#sure my bar is like a metre from the door

[damnprecious]

At work

Fire alarm: goes off

People: told to exit the building

Me: hangs out behind my bar waiting for people to exit bc staff is supposed to wait and assist

Some customers: hehe can you sell me a beer

Me: .....no????? please leave????

[sehnsuchts-trunken]

Not A Coincidence

Bradley Bradshaw x Penny’s niece!reader 3k words

summary: It’s not a coincidence that you turn up at the Hard Deck for a beach day. It’s not a coincidence either that you end up inside the bar all alone with Rooster. And after what happened on Tuesday, well...  

fair warning: allusions to smut. no smut in itself. 

a/n: this is my first bradley oneshot and i am so fucking scared imma fuck up but yknow. we’re vibing. also the jake slander in this is all fun and games. i love him. 

main piece to “Tuesday Night”, “ Rooster At 5, Bradley At Night" and “Take Me On A Joyride”, can be read seperately tho

top gun masterlist

You were early. Too early. Much too early, considering it was currently 10am and your shift began at 5pm. But here you were, sunglasses high on your nose, bikini on under a loose shirt, straw hat on your head, towel and sunscreen in your bag on the passenger seat. 

It wasn’t a concidence that you’d decided on coming early for a beach day. It was far from that, actually. And you hoped, prayed, begged that Penny wouldn’t let it slip, that she wouldn’t rat you out. Because if she did that, you were not sure you’d be able to handle the teasing that would follow. Of course she wouldn’t want anything bad for you - just a little push in the right direction, she’d call it, and smile that smile of hers that had you and Amelia giving each other the side-eye every time.

But you’d have to take that risk. 

Because you sure as hell weren’t missing out on this shit. 

And it was all Penny’s fault in the end anyway. Penny’s fault because she was here on a Thursday morning, Penny’s fault because she was sitting outside, Penny’s fault because she just had to send you a picture, didn’t she? God damn her. God damn her for being your aunt. God damn her for not sending you that picture earlier. 

You grabbed your keys a little too tightly as you turned off the ignition and pushed the door open and close again with a bit too much force. One deep breath. Then another. You needed to calm down. 

You didn’t bother with the front door - if you could save the time it’d take to find the keys in your bag, you absolutely would - instead walked around to the tables at the back. This side of the Hard Deck was hardly ten metres away from the beach, so the second you rounded the corner, you stood, frozen in spot, and watched the picture Penny had sent half an hour ago become reality. 

And reality was much better than the crappy photo in any and all ways imaginable. 

The squad was all shirtless, all greased up, running after two balls, tackling each other, sand sticking to every inch of exposed skin, sunglasses on and drenched in golden light. It was like a scene straight out of some summer rom-com - actually, no, it was pretty much like a scene coming straight out of some soft porn. Unfurling right in front of you. 

Oh, you were in trouble. 

Especially the moment anyone spotted you. And they would. They fucking would if you didn’t move it right about now. 

As quietly as you could - and as invisible as possible, which was harder - you walked up to Penny, keeping your eyes firmly planted on the aviators rolling around in the sand. You were pretty fucking sure nothing would ever top this moment right now. Thirteen of what had to be the most attractive people on the planet tan, sweaty and half-naked? Yeah, there was no way in hell it would ever be any better than this right here.

You only glanced away for a second to sit down next to Penny, to take a look at the blank Sudoku in front of her. You snorted. 

“Looks like I’m not the only one who dropped everything to get here”, you said, eyebrows raised, put your bag down next to you and looked back at the beach where Phoenix was just throwing her arms into the air to celebrate something you guessed was a good thing for her team. Hangman looked livid. 

“What can I say?”, she chuckled. “Even an old woman can enjoy some eye-candy sometimes.” 

“You’re saying ‘old’ like you actually are.” 

“Well-” 

She was going to argue, like she always did (you’d had this conversation a ton of times already), but before she could, Maverick came jogging up from the beach to a little chair he must’ve brought for himself. He waved in your general direction. You knew better than to think it was actually meant for the both of you - you were aware enough of the history of his ‘relationship’ with Penny to not be that arrogant. It always went the same: the two of them stumbling across each other every few years, with the exception of the half decade when she’d been married, they hooked up, they had a great time for some weeks, maybe even some months, then Maverick got himself into some kind of trouble and had to move across the country, leaving behind Penny and her broken heart. 

As he sat down to keep watching the game, you realised that you’d been spotted. Someone had noticed Mav’s wave, had seen not only Penny, but you too, and well, you were fucked now. You were fucked because it was Rooster who’d spotted you. Rooster who had a shit-eating grin on his face as he peeled his sunglasses off and made eye contact with you. Rooster who you knew was smart enough to connect the dots, to figure out that you being here wasn’t some coincidence. Rooster who probably realised you were checking his team out - checking him out - even all the way down the beach and through your sunglasses. 

But who could blame you? 

Hell, he looked gorgeous in his dumb Hawaiian shirts and jeans already, you weren’t particularly shocked that he looked even better without them. 

He waved at you. Waved at you to come over. To come join them. 

Within a few seconds, the rest of the aviators were catching onto his idea, were looking at you sitting there watching them, were following his example and waving at you to come down. You bit the inside of your cheek. 

You’d thought that if you were sneaky, careful enough, that you’d be able to just sit here and stare at them, watch them play, admire them for a while. Maybe pretend to read a book if they were to spot you after all. But, no, of course not. Of course Rooster had to demolish your little plan, crumble it up into nothing. Curse him. 

You sighed, but you knew the squad well enough by now to understand that you had lost. You had no choice but to do what they wanted you to do - they’d find a way to force you anyway if you didn’t do it willingly. 

Penny’s laughter in your ears, you got up and made your way down to the beach, arriving to a chorus of cheers that had you grinning and bowing. You could very well just play this off as some funny coincidence as long as Rooster kept his mouth shut. But with the way he was grinning at you, you were doubting he would for long. 

“I gotta admit I feel a little insulted that I wasn’t invited to your private beach-party”, you said, letting your eyes rake over Rooster with no concern whatsoever for being caught. You had sunglasses on. Nobody could prove you were doing a damn thing. And he was just too attractive for his own good, too attractive to ignore, too attractive not to look.  

“In our defense”, Phoenix said, still a little breathless from the game, and held both her hands up. “We didn’t know we were even having a beach-party.” 

“You didn’t even know?”, you asked. 

“Mav took us by surprise. Only told us this morning.” 

You snorted, interrupted before you could reply by a ball landing at your feet. 

“You playing, Junior?”, Jake shouted, making sure to flex his arms just short of ridiculously. If he weren’t Jake and you weren’t you, you’d probably be super into him, more turned on and less annoyed, but this way you just rolled your eyes and flipped him off. 

“First of all, Texas boy”, you yelled. “Quit calling me that or I’ll cut your fucking dick off. With some elementary school scissors as well because that’s all I’d need. And also, you know I hate sports, the mere fact that you’re suggesting I move any more than necessary is laughable.” 

You heard Phoenix and Rooster snicker as Jake laughed and threw you a sloppy salute. 

“Whatever ya say, Junior.” 

Junior. How you despised that goddamn nickname. Mainly because it didn’t make sense anyway - you weren’t even Penny’s daughter, you were her niece. They’d make more sense calling Amelia Junior. But no, it had caught on, and now you were just short of slapping people every time you heard it.

You turned back to Rooster, swallowing hard as you forced yourself to keep your eyes on his face this time. 

“I’ll get you guys some drinks”, you said, smile tugging at your lips. “If, that is, you’re allowed to drink.” 

“A drink won’t kill us”, Phoenix winked, and then hauled the ball from where it still lay at your feet and charged at Jake. 

You chuckled. There was a heavy silence hanging over you and Rooster even after half a second, your sunglasses protecting you from too much eye contact and him holding it effortlessly anyways.

“You look good”, he muttered, his voice low enough that you knew none of the others heard it. A shiver ran down your spine. Your throat went dry. God, why had you got yourself into this? You should’ve saved the pic, thanked Penny and stayed home. None of this complicated shit. But well, seemed as though you liked it complicated. 

“Do I?”, you asked quietly, barely suppressing a grin. He made an acknowledging sound that almost had you throwing caution into the fucking wind and pulling him in for a kiss just like that. 

“I think I could use a helping hand”, you said instead, voice sounding more breathless than it probably should. “You know, with the drinks.” 

His lip quirked up at that, the indication of a smile that you were much too familiar with already. You swallowed. This man should not have this effect on you. But he did, and well, who were you to argue with god’s gifts? 

“I’ve always got a free hand for you, sweetheart”, he chuckled, his fingertips dancing across your upper arm. You sucked in a breath. 

He’d flirted with you before, yes. But ever since Tuesday, he’d taken it up a notch. You’d have expected something like this from Hangman, surely, but not from Rooster. Sweet Rooster. 

Not so sweet after all. 

“You’re unbelievable”, you muttered, shaking your head and looking down (a mistake, in hindsight, because that meant you were staring right down at his abs) to escape his eyes on yours.

“What, you don’t like these hands?”, he asked with a grin, his finger snaking just below the hem of your sleeve before he pulled back, holding his hands up in front of you and turning them around - palm facing you, back facing you, palm facing you. You could’ve slapped him. 

The thing was that he had really fucking nice hands. And you didn’t usually notice that. But his were big, his fingers long, so goddamn perfect on your waist, your jaw - useful too, you could imagine. 

“I like those hands carrying the drinks out”, you quipped. “Think the guys can make do without you for a few minutes?” 

He didn’t even take a look at the squad before raising his eyebrows. 

“Sure they can.”

You couldn’t help the grin on your lips as you turned and walked up to the Hard Deck, passing by Penny (with that annoying smile that told you She knew, she knew, she knew), only leaning down to tell her you were getting the squad some drinks before you were pushing open the door, stepping behind the bar and getting out a tray. You set it down on the wooden bar top, put a bunch of shot glasses onto it and got out a bottle of vodka, only looking up when you heard Rooster laugh.

“And here I thought I was getting my hands dirty after all.” 

You snorted, resting your palms against the edge of the bar and leaning closer over to him. It was dark, light barely flooding in through the windows with the shades down, especially with your sunglasses on, and you really should have taken them off, but the sweet advantage of Rooster not knowing where you were looking was a bit too sweet to give up just yet. 

He looked good even in this dim light. One arm on the bar top, his face turned to you, his sunglasses still up high in his hair. Usually he’d hook them into his shirt, but - well, he wasn’t wearing one. A layer of sweat was covering his entire torso, droplets dripping down his neck. 

“You” - you pointed a finger at him - “are a cruel, cruel man.” 

He leaned just a bit closer, grin playing on his lips, and your breath caught in your throat as he raised a hand, prying your own sunglasses off of your face. Carefully, slowly, paying close attention to not hurting you. 

“Now is that good or bad?” 

He folded the glasses, put them down next to the tray and caught your gaze. For the first time today, you were actually looking at him. Your teeth dug into your bottom lip all on their own. If he knew about even half of the power he had over you, you were fucked. 

“Well for me”, you grinned, not daring to do anything but stare right back at him. “For me, that could be very good. Depending on what you define as good, Bradshaw.” 

“Would be beneficial if our definitions matched.” 

You let out a laugh and shook your head, finally breaking eye contact to turn around and get out another tray, another few glasses (bigger ones, this time) and a bottle of water. Drinks were well and all but the squad needed actual fluids in their systems that weren’t alcohol and as far as you knew them, they had not brought enough to even last them much more than a few hours.

“You’re a menace, Bradshaw, is what you are. And now help me get these drinks out.” 

You grabbed one tray, grabbed the bottle of vodka and maneuvered everything out from behind the bar, towards the door. Your pulse was a bit too quick, your breathing a bit too shallow, but you were fine considering what had just gone down. Considering you’d been in here alone with Bradley goddamn Bradshaw, the literal finest man on the whole planet, and had managed not to throw yourself at him. Even after what had happened Tuesday. Even after knowing just how heavenly he felt close to you. Even with how horribly obviously he’d been flirting today. 

You had hardly taken two steps away from the bar top when you were tugged back - an arm around your waist, the tray wobbling dangerously. You put the bottle of vodka down on the bar, hard, much too forcefully, to keep everything from clattering to the ground. You were good at your job, yes, but not even you could keep a tray of close to fifteen shot glasses safely on your arm when someone was purposefully tripping you up.

“Shit, you can’t just do that!”, you cursed, carefully steadying the tray and putting it down as well before you looked up at Rooster. He’d let go of you, but he didn’t seem guilty or regretful in the slightest, that grin still on his lips. 

“You really want to leave me here without making use of these hands?”, he muttered, so close to you now that you had to tilt your head back to look at him. You wanted to be mad at him. You so, so badly wanted to be. But he was making it way too hard. 

“With what those hands did already”, you hissed, poking a finger into his chest. “I don’t know if I want to find out whether the rest of what they can do is just as destructive.” 

He laughed, his hands back on your waist again suddenly, fingers splayed across your skin (the shirt was really, really thin after all and you felt like you were on fire wherever he touched you), pulling you flush against his front. Your palms came up to his chest to steady yourself and you sucked in a breath - sweaty skin beneath your fingertips, well-defined abs against your stomach. Most definitely god’s gift. Shit. 

“Changed your mind that quickly?”, he hummed, thumb tracing the hem of your bikini bottoms over your shirt. “Think I can recall you being very eager to find out two days ago.” 

“You kept track?”, you asked breathlessly, the question sarcastic but your tone - sadly - outing just how affected you were by all this. By his closeness, his touch, his words. Oh, you were down bad. He chuckled. 

“For such a pretty girl like you? Always.” 

He held you just a little tighter, pulled you just a little closer. You hadn’t thought it was possible. 

“Bradley”, you whispered, and something in his expression changed like a switch had been flicked in his mind. His fingertips dug into your hips. 

“Say that again.” 

You didn’t think your mind had ever been this absolutely blank as you looked at him, rolled his words around in your head, your lips parted and your eyes wide. 

“Bradley”, you repeated - had you ever said his name before? On Tuesday you’d kissed him, sure, but you’d both been tipsy and it had been 1am and you were pretty sure you’d called him ‘Roos’, even with his hands pinning you to his Bronco and your arms crossed behind his neck. “Kiss me again.” 

[pomegranateboba]

Hi! This is my first time requesting so sorry if I did anything wrong. Can I request the boys with an MC who has bad experience with gun noises? Like if they even here a chip bag pop open they hit a dead sprint out of the room. If it makes you uncomfy you can just ignore. Have a good day/evening/night!

Hello anon :)

Summoner who dislikes gun/gun-like noises

Arcturus

He was carrying a stack of books, and just so happens that the heavy dictionary at the top of the pile fell onto the ground with a loud thud

He set the rest of the books on a table to pick them up, and was going to ask you for help when he saw you backed up against a pillar a good distance away from him

He noticed how you stared in the book in slight fear and shock, and he immediately went over to ask if you were okay

He didn't know you had this condition, he's really sorry

Gave you a hug as an apology

Made sure that he didn't accidentally trigger this again, and he would always be there for you if you ever need his comfort

Spica

He was holding a heavy stack of papers and he may or may not have put the papers down way too loudly

He saw the way you flinched violently and turned pale

Immediately apologised, pouring you a glass of your preferred drink while rubbing circles on your back to calm you down

Promised he would be more careful next time

He is worried about what had caused this fear of gun-like noises

You are always welcome to come to him if you need anything

Alpheratz

He was opening this bag of chips Pollux gave him, and it accidentally exploded

You struggled to move away from the sudden noise, moving 10 kilometres away from him

He felt bad, he didn't mean to scare you like that

Invited you back to his side, where he hugged you while you both shared whatever was left of the exploded chips

He says its the bag's fault for being so troublesome, he secretly he feels bad

He himself had been startled by the way the stupid bag exploded too

Pollux

He was just showing how he could shoot things from a far distance, so he shot an apple on Alpheratz's head

He turned around and suddenly you were 10 metres away hiding behind a tree

When he realised he wasn't sure how to feel

Why didn't you tell him about this sooner? But he also felt bad for not asking

Apologised over and over again, giving you this half-melted chocolate bar as an apology

Was really clingy for the rest of the day because he felt bad for making you scared

He never apologised to Alpheratz for putting an apple on his head and then shooting it, giving Alpheratz the heart attack of the century. His summoner is obviously more improtant

Vega

Vega already knows about your condition, so he would literally never

And if he ever did, he would feel so bad. Like "I don't deserve you" feel bad

May distance himself from you and everyone to question his whole purpose in life

How could he be your protector if he is the one making you scared?

You have to go to him yourself and tell him its okay, otherwise you will never be able to talk to him ever again

You 2 will get yourselves some jelly (mostly for Vega to calm him down)

He is very careful with what he does, and if anyone scares you again whether on accident or not, make sure you tell them to lock their doors

Sirius

He likely found this out on his own somehow, so he also would be careful about what he does

And if he ever did, he will also fall into depression, except its all internal and he rainbows the pain of hurting you away

He avoids using his gun around you, due to obvious reasons

Will probably tease you about it, but when its serious, he's actually doing his best to comfort you

Anyone who dares take advantage of this fact will face his wrath

Gets you earmuffs for fun

Remember to hydrate yourselves and get enough sleep :)

[cursedmoon-doll13]

A New Year.

(Hogwarts Uni AU Intro)

Cw: Typical Blood Racism, Swearing

Features S/I OCs: Jasmine, (mine) Scarlet, (@vincent-sinclair-deserved-better) & Minoes (@myers-meadow)

Word Count: 2.8k

Dividers by @/firefly-graphics

“Here we are, then. King’s Cross Station.”

The cabbie huffed gruffly. I checked the fare metre and, wincing, fished a few crumpled pound notes out of my purse. His eyes flashed for a moment, as if he’d noticed the bronze knuts and silver sickles gleaming at the bottom. I clasped it shut tightly, pressed the cash into his open palm and withdrew. 

“Thanks,” I told him, wrenching open the car door and swinging my legs out. The rush of cool, crisp London air felt like a shotgun blast to the face. 

“No problem.” 

I had barely hauled all my luggage out of the backseat before the taxi bustled away with a puff of smoke. Peaches meow-ed at me despondently from inside her carrier as I lifted her, shuffling her mittens against the bars, and my heart wavered. 

“Nearly there, baby,” I said softly. “Nearly there.” 

I glanced up at the sky. The clouds were cast in pearly white, though it occasionally threatened to release a patch of sunlight; or a spattering of rain. King’s Cross was packed with commuters in the early morning, and I cautiously nudged into a throng of people as I hurried inside, muttering apologies. 

When I caught a glimpse of a ruffled, tawny owl flapping in someone’s cage, I couldn’t help but grin a little. I followed them up to a quiet, inconspicuous brick wall and watched as they carefully leaned into it and disappeared altogether. After a few seconds, I did the same. Stumbling onto the hidden platform, I met a sparse gathering of young folk, garbed in jewel-toned scarves of green, blue, yellow, red. 

Well, evidently house spirit was strong this year. 

The Hogwarts Express welcomed me with a thundering air horn, expelling a thick jet of steam. Peaches yowled and writhed around in a panic, so offered her a consoling finger to nibble on as I boarded. Luckily, I found a free car; granted, I had made sure to get here as early as possible to avoid the crowds. I dropped my bags unceremoniously into the nearest booth. It was then I unclipped the carrier and allowed my cat to dive underneath the table. 

“I’m sorry, girl,” I cooed. She mewled quietly. 

Her unease was pacified a little as I soothed a finger over her striped, furry head. I was able to coax her out with some treats, and soon she was curled up and snug on my lap. As I unwound my sapphire scarf from my neck, I quickly checked my watch: 10:13. It would be over half an hour’s wait before the train left. 

Settling into my booth, I squirmed from the pack of butterflies whirling in my belly. You’ll get used to it, they told me. Soon it’ll lose its lustre, business as usual. But I could barely contain my excitement. Another year at Hogwarts! The only way I could resist the urge to shoot up and pace was by rummaging through my bag; my fingers skimmed over the latest Daily Prophet and soon it was in my hands, affectionately chin-rubbed by Peaches. 

The front page flicked past like an old black and white movie reel, featuring a gaggle of triumphant Quidditch players I couldn’t recall. I straightened it out, searching for the ‘short stories’ section; they had announced a while ago that they were holding a competition. My very-much-so muggle household had grown used to receiving news owls over the years, just as it had grown used to many strange and unusual things. Really, I was such an odd child that many of those magical peculiarities flew under the radar, but levitation is not a symptom unless the diagnosis is ‘witch.’ 

Then, a tentative rap on the glass spooked me out of my reverie. I looked up to see a violet-haired student steadying themselves against the car door. 

“Hey, am I allowed to sit in here? None of the other cars are… Um, accepting.” She shifted awkwardly from side to side, as if expecting me to hiss at her. 

“Uh, yeah, of course! Sit down.”  

They tip-toed in and closed the door shut behind them. I saw she was also struggling with a cat carrier. I grimaced as I felt Peaches’ claws dig into my thighs in alarm. She didn’t stay in my lap for long, opting to hide as far away from the intruder as possible. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare your cat,” said the visitor somberly. They casted a sad, longing gaze towards the antisocial Peaches.

“It’s okay, she’s just like this around other people.” I reassured her, and craned down to scratch my cat’s chin. “Doesn’t like anyone except me.” 

They nodded, sliding into the chair opposite to me. For a moment, I seriously wracked my brains trying to figure out if I had met her before. I knew, at least, that they couldn’t have been in my own house, because I would’ve made a point of it to befriend any other cat owner in my house. 

“Um, so what’s your name?” I asked, pushing my faltering glasses back up the bridge of my nose. 

“Scarlet. Scarlet Pimpernel,” she said simply. She undid the locks on the carrier and released two slinky cats. “The tabby’s Pip, cow cat’s Fiz.” 

“Aw,” I leaned forward to try and lure one over. “I’m Jasmine Daly. From Ravenclaw.” 

“Oh. That’s nice.” 

Silence. I turned back to my Daily Prophet and continued sifting through the usual quidditch feed and Skeeter’s latest gossipy drivel (“THE LOST GENERATION: Are our young wizards becoming lazier?”), past the continuous reports on Black and over the dull, meagre contest entries. Eventually, I got fed up and dug out one of my books to read instead, groaning at the sight of the well-worn pages partially fractured from the spine. Again. 

“I’m from Slytherin,” Scarlet spoke up finally. “But I’m also a muggleborn, so… Yeah, that’s basically why no one wants me around.” 

She chuckled, though it sounded rather forced. 

“Um, no worries. I’m not gonna kick you out or anything,” I said quickly, fumbling with my wand. “You’re fine.” 

I could’ve sworn they heaved a relieved sigh. 

“Reparo! There, that should do it… Sort of…” 

The atmosphere gradually relaxed, and after a few minutes, Peaches leaped back onto my lap with a squeaky chirrup, demanding attention. Pip, too, took to winding sleekly around my legs, though Fiz loafed safely beside Scarlet, muscles twitching. 

“… So, what’s your book about?” 

I peeked up over the cover at her. 

“‘Discovering Dragons,’” I said. “I know it looks childish, but I’ve found none other that goes as in-depth as this. Call it an old obsession of mine.”  

Dog-earing my page and turning it over gently in my hands, I felt a sort of nostalgic fondness swell in my chest. With its yellowed paper and peeling casing, it was nothing special, but it was the first token of the wizarding world I was truly able to call my own. 

“It’s about nine years old, this one,” I continued. 

“Huh. It looks… Scruffy.” 

“Yeah, I’ve only read it about fifty times, which is why it’s always falling apart. Poor thing probably just wants me to end it already.” 

As if to protest, the spine cracked ominously. 

“Hey, can I borrow that?” Scarlet suddenly asked. 

Nudging up my glasses again, I followed her pointed finger towards my discarded newspaper. 

“Um, sure.” 

My curiosity got the better of me, and I ended up distracted by the photograph of the feinting quidditch player on the back of it. Once or twice, I saw the paper sag down and reveal the headline: ‘Illegal Duelling Matches Endangering Local Muggles,’ before Scarlet drew it furtively closer. Quite engrossed, she pushed a few loose strands of purple hair back into her headband. 

“I love your hair, by the way,” I blurted out. 

For the first time, their mouth cracked into a smile. 

“Thanks. I dyed it a couple months ago.” 

Then, the compartment door slid open again. This time, I recognised our visitor a little: Minoes, who had been in my Ancient Runes class last year. 

“Scarlet, I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

Minoes was balancing an owl cage on her hip, her luggage hooked around her arm. At this, Scarlet pursed her lips morosely. 

“You know how people are with me.”

“Oh, I know,” said Minoes, turning politely to me now: “Hello. I don’t think we’ve really met before?”  

“Hi.” I tucked a stray lock behind my ear. “Um, we shared a few classes, but we haven’t spoken much. I’m Jasmine Daly.” 

“Minoes Vleerebosch, It’s nice to meet you.”

Whereas Scarlet dressed neutrally, Minoes’ emerald-green robes singled her out. Her necklaces clacked together as she sat down beside us. Her spotted owl chirped happily in its cage, seemingly oblivious to the hungry, feline stares and chop-licking. 

“This is Hannah Theresa,” Minoes told me, prying in a finger to stroke her feathers affectionately. 

“Awch, she’s awful cute,” I said. “Can I pet her?” 

“Yes, go on. She’s very gentle, she won’t peck you.” 

I shifted over a bit as Minoes opened the cage door and allowed me to reach a hand in. Hannah Theresa’s huge, black eyes stared back at me, as shiny as polished buttons. I brushed an experimental knuckle over her feathery head, and she felt soft as cotton. 

“Hannah Theresa always delivers my mail. I have lots of pen-pals to keep her busy, so it’s a good thing she’s so sweet-tempered with me.” 

“She’s lovely, such a wee dote…” 

Pip, meanwhile, had had quite enough of me by this stage, and padded over to rub Minoes’ ankles. 

“Hello. I know you,” she murmured, scratching him lovingly under the chin. “But who’s this?” 

Minoes nodded eagerly towards the curled up Peaches, who had taken shelter beneath the table in the face of yet another unknown intruder. 

“Oh, this is Peaches.” 

Her face lit up joyfully. 

“Hi, Peaches!” 

Minoes bent over to offer a hand. Peaches only dared a cautious sniff before burrowing further into the corner, seeking refuge behind my legs. 

“She’s just a bit shy…” I said dolefully. 

“That’s alright,” Minoes replied, straightening up. “I’m absolutely determined to win her over.” 

After some failed attempts, she brandished her wand - a smooth, elegant thing - and tapped her palm and each of her fingers, uttering something in Latin. To my surprise, this changed Peaches’ tune instantly, and soon she was purring and licking her hand; something she only ever did for me. 

“You must have a soft touch, Minoes,” I praised. 

“No, no,” she replied slyly. “It’s just a little trick I came up with… Has much the same effect as catnip.” 

“You chose our seats well, I think,” Minoes told Scarlet, who smiled faintly at her, handing me back my crinkled Daily Prophet issue.

“Anything interesting in there?”

“Um. No, not really,” Scarlet claimed. 

Just then, I felt our surroundings jolt abruptly. 

“Oh, the train's going… Do you mind if I just stay here with you and the kitties?” Minoes asked me. 

“No, not at all, it’s totally fine.” 

I hummed as we exited the station and chugged off into the countryside. Still a perfect stranger, I drifted off into my own niche for a while. Minoes produced a roll of ornamented parchment and scratched at it neatly with a quill, while Scarlet pulled their wand out and used magic to braid a turquoise-hued bracelet. 

When the compartment door opened for a third time, even Pip ducked for cover. There, smirking down at us, was the sharp, pointed face of Draco Malfoy. 

I couldn’t help but go rigid on instinct. My past experiences with Malfoy were unpleasant - owing to my Muggleborn background - so I typically stayed clear from him. It was bizarre to see him without his gigantic orbiting satellites, Crabbe and Goyle. Their absence only unnerved me more. Why was he here? 

“I thought I could smell something vile,” Malfoy said smugly, turning his pale, baleful eyes on me. “I guess it was just the stink of mudblood.” 

“Must’ve caught a whiff of yourself, Malfoy.” 

“Oh no, Pimpernel. It’s definitely you.” 

Before I could even open my mouth, Scarlet had taken the initiative to sink their teeth in. Admiring Scarlet’s ferocious glower, I felt a surge of bravery. 

“Where’s your two big dirty limpets?” I said crossly.  

“None of your business, Daly,” he snapped, looming over haughtily without even sparing me a glance. “Shut your filthy mouth before I do it for you.” 

“Oh, give it a rest, Draco!” Minoes scolded. 

But Malfoy ignored her completely, his lips twitching into a nasty scowl. He met Scarlet’s withering glare with one of his own. Scarlet gripped their wand so tightly her veins strained blue, and for a brief moment I thought they might actually hex him.

“What the fuck do you even want, Malfoy? Potter’s not here,” Scarlet growled. “Or does any old pair of glasses have you pitching a fit?” 

“You disgust me just the same,” he spat angrily, eyes narrowing. “That goes for the both of you. You shouldn’t even have been allowed in.” 

“Draco!” Minoes cried. 

Scarlet scoffed. 

“I bet the only reason you were accepted was nepotism,” she said scathingly. “Do you bribe your ‘friends’ to pretend to like you, too?” 

The two continued to glare fiercely at each other. The air crackled with malignant energy, and I reached cautiously for my wand, heart rate spiking…

“You’re a waste of my time,” he snarled. “But watch yourself, Pimpernel. If you keep dragging your slime around, this year might just end up being your last.”

With that, Malfoy slid the glass door shut and strutted arrogantly back to his Slytherin clique. 

“What are you gonna do, Malfoy, tell your daddy on me!?” Scarlet called after him furiously. 

“Ignore him,” Minoes advised. “He’s not worth it.” 

Still, I saw that she had crumpled up her embellished parchment and was now smoothing it over. I slumped in my seat, still twinging with indignance. 

“Malfoy doesn’t typically wait for permission before he spews his bile,” I said flatly. 

“Of course, I understand,” she added quickly. “Being called horrible slurs like that, I’m sure it’s awful… Draco can be so immature. ” 

I sighed. I wished I could’ve fought back as fiercely as Scarlet, instead of falling into a moody silence like last year. I didn’t quite have the nerve yet, though.  

“Better a mudblood than a prat,” Scarlet muttered under her breath, pocketing their wand. 

“Yes, I would say so,” Minoes agreed coolly. 

I immediately decided to befriend them both. 

Fortunately, the rest of our journey resumed peacefully after that little incident. My companions and I fell into a nice rhythm, talking on-and-off between pastimes. I was surprised with how at ease I felt in their presence, considering that I had never properly spoken to either of them before. When the trolley witch hobbled by, we even shared a bag of sweets, which led to us scrambling after a runaway chocolate frog in order to keep the cats from poisoning themselves. 

All in all, I got disturbingly sparse reading done. By evening, the lamps had flicked on, our pets sleepy and quiet. Leaning against the window, I saw the cloud-filled indigo sky, and caught the first glimpse of Hogwarts’ archaic spires and twinkling lights 

The Hogwarts Express huffed and shuddered to a halt. Stretching, we guided the animals back into their carriers and filed out of our compartment to join the queue of yawning students. It was only now I truly realised how famished I was; sugar hadn’t really been enough to sustain me for the whole trip. 

“Jesus, my stomach thinks my throat’s been cut,” I groaned. “Well, I don’t reckon we’ll be sat at the same table, so it’s been nice chatting with you two.” 

“Oh, but that doesn’t mean we’ll never be seeing each other again,” Minoes said brightly. “I’m sure we’ll have classes together, just like last year.” 

“Maybe.” I smiled back, feeling somewhat hopeful. 

The night blanketed down thick and foggy, coating the ground in solemn, grey clouds, and it chilled me into a shiver as we left the Hogwarts Express behind. One of my favourite professors, Hagrid, was hailing us with a glowing lantern. I grinned and waved happily at him, but he was too preoccupied with corralling the rowdy newcomers to notice me. 

“Do you think we’ll be in the same potions class again, Minoes?” Scarlet called idly from behind me. “I know that you wouldn’t drop it, anyway.” 

For some reason, she sniggered. 

“Did you?” Minoes asked, arching one dark brow. 

“Nope! You’re stuck with me.” 

They drifted off into the Slytherin crowd and I lost sight of them. My body was still aching from being stuffed in a train car for so long. I climbed into one of the horseless carriages - though I knew from my own inquiries that they were pulled by the mysterious and fascinating thestrals - and slid in beside my housemate, Padma Patil. 

I felt a bubbly wave of giddiness wash over me again as we set off for the university proper; This year would prove to be a great one, I was sure of it. 

[theressomethinghappeninginparis]

So, it happens that I am correct. Like, after my third cereal bar I realized I'm all alone in here and need to get going. I'd love some water to refill my bottle, and splash my face in case some new alien thing pops up. It got better though. Plants I heard, plants it is!

Transcript of the first and second page: I entered the Biodome. Or at least part of it, since this is a kind of lobby to it. I took photos with my instant camera to capture the richness of the colors I saw. The view into this room was simply astonishing, like a secret hideout of nature. There were butterflies and other insects everywhere! The freshwater fountain in the middle had three gargoyle heads, one of which was pushed down. I suspect there has been someone here before me. There was also a moved wallbehind the stairs I came through, and the gargoyle head could have been a lever of some sort.

Transcript of the third and fourth page: This cross shaped fucker almost killed me! I got a scratch from it trying to snack me. Stay away! I promise this thing is sentient that blood is pumping through my veins. Cheesus, what a heartattack. Then I came across this plant and hurried up. It was breathing something greenish out, I left the place hurriedly afterwards. It smelled aweful too, I hope I won't get any side effects from this. How do I explain this to a real doctor on the surface?

Transcript of the fifth and sixth page: That was the only thing not trying to eat or hurt me, I think. It was an orchid my size, the most normal thing in here. It scented beautifully, yet I'm not sure how it related to the other plants besides it being enormous. These brown pods were stinking so much I took a photo a few metres away. Again, everything in there is either deadly or looked so suspicious I stayed away or literally snapped me so I left the room after gazing at the plants. Enough vegetables for now.

Transcript of the eighth and nineth page: The jokes write themselves! This is not enough vegetables, at least I don't know it these things are...plants or not. The next room as seen from the stairs are filled with glass vials in a row with animals/plants/whatever in there. Not all were filled though, but something was in the ones...that were broken. I kid you not. I got a few steps closer and these things look like insects or something? I want to note that nothing moved in there, they were just swimming in a liquid or jelly, I'm not sure.

Transcript of the tenth and eleventh page: When I got even closer these things looked like shrimps? Yeah I'm just thankful they stayed in their pods and didn't break out like SOME POD DID. All of the vials were either filled with green liquid or only the glass was green, but thinkng about it I don't care too much. I'm leaving.

Transcript of the twelfth page: Here's the one open pod and my problem. So, what the fuck was in here? Where is it? And where does this lead to? As if I'm going to find that out. NOPE. Yeah, no.

I'm having enough of this crap, I'll continue cursing. Where's the door outside?

Transcript of the thirteenth page:

Here comes my problem. Number two. There is no door outside.

Yeah I am angry and aggressive and I don't know what to do or how to proceed. The door I came through is a dead end. There is not a single open door here, the electricity is still down, and I'm never ever going down the tun in which something- or someone- was in already. What do I do now?

How desperate am I?

Can't go back. I need answers. And to move on.

There's water down the glass pods and that's all I see.

If this is acid, I'll die.

In conclusion: a lot. I'm in lots of desperation.

I threw some of my sandwhich in there. It just floated and swam up and stayed the same even after ten minutes, just dissolved into flakes a bit. Acid would have corroded it, right? So I think I'm completely idiotic, but I'll put this book in my sandwhich's water proof ziploc and- swim.

Hopefully.

[eluryae]

Bar Fight

TW-Blood-Torture-Death

She leaned towards him, he did not move, whispering:

-We are looking for someone, a former partner who worked with you, Reslie Leslie, who could lead us to an old Eluryian mafia weapon cache. Instead of helping him, he answered in a loud and clear voice so that everyone around could hear them… "How does a cache of weapons interest a band of terrorists who are already a little too armed for my taste?" Seeing that it was not useful to keep any discretion, she slowly sat back towards her file trying to appear comfortable as well, her leg tapping nervously on the floor.

-Mr Charman, it is in the interest of everyone that we find this place, these weapons are necessary to allow the government to conduct exploration campaigns. He seemed annoyed. "Why don’t you go straight to Leslie, instead of pissing me off at home, I don’t want to help you, your sophisticated weapons and so-called magic powers don’t impress me." Surprised at the answer he gave her, as if offended, she tried to keep her calm, her leg tapping the ground faster. -We don’t know where he is, we just know his name, we thought… He interrupted him suddenly, the anger showed in his voice… "Oh, did you think so? Wow, how amazing … I’ll tell you." He pointed at the window.

-Not even 50 metres over there, you have a government camp that will have no qualms about killing anyone, so much so… He pulled out a silver pistol from his jacket and pointed it at her. His annoyed tone had become threatening, ready to explode and empty his magazine on Morigan… "If I wanted to, and I want to, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to put a bullet in your head." Bam, like that. And you know what? I’m sure your little friends wouldn’t even dare to fight back.

Because you would be afraid to kill me, not me… He reloaded and brought his pistol closer to Morigan’s forehead, she did not flinch, any expression, even stress had disappeared, his leg had stopped beating, but he did not notice it. -Because I am in control, without me, everything collapses, I have food, I control you. And you know it… As soon as he touched Morigan’s front, two shots were heard, coming from Kyria’s pistol next door, which had just shot two of the four guards who were supposed to protect the man in supposed control of the situation.

-What is… The latter looked away for half a second, Morigan reacted immediately, she took her head and put it on the table, took the weapon from his hands and shot without hesitation at the two guards who were already in bad shape and wanted to run away to get help. With a skillful hand, she then began to disassemble the gun piece by piece. -Taaah, raaah, ah boordeeel…You little…Uuugh… "Why don’t you have a drink?" As she said this, she looked at him with contempt and fury, and the pistol she carried herself on her belt itched him… Maguanda brought him two glasses and a bottle full of a slightly opaque white liquid, mountain liquor… "You are going to let go of me." She shattered the glass on his head… More or less thick debris scattered throughout the bar. "Aaouuh!" He was almost moaning, she opened the bottle and poured almost all of its content on the face and especially in the hair. "Hey, oh, raaah!" She then made him sit in front of him, and took out of his pocket a cigarette which she lit before him, looking at him with disdain. While he was bleeding from the temple, he was now scared, he patted the table with his fingers…

"You will kill me." Morigan blew his face… -No, you wouldn’t be of any further use to us…We won’t hurt you, and you’ll tell us where Leslie is… -You can go to hell… And it’s not by smoking my eyes, looking at me with a scornful air, and wetting my hair that you’re going to scare me… "I know." She took the bottle and poured the remaining contents into the other glass. "But by combining these ideas, I think this drink that you like so much is extremely flammable, isn’t it?" She dipped her cigarette in the glass, and a little yellow and blue flame began to dance in the liquid… She took the glass and drank it in one go, a little smoke came out of her mouth as she put the cigarette back in. -It would be a shame to see that hair burn, it could damage the bar… An expression of terror had filled the eyes of his interlocutor. -You wouldn’t dare… She interrupted him in the same way that he had by bringing the cigarette closer to his forehead still sweating with liquor. "If you refuse to tell us where Leslie is, I’ll burn your face alive." She then took one of the biggest pieces of glass that hung on the table and held it in front of him.

-If you refuse a second time, I will poke both your eyes out and bite your tongue so hard it will be more than one of the steaks you cherish… And if you still refuse to speak, I will open your belly… You will remain alive, but your intestines will have poured out in the open air… Have you ever seen a soldier still alive calling for help while desperately trying to hold his guts out of his stomach? No… Because you never fought…

He gasped, having trouble keeping his cool, while Morigan was perfectly calm, although his face betrayed his fury. "Oh, and if you try to run. Kyria here puts a bullet in your balls." In doing so, she showed the concerned with the piece of glass still in the hand, which reloaded. In a final wave of courage, or ignorance, he began to speak.

-You don’t have the courage… She closed her eyes, and sighed for three seconds.

-Too bad

She threw the cigarette at him with one finger, which slowly burst into the air and landed on his forehead which caught fire instantaneously, the burning continued from the hair to the neck, and the inflamed liquid fell on the ground like drops of lava. He began to scream in pain, his hair forming one great flame… "Aaaaah, help me !"

Morigan did not move, impassive, she watched him burn on the spot as his skin melted and fell into shreds, inflamed on the table, he tore his hair in pain and began to strike his head against the table. Morigan seemed bored and got up, she pulled him out of her seat and dragged him by the boot out of the bar into the street as his flaming head scraped the ground. His screams were less and less human. She put him on the ground in the muddy street, and shoved his head into it with her boot, the fire extinguished quickly, Morigan saw that his cape had also caught fire, she also extinguished it with a gesture… Removing his boot from the man’s face, and raising it, his nose was twisted, broken by the kick, his skin was black and reddish but he did not bleed, the fire had closed his wounds, but not the pain. His eyes were surprisingly intact, but he was looking into the wave. His wheezing revealed burnt lungs…

Morigan, without a look of compassion, said: -Second chance… She lifted him up, he dyed standing in front of her for two seconds and began to run away, but took his feet in the mud, the incident and his lack of balance made him fall to the ground on his back… Someone raised him, Kyria, who without a word, kept his promise in a skillfully placed shot. He started screaming again and fell back to the ground, holding his crotch, already red with blood flowing… "Answer the question, or I’ll make you worse! I’ll tear your eyes out of your skull and feed them to fucking pigs!" She reloaded and stuck the gun on her forehead, the pain that it should have caused him did nothing, he no longer had the physical strength to react. -Last chance! He raised his hand before him, as the last barrier of an animal to protect himself from his predator.

-Uuuh… Uuuuh… Please… Leslie was a good friend… But he’s been missing for weeks… I don’t know where he is… "Tell us where his room is."

-His camp is in the shallows, just behind the river… This is the last time we met…

-Well, here we go… Kyria put her pistol in her holster and started walking towards Morigan who was looking away and finishing his cigarette with the rest of the group. Suddenly, in an almost inhuman voice, the man hails them.

-Eh…

Morigan looked at him with curiosity and walked toward him. He continued to speak in a desperate voice. "Why have you given up all morality? You were a model for Elury and its people…. He looked disgusted with what was left of his muscle. "To kill and torture, huh? Why?" She leaned towards him but did not look at him.

-I will soon die… So answer me… She raised her head towards him, tears flowed, her mask of fury had disappeared, only regret was present…

-Not a day goes by without my regrets, I have lost loved ones, I have lost my home, all… Do you understand this concept? This implacable truth of the death of a person who will never come back, with whom you will never again be able to laugh, fight, evolve, age… No… Because the only thing you care about is keeping control of others, you don’t love anyone, you have everything… His expression changed, in his fury that man knew only too well.

-So no, I have no regrets about a coward like you, and I would do anything to give Elury a second chance, even if I have to leave my humanity there… He looked at her almost comprehensively, perhaps sympathetically, but he could not say anything else, Morigan preceded him. -Kyria, finish her suffering please… She stepped forward and pulled the pistol out of her holster, as she lifted it up, the eyes of the man met his own, he saw the same thing as in those of Morigan, from regret… These women and these two men were martyrs, angels bearing death who had not chosen the path they followed, but the only ones capable of doing so…

A last shot was heard…

[exquisiteagony]

Bess’s warehouse was down at the end of a graffitied alleyway near the modest dockyard. It was a cheerful place, at odds with the dreary trash-riddled alley and the grim buildings that surrounded it; five warehouses that had changed hands to become two apartment buildings, one abandoned one home to rats and squatters, the trashiest bar Johnny had ever seen, and a nightclub named Mist who’s owner Johnny was sure was running a drug dealing and smuggling ring from the back of it.

Or at least Johnny had never seen a Mist patron who wasn’t high on steamfire or other drugs.

Talking of steamfire and clubs… He frowned, thinking. He’d heard from Middy about the hacker A.M., about how they’d deleted the data from a bunch of Castor’s biohacking experiments. Taz’s hypothesis was that they were a pissed off body-modder, or the friend of one. It didn’t really make sense, because that lot were mostly pretty chilled out, but if they’d discovered something…

Johnny snorted at that. They were all on steamfire, so they were usually discovering things. Most often it was each other’s bodies. He strode past the club, hood pulled up, and tried not to look around furtively for people watching him.

And this was why he rarely left the Workshop. The Workshop was a space he could control, but outside he felt horribly vulnerable. There were too many unknown factors, even on the main station of the Hangar. However much he dreamed about the day he could travel and not live in fear of God’s End, he’d shut himself into a cage of his own paranoia.

That paranoia wasn’t helped by the narrow alley. The buildings rose up on either side; great squatting giants that seemed to long to encroach on the alleyway, to gobble up its space and claim it for themselves. He shuddered, glancing up at empty windows like gaping mouths, and picked up his pace.

In the open doorway of one warehouse - Johnny wasn’t sure if it was one of the apartment buildings or the unclaimed one - two figures sat smoking from a pipe they were sharing. He caught a glimpse of sunken cheeks and hollow eyes watching him with disinterest as he passed, the smell of unwashed bodies reaching his nose.

Then he was past them, and raising his hand to knock on Bess’s door.

Rain dripped from the eaves as he waited - HSS-3 was always inexplicably damp, like it attracted all of the moisture from the Hangar - plinking into little puddles on the tarmac. The duo in the other doorway muttered to themselves, but then Bess was opening the door, welcoming him inside warmly with a beaming smile on her face.

“It’s good to see you!” she exclaimed, pushing the door shut before she wrapped him in a fierce hug. Johnny smiled, hugging back. His dark mood sloughed away from him.

“It’s been too long,” he said.

“You didn’t get too damp outside, I hope?” she said, checking him up and down. “It’s been extraordinarily wet today.” Her dark hair shone in the low light as her head moved.

Johnny shrugged. “It’s been fine,” he said. “I stepped in some puddles, but that’s it. Did it rain earlier?”

Bess nodded, turning to lead him to the kitchen. “First thing. Turned the whole station into a cloud. I could barely see a metre beyond my windows.” She gave a little shudder that made him smile again, opening the kitchen door.

He could tell from the rest of the place that she’d shut up shop for the day. There wasn’t much point in being open past red hour, as after that the buses were less regular, and very few fancied being out and sitting in the open waiting for the next bus.

Then she snapped the kitchen light on. He blinked, walking into the brightness after her, and took a seat as she went to retrieve her teapot and teas.

Now he was sat down again, relief flowed through him. He wasn’t out in public anymore, worried about the gaps in his network and knowledge, and he wasn’t rattling around in a horrible bus. Bess’s kitchen was still a little dark despite her turning the light on, but the darkness was soothing, calming. Her warehouse was secure and peaceful, safe, and he could relax again.

She returned to the table, a tray containing teas and the pot and two teacups in her hands. The tray was rather bulky and industrial looking, almost ugly but sturdy, whilst the cups and pot were delicate porcelain printed with flowers. She set it down and took the seat opposite him, unloading it. “So, to what honour do I owe your visit to?” she asked, sliding the empty tray aside and moving to go and boil some water.

Johnny sighed. “I got into a little argument with Samy,” he said. “Its - there's a lot going on, and this was just a bit too much.”

“You want to talk about it?” she asked carefully, returning to the table and letting him select which tea he was in the mood for. He indicated one tin, and she opened it to fill the infuser.

About Moreau? No. Bess was innocent to it all, and he knew it was selfish, but he needed to have someone he could trust who didn’t know about it all.

So he sighed. “Archie’s back,” he said. “He came to the Hangar to refuel, then went off into the Grey three weeks ago. He doesn’t look the same, and so no-one knew who he was until he introduced himself to Arttu and Mirko. They told Samy, and he told Middy and Taz, in case he turned up on Tortuga. But he never told me. I only found out today.”

“He was trying to keep it away from you so you didn’t get distracted from the other stuff?” she asked, putting the tea tins away in their cupboard before dangling the full infuser into the pot. She delicately draped the infuser chain over the side of the open pot then sat back down.

Johnny gave a wry smile. “He was trying to protect me, but that’s worse.”

Because it meant he hadn’t recovered from Dante-8, not really. It meant he hadn’t regained what the prison ship took from him, and that it was plainly obvious to everyone who saw him. Samy had tried to do the right thing, and maybe it had been, but Johnny didn’t have to like it.

And Bess got it. “You don’t want protecting.”

“I want to know there aren’t gaps in my knowledge. Archie hit my blind spot, and in Sal’s, of all places. If I have blind spots in territory like that, what else am I ignorant to? And is anyone using that? Is Rouge using that?” And that was it, wasn’t it? He swallowed. “Arttu got Swallowtail out of the Butterfly House.” Bess’s eyelashes fluttered as her eyes widened. “But how safe can I keep her if I don't know what’s going on?”

Bess nodded, silent in thought. “I haven’t heard anything,” she said. “I’ve had some of her lot come through in the past few days, and they’ve said nothing.”

“She’s canny enough to not tell her people much,” Johnny countered mildly. “Mauve is her only confidante, and she rarely leaves the Butterfly House.”

And why would she? If she was passing information onto the Complex, a brothel was the best place to do so. It was the perfect alibi for an official, and it kept her in safe, protected ground.

“But she’d have to tell her people something,” Bess said. “She doesn't leave that place much, either. It’s a big thing when she does. She’d need some of her ring to do her dirty work for her, so if she made a move against you, it would be one of them instead. Unless she’s somehow found a new supplier for them, and they’re talking with that one, you're safe.” She still scowled, but Johnny knew it was about losing out to some unknown supplier.

“I haven’t heard about any new suppliers,” he said. “I’ll ask Middy if he or Taz have noticed any weird things going on with goods, though.”

Bess smiled again. “That would be great,” she said.

Then the kettle whistled, and she started and stood to retrieve it before it could boil over. She filled the pot, slipping the lid on to let it infuse before she replaced the kettle on its burner base.

“This stuff that’s going on,” she began slowly, sitting again, “is it to do with Joel? I haven’t seen him for a few months, and there were some officials nosing around after him. I gave them nothing, don’t worry. I just said I recognised the name, but not the man, when they showed me a picture of him.”

Johnny was quiet for a few seconds. He didn’t want to tell her. He didn’t want this whole mess to take over every aspect of his life, but he’d come out here to talk to Bess, and he was drinking her cherished tea.

“It’s to do with the Scarm,” he said. “It’s explosion wasn’t an accident.”

Bess sucked in a breath. “Those poor kids,” she said, face twisting into sadness as she stared into the distance. “What could they have run into?”

“Something they shouldn’t have,” Johnny replied sadly.

Then the tea was ready, and Bess poured it.

who wants 1500 words from the third skydweller fic?

[callsignmercy]

No fear - Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky.

Prompt: Tom Kazansky has no fear. But maybe almost losing you can change that.

Words: ~3k

Warning: Iceman being a dick, crying, near death experience, language? Happy ending, fluff, Charlie being nice.

Note: Happy 100 followers to me! Thanks you everyone. Here’s an Iceman fic for you! Still having a writer’s block but hopefully I can get rid of it soon. Highly unedited. English is not my first language. Sorry for the easy vocabulary and bad grammar. Please do not republish translate or do whatever to my work.

Y/C/S: your call sign

Your RIO’s name and callsign: Jack/Sunset.

————————————————————————

Lieutenant Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky has no fear. He flies fast, with precision and never misses the target. As they say, ice cold, no mistake. And you resent him with every fibre of your being.

He’s so obnoxious and arrogant, always sure of himself. Everything that you are not. You’re cute and nice and kind and you wish you could show that side of your personality but in the field you’re in it’s impossible. Unless you want to be stepped on. You’re a woman, which doesn’t help your case in the first place, but being nice on top of it? No way. So you fake a mean attitude all the time, as well as a confident personality and you try to not take shit from anyone.

It’s hard but you manage.

The Top Gun class of ‘86 welcomed a woman for the first time in history and you wanted to make women all over the USA proud of it. You had fierce opponents like Maverick and Iceman but you wanted to prove them all that you were fit for the task.

They had all pretty much tried to flirt with you since the beginning of the week but you didn’t pay them any mind, not wanting to be affiliated with any of them. People might think that you were trying to get points by flirting with the others and you didn’t want any of that, so you stayed away from them.

The only one that didn’t come after you was Iceman. You didn’t really know why considering his RIO even asked you out, but you were grateful that at least one of them had a little decency.

He was polite and said hello to you whenever you passed each other in the halls and smiled at you but nothing more.

During a night out at the bar that you were mainly spending alone as your own RIO had decided he was gonna try his luck with one of the girls there.

Sitting at the bar you were nursing your cocktail, paying no mind to anyone, trying to have a little fun but not really succeeding in the task. The sound was too loud for your liking and the bar was packed. You couldn’t turn without bumping into someone. You really hated this kind of atmosphere but you played the part, not wanting to be considered dull for not enjoying yourself.

Your RIO kind of forced you to come, so you had to fake having fun but you would rather be in your room, reading a book or watching a movie right now.

Iceman noticed you sitting alone at the bar and walked up to you. “Having fun round here?” He asked. “Best time of my life.” You said sarcastically. “I can see that. Why are you sitting here alone?” “I don’t feel like talking to anyone or just being here altogether but Sunset kinda forced me to come, so here I am.” “You don’t like parties?” “No, I do, it’s just that it’s too packed and too loud for my liking and I don’t have any friends other than Jack and he just left to go see some girl so I’m on my own.” You answered.

“Do you want to get out of here?” He asked, which surprised you. “I wouldn’t want to make you miss the party or the opportunity to get home with a girl. I can stay on my own, don't worry. You should go back out there.” “It’s alright I don’t feel like it tonight, do you want to go get some food?” “Really?” “Yeah.” He smiled. “Alright.” You bit your lip. “Let me just go tell my RIO and I’ll meet you at the door.”

He nodded and you went to see Jack to tell him you were leaving. A few minutes later you met Tom at the door and you walked the few metres that separated you from the diner.

You spent the evening talking and laughing with Tom. It felt easy and nice to be able to talk with someone other than your RIO. You didn’t feel like he was trying to flirt with you which felt nice for a change.

After a few hours you both went back to base and he bid you goodnight before going back to his own dorm room.

You went to sleep that night with a smile on your face and the feeling that you had made a new friend and didn’t feel so lonely anymore.

As you headed to class the next morning you harboured a soft smile on your face which differed from the hard look you usually had. When you entered the classroom all the guys were already here smirking at you. Your smile disappeared as you felt this couldn’t be a good omen.

You decided to sit down next to your RIO, as usual, without paying any mind to any of them but they kept smirking and shaking their heads.

“What’s happening?” You whispered to Jack. “Apparently you slept with Iceman last night.” He murmured. “Excuse me?” You said, louder than expected.

You turned your head to Iceman. “Care to explain?” You asked him with a cold tone. “It’s okay sweetheart. I asked where he went last night and he told me he left with you and he didn’t deny when I asked him if you fucked so…” Slider answered for him. “Why are you lying to them? You know nothing happened between us.” You exclaimed, still looking at Tom, ignoring the others. He shrugged, unphased and you scoffed, shaking your head before facing the board in front of you as Charlie came through the door.

You tried to focus on the course Charlie was teaching but knowing that nobody respected you anymore because of a simple lie was destroying you inside.

You knew people would assume you really did it, and that you did it to get in Ice’s good favour and score more points like this. And on top of everything, you knew that if it were to be known by any superiors, you might be dismissed and removed from the program for it, ultimately penalising your RIO as well. The image of women in the navy and in any army corps would be worsened and they wouldn’t be taken seriously anymore as everyone would assume they were all like you.

You almost cried in the middle of the classroom that day, thinking about what you had done. Which, in the end was, well…nothing. And yet, men won again.

So that day you decided that for the remaining of the thirteen weeks of the program, you wouldn’t talk to any of them, unless absolutely necessary, and keep any communication to the bare minimum.

And you had never felt so lonely in your life.

You weren’t the nice, kind and cute woman you were before entering Top Gun, or the stern, emotionless woman you appeared to be at the beginning of the program. Now you were just plain empty. Neutral face on, at all times, no more smiles, no more charisma, no more hellos and goodbyes to your comrades. You didn’t speak a word to them anymore, you didn’t smile at them, didn’t participate in class, nor volunteered for anything. Everything felt dull.

Jack, your RIO felt it too, even though you still spoke to him, he felt like you weren’t your usual self. He knew the real you, the cute and kind you, the always nice and polite you but now this part of you was gone.

“Are you alright?” Charlie asked you one day at the end of a class as the last of your comrades walked out the door. You put on a fake smile and nodded. “You don’t have to lie to me, you know. I can see something is wrong. Also Maverick told me.” She admitted. Your smile faded as she spoke the last words. “Then you already know the answer.” “You know, they’re still boys in their head, they don’t understand that we feel emotions differently than them and they don’t know how such lies can affect our lives. They believe it’s pointless, that nobody will pay any mind to it but they’re wrong. Maverick and Goose know it, if it can make you feel better. They know you didn’t do anything and it was just a lie. They feel sad because you don’t talk to them anymore, they really enjoyed your company the first few days before it happened. They told me that you were really nice and that they enjoyed talking with you and Sunset.” You gave her a small crooked smile before thanking her and leaving as well.

—

At the end of the thirteen weeks Iceman and Slider won Top Gun with you and Sunset coming second. You didn’t really mind that they won, you managed to make some people proud and you hoped women would be more considered now that you had proven you were capable.

Everyone was having a really nice time at the party. You were conversing with Jack when you saw Iceman approaching you both. You turned your back to him, still not ready to face him nor talk to him. You knew he wasn’t going to apologise for anything.

You didn’t see it, but his expression saddened when he saw you turn your back to him. Jack saw it too and understood your move. He got up to approach Iceman in order for him not to get too close to you. “I just wanted to say congratulations to you both.” Iceman said. “You did a really great job together.” “Thanks man, we really appreciate it.” Jack answered, shaking Tom’s hand.

Iceman’s eyes wandered above your RIO’s shoulder, seeing you were still ignoring him. He smiled at Sunset again and left with a small sigh.

“Thanks for this.” You told your RIO. “I’ve always got you, you know that.” You gave him a small smile. “Why do you still not want to talk to him? It’s been like twelve weeks.” “You don’t understand the power a small lie like that holds. It can literally ruin my career.” “How so?” He asked kindly. “Well first of all, he lied to everyone, it’s something everyone believed I did, and after that everyone was going to think that I slept with him to get an advantage on the ranking. Second of all, if it were to be known by any of our superiors I could have been sent back to our squadron, and you would have too, because we’re a team here. Ultimately losing any opportunity we had to finish Top Gun and humiliating every woman in the navy because I couldn’t keep it in my pants so every man would assume we were all like that and not give us chances anymore.” “Wow, I didn’t really think about all that.” He said, stunned. “Yeah, well now it’s done so let’s just go back to our lives and hopefully not see any of them again.”

Your hopes were cut short as you were immediately called for a secret mission along with Maverick and Goose and obviously Iceman and Slider.

As you were getting ready to go on the mission the next day, Iceman came up to you. “Hey, can we talk?” You jumped at the sound of his voice. “Jesus, give a girl a warning.” You replied coldly. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you, I just wanted to apologise.” “Okay, but I do not forgive you.” His expression dropped at your words. “Understandable.” Your face remained stoic while looking at him. “I don’t know why I did what I did, that was really stupid of me.” As you didn’t reply he kept going. “I really liked you, still do actually. And I realised how stupid of me it was to have lied like that.” “Then why did you do it?” “Honestly I don’t know, it was just supposed to be a joke and then Slider told everyone and it escalated and I’m sorry.” “You know I really liked spending that evening with you, I thought we were friends and then you screwed me over for no reason.”

“I know I’m sorry.” He replied, head low. “I wanted to ask you out on a real date.” “Well it’s too late now isn’t it? You’ve wasted every chance you had. And you know what? I think I would’ve said yes, because you were the only one that didn’t hit on me and the only one with whom I felt truly happy being with. But you’ve wasted this. And maybe I could’ve been happy right now, instead of being sad.” You say gripping your bag and walking out the door.

A few days later you were risking your life along with your RIO, and four of your Top Gun comrades trying to shoot down enemy MIGs. Maverick managed to shoot down three of them but one was following you and you didn’t seem to be able to lose him.

That’s when you felt it. Bullets shot through your F14 and you started losing altitude. Being unable to control your plane you quickly got closer to the ground. “Eject Y/C/S! Eject! Eject!” You heard Iceman scream through your helmet. Panic came over you as you were trying to recover your plane and not kill yourself and your RIO in the process. “For the love of God Y/C/S eject!” He shouted and you almost felt like you heard his voice break.

As Iceman saw your plane get closer and closer to the ground his eyes welled with tears. “Y/N!” He couldn’t help but scream. And as you nearly crashed on the ground you managed to restart your aircraft and shoot up to the sky. A sigh of relief could be heard from everyone through your helmet. “Why the hell didn’t you eject Y/C/S? You and Sunset could have died!” Maverick was the first to speak. “I went through something like that before, I knew I could escape and save my plane.” You replied. Iceman didn’t say a word, he was traumatised. He didn’t want to think about what could have happened to you and how he would have coped with it. It was all too much for him.

You managed to shoot down an enemy plane after that and complete the mission. The three aircrafts landed on the carrier. You didn’t want to think about what could have happened up there so you got down your plane quickly, followed by your RIO. “I’m sorry I put your life in danger, I shouldn’t have done that.” “It’s alright, I knew you’d either save the plane or we’d have to eject. I was waiting for your instructions, I trust you with my life.” You give him a soft smile and head to the office to debrief the mission.

On the other side of the carrier Iceman is stuck in his plane, not being able to move. Slider gets up from his seat and looks at his pilot. “Hey, you alright man?” Iceman’s head shoots up. “Yeah, uhm yeah, I’ll meet you inside.” He replies.

It took him a few more minutes and a mechanic to get him down from his plane. “You okay Lieutenant?” The mechanic asked. “Uhm, yeah sorry.” Tom replied and got up from his seat.

He headed towards the conference room walking at a slow pace, trying not to think about you. As he got up the stairs and opened the door to enter the premises he was surprised to see you sat down behind it. You were hugging your knees, holding your helmet and tears made their way up your eyes but didn’t seem to go down your face yet. You quickly wiped your face when you heard the door open and hurried to get up on your feet. Only to see that it was Iceman standing in front of you.

He looked at you for a few seconds before speaking. “You scared the shit out of me, you know that?” He said quietly, hurt evident in his voice. You looked down. “Is it going to become a habit? Breaking each other’s hearts like that?” He said and your head shoots up to look at him. “I could have lost you today and I don’t know what I would’ve done if something happened. Because now I can still pretend you’re going to forgive me for what I did and I still have a chance to be with you but if you had died then there would be nothing giving me hope anymore.” “Do you really believe what you said?” “Of course I do. I would never be able to apologise enough for what I did but I hope one day you can forgive me and my stupidity and actually go on a date with me.” He said hopefully.

You take a look to your right and left to see if anyone was there and grab Tom’s collar and pull him to you, crashing your lips on his. He was surprised for a second but quickly returned the kiss and pushed you softly behind an electrical panel so no one could see you. You break the kiss, gasping for air and smiling like a high school girl kissing her crush. He smiles back and kisses you again.

Now Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky only has one fear, the fear of losing you. But the joy of loving you is stronger than anything.

[landoncrris]

Can you do a fluff where it’s your baby’s first chels game and then they meet his teammates and it’s just so fluffy and cute🥰

the focus isn’t really on what you requested i’m sorry but i tried my best :’) hope you still like it xx

another one - mason mount x reader

REQUESTS ARE OPEN // MASTERLIST

word count: 1.9k

“I can’t believe it fits him so well already.” said Mason as he sat in the back seat of the car you were driving, together with your son Milo. You offered to sit behind the wheel instead of Mason so he could have a few moments with him before the game. He had admired him the whole way, had watched his eyes slowly fall shut and how the grip on Mason’s fingers was still tight, despite the slumber he was in. He had admired how well the Chelsea jersey with “Daddy 19” written on the back fitted him by now. Mason had bought it months ago, hoping that he would soon be able to wear it on his first visit to Stamford Bridge. And here you were.

“I know, he looks adorable.” you said, parking the car as you pulled into the car park outside the stadium. Luckily it wasn’t that crowded yet, as Mason had to be at the stadium much earlier before the game started.

“He might even look better than you in my jersey.” he grinned, turning his head to the side to unbuckle himself and Milo next to him. As he did so, he missed the way you rolled your eyes and only heard you scoff before getting out of the car. Mason gently took his son in his arms and tried to give him a few more minutes of sleep. He smiled at you as you opened the door for him before he got out and walked into the stadium with you.

“Let’s go, buddy, back to mummy.” he whispered as you parted, pressing a gentle kiss to his head before handing him back to you. But no sooner had he lifted him away from his chest, his eyes fluttered, only now waking up despite the loud noises around you for minutes. Milo immediately reached for Mason again, not wanting him to leave as you were sure he was his favourite person ever.

“I’ll be back in no time,” he smiled, nudging his little nose with his finger before lifting his gaze to you, “I expect to hear you both cheer me on all the way down there.” Mason said before pressing a quick kiss to your lips.

“Sure.” you say wryly, whereupon he frowned and pouted. Although he knew himself that wasn’t really possible, since his son could hardly say “mummy” and “daddy”.

“Just go.” you laughed and nudged him lightly on the shoulder with the hand that wasn’t holding Milo, “Good luck.” you said and gave him one last brief kiss on both cheeks before he took off. You then went upstairs where his family was already waiting in his box.

The game went really well for Chelsea, but especially for Mason. And he couldn’t help thinking that his son’s presence on the bridge was a good luck charm. He was reminded once again, when you two and his family waved to him as he warmed up, that that was all the motivation he ever needed. And that he really was the luckiest man on earth and wouldn’t trade his life for anything in the world. What he didn’t see, as he was focused on the game for the next ninety minutes, was that despite the loud noise, Milo somehow managed to fall asleep a few times. Each time he was woken by the chants and yells of the fans when Chelsea scored a goal, but he never once cried, like you expected him to. Mason’s mother comforted him perfectly every time, for which you were more than grateful.

After the game was over, Mason’s family decided to keep you company so you wouldn’t have to wait for Mason alone. You sat at a bar and talked about everything while you watched Milo and Summer running around together, although you and Mason’s sister often shouted after them to be careful, which they obviously hardly acknowledged.

“Oh, hey, buddy.” you heard Mason say, whereupon you turned to see him picking up your son, who had run into him the moment he saw him a few metres away from you. “Did you have fun watching the game?” at which question Milo laughed, kicking his feet into Mason’s stomach excitedly just at the word “fun”, causing Mason to laugh too, muttering something else you didn’t really understand from where you were sitting.

“Hello, Princess.” Mason smiled down at his niece, who tugged at his sweatpants before making grabby hands in his direction, “You too?” she nodded frantically at his question. You heard Mason groan as he bent down to pick her up too, thankfully strong enough to hold a child on each of his arms. You watched him talk to them, and the sight of Mason holding them both made your heart beat faster. All of a sudden you couldn’t get the thought of having a second child with him one day out of your mind, which was why you didn’t even notice him finding your gaze and sending you a small smile.

What you saw again was Kai approaching Mason, sneaking up on Milo and tickling his sides, whereupon he let out a loud shriek. When he turned his head and saw who it was, he immediately pouted — an expression that looked so similar to Mason’s — and wriggled around in Mason’s arms, at which Kai gladly took over, as he was one of the few from his team who had already met the little boy a couple times.

“Go back to Mummy, Summer.” said Mason as he put the little girl back on the floor, whereupon she immediately ran over to her and tried to sit on her lap, as all the running around earlier had made her tired. Mason also made his way over to you and greeted everyone before turning to you.

“Well hello there, pretty girl.” he pressed a kiss to your forehead. You rolled your eyes at his words, but you still wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned against him. “He wasn’t bugging you too much, was he?” asked Mason, fearing that he was and that it was his fault because he was the one who had practically begged you to finally take him to the bridge.

“No, don’t worry. He slept through most of the game.”

“Oi, so you’re saying that watching me play is boring?” he gasped, offended, and took a step back from you, whereupon you could only roll your eyes once again. Most of the time having the feeling that he was more of a child than Milo was.

“He is a one year old, Mason. They sleep.” you huffed and heard him grumble a little in response, but at least he came closer to you again and put his arm around you too. You both said goodbye to his family, who were about to head home now that you were no longer alone. Before you and Mason watched as Kai threw your son into the air, his loud giggles could be heard throughout the whole room.

You could also see more teammates coming out of the locker rooms, most of them stopping next to Kai. Immediately recognizing Milo from Mason’s Instagram and all the photos he proudly showed around the team every now and then. Reece was the first to look around at you two and silently asked you if he could hold him too, to which you nodded. And over the next few minutes he was passed from one man to another, everyone standing around him wanting to finally meet him too. Luckily, Milo was not one to shy away, so he quickly laughed with everyone, and you were sure he had already forgotten that you and Mason were there too.

“Yeah, all right, I’ll get him back and then we can go.”

“No stress, I have time.” you said with a shrug, hoping they would keep playing with him so he would get tired again and not annoy you when you got home. But Mason didn’t listen to you and went over to remind his son of his existence anyways, as you were sure he was jealous because he didn’t have all his attention now. Especially since he missed him just by being gone for two or three hours. You watched him say goodbye to his teammates before you made your way back to the car together.

As he drove you all home, your thoughts drifted back to the image of him holding the two children. That thought immediately brought a smile to your face. You and Mason had agreed years ago that you wanted at least two children, but the subject never came up again, so you weren’t sure if a second child was something he would want now. And you weren’t sure either if you wanted that, even though you liked seeing him like that so much. Milo had just got out of the habit of not letting you sleep more than three hours a night, and you weren’t sure if you could do that again so soon.

“Where’s your head at, love?” asked Mason, stroking your thigh comfortably with his thumb. His words made you look at him, noticing that you’d been staring out the window for a while now. And though it was normal to sit in silence, he could tell by the smallest details when you were lost in thought. Out of the corner of your eye, you could also see Milo sitting in the back seat, his head cocked to the side as he hugged his favourite stuffed animal close to him. Your heart filled with nothing but love as you thought of another child sitting next to him, the thought pushing all your worries aside for a moment.

“What if we get another one?” the words left you without another thought. When you looked at Mason again, you saw him frown a little and cast a sideways glance at you to read your expression.

“Another one?”

“Yeah, you know. Another child.” you shrugged. You felt like your heart was beating out of your chest as he just stared blankly ahead, afraid you might crossed a line or scared him. “It’s just— I know Milo is stressful, but I love every second of it, and we never wanted them to have too much of an age difference and—” You were interrupted by Mason pressing his lips to yours. Through your stammering, you didn’t even notice that the car had stopped and he was just staring at you with a big grin on his face.

“Mason the traffic—“

“Shh, it’s red.” he whispered, taking your face in one hand and trying to kiss you some more. And you let it happen for about five more seconds before pushing him away, a pout showing on his face. You then turned his face back to the cars in front of him, whereupon he just chuckled and tried to annoy you by still looking over at you instead.

“If you kill us, we can’t do it at all, Mason.” you said, at which point his gaze finally returned to where it belonged. “So, was that a yes?” you asked, hoping the answer would be yes, but the smile on his face already told you so much that your stomach was already filling with excitement.

“A thousand times yes.”

[racinggirl]

comfort || daniel ricciardo 3

type: one shot pairing: daniel ricciardo x reader word count: 1.2k summary: a fluffy daniel, taking care of you when it's that time of the month. requested: yes! “Hi! Can I request a Danny fic where he takes care of the reader who is on her period? Just something cute and fluffy 🥰” (by anon) Requests are OPEN!!! warnings: period cramps, LDR, just fluffy dan boyfriend notes: First of all, credits to GIF owner, love it. I am actually on that time of the month myself, so this came at the PERFECT time. Just wished I was y/n at this moment ;) also, I know it isn't long, but I hope you'll like it <3 (repost again, since Tumblr really doesn't like me)

my masterlist

Chocolate. Water. A good book. A happy movie. More chocolate. The only thing missing from your list was your boyfriend, your cuddly bear, your support and happy place.

Being on your period was something you hated, especially whenever you and Daniel weren’t together, mostly due to the fact he was out for races, which was exactly the case this weekend. It was Sunday, which meant race day for him and the 19 other drivers. Race day, a day you would usually attend, but this time, due to some assignments and work related things, wasn’t something that was scheduled for you.

You were on the big couch in your living room, a bar of chocolate on your left, a bottle of water on your right. The book you just finished was on the table in front of you, a movie you were watching on the big tv a few metres in front of you. Cramps were overwhelming you, making you curl up in the blankets, a hot tea in your hand as you sipped it, hoping it would calm your cramps down.

Normally, Daniel would place his warm hands on your lower stomach as you would lean against his chest, the both of you either on the couch, in bed, or in a warm bath he’d make for you, filled with lavender, candles and a nice music in the background. However, he wasn’t here right now, meaning you were all on your own in your shared house.

‘’y/n?’’ You had answered a phone call you received from Daniel, a smile on your lips as you heard his accent, the way he pronounced your name felt like the best thing ever, it was like music to your ears.

‘’Danny, hey.’’ You whispered, your eyes closed as you imagined him being here by your side. You loved him, so much, he came into your life when you needed him the most, and he never left.

‘’What’s up baby, you sound, off.’’ He frowned, making you sigh quietly. You didn’t want to tell him, simply because you didn’t want to worry him. He was about to get into his car, getting ready for the race, one of his favourites.

‘’Nothing, I’m just a little tired, work and school was a lot today.’’ You tried to sound somewhat excited, not too much, but at least enough so he wouldn’t suspect a thing.

‘’Are you sure?’’ He asked, making you nod. ‘’Yeah, positive, I think that I’ll take a good nap after the race.’’ You smiled, switching the TV from the movie to the race, so you could watch.

‘’Alright, promise me you’ll sleep and give Coco a kiss for me.’’ You laughed lightly, looking down at the puppy with a smile on your lips. ‘’I will, don’t worry, she misses you too.’’ You heard a chuckle from the other side of the phone, along with some fumbling around, a door closing as well.

‘’And I miss my favourite girls too.’’ He says, making your heart beat a little faster.

‘’Goodluck, you’ve got this and no matter what…’’ You said. ‘’You’re proud of me.’’ Daniel finished your sentence, your mantra you told him every single race week, your safety procedure.

‘’I love you.’’

‘’And I love you, bye love.’’

He ended the phone call since he had to get ready for his race, and you simply patted the spot next to you on the couch, allowing Coco to jump on top, crawling closer to you to comfort you. They say dogs feel emotions, meaning right now, Coco would probably feel the sadness or discomfort you were feeling at this moment.

‘’Hey Coco.’’ You whispered, gently stroking her soft blonde hair, giving you the rest you needed. ‘’You miss him too, don’t you?’’ You mumbled, giggling as you saw a yawn coming from the golden retriever next to you. ‘’Yeah, I’m tired too.’’

You and Daniel decided to get a puppy, simply because Daniel would be away a lot this year, and you’d be at home, working from home and following a course along side your working hours, wanting to make promotions in your current job. Coco was the perfect dog, still a puppy, meaning she’d be playful, and perfect to cuddle with whenever you missed Daniel.

The race went alright. Daniel managed to get fifth place, his best result yet this season, and you decided to send him a text message.

Hey you, well done baby. I’m proud of you, I knew you’d make it up there. Coco and I have been cheering for you the entire two hours – the race had been delayed due to heavy rainfall – and right know we’re going to sleep. I’ll see you in two days, since you’re coming home then, right? Anyways, have fun at the afterparty and I can’t wait for you to be home, summer break, finally. Love you xx

You indeed fell asleep, but instead of falling asleep in bed, you fell asleep on the couch, Coco next to you, curled up to comfort you with your cramps. However, hours later, you started to wake up due to a soft hand on your cheek.

You opened your eyes, no longer feeling Coco next to you. ‘’Coco?’’ You whispered, but your heart started to beat faster the moment you saw those eyes, the ones you fell in love with years ago. That smile, the one that would light up millions of days, and that soft voice with the Australian accent.

‘’Hey baby girl.’’ Daniel whispered, a smile plastered on your lips as you wrapped your arms around him. ‘’Daniel, what, how, when?’’ You couldn’t even create a proper sentence as you were shocked. How did he get here, he was about to come back in two days, not two hours.

‘’I’m glad to see you too, baby.’’ He chuckled, pressing his lips on your for a few seconds. ‘’Why didn’t you tell me you were on your period, love?’’ He mumbled, rubbing your cheek with his thumb.

‘’I didn’t want to worry you…’’ A sigh escaped his lips as he took place next to you, Coco in his basket, Daniel lifting the shirt you were wearing, which was actually his shirt, just to place his warm hands on your lower abdomen, knowing it calmed you down. ‘’How do you know it’s my period?’’ You then asked, your head resting against his chest.

‘’I keep track of it, darling, it’s in my phone.’’ He whispered, his lips placed against your temple. ‘’The bath’s ready, lets go, let me take care of you.’’ He mumbled, a soft smile on his face, the small hairs of his beard tickling your cheek. You nodded, humming as you walked up the stairs, on your way to the bathroom which was filled with candles, a movie, a nice lavender scent and a smiley Daniel.

‘’Thank you, really.’’ You whispered once you were sat in front of your boyfriend in the bathtub, your back resting against his chest, his hands on your lower stomach, lips attached to your neck and shoulders as he covered them in kisses.

‘’You know you don’t have to thank me, sweety.’’ He mumbled, creating tickles on your shoulder. ‘’I’d do anything for you, you know that.’’ His hands made his way to your shoulders, giving you one of his gentle massages before placing them back on your lower stomach.

‘’I love you.’’

‘’I love you more.’’

[knockyasocksoff2022]

Chapter Four: Jump

Junichirou Tanizaki's perspective

Ozaki-san presses the screen and it disappears back into the wall again, the face of the blond convict vanishing with it. 

-

When we leave the room the door shuts silently behind us, but the clicking of the lock echoes down the corridor. I follow Ozaki-san and Nakahara-san back into the lift. It drops fast. I can hear air whistling past us and I crouch instinctively. Nakahara-san laughs. Ozaki-san hits him again. Ah, he must have used his ability to speed up the lift’s descent. I laugh too.

We’re a few floors down according to the lift’s digital screen, and when I step out it takes me a second to fully realise just how big the space is. It must be at least three floors made into one big open gym area. There are training apparatuses everywhere, far beyond anything the agency could ever dream of affording. Climbing equipment from floor to ceiling, suspended in air and even mounted on the walls. The floor is covered in sparring mats and there are shelves of training weapons on every wall. They have a moving target simulator, for crying out loud. I mean I figured the mafia had money but not like this. There’s someone using the simulator, but all I can see is a blur of black hair and the silver glint of a blade.

“Yo! Welcome to the Training Room.” I have to look up to find the source of the voice. 

Tachihara is sitting on one of the highest climbing bars, looking down with a light, but still slightly sceptical expression. There’s something guarded in his eyes, he’s afraid of me. Is that a good thing?

To his credit his voice shows no trace of fear, of course it doesn’t. “I’m Tachihara, the leader of this Battalion. If you can make it all the way up here I’m sure you’ll fit right in.”

I turn back to Ozaki-san and Nakahara-san, they just stand there with neutral expressions, waiting to see what I’ll do.

I take a breath, taking in the space, inhaling the scent of it. Tachihara must be at least 12 metres up, is he crazy? There’s a large climbing wall, suspended from the ceiling. No, too easy. I see a stack of mats and a few bars lower than the one Tachihara sits on. 

I should use Light Snow so they can’t see how badly I’ll fail but that would defeat the point. I get a running start, pushing as hard as I can off the floor, launching myself into the air. 

Too far. 

I can tell I’m going to miss my mark, that sinking feeling that fill your entire stomach when you miss a step on the stairs and your foot is falling through the air and you just know you’re gonna end up on your butt. But I shove the panic down, praying it doesn’t show on my face, and use the momentum to propel myself onto a hanging platform and do what I hope is a graceful roll. The platform sways unsteadily under my feet. I don’t think, I just jump. 

By a miracle I manage to grab onto a low bar and swing myself up. Pausing for a breath, I survey my new surroundings. The ground is smaller now and doesn’t draw my focus, my eyes are on the climbing wall. It’s suspended a few metres beside me, right across from Tachihara. A jump like that is definitely out of my skill zone. When did I get so ambitious?

My gaze flickers to the Battalion leader. He looks at the climbing wall and then to me, arching an eyebrow. It’s darker than the rest of hair, is he not a natural ginger?

I force my thoughts back to the present. Heat rises. It’s warmer up here. 

Before I’m even thinking I’m standing, jumping, swinging from the bottom of the highest bar onto the wall. It shakes and suddenly the foot holds are moving under me shifting and retracting and popping up again, like that carnival game where you have to hit the mole. I start to scramble for the top of the wall but the way Tachihara is looking at me, like he knew this would happen, I’m sure he did, just makes me more determined. 

As I feel the footholds under me start to pull away I jump again, letting my weight take me to the bar. The air racing past me feels good. I don’t want to stop, but I can feel myself tiring, the energy seeping out of me. I use the last of my strength to swing up and suddenly the world is small. I can see the entire training room. I’m at the top.

I look around for Tachihara and find him standing casually on top of the wall, perfectly steady whereas I struggle to stand on the swinging bars. His expression is cocky, the fear must have worn off then. “Huh? Not bad for a detective.”

Suddenly the bars are still, I’m grateful but the suddenness of it sends me stumbling forwards. I’m going to fall. Then there’s hands around my waist, and I’m safe again.

“Whoa there, a fall from this height would hurt like hell.” 

I nod, slouching down, still breathing hard and hug the wire that the bars hang from for support. The same hands are on my back, now, forcing me to stand straight. 

“Your form could be better, and you need more confidence, but I’ll admit I didn’t expect you to get up here. Ballsy move with the wall too, I think you’ll fit right in.”

His hands are still on me, making minute corrections to my posture, and as he does I swear it seems like the ground under me is becoming more stable, or maybe I am.

I didn’t flinch when he touched me, maybe it was because I was too afraid of falling. Maybe? I think this is one of those things I don’t let myself think about.

But still, I can’t help noticing how his touch is different from Naomi’s. Her hands are cold, always, her touch fluid and probing, pushing further, sliding over my skin, going places it shouldn’t. Tachihara’s hands are warm and solid, and they stay in one place, on top of my clothing, until he picks them up again.

He must be satisfied because he lets me go, shoving his hands back in his pockets. He’s looking at me, waiting for something. 

Now that I’m paying attention, I notice he’s guided me into a low crouch, still against the wire, but able to support myself more now.

“Thank you. I thought I was awful.”

He makes a face, “You weren’t. Trust me, I don’t like giving out compliments.” 

I don’t know what kind of person that makes him.

“Besides there’s no place for diffidence in the mafia.”

I look down at Tachihara’s feet, not the floor. He wears worn trainers with ratty laces that swing as he swings his legs.

“I’ll introduce you to everyone. Over there,” he points to the ground and I realise everyone is looking at me. “is Gin. They're a stealth and speed assassin. They don’t talk much, kinda creepy, but nice when you get to know them. That grandpa is Hirotsu, the blonde is Higuchi and, you know, Akutagawa. I heard you gave them a run for their money.” He chuckles again. There’s much more laughing in the mafia than I thought there’d be.

“Tanizaki-kun!”Nakahara-san calls my name, and I realise belatedly that I never introduced myself to Tachihara, but it’s too late now. They probably gave him my file anyway, however they got it. “Introductions are over, your first mission begins now.”

I feel my breathing quicken, the ground seems farther and closer at the same time. Thankfully before I have to ask, Tachihara jumps. I follow his path down the ground, trying to exactly copy his movements.

I can’t thank him because Nakahara-san is already leading me out the door.

(meets Akutagawa. gets message from Dazai saying bosses are okay and the hideout address)

(A/N: pushing my Tachihara does Parkour agenda. Also HC that Tachihara is very tactile, whereas Junichirou isn’t as much because most of his experiences with physical contact are with Naomi, which he doesn't enjoy that much.)

A sample of my Junichirou Tanizaki Port Mafia AU

Chapter One: Bloodthrist

Junichirou's Perspective:

My heart beats violently in my chest, from running up all those stairs and from what I'm about to do. I am afraid of course, of the potential retaliation, what this could mean for the agency in the aftermath, for my sister. But for the battle to end, this is our only option. In this fight someone will have to lose their life. This is necessary, I will do what is necessary, to save the Agency, and my sister. Let this life put an end to it all.

Just as I plunge the blade down there's a flash of light and it's cut in half before it reaches its target. There's a hand around my wrist that feels almost solid but not quite.

"Forgive me, child, if this man dies, the mafia will return to the form I detested so." It's a woman's voice, and its presence fills the whole room.

I turn.

The woman herself matches her voice, commanding, brown eyes with a sharp gaze, held on me. Feeling useless I consider dropping the knife. I consider it, but I don't. Instead I tightly grip the end with the handle and make myself disappear.

"Visible or not, your bloodthirst is clear to me. I hesitate to wound one of Kyouka's colleagues but . . ." I swear I hear her sigh, and then there's a whooshing sound, the room is filled with knives. Only one blade but it moves so fast I won't possibly make it out alive. And she knows it, I can tell.

"There's no use hiding, Tanizaki-san. I can still hit you, and don't bother with the window, unless Dazai's suicide obession has rubbed off on you, that is." She just stands by her boss's bed, not bothering to ferret me out, like she knows she's won.

Anger burns hot in my chest turning the room red, but it's useless. I can't touch her. I'm useless.

"You'll still be useful to us without all your fingers, and I think you would prefer I found you, not my Demon. Wouldn't you agree?" She has a determined expression, it turns tired when I don't respond, "I can feel your bloodthirst from here, this is surely getting boring for the both of us. Reveal yourself."

She takes me by the scruff of my shirt neck like I’m some lost kitten and I wonder why she doesn’t restrain me more, but I guess with her gift she assumes I would be too afraid to run. She’s right.

"Good. Now, let's talk business."

(A/N: This is very experimental, I really just want to see if people like it. If you did enjoy this pls like, reblog, and/or comment to let me know. I am writting a second chapter but I'm kind of unsure where the story will go after this. Also I'm still deciding whether or not to include Tachizaki, I know they're a popular rare-pair, should I? If I include Tachizaki I'm thinking of calling it: What does the Tripartite Scheme have to do with Midwinter Snow. Is that a good name or too cringey?)

[adventuresinobx]

Nashville

Drew Starkey x fem!reader

Summary: Drew invites you to his friend’s stag do in Nashville, but when he goes out with his mates, he doesn’t expect to run in to you - and he’s completely floored by how good you look. All he knows is he now needs to get you home, and quickly. 

A/N: Sooo my bestie @starkeyobx gave me a very specific request for this one - and it’s her dream life - so you can totally blame her if you all get horny over this one 😂

Warnings: Lots of smut, dirty talk, the usual...

Drew didn’t know why he invited his girlfriend to a stag do. It seemed strange when he said it out loud, but when he thought about it to ask you it sounded like a good idea. You and Drew had been dating for a couple of months, but you’d spent half of that away from one another - work had made it impossible for you to get where he was and well he was busy anyway, squeezing everything into a few weeks so he could get back to his hometown and you quicker.

He didn’t want to say those three words quite yet but he felt he was close. No it hadn’t been that long but he was very sure about how he felt about you. He thought you were the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on and he did his best to show you that every single day.

It was the night of the stag do, and whilst you and Drew had spent every other waking moment in Nashville together, tonight he was going out with the boys to celebrate his college friend’s upcoming nuptials. You and his brother’s girlfriend - who was also there for the trip - had decided to just have a girls’ night in with some wine and a movie, which you were really looking forward too. That didn’t stop Drew acting devastated that you wouldn’t be there with him tonight.

“I’m gonna miss you baby,” he said, winding you up as he leant in for 100 more kisses whilst you tried to duck away and watch the movie. He kept moving his head into your face, begging for kisses, and as much as you would miss him, you really were getting to the crux of the movie. Your eyes were focused on the screen and not him as you leant in for a few quick kisses, barely giving him a second glance as your eyes trailed back to the cute guy on the screen. Your childhood crush.

“Mhm, have fun babe, miss you too,” you mumbled as Chase and Charles, and some of his other friends all but dragged him out the apartment you were renting and out on the town. “Bye babe,” you shouted to him, putting your hand up and waving but not looking back, as the door shut behind you, “Have fun.”

“Finally,” you said, looking over at Sophia who was sat about one metre from you, a bowl of popcorn between the pair of you. Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, she laughed, noting how your boyfriend absolutely couldn’t get enough of you.

“He’s a man obsessed,” she said.

**

A few more hours had passed and you found yourself out in Nashville town having a whale of a time. After the movie finished, you and Sophia had got yourself all glammed up and headed out for a few drinks. The boys wouldn’t be home til late - and they’d probably all end up crashing at someone else’s apartment anyway.

“You’re drunk,” you text Drew back, jokingly using a disapproving emoji as he sent you a message where everything was spelt wrong and all jumbled up. “Don’t you have your autocorrect on?” Another text quickly came back, just as jumbled as before and you decided to wait to reply to that one for a little bit.

You and Sophia were sitting by the bar at this Nashville karaoke bar. It was quite quiet, a little bit of a buzz, but the night was still early in a way so not many people were brave enough - or drunk enough - to get up there and sing quite just yet. As you and Sophia ordered another round of cocktails, you clinked your glasses together and discussion soon fell to your boyfriends.

She had been with Drew’s brother for two years now, and you had yet to properly meet his family - that was about to happen in a couple of weeks’ time - so she gave you the lowdown on what it was like, singing his family’s praises the whole time. “They’ll love you,” she kept telling you, reassuring you that you were perfect for Drew.

Your conversation was soon interrupted by a sudden rowdy crowd of people piling into the bar. You turned your head to look, and then your eyes locked on him. Your boyfriend, surrounded by his friends, causing all that noise and chaos. He hadn’t noticed you yet, which you were partly glad of; he had no idea you were going out and you didn’t want his eyes falling to some random girls in a bar. You couldn’t help but notice him though.

You hadn’t really seen him much before he went, more desperate to see your movie crush. But now you were transfixed on him. He was wearing a button up black shirt under his suit jacket, some striking white details on it. He looked perfect. His blonde hair - a recent change - was perfectly styled on top of his head and when he turned around to take his jacket off, you noticed how good his ass looked in those pants.

“Turn around,” you text him, wanting him to notice you first across the room. He had obviously felt his phone buzz, pulling it out and looking at his screen with a confused face. He scanned the bar, before his eyes settled on you and you gave him a light wave. He tapped his brother’s shoulder, gesturing over and soon the two of them were making their way over to you.

Your jacket was draped over your shoulders so he didn’t get a good look at you and your outfit until he helped you off the stool to give you a kiss and a hug.

“What are you doing here -“ he began to say before he cut himself off with a “woah”, as he drank in your appearance. He helped you stand, the jacket slipping off you - which he quickly bent down and picked up for you - before his eyes fell across your body. Suddenly, he was absolutely stone cold sober.

“Hey baby, you having fun?” you asked, leaning in for a kiss. He obliged, but his eyes were still transfixed on you. You were wearing a beautiful dress which curved against your body in every place you wanted it to. The hem was short so he could see your thighs and that just the end of that little birthmark he always kissed when he was between them. His hand fell to your waist as he noted your chest, your dress barely able to hold everything in place due to its low cut nature. He’d never really seen you dressed up like this before - and he loved it.

“Wow - you uh look beautiful -“ he managed to say, a big grin of his face as he drank your appearance in. He couldn’t get enough. He loved how good you looked; he was a man obsessed - and even more so after seeing you like that, his eyes never leaving your body.

**

About half an hour later, you were back over with his friends, a drink in hand as you and Sophia danced to the music. Drew, sat down on a bar stool, couldn’t keep his eyes off you and when you did a particularly racy dance move, he grabbed you back over to him, his hand snaking around your waist. You stood there laughing, the alcohol intoxicating, as he used his arm to pull you back even closer and settle you between his legs.

His hand fell down to your ass and he kneaded it through your dress, making you turn around and playfully smack him. “Don’t do that here,” you warned. He couldn’t help himself though, you looked so good and a tent in his pants was forming at the sheer thought of getting back to the apartment and you letting him have his way with you. You looked so good and he needed to tell you.

“Can’t help it, you look sexy,” he said, leaning in so his hot breath fell against your ear. You blushed, your hand moving to his arm as you danced your fingers along it. You did that to his cock all the time in bed, and you hoped it would remind him of those times. It definitely did because you felt him grab a handful of your ass again, his nails sinking into the flesh through the thin material. “Can’t help it,” he repeated, predicting you’d scold him again. But you didn’t. You wanted this too now.

“Grab my ass,” you told him and he obliged immediately, squeezing the flesh and making you bite your lip to stop a moan spilling out. You turned around to look at him, admiring him again and how his suit fitted him perfectly. You moved your hand down his body, over his thigh and felt him readjust at the movement.

“Drew c’mon, this was our favourite song in college,” one of his friends said, interrupting the moment as he dragged him off the chair and away. The guy was clearly drunk and Drew could hardly disagree with the groom to be. Your eyes followed as Drew and his friend moved to the dance floor, them all cheering them on as they danced their perfectly formed routine.

Whilst everyone else laughed, you felt a bit fidgety. Seeing him like that, rolling his hips and in that outfit, you wanted more. You needed more. You jumped up on the bar stool, squeezing your thighs together for some relief as you hoped this night would end quick so you could get back to the apartment you shared with him.

You crossed your legs, letting your hand move to your thigh, your fingers dancing over it as you imagined it was Drew’s. Your heart was racing in anticipation and all you wanted was for him to get you home and have you up against the wall, in the bed, on the sofa, anywhere you could. You needed it so badly.

You were interrupted of your thoughts when Drew came back over, his friends all laughing and patting them both on the back. You stayed quiet, your mind so consumed with thoughts of him. You’d let him take you right there right now if you could. His hand made contact with your thigh as he came over to kiss you.

You couldn’t hold it back now, and you grabbed his collar, pulling him in for a kiss. He was a little stunned but soon settled into it, making out with you as his hand ghosted over your thigh. With every touch of his fingers, you felt electric pulses course through your body. Your hand made its way to his blonde hair, your fingers lacing in it before you pulled and tugged at his hair as you deepened the kiss. You felt him moan into your mouth and you knew you were gone.

You pulled away harshly. “Please Drew take me home early,” you said, your lips moving to his ear and you moaning into them, “I need you to fuck me.” His hand fell to your ass and he pulled you up from the seat, grabbing your ass as he did. “I need you to slam me against the wall and fill me up as many times as you can,” you said, your voice a whisper but he could hear you clearly. “I want shower sex, I want you to fuck me from behind. Smack my ass, suck my clit in that way you know I love.”

It was all way too much for him. He needed it too.

“Fuck it, ok.”

**

You and him rushed into the bedroom at the apartment, your dress already hitched up and his belt unbuckled. He was carrying his suit jacket in his hand, which he promptly threw on the sofa. He pushed you lightly through to the bedroom, desperate to get his hands on you after all that teasing in the bar.

He was so in love with you and with you now standing at the end of the bed, he couldn’t help but grab your hands, squeezing them tightly. He looked at you in the eyes, a smile on his face as he took a moment to admire you and how beautiful you were. You looked stunning in that dress and the way you were smiling at him made him melt too. “You’re so beautiful,” he muttered, his head falling a little so he could kiss you passionately.

“So fucking gorgeous,” he murmured, letting his hands travel up to your hair as he tugged your locks lightly. He trailed kisses across your jaw and down your neck to your collarbone, your skin exposed there as he marked you. A few bruises would be left on your skin tonight but you didn’t mind, you loved when he got a bit rough and marked you as his. It made you even more horny.

“Can’t believe you’re mine.” The praise kept coming as he focused on ridding you of your dress and kissing every inch of skin he exposed, bit by bit. “Mama you look so good, can’t believe it.” More kisses all over your skin, him never letting up with all the affection and kisses. You were melting, completely in awe of him and what he was doing. He was the sexiest man you’d ever seen in your life and you couldn’t believe he was yours.

“Come here beautiful,” he said, pulling you towards him. He let himself fall onto the bed, making you perch on his lap, but not before he removed your dress from you. You were just in your lacy matching lingerie set now and you couldn’t lie that it made you feel good. He could see the confidence in your face and that only turned him on more. He loved when you loved yourself. And he had vowed to spend every second making you realise it.

You perched on his lap and slowly started to undo his button up shirt for him. Your fingers danced along each button, you kissing a trail down his newly exposed skin. One by one, button by button until his shirt was completely open and you could admire his chest.

“Baby you look so good,” you told him, worshipping his body just like he had done to you moments ago. You reconnected your lips again, only breaking away briefly to push the material of his shirt off his shoulders. Your hands then fell to his belt, fiddling around with it before you undid it and helped him out of them too.

Breaking the kiss again for a second, you moved yourself off of him so he could stand up and get rid of the trousers, leaving him in just his boxers, a tent already forming there from all the teasing.

“You think you can ride me today mama?” he asked, his breath ghosting against your neck as he kissed you there, pulling you back on his lap again as he went. “Want you on top today.” You nodded, biting your lip in anticipation; you loved when he let you ride him, his dick went so much deeper at that angle and it felt so good for you and you hoped for him too. You were growing even wetter at the pure thought of it; you needed him.

“Please,” you begged, watching him as he slowly stripped you of your lingerie. He unclasped your bra first, taking your nipple into his mouth roughly one by one and making your head fall on top of his. He was slow and steady, his tongue circling over your nipple a few more time before he tugged on your panties and pulled them down your thighs, letting them pool at your ankles.

You pulled at his remaining clothing, him helping you rid him of it. His dick sprung up against his tummy, you unable to hide the smile on your face as you ghosted your fingers over his length. You brushed your thumb over the tip, making sure to apply enough pressure to make his dick twitch under your touch.

He was smiling too, proud of what you’d done to him and he took himself in his hand, pumping himself a few times to prepare for you to ride him. It was one of his favourite positions and he loved how you felt on top of him.

“Get comfy then baby,” he said, gripping your hips and helping you to reposition on top of him. You loved riding him, it allowed you to kiss him, bite his neck, anything he wanted whilst your hips lined with his and you bounced on top of him. He held himself for you, moaning at the tightness as you sunk down on his length. Your lips made your way to his ear, moaning into it before you started kissing the weak spot on his neck.

He was already losing control, his hips thrusting up to meet yours as moans spilled from both your lips in unison. He felt so good, stretching you out like this. You were about to lose it; and the way he was throwing his head back made you so weak.

“I love you,” he mumbled into your hair, his hands helping you to bounce on his dick like he loved. “So fucking beautiful coming undone like this.” You squeezed your thighs together, only adding to the sensation for him and soon he was cumming inside you. He shot hot spurts of cum into you, you moaning as you felt him fill you up.

“That’s it princess, you gonna cum for me too?” he managed to say, still coming down from his own thigh but continuing to thrust into you slowly to help you ride out your own orgasm. His fingers fell between your bodies and he rubbed your clit furiously, making you fall over the edge too, a pornographic moan slipping from your lips as you did. Drew grinned as he looked down between your bodies. He gave you one final thrust, switching the angle a little so you could really feel him inside you, biting your neck as he did.

“Fuck mama, love filling you up. I love you,” he repeated.

As you clutched onto his broad shoulders and rode out your high, you were sure you felt that way as well, the three words spilling from your lips too.

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[jeskoholic]

A Little Piece of You Chapter 5: Extended Class Hours

This is chapter five of an ongoing series. If you missed out on the previous entries, you can check my masterlist here. Enjoy. ---

I had no real recollection on how long the cab ride was, only that I remember talking to the taxi driver about the exact directions heading to our apartment. He could for sure tell that I was drunk; I hailed a cab a couple of metres away from Skylight Hotel anyway and on a really interesting time of the night after all. I would even bet that I smell the part, too. Good thing he was used to picking up drunken college students from bars and assured me that I was one of the calmest passengers he’s ever had. Thank goodness that I managed to sober up a bit after that drinking session otherwise I would have been really talkative for the duration of the ride.

Well, I think anyone who would experience what Soyeon did to me would instantly sober up for sure.

God, what has happened to you, Yoon Jae-in? Things were so well before I went to the bar.

I should stop thinking of this right now. I don’t think it is the right time for this one.

After what felt like a really short cab ride, I managed to reach the foot of the high-rise apartment I live in. I paid the driver and wished him a safe trip home, but not before ensuring that I handed a little extra for his troubles. I won’t be able to come home if it was not for him, and since he was a good sport during the ride, I figured it was more than justifiable for a little extra cash for him. With a soft display of gratitude, he zoomed off into the night leaving me standing in the apartment’s façade merely lit by two side-by-side lamp posts.

It was rather expected for things to be really quiet as soon as I enter the tall establishment. Mr Kwon, a man who was in his late thirties sat on the apartment’s lobby as he was the guard in charge of night watch duty, greeted me with a nod and a seemingly teasing smirk before beckoning towards the stairs leading up. He knew something might have gone wrong (or right for that matter) for me to arrive home in this time of the night… or morning. I do, however, appreciate that he merely gave me a teasing smirk instead of something else nosy. It’s the small things like that that really make me appreciate this place I’m living in a lot more.

I walked two flights of stairs upwards heading to the apartment’s third floor where I lived with my older sister. The final steps of the wooden stairs creaked as I snuck by, trying my best to conceal any evidence of my late-night excursion. It’s was more or less two in the morning as well… and that came as a surprise considering I had no idea that we took that long on Skylight. I remember leaving at almost midnight a while ago, but maybe even that memory was jarred with the alcohol.

The apartment’s third floor only held two doors amidst a lengthy hallway, ours was on the immediate left; and since the other side of the door had no tenants whatsoever, it was solely just me and my older sis who were living in the floor. It was convenient for the most part as well, considering we both barely stayed: she has her job while I had school to worry about.

But then again, going home at this time is really peculiar. The worst part is, I really had no idea if she’s home or not; I purposely haven’t checked my phone in the past hours or so to focus on my night out with Kyungsoo and the others. I’m just pulling my chance that maybe she had some work-related things to attend to and she’d skip the evening.

I can only hope so much.

I keyed in the door and gently swung it with a squeak. Of course, it was the minimalistic white aesthetic of the place. White coloured furniture, ornaments, desks, and décor were everywhere, courtesy of the ‘cleaner’ aspect that my sister was going for. She’s a cleaning freak anyway, so I leave the designing and cleaning to her because she pretty much insists on doing it.

Our apartment had this living room as soon as the door opens, complete with the TV and all. The dining room and kitchen were located not that far from the entrance, only separated from the living room with a small hallway equally decorated with frames and ornaments among other things placed on shelves that I did not even have enough time to comprehend on. Further down that was my room and my sister’s was on the door right on the other side.

I treaded closer inside the carpeted floors after swapping my shoes for indoor flip flops, careful not to make any noise inside the really quiet place. The lights on the living room were on, strange enough, considering I don’t really remember myself leaving it like that when I left this morning. I could only assume that maybe my older sister came home some time while I was at school and headed off for her work. I can’t seem to track her schedule as it often changes.

Regardless, I was just happy that there’s no sign of her in the house and this little drinking session would dissolve into mid-air as soon as I wake up tomorrow. It would be as if nothing happened. I might sleep in a bit, but it’s easier to make up an excuse for that than for coming home late at 2 am.

My tongue tastes funny. I guess I should grab something to drink before heading to bed. Hopefully that would contribute dearly to pushing the alcohol off of my system.

I could only blame my post-drunken ass that I didn’t even bother to switch the lights on. I easily navigated my way towards the fridge as I had absolute knowledge of its location even in the dark. I only had to rely on the faint light coming from the living room to illuminate my path, but even that was not absolutely necessary.

The doors of the wall –mounted fridge swung open upon my touch and I carefully navigated my way through the multitude of containers placed on top of each other; a mix of cooking necessities as well as my noona’s favourite dietary snacks. I gently fished some of them out and placed them on the counter on my back just as I searched for the drink I was looking for. Honestly, I had no idea what kind of drink I was looking for, but on the back of my head, I could have sworn I saw a box of juice from this morning. I thought the coldness and the sheer change in taste would shift the alcohol off of my mouth.

Luckily, after a couple of minutes of searching (and a ton of tubs brought out to look for it), I finally found a half-full box of apple juice that I saw from earlier. I quickly moved to fish it out of the fridge while carefully replacing the tubs I took out.

Just as I placed the final tub back and finally moved to close the open fridge, the lights in the kitchen suddenly turned on and it immediately incited a quick fight-or-flight response in my head. I quickly turned around, and that enthusiasm immediately dialled down.

There she was, standing just outside the half-open door of the bathroom dressed in matching pink silk pajamas, her hair in a crippled mess from sleeping yet the top was held up perfectly with the thin band of the sleeping eye mask she was wearing.

I guess it was her who turned the lights on. I thought she was sleeping.

My sister, Bae Joo-hyun, stood there with an amused expression on her face as she crossed her hands in front of her body.

---

“Good… good evening, noona,” Jae-in mouthed in what sounded like a barely audible whisper. “I-I thought you were sleeping.”

“’Evening…?’ is it still night time, Jae-in? It’s two in the morning! Where have you been?”

“I… I got my classes extended.”

Joohyun raised an eyebrow.

“Sorry noona I just… I got stuck in a bit of a mix and… well, here we are. At least I’m home, right?”

“Are you kidding me? I was knocking at your room when I came home at 10 and I thought you were already sleeping! Had I not went for a pee, I would not have noticed you come in here late! Was this your plan to hide things from me, Jae-in? When did you learn to do that?”

“No I wasn’t planning to hide… I would tell it to you soon but … I don’t know. A lot of things happened and I just can’t bring myself to think straight. I’m sorry for not talking to you about this. It was sudden too, and I can’t do anything about that. My apologies, noona…”

“Then where did you come from? You better tell me the truth because you don’t have any good excuses at 2 AM in the morning. Go on.”

Oh shit

I guess there’s no point hiding it, then.

“I… I actually went to Skylight and drank with my friends…”

Silence

Joohyun sighed before pulling a dining table chair and proceeded to sit on it.

“Take a seat, Jae-in,” she said as she gestured towards the opposite side of the table. “Tell me what you need to tell me. I have plenty of time.”

“Are you sure? I mean, it’s two in the morning and I don’t want to eat more of your sleeping time so—“

“If that’s the case, then you better sit down and start explaining. Tell me what’s going on.”

Jae-in scratched the back of his head and visibly blushed. He was not totally into the idea of telling such an awkward story to his sister, especially with everything coming at him like a chaotic blur. He tried to recall things but it was such a huge mess with all the exhaustion, anxiety, and now the stress of her older sister sitting opposite him. Even with that, he moved to sit opposite Joohyun without any real plan in his head, merely just to face the wrath that is Bae Joohyun.

“So, why did you go off to Skylight and drink? Do you actually have any problem to do that? Is there something that you’re not telling me, Jae-in?”

“Irene-noona…”

“Don’t you sweet-talk me with that name; I’m asking you a question, so give me an answer.”

“Sorry… no, it’s not like that. I really don’t have any problem. Actually, I’m really happy.”

“Then why head off to Skylight?”

“I got invited by my friends Kyungsoo and Kino… you know the ones who were from high school. They wanted me to meet new friends and figured we’d spend our first time together drinking for the weekend. I made sure that we’re not doing this during school days, and now that it’s Saturday tomorrow then at least we have some leeway, right?”

Oh shit, it’s actually already Saturday NOW. What am I talking about?

“So it’s just for an acquaintance meet? You’re sure that you’re not suffering from any problems?”

“I’m not, noona… I promise you. We just headed there because we wanted to make things easier to break barriers down. You know how it goes for me… usually shyness prevents me from doing exactly that. I guess it was a good idea that Kyungsoo thought of alcohol to be the catalyst for that.”

Joohyun nodded silently, yet still keeping her sharp gaze peeled towards Jae-in’s body.

“But why did you come home so late? Could you not have exited earlier?”

“I guess that’s where I’m wrong…  I think I got too occupied with my new friends that I lost track of time. I know blaming the alcohol would just sound like an excuse, but it did contribute to me not minding my surroundings for a bit. The next thing I know, it was already past midnight and we all looked like a mess.”

“Uh-huh… so who were you with aside from Kyungsoo and Kino? What kinds of people were the ones you met?”

“I uhh…”

Well, this is awkward.

“They’re good people. That’s all I can say. They’re loud, sure, but over-all, they’re really good people. They even took care of our drinks for the night.”

“Ah-huh… they must be really rich then… filthy rich, even. Skylight’s prices are not that cheap. I’ve tried going there with my friends a couple of times in the past, and I had a rough idea how they went.”

“Really…? You haven’t told me that…”

“Jae-in, I haven’t told you because I had no idea that you drank! You never mentioned anything to me like that before!”

“I’m sorry… I figured that there’s no real harm in trying right? I tried it and it’s… it is really crazy. It’s not the first time too, so there we go. I’m not sure if I want another one of those or not. I might not go drinking again; I don’t know.”

“You’re just saying that because you’re feeling the after effects AND because your noona’s in front of you. Believe me, if it’s someone’s treat, alcohol becomes really tasty and that’s speaking from experience. You better not say things you don’t have plans on fulfilling.”

Silence emanated once again between them.

Joohyun sat silently staring at Jae-in’s juice box, when the younger brother finally spoke.

“A-are you mad, noona?”

Joohyun traced her stare back at him and knit her eyebrows.

“What?”

“A-are you mad that I went off drinking?”

“What? No! No, Jae-in. I’m not mad that you went off to Skylight… not at all.”

“Then why do I get the feeling that you’re angry at me?”

“No, don’t get the wrong idea…. I’m just disappointed by the fact that you didn’t even let me know… even if I’m at work that does not mean that I don’t want to know where you are. You could have easily just told me and I would have fetched you at Skylight.”

“Noona, that’s way too much to ask of you. You have a lot of things that you’re already thinking about and I don’t want to add to that.”

“But I would be thinking about you a lot when you’re in trouble, Jae-in! If you get into a dangerous situation there, who would worry about you? Of course the first person is going to be me, you pabo!”

“Okay, I’m sorry… I admit that it’s my fault.”

Joohyun sighed.

“Tell me things. Okay, Jae-in? I’m not totally against you going out with your friends. You’re already 21; you know what’s good for you and not. Plus, it’s a good experience to go drinking with your friends in weekends so I won’t go ahead and rob you off of one of the best memories you could get from your university life…

“What I’m trying to say is… let me know, okay? I’m not going to prevent you from going. It’s a huge difference if I know your whereabouts are.”

“I’ll do that in the future noona. I’m sorry once again.”

“I know I’m being to overly-concern for you… but Jae-in, you’re all that I have… even if we’re not related by blood, you still can’t blame me for caring. I just don’t want to be the reason why you’ll grow weird… your dad placed me as your guardian so you’re my responsibility. If you become reckless and overly too careless with your youth, he’s going to blame me for everything.”

“Noona, I’m sorry. Please don’t think of yourself less just because you’re my step-sister… that does not make you any less of a sister altogether. I still see and respect you as such. I have a huge debt to you after you offered to take me away from my grandmother’s place… I definitely don’t want to head back there any time soon. It’s hard to live with someone who complains about everything and never shuts up about even the smallest things.”

“And I’m trying my best to keep you here as well, so can we work things out for ourselves, Jae-in? Would you tell me about stuff in the future?”

“I promise, Noona. I promise that there would be no more secrets from now on.”

“Aww, you,” said Joohyun before standing from the chair. “Let me hug you, you little bean.”

Then, she proceeded to walk around the table and headed towards Jae-in. She stood briefly from his side, supplying him with a toothy and encouraging smile before going on off and embracing him. It was a very welcome gesture, especially from Jae-in’s perspective. All sorts of exhaustion were temporarily flushed down the drain as he hugged his sister Joohyun quite dearly. It was no secret that she really smelled good and Jae-in became partially worried that the combined smell of alcohol sweat and perhaps even smoke smudged altogether on his clothes would mess hers up. Joohyun had that lingering fruity scent that she brought all around, and sometimes it even rivalled the natural fragrance that came from the juice box itself.

Joohyun withdrew from the embrace and immediately moved to pat Jae-in’s head of hair.

“Yah, noona…!”

“I’ll go to bed first because I’m heading out early in the morning later on, but you better finish your glass of juice. Since I’ll be leaving early tomorrow, don’t be surprised if you don’t see me by then. Don’t worry about that… I’ll be leaving a couple of things that might help you with your hangover, so it’s okay for you to sleep in. I’ll prepare breakfast for you as well.”

“Noona, you don’t have to go that far for me. I can cook for myself tomorrow. It might get in your schedule.”

Joohyun’s soft patting stopped and she moved to slap Jae-in’s head with a light hand.

“Ow… noona; was that even necessary? What was that for?”

“Yah; you already did not come home for dinner. At least let me cook something for you tomorrow! Trust me, once your headache kicks in, you’ll be thankful that there’s your Irene-noona who’s willing to cook for you, you little dummy bean. You better wash and get yourself off of those clothes; if you came from Skylight then you must smell like cigarettes.”

“I’ll do that, noona. Thank you.”

“I’ll go back to sleep now. Go and rest as soon as you’re done. I’m sure you’re really tired.”

Jae-in nodded in response just as Joohyun gave her one final pat on the head. He turned his gaze to see the figure of his sister walking back towards the direction of her room. She was about halfway through the hallway when she stopped on her tracks and turned to face him once again.

“Oh and one last thing; next time that you go drinking with your friends, don’t go home at 2 am. It’s either that, or you call me to fetch you.”

“I… okay, noona. I’ll remember to do that.”

“Good night, Jae-in…”

“Good night, Irene-noona.”

There was silence again. Jae-in moved to pour a portion of the leftover juice to a cup he fished from the shelf before he was distracted by the quick illumination of his phone’s screen. It was a series of messages from the messaging group and another from Kyungsoo, yet there was one tab he never saw ever before. Soyeon’s name blared on the other chat tab complete with five floating messages above her chat head. He hovered to open them and was about to move for a click when…

“I love you Jae-in!”

“I love you too, noona! Please sleep now!”

He moved to open the chat finally, and he got to read the messages that came from his first ever chat with Jeon Soyeon.

Soyeon (1:54 AM): Hey Jae-in! I just got home!

(1:55 AM): I don’t know why I’m updating you but I just want you to know.

(1:59 AM): Kyungsoo just messaged me, and he’s telling me he arrived home safely. Are you still awake?

(2:10 AM): Hopefully you’re not that awkward to me, Jae-in. We’ll still talk, right?

(2:33 AM): I figured you’re home… maybe tired? I’m sorry if I’m being too clingy towards you. I’m overthinking a bit. I’ll be sleeping. Please message me tomorrow, okay? Good night Jae-in.

He turned his phone down, its screen faced against the surface of the table as he was still unsure what to reply to that. Everything happened so fast and he did not want to act just out of impulse.

And so, Jae-in sat in silence staring at the empty juice box, wondering why the exhaustion of that night’s events felt like it made him more awake than ever.

[randombush3]

Dinner Dates and Taxi Drivers II

part one, part three

Summary: Flo’s answer to your offer.

Word count: 2379

Warnings: underage drinking, smut

Your offer is graciously accepted with her downing her glass of wine and standing up. Toby has noticed you’re departing soon, nudging his other sister. Florence seems to shut them down with a quick look and you are by the door, getting ready to go.

“Oh.” Raffie and Isa are also putting their coats on.

Isa has always tried to be better than your brief rebellion when you were her age. You’d stay at your friends’ houses, or some girl’s if you’d kept your mouth shut long enough to maintain a relationship, for a week maybe, only having contact with Maxine if you saw her with her friends in the local Tesco. Isa likes to stay in London — apparently with you — if she doesn’t have to go to school. And sometimes she’ll skip it. Florence was right in saying she’s not the greatest influence. It’s not her fault she was born at the worst time to be given attention.

“Fucking stay here, Isa,” you mutter, letting both Pughs look at you and your sister. “You’re seventeen.”

“Raffie’s eighteen.”

Do you leave her? She’s going to go out anyway, and she’ll leave your mother anxiously sipping on her wine, telling Luna and Selene to only look up to Maxine. Going to a bar or something had you imagining talking and drinking and maybe actually getting to know Florence Pugh in a setting that is neither forced nor overly emotional. But you’re a sister first.

“Is it okay if they come with?” Florence nods. She and Raffie are close. She and Raffie like each other. To Isa, you say: “Don’t be a little bitch.”

“I have my fake,” she informs you. “I know you’re a lawyer and whatever, but—”

“Just because I’m letting you come, doesn’t mean I approve of your shit stirring.” Raffie chucks her vape to Isa. You sigh. “I won’t tell Mum.” Florence calls you a good sister.

If only she knew.

- - -

The bar is packed because today is a Friday and everyone likes this place. You had your eighteenth here. (And in Monaco, but your mum will never find out about the Oxford party.) Isa makes sure to keep at least two metres in front, but the security guard outside knows your family. “It’s alright,” you tell him, hoping your sister knows that you’ve let her crash your attempt at a casual date, “she’s with me.”

You make it to a booth far back, tucked away in a corner that is less densely packed and with noticeably less sticky floors. Rowdiness isn’t absent just yet, but Florence is less tense than before. Raffie and Isa sit down, shuffling on one side of the booth. What little shits.

Florence takes your hand (decisive) and pulls you into the other side. “We’ll go get drinks,” Raffie then says, getting up, Isa with her. This feels like a set up. “Four pints?”

It’s like Isa wants you to fuck her friends sister.

Which you will, you’re beginning to decide.

“Raff, don’t tell Mum…” She can’t be tipsy already. “Get some tequila shots, okay?” Both girls nod, Isa grinning because you did shots on New Year’s and ended up swimming in your neighbour’s pond with your very underage sisters.

Calm and collected (or at least attempting to appear so), Florence grabs your attention with her hand on your arm. “Little sisters are so annoying.” You laugh. “But I suppose I’m also a little sister. And you are.”

“My older sister is a lot more intolerable than I am to Isa,” you say. It’s true. “You don’t like her. You said that in the taxi.”

“I wouldn’t have said anything if I’d have known.” Her apology is sort of light-hearted, like she feels you don’t blame her. Of course you don’t. “But, tell me more about your fancy UN case, please.”

Hesitantly, you begin to explain what happened; how you almost got zero credit for your work, how your parents didn’t really care. It begins to flow, you get closer to her. She faces you, you face her, rambling about why seeing Boris Johnson outside of the yearly Christmas parties (“my mother comes from the most obnoxious of families”) was awful. Seeing him at those parties is bad enough. And Florence listens to every word, looking interested even if she isn’t, not noticing how you’re almost in between her legs and how your knees are touching.

You finish talking.

She barely gets out the whispered, “that’s cool,” as her eyes try so hard not to stare kisses into your lips.

It’s ballsy to kiss a movie star in a crowded pub. Someone could take a picture, video it. If that got out, you could lose all air of professionalism, potentially ruining your career.

“Fuck it,” you mutter, leaning forward with the most confidence you’ve felt with the absence of alcohol in a while. You’re still in between her legs, pulled in by her instant reaction, lips on hers as if no one else is watching. It’s an array of scintillating colours that stream across the lips pressed against yours, your mind confused because why is she so fucking attractive?

Open-mouthed now, they become greedy; both of you craving that feeling from each other. There’s no pause to whisper sweet nothings, no time for breathers unless you two snatch them from each other without slowing down the momentum. You wonder how many famous people she has kissed, briefly letting self-consciousness flutter through your stomach before she cups your face, dictating your movements. Her other hand goes to your waist, moving you even closer. She laughs when you pull away as the table snags your dress, and then laughs harder when you ignore that and continue kissing her with fervent passion.

Raffie and Isa come back for a fleeting moment, seeing what is happening at the table and leaving slower than they both thought they needed to. Florence doesn’t notice them, but you do, glancing at your sister before stopping for a second. “Where do you want to go?” You both know how this is going to end.

“Isn’t this place a b&b?” It was when you were younger, but you’re not sure. Florence leads you to the counter and you feel almost naked without her body heat crashing into yours.

The man at the bar says it still is, and that you’re lucky because there’s only one room left. He adds that there is only one bed. “Perfect!” Florence says, grabbing your hand with such dominance that you almost tell yourself not to blush out loud.

Stairs creaking, she and you get to the room, hands all over each other’s bodies. You kick the door open, pushed back against it by Florence. She manages to kiss her way inside, walking you back until your knees hit the bed and you lie down.

Parting to undress, Florence gets her jeans around her ankles, sitting beside you to pull them fully off. You kiss her neck, trailing a pattern of memories up and down, sucking, biting; leaving marks. “Let me take my top off.” You wait. It gets thrown on top of her jeans. “Okay, yeah, carry on.”

This time, you’ve got her pinned, tongue brushing her bottom lip, teeth grazing when kisses get too messy. She reaches a hand behind your back, tugging at the zip, letting its sound fill the space between your soft panting. “It was expensive,” you murmur as she runs her pinky down your now-exposed back. “Let me get it off.”

She sighs with faux frustration. “You could have done this before.”

“I was preoccupied.” Her laugh grates the bottom of your stomach as she lets you stand up and carefully remove the cursed garment. At least it made you look good.

It’s clumsy, getting the bras and panties off — clasps prove hard to undo in the dark, elastic gets twisted. But then she’s back underneath you, hair sprawled out behind her, eyes full of anticipation. Your knee parts her thighs, lips finding their way down through her midriff, and she moans. A proper moan. It’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard.

Quickly finding her clit, you rub circles, seeing how many more of those moans you can take listening to before she makes you come instead. Florence hisses as you pinch it. “Fuck.”

“You?” You quirk your eyebrows up at her, not that she can see. “Yeah, I’m getting to it.” She laughs quietly to herself. It’s cut off by a gasp as your run your fingers through her folds, ego being boosted as soon as you feel how wet she is for you.

You make the quick decision to slide your body back a bit, lower your head where your hands once were. You have to remind her with a light tap on her thigh to open her legs again, and she complains that you’re taking so long that it’s starting to ache. Hands gripping her soft skin, you ask, “I can, yeah?” and she tells you to stop being so slow. (“Just do anything, please,” she says.) So you do with your tongue the same thing you did with your fingers; circles on her clit, up and down her slit. Her hand holds your head down as she gets louder and louder, until your tongue presses inside of her and she’s practically pulling your hair.

You pause just before she orgasms.

Sitting up, you’re smirking because it’s fun to be annoying. “What the fuck was that for?” She’s actually frustrated now. Angry, even.

“I don’t know.” You shrug. “I’ve had an idea, that’s all.”

She asks what it is, and you tell her to sit up against the headboard; “make sure you’re comfortable.” First, you turn the lamp on, the ancient shade dulling most of the light so you can only just see more than earlier. Then, kissing her again, you lower yourself down on top of her. “Oh?” Florence tilts her head. “You do this often?” It’s a joking stab at something Raffie and Isa said in the taxi on the way here. You slept around when you were younger. So what?

“As a matter of fact,” you defend, “you’re the first person I’ve slept with this month.” This month’s only just begun. It makes her laugh in between her small intakes of air that morph to deep breaths to keep composed as you press your lips to her breast, no longer paying attention to the words leaving her mouth. She’s mainly telling you how good you’re doing.

Bringing her back to that state of release, you work your fingers inside, thumb rubbing at her clit. Her head rests on your shoulders as she either says “yes” or swears that Catholic school told you were sins. This is probably a sin as well, but it feels better than getting an A in maths. Florence keeps you going until she’s fully coming undone in your arms, no longer able to let out her titillating moans.

You’re not sure if she’s the kind to repay the favour. Not that you’d mind, of course. But it’s only a short break before she’s got you grinding down on her, calling you a good girl because she’s so very pleased. “I want you,” you get out, “to just—”

“It’s not very nice to be fucking edged, is it?”

“Oh, shut up.” She’s got her fingers inside you now, like yours were. Although, you’re probably having more fun because you’ve waited so long, listened to the sound of her having a very nice time, and that’s made you so turned on that you’d still try to get off if someone told you the building was on fire. Your body was on fire.

And, like you’ve just gone up the world’s tallest rollercoaster, there’s a vertical drop down that has you trying not to be louder than she was. (You like winning.)

You almost collapse on top of her from the energy used. She calls you lazy for not having more stamina. You’re just exhausted from trying to hold whatever that sound she made you want to scream at the back of your throat.

- - -

Blades of morning light slice through the thin curtains as you stretch your arms. She’s not beside you, having decided to go for a wee at the obnoxious hour of six in the morning. She’d popped back in to tell you she was getting tea from downstairs, and that you should sleep seeing as you were so tired after round one.

Round six was when you’d called it quits properly.

The duvet isn’t warmer than what her body had produced, so you finally give in and get up. Neither of you have spare clothes.

You pick your underwear off the floor with a frown, putting them back on. You climb into bed when your resilience depletes at the sight of the dress from last night. “I’m not putting that on again,” you tell the sheep holding the bathroom door open.

“You don’t have to.” Florence smiles at the sight of you in your underwear, too lazy to pull the covers over yourself. She can see evidence of where your sweet spots are. You’re glad you’re not going to be wearing anything particularly revealing in front of your mother any time soon. She holds up a Café Coco tote bag. “Went back home.” You’re not quite sure what to reply, so she does so for you. With something else. “Were you talking to the doorstop?”

“Okay, Miss Actress, sorry not all of us are surrounded by our worshippers twenty-four/seven.” She winces slightly. “Sorry, Flo…”

“Yep, Y/n,” she brushes it off. “Although I’m not sure that you’ve been around me twenty-four/seven recently.”

“Who was it that was screaming my name?”

“Who was it that was calling you ‘good girl’?” She’s got you there. “It’s okay if you have mummy issues, babe. Praise kinks are perfectly reasonable.” Her patronising tone makes you almost bring up her avoidance of compliments, but you forget about it when she’s teleported from just inside the room to next to you and is kissing you softly.

It’s ruined when she throws a hoodie in your face. “My mum wants you to come back to our house. Get dressed.”

@pewpughpew @ridlz

[wizkiddx]

hiiiii !!! if you are accepting requests at the moment, can i ask something about reader and tom expecting a baby, one day while he’s drunk she sees him flirting with another women and when she confronts him he snaps at her and tells her he’s not ready for this “shit”. So they broke up and broke contact for months, until he shows in her apartment regretting his words and they talk but she suddenly at that moment gets into labor?!? I remember seeing a concept similar in a movie but I would love if you couldn’t bring it to life! Thank you so much in advance, appreciate your work a lot 🧸🤎

right so I loved this so much it has become a multiple parter and im not even going to apologise. so thanku so so much anon for getting me out a little rut!!!

summary: when toms caught out all hope looks lost - probs part 1 of 3 but it could get a bit longer too lol

warnings: serious angst, reference to abortion, cheating, a whole lot of swearing (im British sorry not sorry)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hi babe, just to let you know Yamna’s invited me out for dinner this evening so don’t worry if you get home early and im not back! I love you x”

It was a spur of the moment plan, which was a rarity recently. The past 5 months since you’d found out, you could name barely 5 occasions you’d been out past 8 oclock- trading your heels for fuzzy slippers and dresses for massively oversized tops and joggers. It wasn’t how you had expected to be spending the summer before your 25th birthday but it was now your life. The rooftop bars, the wild nights, the get aways had all sort of been cancelled for… for the rest of your life.

Because an 8 month pregnant belly isn’t something you can ignore.

Sure…. it wasn’t the plan. Not the plan to be pregnant with your boyfriend of only 6 months, who at the time you didn’t even live with. But you were making it work. And now, you were just excited. It was the start of a new story with Tom, and you’d got past the phase of being sad and mourning your youth. Because the little bubba inside of you, she was pretty awesome and you really couldn’t wait to meet her.

So yes, you had been home alone eating ice cream from a tub when Yamna knocked on the door. She’d been one of your best mates for as long as you could remember so when she’d turned up unannounced with mascara smeared under her eyes you’d cancelled your plans of a pathetic alone evening. Her boss had just given her the sack - which was no surprise. He was a backwards tory old git who couldn’t handle the fact Yamna was a woman doing the job better than he could ever dream of.

So yes, you’d suggested going out to the fancy new bar down the road - to celebrate the fact she no longer had to put up with the arsehole. Obviously you couldn’t drink and neither did Yamna, but you go to a bar for the atmosphere - and the selection of mocktails they had was insane.

Your boyfriend Tom was already out, he said he had a meeting and then dinner with some execs he needed to shmoosh. Of course you didn’t mind, but he had been working a lot recently, in order to be able to have the time off when your baby girl arrives.

So after sending a little text and giving Yamna another hug to try and turn the evening from disappointment to celebration you walked out the door with a smile on your face. Maybe you could pretend, just for an evening to not be pregnant and whale-like?

///////////////////////////

The bar was just a 10 minute walk so it wasn’t long before the two of you were soaking up the atmosphere. It was all decorated in a rustic fashion, with old exposed wood and dangling lightbulbs from the ceiling and the drinks were incredible. The type that have dry ice or flames or some other sort of fantastical display of edible decorations. Even Yamna had perked up, especially when a guy from the table across had bought you both a round of drinks.

“I’m just gonna pop to the loo.”

“Do you really need the toilet or do you just want to parade infornt of the fit rich man who keeps looking at you?”

“ Is both an option?” You laughed as Yamna slipped off her stool, winking rather dramatically as she did so. She was unbelievable - but at least this way she wasn’t thinking about her work, or lack thereof, anymore.

Happily you sat scrolling though your phone, seeing that tom had messaged you with an okay, before flicking through instagram.

And that was where the happiness ended.

For in a hurried manner, with a face looking a lot more ghosted than when she left, Yamna took her seat again.

“Are you okay?” Immediately your worry took over, the way she was biting her lip and not meeting your eyes not helping.

“I um yeh-yeh. Just I think I saw Tom.”

“Tom as in my Tom?” Her almost guilty looking nod had your scrunching your eyebrows, why was it such a big deal Tom was inside?

“He didn’t see me I don’t think but er… he just looked pretty close to a girl and I-“

To be honest you stopped listening at that point, heart dropping out the bottom of your chest. Because it made sense, he had been so distant recently and even if you’d been lying to yourself that it were work - this seemed much more likely. Whilst nodding along, pretending to listen to Yamna, instead your attention was solely focused on fiddling with the promise ring he’d got you after the two of you decided to keep the baby. He’d been so committed, so ready for this unexpected news. He’d said he was in for the long haul.

“Y/n?”

“sorry I um… it’s probably just a work colleague he needs to sweet talk. I’ll um-I’ll just go say hello.”

“I’m coming with you.” She spoke astutely, very much forcing herself into the situation.

“No no I’ll… I’ll come back if I need you, just wait here.”

Her face was so grim and destitute, as much as you were pretending it was okay - you knew it wasn’t. Before Yamna could protest further, you slipped off your seat ( clumsily thanks to the elephant belly) and walked with fake confidence back inside.

It took you barely 3 seconds to hone in on Tom, call it mothers intuition. He was on a booth in the corner with 5 others on his table but none of whom you recognised. It was 2 other guys and 3 girls - the six all paired off in mathcingly initimate conversations. Apart from that you payed almost zero attention to the others, attention solely focused on your boyfriend and the girl he had his arm round.

She was everything you weren’t. She was skinny - you, as previously mentioned, looked like you had a beachball stuffed under your top. She was blonde with sleek and perfectly styled waves at the tips of her long her - yours was thrown into a messy bun due to the last minute plans.

Most importantly - right now she was wrapped in Toms arms, whilst you stood alone watching.

God knows what came over you, but with confidence you never normally had you marched up to the table, just waiting at the end. One of the men you didn’t recognised, arrogantly asked you ‘can I help you’ - but you completely disregarded it, eyes solely fixed on Tom. He took a moment more to look away from the leggy girl, but as soon as he did his eyes grew massively wide.

“Y/n I-I-“

“Fancy bumping into you, I thought you were out with work executives?” Frantically casting his gaze across the table, you could see the cogs whirring to try and come up with an explanation.

“No I-I was but then Charlie here came over, we used to be mates at school and-“

“Oh fuck off Tom., I cant deal with this right now.”

You didn’t even have the energy to listen to his clearly fake excuses as to why he’d landed himself in that situation. You also certainly did not have it in you to maintain the strong face, you could feel everything shattering inside of you.

Because it was so blindingly obvious by how he had acted. You’d caught him out and you both knew it.

And it fucking hurt like hell.

So you exited the bar as fast as physically possible, hearing the shouts of both Yamna and Tom behind you. You didn’t know what you needed in that moment - except that neither of them were the answer. Tom though, presumably the faster of the two, managed to catch up - grabbing your arm to make you halt in the road.

There was this moment between the two of you that time almost seemed to freeze. The two of you, in an otherwise pretty empty residential street, at 9:30 at night, in a moment that you would never have again. From your point of view, you saw the slightly bloodshot and bleary eyes, widened with panic and fear. For Tom he saw the floods of tears down your cheeks, which you hadn’t even noticed were freely streaming.

But in that moment there was, at least, the slightest bit of peace. The slightest bit of hope - that he could explain, that he had some ludicrous but valid reason for the situation you had walked in on. Just a smidgen of hope that this were recoverable.

But then he had to open his bloody mouth.

“Y/n I swear nothing-“

“That didn’t look like fucking nothing!”

“It was I swear! We just-“

“Tom this is your one and only chance. I don’t care if your off your face, if you don’t give my a miracle of a reason as to what the fuck THAT was - then I’m gone.”

“Don’t say that Y/n, you don’t mean th-“ He tried to grab your hand which you snatched away, like you had just scalded it on a hot plate. Like he had hurt you.

“I swear to god I’ve never meant anything more. So cut the shit.”

“FIne-fine! Um so we were at the meeting and then on the way out I bumped into George and hes been a good mate of mine for years.” All you did was hum, arms crossed and making sure you had a metre of distance between the two of you.

“So he said god you look like you need a drink and I agreed because its been stressful as hell recently.”

“Oh its been stressful; for YOU has it? I’m so sorry Thomas, has it been hard for you while i’ve been throwing my lungs up with morning sickness? Has it been stressful that I’ve been running on zero hours sleep because she kicks me all bloody night? ” Your words were laced in a posioned sarcasm, to which Tom just stammered to.

“Please just let me.” Given he was supposed to be fighting for you, he sounded pretty darn defeated already.

“I said yes to the drink.” He skipped out the bit that had angered you, to which you rolled your eyes at. “And one turned into two and more and then I don’t know-“

“Your going to have to try a lot harder than that.” You deadpanned, taking a small step further back still.

“I mean it! The girls were all his friends and we were just talking.”

“Just talking? All pressed up and arms round her?”

“Yes!” As indignant as he retorted, it didn’t not make up for what you had seen with your own eyes.

“Your such a bullshitter Tom!”

“God why wont you just listen to me?” He cried, wobbly doing a little 360 on the spot, in what appeared to be exasperation.

“Because your just spouting fucking lies! And you try and blame it all on poor little tommo being stressed which is-“

“I HAVE BEEN! Running round after you! I’m just tired of this shit!!! So kill me, for having one night of freedom!”

Tom was too deep in his angry lecture to take any notice of you. Which is why, once finished, he waitied, breath heavy and nose flaring. He was waiting for you to scream back at him. To give it back. He was too drunk to notice the change in your demeanor.

“I’m tired of this shit.”

It was just reverberating round your head. Again and again and again. He was tired of your relationship and you hadn’t even become parents yet. He was at his wits-end and the baby was still unborn. What the fuck was going to happen when baby arrived? Clearly there was no hope. It was dead. Your relationship was dead with no chance of revival.

Because he’d said it. Your relationship was shit, and nobody can put up with something they hate for that long. Not 18 years. Not while bringing up a child.

So with a new sense of dread and fear and complete and total isolation you uttered three single words before hysterically running away.

“Don’t follow me.”

Not now, not ever.

?to be continued?

~~~~~~~~~~gahhhh I hope u enjoyed! I also REALLY CANNOT THINK OF A NAME FOR THIS MINISERIES --> if anyone can think of something pls inbox me!!! ~~~~~~~~

tom taglist: @lovehollandy12 @hollandlover19 @thefernandasantana @hunnybunimdun @hallecarey1@cedricdiggorysimpp @msmimimerton @hollandfanficlove @pandaxnienke @crossyourpeter @thegirlwiththeimpala @tom-softie @sunwardsss @spiitfiiires @radcloudenthusiast @ladykxxx08 @prancerrparkerr @wildxwidow @Elishi03 @arctic-monkcys @Ownbauer13 @tomhollandlol

[panthera-tigris-venenata]

Audrey babysitting CJ! (They are bonding!)

Canon ages are a suggestion!

And yeah, it’s a bit wonky, but I don’t have energy, to, like, edit. Or finish this, probably.

Honestly, Audrey didn’t know why she agreed to this. Sure, there were reasons, well, at least one: Anthony Tremaine, who has become something like her friend in the months after the fall of the Barrier, wanted to take his girlfriend on a date to some fancy restaurant, and she absolutely refused to go until her little sister got appropriate supervision.

That much on how Audrey Rose, the princess of Auroria and Ulstred and the former Queen of Mean, ended up babysitting the menace that is CJ Hook.

The things she does for her friends, the sacrifices…

She takes a deep breath and rings the bell on Anthony’s apartment. (Harriet stays on her ship, and CJ stays wherever she wants. As Audrey said, she is a menace.)

The door opens, and the delightful sound of Hook sisters arguing with each other floods her ears; she does her uttermost best to keep her face expressionless.

„Sorry about that,“ says Anthony instead of a greeting, „Harriet says you have her permission to spell the little scallywag unconscious if she causes too many problems. Oh, and you can come in for now, this is probably gonna take a while.“

„But I NEED those, Harriet! What if someone attacks us?!“

„You don’t NEED a collection of throwing knives, a garotte, forty metres of rope AND a gas mask!“

„I’m not giving up my garotte!“

„…You hid another one in your ponytail, didn’t you.“

Gods, he has it hard.

Audrey enters the apartment and sits down on the sofa with Anthony.

„Excited for your date?“ she asks, not thinking about how she will survive his date and with no fear for her life whatsoever.

„Very,“ smiles Anthony softy, making heart eyes towards the general area of the continuous screams.

Good for him.

She leaves the flat a few minutes later with a bar of dark chocolate (for her nerves), phone with Harriet, the police, and the firefighters on speed dial, and one annoyed little pirate in tow. (She was forced to abandon the collection of throwing knives and the gas mask. And the second garotte.)

„Uh. Don’t you mean don’t steal from anybody?“

„Do you remember the ground rules?“ she asks. Anthony assured her that he and Harriet covered them several times and CJ looked like she was paying attention.

„Of course!“ she answers, rolling back her eyes, „Do not kill anybody, murder, accident, or othervise. No arson, no hostage taking, no running away. Cross the street on green light, say please and thank you. Do not steal from you.“

„No,“ CJ grins and holds up a bracelet she didn’t have a moment ago, her eyes full of mischievous victory. This is gonna be a LONG evening.

Absolutely not.

…Also, are they gonna return the bracelet? Somehow?

Yeah, no, probably no. That doesn’t sound like a one-evening babysitter problem.

She just has to put up some movies, get dinner, and make sure her charge doesn’t bolt and/or murder anyone.

You know, no pressure.

„Okay,“ Audrey takes a deep breath, „That works. Now go along, we’re going to my place. It‘s not far.“

„Wait,“ protests CJ, „We’re, like, actually going? Like, walking? You don’t have a fancy pink limousine driving you everywhere? With a personal driver and lots of sweets or a smoothie bar or something? Or a personal helicopter? A chariot, at the very least?“

„Helicopters are bad for the environment and walking is the best cardio.“

„Ugh. I hate Auradon. You guys have cars and fuel and like actual roads and you don‘t even use them!“

Audrey decides to not point out that there is, in fact, a good number of vehicles driving around, and instead chooses to remind CJ to not run into the traffic. Just to be sure.

Which, surprisingly, causes CJ to pout and stay silent for the rest of the way. Audrey is sure that must be a new record for her.

Unfortunately, the blissful silence breaks as soon as they get to Audrey‘s.

Good things never last.

At least for Audrey.

She kind of hopes Anthony’s date is going alright: He has been speaking of it for quite some time. He might or might not have asked her for help with the planning and choosing the perfect spot. They spent one afternoon with a language of flowers dictionary, laughing over insult-bouquets and drinking wine. (She totally sent one of those to Mal.)

„So! What are we doing today?“ asks CJ, „Plotting a hostile takeover? A revolution? Revolutions are cool! Oh! We could go to the Zoo and kidnap some animals, like crocodiles, crocodiles are awesome for getting rid of dead bodies! And you do get those with a revolution!“

Audrey stares at her in shock.

„No, no. You are right. Crocodiles aren’t really your thing, are they? How about something more elegant? A pride of lionesses? A pack of wolves? Wolves are, like, totally an Ulstred thing, right?“

„…I’m fairly sure the national animal of Ulstred is a bear.“

…Why did Audrey agree to this again?

„Cool!“ CJ’s eyes are starting to shine with unearthly light.

„I want a bear! We’re gonna kidnap a bear!“

„Yeah, maybe another time. I was thinking we could just watch some movies today.“

And she needs to ask Harriet to broaden CJ’s ground rules a good deal.

„Sure,“ she says and collapses down on the couch next to her, putting up the selection of movies, „No horror ones though.“

CJ deflates at that and Audrey definitely doesn’t feel even the tiniest pang of regret at ruing the Isle girl‘s fun as she nudges her along inside and reminds her to take off her boots. She then places them into a neat row with the other ones.

She follows into the living room and finds CJ already sitting cross legged on the couch.

„Can I pick the movie then?“

„Please,“ Audrey chuckles, „You are talking with the Queen of Mean: I wreaked havoc on all of Auradon, making their darkest nightmares come true. I could take a simple horror movie any time. I just don’t want to give you any more ideas.“

„Yay!”

CJ reaches out for the remote control.

„Are you scared, princess?“

A fair choice, all in all.

CJ stares at her slack-jawed.

„You are just like my sister,“ she declares, a slight echo of awe in her voice, and then proceeds to put on Grease.

„Do you want to keep watching, or do you want to do something else?“ Audrey asks.

The opening song passes in peace, which is… Suspicious.

She glances over at CJ and finds her drawing with a pen on her tight. She’s not sure where she got the pen. And the fact that CJ can draw an anatomically accurate human skull is a tiny bit concerning. Only a tiny bit, though.

CJ waves her hand dismissively, stating that the movie is fine, they can keep watching, and continues sketching on her skin.

„You know, I could give you a paper if you want to draw.“

„No, no! I’m tattooing myself! With a temporary tattoo, because Harriet said I can’t have a real one until I’m at least twenty.“

„She does have a point.“

„Which is totally unfair, because she AND Harry totally both have tattoos, and Harry absolutely isn’t twenty yet!“

„Well, he IS a first mate of his own crew. That is bound to come with some privileges, right?“

CJ pouts at her, which Audrey interprets to mean „You are right, but I don’t wanna say it,“ and Audrey briefly thinks that Harry Hook would do absolutely anything if Uma asked, tattoo being the smallest thing. She’d love to know where the pirate Captains keep finding boys like this.

She turns her attention back to the musical.

It takes about five minutes before she feels CJ’s intense stare at her.

„What do you want, little bird?“ she asks.

„I’m done with my tattoo!“

„Okay…?“

Audrey isn’t sure she likes the direction this conversation is going.

The pen passing over her skin tickles, and when she tries to take a look at the emerging picture, CJ hisses at her. No need to fuss, really.

„Can I do yours next?” CJ makes a tiny pause and glances up above her shoulder briefly, before brightening up, „Please?“

Audrey can’t really refuse her puppy eyes, and besides, she did say please. With a sight, she extends her wrist and resigns herself to a freakishly accurate skeleton tattoo. Too bad she can’t reach the chocolate like that.

Audrey would appreciate a drink right now.

But watching musicals and pointedly not looking at her forearm it is.

The little but strong hand holding her wrist in place disappears and CJ brightly announces that she is done: Swallowing any nervosity, Audrey looks at her new tattoo.

Minutes pass, stuff on screen happens, and Audrey's mind wanders. After she finds herself going into a tangent about Auradon's entertainment industry and censorship, she forces her mind blank. Auradon's problems aren't synonymous with her problems anymore, and maybe never were.

Contrary to what her grandmother may believe.

It's… surprisingly pretty. A compass rose, surrounded by something Audrey can't identify yet. Intricate, delicate but sharp and strong. And it contains no bones or skeletons whatsoever. Audrey likes it.

„That's roses,“ states CJ.

She listens as CJ explains what she drew:

„A compass is something every sailor must have: it shows us where our purpose is, it shows us a way. Where does your compass point, princess?“

Audrey looks away from CJ's eyes that really have no business being as bright as they are and asks what about the stuff around it?

Because she does have a purpose, of course she has-

She always had one, hadn't she?

„…It's just the stems and the thorns, isn't it?“

Oh. Roses. Pretty. A nice flower for an Auradonian princess. No skull or staff for Queen of Mean. Not that Audrey misses her Queen of Mean phrase. Any part of it, absolutely not.

Except Audrey sees no blooms…?

„Why, but of course!“ exclaims the pirate, standing up to her feet. Still on the sofa. Sure.

„Beauty ain't everything, my Queen of Mean, and you deserve to celebrate your prickly side!“

She makes a dramatic bow and the end of what must be the garotte swings in front of her face.

Prickly side, of course.

Then again, what does Audrey care for Auradon's society?

A small smile tugs at Audrey's lips before she vipes it aways.

Auradon doesn't care for prickly and sharp, much less for evil queens and princesses that make their own ways.

„Do you like it?“ CJ bounces up and down.

Maybe she should get this tattoo for real. It's not like anyone could stop her, and she'd love to see everyone's shocked faces.

She could ask Anthony if he has any contacts.

„Do not jump on my sofa,“ replies Audrey automatically, „And it's… It's certainly passable, I suppose.“

…And CJ starts jumping on the couch again. Great. At least she didn't climb on the chandelier yet.

The pirate falls down with a huff and makes eyes at her. Audrey just wanted to nag her a little, but she cracks:

„Just kidding. I think it's pretty wicked.“

„Sit down, Calista.“

„Or what?“ asks CJ, still standing and genuinely curious.

„Or you won't get any dinner AND I'll tell Harriet you tried to run away.“

Not the most imaginative threat Audrey could come up with, but effective nonetheless. She knows that her older sister is the only authority CJ somehow respects, at least when she feels like it. Besides, she is scary. Probably scarier that anything Audrey could say.

CJ falls down.

„What's for dinner?“ she asks.