's title from the clipboard, which seemed to go a long way in increasing the clone's respect for him and led to subsequent cooperation. With a grin, he hopped onto the diagnostic bed with a bit of a wince, moving a hand to his chest where his blaster wounds had been stabilized on the journey to Coruscant. "We'll take care of those as well," Lennox assured him as he flattened himself on the gurney, which slowly slid into a large plastoid tube that whirred to life as the captain disappeared within. 

"Do you know him?" Lennox asked Aurelia as they watched the data screen populate with various readings. 

"Him? No, why?"

"You just had a funny look when you saw him."

"Ah," she said, shrugging dismissively, "My face looks funny sometimes, I guess."

"Why do you keep pushing us all away?" Lennox asked gently, reaching out as if to place a hand on her shoulder but rethinking it last minute, moving it quickly to the side to grab a tissue analyzer that he didn't really need. "Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to comfort you? To share in your thoughts, both the good and the bad? There are wonderful people here, who truly care..." he drifted off for a minute, swallowing hard. "I mean, I'm here for you, but even if you don't want to confide in me, that's fine... I just know the value of having someone that feels like... I don't know... a counterpart of sorts. You know? You don't have to do it all alone." 

There was a wistful tone to his voice, and Aurelia studied his face intently, with a sudden realization that perhaps his friendliness toward her had evolved into more than just decency. A flurry of emotions swirled around at once: self-criticism for not having seen it before, immediate guilt at the thought of letting anyone in other than Howzer, and a yearning for that kind of companionship that she'd been in complete denial about. 

"I have that..." she attempted, voice falling flat. 

Lennox remained silent for a moment, eyes roving the ground as though it would give him guidance. When he looked back up at her, he put forth a small smile and a brisk nod as he returned the tissue analyzer to the counter. "Alright," he said, though he didn't look convinced. He always wanted to respect her boundaries, though it was his very nature to try to help anyone in any kind of pain. But he also realized that it couldn't be forced... All lessons he'd learned over years of both personal and professional experience. "Well, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here, and I know others are too. Alright?"

"Alright," Aurelia answered, meeting his gaze. "I appreciate it, Len. Really, I do... I'll keep it in mind."

"Good girl," he said cheerfully, reaching up to pinch the bottom of her chin playfully, but Aurelia flinched and backed up suddenly in a seemingly disproportionate reaction. "Whoa!" Lennox said, putting both hands in the air in submission, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be out of line...? I apologize..." He watched her closely, confused by her immediate reactivity and the unequivocal look of disgust on her face. He thought they'd reached a comfortable level of closeness and friendship, and he was surprised at the hurt he felt in response to the abhorrence on her face.

"Sorry," Aurelia breathed, though she didn't know why she was apologizing. As she processed it all, and waves of the past washed over her, she shook her head. "It's not you. I just... Please don't ever call me 'good girl', okay?"

"Of course," Lennox said gently, lowering his hands at a snail's pace. 

"I had a boss, back on Ryloth," Aurelia proceeded, the words flying out as though they needed to escape. "He was a slimy, gross, smooth talker who worked for the Empire. I was his assistant, but I was basically supposed to do whatever he wanted. Or so he thought...His name was Moss Gowden..." She shuddered at the thoughts, face contorted. "He was always hitting on me, always whispering nasty stuff... And he used to say 'good girl' under his breath whenever I answered his requests. It made my skin crawl."

The indignation and anger were plain on Lennox's face as he listened, and he clenched his fists at his sides for a second before releasing them and letting out a slow breath. "That must have been awful," he commiserated, leaving space for her to share more if she wished, hoping that she would continue to open up. He felt as though he were diffusing a bomb -- one wrong move and things would never be the same. And he desperately wanted to get it right. 

"It was," Aurelia conceded. "I kept refusing him, trying to keep it professional... So one night he put spice in my food and waited until I could barely stand, then he tried to take advantage of me." Tears swelled in her eyes, and she looked up at the ceiling to try to hold them back. "He probably would have, too, if not for..." she faltered, lost in the splintered memory of Howzer's rescue. Lennox knew better than to inquire any further, and instead opened his arms slightly to the sides in a nonverbal invitation for comfort and closeness. 

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Aurelia gave in. It had felt like ages since she'd been held, and she'd felt so alone, as though she'd been ripped in half. In that moment, she felt like a child, lost and scared, longing someone to simply take care of her when she'd been working so hard to take care of herself. She stepped forward, allowing Lennox to wrap her in a gentle hug, her own arms hanging awkwardly at her sides. He was significantly taller than her, and the small indent where his ribcage split apart made a perfect place for her to hide her face. 

Tears stole silently down her cheeks, wetting the front of his white uniform, and he lifted a hand to peaceably stroke the top of her head. He felt as though his heart were exploding in his chest. He didn't know how he'd come to be so fond of her, but she was brilliant and witty, strong and resilient, and had piqued his interest within the first few weeks of her arrival. He sympathized for her situation even though she didn't want him to, and he felt a strong desire to lighten her burdens. He'd caught a few glimpses of her humor, as well as brief flashes of curiosity, wonder, and delight that had warmed him to the core. She carried so much, and yet kept everyone at an arm's length even within the congenial friendships she enjoyed. Her heart seemed to be set on another, even though she didn't appear to hold much hope of his return. How someone could hold that kind of affection along with a stark sense of realism was beyond him, but it only increased his fascination. 

"If not for what?" came a squeaky voice from inside the diagnostic bed. Aurelia sprang back, surprised by the unexpected third party. 

"I thought they couldn't hear anything in there!" she hissed, wiping her eyes quickly. 

"They usually can't," Lennox grumbled, leaning down to speak loudly into the tube. "You have to stay still please, Captain. Even speaking could cause it to miss some of the micro details. Plus... this conversation is not for you, my friend." There was a slight edge of correction to his voice, though it remained affable overall. 

"Sorry!" was the singsong reply, "Just getting bored in here!"

Aurelia couldn't help but smile. The interruption was a welcome one, if she was honest. The consolation of Lennox's embrace had made her feel as ashamed as she felt gratified, and she'd been wrestling with a multitude of thoughts about it the entire time, which had felt like forever even though it was mere seconds. She appreciated the support, but it still felt wrong. She closed her eyes for a moment, envisioning the lazy evenings she'd spent wrapped up with Howzer on the couch, listening to his heartbeat and his husky voice, enveloped in perfect contentment and comfort. It felt like a lifetime ago, and the bittersweet reminiscence gave her a steadying sense of focus. She'd do everything she could to find him... whether he was dead or alive. The last thought made her stomach turn, and she opened her eyes, shaking her head briskly as if to chase the thoughts away. 

"It's about finished anyway," she said, distracting herself with the data panel. At a nod from Lennox, she tapped the screen and the machine's loud whirring slowed to a quiet buzz as the gurney slid out slowly, freeing Captain Gregor from the tube. He sat up, rubbing the back of his head and looking sheepishly back and forth between them.

"Sorry if I was eavesdropping," he said, "I didn't have much else to do..."

"It's alright," Aurelia answered, "I shouldn't be discussing that kind of stuff at work anyway."

Lennox tilted his head as if to say something, but he was cut off by an oblivious Gregor, "Eh, it's as good a place as any. Besides, he seems like a good one." He jabbed a thumb toward Lennox, who had apparently earned his complete approval in the short time they'd been acquainted.

"Thank you, Captain," Lennox said uneasily, slightly flustered in an endearing sort of way. "If we could get back to matters at hand, however..." He skimmed the datapad, tapping various points to enlarge the detail. "The blaster wound is healing well, and we'll cover it with a fresh bacta patch on your way out. That should finish the job. It says in your file that you survived an explosion on Abafar..."

"Karking right I did!" 

"Yes..." Lennox proceeded, smirking fondly at the enthusiasm. "Well, the lasting effects seem to be fairly minimal. Your motor skills are virtually uninhibited, and your brain function is surprisingly good, considering the trauma it received. I am seeing some damage, however, in the thalamus, as well as the hippocampal formations in your temporal lobe... There are also some rather permanent-looking lesions on the dorsal laryngeal motor cortex... "

"Whoa there, heh, can I get that in Basic, please?" Gregor lilted, looking to Aurelia for translation, who found his unfettered charisma a welcome respite from her troubling thoughts. 

"These areas in your brain are connected to memory, so you may suffer bouts of amnesia or mood swings," she began, interrupted once again. 

"I barely knew who I was before the explosion!" the commando interjected, "Some little bug man and his droid squad filled me in. So no surprise there!"

"You will likely have similar periods in the future, so finding a good support system and creating structures to remind yourself of things when it does happen would be a wise precaution," Aurelia suggested, "And the lesions are on the part of your brain that controls various elements of your vocal cords, including the pitch and cadence of your speech."

"Well noooo kidding..." Gregor marveled in mock surprise. "So I'm Captain Squeak from now on then, eh?" he chuckled as though it were an involuntary reaction. "Ah well. And what about my superpowers?"

Lennox smiled, patting the clone on the shoulder and inviting him to stand. "Your superpower seems to be that you are as difficult to kill as a spider-roach, my friend. You'll be a great asset to Captain Rex's team, should you choose to pursue that option."

"I'll take that as a compliment?" Gregor said, rubbing the back of his neck thoughtfully as he shifted his weight from one foot to another. A disembodied voice came from the small comlink near the door -- the nurse informing the doctor of his attention required in another room. 

"Absolutely," Lennox answered, "Aurelia will get your chest mended with a new bacta patch, and you'll be on your way." He gave an appreciative wave as he exited, leaving the two of them staring at each other. 

"Would you prefer to stand?" Aurelia asked, tearing open a fresh patch and removing the protective strips from its adhesive. 

"Yes ma'am!" Gregor chirped, puffing out his chest with a smile. 

"We need to remove the top of your blacks, please."

"Ohhh, getting frisky now, are we?" His teasing was clearly harmless, and it brought Aurelia a fond memory of Pivot's innocuous advances at 79s. She found a genuine smile on her face once again; this clone was an undeniable ray of sunshine in seemingly any situation, and she was honestly grateful for it. "Juuust kidding," he giggled as he pulled his turtleneck over his head, revealing a surprisingly gnarly chest wound that was covered with fairly shoddy work. The scorched flesh peeked out from around the edges of the wrinkled and faded bacta patch, and Gregor's grin turned into more of a grimace as she removed it as tenderly as she could. 

"Sorry," she murmured, focusing intently on her work.

"You don't have to take it out on me," he muttered in return, hands gripping the edges of the diagnostic bed behind him. The patch was quickly freed from its enmeshment with his skin and hair, and Aurelia moved quickly to apply a soothing bacta spray, earning a deep sigh of relief from the commando. Her nurturing spirit warmed at the sight, and she felt a new sense of affirmation herself, inexplicably, some random inkling that perhaps things were going to be alright.

"By the way," Gregor said, bringing her awareness back to the present, "You should take it easy on that doc. He seems like an upstanding guy, and obviously cares a lot about you. Hard to come by good people these days, you know?" He waggled his eyebrows so suggestively that Aurelia's surprise was overshadowed by the levity of his expression, and she shook her head with a smile, fitting the fresh, large bacta patch across the side of his chest. 

"You're a fun one, Gregor."

.

Next Chapter

[ghcstvalleychief]

No but the Lutawolf thing pissed me offfff! I was disgusted about the Emmett Till thing because any of us with a brain saw how that comparison was awful (and even though they tried to double down and swear it was a comparison instead of just apologizing and growing from this experience) but in that post they said a lot stuff that sounded very much like victim blaming and ableism as well. The whole post was rife with it but these parts stood out:

“Now, if you accuse someone. You have to have proof. And I don't mean bruises on wrists. I give those to my submissive when I do bondage.

For instance, if it was me. I could tag several people on here who know me in real life that can verify everything I've told you guys. I could point you to court casings. There were video taps, DNA, and much more. So much that they pled guilty. Never mind that they only got five months.

So not only do we not have proof from Poi. Other than pictures that were found to be stolen. She took someone else's pictures to use as her own. Do you see what I went through. I have videos and pictures. If it had been me that she stole from, I'd make her the abuse victim she wants to be so badly. “

As someone who’s also a survivor but was very young and couldn’t provide proof for many reasons, I was met with this same attitude from people for years because I spoke out. I hate survivors with superiority complex because the rest of us that don’t fit their perfect definition end up feeling belittled and invalidated. Like this isn’t even about the Poi/Build thing it’s about making other survivors who’s story probably looked similar on the outside, feel like crap all over again. Although, I find it funny that someone who says they don’t care about one party or the other, they definitely did a good job of painting Poi as the “psycho” and Build as the poor innocent baby. That’s why comparing him and his situation to Emmett felt even worse than if they’d just left it at that. Emmett was an innocent child and Build is a grown ass man with a documented history of similar behavior. The whole post was just disgusting all around.

I was contemplating abandoning the KP fandom after you said you probably would but, after this, I think I’m out for good. So many people who I used to admire here have recently shown themselves to just have the worst opinions. Anyway, sorry I just wanted to rant. There’s a lot of drama going on so please just ignore this if you want to.

Fuck Lutawolf. You know, I said I was gonna stay off of here, but I caught wind of all this bullshit and I had to see for myself what the fuck was going on.

I had that person blocked for quite some time but I unblocked them because I want them to see everything I'm saying regarding this issue.

At the end of the day, you can defend your shitty fave without comparing that piece of shit to an innocent child who was tortured and murdered as a result of false accusations. This is NOT the same. Build is NOT Emmett Till nor are their situations the same. Build is a garbage individual who has had a pattern of being awful and everything is finally catching up to him. Build is a racist, homophobic, misogynistic piece of shit (as per his own words when he wrote that sad sob letter last year after we found out how he truly thinks). He is not being unfairly targeted due to racism or outright hatred. Actions have consequences. You can't walk through this world thinking you can say and do whatever you want without there being consequences.

That's not how this works. Fuck Build, fuck his fans/supporters/staunch defenders, and fuck anyone else who thinks they can use murdered Black children to absolve Build of any perceived guilt. You can make a point without using Black trauma to justify and manipulate people into feeling sympathy for a guilty piece of trash. The Black trauma was used to really hit everyone right in the feels so they can care enough to ignore that he has a history of being awful. His fans have covered it up and have been trying to get other people to stop talking about it for MONTHS. Since that's not working this time, I guess they have to pull out the big guns. They're spreading misinformation and trying to quiet his accuser while also trying to force the rest of his cast mates to come out and defend him when there's nothing to defend. Brands are publicly renouncing him and cutting ties with him for a reason. He's bad for business and rightfully so.

Your fave has always been a bad person and it's finally caught up to him and now everyone knows. Stan who you want. Support who you want. If you want to support a guilty man, just say that. We won't respect you but at least be honest with yourself and everyone else.

[super-cosmic-library]

okay, but Steve--King Steve, disgraced Hawkins royalty--doesn’t have many followers on bereal, like one might have expected him to. Really, he only downloaded it because his kids were pestering him to. Steve doesn’t really do social media anymore. In high school, he had it to keep up appearances, send invites for the parties he threw, and occasionally slide into people’s dms. As soon as he graduated, though, Steve went off the grid. The kids, Dustin and Max especially, liked to make fun of Steve for not having any internet presence. Called him grandpa and old timer. But after a little cajoling and seeing how much fun his little nuggets had on the app, he caved. He really only wanted to do it with his friends, though. Exposing too much of his life to strangers on the internet reminded him of his reign as King Steve. No, he wanted to keep his life private, so he only followed his seven rugrats, Robbie, Nance, Jonathan, and Argyle. Thank god.

So, Steve posts the photo, and doesn’t think much of it. He tossed his phone down on his sheets and got out of bed to get ready for the day. After making breakfast with Eddie, Steve ran back upstairs to grab his phone and his keys, so he could drop Eddie off at the garage for his shift before picking Robin up for theirs.

When Steve picked up his phone, the screen lit up with about a thousand new messages, all from his friends. Most of the kids had messaged some variation of “Holy Shit” or “WTF?!?!?” He sighed, making a mental note to work on their language, then scrolled through the rest of the messages.

Johnathan: Did you mean to post that?

Nancy: Steve, I love you both, but you do know that you posted that to the internet?

Steve furrowed his brow. What were they talking about? Was it the selfie he took? Did he have something weird on his face? He doesn’t remember seeing anything offensive when he looked in the mirror this morning.

He kept scrolling.

Argyle: Duuuudddeeee, respect.

Argyle: love is love, man. i always knew you two would be beautiful together.

Robin: HOLY SHIT

Robin: YOURE SLEEPING WITH EDDIE???? 

Robin: GOD, FINALLY.

Robin: BUT OHMYGOD MY LESIBIAN EYES

Robin: IM GOING TO HAVE TO BOIL THEM CLEAN

Robin: On a more serious note, sweetie, you do know that bereal takes a photo with both the front and back camera?

Steve’s stomach plummeted. He did know that. However, it must have slipped his sleep addled brain. God, what did he post? 

Frantically, he opened the app and flicked through all of his friends’ pictures, which were also in varying states of waking up and getting ready for the day. Finally, he reached his.

Steve’s heart threatened to bust out of his ribcage. He was going to be sick.

There, in the corner of the screen, was a incredibly naked Eddie Munson, in the process of working on a pair of jeans.

Steve did not know how long he stood there frozen, staring at the screen. Could have been seconds, could have been hours.

Distantly, he heard his name being called as the stairs creaked under heavy footsteps. Steve whirled around as Eddie pushed the door open.  

“Hey, princess, what’s taking so . . . Why do you look like I’ve caught you doing something naughty?” A Cheshire grin spread across Eddie’s face. “Stevie, what are you up to?”

Steve crumpled, thrusting the phone into Eddie’s hands. “I accidently posted a naked photo of you to my bereal this morning and everyone saw it.”

 Eddie’s smile fell. For a thunderous moment, he did not respond. He just stared at the screen while Steve anxiously waited for him to start yelling or go into his serious voice or something.

His eyes burned. This was it. Eddie was going to break up with him for not only outing their relationship but for leaking his nonconsensual nude. Surely, he must hate him now. Eddie would never want to speak to him again. Steve didn’t know what he would do if Eddie wrote himself out of his life.

“I’m so sorry. I forgot about the second camera, I swear. Please, say something.”

But instead of yelling, instead of getting upset and breaking up with him, Eddie laughed. Doubled over, clutching his sides, gasping for air, laughed.

Fear morphed into confusion as Steve took his boyfriend’s quaking form in. “Eddie, why aren’t you mad?”

Once he gained some semblance of composer, Eddie responded. “I’m not mad, princess. A little embarrassed, but not mad. Besides, you just permanently scarred all of our closest friends, that’s the power move of the century. Man, I hope my bare ass is seared into Henderson’s brain for the next eternity. Serves him right for being so snippy all of the time.”

“You’re not mad,” Steve repeated, still trying to process everything that had happened.

Eddie grabbed either side of Steve’s neck, thumbs stroking fans on his cheeks. “I am not mad.” He kissed his forehead. “Though next time, ask before you decide to use my ass to punish the kids.” He placed a chaste kiss on Steve’s lips. “Now, come on. I don’t think my boss would be all too thrilled at me being late to work again this week.”

Heat spread in Steve’s cheeks as he remembered exactly why Eddie had been late earlier that week. He grabbed his phone and his keys, and as the two of them made their way outside, Steve swore he would never use bereal again unless he was wide awake.

Robin finds out Steve and Eddie are dating because Steve posts a bereal from his bed. The front camera shows Steve staring sleepily at the camera, but the back camera shows a very naked Eddie Munson pulling a pair of jeans on at the foot of Steve's bed. Robin has never screamed so loud.

[casualneonglitterpainterposts]

SPACE FEVER- Chapter 6- Road to recovery- Pt 2

Here is Chapter 6 of my TBAG Fanfic with my TBAG OC Karoline “KAROL” Grayson.

I was re-reading it the other day and realised I never really finished it, so I have been spending the last few days working on it.

Here are the other previous chapters if you want to catch up with the storyline- I will mention ch 1-5 I wrote when I was about 18-19 years of age so it been 4 and a half years since I wrote anything on this..

PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

https://casualneonglitterpainterposts.tumblr.com/post/185124990209/space-fever-chapter-1-its-just-a-scratch

https://casualneonglitterpainterposts.tumblr.com/post/185127846794/space-fever-chapter-2-are-you-ok-you-dont

https://casualneonglitterpainterposts.tumblr.com/post/185145285794/space-fever-chapter-3-rest-and-company

https://casualneonglitterpainterposts.tumblr.com/post/185230867509/space-fever-chapter-4-from-bad-to-worse

https://casualneonglitterpainterposts.tumblr.com/post/185584006254/space-fever-chapter-5-the-road-to-recovery

Here is Chapter 6 and Part 2 of "Road to recovery'

Making her way down the busy hallways of the GDF hospital, Kayo had made it to Karol's isolation room in the ICU unit. Knocking on the door, she was welcomed in by Mrs. Grayson…

‘Come in Kayo dear, just leave your helmet on though, we’ll have yours and Alan’s suits sanitized on the way out’

‘Ok, Thankyou, Mrs. Grayson’.

The two walk and talk as they make their way over to Karol in her ice bath behind the shear curtains

‘I have some great news by the way. Captain Hurst and Brains are working alongside the scientific medical team right now to make an antibody with the bacteria samples right now”

“That is great news dear, Karol will be glad to hear this”.

“I know she will “, Kayo says smiling.

Pushing back the curtains, Kayo enters Karol’s  room - Karol looked up smiling, Alan was still sitting beside her ice bath by her side.

“Hey Karol, I see you’re still staying strong and fighting as always’

“Hell yeah, I’m not going out without a fight and you know it.  It’s great to see you again Kayo”, she says, gritting her teeth from the pain of her fever.

Kayo came and sat on the other side of her..

“I’ve got great news for you, you know that deadly bacterial fever you’ve got ?

“Wait what? That bacteria was deadly? Now I just feel stupid  for not getting medical attention sooner. 

“Hey, it’s all good now Karol. The good news is that Alan and I have got more of that bacteria, Captain Hurst and Brains are working on the antibody right now”.

Karol paused for a minute, calming herself down…

“I’m sorry for all the drama guys, again this is my fault. And , yes, that is fantastic news”.

Kayo hugged her, reassuring her that she needed to stop blaming herself for making herself unwell. Karol, shedding a tear of gratitude as she hugged her back. After a while to keep her mind off of the pain and suffering , Kayo started talking about some of her recent missions- keeping her mind off the pain, though it was hard at times to hold the groan of pain back.  Four days had passed, throughout these days Karol could be heard from the other end of the GDF hospital screaming out in pain. Her aunt did her best to ease her pain as they waited for the antibody to be completed.

 On the ninth day,down in the medical laboratory, around five in the morning Captain Hurst with the help of Brains and the hospital's scientific medical team, had finally perfected the antibody after doing a small test on an infected rat. Captain Hurst notified Dr.Hossen and immediately approved that she go get that antibody into Miss Grayson ASAP. grabbing the antibody and other necessary equipment, Captain Hurst and Brains made their way up to her ICU room. Up in Karol’s room where she barely slept due to the horrific pain, Mrs.Grayson got off the phone to Brain, Who told her the great news..

Already awake and sitting up in bed, Karol caught a glimpse of her aunt, she smiled when her aunt came into her room. Mrs. Grayson came and sat next to her and spoke softly..

“Good news Karoline dear?”

“What is it Aunty?”

“Well Captain Hurst and Brain have the antibody ready and they’// be here any minute to give it to you”.

“Really? That’s great aunty!” 

And with that there was a knock at the door..

“Knock, Knock”, I have come to rescue the rescuer who saved my team and I”, Captain Hurst said with a sincere smile on her face

“It’s wonderful to see you again Captain Hurst, You too Brains. I’m truly grateful for this”

“Now, now Grayson there's no need for those tears, lets sit you up and get this antibody into that body of yours”

Karol’s aunt quickly sterilized Karol’s arm, then inserting a drip into her skin, with the gage closed. Captain Hurst passed her the tube connected to the IV bag containing the antibody- that Brain had just hung up to the monitor pole. With the tube and everything secured correctly, her aunt opened the gage and the antibody made its way through the veins in her pale body.

“There you go Miss Grayson, in a few days time you’ll start to feel like yourself again. But for now have something to eat, drink and let yourself relax”

“Thankyou Captain Hurst, I am very thankful for all your help.”

“No worries dear’

“Oh yes and by the way Karol, y-your temperature should drop a little o-over the next twenty-four hours too”

“That’s awesome, Thanks Brains”, Karol said sincerely  smiling.

Leaving her to have breakfast, Brains left the GDF hospital and Captain Hurst of course gave him a ride back and dropped him off on the helipad. Making his way down to the living room, Brains was greeted by Grandma Tracy, he told her how Karol was going, she was glad to hear she was on the road to recovery. Walking into the living room, he was welcomed by Gordan and Alan, the others were out on a rescue mission. 

“Hey Brains, how did the antibody go?”

“How is Karol Brains, is she doing well, is she alright?’

“I-it’s alright Alan, c-calm down, K-Karol is doing well. C-captain Hurst and I finished perfecting the a-antibody and K-Karol is on her first dose now, she should start to feel like herself a-again soon”.

“That’s fantastic news, see I told she’d be fine Alan, you worry too much”

“I’m only worried because she’s m..my.,  doesn’t matter. Just glad she’s alright”

Back at the hospital Captain Hurst had left the other unopened bags of antibodies in the refrigerated medical bay of Karol’s room, so when she went through one bag a day, they had another until it was all gone. Twenty-four hours later, the antibodies had brought her temp down from 42.7 to 38.1 degrees, her body was still a little hot but not like before. And she started to gain an appetite again, which was a good sign. With every dose of antibody she took over the last week and a half, Karol began to feel better and stronger, after five days her temperature had gone back to a normal 37 degrees, she wasn’t hot to the touch or in severe pain. And her skin had gone back to a normal warm complexion. It wasn’t long before she had the ability to get up and slowly walk around- she needed to take it slowly before she could train again.

Of course as she was getting better, Karol was no longer contagious , so they moved her to a normal room, but made sure to sanitize her and the ICU unit first. After being told she was contagious free, Her aunty decided to surprise Karol- she went down to the nurses station and made a call to Sally and the boys down on Tracy Island.

Back on Tracy Island, Sally answered the call…

“How are you Rosalind?

“Well Sally,I’m doing well and I wanted to talk to you about something. So Karoline is now contagious-free and I thought it would be nice if the boys came and surprised her”

“That’s a great idea, I’ll let the boys know and we’ll be over shortly. See you then”

“Very well, see you soon Sally”.

Hanging up after saying their goodbyes, Sally waited for the boys to return to let them know what was going on. An hour or so later, the boys had returned from their early morning rescue mission. Sally smiled when the boys walked into the living room..

“Alright boys, I gotta call from Mrs.Grayson this morning and I have some good news”

“Is Karol all better?”

“Well she’s still gotta stay there until she’s finished all that antibiotics, but she’s not contagious anymore, she has been cleared of the bacterial fever”

“That’s fantastic news, grandma. Can we go and see her?” Alan asked, his face glowing a little.

“Of course, that’s why Mrs.Grayson called me, asking if you boys would come and surprise her”

“That’s a great idea”.

“Alright then, come on boys lets go , we can stop along the way if you wanna get something for her’.

And with that Mrs. Tracy and her grandsons made their way down to the GDF hospital.

Walking into reception, Mrs. Tracy and  the boys were greeted by Mrs. Grayson, who quietly led them down to Karol’s new room. Down in her room, Karol with one of the nurse assistance was building strength in her legs again by holding onto the IV drip stand and just walking around the room. She’d been doing these exercises for a few days now, but at times her legs were still a little wobbly- but she didn’t let that stop her. Mrs. Grayson and the others had arrived at the door of Karol’s new room, she told Sally and the boys to wait out here whilst she went in.

“Knock, knock”

“Come in”

“Hello Karoline dear, how are you doing?”

“Hey Aunty, I’m alright, just walking around. It’s nice to be walking about a little again”.

“That’s great Karoline, I'm glad to see those leg exercises are working. I have a surprise for you dear”

Karol cheekily raised a questioning  eyebrow…

“A surprise huh? -she had a feeling of what the surprise was.

“Alright Miss Grayson, I’ll leave you and Nurse Grayson alone now. You keep up those exercises now dear.”

“Will do. See you round Mrs. Darcy.

As Nurse Darcy left the room, Mrs. Tracy and her grandsons stood away from the entrance so they didn’t give away the surprise. Then closing the door over a little and opening it again Karol was warmly greeted by Mrs.Tracy and the boys..

“Surprise”

Karol smiled sincerely, it was great to see the guys again and of course Mrs. Tracy.

“I thought it be nice to cheer you up by having all your friends here to you how you’re doing”

“He, he Thanks Aunty Ros” She smiled , then of course made her way over to the guys.

“I’m so glad to see you guys again”

“Glad you doing well young lady, you’re certainly a fighter” Mrs. Tracy said sincerely, hugging her dearly.

“I’m Glad my body kept fighting too,” Karol replied, hugging her back.

“It’s nice to see you back on your feet again Karol”

“It certainly is nice to be up again and I think I’ll stay away from deadly space bacteria for a while” she said, hugging Scott.

“We got these to help brighten the place place up for you as well”

“ I Chose them out for you”

Thankyou, Virgil and you too Gordan, They’re lovely “

Then stepping forward from behind his brothers, Alan stood there- his face glowing a little rosy and holding the small bear in his hands.

Karol smiled, her face glowing a little too…

“H.Hi Alan, I’m glad to see you’ve come along”

Making her way over to him, her leg went a little wobbly and she lost her grip and fell forward. Alan threw the bear down and quickly caught her before she hit the ground.

“Are you alright Karol? Here let me help you over to the chair”

She looked into his beautiful blue eyes, a little flustered..

“O..Oh, I’m alright, I still have to build that strength up in my legs”

“I’m glad you’re better, it was awful seeing you in all that pain”

The two just stood there for a moment looking  into each other's eyes smiling..

His brothers slightly snickering and laughing a little behind him. Snapping out of their little daze, Alan helped Karol over to the big comfy chair. After he set her down in the chair, he quickly remembered the “small” gift he grabbed for her. After picking it up off the ground, Scott passed it to his little brother..

“Thanks, Scott”

“No problem Alan”

Walking back over and sitting on the chair next to her, Alan passed her the large bear, it was golden caramel and wearing a thunderbird space suit. Seeing it made her think about all those missions she went on, but also how many people she helped as well.

“I..I thought it be a nice gift to remind you about all those missions we’ve been on a..and the new ones we’ll go on when your all better”

It was silent for only a moment, then she looked up, her eyes welled up with small happy tears, then she turned to him, pulling his face close to hers and she kissed his forehead in gratitude. 

His face as red as Thunderbird three, he smiled, then mumbled..

“Y..you’re welcome”

The others laughed a little in the background and of course they got a photo of it. Karol just smiled, she missed all this fun and enjoyment. Breaking away from the banter over their moment, she smiled,cradling the bear under her free arm and asked..

“So how have things been going lately? Any good missions?”

They grabbed a few chairs, sat down and spent quite a bit of time talking about everything, some telling their own versions of the story. She didn’t mind that they all had something different to talk about, even John, though still up on Thunderbird five, called to see how she was going. Time had flown by and it was already quarter to eight- they had spent their entire day with her- well most of them did as they had a few rescue calls from their father. All who happened to be left was Alan and Mrs.Tracy. Mr.s Tracy left Alan to have some time alone with Karol, so she went over to the nurses station to catch up With Rosalind.

Karol and Alan were walking around the hospital, her one hand holding onto the IV drip and the other in Alan’s. They made their way to the small garden terrace where they leant up against the railing staring up at the sky.

“Looks like you got some strength back into those leg muscles of yours”

“I guess I have, all that exercise I’ve been doing has paid off”

“It’s not the same going on  rescue missions without Karol, but I’m just glad to see you well again.  Seeing you with that fever  was scary, I didn’t think you were gonna make it” (Alan says in a sad tone)

Karol could see he was hurt, placing her hand on top of his she sighed..

“I’m sorry for putting all that stress on you Alan.  I had everyone all worried and I still can’t forgive myself for that. This was all my fault and I won’t let this happen to myself again”

She leant her head up against his shoulder, in response he hugged her dear as the two looked up at the stars. With their know abouts Mrs. Tracy and Mrs.Grayson standing in the doorway watching the two having a moment together. As Karol lifted her head up and turned around she caught a glimpse of her aunt and Mrs, Tracy- she gently nudged Alan and gave him the ‘look behind you look”. He turned around to see his grandma and Mrs. Grayson..

“H..Hey Grandma, Mrs.Grayson”

“Come on now Alan, it’s getting late, we better get back home and let Karol get some rest”

“AW, alright then. I’m sorry Karol..”

“Hey don’t be sorry, I still see you around  and hey I be back on Tracy island in two weeks time “

“Yeah, you’re right, I promise to visit you again soon”

Just as he went to kiss her goodbye, Mrs. Tracy grabbed his hand and started walking him towards the exit.

“Aw, come on grandma, I just wanted to say goodbye.”

“You’ve already done that, come on young man”

“Bye Alan” she giggled,watching as Mrs.Tracy just about dragged him out of the hospital.

Karol’s aunt helped back to her room, she had some dinner, then her aunt helped her into bed. 

“Did you have a lovely day Karoline? Seems like the boys went all out for you”

“It was great Aunty Ros, I did have a great day. I’m glad you invited them over, Thanks”

“You’re welcome dear. It seems Alan cares about you very much”

“Goodnight, Aunty Ros,” Karol replied, shaking her jokingly. She laid down in her bed, with the gorgeous bear Alan gave her by her side, only a few weeks left until she would be out of hospital.

"Karoline Grayson and Rosalind Grayson (Her Aunt) Belong to me!!"

[lemonjoonah]

The Garden Thief (M)

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader Word Count: 9.3K Genre: Hybrid AU, romance/drama/comedy, enemies to lovers Warnings: Unprotected sex, oral sex (fem. rec.), they get down and dirty outside but no one else is there to see them, cum play? (just a little), there’s also a bit of mud (sorry, but also not sorry, they’re outside what do you want from me?!?!), referenced hybrid neglect and oppression (hybrids are wrongfully deemed as pets by law and the majority of society).  

Summary: Your beloved vegetable patch has once again been victimized by a hungry thief in the night. The prime suspect? Jeon Jungkook, your neighbour's rabbit hybrid. But when you finally confront him, he pleads innocent, and proposes a plan to clear his name.

A/N: I wrote this fic’s premise and opening scene for the ‘A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words Game’ that I played oh so long ago and now I’ve finally finished the tale!

...

“Oh for fuck’s sake, not again!” You swear upon seeing the leafy green remains of several carrots lying in your garden, inches from where they used to be buried. This maddening mystery of the vanishing vegetables has been playing out all summer. You’ve set out deterrents for every possible garden pest, rolling out chicken wire and spraying natural remedies to repel anything from bugs to small rodents. Yet you still wake to find that your garden has been robbed in the night. The only possible suspect you haven’t been able to protect against resides just next door, in fact—

You squint up at the boarded fence, spotting a pair of long dark ears peeking out over the posts. “Jungkook, is that you?”

The ears immediately disappear, ducking down behind the barrier. The sound of his hurried footsteps trailing away are followed only by the slamming of a door.

You rush into and through your own house carrying the wilted carrot greens. Exiting out the front, and over to the house next to yours, where you repeatedly press the bell.

The entry whips open on the fourth ring to reveal Jungkook. His face is flushed, beads of sweat racing down his brow, and a shirt that one would normally use to cover their chest, is instead thrown over his shoulder. “Something wrong neighbour?” He asks with a carrot stick in hand. Bringing it to his mouth, he taunts you with a bite and crooked grin.

“Is-is your caretaker home?” You stutter trying your best to swallow your nerves. Concentrating hard on his face, you plead with your eyes not to wander down. That’s exactly what he wants, a reason to put you off your mission, to make you so flustered that you have to walk away. He’s always trying to use his allure against you, and you hate how often he succeeds doing just that...  

“No, he’s at work.”

“When will he be back?”

“Not sure, maybe a week, or two? He’s on a business trip.”

Your gaze falters in it’s determination for a brief second as a drop of sweat descends from his neck to his chest. Holding your breath you watch it’s path, tracing the valleys between his muscles. When Jungkook finally wipes it away your brain catches up and scolds you for your weakness. “And he left you here, alone?”  You ask, while trying to recollect your dignity, reminding yourself of how much grief he has put you through.

“Of course.” Jungkook’s smile grows. “I’m not just some common pet. I know how to behave myself.”

The statement makes your brow twitch, enraging you enough to overcome his tactics. “I know you haven’t been here long, but you should know, people typically don’t like it when someone steals from their yard.” You lecture him, waving the carrot tops in front of his face. “So stop treating my garden like your own personal snack bar!”

“Now why would I take from you? I have plenty of food here, even got another delivery this morning.”  The hybrid kicks at a box next him filled with a vibrant collection of fresh produce and grains.

“I don’t know why. I just know it was you.”

“Prove it.” He prods, while taking the last bite of the vegetable from his hand.

The loud crunching gnaws on your composure, stripping you of any patience you may have had for the hybrid. “This all started when you moved in, and I’ve ruled everything else out!” You shout, but as good as it might feel to finally vent your anger, you feel as though you’re somehow playing into his hand.

“That doesn’t seem like very good evidence. It’s circumstantial at best. If you want to find out who the real culprit is you should have a stake out.”

“A stake out?”

“Yeah, you know, watch over the garden for the night, catch the criminal in the act. I could even help if you’d like.”

You scoff at the ridiculous notion. “You really think I should invite you over to guard my crops?”

“I do, so I’ll come over tonight? Say around seven?” You open your mouth to object, but the rabbit hybrid jumps from one statement to the next casually inviting himself into your own home. “Perfect. See you then.”

“I didn’t-no wait, that was sar-” The door closes between you before you can finish. Leaving you baffled and alone on the doorstep. You ready to knock but stop just before your knuckles hit the wood. Trying again right now is a lost cause, it’ll just play into his game. So why waste your breath when you know it’ll just end the same way? Tonight then, as he suggested, that’s when you’ll be ready to hit him with some hard evidence that he won’t be able to refute.

Admitting defeat for now, you retreat back to your garden to pick the surviving vegetables and contemplate the encounter. You wish your could have just spoken to Jungkook’s caretaker—fuck what was his name again? You’ve only seen the man a couple times since they took the house, but at least he doesn't give you a nervous knot in your stomach, or leave you confused and speechless like his hybrid does.

It’s been three months since they moved in. You were excited at first, to have new neighbours in your almost vacant cul-de-sac. Buyers don’t seem to be interested in the old houses with large lots in your area. Too much work to maintain, and not enough good job prospects to go around. So when you saw the sold sign go up you were beyond thrilled. Greeting the new residents with a fruit basket and a smile.

The rabbit hybrid you now know as Jungkook appeared rather shy at first, you did your best to welcome him. Always greeting him when he was outside, trying to engage him in small chat, but the first time you caught him during his workout everything changed. Until that point you had not considered him as anything but a prospective friend. You were stunned to see him in such a confident state, throwing around his weights like they were nothing. In that moment, with you too nervous to admit that you found him attractive, you became the anxious and blubbering fool in his presence, and he, unfortunately, took note. The once quiet and cute rabbit, became a flirtatious and bratty bunny.

And since then, whenever you would work in your garden he’d be on the other side of the fence grunting and panting. Staying close to the gap in the divider, a missing panel you had yet to replace. On days like today you would often look up from your radishes and accidentally lock eyes with the hybrid, drenched in sweat and showing off his skills.

Out of respect and self preservation you tried your best to not to pay attention, to keep your nose buried in your garden, but as the weeks went by the vegetables under your care started to disappear. The ample crops you tended to in the evening, lessened by morning, with only the refuse remaining to indicate it’s former presence. You didn’t want to point fingers immediately, but today was the final straw, and tonight no matter how hard he tries to distract you, you will find him guilty.

After harvesting the choice crops for the day and watering the rest. You dust yourself off, settling inside and in front of your computer; opening the visitors page for your place of work, the city's greenhouse conservatory. To help promote the centre in the community the staff all take turns writing articles revolving around their own projects or home gardens, and you’re up next in the rotation. You stare at the blank document for several minutes trying your best to concentrate on the task, but you are unable to think of anything other than the mischievous hybrid next door.

Embracing the topic of your aggravation, you start the post off with a title sure to catch the eye of any reader, ‘Garden Thieves.’

‘We’ve all been there, finding a tomato just about to reach its peak ripeness. We give it another day to grow into perfection, only to find it missing later on. In your absence something else has taken it into its own clutches. I myself have been dealing with a vegetable thief for several weeks, so if you are struggling like I am, here are a few things that might help. ’

You proceed to outline several garden pests uploading photos of their damage, along with quick remedies to deter their presence. Netting to block the sparrows, raised beds and fences to keep out most rodents or mammals, and a caffeine solution to stave off slugs.

‘I hope this may help you all in your efforts to keep your plants safe, but I must add a disclaimer. Unfortunately nothing here is completely foolproof. Even if you do follow all of these steps you still might lose some of your crops to a crafty critter. But I wish you the best of luck on all of your backyard battles. I myself plan to face off with my own long-eared menace tonight.’

You finish your post with a smile. Sending it off to your coworker Namjoon to get his approval before you make it public.

He calls a few minutes later, his laughter carrying through the speaker. “That was easily the best article you’ve written all year. You should definitely post it.”

“Thanks.” You chuckle, hitting the submit button. At the very least feeling a bit relieved to have one less task weighing on your mind. “I really appreciate it.”

“No problem. I take it you’re still having trouble with that hybrid neighbour of yours?”

“Yeah,” you groan. You’ve complained to Namjoon about the issue several times in the past month. It must have been all too easy for him to read between the lines and see what set you off to create this specific entry.  “But he refuses to admit it was him. It’s like he’s trying to make me question my skills as a gardener and I hate it! I went over to talk to his caretaker but he’s away on business for a couple weeks.”

“He left him alone for that long? What about food?”

“He’s been getting deliveries. By the looks of it, he has a healthier diet than I do.”

Namjoon pauses on the line giving you only a simple, “Huh...” in a long break.

“What?”

“Well it’s just-” A loud buzzing sound erupts through the phone line cutting off his answer. A noise you know to indicate someone is at the back door. “That’s weird. I didn’t think we were supposed to get anything delivered today. No one else is here.... did you have anything scheduled to come in?”

“No.” You double check the calendar sitting on your desk. “I shouldn’t have anything until next Monday.”  

Namjoon puts you on hold while he checks on the reason for the interruption, returning only a minute later. “It’s a delivery all right, but are you sure these aren’t yours? I’m seeing a lot of tropical species on the invoice. Combretum rotundifolium, Heliconia angusta, Myrciaria dubia-”

You mouth a swear as Namjoon carries on with his list. It’s obvious they are indeed the specimens of your expected batch. You're in the process of redesigning one of the tropical habitats. The lead director was adamant that the conservatory host a butterfly exhibition in the next coming year, and in order to support the grandiose endeavour you are required to introduce a vast amount of new flowering species over the next few months. “How many in total?”

“About two dozen. Looking pretty rough from the journey too.”

You’re not surprised by their current state. This summer is already one of the hottest and driest on record, and all the stock you had received this season was excessively wilted and near death because of it. “Do we have any holding houses with humidifiers available?”

“Not at the moment,” There’s a clatter in the background as Namjoon sorts through what must be the slack of clipboards. “But I’ve got the inspection chart here and your last delivery did just finish it’s quarantine. No signs of pests or illness, so they’re clear to plant. That should free up some space for you.”

“That’ll have to do. Thanks for checking.” Standing up from your desk with a sorrowful sigh. You mourn the loss or your afternoon off as you start to dress for a day of hard labour. Throwing on your work-issued overalls over your t-shirt and shorts. Unfortunately you can’t just leave the new stock to sit out under the beating sun. With little humidity outside and no protection they’ll be burnt to a crisp if you delay too long. But the worst part is that your planting staff isn’t scheduled until later in the week, and that volume of work will put you well into the middle of the night before you complete it. “I’ll be in soon to deal with it.”

“That’s a lot of planting to do on your own. I can help if you-”

“I can’t take you away from your trees, isn’t there a bonsai exhibition next week you have to prepare them for?” He’s been agonizing over this showcase for so long you couldn’t possibly inconvenience him now with your own troubles. “It’s fine, really. I’ll call to see if anyone else is willing to come in today.” You hang up letting Namjoon return to his tasks, and work your way down the contacts for the gardening staff as you prepare yourself to leave. Though as expected, all of those who answer have prior commitments and won’t be able to assist.

Grabbing your badge and plans for the updates to the garden you slip back out into the noon-day sun, so strong it’s turned your car into an oven on wheels. You’re just about to pull it into reverse when you spot the blinds shift in your neighbour’s window. Prompting you to recall the plans he had made for tonight.

With all the work you have, it’s doubtful you’ll be back home for seven. You return to Jungkook’s door to give him the news. He has it open before you can even knock, his usual smirk crawling across his face as he greets you.  

“About tonight... something has come up at work and I really don’t know how late I’ll be.”

His ears perk up. “You’re going into the conservatory?”

“Yeah,” you respond, somewhat shocked that he remembered where you work. It’s been a couple months since you mentioned it while introducing yourself to him and his caretaker. “An order came in earlier than expected. I’ll likely be planting all day and night.”

“I can help,” he offers, already stepping out to join you, and locking the door behind him.

“You want to help?”

“Of course, isn’t that the neighbourly thing to do?”

“Yes, but I wouldn’t want it or expect it from someone who terrorizes my own garden.”

“Allegedly,” Jungkook corrects. “And wouldn’t you rather have me with you, under your supervision, than here, all alone with only a measly fence between me and your impressive bell pepper harvest?”

“Stay away from my peppers!” You scold, pointing your finger at him. “Even if I wanted to take you, what about your caretaker? Don’t you need his permission to leave and work?”

“He’s never paid attention to my whereabouts before, and it’s not work if you don’t pay me. I’ll just be a volunteer. You have people volunteer all the time right?”

“Yes but-”  

“I’ll be on my best behaviour.”

“Alright, fine.” You finally agree though with a heavy dose of reluctance. Namjoon often brings his own hybrid in so it shouldn’t be a problem. “But if I see you nibble on even a single leaf, you’re coming straight back here.”

“Deal.” He rushes past you straight to your passenger seat and buckles himself in. Practically bouncing with excitement beside you as you pull out and head towards the conservatory.

The minutes pass and you try your best to focus on the road but you’ve never been so close to Jungkook in such a small space. And with his built frame taking up most of the car, he’s hard for you to ignore. His ears folded against the roof and his shoulders so wide they brush repeatedly against yours.

“Ever been to the conservatory before?” You ask, trying to divert your mind from the battle which builds inside you. A wavering war between frustration and attraction, with the former trying it’s best to pin down the latter, a move which only arouses the latter more...

“No, I’ve wanted to go ever since you mentioned it but my caretaker hasn’t had the time.”

“Oh.” A sense of pity joins the ranks of your emotions, nudging at you as you pull into the lot. “Sorry, I didn’t-”

“Why are you sorry?” Jungkook asks in a low whisper, snapping back to his flirtatious behaviours. His mouth turns up at the corner as he leans into you, so close that his drooping ears graze the top of your head.  “Would you have taken me earlier if I had mentioned it?”

“N-no,” you choke out. Placing your hand on his solid chest, you push him back and away. As tempting as his advance might be to accept, you know his forwardness to be nothing more than an act to make a fool of you. Why else would he try to both seduce you, and steal from right under your nose?  “You’re only here today because I am in desperate need of help, and I can’t trust you to be alone.”

...

You lead him through the unoccupied greenhouses. The conservation is closed to the public today (as it is every Monday and Tuesday); which usually allows for some time off, but at least now it’ll give you a chance to work unimpeded by visitors. Your own curated section is located in the most humid of all the houses, set in such a way to mimic the tropical environment you are attempting to represent.

The first stop is the holding house where the carts of new stock wait just outside.  Grabbing an empty trolly you enter and start to load up those that are ready to plant. Jungkook following your actions does the same, easily lifting the heavy planters that you yourself struggle with. “Thanks,” you whisper as he relieves you of a particularly burdensome tree. To which he smiles in return.

After making the switch, by placing the recent delivery in the house for it’s quarantine, you lead him to the supply closet. Where you collect a couple shovels, trowels, and two pairs of gloves. As you continue to scan for anything else you might require, Jungkook pops in behind looking at the shelves with a sense of curiosity. He reaches up and over you to a spray bottle labeled ‘slug repellent.’

“We won’t need that, it’s for the outdoor gardens,” You explain. “It’s just a mixture of ca-”

“Caffeine and water?”

You snap your gaze to him. “How do you know that?”

He bites his lip as a snicker starts to escape. “Just a bit of morning reading. I found an interesting article with that particular tidbit. One which also happened to reference the exploits of a long-eared menace.”

“Y-you read the conservatory blog? You read my post? No one reads that, there can’t have been more than ten views!”

“Which is such a shame.” He goads you. “I’ve found your work to be both informative and comical. You really have me rooting for you in your quest to catch your thief.”

You groan in utter fury. “Why must you be so-so-”

“Handsome? Funny? Caring?”

“Antagonizing!”

“Because you seem to take more notice when I am.” Jungkook answers, with a turn of his heel, his tail poking out from under his shirt as he starts to walk away with the cart. “And I like seeing that perplexed look of yours. Your nose is cute when you scrunch it up like that.”

You remain in the shed, your traitorous heart beating erratically over the fact that he called a part of you cute. While your more sensible side grabs your nose and smooths out the wrinkles he referenced.

“Should we get to work?” He calls out after you. “The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go home and expose that bandit of yours.”

You roll your eyes and follow him out, before taking the lead to your tropical glasshouse. The air sticks to your skin the moment you enter. Jungkook lets out a long exhale behind you tugging on the collar of his shirt. “Is it always like this in here?”

“It’s a bit warmer today, but not by much. Are you already regretting your decision to help?” You tease him.

“Nope,” he answers, slinging a shovel over his shoulder. “Show me where to dig, and I’ll get to it.”

Pulling out your plans for the new exhibit arrangement, you select a couple species placing them on the empty plots of garden as directed, careful to allow for future growth. Jungkook follows behind digging out their new homes faster than at least three of your staff members combined.

You stare at him for a second, unable to believe the pace at which he’s going. “Something wrong?” He asks, pausing to lock eyes with you.

“No, I just didn’t think you’d be so quick at digging.”

“I’m part rabbit, what did you expect?” Jungkook boasts with a chuckle and a raised brow. “I share their strengths. Especially when it comes to burrowing and fu-”      

His words are cut short when a fresh breeze from the outside washes over the both of you, a  sure sign that someone must have entered the greenhouse. Your neighbour goes rigid, his nose lifts into the air and his ears fall back flat against his head. “Jungkook what’s-” Leaping up he closes the gap and grabs you. Tucking you into him with his chin resting on your head, where a  warm and earthy scent envelopes you.  His breaths are quick and deep, causing his chest to rapidly rise and fall against your back.

Namjoon’s voice calls out to you. “... are you in here?”

“Over here!” You yell out in reply, before turning back to the hybrid who still has you locked in his clutches. “What the hell Jungkook? Let me go! Now’s not the time for your games.” Sure it might feel nice to be wrapped in his arms, to get lost amidst his aroma. At any other time you might even consider taking a moment before chastising his boldness. But here? Now? And with Namjoon coming to greet you? No, this is too much.

You try to push him away like you have before, but this time it’s as if he’s set in stone, and not registering you at all. He focuses only on the direction your coworker's voice hailed from. “That scent, he smells like-”

“There you are.” Namjoon interrupts stepping around a flowering bush and into view, looking surprised by your guest. “Oh, hello there.”

The point of Jungkook's chin rubs against your head as he grips you even tighter. Embarrassed and confused by the hybrids embrace. “Jungkook, this is Namjoon.” You introduce your coworker while delivering an elbow to Jungkook’s gut. He finally snaps out of his trace and lets you go though he continues to hover behind. “He works with the bonsai of the conservatory.”

“You must be the neighbour I’ve heard so much about, it’s nice to finally meet you.” Namjoon extends his hand to the hybrid, but Jungkook ignores the gesture, choosing to glare instead, with his nostrils flared and his ears pinned back.

“Jungkook?” You whisper trying to chase him from his mood.

Namjoon gives him a nervous smile. “You probably smell my hybrid, on me don’t you?”

“A hybrid?” Jungkook confirms, his eyes narrowed at Namjoon.

“Yeah, sorry, I didn’t intend to scare you. I’m sure the scent of a predator, especially a tiger, is a bit of a shock. He’s harmless, I promise.”

“Is Taehyung here?” You ask, hoping to see his affectionate part-feline companion.  

“Nah, he’s with a friend today. I needed to get some work done and he’d be more of a distraction than a help... but it would seem that didn’t stop him from scenting my shirt before I left.” Namjoon explains, and then turns to your neighbour again. “Jungkook would you mind if I borrow her for a second? I need help with one of my tropical species.”

Jungkook gives a solemn nod. For the first time since you’ve known him, he looks frightened, and somewhat hesitant to release you over to your coworker.

Worried by his current disposition, you reassure him with a squeeze on his arm. “Just keep digging where I’ve placed those pots and I’ll be right back.”

Namjoon leads you into the adjacent greenhouse where you can continue to keep watch of Jungkook through the pains of glass. But the instant the doors close between you, Namjoon starts bombarding you with questions. “Why didn’t you tell me? How long has it been going on? ”

You take a step back having been caught off guard. “Tell you what?”

“About you and Jungkook! Is the feuding neighbours just a cover story?” Namjoon’s eyes are wide and hopeful as he carries on, not letting you fit a single word in. “Don’t worry, I won’t inform anyone you're together. I know it’s not easy having a human-hybrid relationship out in the open. But I think you should be careful about going out into public because he’s far too obvious about it.”

“We’re not- we’re not a couple. Why would you think such a thing?”

“Because the way held you, he looked like he was marking you with his own scent. That’s what rabbits do isn’t it? They rub their chins on what they want to claim as their own.”

“They do what?” You ask, stunned by the possibility, before the realism settles back in. It must just be Jungkook’s idea of a joke. “No, that’s not what he’s doing, our connection is nothing remotely like that. Don’t get me wrong he’s very attractive, and he knows it.” You mutter the last part under your breath. “But-”

“But you really are having trouble with him. It's not a cover?”

“You think I would keep something like that from you?” Namjoon over the years has come to be your closest confidant. A good friend and coworker, you would never dream of hiding something like that from him.

“I suppose not.”

“Is that why you brought me back here, to question my relationship status?”

“Not entirely.” Namjoon shakes his head with a small dimpled smile and changes the subject. “I do actually want to get your help with one of my new acquisitions.” He points out an unusual tree on his work bench, much too big for the pot it’s currently situated in. It’s extensive roots spill out over the top and threaten to swallow the pot whole. “A Ficus microcarpa, far from the most sought after species when it comes to reputable bonsai, but I couldn’t pass this one up. It has such good character.”

“What made it grow in such a way?” You examine the plant and it’s container with care, prying between the roots and taking note of cracks starting to form in the terracotta.

“The last owner neglected it for far too long. It sat hidden in the back of a commercial greenhouse, still under the watering and fertilizing system, but since it was confined to such a small space it tried to root it’s way out. If I were to guess, it probably hasn’t seen a new pot for at least five years.”

“It’s a miracle it survived.” You nod impressed by the tree’s determination. “What’s your plan for it?”

“Give it what it wants, let it leach out. I doubt I would be able to pry it out entirely without causing significant damage to the roots that are gripping the sides, so instead I want to put another bellow to catch it and give it the fresh soil and room it needs.” Namjoon lays the tree and pot down on the table, and asks you to hold and support the trunk, while he taps and pokes at the bottom of the vessel with a metal trowel.  Enlarging the cracks, but not breaking the pot fully. It’s a tedious process. The small chunks of clay are removed piece by piece, giving him access to see and free some of the tightly bound roots inside.

While your coworker continues his task, your eyes are free to wonder. You check on Jungkook through the glass, as he kneels in front of the garden bed digging even faster than before.

Namjoon appears to notice your distracted state. “How's he doing?”

“Fine I guess.” You whisper. “He’s acting stranger than usual today though. He stole from my garden again. Invited himself over to my house, then here, and you saw what he did back there.”

“Huh...” Namjoon mutters, trailing off the same way he did on the phone.

“What is this ‘huh’ you keep giving me? You know I don’t like games Namjoon. If you have something you want to say, say it.”

“It’s about what you said earlier, how his caretaker leaves for extended periods of time. Usually if an animal is alone for too long they look for ways to stimulate themselves and resort to their natural instincts, scavenging and such. But he’s a hybrid and therefore part human, so if you were isolated and restricted to your house what would you do?”

“Probably look for the closest person I could find. So he’s acting out in my garden and teasing me, because he’s lonely?”

“I think so.” Namjoon responds as he extracts another root, freeing it from its confines.

“But why?” You ask, worried for the answer to come. “Why wouldn’t he just say something?”

“There could be a number of reasons. He might not understand what he’s doing on a conscious level, or he might be afraid to show any sign of weakness to you or anyone else. Jungkook is part prey animal, and humans are all too often predators.”

“If that’s the case...” You curse yourself for not realizing it sooner. The fury you held for him slowly fades away as you replay every encounter in your mind. He was literally jumping at the chance to spend time with you, to help you with your work, and you were to blind to see it. Your anger over your missing vegetables is so trivial in comparison to what he must have been going through. The loneliness he must have felt, and the inability to admit it, you can’t imagine how he suffered through it alone. “What can I do to help him? I have no legal claim to him Namjoon. What can I do within such limitations?”

He looks down at his work in progress. “The way I see it  you and he, like this small tree, have three options. You could maintain the status quo, leave him be, but how long will he be able to survive like he is? Creeping over the edge but grasping on to nothingness?”

You shake your head vehemently rejecting the idea while Namjoon continues.

“You could report his caretaker for neglect, breaking the container entirely, but that too could be very damaging to him, tearing him away entirely could put him in a state of shock, and in a home that is no better for him, while the legal battle is decided. Or...” Namjoon grabs another container, slightly wider than the one in which the plant is seated. Filling it with substrate he takes the tree clinging to it’s partial pot and places it on top. Pressing the newly freed roots down into the soil.

“You could support him, give him a better home just outside of his own where he can be himself and access what he needs. I personally think it’s your safest option for now.” Namjoon leads over inspecting the bonsai and lowers his voice to an almost inaudible whisper. “Until the day, when it is possible to fully cast the pot aside.”

You nod, though now left to grapple with what you could possibly have to offer the hybrid.  “I’m not sure I would be the best person to care for him.”

“I think Jungkook would disagree. He was already trying to scent you. That to me, implies his desire for something more in the realm of an intimate relationship.” You choke on your breath as Namjoon comes to an additional conclusion. Upon seeing your distress he makes a suggestion. “Of course you could keep it strictly to friendship between the two of you and I’m sure that will improve his situation, but his other needs will need to be met for him to feel completely at home...”

“His other needs? You think he wants to be with me? Intimately?! No! Surely he would have acted differently if that was his intent! He’s done nothing but tease me when he catches me even remotely looking in his direction.”

“So you have been looking at him!” Namjoon taunts you with a massive grin. Apologizing a second later when you proceed to glare at him. “But to answer your question, no, not necessarily. You have to remember most of society deems him a lesser being. He could be feeling a lot of guilt and pressure not to engage with you in that way. Though he might not outright say it, I bet his instincts will continue to shine through. I’ll even prove it to you.” Namjoon takes off a glove and rubs your head. “I bet this rabbit of yours will take less than a minute before he tries to replace the smell of my hand with his own again... trust me.”

You shake your head in disbelief. “I should probably get back to him.” You are just about to step away when your thoughts return to the long neglected plant. “Where do you plan to house that when you’re finished? Ficuses naturally belong in a more tropical location don’t they?”

“They do, especially if I want to give it a better chance. It’s going to need a place far more humid than this space.”

“Was this all your calculated way of guilting me to store it in my greenhouse too?”

“The thought might have crossed my mind.” Namjoon gives you a sly grin.  “But my logic is still sound in regards to Jungkook. He needs someone, he needs a better home... and it would seem he’s chosen you.”

...

You wander back to your greenhouse, still full of doubt. Finding Jungkook to have finished most of the required digging.

“Sorry for leaving you.”

“You-you okay?” He asks, upon seeing the dazed look on your face and then scowling in the direction that Namjoon led you.

“Fine, he just needed help with one of his plants. Sorry about earlier, I didn’t think you’d be affected by the scent of his hybrid, Taehyung is rather sweet though, you’d like him.”

“You trust him then?” Jungkook grumbles as he pierces his shovel into the ground. “You trust Namjoon and his hybrid?”

“Of course, why shouldn’t I?”

“Because it wasn’t just a tiger that I smelled. He’s been around a lot of hybrids. Every scent on him told me to run, all of them put there by dangerous predators.”

“Oh,” you shoot back in surprise. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Taehyung is rather popular, he has a lot of friends and Namjoon often caters them at his place. You don’t need to worry, you're safe here.”

“It’s not myself I’m worried about.”

Jungkook inches closer as you crouch to place the plants in the holes he dug. His nose twitches as he takes a deep breath, his eyes watching while you bury the root ball in the warm soil, firmly securing the trunk of the young tree.

While you are leaning down, Jungkook reaches across to the other side of you. Grabbing the trowel to your right despite the fact that the same tool can be found on his left. The bottom of his chin grazes the top of your head and lingers for a spell. Your heart stops in that moment while questioning his motives. Though Namjoon said he’d do just this, you still can’t be entirely sure that it proves him correct; Jungkook might just not have seen the other option available to him, and he’s never bothered about invading your space. This could be nothing, though there’s a small growing part of you that wants it more and more to be something.

“He’s a good guy,” you promise, returning to the conversation so as to not dwell on his actions. “He even suggested that I should bring you along more often, if you’re interested in spending some of your days here.”

“He did?”

You nod.  A small white lie, but not entirely incorrect, and if it gets him to accept Namjoon easier you’ll all be better for it. “I wouldn’t expect you to work, but you're more than welcome to just hang around. The staff here could always use some company and I’m sure it would beat staying at home alone all day.”

“I would like that. I would like that a lot, but would you want me to keep you company too?”

“If that’s what you want to do.”

“No, I need to know if that’s what you want.” He looks over to you pinning you down in his line of sight.  

“I suppose I would....” You answer and turn your head, unable to bear the nerves that his gaze brings. The both of you fall quiet. Knowing what you know now, being free of your anger for him leaves you vulnerable, open to his persuasion, and now you are no longer certain of how to act. So you start to rely on what has made him comfortable in the past, and interject with a new condition to bring an end to the awkward silence. “As long as you treat this garden better than mine back home.”

Jungkook lets out a long laugh. “I have nothing but the highest respect for your garden.”

...

When planting is finished your clothes are entirely saturated in sweat and your muscles aching from use. It’s hard to believe how much you’ve both done in such a short amount of time. While carting up the supplies, Jungkook’s eyes catch on something behind you. You look around spotting the newly potted bonsai on a back table. Namjoon must have dropped it off while you both were busy.

Looking at it now you can’t help but notice how even the shape of its leaves remind you of the hybrid’s ears, long, pointed, and reaching up to the sky. You consider your friend's words one more time and while Jungkook leans over to inspect the tree. Reaching out to his back, your hand shakes with hesitation before setting down on a spot just below his shoulder. He softens under your touch, a low hum leaving his lips. His attention turns from the plant to you. With your hand still in place, your arm is now wrapped around him, leaving only an inch between the two of you. You stand there fixed and unmoving, but content in the knowledge, that you seem to have left him speechless this time. His eyes darting away from yours, to your lips, your neck, and finally the hand you place upon his chest.  

Only to have the moment broken when you can hear and feel the rumble from his stomach. His nervous laugh follows as he reaches up to scratch behind his ear.

“Hungry?”

He nods in response, his eyes wide as he remains unusually silent.

“Come on, I’ll buy you dinner.” You offer as you turn him around to head to the car.

...

You both settle on a take out spot, and return home to wash up and eat.

After finishing your meal and tearing off your overalls, you both settle down on the hammock in your yard. With Jungkook’s legs long enough to touch the ground, he slowly rocks the seat back and forth.  He’s been near silent since that close moment together. He’s never had a problem with banter and flirtation, but now you’ve come to notice that any attention which can’t be passed off as a joke causes him to flounder.

Laying back in the hammock, both full and content, your eyes threaten to close after the long day as Jungkook continues to sit beside you. The sound of crickets lulling you to sleep. “Keep an eye out for that thief of mine will you?” You may not like games but if it makes him comfortable, and keeps him talking, you’ll continue to play this ruse with him.

“You trust me to keep watch without your supervision?”

“Are you suggesting I shouldn’t?”

“No, it’s just a lot more credit than you usually give me.”

“I think you’ve earned it.” You whisper as you finally drift off.

It feels like only a few minutes of rest before the sun sets and the air turns cool. Jungkook’s chin comes to rest on the top of your head like it did back in the greenhouse. He shifts his weight, burrowing his arms around and behind to cover you as he takes deep breaths. You lean into him seeking the warmth of his chest. No longer restricted by your childish anger to enjoy his company is a welcome relief, you only wish you could relinquish him of any of his own troubles and doubts.  And then, you feel it, a drop of cold rain hitting your neck. The hammock moves again as he adjusts, the back of his fingers running across the damp spot. Another finds your cheek and he wipes that away too, your skin shivering in response.

But when a speck lands your mouth he stops. You wait, a second, then two. Your anticipation grows with face heating up and your chest tightening as you continue to crave his touch. You want him to wipe it away, to touch you, to act on whatever desires he might be keeping. You part your lips with the desperate hope that he will take the hint. Rejoicing when the warm pad of his thumb spreads the drop across the delicate skin.

He comes down on to you, his mouth catching any and all remains of the droplet as he encases your lips. Jungkook places a hand on your neck while the other grabs the ropes of the hammock, his legs straddle your hips. The scattered rain turns to a downpour as he remains fixed to your mouth, even his form isn’t enough to shield you from the current washing down from the sky.

As your hands reach up to his own damp and curling locks entwining your fingers in the strands he moans and nips. But as quickly as it started, so too does it end. When Jungkook snaps up as though jolted from a dream. His ears point back as an apology flows from him. “I-I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Jungkook,” you call out to him but he ignores you as he tries to detangle himself. When one foot hits the ground. You grab his waist and try again. “Jungkook, you don’t have to be sorry.” But instead of stopping he merely pulls you off and along with him, sending you both to the muddy ground, but this time with you on top of him.

“Are you okay?” He asks the loud pouring of the rain forcing him to raise the volume of his voice.

You chuckle at his concern considering he’s the one flat on his back. “I think I should be asking you that question instead.” You pause as he mirrors your grin. “Why did you stop? Did I do something wrong?”

“No.” He looks up at you, his brow furrowing. “You did nothing wrong. It was me. I was the one acting on my instincts. I shouldn’t have done that when I know how much you hate me.”

“I don’t hate you...” You explain, trying your best not to be drowned out by the water cascading down. “The things you did might have annoyed me, but I get it now. I’m just sorry it took me so long to notice.”

“Notice what?”

“How fucked up your situation is. For not realizing how alone you must have been. How caged you must have felt. I’ve been so focused on my own little world that I didn’t realize what was happening or why you were acting the way you were. I like you, a lot, but I was too wrapped up in my frustration to say how I felt...”

“It’s not your fault.”

You shake your head. “I am not innocent in this. I should have been paying more attention.”

“Then pay attention to me now.” He begs with his round eyes shining up at you.  

“But in what way? As a neighbour, as a friend, or maybe something more?" Your voice cracks in desperation, trying to find his needs while also hoping they are the same as yours. “Is that why you were always teasing me the way you did? You wanted something more?”

“You really want to know?” Jungkook’s tone is low as it grips on to his every word. “I did it because it was the only thing that could distract me from my incessant need for you. Seeing your reactions and having your attention kept me in check. I’m very different from you and I’m aware it could cause a problem. I wasn’t sure if you could ever fully want me because of that.” He reaches to rub around the base of his ears. “But every day that I looked over I wanted to hold you, to claim you, to take you right here on this very spot. So often I dreamed of jumping the fence and coming for you instead of...”

You smile down at him, noting his near admission. “Instead of?”

“Instead of watching from a distance.” He smirks, catching and narrowly fixing his statement. Pleading guilty only to his longing for you.

“Then do it.” You demand of him.

He groans from his position beneath you. “Don’t tease me like that.”

“I’m not. You weren’t the only one peeking through the fence Jungkook.” Reaching up to your collar you tug off your shirt. He follows your lead with his own to reveal his sculpted chest he’s taunted you with so many times. “I don’t care if we’re different from each other. I don’t care if it causes a problem.” You shift back on his body traveling from your seat near his stomach down to his hips, his clothed dick firm and pressing against you. A moan escapes his lips, confirming that you’ve made your point. “There’s no one else nearby, so if you want me so much that you’re willing to fuck me out here, in the rain and mud-”  

His hands come to grip your waist, and in one swift motion, he lifts you off, maneuvering out from underneath, to fall into place behind you. From there he pushes you down to your hands and knees, his body bent over yours. “You have no idea how much I want to.” He whispers with a kiss to your bare shoulder damp from the rain that continues to pour.

He takes off your bra before his face moves down your back, nose trailing against your skin and pausing at your shorts. Unfastening the button he pulls them down, freeing you of your underwear too before they are both cast aside. “I want to smell you, and taste you.” Jungkook takes in a deep breath, wrapping an arm around your legs, and barring your thighs. He buries his face between your legs, his tongue reaching out to deliver a long lick to your folds pausing after every lap.

Your palms dig into the ground, the cool mud coming to the surface to meet them. You buck against his tongue but the forearm holding you remains firm, sending your squirming downward to bury your elbows in the soggy grass too.

Jungkook chuckles as you inadvertently give him a better angle. From behind you can hear the zipper of his own shorts. Rubbing the head of his cock against your damp folds, he covers it with the slick of your slit, and with a long groan he eases it inside. He’s slow at first, letting you savor the girth and warmth of him. So you start to edge back and forward on his cock. Taking the time to enjoy every inch, along with the sounds that leave him. But when he returns to take control, the first thrust is so powerful, his thighs hit your ass with a loud clap, and every jolt of his hips after, drives you further down each time.

A stuttering groan escapes him as he fills you. Thinking he’s finished you lean forwards and until his cock pulls out, but in response he grabs your waist. Turning you over, back to the ground on top of the discarded clothes and facing him.

He lowers himself pressing his chest against yours. His fingers reach to grab your chin and take a kiss. His cock, despite having come only moments before, is hard once more and poised to enter once again.

“How are you-” You manage to squeeze a few words in the gaps between his kisses as he draws breath. “Ready for more-” Another pass of his tongue. “Already?”

“You have my hybrid traits to thank for that.” He moves to nibble on the side of your throat. “I have more to give you, if you want it.”

You nod unable to emit any noise other than a gasp as his mouth finds a sensitive spot on your neck. His dick forges in again, your slick and his cum dripping out of you as he fills you with himself instead.

You’ve avoided touching him with your own hands as they are patched with mud, but as his thrusts grow more powerful than even before, you’re forced to grab on his arms and chest. Leaving behind streaks of dirt which display the path of your grip. Jungkook doesn’t seem to mind though, in fact looks rather encouraged by your touch, and the marks you leave him.

“What a dirty woman you are, and getting me all messy too.” He scoffs while admiring your handiwork. “Can I return the favour?”

“Help me come first and you can do whatever the fuck you want.” You gasp on the brink of your climax. ��

His ears perk up and a grin streaks across his face. “Close are you?” He grabs your calf and wraps your leg around his back, the other follows suit and his hand comes to rest on your lower back pushing you up and into him effectively grinding your mount against him.

You gasp and flinch with the sudden pressure, but he holds you firm as your back arches to meet him.

His hips beat on at a rapid pace, a small whimper escapes him as you reach the peak, tipping you over the edge. The chilling rain can in no way can douse the searing heat that spreads through you. You're still gasping when his jaw clamps down hard, his teeth poised upon your skin. The first pulse of his cock comes inside, but on the second he pulls out to splatter your chest and stomach with the rest. His hand comes to clutch his shaft, spilling more out and on to you with each stroke.

After every remaining drop has been cast on you he smiles, dragging his fingers across the rain drenched mess of mud and cum on your skin. “Never thought I’d ever see you so thoroughly soiled.”

You giggle at his remarks through your deep breaths. “And now that you do, what do you think?”

“I think it suits you, the dirt, the rain, and me...” He lowers himself down onto you, with his head now resting upon your shoulder. “It’s too bad though. Now I just want more, but we’re both far too filthy to carry on like this.”  

You turn to whisper at the base of his ear. “Who says we can’t continue in the shower...”

...

You wake early the next morning with the sun spilling into the room, lighting up your bed, and the hybrid sleeping next to you. His ears and nose twitching as he continues to rest. Slipping out from the covers, and into a set of clean gardening clothes, you exit the room with as little sound as possible.

On the tile floor of your hall, muddy footprints trail from your backdoor to your bathroom.  A smile pulls at your lips as you recall the events which brought them there. Jungkook had been so excited to keep going he picked you up and rushed you inside.

The feeling from the warm water and hands in contrast to the cool rain was enough to bring back the waves of pleasure. He was so thorough in washing you down, you might have to ask him to join you for another this morning and repay the favour.  

Outside in the garden you find all your harvest from the day before present and untouched. You’re pleased by this new development, but it’s not the fact that your crops are intact which makes you happy, it’s the comfort in knowing that Jungkook didn’t feel the need to take them.

A few minutes later the hybrid in question comes up behind you wrapping his arms around your waist pulling with him a blanket he took from the bed to cover the both of you. “Morning.” He mumbles, as his nose finds the crook of your neck where he exhales with a deep and relaxed sigh.

“Morning.” You respond, enjoying the tickle of his breath before you turn around to better see him. “It seems the thief didn’t strike last night. ”

“I guess they found a new garden to plunder and devour?” Jungkook suggests, giving you a sly grin, before he opens his mouth again. It’s easy to see that he’s getting ready to confess, his face shifts to a stern expression as he looks down at the ground, the guilt weighing heavily upon his brow. Placing your index to his lips you stop him. No longer needing to hear those words of admission, you offer a new proposal instead.

“Maybe, but that was just one night. The thief might still come back. So if it’s alright with you I would like you to stay here. Until we can be sure they won’t return.”

Jungkook lets out a satisfied chuckle, pushing aside your finger and pulling you tighter into his warm embrace. “You’re right, I suppose it would be safer if I stayed.” His lips plant a kiss on the top of your head where he then rests his chin. “A temptation as enticing as this, shouldn’t be left alone and unattended.”

...

[kfanopinions]

NCT Dream reaction to hearing ‘I love you’ for the first time

MASTERLIST || REQUESTS ARE OPEN!!!!

Hi guys! This is my first “reactions” post so I do hope you like it! I’ve added Mark and Haechan to the list this time. I already wrote out Mark’s before realizing that I was just going to keep them with 127, so I said “to heck with it” and decided to keep them in this post XP Also, Chenle and Jisung are left out of this reaction, only because they are both still young ♥  So, I hope you enjoy!!!!!

Mark

can we just say awkward but in the cutest way

i can see him staring with wide eyes and his mouth slightly ajar

a little stuttering going on as he asks ‘wait what?’

he’d chuckle, scratching the back of his neck still flabbergasted by what you just said

it may take his brain a little bit to process that someone has just said “I love you” to him

so give this poor man some time

once he understands and reality smacks him in the face

he’ll smile lightly and with the smallest voice say

“I love you too”

[is it weird that I also hear him saying “dude” somewhere in this whole conversation? lol]

Renjun

so, can we just say he would have hearts in his eyes

literally would be super shocked but oh so happy to hear those three words

he’s a hopeless romantic in my eyes despite all the choke holds

[i understand you Renjun sometimes Haechan is that annoying] LOL

he’d probably take a huge gulp before scratching the back of his neck not knowing what to do

if he’s brave enough to make physical contact afterwards

it’ll be a light embrace before pulling back to look you in the eyes

if not, he’d most likely hold your hands tightly before saying that he loved you as well

he’d admit that he wanted to say it for a while now

but didn’t want to rush you or make things weird

however, he’s super happy that you told him

he’ll be in an extremely good mood all day long

not even Haechan will get under his skin xP

Jeno

*am I falling for Jeno O.O [no I can’t be...Jaemin my Dream bias...I’m sorry...he’s just too cute...T.T] * LOL

when you say “I love you” he’ll be shocked

a lot of “eh?” “what?” “huh?” noises coming from him

y’all know what I’m talking about *wink*

his eyes wide as an owl’s while he processes your confession

the moment that the light bulb turns on he’s full of love

seriously, will smile at you like your the answer to all his prayers

just a huge softie and is it weird that I see him hiding his face?

like he won’t know what the flop just happened but he couldn’t be happier

he may even wrap his arm around yours snuggling close to you

only so that you won’t see his face

in the softest but deepest voice he’ll utter “I love you too”

if he’s feeling brave he may even look up showing you how red his face had gotten

seriously WHY THE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP AM I CRUSHING ON JENO RIGHT NOW?!

Haechan

*seriously it was hard to find a proper gif for Haechanie T.T*

this brat will automatically freeze up

no joke! haha surprise him with those three words and his brain will stall

it’ll probably be the first time you caught him off guard and he doesn’t know exactly how to take this turn of events

but once he does...

THE BIGGEST FLIPPIN’ SMIRK WILL BE ON HIS FACE

seriously it’ll annoy you...

you’ll want to turn away, walk away, stomp out of the room before you say something offensive

because of how freakin’ adorable he is

but also because you just opened pandora’s box of teasing

you know 100% that for the rest of your time together or your LIFE he won’t let you live this down

this brat would even lean in and ask for you to repeat yourself because he didn’t hear you

with the most obvious smile on his face that clearly says “I heard everything”

*secretly I’m whipped for Haechan LOL*

when you refuse [because it was hard enough once] he’ll get whiny

he doesn’t know the term “personal space” or “social distancing” lol

he won’t stop acting adorkable until you shout out “I SAID I LOVED YOU FOR GOODNESS SAKE NOW SHUT UP!”

he’ll probably scoff and say that you don’t need to shout that he heard you the first time

yeah...he’ll make you want to explode with fury...that is...

until he gives you a peck on the lips and says “I love you too”

with the MOST sincere voice and expression you’ve seen from him

then...and only then will your fury fade

Jaemin

*why does this gif crack me up? why are you so adorable Jaemin?! Why?!!!*

another “Haechan-like” member

he’ll be shocked but he won’t be shocked to the point Haechan was

he’ll smile that cute adorable grin where it seems like he’ll turn into the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland

your brain already waiting for him to call you a cutie

for him to pinch your cheeks

and just start bouncing around like a kid in a candy store

but what will happen is a simple wink then a kiss blown your way

he may/may not say I love you back depending on how long you’ve been together

he’s the only one who I feel will only say it back if he 100% means it

[y’know not as some kind of reflex or thinking he NEEDS to say it back]

like even if he has SSSSSSUUUUUUUPPPPPPEEEEEERRRRR strong feelings for you if those are not justified by the word “love” he won’t say it

if it’s like this he’ll say you’ve made him the happiest man in the world

then shower you in affection

to which you won’t be upset

IF the feelings are the same...

HE’LL SHOWER YOU IN AFFECTION

again you won’t be upset by this at all ♥♥♥♥

*salutes you* good luck soldier! we all know how Jaemin is when he’s feeling all cute and in his feelings ♥

*melts at the thought* ♥♥

[deepwoundsandfadedscars]

Forgive the medical inaccuracies, I was writing this when I had no internet connection so there was zero research done. I spent half the time wondering if I even had the characters names correct 😂 (I in fact was not correct, I wrote nearly 2k thinking her name was Kinsley and had to correct, sorry if any mistakes slipped through)

This is for Locke & Key but you don't have to know anything about the series to understand this particular story. This is set post series, Kinsey is about 19 which if I remember correctly puts Tyler around 21-22? I don't remember exactly the age gap, but it's after the show so Tyler is an adult

Read on Ao3

---

"-yler! Tyler, please!"

Tyler groaned as awareness came back. His head felt heavy and like it had been stuffed with cotton. Everything felt muffled, including his hearing as he only distantly heard someone calling his name. His mouth was dry and his eyes felt like they might as well be glued shut for how hard it was going to be to open them.

"Tyler, I need you to wake up, please wake up!"

Kinsey? There was an edge to her voice that he wasn't used to hearing anymore, a layer of panic bordering on hysteria as she called out to him.

He tried to turn towards where her voice had come from and groaned as the movement sent pain shooting through his head and neck, which suddenly made him aware of the various pains in the rest of his body. Something hard pressed into his shoulder and across his chest and hips, holding him tightly in place. Something else pressed against his shins and his arms felt as heavy as his head.

He opened his mouth, wincing at the lack of saliva and managed a whisper. "Kins?"

"Tyler! Oh my god, finally. Are you ok?"

He managed to finally pry his eyes open and stared blankly ahead for a moment, his lagging brain trying to figure out the picture in front of him. He sucked in a breath as it finally hit him what he was looking at. Directly in front of him was the deflated airbag from the destroyed dashboard of his uncle Duncan's car. Beyond that the windshield was shattered and the headlights painted a confusing image out of the freshly fallen snow on the ground, deep rivets casting shadows from where the car had ploughed through it.

And the world was upside down.

Tyler dragged his focus back to the interior of the car, trying to shift his body before realizing he was still tightly buckled into the front seat, his arms dangling above his head and resting against the roof of the car where a pool of red was gathering.

"Think I'm bleeding…" he said faintly.

"I know, it's from your head but I don't think it's deep. Are you hurt anywhere else? I need your help."

"I'm… not sure. Head hurts…" he closed his eyes for a moment, furrowing his brow as he tried to concentrate on the rest of his body. The seatbelt keeping him restrained dug into his shoulder and ribs and the joints of his hips, the pressure distracting him from anything else that might be wrong.

"I know Tyler, you probably have a concussion." Kinsey's voice was somewhere to his left, like she was near the driver's side window. "I need you to undo your seatbelt though."

"Seatbelt?" He mumbled, focusing on flexing his fingers and testing if he could even lift one of them to undo the buckle.

"Yes, undo your seatbelt and then crawl towards me to grab my phone."

"Where are you–" he started to ask but cut off as he turned his head to the side and caught sight of her. She lay in the snow just outside the driver side window, most of which was crushed and she could barely fit her head and shoulders through. She had wedged herself in far enough to reach their Uncle Duncan, who was still buckled into the driver seat beside Tyler. His arms hung limply like Tyler's, awkwardly crumpled on the rooftop above his head and blood ran down his neck and face, down to his hairline and then dribbling onto the roof of the car. Following the pool of blood, Tyler realized half the blood on his side of the car was likely Duncan's and not his own.

"Uncle Dunc?"

"He's stuck, Tyler. He won't wake up and I need you to come over here and call 911. I can't do it myself, if I let go he'll bleed out."

Worry for his uncle lit the fire under Tyler's motivation and he managed to fumble his fingers across the buckle. His weight on the belt made it harder for the safety contraption to cooperate, but it finally snapped open and the belt mostly recoiled as Tyler slumped to the ground. He choked on a scream as his shins scraped against the underside of the dashboard. His head spun and he lay there for a moment, heaving for breath and feeling like he might throw up, or fall off the planet completely with how dizzy the movement had made him.

"Tyler! Are you ok?"

He limply held up a thumbs up, which in the upturned car he couldn't really tell which way was up, for himself or for Kinsey, so it was somehow both a thumbs up and a thumbs down. Either way, appropriate.

He pushed himself up, gingerly twisting around in the tight space. The passenger window was smashed, mostly held together by the safety plastic and a light touch was enough to push it outside of the car so he had more space to manoeuvre, eventually he was able to settle in a position closer to the front window with his legs sticking out the passenger window. From there he could see both Duncan and Kinsey.

He choked on another breath as he realized why Kinsey needed his help.

Her phone lay on the roof of the car near her shoulder, just barely out of reach of the pool of blood. Her hands proved to be otherwise occupied, coated in red where she had them firmly pressing around a branch impaled through Duncan's shoulder.

"Oh my god…" Tyler breathed out.

"Tyler, look at me. Tyler!"

He dragged his eyes away from Duncan and looked at Kinsey. Her face was smeared with blood but he couldn't tell if it was hers or his or Duncan's at this point. Her gaze was firm and her jaw tight, she seemed to be alright or pushing through well enough to keep a grip of the situation.

She didn't wait for an answer. "I need you to pick up my phone and call 911."

"Y-yeah." Tyler tried not to look at Duncan or at the blood and gingerly picked up the phone. There was red on it too and he tried to wipe it off, only then noticing how shaky his hands were. He poked at the screen, confused when his password didn't work and the keypad jiggled on the screen.

"Just use the emergency call," she snapped at him. Oh yeah, it wasn't his phone… he clicked the emergency call button at the bottom of the screen and briefly contemplated where his phone might have wound up as he brought it to his ear and almost immediately someone was speaking in his ear.

"I– I'm sorry, say that again?" He asked.

"You dialled 911, are you okay, sir?"

"Oh, uh... no. We were in an accident." Tyler laid his head down against the roof of the car, exhaustion suddenly flooding through him.

"Can you tell me where you are?"

"We are… Kins, where are we?"

She turned her head, looking over her shoulder outside of the car and then back at him. "We were just getting to the edge of Boston." She rattled off the name of a frontage road and the last intersection she remembered crossing.

"We're at… Sorry, Kins say that again…"

The dispatcher cut him off, "It's okay sir, I heard what she said. I'm sending units your way, they should only be a few minutes."

Relief flooded through him and he sank further into the roof of the car. It was getting harder to keep his eyes open.

"I'm going to stay on the line with you. Can you tell me your name, sir?" The dispatcher asked.

"Tyler," he managed to mumble.

"Alright Tyler, my name is Ashley. Can you tell me about your injuries?"

"Uh, I think I hit my head. My uncle is stuck though, Kinsey is keeping pressure on his shoulder. If she moves he'll bleed out." His own voice was starting to sound distant and the phone was getting heavy to hold.

"Okay Tyler, is Kinsey nearby? Can you put me on speaker phone?"

"Sure…" he pulled the phone away and peered at the screen before poking the speaker icon. His hand slumped to the ground, limply holding the phone and all he could do was stare at it as the voice on the other end continued to talk.

"Kinsey, can you hear me?"

"Yes! I can hear you, how far away is the ambulance?" Her voice was loud in Tyler's ear suddenly and he groaned.

"With your approximate location they should be there in just under two minutes. Are you injured?"

"No, I'm fine. The car hit ice and rolled, I was in the backseat but I don't think I blacked out. Tyler was unconscious for about one minute and has a bleeding head wound. Our uncle Duncan has a tree branch through his shoulder, he bled a lot before I could get to it but I'm holding pressure."

"Good, you're doing really well Kinsey, don't move your hands and keep pressure on the wound. The EMT's will direct you when they get there. Tyler, are you still there?"

Tyler groaned in the affirmative, but couldn't gather any more energy.

"Kinsey, is there anyone else with you?"

"No, it's just me, my brother and our uncle. Tyler's eyes are half closed, I think he's losing consciousness again. Tyler?" She raised her voice at him and he raised his eyebrows in her direction but didn't open his eyes.

"My legs are cold…" he muttered.

"Oh my god." He heard Kinsey gasp. "His legs are bleeding. I didn't see them before because he was upside down in the car, but now he's half lying in the snow and there's red all around him."

"Okay Kinsey, the ambulance and firetruck should be there any second, you should be able to hear the sirens. I need you to keep holding pressure on your Uncle Duncan's shoulder, okay?"

"Okay. Tyler, can you talk to me please? You're scaring me."

Tyler furrowed his brow in confusion. "But you're not scared of anything…"

"Not anymore, remember?" He could hear the frown in her voice. "I am scared. I'm scared you're going to fall asleep and not wake up, so I need you to keep talking to me, okay?"

"Okay…" he whispered.

"Tell me about where we were going," she said. He could faintly hear sirens now.

"We were going to stay at Duncan's place this weekend…"

"Do you remember why?"

He frowned, trying to remember. "College?"

"Yeah, you were going to look at colleges again. And what was I going to do?"

Doors slammed and he could hear other voices and Kinsey's voice got distant as she turned her head away from him. He could feel someone touching his legs and one of the back doors opened and suddenly there was a firefighter crawling between the front seats and leaning over him.

"Shopping…" he managed to mumble out and the firefighter squinted at him in concern.

"Shopping is going to have to wait a bit, my man, we're going to get you out of here first, okay?" The firefighter spoke conversationally. "How are we doing…" he trailed off, raising his eyebrow at Tyler. Tyler only squinted at him in return.

"His name is Tyler!" Kinsey chimed up from the side.

"Thank you, ma'am! Okay Tyler, I'm Rick and I'm going to give you some fashionable new jewellery and ask you some questions, sound good?" He gently slipped his hands under and around Tyler's neck before slipping a neck brace around him and setting the velcro straps in place. He couldn't move his head even if he had the energy to try.

"Alrighty Tyler, how are you feeling?"

Tyler couldn't remember when his eyes had slipped shut, but he had to pry them open again to look at the man leaning over him. His hair was fiery red.

"Tired," he muttered. "Head hurts… legs are cold."

"Okay, that's good Tyler." He looked to the side, watching someone. "Can you tell me if you feel this?"

Tyler felt his foot get colder, as though his shoe had been removed and then someone pressed a knuckle against the bottom of his foot. He tried to nod before realizing it was futile with the neck brace. "Yeah, I feel some pressure."

"Good, that's good Tyler. We're going to bring a backboard over here and get you out."

Tyler rolled his eyes upward, trying to look up at Duncan. He still hung in his seat and he could see Kinsey's hands still in place. "Uncle Duncan…"

"Yep, he's next Tyler! We're going to get you out of the way so I can keep him steady while we get his door open."

Something nudged against his arm and Rick shuffled his knees forward, getting closer to Tyler and bracing his hands under Tyler's shoulders. "Alright, time to get you out of here. We're going to roll you over just for a second, okay?" He nodded his head in time with someone's voice counting from outside and on three, everyone lifted in tandem and he was briefly rolled onto his side and then back onto a backboard.

The motion made him dizzy and the world spun around him for a few moments and the next thing he knew he was loaded on a stretcher and being pushed into the back of an ambulance.

Different faces leaned over him and asked questions but everything felt like it was moving too fast, like he couldn't keep up with the plot and every time he tried to answer a question, a completely different one was being asked and he had missed his opportunity to answer the previous question.

He heard doors slamming just before Kinsey appeared above him, leaning into his eyeline.

"Kins…"

"Hey, I'm here Tyler, we're heading to the hospital."

He felt like he was swimming inside his own head, trying to keep sense of what was up or down or why he couldn't move, why he couldn't turn his head to follow Kinsey as she sat back against the wall, moving out of the paramedics way. Something else was missing and he wracked his brain for what felt off.

"Uncle Dunc?"

She leaned forward again and he saw worry etched in her face, chewing on her lip before she answered.

"They got him out and another ambulance already left with him."

"Good…" he muttered, trying not to worry about the time he must have lost somewhere along the way. It was getting harder to keep his eyes open and the light above him was bright, so he decided there shouldn't be any harm in resting his eyes for just a moment…

He heard Kinsey's voice calling for him and a flurry of activity just as everything went black.

---

I lost my creative momentum and also have zero medical experience, so I'm not confident I'd be able to bullshit my way through the hospital bit, but just know that they are all going to be okay lol