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chelseasdagger · 1 year ago

Text

Teacher

Frank Castle x Inexperienced F!Reader

Summary: Frank's a part of your friend group and invites you to hang out one day, unaware of your massive crush on him. During the visit, you let it slip that you're very inexperienced, and he offers to teach you everything you've missed out on.

Warnings: age gap (reader is in her early 20s), mentions of sex, drinking, and smoking

Author's Note: Oh my god! It's finally here, my first fic series! I've had this idea for months now and I've finally got the courage to write it out and post it. I wanna say a huge thank you to @chellestrash and @suitsofwo3 for their continuous support on this series! Reblogs and feedback are greatly appreciated :) Leave a comment or shoot me an ask!! I'd love to hear what you think!

Word Count: 5k

To say you had feelings for Frank Castle would be a gross understatement. It was truly nothing short of a schoolgirl crush, an all consuming infatuation that made you want him even more. Being anywhere near him made you feel like you were back in grade school with an uncontrollable flutter of butterflies in your stomach, and you knew you had to at least try and attempt to cease their movements.

But knowing and acting are two very different things, and you weren’t even sure if you wanted to stop them. Not when every smile he flashes your way makes them beat their tiny wings so fast that you feel weak in the knees. You knew logically it couldn’t end well, not with him being in your friend group, but you had a feeling you could keep up the friendly facade and not let it slip that your feelings for him are much more intense.

After all, he’s confident, handsome, and much older than you. How hard could it be?

“How hard could it be,” you repeat, whispering to yourself in the car. Your eyes are trained on the road in front of you as you listen while your GPS navigates you through the city. Frank had invited you over to his place after the last get-together the group had, where you admitted to the fact that you hadn’t seen his, apparently, favorite movie from the ‘80s. It was almost too perfect of a setup and you curse the universe for planning it all. Of all the movies you haven’t seen, you had to confess to this one?

In your defense, it was nearly impossible to decline his offer when his charm flared up like it had that night. Boisterous laughter, crinkles by his eyes when he grinned, and a, “Come on, you’ve gotta see it!” that was so warm and welcoming it had you agreeing before you thought about the implications of that damn nod you gave him.

Thinking back on that night, you nearly miss your turn onto the road that leads to his apartment. You catch it just in time though and as the automated voice informs you that he lives on the left, the anxiety sets in. You begin to focus on your breathing and you find an open parking spot right next to his black van, exactly where he said there would be. Mentally thanking him for eliminating some of the pressure of finding where to park, you pull into the spot and look towards the door with the metal numbers of his address bolted on the plaque beside it.

Once the car is parked and the ignition is off, you close your eyes and inhale enough air until your chest puffs out. “It’s just Frank,” you reassure yourself, attempting to slow down your heart rate. It does little use as his face flashes in your mind when you speak his name, so you decide not to delay the meeting any longer.

With a dry mouth and fidgeting hands you make your way to his apartment, giving yourself one last full breath before raising your hand to knock on his door. Your knuckles sound out against the wood, and there’s only a second of silence before you hear a muffled, “Coming!”

The brief moment to plaster a relaxed smile on your face passes all too quickly and you’re suddenly met with Frank’s warm grin. Failing to ignore the way he’s leaning against the doorframe, you can’t help your eyes immediately glancing at his bicep as it stretches the fabric of his sleeve. You quickly force your gaze back to his face and give yourself a mental shake.

“Hey, kid, glad you could make it,” he greets you kindly. You’d be lying if you said the nickname he reserved for you wasn’t bittersweet. It made you feel special that it only left his lips in reference to you, but logically you knew it was because you were the youngest in the group. The truly bitter part was hearing it and feeling your heart sink that little bit lower; you wondered if he ever saw you as more, if you’d ever be able to satisfy your steadfast crush.

But those spiral sessions are best had at home, so you push away the thoughts and focus on spending time with him. All you’ve ever wanted was time alone with him and you’re not sure when you’ll get the chance again after today.

“Yeah, of course,” your genuine smile takes over, ”I had to see what all the fuss was about.” He chuckles at your joke before stepping aside, gesturing for you to come in. Squeezing past his body, you step into the living room of his home. It’s bigger than you expected, housing a sectional couch and wooden coffee table in the center. There’s also a large television mounted to the wall that’s clearly the main focus of the room. One sweatshirt and a lone blanket are draped on the back of the couch, making up the only clutter in the space. You don’t realize Frank is watching you take it all in until he gently clears his throat.

“Is it as glorious as you expected?” His voice sounds out from behind you and you turn to face him. There’s a smirk on his face and you find yourself chuckling to avoid shrinking into yourself.

“Just… different than I pictured is all,” you gesture vaguely to the open space of the room. There’s a scoff before he walks past you and towards the light grey couch.

“‘Clean’, you mean?” There’s a huff surrounding the question as he plops down onto the couch.

“Well…” you trail off, tilting your head to the side. A smile slowly takes over his face as you tease him.

“Make yourself comfortable,” he says as he pats the cushion of the couch. You follow his instruction, opting to keep one seat between the two of you. There’s a pause for a moment and you let your eyes wander to his thighs. His legs are slightly spread on the couch and it’s hard to ignore the way the fabric of his denim jeans are struggling to make room for the muscles of his thighs.

“So you really haven’t seen the greatest film of all time?” He begins again, disbelief clear in his tone. His voice makes your line of sight shoot back up to his face and it’s now your turn to wear a smile.

“You sure are creating a lot of hype for this movie. I hope it doesn’t disappoint,” you laugh softly. His eyes grow wide as a look of shock takes over his face.

“‘Disappoint’? You kiddin’ me? I’m pretty sure this movie paved the way for cinema.” He gets up excitedly, walking towards one of the thin bookshelves that frame the television. His fingers scan the titles quickly, trailing down the rows until he finds one. He pulls the case out from where it was sandwiched between the others before turning around to show it off with a wave of his hand.

“Made sure to rewind it for you yesterday.” You try to ignore the way your brain jumps to conclusions at those few words. The thoughts are loud, however, and you hear them despite your wishes. He really thought this ahead? Was he actually looking forward to seeing you?

Frank pulls the tape from out of its case and kneels down in front of the television. There’s a large, grey VCR lying on the ground and he gently pushes the tape past the small hinge, a tiny whirring sound escaping as it accepts the tape.

“God, I’m really showing my age here, aren’t I?” He nods towards the old technology on the wooden floor.

“I mean, I’ve seen my parents use them before,” you answer honestly.

“Jesus Christ,” he grumbles, bringing his palm to cover his face before dragging it down his cheeks. The giggle that escapes you is involuntary, he looks so cute each time you tease him. You love these moments and how effortless it is to joke around with him, unlike when your usually constant bashfulness is present.

Once the tape is in, the static on the screen crackles to life and there’s a few seconds before the black fades into a dusty orange sky. As the opening scene begins to play, you feel like you recognize the actors’ names as they appear over the footage. Nothing immediately comes to mind though, so you ignore the nagging feeling of trying to place them and focus on the film.

That proves to be more difficult than you intended. Admittedly, all you can think about is his scent lingering in the space around you. It’s almost as if the couch is bathed in his smell and it feels as though you’re drowning in it in the best way. You halfway register the dialogue sounding out and decide to at least entertain the idea of paying attention. There’s a shot of the inside of an airport, and you watch as the word Diehard comes across the center of the screen. Chuckles erupt from you and Frank’s immediately turning to face you with a confused pout.

“You think Diehard is the greatest movie of all time?” Your words are unintentionally soaked in disbelief and you swear you can see his defensive guard come up.

“You tryna’ tell me it’s not?! Cause it’s clearly up there!”

“I don’t know, Frank,” you start. Each time the film is brought up around you, you hear that it’s either the best or it’s overrated. You just didn’t expect him to be this much of a fan.

“That’s right! You don’t know!” He seems proud of his argument and even laughs towards the end of his sentence. You shake your head as your smile begins to hurt your cheeks due to how long you’ve been wearing it for. He reaches for the old remote, its buttons faded with its age, and the screen halts to a stop as he presses pause.

“I’ll be right back,” Frank explains with a grunt as he pushes himself off of the couch. You turn and watch him walk to the kitchen, your eyes lingering on his broad shoulders and how they almost brush the open doorframe as he passes through it. Not wanting to let your thoughts continue any more down the path they’re already on, you force your attention back to the television and wait for him to return.

“Here you are,” his deep voice sounds out a moment later and you look up at him. He’s sitting down onto the couch cushion with the fingers of his right hand wrapped around the necks of two beer bottles. He stretches his arm towards you, offering one of the drinks and you’re distracted by the veins running up the inside of his forearm.

“What? S’there somethin’ wrong?” he asks confusedly, his own gaze glancing between your clasped hands and the bottles. You snap out of your trance and stare at the beers again, racking your brain for any excuse to use to decline the drink.

“No, thank you, I’m all good,” your voice comes out stiff. Real smooth, you curse yourself as you see Frank’s expression change. His eyebrows pull together as he tries to understand your sudden and strange behavior.

“So what’s your deal, huh?” he begins, setting the bottles down and leaning back into the couch. His entire body is turned towards you and it’s clear that you’re the new subject of the conversation. You swallow thickly, your nerves already acting up.

“Never seen you drink, never seen you smoke… Hell, I haven’t seen you do much of anything,” he continues, listing his examples off on each finger. “Why is that? You some goody two shoes or something?” he finishes with a raspy chuckle. He reaches for his beer, popping the lid off with the opener from the coffee table and taking a long sip as his eyes meet yours over the glass in his hand.

You wish you could come up with something, anything, to get you out of this situation before you’re forced to confess to him. You open your mouth, expecting your tongue to string the words together for you, but there’s nothing but silence in the room. Quickly, you begin grasping for an explanation, only to be left stuttering over your words. Frank’s eyebrows raise and there’s an amused smirk tugging at his lips as he puts his drink down again.

“Uh oh,” he laughs quietly, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. He squints at you, tilting his head to the side as his eyes flicker all around your face. “There’s somethin’ else there,” he whispers mostly to himself, “gotta tell me now, sweetheart.”

If none of this was enough to make your face grow warm, it certainly is now that you’ve heard the pet name leave his mouth. You feel as if you’re curling inward on yourself and you hate that the ground won’t show you mercy by opening up and swallowing you whole. Fidgeting with your fingers, you wonder if there’s any lie you can try and deliver confidently this time. But who are you kidding? You were never good at it, and it’s best to just rip off the bandaid.

With one last glance up at him, you see he’s not going to budge until he gets an answer, so you give him what he’s looking for. “Yeah, that’s… ‘my deal’,” you phrase his words in air quotes. “I haven’t really done, well, anything, and I don’t really know where to start,” you admit, still not looking him in the eyes. Frank nods as he lets your voice fill the air and you notice him making another curious face.

“When you say ‘anything’, what exactly do you mean?” he asks in a softer tone this time, no hint of teasing in his words. It’s then that you finally meet his brown eyes and see the kindness in their warm color. You bring in a deep breath and prepare yourself for the worst possible reaction to your following words.

“Um—,” you cut yourself off with a sigh, letting out all the air in your lungs and attempting to stall the embarrassment a moment longer. “Okay, like drinking, smoking, drugs…” you continue the list and watch him nod after each addition. “Never had sex, never—,”

“Bullshit,” his rumbly voice interrupts you, shaking his head in disbelief. The pout that forms on your lips is involuntary; you feared he wouldn’t have believed it, but you suppose it’s better than him teasing you. From the corner of your eyes you watch his lips part and his jaw go slack as he realizes what you said was the truth.

“Christ, you… you’re serious?” he questions as he looks at you in shock. You only nod silently, not sure how to continue from here. There’s a long pause where Frank is still as stone, remaining silent but seemingly trying to process the new information he’s discovered. The air feels so thick you worry that if you open your mouth to speak you’ll only choke.

The sound of a rumbly chuckle fills the air and you look up to see his wide smile. He’s dragging his palm down his mouth and rubbing his jaw as he shifts his hips forward and leans back into the cushions once more. You feel anger bubbling up and it quickly replaces the mortification that had been consuming you for the past few minutes.

“Screw you! I knew you wouldn’t have taken it seriously.” You cross your arms over your chest as you turn away from him. You felt stupid for sharing this with him, and now he has the audacity to laugh? Over something this personal?

“No, no, sweetheart, hey—,“ the pet name again does nothing to dull the burning under the skin of your cheeks. “I wasn’t teasing it’s just…,” he sighs heavily and shrugs his shoulders, “it’s a surprise, y’know?”

As much as you want to stay upset with him, you’re not sure your resolve can last that long. You attempt to maintain your defensive position and don’t dare soften the angry glare you’re shooting at him.

“Oh, don’t give me that look,” he starts, but you don’t budge. “C’mon, I’m sorry. I just wasn’t expecting it, s’all. Kinda hard to believe, honestly.” Your head perks up at the last sentence and you shoot him a look of pure disbelief.

“Yeah, well… you’re obviously the only one who thinks that,” you mumble, the self-deprecating words falling past your lips before you even register them. Frank sighs deeply and you notice the way his eyes are flickering all around your face, presumably trying to gauge how upset you are.

“It’s not like I want this,” you huff, deflating into the couch, “but now it’s like even if I want to try stuff, I don’t know what I’m doing.” You begin picking at your fingers as the insecurity grows with his silence. “It’s like everybody did the crash course in high school and they have experience. I don't even know where to start…” As you trail off, the silence becomes deafening and you find yourself missing his laughter because at least that was something.

“Aaaaand I said too much. Sorry, it’s just something that’s frustrated me for years and… yeah,” you decide it’s better to end the conversation than wait on a reply that won’t come.

“You didn’t say too much,” he finally speaks up, and the weight on your chest begins to dissipate. “Was lettin’ you get it all out,” he explains. He holds his chin between his thumb and index finger, grazing his jaw lightly and tilting his head as he thinks over your confession. You find yourself subconsciously holding your breath as you prepare for the worst possible response he could give you.

“Said you didn’t know where to start, right? Why don’t we start with something small, hmm? How about that beer?” Frank nods his head once in the direction of the abandoned bottle he had grabbed for you. You eye it hesitantly and think over the worst that could happen. Coming up with virtually nothing, you nod back to him, deciding it would be one small victory to deal with today.

As you wrap your fingers around the bottle, you raise your hand and turn to Frank. He mimics you, lifting his own in the air before clearing his throat.

“To…” he trails off, trying to come up with something as a cheer. His eyes drift off to somewhere else in the room, his lips parted as his eyebrows pull together. You can’t help the giggle that escapes you at his very serious thinking face. Not wanting him to hurt himself from racking his brain much longer, you speak up.

“To trying new things,” you say confidently, and the second the words leave your mouth you’re already regretting them. You physically wince at your word choice and now it’s Frank’s turn to stifle a laugh. “Yeah, that was pretty lame,” you admit to him. “Sounded better in my head.”

“Think it sounded perfect,” he replies before tilting his bottle towards you. You follow his lead as he brings the drink to his lips and you don’t think twice before tilting your own head back. The second the flavor hits your tongue you can feel your face scrunching up involuntarily. You bring the bottle away immediately and your lips purse at the taste in your mouth. Frank’s laughter rumbles out deep from his chest and you watch his Adam's apple bob as he swallows it down with no reaction.

“Attagirl, one thing down. That wasn't too hard now was it?” he speaks once he’s brought the glass bottle away from his mouth. Thankfully, the nasty beer is enough to distract you from reacting to his praise.

“You didn’t tell me it tasted like piss!” you exclaim, wiping your mouth off with the back of your hand.

“This is actually one of the good ones,” you watch as he takes another swig. “But you’re right, it’s not all that great,” he admits before licking his lips and looking at you.

Any residual awkwardness you felt only moments before has all but vanished and you feel comfort just being here with him. You smile softly to yourself as you brush your thumb along the curved glass of the neck of the bottle.

“Thank you for this,” you speak up, “it feels nice to get something crossed off the list.”

“Any time, kid,” his voice is raspy and you try to dissuade your stomach from doing flips at his tone.

The smile on your face grows wider in the silence, feeling a small amount of pride bubbling in your chest knowing that you tried something new. It doesn’t seem like such a big feat once you’ve climbed over the hill, but there’s always been that fear that keeps you paralyzed and unable to even attempt to move forward. You truly meant your words, you’re thankful that he gave you that little push.

“Y’know, I could help… with the list, I mean.” You’re almost certain you’ve never felt your heart beat quite this hard before. Frank waits until your eyes have locked with his before he speaks slowly, carefully chooses his words as he continues. “O-Only if you want, obviously. Just… said you wish you knew how to do it the first time, right? So it wouldn’t be such a big deal?” You hesitantly nod, still not wanting to assume what he’s proposing until he explicitly says it.

“Yeah, so I figured we could have you practice? Make sure you know what you’re doing before you get out there,” he ends his sentence with a shrug, as if it’s the most nonchalant offer.

“What?” you desperately try to ignore the way your words shake slightly. “Like you’d teach me?” You can’t even help the incredulous tone your words are soaked in. You can hardly even fathom the idea of Frank Castle being the one to show you the ropes, much less actually acting those things out with him.

“Yeah? If that’s alright?” He smiles gently and you feel your body beginning to relax some. “Just… I saw how much it meant to you and I wanna help,” he explains further, and you swear you’ve never seen sincerity like the way it’s shining in his warm, brown eyes.

You swallow thickly as you think over his proposition. It feels like this is some sort of dream; you’re waiting for your alarm to ring out as your vision slowly fades, waking up in your bedroom alone. But no amount of pinching your skin will rip you from this moment. It feels too good to be true, but it’s happening regardless. He’s waiting on an answer and it’s honestly the best offer you could think of being handed to you on a silver platter.

“And hey, you absolutely don’t have to say—”

“Yes,” you finally decide. You can’t even believe you said it.

“You sure?” he asks again, his eyes flickering between your own. You think it’s sweet how he tries to make sure you’re certain of your decision. You smile widely as you nod at him, the butterflies returning to your stomach once again.

“Also, we don’t, like, have to have sex… just so you know. I know that’s a lot, but I can help with the stuff leading up to it?” You grin and nod again and Frank laughs lightly at your response. “Just wanna make sure you’re comfortable with it.”

“I am! I’m just excited, sorry,” you fidget with the hem of your shirt in an attempt to channel all the newfound energy elsewhere. Frank’s chuckle grows louder and you wonder if you imagined the soft “cute” that was muttered under his breath.

“So…” he speaks up and you turn to face him completely. “How would you feel about crossin’ something else off the list?” You nod immediately as all the nervousness from before switches to excitement while it courses through you.

“Okay…” he laughs softly at your quick reaction. “Let’s see,” he pauses for a moment as he thinks before his eyes light up with an idea. “You ever been kissed?” You feel the familiar shyness creeping up again, but you choose to push it back down. Instead, you just softly shake your head and watch as he nods in understanding.

“You want to try it?” he asks, his lips curling into a smirk. You hum an agreement and watch as he moves a bit closer to you on the couch. Once again you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, for this to be some sort of joke. But Frank only waits for you to take the initiative to close the space between the two of you.

Now that you’re facing each other on the couch, you can feel your heart pounding against your ribcage as you wait for him to make the first move. He smiles reassuringly before raising his hand and cradling the side of your neck. His thumb brushes your cheek as his long fingers curl around the back, holding you gently in place.

“You sure you want this?” he confirms. Again, you nod eagerly.

“I gotta hear you say it, sweetheart. That’s my rule,” he explains.

“Oh…” you whisper as you glance between his eyes and his lips, “yes.” You feel your heart swelling at the fact that he wants to make sure you truly want what he’s offering. His eyes are fixed on your mouth, muttering one last, “Okay,” before leaning forward.

The second his lips touch yours, you’re surprised at how soft they are. He’s gentle with his movements and softly sucks your lower lip between his own. It only takes a moment for you to kiss him back, careful to only mimic his actions and still let him lead. The kiss is warm and sweet and you feel the blood rushing through your cheeks and tingling down your neck. His thumb catches your bottom lip and pulls it down slowly, breaking the kiss. Frank breathes gently as he licks his lips, his eyes flickering between yours.

“How was that?” he asks, his breath fanning over your mouth as he speaks.

“It was good. I-I liked it,” you smile sheepishly, subconsciously pulling your bottom lip between your teeth to savor the feeling.

“Yeah?” he tilts his head as the question leaves his mouth, his eyes squinting as he glances from your eyes to your mouth. You once again nod before you even think to do it.

“Alright, now I wanna give you a real one.”

“A real one?” you pout and stare at him confusedly.

He only smirks before leaning forward again, pressing his lips to yours harder. This time, his palm guides your jaw to tilt your head back as he deepens the kiss. The stubble lining his jaw scratches at your cheeks, and the prickling has you melting under his touch. You try your best to keep up, but his scent feels like it’s truly suffocating you now; you can hardly kiss him back with how overwhelmed you are. The next thing you register is the wet heat of his tongue brushing along your bottom lip, slowly tracing the shape before he pushes it inside your mouth. His tongue glides against your own and there's a small moan that escapes from your throat.

All too soon his lips leave yours and you open your eyes at the loss of contact. Frank’s own eyes are still shut and you watch as he clenches his jaw, almost as if he’s holding himself back from something.

“Are you okay?” you ask gently, worried you messed up somehow.

“Yeah… just, that was the sweetest god damn thing I’ve heard.” His voice is so deep it sends a shiver down your spine. Out of all the times you’ve dreamt of having your first kiss, you never thought it would’ve been that good. And to think, an impulse decision to watch a movie with him led you to this plan to gain experience. You find yourself already missing the feeling of his tongue, of the scratch that his stubble gave when he deepened the kiss.

“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” he knocks your knee softly with his own, attempting to grab your attention. “You’re being too quiet.”

“I just, well, I wanna do it again,” you admit, looking away nervously. In one sudden motion Frank tugs you into his lap and you yelp as you wrap your arms around his neck. He laughs softly as he stares up at you but doesn’t waste a second before kissing you even quicker than before. There’s only a few chances you can take to catch your breath because he hardly breaks the kiss. You never thought someone as attractive as him would want to kiss you this much, but confidence rushes through your body as his affection continues.

Frank’s mouth begins to wander, his lips finding new space that had otherwise been untouched. The corner of your mouth, your chin, your jaw—he never stops kissing you until he gets to your throat. From there, his lips part and he begins sucking on your neck. A shaky gasp leaves you as his teeth make purchase on your skin, softly biting before brushing his tongue over the mark.

“Done two new things,” he mutters, his lips moving around the words but never leaving your body. “How’s it feel?”

“I really like this,” you say breathlessly as you feel his teeth gently graze the sensitive skin of your neck. He hums into your throat, the vibration setting your skin alight before you finish your thought, “You can keep the beer though.”

Frank’s chuckle gets caught in his throat, resulting in the cutest snort you’ve ever heard. He presses soft kisses along your collarbone and looks up at you with sweet, brown eyes.

“Sure, kid, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

#frank castle x reader #frank castle smut #frank castle fanfiction #frank castle fic #jon bernthal fanfiction #jon bernthal fic #the punisher fanfiction #the punisher fic #chelsea writes #I'M SO EXCITED GAH!

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shitsndgiggs · 4 months ago

Note

Hiiii!!! Would you do one with pau Cubarsi or hector fort? Where the reader Is like overly sensitive and cries a lot but he can read her like a book so he knows what’s wrong immediately?🥰❤️ This is sort of weird sorry😅

TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER - PAU CUBARSÍ

Pau hugs are the best

Pau Cubarsí x fem! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿

It had been a long day. I’d been feeling unusually emotional, and every little thing seemed to set me off. It was one of those days where everything felt like it was too much.

The stress from work, a minor argument with a friend, and even just the gloomy weather had me feeling fragile and tearful.

I knew Pau was coming over for dinner, and though I had tried to put on a brave face, I could feel the tears welling up at the slightest provocation.

I’d tried to hide it, but it was getting harder and harder to keep the emotions in check.

When Pau arrived, he could instantly sense that something was off. He greeted me with a warm smile, but his eyes quickly took in my flushed cheeks and the way I seemed to flinch at every little sound.

“Hey, cariño,” Pau said softly, pulling me into a gentle hug. “How’s your day been?”

I hugged him back tightly, feeling a lump in my throat. “It’s been... a bit rough,” I admitted, trying to keep my voice steady.

Pau pulled back slightly, his hands resting on my shoulders as he looked into my eyes. “What’s going on? You seem really upset.”

I blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears, but it was no use. The emotions I’d been trying to suppress all day came rushing to the surface, and before I knew it, I was crying.

Pau’s expression softened immediately, and he wrapped me up in a comforting embrace.

“Shh, it’s okay,” he murmured, stroking my hair gently. “Let it out. I’m here for you.”

I clung to him, letting the tears flow freely. “I’m sorry, Pau. I just feel like everything’s falling apart, and I don’t even know why I’m crying so much.”

Pau nodded, holding me close. “You don’t have to apologize. Sometimes, we just need to let it all out. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

As my sobs subsided, Pau led me to the couch and sat me down, pulling a blanket over us. He made sure I was comfortable before settling beside me.

“Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you, or would you rather just sit here for a while?”

I took a shaky breath, trying to compose myself. “I don’t even know where to start. It feels like everything is overwhelming today. I didn’t want to burden you with it, but I guess I just couldn’t hide it.”

Pau gently wiped the remaining tears from my cheeks, his touch tender and reassuring. “You’re not a burden. You never are. I care about you and want to help you through tough days like this. Let me be here for you.”

I looked up at him, feeling a wave of gratitude for his understanding and patience. “Thank you, Pau. It means a lot to have you here.”

Pau smiled softly, his eyes filled with affection. “Anytime, (Y/N). You’re always there for me, and I want to be there for you, too. We can get through anything together.”

He continued to hold me close, his warmth and steady presence providing a soothing balm to my emotional turmoil.

The gentle hum of his voice, the way he ran his fingers through my hair, and the comforting weight of his arm around me all helped to ease the anxiety that had been building up throughout the day.

As the evening wore on, I began to feel more at ease, the weight of my worries lifting with Pau’s unwavering support.

He didn’t push me to talk more than I was ready for, but he stayed by my side, making sure I knew I wasn’t alone.

After a while, I finally felt like I could breathe again. I looked up at Pau, offering a small, grateful smile. “I’m feeling a bit better now. Thank you for being so understanding.”

Pau kissed my forehead gently. “You don’t have to thank me. I love you, and that means being there for you through the good times and the tough ones. We’ll get through this, and tomorrow will be better.”

#football imagine #football x reader #pau cubarsi x reader #pau cubarsi

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littlest-w01f · 5 months ago

Text

Touch

Nesta x Pristess Reader

NESTA MASTERLIST

MAIN MASTERLIST

Summary: Nesta tries to calm a panicking Reader after she gets triggered by Cassian accidentally raising his voice around her during Valkryie's training

Cw: Mention of UtM, reader's sa trauma, angst, hurt, comfort

You stand nervously among the other priestesses, Nesta had asked you to join her and the others to train, you had been given shelter by Rhysand in the House of Winds after the most horrific period of your life, you had stayed with him Under the Mountain, your High Lord, while you were forced to service Amarantha's army, every horrific thing they had made you do for five decades refused to leave you. Now you stood for the first time outside in the training rink, you were the last of the Priestess to step outside the library you found comfort in.

"I see that you're feeling nervous about today's training session, y/n. It's perfectly normal to feel anxious before something new or challenging." Gwyn smiled at you, gently holding your hand, she was dressed in training leathers while you wore your robe. "Remember, every priestess here has been in your shoes at one point or another. Even I wore my robes till I got used to leather, till it didn't feel too ristricting."

"I know," you said softly, trying to hide your nerves as best as possible. "But this is different...this isn't just a new skill or power. This is physical combat."

Gwyn nodded, understanding your concern. "You're right, it is different. But remember, we are all here to support each other. No one expects you to be an expert right away." She gave your hand a reassuring squeeze.

As you walked towards the training area together, Gwyn pointed out some of the other priestesses who were already warming up. "See those two over there? They've been friends since they started training together years ago. And that one over there, she used to be terrified of fighting but look at her now!"

Her words helped ease some of your anxiety as did Nesta's presence when she finally arrived.

"You've come so far already," Gwyn continued encouragingly. "Trust me, coming out of the library is a pretty big deal for most of us, you aren't alone."

As you smile, Nesta approaches you, a smile of her own on her lips, "I'm so glad you came."

Seeing how hesitant you still were, Nesta led you over to the sidelines, away from the other priestesses who were stretching and warming up for their training sessions.

"We'll start slow today," Nesta reassured you as she began showing you some basic moves, keeping an eye on your form and offering gentle corrections when needed.

Nesta kept an eye on you, making sure you got the moves right. Her stern demeanour softened a bit, showing a side of her that was surprisingly patient.

Cassian watched you from afar, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall. He observed the way Nesta patiently guided you through each move, helping correct your stance and improve your technique. There was a sense of pride in his gaze, mixed with a hint of admiration.

He walked over once Nesta called for a break, standing next to her with an arm slung casually around her shoulders. "Not bad," he said approvingly looking at you. "You've got potential." His tone was teasing but there was no denying the sincerity behind his words.

Seeing Cassian approach, you couldn't help but tense up. His towering presence always seemed to loom over everyone else, including Nesta who was quite tall herself. But then again, it was hard not to react when faced with such a large individual.

Forcing yourself to relax, you gave him a small smile, acknowledging his presence without letting his size intimidate you. "Thank you," you replied politely, wiping the sweat off your forehead with the back of your hand.

Despite your efforts to remain calm, a sudden loud yell from Cassian towards Emerie caused you to jump slightly, you didn't register what he said, nor his tone, but your heart was pounding in your chest. Panic started to set in as you remembered the terrifying events that had happened Under the Mountian, the fear you lived in. You quickly took a few steps back, putting some distance between yourself, Nesta and Cassian.

They were quick to note the change in you, worry crossed Nesta's face as guilt filled Cassian's. Cassian took a step back to give you space as Nesta watched for your reaction.

"Nesta...Cassian..." You stammered out, clutching onto your elbows for support, rubbing your arm in comfort. "I... I need to... g-go back in... Inside... I...I can't do this anymore." Tears welled up in your eyes as fear consumed you once again, you didn't wait for a response as you rushed out of the grounds, and didn't pause till you were in the comfort of the library again.

Nesta had followed after you at a safe distance so that you wouldn't notice her, worried for you. She felt guilt bubbling in her, wondering if you would have been ok had she not asked you to step outside of your comfort in the library. She wanted to make sure you were okay while also respecting your need for privacy.

She greeted Clotho with a nod, who looked at her in a way that somehow made her feel worse, or perhaps it was also the note that sat in front of the High Priestess, 'inside, floor 2, aisle 4. She came sbbing.' as if Clotho knew Nesta was coming.

Nesta ran down the floors, till she came across the aisle where your sobbing figure sat, Nesta found you huddled in a corner, your body shaking with silent tears streaming down your face. The sight broke her heart and she knelt down beside you, a safe distance away.

"I'm sorry," she murmured softly, regret clear in her voice. "I should never have pushed you into this so quickly... I shouldn't have assumed that you'd be comfortable stepping outside after everyone else was-"

"Why couldn't I do it?" You sob looking up, cutting her off, taking her by surprise, "How can it be so hard when everyone can handle it?"

Nesta blinked at your question, taken aback by its intensity. "It's not that everyone handles it easily," she responded quietly. "Everyone has their own battles to fight... Your trigger might be different than anyone else's here."

She paused, reaching out to hold your hand in comfort. "I won't ask you to go outside again unless you're ready."

You accept her hand over yours, not flinching away from her touch, "But I should be able to..." You stress, making Nesta realise you were hurting not because Cassian had made you fall back into a spiral, but the fact you couldn't stop it from affecting you.

"You're stronger than you think, y/n," Nesta murmured reassuringly, squeezing your hand gently. "It takes time to adjust and heal. No one expects you to be completely fine in one day."

Her gaze softened as she studied your face. "Don't be too hard on yourself," She urged. "Remember, we're all here for you... whenever you're ready."

"I will try..." You whispered to her before propping up a little, wiping your tears away as Nesta inched closer, sitting right beside you. You rested your head on her shoulder after a moment, allowing her to console you for a moment longer. Gradually you composed yourself, the room was quiet except for the occasional sniffles. As time passed though, even these sounds lessened

Nesta silently asked for a glass of cold water from the House, offering it to you.

Taking the glass, you brought it to your lips and drank deeply. The cool liquid felt soothing against your dry throat, providing a brief respite from your emotional turmoil. Feeling it soothe your throat which was dry from all the crying.

"Thank you," you mumbled gratefully before placing the empty glass aside and leaning back against the shelves. You closed your eyes tightly for a moment, taking deep breaths in order to calm yourself down further.

"We could first start with some breathing exercises." Nesta offered, wrapping an arm around you to pull you close, which you let her, "Before we get outside and work on physical training."

You nod, agreeing, "Yeah... That... Sounds nice."

"Besides, Cassian feels horible," Nesta then gave you a teasing smile, "I think you should make him feel like that for a little while longer."

You manage a small smile at her words. "I don't want him to feel too bad..." You whisper softly.

Nesta rolled her eyes at that, but it was playful, "Well, I'll let him know." Nesta laughed, liking the closeness you felt comfortable with him. "I for one can't wait for him and Emerie to officially get together so that she can put some manners in him, accidentally startling you..."

"I want you to stay..." You cling to her arm, "Please..."

Nesta softens, holding you back, "Of course, we can stay for as long as you want, sweetheart."

{General Taglist- @nox-ceur @lilah-asteria @paleidiot}

#acotar #acotar series #acosf #acomaf #acowar #nesta angst #nesta archeron #nesta acotar #nesta acosf #nesta x reader #nesta fluff #nesta archeron x reader

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vilentia · 2 years ago

Text

Uncle Wayne's Diner

Eddie Munson x reader (from Wayne’s perspective)

As Wayne sat on the porch of his small house, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry for his nephew Eddie. He had always been a sensitive boy, prone to getting his heart broken at the slightest provocation. And now, with this new girlfriend, Wayne could see the signs of angsty teenage love brewing in the air.

Eddie and the girl - what was her name? - had been inseparable since they started dating a few weeks ago. They would come to Wayne's diner every day, sitting in the same booth, holding hands and giggling over milkshakes. Wayne had to admit, they were cute together, but he couldn't shake the feeling that things were moving too fast.

One evening, as Wayne was closing up the diner, he heard a knock on the door. It was Eddie, his eyes red and swollen, his hair tousled from running his hands through it in distress.

"Uncle Wayne," he said, his voice cracking. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Wayne let him in, sensing that this was something serious. Eddie collapsed onto one of the stools at the counter, burying his face in his hands.

"What's going on, Eddie?" Wayne asked gently.

"It's her," Eddie said, his voice muffled by his palms. "I just... I don't know if I can handle it, Uncle Wayne. It's like she's always on my mind, and I can't focus on anything else."

Wayne nodded sympathetically, remembering all too well the all-consuming feeling of teenage love. "It's tough, kid. But it's also kind of wonderful, isn't it? To care about someone so much?"

Eddie lifted his head, his eyes shining with tears. "Yeah, I guess so. It's just... what if it all falls apart? What if she realizes she doesn't feel the same way about me anymore?"

Wayne leaned in closer, placing a reassuring hand on Eddie's shoulder. "Listen, Eddie. I know it's scary, but you have to take a chance on love. You can't live your life always wondering what could have been. And who knows, maybe this girl is the one for you."

Eddie sniffled, looking up at Wayne with a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty. "But what if she's not?"

Wayne shrugged, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Then you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep on going. Because that's what life is all about - taking risks and making mistakes, and learning from them. And if you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me."

Eddie nodded, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Thanks, Uncle Wayne. You always know what to say."

Wayne chuckled, ruffling Eddie's hair affectionately. "That's what uncles are for. Now go on, get out of here. You've got a girl waiting for you."

Eddie grinned, hopping off the stool and heading towards the door. "Thanks again, Uncle Wayne. You're the best."

As Wayne watched his nephew disappear into the night, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia for his own angsty teenage years. But he was glad that he could be there for Eddie, to offer him some guidance and support as he navigated the tumultuous waters of young love. And who knows, maybe one day he would be giving similar advice to the girl who had captured his nephew's heart. Only time would tell.

___

As the weeks went by, Wayne couldn't deny that he was growing more and more fond of Eddie's girlfriend. At first, he had been skeptical - after all, he had seen his fair share of teenage flings fizzle out before they really began. But as he watched the way she cared for Eddie, listened to him, and supported him through his various anxieties, he couldn't help but be impressed.

One afternoon, Wayne was taking a break from the diner, sitting on his front porch with a cup of coffee and watching the world go by. He saw Eddie and his girlfriend walking hand-in-hand down the street, their heads close together as they chatted animatedly. They caught sight of Wayne and waved, smiling brightly.

Wayne waved back, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. He had to admit, seeing Eddie so happy made him happy too. And he was grateful that his nephew had found someone who seemed to truly understand and appreciate him.

As Eddie and his girlfriend approached, Wayne stood up to greet them. "Hey there, you two. How's it going?"

"It's going great, Uncle Wayne," Eddie said, grinning from ear to ear. "We just went to the arcade and I beat her at Galaga again."

His girlfriend rolled her eyes playfully. "He's just lucky, don't listen to him."

Wayne chuckled, enjoying the banter between the two of them. "Well, why don't you two come inside and I'll fix you up some milkshakes?"

They eagerly agreed, and as Wayne mixed up the shakes, he couldn't help but ask Eddie's girlfriend a few questions about herself. He was surprised to learn that she was an avid reader, with a particular interest in science fiction and fantasy. They chatted about their favorite books and authors, and Wayne was impressed by her intelligence and creativity.

After they finished their milkshakes, Eddie's girlfriend helped Wayne clean up the kitchen, offering to wash the dishes while he dried. As they worked, Wayne couldn't help but notice how kind and considerate she was, always making sure to ask if he needed any help and thanking him for the hospitality. He was beginning to see that she wasn't just a fleeting crush for Eddie - she was someone special.

Later that evening, as Wayne was closing up the diner, he saw Eddie's girlfriend sitting outside on the bench, staring up at the stars. He decided to join her, taking a seat beside her and offering her a warm smile.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" he said, gesturing up at the clear sky.

She nodded, a small smile on her lips. "It really is. I love looking at the stars - it makes me feel small and insignificant, but in a good way."

Wayne chuckled. "I know what you mean. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded that we're just a small part of something much bigger."

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, before Eddie's girlfriend spoke up. "I just wanted to thank you, Wayne. For being so welcoming to me, and for always looking out for Eddie. He's lucky to have an uncle like you."

Wayne felt a warm flush spread through his chest. "Oh, it's nothing. I just want him to be happy."

"I know," she said, her voice soft. "And I want that too. He's such a sweet, caring person, and I feel lucky to be with him. I know relationships can be hard, but I'm willing to work at it, to make it last."

Wayne was impressed by her maturity and dedication. "That's good to hear. I have a feeling you two are going to be just fine."

They sat a while longer, chatting about life, love, and the mysteries of the universe. Wayne felt grateful for the connection he was building with his nephew's girlfriend, and he couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, this relationship was something special after all.

___

A couple of months had passed, and Wayne had grown even more accustomed to having Eddie's girlfriend around. She had become a regular presence at the diner, often coming by after school to hang out with Eddie or chat with Wayne. They had even gone on a few double dates together, and Wayne had to admit that he was impressed by how well the two of them seemed to complement each other.

One evening, Wayne was closing up the diner when he heard a loud commotion coming from Eddie's apartment upstairs. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should intervene, but then he heard Eddie's girlfriend's voice, raised and angry.

"I can't believe you would say something like that! How could you be so insensitive?"

"I was just trying to be honest!" Eddie shouted back, his voice tight with frustration. "Why can't you see that?"

There was a moment of silence, and then the sound of a door slamming shut echoed through the building. Wayne's heart sank as he realized that Eddie's girlfriend had stormed out.

He hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do, before finally making his way upstairs to Eddie's apartment. When he arrived, he found Eddie sitting on the couch, his face buried in his hands.

"Eddie, what happened?" Wayne asked, concern etched into his voice.

Eddie looked up, tears in his eyes. "We got into a fight. A really bad one."

Wayne took a seat next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Eddie nodded, taking a deep breath. "I don't know what to do. We were arguing about something stupid, and then it just... escalated. And then she left, and I don't know if she's ever going to come back."

Wayne listened patiently as Eddie poured out his heart, expressing his fear and sadness at the thought of losing the person he loved. It was clear to Wayne that Eddie was really struggling with this, and he knew he had to offer some guidance.

"Well, the first thing you need to do is give her some space," Wayne said, his voice gentle but firm. "She's upset right now, and she needs time to process her emotions."

Eddie nodded, wiping his eyes. "Okay, I can do that. But what about after that? How do I fix this?"

Wayne paused for a moment, thinking carefully. "You need to be honest with her, Eddie. Tell her how you feel, and really listen to how she feels too. Relationships are about communication, and sometimes that means having difficult conversations."

Eddie nodded again, taking in Wayne's advice. "You're right. I need to be brave and tell her how much she means to me."

Wayne smiled, feeling proud of his nephew. "That's the spirit, Eddie. I have a feeling things are going to work out just fine."

Over the next few days, Eddie took Wayne's advice to heart. He gave his girlfriend some space, but when they finally spoke again, he was open and honest about his feelings. He apologized for the hurtful things he had said, and he promised to work on his communication skills going forward.

To Eddie's relief, his girlfriend was willing to give him another chance. They worked through their issues, talking things out whenever they had a disagreement. And through it all, Wayne was there to offer support and guidance, watching with pride as his nephew grew and matured in his relationship.

As time passed, Eddie and his girlfriend grew even closer, cementing their bond through shared experiences and a deep love and respect for each other. And Wayne was grateful to have been a part of their journey, seeing firsthand how the power of love and communication can overcome even the toughest obstacles.

In the end, Eddie knew that he had found something special with his girlfriend, something worth fighting for. And with Wayne's wisdom and support, he knew that he had the tools to make it work, no matter what challenges lay ahead.

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griffin-girl-r · 1 year ago

Text

Breathe

Created: 09.10.2023

Finished: 09.10.2023

Edited: 09.10.2023

Age: Newborn

Word count: 1,485

Warnings: Birth complications

Request: Yes (Wattpad user)

Pairing: BlackHill

Summary: Natasha and Maria get ready to welcome their baby into the world but the complicated delivery they experience brings something unexpected for them.

—

Maria was lying on the hospital bed with her wife, Natasha, sitting beside her for emotional support.

The couple was about to welcome their miracle baby into the world and they couldn't be happier.

Thanks to the medical advancements that were created by Bruce in his lab, with a little bit of financial support from Tony, the scientist discovered a way for two women to have their own biological child and the first couple that volunteered to be tested on was, obviously, Maria and Natasha.

Needless to say, it was the best decision they took in their entire lives because it offered them the chance to fulfill their dreams of becoming parents.

Sure, they have thought about adoption and alternative methods, like a donor, but it, just, didn't feel right for them.

So that's what brought them to this moment.

The joyous day when Maria, who had been the one to carry the baby, entered in labor, and each passing second brought the couple closer to the moment they would hold their tiny angel in their arms.

"You can do this, baby." Natasha encouraged Maria, her voice filled with anxiety and anticipation "You're so strong."

"It hurts so much, Nat." Maria cried out in pain, squeezing Natasha's hand with such strenght as if she wanted to break it

Maria was already in labor for the past 20 hours and the doctors buzzed around the expectant mother, emanating an air of concern.

They knew all too well that a prolonged labor was nothing but harmful for both the mother and the baby.

"I know, my love." Natasha wiped the sweat away from Maria's forehead with her hand before placing a firm kiss on it "The doctors are here to help you and Bruce will make sure that it won't be long till our baby is here."

"I want this baby out of me!" Maria screamed as a contraction hit her full force

"Call down, Agent." Bruce stormed inside the room, adjusting his medical gloves on his hands "The time for your baby to come is here."

"Thank God." Natasha breathed out reliefed "You heard that, sweetheart? Our baby needs you now more than ever. I'm right beside you. We're in this together."

"You better!" Maria groaned

Bruce walked over to the bed and placed an oxygen mask over Maria's face, carefully helping the pregnant woman to change her position and prepare for the delivery.

"I love you so much, Masha." Natasha whispered into her wife's ear, brushing the wet hair away from Maria's forehead "We'll get through this as a team."

"Alright, Maria." Bruce positioned himself at the foot of the bed "You know what you need to do. Now push."

"I can't do this!" Maria screamed, overwhelmed by the unbearable pain that was cursing through her body

"I can see the head!" Bruce shouted "Just one more push!"

"Tasha..." The brunette breathed out exhausted, her face pale "Please, take care of our baby."

Natasha shook her head as she squeezed Maria's hand reassuringly "I will but you are also going to be there to help me raise our baby."

"You know my mother died to bring me into this world." Maria tearfully said "What if I'm destinated to die during childbirth as well? Is that how she felt? Without any regret to die only for the wellbeing of the baby."

"That won't happen, babe." Natasha reassured with a rushed tone "You just focus on taking deep breaths and don't worry about anything else."

"No one's going to die today." Bruce loudly declared "Not you, not your baby. Not on my watch."

"Ah!" Maria screamed as she gathered the last remains of strenght she had left in her body

Silence settled over the room and Maria let out a deep sigh in relief, relaxation washing over her entire being.

"You did it, love!" Natasha cheered, kissing Maria's dry lips

But something was odd.

Maria weakly lifted her head and scanned the room with her eyes. The relief she felt was quickly replaced by worry as fear gripped her heart.

The deafening silence in the room persisted, casting an eerie veil of dread over everyone.

"Why isn't the baby crying?" Maria mumbled, voicing out the question that was present in her and Natasha's minds

"Shit!" Bruce loudly cussed, turning around to a nearby table, his hands working on auto-pilot

"Bruce?" Natasha swallowed the lump in her throat before slightly standing up to catch a glimpse of what was going on "What's happening? What's wrong with our baby?"

"She's not breathing." Bruce swiftly moved as he carefully placed the newborn baby on the table

"No..." Maria cried out in disbelief "It can't be."

"She's going to be okay." Natasha tried to keep her tears at bay, failing miserably in doing so, her heart tightening in her chest "Our baby is going to be okay."

"Come on, little baby." Bruce huffed as he started performing CPR on the baby "You ain't going anywhere."

"Please, baby." Maria cried as Natasha pulled Maria's head into her chest "Breathe."

"Just breathe, sweetie." Natasha continued, hugging Maria tighter to her chest

Time seemed to stand still in those moments of uncertainty.

They couldn't have fought so fiercely to have a baby only to have their hearts crushed before they even got the chance to hold their baby girl into their arms.

"Please, Y/N." Maria cried

"Come on!" Bruce shouted, a vein on his neck turning green "Your mothers need you here with them!"

"My life for hers!" Maria shouted, her gaze shifting upwards towards the ceiling as tears cascaded uncontrollably down her cheeks "If that's what you want then take it! Just save my baby."

Just then, it was as if the heavens heard Maria's pleading, and a cry pierced through the room, though weak at first.

"She's back!" Bruce laughed in disbelief "We got her back!"

Maria shot her eyes closed tightly, a cry of relief escaping her mouth as the weight of Bruce's words settled in.

Natasha's knees suddenly gave up on her and she dropped back into the chair underneath her as her limbs froze and she couldn't move anymore.

Bruce turned around, holding you in his arms and he gently placed you in Maria's waiting arms.

Your parents instantly noticed how your bluish skin was slowly turning pale and then back to its normal color.

Natasha reached her trembling hand toward your tiny foot and marveled at how small it was, while Maria placed a soft kiss on the soft tufts of brown baby hair that adorned your tiny head.

"Welcome to the world, Y/N." Maria smiled, as she looked into your big, innocent, green eyes

"So what happened then?" Natasha asked Bruce a few hours later while she sat on Maria's bed, her arms wrapped around her girls

"She experienced a nuchal cord that cut the oxygen flow." Bruce looked over the file in his hand

"Bruce..." Natasha sighed "I speak a lot of languages but your medical language ain't one."

"Explain it in terms we can understand, Banner." Maria looked up from your sleeping face to Bruce as she kept slowly rocking you

"She experienced a cord compression which literally means that she was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck too tightly." Bruce explained "It's not an unusual thing to occur during difficult births. It happens in around 20-30% of cases and the long labour Maria had just made everything a little bit more difficult."

Maria looked back down at the baby in her arms and she teared up before voicing her concerns.

"Will she be okay?" Maria's trembling voice choked back tears "Is the lack of oxygen she experienced in the first moments of life going to leave lasting consequences?"

"She's going to be just fine." Bruce smiled reassuringly "I checked her and I can confirm that she will be able to live a completely normal life without any lasting consequences."

Both mothers allowed relief to wash over them and they shifted their attention back to you but not before sharing a quick kiss.

"I told you that everything would be okay." Natasha whispered, your tiny fingers tightly wrapped around the redhead's index finger

"I am so happy to finally have her here with us." Maria chuckled tearfully "She gave us quite the scare."

"That you can say again, love." Natasha laughed

This wasn't the perfect birth Maria and Natasha imagined that they would experience but it had its unique way to ensure that the new mothers would never forget this day.

This day reminded them of the fragility of life and, at the same time, of its beauty and the moments that are worth living for.

Despite everything, all that mattered was that their baby was alive, healthy, and breathing.

Every hardship they faced served as the reminder to appreciate each day and live it to the fullest.

—

Permanent taglist: @lizlil , @mmmmokdok , @sheneonromanoff , @justarandomreaderxoxo , @observeowl , @darkstar225 , @circe143 , @lovelyy-moonlight , @natsxwife , @dannipotatoo , @youralphawolf72 , @ravensinthedaylight

#mama nat #natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff x daughter!reader #natasha x daughter!reader #natasha's child #natasha's kid #natasha romanoff x teen!reader #natasha x teen reader #natasha x baby!reader #blackhill #maria hill x daughter!reader #maria hill

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concreteburialplot · 1 year ago

Text

VIRALITY // 11

11 - Peak Fashion

pairing: noah sebastian x fem!oc [vallie] 👀

masterlist: here | crossposted: ao3 | word count: 5k

warnings: angsty? but cute?, jealous nicholas, sassy but goofy noah, something revealed, very short time skips, 18+ MDNI

summary: vallie abruptly wakes to a million texts to meet for a last minute music video. upon arriving she discovers that the band is not at all prepared which sets her and noah on a mission.

Reminder: This contains the very mild crossover with Christian 'Kras' Anthony from Chase Atlantic ...... and introduces another extremely mild crossover 🫣 they are both merely for side character/reference purposes. Nothing huge, don’t worry lol just for fun

Disclaimer - This story is semi-AU since it does not follow actual timelines or events. The band is still fairly small & does things entirely on their own with no other support.

don't like it don't read it. don’t be mean for no reason & let others enjoy things thnx :)

VALLIE

Sunlight warms my eyelids and gently lulls me awake. My eyes shoot open at the realization that I have once again fallen asleep somewhere that isn’t my home – well my pseudo-home anyway. It seems that anywhere else feels homier than my showroom-esque Airbnb.

This time I don’t wake up in a panic, the smell of Christian’s woodsy cologne reassures me that I’m somewhere safe. The last time stamp I saw on my phone last night was 4:30 am. We had spent the whole night catching up, watching our favorite comfort shows, and binging all his favorite American snacks that he can’t get in Australia.

I reach over to the nightstand to grab my phone. A groan escapes me when I see that the time reads 8:47 am. My brows curve up at the ridiculous amount of notifications that fill my screen. While my job doesn’t really have “days off”, I had no specific plans or meetings booked for the day. So, it’s unexpected.

Most of them were from Bryan, the Omens’ photographer that I met at the warehouse with Noah. The messages flood my screen with missed calls and texts.

Bryan: Warehouse. 8 am.

Bryan: Hello? Are you awake?

Bryan: Music video. Today.

Bryan: I think you should be there.

Bryan: Hey!!! Music video !! Today !! 8 am !!

Bryan: Dude

Bryan: We’re starting. Show up whenever, if you want.

Fuck.

Kras continues to snooze next to me and I know that not even a plane crash could wake him up. So, I press a quick peck on his cheek before I roll out of bed and quickly begin gathering my belongings.

I’m rushing because well… Bryan seems like the only Omen who wants to cooperate or include me in any actual band activities. So, I have to be here. And I’m already an hour late.

I leave a small note on Christian’s dining table, saying how nice it was to see him, thanking him for the pep talk, and that I’ll see him and the rest of his band in a zoom meeting next Monday morning.

I’m still not sure if saying yes to his job offer was the right choice. I’m already stretched thin enough between my main client and now Omens, adding Chase might be more than I can handle. While my main client’s fanbase is much more… intensive, Chase Atlantic is still larger than both of them. And that swirls a terrifying pit of anxiety in my stomach because I’m not quite sure I’m equipped with enough experience to handle it all.

Gravel cracks beneath my tires as I pull up to the warehouse. I gather my bed head hair into the closest thing to a bun I can get it and try to rub off the slept in mascara smudged under my eyes.

My engine isn’t fully off for half a second before I’m out and locking my door.

I smooth out the exact same outfit I wore to Christian’s yesterday since I didn’t have time to stop home. Usually, I would never show up to a work event in sweatpants, a cropped cami, sneakers, and a flannel, but here we are. It’s not like the band is particularly formal anyway.

I see Folio and Jolly first, who both give me strange looks, like they’re surprised I’m here. Then, Noah and Nicholas once I get to the entrance. They seem equally as shocked too.

“What are you doing here?” Noah asks, lined with his usual snarky tone, seeming almost offended by my presence.

“I invited her.” Bryan speaks up from the background, adjusting the camera around his neck. “And you’re about an hour late by the way.”

Regardless of his criticism, he gives me a smile and a side hug – which surprises me.

Aside from Nicholas – for…obvious reasons – Bryan is the one who meets me with the most warmth out of the five of them.

I offer a closed lipped smile and a small awkward wave to the band. I wasn’t prepared to accidentally crash a music video shoot.

“Nice outfit, you just get out of bed?” Noah quips.

I roll my sleep-deprived eyes, “Nice to see you too, Noah.”

The rest of the band disperses into whatever they were doing before I arrived.

Nick walks up to me and I can tell he’s trying his best to act casual.

“Hey.” He says simply but quietly between us.

“Hey.” I match his somewhat awkward tone.

My gaze reluctantly meets his and I immediately regret it. His hair is pulled up into a fluffy ponytail with his hair flat against his head and he looks so good.

This was going to be more difficult than I thought.

“Val?” He asks trying to get my attention.

“Huh?” I shake my head from the fuzz sitting in my brain.

“Oh, I just said it’s nice to see you.” He says demurely. “I’m glad you’re here.”

I take note of the dullness of his normally bright eyes, and the dark bags beneath them. It makes me wonder if he got as little sleep as I did.

The energy of this whole ordeal is so… odd. It makes me feel as though I’m once again missing parts of a puzzle that I’m not aware of.

His gives me a once over and lingers a bit on my flannel.

“Oh! Right!” I set my bag down on a nearby table before slipping the flannel off my arms, giving it a lazy fold, and offering it over to him. “Here have it back.”

He instinctively takes the folded garment, looking at it like I just handed him the wrong Chipotle order. His brows furrow, initially in confusion then into something much different.

Before he responds it hits me.

I fucked up.

Fuck

“This isn’t mine.” He states in a slighted tone.

“Oh- Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t get much sleep last night–“ I immediately realize that probably wasn’t the best thing to follow that up with. “I just need a coffee.”

“Right.” He lands the flannel back in my hands. He goes to pass me and stops as he’s grazing my shoulder. “And who’s ever it is, has shitty taste in cologne.”

My eyes widen.

Did I just put Kras’ proposed scheme into action by accident?

It’s fine.

It’s perfectly fine.

I’m fine.

I discreetly shake out the tips of my fingers and glance up to finally take in my surroundings fully. The floor is covered in a massive tarp, covered in… dirt?

I steal the phone from my tote pocket and carefully walk over to where Bryan is messing with some equipment. I shuffle right up next to him and whisper, “What…exactly is happening here?”

“I don’t know. Noah just woke us all up at the ass crack of dawn and said we needed to do this today.” Bryan shrugs, not stopping his actions for me, and continues walking carrying a large umbrella light.

“…and you all just went along with it?”

“Listen. I just work here man.” He sets down the heavy light and sighs dramatically.

I can’t help but chuckle at his verbiage.

“Okay… and why did you have to drag me into this?”

“Well, you have a job to do, don’t you?” He questions as if he doesn’t know the answer.

“I mean y-“ I begin but he cuts me off.

“Exactly.” He walks back over to a pile of equipment on a plastic table, and I follow him around like a puppy while he talks. “And you want them to like you, yes?”

“Well, I mean,” My eyes glance over at Nicholas who’s sat on a stool tuning a teal bass. The memories of our bodies entwined graze over my tongue and his working fingers sends a tingle between my legs.

Well, one of them likes me.

Is my first reflex to say.

But I’m not even sure if that’s true, especially not now. I should know better than to trust band boys anyway. I manage them, I’ve been around them since the start of my career. I’ve been best friends with Kras for nearly a decade. I’ve seen what band men do. How they treat the women they use to get off, even the ones they love.

“Look. They need you.” He says, his tone more serious than before and leans against the wall beside him with crossed arms. “Whether they believe it or not, they need you. You and I both know that. If Noah wants to be an arrogant, stubborn asshole, then let him. But don’t give up on them. They just need time.” His eyes drift to the four of them messing around with their instruments. “You’re stuck with them one way or another. And they’re not a bad bunch to be stuck with. Trust me.” He gives me a half smile before nudging my arm. “Loosen up a little, you might find that you like ‘em.”

Bryan pushes himself off the wall going to find some other task and I’m left with this peptalk I wasn’t expecting, especially from him.

I take the time to watch them, really watch them. Noah is well … Noah, so there’s some grumpy tension that follows him – but the rest of them, even while grumpy and irritated, flow together effortlessly.

Noah ripped everyone from their sleep and yet, they’re still all here. Sure, you could write that off as good work ethic, but I think it’s more than that. As unpredictable as he is, they let Noah lead them. At least for the most part.

They all showed up for him today and the whole time I’ve known them.

‘This band is all he has.’ Nicholas’ words echo in my ears from that rainy night in his car.

Maybe they all know that, and maybe they all honor it.

They all love him enough to show up and keep showing up.

Christian is right. I can’t let my feelings cloud this. If not for me, then for them.

As I clear from my dissociation, I realize I must’ve hyper fixated on their bustling about because the only thing I see now is their attire… or the lack thereof.

“Wait, wait, wait.” I cautiously step around the piles of dirt on a brown tarp to reach Noah. “Is this the whole outfit? This is what you’re wearing for the video?”

Noah sighs in exasperation and drops the corner of tarp he’s holding to face me. “Yes? Do you have a problem with it?”

“Problem with it? It is the problem.” I give him a once over, just black jeans and plain grey shirt with a faded CocaCola logo on it. I reach to his sides and give the seems a small tug to pull the logo taught against his thin chest. “You see that? What does that look like to you?”

Noah raises a snarky brow at me, “A Coke logo?”

“Wrong. That-” I drop the edges of his shirt and stab his sternum with my finger. “That is unpaid brand advertising.”

I can tell he immediately wants to roll his eyes but doesn’t when he realizes I’m right.

The rest of the boys wear similar outfits, jeans, t-shirts, hoodies.

“Okay, well this is all we brought last minute, and the house is like an hour away, I’m not driving back there.”

There’s no way I’m letting them shoot an entire video in dirt with such casual outfits. I tug at my lip and tap my fingertips on my arm in thought.

As if a lightbulb appears above my head, a possible solution crosses my mind.

“I think I saw a thrift shop in that strip where the bar is.” I shrug, “I can try to find something there. But I can’t just let you play around in dirt like this.”

Noah raises his brows and crosses his tattooed arms across his chest, “Well I’m sure as fuck not letting you pick out outfits for us.”

I walk over to my bag, picking up easily and walking towards the warehouse opening. “Then you better hurry up and get in my car.”

Noah and I had been looking through racks of dusty clothes for about 10 minutes without speaking to each other. I knew a thrift shop was somewhat of a risky choice, but after not seeing anything worth shit for a bit had me nervous.

I’m not sure why I’m nervous – but I shouldn’t be making risky bold decisions with them.

Across the racks I catch Noah picking up a thick peacoat. At first glance, I find it absolutely repulsive, but for a music video? It could be exactly what we need. At least it’d be better than a Coca-Cola shirt. For the vibe I think he’s going for, it might be perfect.

He lifts up the hanger and flips it around, his brows knitting intently at it. He likes it.

I haven’t known him that long, but he’s pretty transparent, no matter how mysterious he thinks he is.

I quickly divert my eyes back down when he goes to return the coat to its place on the rack. I know that if I say I like it, he’ll immediately be against it, so I keep my mouth shut.

“So, what kinda vibe are you going for?” I ask casually.

He glares over at me, “What do you care? Changing our clothes was your idea remember?”

“Whoa.” I put my hands up in defense. “I’m just trying to help.”

“Well, I’m sure you wanna put us in the same preppy clothes you put your other big mysterious client in. Which I’m still convinced is Harry Styles by the way.”

I roll my eyes knowing which “client” he’s referring to since I haven’t mentioned that I took on a third one yet. He means the first one, the one that landed me here in the first place, my ‘big success’. At least that’s what they kept telling me when sitting in meeting after meeting getting pitched different ‘next big artists’. And somehow, I got stuck with Noah & friends™️.

“No, it’s not Harry and I don’t put them in preppy clothes.” I reply absentmindedly sifting through hangers.

“Them?” He picks up on my slip immediately and my eyes widen slightly. “It’s a band?”

I clear my throat and shake my head. “No – no that’s not what I–“

“It is, isn’t it?” His brows lower at me. “It better not be a conflict of interest, that would be a breach of contract and I-“

“Relax. I’m not stupid, I wouldn’t have signed contract if it was a conflict of interest.” I glare over at him with annoyed, tired eyes.

I sigh then allow my tense shoulders to roll back. “Yes. It’s a band. But they aren’t a heavy band they’re ehm…. more classic rock, hippie-ish?” I shake my head. “And trust me, I would NOT put you or the rest of you in any of their clothes.”

I press my lips together trying to stifle a giggle that threatens to escape at the thought of Noah in a glitzy jumpsuit.

“What’s so funny?” He furrows his brows at me in offense. “You don’t think I could pull off some hippie clothes?” He asks seriously, but I can tell he doesn’t believe it either, he’s just trying to be difficult.

Then it occurs to me that this reverse-psychology defiant behavior may work to my advantage.

“No, actually. I don’t think you could.” I shrug, sliding some clothes over. “Just like I don’t think you could pull off that hideous peacoat.”

His brows rise higher than I’ve ever seen them. “Oh really? Maybe that’ll be the one I choose then.”

Checkmate.

I ignore it to not put too much emphasis on it. “You never told me what’s the vibe you want.”

“Hm.” He pauses, maybe he doesn’t even know. “I’m not sure. Cult-y? Business-y? Underground elite secret society-y?”

“Wow.” I say with wide, surprised eyes and exaggerating my mouth around the word. “That’s… specific. And you planned to achieve that with graphic tees?”

“Shut up.”

“Right.”

“Would I know your other band?” He inquires, the curiosity obviously eating at him.

“Shut up.”

“Right.”

We continue to mind our own business in our individual searches while early 2000’s pop plays through the small, dingy shop.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Noah lifting up an obviously homemade PitBull t-shirt.

I can’t help but let out a loud laugh.

He snaps his head over at me with a goofy grin, “What you don’t think Mr. Worldwide is peak fashion?”

I shake my head laughing, “No, I definitely wouldn’t say he is.”

“I think this might be the most badass piece of clothing I’ve ever seen.” He seems half serious and half trying to hold back a cackle.

“It’s a… choice. But you know what? It might be perfect for you.”

He feigns offense, “Why because you think I’m so badass?”

A laugh erupts from me. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Well, I’m getting it. I might wear it in the video.” He throws the white shirt into his cart.

“Great.” I reply sarcastically.

The search seemed to be going a bit better the further we dig. I found a couple pieces that might work for the rest of the band to fit into Noah’s vaguely hyper-specific theme. He’s done the same, just not as successfully.

Across the aisle I notice his hands grasping the sides of a hideous white puffy jacket with patches of sherpa all over it and an oversized hood. The nylon material rasps as he rubs it between his inked fingertips. My brows curve at how he looks at it like it’s some lost treasure.

He pauses before turning to me, lifting it up to showcase its entirety.

“What do you think about this?” He asks genuinely, which throws me off. It sounds so authentic, so real, and not hidden behind any sort of sassy, crude walls, or ulterior motives. I don’t know if he’s ever truly talked to me like that before, especially not sober.

I’m still cautious since he’s fooled me before, so I stay neutral by lifting my shoulders to a shrug. “I don’t know. Why don’t you try it on?”

He eagerly scoots past his cart that takes up the entire aisle and walks to the mirror. The thick zipper hisses at how quickly he undoes it, like he’s been waiting his whole life for this moment.

I watch him in some form of awe, maybe it’s more curiosity of his behavior. The more I get to know him, the stranger he seems.

He slips his skinny arms through the sleeves, and it fits him loosely but just right, like it’s made for him – though that doesn’t detract from how it still looks a little ridiculous, just less so now that it’s on him.

He turns back to me and spreads out his arms like a child showing off a Halloween costume.

“Well?” He questions.

“I mean the jacket is still pretty silly.” I chuckle. “But it looks nice on you.” I compliment honestly.

A toothy grin spreads across his mouth and turns back to the mirror, “Yeah, I think so too.”

Quiet falls between us again and we move on to different sections. I get so focused on rifling through the clothes that I realize I’ve lost track of Noah. I scan the small store and can’t spot him.

“Noah?” I call and as if right on cue, I feel something dropped around my head followed by a scurrying Noah.

“What the hell?” I reach up and catch the edges of the large hat pulling it off and finding that he’s dropped a massive sombrero on my head. “Hey!”

He chuckles and pulls his shoulders to a shrug, “Might be perfect for you.” He mocks my words from before about the Pitbull shirt.

“Ha-ha very funny.” I roll my eyes playfully. “I’ll get you back.”

“Bring it on.”

What follows is a series of us trying to find the most ridiculous shit to throw on or at each other.

First, I got an ugly, dusty, grandma shawl that I threw on Noah’s shoulders as best as I could before quickly walking in the other direction.

Then, when I wasn’t paying attention and with great stealth, he was able to drop a yellowing Disney rain poncho over my body.

Now, he’s stood in front of a full-length mirror holding up various different pieces of black clothing. In my stroll through the hat section, I found a leopard print fedora perfect for his big head. I sneak up behind him, making sure not to get in frame of the mirror. I reach up on my tip toes to somewhat reach his head, tossing the hat up to bridge the rest, hoping that it would land.

It does land, crooked atop his head.

I cover my mouth to hide a chuckle before backing away slowly. Before I can make my escape, he snaps his head over in my direction, jostling the hat to fly off his head. In a swift move, he catches it with fumbling hands.

“Hey that’s not fair! You’re tiny and fast!” He plops the leopard fedora back on his head and anchors a fist at each hip playfully.

The goofy sight of it all makes me double over nearly cackling. “It’s not my fault you’re big and clunky!”

He pulls the flimsy hat off his head, squishing it thin between his fingers pointing at me. “You better watch your back, Thornhill.”

“Ooh, you’re so scary, Sebastian.” I tease with raised hands feigning fear.

“You think you’re so funny huh?” He speaks directly at me probably trying to distract me, but I catch him snatching another random hat off the rack while he slowly makes his way towards me.

My eyes glance at down at his actions and I make a run for it. I don’t know what I expected but, he chases me around the thrift shop like we’re little kids in a toy store. I stealthily weave through metal racks full of musty clothes trying to lose him, giggles pouring from both our mouths.

I ignore the judging looks from the employees and the few patrons shopping around us. It’s a blessing that I can’t hear the murmuring around us. My ears are full of only my own heartbeat and the sound of his playful and competitive laughter.

It’s then that I realize I hadn’t fully heard him laugh before, not sober anyway, and it’s so… endearing. It’s one of those laughs that’s contagious and only makes you laugh harder. Which isn’t something I expected from him. None of this is really what I expected.

He finally corners me in the scarf section. I spin around in the tiny space between us and within that split second he’s snatched a bizarrely colored thin scarf and throws it around my neck like a towel, keeping hold of each end.

Just as fast, I grasp a similar scarf and match his actions, throwing the scarf up around his neck. With the speed and rush of the motion, I accidentally tugged him closer and lower to me.

My eyes flutter up and the edges of his laughing grin shorten when his eyes meet mine. Unexpectedly, my breath hitches in my throat. I never noticed just how chocolate-y brown his eyes were until now. Normally his eyes are so serious or angry or… drunk, but right now, they’re wide and warm and just as confused as mine. His eyes shift side to side seemingly searching mine for something I’m not quite sure of.

Being this close to him really emphasizes just how tall he is, the top of my head barely meets his shoulders and for some reason, that realization makes my heart thump harder against my ribcage.

I’m frozen where I stand, I should pull away, but I can’t. I shouldn’t enjoy the butterflies that run rampant in my tummy. It’s just Noah after all. The asshole that somehow always ends up drunk on the floor. The one that tells me how to do my job and how not to manage him. The one that told Nick that I’m a ‘stuck-up corporate bitch’.

But, that’s the same Noah that’s chasing me around this store like we’re playing tag on a playground.

My tummy twists and my breath sharply lodges itself in my throat when I catch his eyes dart to my lips – once.

Twice.

He moves closer, just marginally, and then again – eyes, lips.

I mimic his actions, my eyes flicker from his brown eyes to light pink lips.

Then he’s even closer – so close I can feel his exhaled breath brush past my nose.

Again.

Eyes, lips.

I feel his knuckles just graze my shirt where he’s still holding the scarf at either end and it sends electricity down to my fingertips.

Then, a strand of his long brown hair falls from behind his ear, and it seems to snap him from our daze. He lets out an awkward chuckle, steps back and slides the scarf off my neck by one end.

“We should probably wrap up here… I’m sure the guys are sick of waiting for us.” He scratches the back of his neck and diverts his eyes from me.

It seems like the right thing to do, but for some reason it leaves me a little disappointed.

Disappointed in what exactly?

What the fuck just happened?

I pull the scarf off of him in the same manner and hang it back up on its hook. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

Checking out is hushed and awkward as we stand next to each other in front of the workers that had to watch us nearly destroy the store.

We walk out silently until I notice that he’s walking out with the leopard print fedora proudly plopped on his head.

“You really bought that stupid hat?” I chuckle calling after him carrying 2 heavy, giant bags full of clothes.

“Yeah duh-“ He begins looking back but trips over his feet across the exit door frame.

I bring a plastic bag-occupied hand up to cover my mouth to hide a giggle.

“Shut up.” He directs me with a pointed hand even though I hadn’t said anything.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re kinda goofy?” I laugh, shaking my head and clicking my key fob to unlock the car.

“Goofy?” He gasps as if he’s offended. “Valerie this is peak fashion.”

I chuckle and roll my eyes, “Get in the fucking car, will you?”

He laughs and matches my actions of throwing the heavy bags in the backseat. He slides in the passenger of my blue Mercedes rental and the clunky weight of his lanky body shakes the small car. He stuffs his legs into the tiny, allotted space for them. I would make a comment about how large he is, but I’m not in the business of boosting men’s egos.

I press the push-to-start and begin navigating my way out of the parking lot. It takes a bit for my phone to connect and begin playing music, but when it does it fills the car with a familiar tune.

Noah reaches over and spins the dial to turn up the music. It doesn’t fully register in my mind what song it is until Noah speaks up.

“Is this the hippie rock band you’re representing?” He asks, a bit of sharpness to his voice.

“I-I well, no, I just-“ I’m caught off guard and stutter. I’m new to handling more than one client and having them not know about each other seemed like the best course of action. But I particularly didn’t want Noah to know since I knew he’d compare what I do with others with what I do with them.

“It is, isn’t it?” He snaps. “You manage Greta Van Fleet?”

“I… well,” I pause then sigh out of pure exhaustion. “Yes. I manage them.” I say flatly, somewhat annoyed. “I don’t really think that’s any of your business though.”

He’s silent for a moment, seemingly just taking in the song – Lover, Leaver.

“You’re right. They’re nothing like us.” He announces simply. “The voice on that singer is insane though.”

I can’t stop my brows from furrowing, and from one abruptly propping up.

He’s not upset.

He’s not upset?

“Yeah… I know.” I reply cautiously, glancing over at him to decipher the unbothered look on his face.

“Well, don’t look so surprised, they’re good. I can appreciate good music, can’t I?” He lets a few moments pass. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. They sound so familiar…” He trails off in thought.

“I know, you were expecting Harry Styles.” I joke. “But it’s not, so you can chill.” I tap my fingertips across the leather steering wheel.

“I knew it wasn’t Harry.” He shifts in his seat, crossing his arms across his skinny waist with his hands draping over his sides. He rests his head on the door looking out the window. “If it was, you wouldn’t have taken us.”

“I bet you wish it was Harry Styles then huh?” I say as a somewhat half joke and glance over at him while mindlessly tapping my fingertips on the steering wheel. He stays silent, just watching the trees go by. I can’t tell if the silence is intentional or if he’s just zoned out.

Some time passes before he returns to the conversation.

“Well, I don’t care if you represent them. Just know that I’m not dressing up like some wizard man like your other singer.” He warns firmly with a playful pointed finger.

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Sebastian.”

Next Chapter -> 12 - Liar, Liar*

tag list; @ladyveronikawrites @kingdomof-omens @persuasivus @strawberryruffilo @thebadchic @the-hell-i-overcame @sinkingteethinwhitenoise @cncohshit @dominuslunae [comment if you'd like to be tagged?]

A/N: Thank you if you've made all the way to chp 11! lol thank you for reading anything i write. thank you so much for every like, reblog, ask, or comment. It means the world to me truly. Thank you.

i love hearing your thoughts so feel free to share! (i'm really bad at responding to comments/asks but i still love them 🥺)

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littlethingsinlife · 2 years ago

Text

i'm sorry (happier part 2)

A/N: I was not expecting the amount of positive feedback for the first part and I was even more surprised to see people asking for a part 2! It was originally created to be a one-shot but a part 2 really fit well with how the first one ended. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you again for all of the love and support! I hope you all enjoy. I also want to thank my friend, @tummymoth, they really helped me flush out and refine my rusty ass writing (also let me word vomit at them till midnight sometimes).

Pairing(s): Past Lo’ak x Omatikayan!Reader, Ao’nung x Omatikayan!Reader, Slight mentions of Lo’ak x Tsireya

Warnings: Lo'ak's POV, Swearing, Ao'nung saying something sus ONE time

More Info: My vision for this part 2 was to create a reply in Lo'ak's pov. So we'll have a look at what he experienced and thought process (not too sure if any of that made sense) but I was inspired by Joshua Bassett's song "i'm sorry" and it played constantly as I wrote this. Hopefully I was able to do right by my idea haha.

Summary: 7,547

Part 1: Happier

Key:

(Y/N) = Your Name

Lyrics = Bolded Italics

Flashbacks = Italics

Na'vi Words:

Yuey - beautiful (refers to a person)

Skxawng - idiot/moron

Marui - Pods where the Na’vi live

Ilu - sea creature similar to dolphins

Ikran - dragon-like creature

Tulkun - sentient creatures similar to whales

Olo’eyktan - clan leader/ chief

I thought about what I would say

But I’m two years too late

I can’t imagine how you’re doing these days, hmm

Sure, it wasn’t perfect back then

I’ll be first to admit

But it was better than being strangers again, oh

It had been a couple of months since my interactions with (Y/N) dwindled to terse smiles and barely audible greetings. If you asked me to point out the moment our friendship started to change, I couldn’t tell you. When did our bond start to break? When did it even start to crack? We used to talk every day about all the things we did and planned what pranks to pull on everyone, but now? Now, she barely looked in my direction. Now, she wouldn’t even give me the time of day.

I couldn’t remember when it started, but I knew that it was somehow my fault I grew distant once we arrived in Awa'atlu. I guess I was just so fascinated by the new environment and people, I didn’t even realize a rift started to form between us in the first place, much less that it started to grow.

The night before we left to find a new home, I held (Y/N) as she let out sobs filled with fear and anxiety. It broke my heart, but all I could do was hold her and let her cry until she was calm enough to tell me what was on her mind.

“I-I am afraid, what if the sky people come to find us again? I cannot lose any of you; it would break me into a million pieces,” she sobbed.

“If they find us then we will fight and we will win,” I reassured her, gently rocking her back and forth.

“You are an idiot, I was so close to losing you, to losing Kiri, Tuk, how do you think it would make me feel to lose the most important people in my life?” she sniffled. My chest ached at how broken she sounded, but the only thing I could do was assure her and offer her more words of comfort as I held her in my arms.

“I promise that I will be with you throughout the journey as will my family. We love you, and even if you do not believe it, you are a Sully. And you know what my dad always says.”

“Sullys stick together,” we chorused.

That night, I cradled her in my arms until she fell asleep.

Fuck, I completely broke my promise to her, how could I forget? Shaking my head, I tried to reason to myself, “Maybe she just needs time alone. I’m sure she’ll come running back soon once she realizes that it's no fun without me, her best friend.” I felt a small, unfamiliar feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Right?”

I’m drunk too late talking to the moon

Writing songs I can’t sing to you, ‘cause

“Bah! Stop lying, I know you (Y/N). You would have fought alongside me and defended Kiri. You are not the same girl I knew in the forest back home,” I muttered, rolling my eyes and getting up to leave. Honestly, who did she think she was fooling? The skxawng had the balls to insult Kiri, and all she did was sit back and watch. She didn’t even make a move to help until it was to help him by pulling me off. “Talk to me when you’ve come back to your senses,” I called over my shoulder, refusing to look back.

“Lo’ak! Bro—” a hand roughly grabbed my shoulder, jolting me out of my daze, “why’re you just staring off like that?” I whipped my head to see who the hell it was that was bothering me, only to be met with Neteyam.

“Did you have to grab me that hard?” I hissed before my initial anger gave way to a heavy feeling. “It's nothing, just—just lost in thought” I sighed, shrugging his hand off my shoulder.

“Right, sure, nothing.” he crouched down beside me. “Don’t think you can lie to me lil bro, you’ve been spacing out more than you usually do. I didn’t even think it was possible to be more empty-headed than you already are,” he stated.

“Wha—no I haven’t,” I tried to argue, but of course, he wasn’t convinced.

“Can you stop arguing with me for once and just tell me what’s going on with you, you skxawng?”

I scrunched my nose in distaste and inhaled sharply, “(Y/N) and I have been… distant,” I admitted, turning to look at him. “She won’t even look at me. She either only answers me with one word or doesn’t answer at all.”

He nodded, motioning for me to continue.

“I—the last time we talked, I said things I didn’t mean. Things that just came out because I was so frustrated and… and angry. It was the heat of the moment and I—”

“What did you say skxawng, did you hurt her?” Neteyam interrupted, face twisting to show the beginnings of distaste.

“No, no—” I sputtered and raised my hands to calm him before he could go on an hour-long lecture that I absolutely was not in the mood to hear. “At least I don’t think I did… I just wanted to ask her why the hell she was helping fish lips, that’s all—”

“You didn’t answer me Lo’ak, what did you say to (Y/N)? I don’t care why you did it, I want to know what you said to elicit such a reaction from her.” By Eywa, if he would just give me a chance to get to the point—

“I—I told her that she was not the same girl that I knew back in the forest..." my ears lowered as the weight of what I said slowly sunk in. “And that she could talk to me once she came back to her senses,” I whispered, internally cringing at my harsh words..

“You fucking skxawng—”

“Can you stop calling me that? I already know, you don’t need to keep repeating it…” I scoffed, looking out into the ocean. I’m good enough at beating myself up over the hundreds of times I’ve messed up in this lifetime, I didn’t need another disappointed set of eyes on me.

My ears twitched at the deep sigh he let out. “Look, I’m sorry that I keep calling you skxawng but that is exactly what you are for saying something so hurtful to your best friend of all people. The two of you were inseparable the moment you were born. Even if you don’t want to, suck up your dumbass pride,” my ears flattened again. It wasn’t pride, I’m not prideful. It—it was me needing (Y/N) on my side. We used to always be on the same page, and when she said I was wrong for wanting to defend Kiri against those assholes, it felt like she was siding with them instead of me, and—

Okay, so maybe it was pride.

“Admit that you were wrong, and go talk to (Y/N),” Neteyam insisted as he put a reassuring arm around my shoulders, jostling me around to prove a point. “Your friendship is so much stronger and Eywa knows that a heat-of-the-moment argument isn’t going to break that. You should have more faith in her.” His gaze sharpened before he schooled his expression into something calmer. “Just talk to her, yeah?”

“...Yeah,” I mumbled, swallowing down whatever argument was trying to bubble up from my throat and prying his arm off me. “You’re right. I’ll just clear things up with her and apologize. Everything will go back to normal after that, thanks bro—for listening,” I agreed.

Ever since that day

The things I didn’t say They haunt me, oh

And I know that I’m to blame

So, go ahead and

Blame it on me, oh

Our lessons on the ways of the Metkayina were finished, so it was rare for the entire group to be in the same place. But every once in a while, we all finished our chores at the same time and found ourselves near the shore where we first learned to ride the ilu, and sat around a fire hours before eclipse, laughing and exchanging stories.

The rarity of these moments made me cherish them that much more, but two people continued to miss our not-so-scheduled gatherings the past two moon cycles. How was it possible that they were the only two to keep missing our hangouts? Were they together? Fish lips had better not be doing anything to (Y/N) or so hel—

“(Y/N)! Ao’nung! You guys made it!” Rotxo laughed.

“Yeah, yeah, quit shouting will you?” Ao’nung shot back as he sat down next to Rotxo, (Y/N) smiling softly as she followed.

“So, what’ve you guys been up to? We haven’t seen you in what feels like ten moon cycles.” Neteyam questioned.

“Teyam, you saw me earlier today, you literally helped me feed our ikran,” (Y/N) joked. ‘Teyam? When did she start calling him by anything other than his given name?

Ao’nung swatted her side with his stupidly wide tail and swung an arm around her shoulder with a remarkably punchable smile on his face “More like he was trying to make sure you didn’t accidentally give them your fingers for breakfast. They would’ve gotten indigestion.”

“Haha very funny Ao’nung,” she drawled, “I would’ve fed you to Tekay instead, but she would’ve gagged the moment she caught a whiff of you,” she scoffed as she quickly pushed him away by the chest.

“Wait… Do they even have a gag reflex?” Fish lips didn’t budge, he just had a dumb look of confusion on his face.

“No, but they would defy the laws of biology to gag just for you,” she quipped, sticking out her tongue and moving to push him away again, but the skxawng had the nerve to pull her into a headlock.

“Oh, yuey, the ikran won’t be the only ones gagging on me tonight,” he argued with a smirk.

Did I want to punch that smirk off his face? Did I want to gag? Both? Before I could make a decision, (Y/N) grimaced, pushing him away again and smacking him upside the head.

“That’s actually repulsive. You’re disgusting.”

“Dude, keep it in your pants, her family is right there,” Rotxo laughed, doubled over as he struggled to catch his breath.

“Yeah, we’re right here,” I interjected with a smile—wanting to join in on the jokes that were being thrown around—but it was hard to keep my face from falling when I saw (Y/N)’s bright expression falter.

“Anyway, what were you guys talking about before Ao’nung and I arrived?” she asked in a too-bright tone of voice she only used when she desperately wanted to change the subject. As if everyone came to an unspoken agreement to forget about the conversation before, one by one they all started talking about who they thought would win in a fight—Toruk Makto, or our Olo’eyktan, Tonowari.

The sound of laughter and excited chatter faded as I replayed the previous conversation in my head. When did they start joking around like that? Why the hell did fish lips call her yuey like it was the most natural thing in the world? How come she smiled so easily with him but faltered when she sees me? She was probably smiling with him right now—

I looked over at her, a pit in my stomach already forming at the idea of her smiling at him, but she looked so distant, so withdrawn from everything around her. Before I could even blink, she put a delicate hand on Ao’nung’s arm to grab his attention and mumbled something in a hushed tone. After a few beats of silent conversation, Ao’nung nodded and gave her a look of understanding.

Why did he look at her like that? How much time did they spend together to be able to understand each other with just a look? How much time have I wasted breaking my promise to her while she grew closer to someone else?

Standing up, I made up my mind that I would talk to her and clear up any miscommunication. There was no way in hell I was about to let fish lips ruin our childhood friendship. Before I could even get close, Neteyam pulled me aside.

“Bro, why’re you glaring at everyone?” he asked with concern written all over his face.

“Glaring?” I tilted my head in confusion. “I’m not glaring, this is just my face.”

“No, no.” He shook his head. “I’m your brother, I know your face. Whatever look you’ve been throwing at Ao’nung and (Y/N)? You may as well have been throwing knives at them.”

Behind Neteyam, I could see (Y/N) get up to bid everyone good night and slowly walk in our direction. This was my chance, I just needed this overbearing idiot to leave me alone.

“Whatever look you think I’m giving to them, you’re wrong,” I denied. “Can you not act like this right now?” My tail flicked side to side impatiently, an obvious twinge of annoyance clear in my tone. I licked my lips nervously as I could hear footsteps coming closer. Leaning slightly to the side, I looked behind Neteyam to see (Y/N) and—

Ao’nung? What? Why is he there?

“Good night,” (Y/N) muttered, not sparing us a glance as she walked past. I followed her every move and—as if everything slowed down—my eyes narrowed as they found Ao’nung’s hand placed on her lower back, leading her gently in the direction of the marui.

I know that I’m too late

But I’ll say it anyway

I’m sorry

Though it's far too late

“I did it! Did you see that Reya?” I shouted—out of breath—as I showed off the shell Tsireya threw.

“Yes, yes you did it!” She exclaimed, excitedly wrapping her hand around mine. For someone who spent so much time underwater, her hand radiated so much warmth. So easy to hold. My heart swelled with pride as she continued to compliment me. “You’ve improved so much!”

“Yeah? Well, I had a great teacher,” I joked, nudging her softly with my shoulder. It wasn’t just her hands that were warm either, she just seemed to radiate it.

“Oh stop, you flatter me too much,” she denied, fidgeting with her hair. Was that a blush on her face? “C’mon, why don’t we catch up with the others? Private lessons are officially done for the day,” she announced as she led me to shore. Oh Eywa, she looked so pretty like this, with her hair flowing down her back and the way her eyes cast down when she became flustered. And her smile, it was a smile that could knock the air out of my lungs.

While we walked onto shore, we joked around and laughed with each other, talking about anything and everything. The ease of each reply and joke came as smoothly as gliding through the water on an ilu—as easy as breathing. Laughing at another one of Tsireya’s jokes, my eyes scanned the village as we approached it. Families were winding down for the day as they cooked dinner, although I didn’t see mine anywhere nearby aside from Kiri.

My smile slowly dropped when I was able to make out Kiri looking frantically around as if she was searching for someone. Tsireya and I made our way to her, worry filling the pit in my stomach. As we got closer, I could see Ao’nung climb down one of the roots of the Mangrove trees and make a beeline toward her. My eyes stayed on both of them, making sure that fish lips didn’t do anything to Kiri.

Ears twitching I was able to make out the words, “(Y/N)? Did you find her? ” from Kiri as they were carried on the wind toward us.

“Yeah I did, I was able to get her to eat, but she’s not looking too good,” Ao’nung replied with concern lacing his voice.

Brows furrowing, I pulled Ao’nung by the shoulder. “What do you mean she’s not looking good? Where is she? What did you do?”

“What the hell do you mean? I didn’t do shit, freak.” I rolled my eyes at the insult. He couldn’t use that thick head of his to think of anything else to call me? From the pained look on his face, I could tell that my grip on his shoulder had too much pressure. Good. Served him right.

Before Ao’nung and I could continue our argument Kiri groaned, “Will the both of you skxawng shut up! I’ll go talk to her.” My eyes followed her retreating form as she went to talk to (Y/N)—tail lashing back and forth in agitation all the while—before turning back to Ao’nung.

Who the hell did he think he was? I’d beat his skxawng ass if he hurt (Y/N) in any way. He had no right to look so damn worried. They weren’t even close. What even happened? How long had she been missing for Kiri to go to fish lips of all people for help? Should I follow Kiri? Why didn’t (Y/N) come to me? She always came to me, and if she came to me now, I absolutely would have listened. Why—

“Lo’ak? Hey, are you okay? Lo’ak?” a hand softly placed itself on my arm. Closing my eyes in frustration, I sighed.

“Yeah, perfectly fine.”

Damn it, was that when it started? How idiotic and blind have I been that I didn’t even notice that her trust in me started to slip and die when it was right in front of me? Why didn’t I go to her and make sure she was okay? I should’ve punched that idiot’s lights out—

“Ao’nung! Stop pulling me you skxawng, you’re walking too fast, slow down!” a hushed voice chastised.

“C’mon yuey, we only have about an hour before eclipse, we have to hurry!” His voice grated against my ears as he responded.

“That’s plenty of time!” (Y/N) insisted. I could hear the laughter bubbling up in her voice as she chased after him. “Please Ao’nung slow down, I can’t keep up.”

“It can’t be helped, you’re so short—” a whack could be heard. “Ow!”

“I’m as tall as Tsireya, you giant!”

“Both you and my sister are short—Ow! Alright, just because you did that, you leave me no choice,” Ao’nung said, throwing (Y/N) over his shoulder with a laugh.

The bickering voices got closer, and my eyes narrowed at the way he held her. My breath hitched as he whispered something in her ear that made her ears perk up and her eyes widen. What the hell was he saying to her? Before I could spring up from my spot, Ao’nung tossed (Y/N) in the water, her yelp quickly interrupted by the sound of her body hitting the water.

I stayed in my spot as shock zipped through my body. Letting out a breath I didn’t know I held, her head popped out of the water, a playful glare on her face.

“I told you, you left me no choice,” he stated, guffawing at her expression.

“Oh yeah?” she groused, spitting out seawater as she wrung out her hair. “Well fuck you too. Help me out of here?”

“Only if you say the magic word,” he taunted, crossing his arms with a smirk. “Otherwise, I’m afraid my hands are tied.”

“Please, oh great son of our Olo’eyktan, help me out of the ocean,” she beckoned dramatically, sarcasm dripping from every word while she rolled her eyes. “It’s about time you recognized my proud lineage, forest dweller,” he said as his chest puffed out with a hand reaching towards (Y/N). And there was that stupid smile on his face.

(Y/N) rolled her eyes, a mischievous smile spreading across her face as she reached for his hand, making sure to tug with enough force to unceremoniously yank him into the water.

“So much for the son of a great warrior! Your instincts are shit!”

“My instincts are dull you say?” he questioned as his head popped up next to her. “We’ll see about that!”

“Wha—AHHH—'' she wheezed. “No, please Ao’nung stop! That tickles!” Her arms flailed wildly in an attempt to free herself from his grasp.

What the fuck.

My ears flattened at an angle as I tried to process the scene unfolding before me. When did she start laughing with him? That should’ve been me she was laughing with. Not him, not the skxawng who had been nothing but rude to us since we arrived. What… what was I even saying—Fuck I didn’t know anymore. Why did I feel like this every time I saw them together… laughing and making jokes like we used to?

And it was me, it wasn’t you

It’s cliche, but it’s true

I wasn’t thinking how I usually do, oh

And is your momma doing well?

Or does she still hate me?

But it was hard to watch me put you through hell

I’m drunk, too late, talking to the moon, ooh

Writing songs I can’t sing to you, ‘cause

Two weeks had passed since I started noticing the changes in (Y/N)’s relationship—friendship?—with Ao’nung. It was like every time I blinked, I could see her laughing loudly as Ao’nung tickled her with a triumphant smile on his stupid face. Since that day, I had been trying to find a way to talk to (Y/N), but she was never alone. She was always with him and when she wasn’t, she disappeared and I couldn’t find her no matter how hard I looked.

Now here I was, wandering around trying to look for her as I rehearsed what I wanted to tell her.

Where could she be? Dinner was in an hour and she wasn’t anywhere near our marui. I had to find her soon so there would be enough time for us to talk. I had to tell her that I miss her, that I was sorry for being so dumb, that I shouldn’t have let my pride blind me, and that I didn’t mean any of the things I said.

There was only one place I hadn’t looked yet… hopefully she was there.

As I was getting closer to the root Kiri stalked to, I could see two silhouettes beside each other. An all-too-familiar feeling bloomed in my chest once I registered that she was there with him.

Her melodic laughter made my steps falter. I clenched my fists tightly, contemplating if I should go over there and pull her away, force her to talk to me, to listen. But I couldn’t, I couldn’t do that to her, not when she looked so content, so happy.

Ever since that day

The things I didn’t say

They haunt me, oh

I know that I’m to blame

So, go ahead and

Blame it on me, oh

“Lo’ak? You said you were going to look for (Y/N) and never came back. She’s already in the marui helping mom cook,” Kiri stated, a twinge of annoyance lacing her voice. “Hey, are you listening?” She shook my arm slightly, making me jump out of my stupor.

“Yeah, sorry, you said dinner was ready?” I asked as I stared off.

The sand beside me crunched softly as Kiri made a move to sit beside me. “No, I said that (Y/N) is with mom helping her cook. Where is your head at?” she asked as she tilted her head to try and meet my gaze. “Are you alright?” The annoyance in her voice shifted to concern.

“I’m fine, yep—just… fine,” I brushed her off, hoisting myself up to head towards Mom and Dad for dinner before Kiri yanked me back down.

“Lo’ak, don’t pretend you’re okay when you’re not. Tell me what’s going on,” she urged. “Maybe I can help you with whatever it is that’s occupied your mind lately.”

I inhaled sharply, debating if I should tell her what had been muddying my mind, the reason why I had been so spaced out, why I had been glaring daggers at fish lips each time I saw his stupid face next to (Y/N)—how confused I was.

“Stop with the thinking skxawng, you might hurt yourself,” she admonished. “Just tell me. It’s not like I can’t handle it.”

Huffing, I rolled my eyes and turned away from her to look at the sea. I hadn't even said anything yet and Kiri was already making me feel idiotic. How was I supposed to tell her what's been going on like this? Maybe if I kept quiet for long enough, she would get tired of waiting for me to start talking and go on to eat dinner without me.

A couple of minutes of silence passed.

I could still feel her staring at me.

“I’ve—I’ve been conflicted,” I started, tongue feeling heavy in my mouth as I continued to stare at the shoreline. “I don’t know what I’m feeling.”

“What do you mean?” Kiri nudged my shoulder with hers. “Elaborate a little more, I can’t help if you don’t tell me the reason why you’re feeling confused.”

“...Whenever I see (Y/N) with Ao’nung, it’s as if I can feel my heart aching,” I said, motioning toward my chest to prove my point. “There’s always a… a surge of anger that rushes through me. All I want to do is pull her away from him so then everything can go back to the way things used to be—for us to be okay.”

“Lo’ak…” If I was looking at her, I’d probably see Kiri tilt her head with sympathy. But sympathy isn’t what I needed right now.

“I want her to look at me and smile, to laugh with me, hug me—but now, whenever I get close to her, she’s next to him, laughing with him, cracking the jokes we would make to each other… I just—” I rubbed at my face in frustration. It wasn’t as if the words were hard to come by—I had spent so much time bottling them up that it was hard to stop talking. No, I just hated the fact that I felt this way in the first place. “I don’t understand why seeing them makes me feel like my heart is about to explode—why it makes me want to scream. It hurts.”

“Lo’ak” she put a hand on my shoulder. “Are you—are you in love with (Y/N)?”

Love?

I sputtered in surprise and whipped my head toward Kiri to see if she was joking or not. What kind of a sick question was that? I wasn’t in the mood for any games.

“What? No, she’s like my… sister?”

She rolled her eyes and sighed. “If you’re not, then why does seeing her with Ao’nung hurt you so much? Why do you care as much as you do?”

“I shouldn’t!” I wrenched my shoulder away from her hand and stood up. The need to move around and do something—anything—was too much. There was too much energy thrumming right beneath my skin to sit still anymore.

“That’s the problem! After everything I said to her, done to her? I don’t have the right to say I’m in love with her. She’s my childhood friend, Kiri. That’s all our relationship has ever been… I just—” I paused in thought and tried to calm down. “I didn’t realize seeing her have so much fun with someone else would make me feel so, so hollow—”

“Let me ask you something, you have to promise to be completely honest with me, okay?”

I nodded, not even looking in her direction.

“When (Y/N) tried to pull you off from Ao’nung that one fight months ago, what did you feel? Angry? Betrayed? Jealous?”

Jealous? Did she really think I was sulking for months because of such a petty feeling? I’m not a jealous person. I never have been.

“Seeing her jump in to get me off him made me feel like she was siding with him and telling me that I was wrong. Her actions were clear as day to me, Kiri.” I started to pace around. “She was protecting him—caring for him when she should’ve been next to me, helping and supporting me. When she did that—I felt like the only person that’s ever been on my side—” I croaked and turned my head to look at Kiri as tears stung my eyes “The only person who didn’t see everything I did as some sort of disappointment or failure, abandoned me and chose someone else.”

“...”

“I know that I could’ve approached her a different way but how could I when I felt so broken?” I inhaled sharply, eyebrows furrowed. “ It’s all fish lips’ fault. If he wasn’t such an asshole, none of this would have happened, and (Y/N) and I would still be the same, she would still be by my side—supporting me, loving me.”

“Why do you keep blaming it on Ao’nung?”

“Because it is his fault that things have turned out the way it has.” I threw my hands up, exasperated. What wasn’t Kiri getting? “He’s getting in between my relationship—er—friendship with (Y/N)! If he wasn’t there I would be able to talk to her and tell her I’m sorry, but she’s always with him—”

“Stop! Are you hearing yourself?” She nudged at my foot to interrupt and scoffed. “You’re unbelievable, you know that? (Y/N) told me what you said to her, how ‘she wasn’t the same girl’ you knew back in the forest. Do you know what happened when you told her that? Do you know how much pain she was in?”

Pain? I snorted, turning towards Kiri. “Now I know what you’re saying is bullshit. You know how (Y/N) is—if she really was pissed at me she would’ve come to me instead of running to someone else.”

“She wasn’t pissed. She cried because of you, Lo’ak. Because of what you said.” I stopped dead in my tracks to look at her. Kiri's eyes didn’t waver. Another heavy feeling settled on my chest and clawed its way up my throat. If you had asked me what it was, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you. Was I sad? Guilty? Angry? Was I jealous like she said?

I settled on anger.

“If you’re saying what I think you’re saying—”

“The person that found her that night, the one who comforted her? That was Ao’nung. He held her in his arms as she sobbed when I found them.” She stood up too, forcing me to stop pacing.

“The last thing I want to hear about right now is him, Kiri. What the fuck—”

“Did you ever think about why she’s so comfortable with him now? Why they’re so close? While you ignored her for weeks, he made sure she was okay—made sure she ate every day. He didn’t leave her side until she finished,” Kiri pointed out, and before I could even think to open my mouth to remind her how shitty he was to her especially, she cut me off. “Yes, he was an asshole at the beginning, and yes he has a screwed-up way to show he cares, but he stepped up when you fucked up.” She poked my chest with a glare before she continued.

“Oh, so I’m a fuck-up now?” I asked wryly.

“You can’t put all the blame on someone that took care of your best friend. Stop being so blinded by your pride and hatred and see that you’re the real reason why your relationship with (Y/N) isn’t the same as it used to be.”

My heart sank a little more as I scrambled for something to say. “How could you say that—”

“No, you do not get to interrupt me right now, Lo’ak.” Her eyes flashed with something closer to anger than annoyance. When was the last time I saw her angry? “Listen and listen well. When we couldn’t find (Y/N) and we were looking for her everywhere—he was the one that found her spot, the one she isolated herself to so she could cry alone, and no one would see how much pain she was in. And what were you doing in the meantime?”

My ears flattened at her rising tone, and I was finally beginning to understand the weight stuck in my throat and chest. Not anger, not even jealousy.

“You were out there with Tsireya, stuck in your own little world.”

It was my fault.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m really happy that you found her but you can’t have both of them. You can’t be that selfish. From (Y/N)’s perspective, you’ve already chosen the one you want.”

“It’s not like I’ve actually chosen anyone yet,” I tried to interject, but all the fight had left my voice as Kiri’s words dug into my skin and sunk in.

“Don’t you dare play with either of their feelings. (Y/N) held so much love for you in her heart, she allowed herself to break to the point of no repair because she didn’t want to show you how much it hurt her to see you at your happiest with Tsireya.” She paused before continuing, her voice losing its edge. “Let her move on, brother. And if it’s Ao’nung that makes her light up the way she used to, then you suck it up and let him. He was there when your pride wouldn’t even let you apologize or even look in her direction. Actually think about how she feels for once.”

I hated the fact that there wasn’t anything I could say to prove her wrong.

“It’s all I’ve been thinking about nowadays,” I muttered.

I know that I’m too late

But I’ll say it anyway

I’m sorry

I’m sorry, hmm

I’m sorry

Though it’s far too late

“I thought I was already doing that,” a faint voice huffed in annoyance. Turning the corner, I saw Ao’nung and (Y/N) standing on the beach together— far too close for my liking.

“You were, but you got sloppy. Here, you have to move your hips like this,” he said as he corrected her posture. My ears flattened against my head as he put a hand on her hip and gently directed her movement.

Why did he look so gentle with her?

“Ao’nung,” (Y/N)’s voice rang out, clear as crystal despite her uncertain tone. “Are you sure you should be teaching me this? This is a traditional Metkayina dance, right? I’m…” she hesitated, her voice becoming smaller. “I’m not Metkayina—”

“Yet.” He interrupted, holding her face in his hands. “You are not Metkayina yet. Once you become one of us, you will have to learn the dance to celebrate the return of our spirit brothers and sisters, so why not learn that now?” I hated how reassuring his voice was. The thought of how either of their eyes looked as they held contact made my stomach turn.

“Yeah… you’re right,” she mumbled with an unsure look on her face.

“Woah, hey pretty girl, look at me,” he insisted, laying his hands on her shoulders and bending his neck so they were at eye level. “I’m serious when I say you will become Metkayina one day, so don’t worry yourself over it right now. Okay?” Ao’nung tilted his head to the side, an unbelievably soft expression on his face. “You have me here to help you.”

“Alright…” (Y/N) mumbled, not convinced.

“If you don’t get rid of that look on your face I’ll throw you into the water,” he said as his face shifted from sincerity to something mischievous. “Or worse… I’ll tickle you,” he threatened.

“You better not Ao’nung, or I swear to the Great Mother herself I will hu—AHH—get away, you skxawng!'' She laughed as she tried to run away, but Ao’nung grabbed hold of her waist and pulled her into his arms. And despite her words of protest, it was clear as day that she was leaning into him while they scuffled on the sand.

“No!” she shrieked with glee. “You can’t make me go in there again!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that, forest dweller!”

A thought occurred. Should I go up to them? We never got the chance to talk, after all. I took a few steps in their direction before freezing. When was the last time I heard her laugh like that? She had the biggest smile on her face, and the one who made that happen wasn’t me—it was him.

And if you ever hear this

I hope you know that

I’m not proud of who I’ve been, ooh

And if I see you again

I hope you know that

I wish you nothing but the best

And my biggest regret

The afternoon was quiet, relative silence only interrupted by the crashing of waves. Without much to do, I just sat in our marui and lazed around with Tuk until a horn blew.

“The tulkun have returned! Everybody—our brothers and sisters have returned!” Tsireya’s voice rang out, and when I poked my head out to see what the fuss was about, I saw the megawatt smile on her face, as she swam by on her ilu.

The village came to life as everyone mounted either ilu or canoe to make their way to the tulkun. From here, I could see little more than a large group of dark shapes making their way through the water. Payakan himself was dauntingly huge, but to see a whole pod of them show up like this? It was spectacular. I watched the commotion unfold from one of the walkways, lost in thought before I felt water splashing at my feet.

“Come on Lo’ak! Don’t just stand there, let’s go see the tulkun together!” Tsireya urged, still smiling. Shaken out of my stupor, I grinned widely—diving into the water and clambering onto her ilu. lu may be lithe animals, but I could still feel sinuous muscle under velvety skin as it made adjustments in the water to keep balance.

“I’ll come, but only if you’re offering a ride,” I joked, gently holding her waist and playfully leaning onto her. The cool water around us made her skin feel that much warmer. It was nice.

Before I could see her reaction—I would’ve bet anything at that moment that her cheeks had become flushed—we began to quickly make our way toward the rest of the clan and the giant tulkun.

The air around me vibrated with the excitement and happiness of loved ones returning, and Tsireya was no exception—the speed of the ilu gave away her eagerness to be with her spirit sister. As we leaped into and out of the water, Tsireya’s laughter was carried by the wind and reached my ears. That, and the answering whoops and bellows of Metkayina and tulkun alike, was almost contagious enough to get carried away by the energy surrounding us.

“My spirit sister is down there,” she said as she dismounted, sliding off her ilu and into the water. “Wait here, yeah?” she smiled at me before diving down.

I was more than happy to watch the Na’vi around me. Looking around, I was in awe of the sheer amount of tulkun gathered in one area, and how each Metkayina was able to identify their spirit sisters or brothers so easily. Looking down into the shifting waters, I saw Tsireya catching up with her spirit sister, waving her hands around and swimming through the water alongside her.

All around, I could hear people telling stories and the deep, booming calls of the tulkun as they responded with tales of their own. New parents were showing their babies and calves, and as my eyes scanned the horizon, I could see small children holding onto the tulkun’s fins as they were lifted to the glittering ocean surface.

Not too far away, I heard the sound of a body hitting the water and the sound of grating, but familiar laughter along with an indignant (Y/N) sputtering.

“Ao’nung, what the fu—”

“Hey, hey, relax! It’s just some water. There are children here, yuey,” Ao’nung chided with a shit-eating grin on his face.

“The parents of those children are going to have to explain what it means to return to Eywa once I’m through with you,” she retorted, treading water and becoming even more unamused when he raised his hands in mock surrender.

“Woah there pretty girl, you’re talking to the son of the mightiest warrior in all of Pandora—”

“That’s funny, I don’t see Neteyam here,” she interjected, pretending to search the waters around them before turning back to Ao’nung and tilting her head, “do you?”

“Just because you said that you can have fun finding your own way back to shore,” he said as he turned his ilu around.

“Oh, c’mon Ao’nung, don’t be like that,” she rolled her eyes and reached a hand towards him. “You’d really leave me here to fend for myself?”

He turned and wagged a disapproving finger at her, “I’ll consider forgiving you if you say word-for-word that I’m the son of the mightiest warrior in all of Pandora. I can’t have you slandering my father’s name, yuey.” She groaned and leaned back into the water.

“You couldn’t pay me enough to say that load of bull—”

“Nope!” he didn’t give her a chance to defile the ears of any nearby children and crossed his arms. “I wanna hear you say it.”

“...”

“I’m still waiting.”

With a sardonic smile, she finally caved. “Why don’t I do you one better? You’re the mightiest warrior to exist since the time of the First Songs,” she declared, sarcasm dripping from every word as she slapped at the water for emphasis.

“That’s what I thought, was that so hard?” Even if I wasn’t able to see them, I still would have been able to hear the stupidly wide smile that made its way across his face.

“Don’t be such a big baby and let me meet your spirit brother!”

“Just because he’s here to visit today, I’ll let that one slide for now.” Ao’nung rolled his eyes, dismounting his ilu to join (Y/N). “Now hold on tight and hold your breath like how we practiced.”

We? Who the fuck was we? Why was he allowing her to meet his spirit brother? Why were they looking at each other like that?

I watched both of their silhouettes submerge and breathed deeply, forcing my thundering heart to calm as I slowly sank my head into the water. At first, all I could see were blobs floating around in the water, but once my eyes adjusted, I could see the fluid movement of Ao’nung talking to his spirit brother. Eyebrows furrowing, I swam a little closer and hoped that I would be able to see what was being signed. With each movement made, it was clear that Ao’nung was translating the clicks and bellows of the tulkun to (Y/N), and whatever was being said made her smile widen by the second.

I couldn’t watch anymore as my chest burned from the lack of air and I resurfaced to catch my breath. For once, I was thankful for the lack of lung capacity I had. I climbed back onto Tsireya’s ilu. Seeing as she wasn’t back yet, I sat back and leaned on its neck to face the sky.

Did she always glow like that when she smiled? Whenever she was with him—she always looked so happy, so vibrant. Would she have looked like that with me by her side if I didn’t push her away? If I was there for her like I had promised? I wanted to tell her sorry—that I was sorry for taking our friendship for granted, for making her go through it alone. I wish that it didn’t take seeing her smile and laugh with someone else to make me realize how I felt.

I willed my tears to go away.

Is this how she felt? Seeing me with Tsireya? Great Mother… I was truly horrible, wasn’t I? I wished things turned out differently. Maybe in another universe, I did talk to her—realized sooner, made her happier—but now? Right now, my heart was torn in two, watching as someone else picked up the pieces of the heart I crushed. No amount of words could fix what we used to have, and even though I wanted to whisk her away, tell her I love her—that I see her—that seeing her with him made my skin crawl, I knew I couldn’t. I was no longer worthy to be part of her life, because of me and my actions alone.

I had become nothing but a stranger.

Ever since that day

The things I didn’t say

They haunt me

I know that I’m to blame

So go ahead and

Blame it on me, ooh

I know that I’m too late

But I’ll say it anyway

I’m sorry

Hmm, I’m sorry

Oh-oh-oh-oh, I’m sorry

Taglist: @midnightliacr @immortalbloodhuntress @arminsfloll @whenercolorfulrainbowlol @dakotali @lexilander27 @zatarias-pandora @vanillawhale @kazupop @owaowaowawa @sopiasleeps @siabhshjsjsjsjshznzn @jimfiqs @ihave500hubbiez

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doumadono · 1 year ago

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EMERGENCY REQUEST

hi! i dont know how this works properly but could you please write an izuku x reader where the reader has social anxiety and really doubts themselves and their relationship and yk just izuku comforting them.

The little encouragement - Izuku Midoriya x Reader

EMERGENCY REQS MASTERLIST

You sat on the balcony, gazing at the stars as your heart raced with anxiety. The weight of doubt pressed heavily upon you, and you couldn't help but question your relationship with Izuku. The past few weeks had been challenging for you, and social anxiety had a way of making even the simplest interactions feel like insurmountable obstacles.

Meanwhile, inside the cozy apartment, Izuku noticed your absence and grew concerned. He followed the faint glow of your phone screen to find you on the balcony, lost in thought.

"Hey," he said softly, stepping outside. "What are you doing out here alone?"

You jumped, startled by his sudden presence. "Oh, Izuku, I didn't hear you come out."

He approached and sat down beside you. "Is something bothering you?"

You bit your lip, contemplating whether or not to share your feelings. Finally, you decided to open up. "I've been doubting myself a lot lately, especially in our relationship. It's like I'm always second-guessing everything I say and do."

Izuku wrapped an arm around your shoulders, offering support. "You know, it's okay to feel this way sometimes. It can be tough, but it doesn't define you, and it certainly doesn't define our relationship."

You turned to him, your eyes filled with uncertainty. "But what if I'm a burden to you, Izuku? What if you'd be better off without me?"

He gently cupped your face, looking deep into your eyes. "That's not true, not for a second. You're not a burden; you're a blessing. I love you for who you are, anxiety and all. I've seen your strength and kindness, and those qualities are what make you so incredible."

Tears welled up in your eyes as his words warmed your heart. "I just wish I could be more confident."

Izuku smiled, a reassuring glint in his eyes. "Confidence comes with time and practice. But until then, I'm here to support you, to remind you how amazing you are. We're a team, and we'll work through this together."

He pulled you close, and you rested your head on his shoulder, finding comfort in his embrace. "Thank you, Izuku. I needed to hear that."

He pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. "Anytime, my love. Remember, you're stronger than you think, and I believe in you."

#bnha x reader #mha x reader #izuku hcs #izuku x reader #izuku fluff #izuku midoriya #izuku midoria x reader #mha fluff #emergency request #izuku midoryia #deku fluff #midoriya fluff #midoriya x reader #mha midoriya #midoriya x you #deku x reader #deku x reader fluff

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agirlwithdemonblood · 5 months ago

Text

The Celebrity Next Door: Chapter 6 - Healing in Darkness

Pairings: Jensen Ackles x Reader

Chapter Summary: The isolation becomes too much for Y/N to bear, luckily she has people around to help

Warnings: Panic attack, swearing, emotional, slight angst

Series Masterlist here!! & Main masterlist here!

It was surprising how quickly things could change.

Just days ago, Jensen and I had been friends, growing closer, sharing intimate moments. Now, we haven't seen each other-not since the night of the kiss.

As much as I didn't want to, I found myself avoiding him, stuck feeling embarrassed for myself for thinking we had something deeper, when clearly we didn't.

My mood was at an all time low as I isolated myself. I've faked an illness at work to work from home, burying myself in tasks to distract from thoughts of him. But as the work decreased, so did my ability to avoid reality.

Walking through the hallway of my home, my gaze fell on the family photograph, our smiles genuine and heartwarming. Tears welled up despite my efforts to hold them back. I missed them, missed having someone to talk to, missed the simple joy of smiling.

Since Jensen, I hadn't smiled. I felt ridiculous to have imagined he could want someone like me. I didn't belong here; I didn't fit in, and I felt more alone that I ever have.

Living and working in LA, despite its perks and recent promotion, felt increasingly unbearable. There had to be another way to support my parents. Anything was better than staying here, isolated and unhappy.

I dialed my mom's number, tears welling up in my eyes as she answered, her voice calm and kind like it always was causing my heart to clench in my chest.

"Mom?" I choked out, and her gasp caused the tears to rush down.

"Oh, Y/N! I've been waiting to hear from you, sweetie. How are you holding up? How's LA treating you?"

Struggling to hold back the sobs, I confessed, "Mom, I don't want to be here anymore."

"Why, baby? What's happened?" her concern was evident, soothing in its familiarity. My family were always this way, ready to listen and to help, it was a lifeline in my darkest days.

I moved to my porch, my first time outside since that night Jensen left. The quiet street offered no comfort, no answers to wether I should stay here or not. I couldn't help but notice Jensen's car parked in his driveway, a painful reminder of his absence, another reason to flee this place.

"I'm so lonely, Mom. There's no one here for me. I feel so isolated, like I don't belong here." I admitted, tears staining my cheeks.

Her voice softened, filled with reassurance. "Y/N, moving was a big decision and defiantly a hard one, but remember how excited you were when you chose this path? You were making a pros and cons list and just seemed so... happy. If you want to come home, that is more than okay with us, you always have a room here. It's okay to feel lost now, but don't give up on your dreams because of loneliness. You're not alone, honey. We're here for you, and you'll find your place there."

Others, yeah. Like Jensen. I debated on mentioning our little relationship, but I held my tongue, ashamed of my adoration for a celebrity.

"You're right, Mom. Thank you. I think I just needed to hear your voice," I sighed.

"We're always here to talk, okay? And your father and I are saving to come visit you soon." she promised.

"I know, I'm trying to do the same." I replied, smiling weakly.

After hanging up, I stayed on the porch, watching the sunset, the world carrying on around me while I remained stuck, feeling utterly alone.

The night progressed as usual, darkness concealing the streets.

Wrapped in a cozy blanket, I turned on "The Office" and sipped my hot chocolate, a small ritual that usually calmed my anxiety. Tonight, however, it offered no relief.

It struck me how consumed I'd become by thoughts of Jensen, how quickly our connection had been deepened and how quickly it burnt out. I couldn't shake him from my mind, nor did I truly want to.

Jensen felt different. The way he looked at me, the spark I felt when our eyes met, his genuine interest in my thoughts-it all left a intense impact.

His touch lingered in my memory, warm and reassuring, treating me as if I were normal, not a loner or an anxious mess.

My mind raced, questioning if maybe the issue was with me. Making friends has always been a challenge; knowing what to say or do seemed beyond my abilities. Even within my own family, I was always the more quiet and reserved one.

Anxiety tightened its grip, suffocating me despite my efforts to focus elsewhere. Unable to bear it any longer, I stumbled outside, seeking comfort on the porch, in the cool air, but the quiet night offered no relief, only increasing my sense of isolation.

My breathing grew heavy, each inhale a struggle against invisible walls closing in. I clutched my phone, fingers trembling as I debated on calling Jensen. But I hesitated-this wasn't something he needed to deal with, especially not now, not at 10:00 pm.

Yet, his words echoed from the other day: "If you ever need someone, I'm here." He wouldn’t have said it without meaning it right? He wouldn’t revoke his offer because of what happened between us....right?

My shaky hands typed a message, hesitating before pressing send. It took mere seconds before my phone pinged, his response popping up in front of me.

Y/N: "Are you awake?"

Jensen: "Yeah, on my way over."

I froze at his response when I realized that it was the last thing I wanted to hear. I never wanted him to witness me like this—pathetic, a mess, a burden. As I started to type, urging him not to come over, my trembling fingers betrayed me. Before I could hit send, I heard his front door shut, and it was too late.

In the darkness, I could see him walking towards me, concern evident on his face. He lifted his head, his eyes widening in alarm as they locked onto my trembling form on the stairs. Panic gripped me tighter as I struggled to breathe, each gasp feeling like a battle against an invisible weight crushing my chest.

He hurried up the stairs, his steps echoing in my ears, and reached my side in a blur of movement. "Y/N?... What's wrong? What happened?" Jensen's voice trembled with worry as he knelt beside me.

I tried to respond, to reassure him, but my words dissolved into raspy coughs, my body shaking uncontrollably. His hand found my back, his touch grounding yet stained with his own growing anxiety. He leaned closer, his voice a gentle plea in my ear.

"Whoa, hey. Breathe with me Y/N, slow deep breathes." he urged, his palm resting firmly between my shoulder blades.

I nodded frantically, focusing on the rhythm of his breaths, trying to match them as my vision blurred with tears of frustration and fear. His hand stayed on my back, guiding each inhalation and exhalation with a steady rhythm, his voice a lifeline in the chaos of my mind.

I forced my head lower, trying to focus on the steps below my feet. His hand patted my back for every breath, holding it there until I exhaled. “That’s right, okay good job slow it down.”

But the panic was relentless, tightening its grip on me despite Jensen’s efforts. He could see it, feel it, in the way I couldn’t stop shaking, in the frantic gasps for air that seemed too shallow. Jensen’s voice became more urgent, his words a mix of reassurance and desperate pleading.

“Stay with me, Y/N. You’re doing great, just keep breathing. I’m right here, I’ve got you,” Jensen murmured, his fingers rubbing small circles on my back, his touch gentle yet firm.

Minutes passed like hours, each second a battle against the overwhelming fear. Slowly, my breathing steadied, the grip of panic loosening its hold. Jensen's touch remained gentle yet firm, a constant reassurance in the darkness.

As calm sat between us, I lifted my head slowly, avoiding his gaze. Embarrassment flooded me-how could he see me like this? Weak, vulnerable, a burden?

"Thank you for helping Jensen..." I whispered, my voice shaky yet sincere. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

His hand brushed through his hair, a small smile spreading across his lips. “It's not a problem, I just....I don’t know how you handle it,” Jensen admitted softly, his eyes searching mine. “My panic attacks have never been that bad.”

His admission surprised me, a flicker of connection in our shared vulnerability. I shrugged sadly and dropped my head lower, "Their not usually this bad, but close."

"I'm just glad you're okay now," he added softly, his eyes reflecting both relief and lingering concern.

I stood from my spot and turned towards the door, avoiding his eyes that I knew were locked on me. "Well.. Thanks again, goodnight Jensen."

Before I could retreat inside, Jensen's hand reached for mine, halting my escape. "Wait, please."

Turning to face him, I braced myself for his words, uncertain of what he may say next.

"Would you like to come over? Maybe have a drink and we can talk?" his voice held a hint of vulnerability and hope.

I managed a weak smile, and shook my head. "You know what happened last time we drank together, I don't think it's a good idea."

His expression fell slightly, nodding in understanding. "I.. I wanted to talk to you about that."

Frustration crept in slowly. I was inexperienced in social interactions, but waiting days after an incident like that to talk didn't seem wise. "I was here all week. You knew where to find me, but you didn't come over. So are you sure about that?"

His shoulders slumped, regret and shame covering his face. "I know. I was lost and confused and trying to give you space since I fucked up." He sighed.

His eyes glanced down, and he stepped closer as embarrassment and regret pulled at his features. "Y/N, you're the first person I've been with since my ex-wife. You're the only one I've had feelings for and it scared the shit out of me."

"Feelings?" I felt a surge of anger, recalling that night vividly. "Jensen, when you left, you straight out said that you didn’t want that to happen. That came from your mouth. Please don’t tell me you have feelings for me if you didn’t want to do any of that with me in the first place.”

His eyes widened, mouth gaping. "Sweetheart, that's not what I meant when I said it... Fuck. I'm such an asshole. That's not what I wanted you to think."

Tears welled in my eyes, and I shrugged. "What else was I supposed to think?"

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "I know. I should have talked to you sooner, but I didn't know if you wanted to see me."

He stepped closer, hand reaching for mine, eyes filled with vulnerability, "I didn't want to rush things. I wanted to take it slow. I spoke to a friend before coming here, and he called me out for being too cautious, too shy. So I tried to be bold, to go for what I wanted, but I ended up messing it all up..."

He stepped closer, brushing a tear from my cheek. "I'm sorry Y/N, I really am. I didn't handle it well at all, I should have spoken to you."

I nodded slowly, my hand reaching for his. "I understand, it's okay."

He stepped closer hesitantly, opening his arms and smiling sadly as I stepped closer, hugging him tightly to me. "I know, I messed up. I want this, Y/N. I have feelings for you. I'm just scared."

I lifted my head to face him, "I'm scared too."

His eyes locked in mine, a small smile playing on his lips. "You are?"

"Yeah." I admitted softly. "I've never been in a relationship before. People usually don't like me that much."

Jensen kissed my forhead softly, his touch sending shivers down my spine. "I like you." he confessed, his eyes meeting mine with sincerity. "I really do, Y/N."

I smiled back, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "I like you too, Jensen. A lot."

His grip tightened as he held me, putting all the pieces back together one by one. "Do you want to come to my place for a bit? The kids are with their mom until tomorrow."

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded, feeling a sense of calm settle over me. "I'd like that."

Locking my door behind me, I followed him to his house, letting things unfold naturally. For the first time, I wasn't anxious about what might happen next. I knew it would be okay.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Chapter 7 coming soon stay tuned!

Like, comment, and reblog, feedback is my fuel 💕

#jensen ackles x you #jensen ackles x reader #jensen x reader #jensen's smile #jensenxyou #supernatural fanfiction #sam and dean #supernatural #spn fic

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matchagator · 1 year ago

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Clash | jjk (Mature) Ch. 7

Chapter 7 is here! I hope you enjoy! Thank you again for all of the love and support you have all shown Clash. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

{Main Pairings:} Jeon Jungkook x Female Reader

{Rating:} 18+

{Genre:} Slice of Life | Neighbors

{Summary:} You're a new resident in your very first apartment excited to enjoy the simple life of adulthood. Unfortunately for you, you continue to run into unruly neighbors no matter how much you try to keep to yourself.

{Warnings:} Mature Language, Enemies to Lovers, Hostility, Mild Angst, Sexual Tension, Banter, Smut, Mild Degradation, Sexual Content, Prank Wars, Unprotected Sex , Awkward Tension, Fluff, Oral Sex, Teasing, Blood, Peril, Car Accident, Elements of Cheating (This list will be updated as each part gets released)

The bright flashing light of the emergency personnel begins to fade as Jungkook’s BMW pulls away from the spine-chilling scene of the motor vehicle accident. The drivers of both vehicles had already been transferred to the nearest hospital and traffic was finally starting to weave around the mess of scrap metal and busted vehicles still being cleaned off the road. You fail to realize that since Jungkook returned to the car, you’ve been holding your breath, feeling your anxiety slowly simmer back down at the realization that you were both safely on your way home. “Was that Taehyung?” You finally speak as you sigh in relief, shifting your gaze toward Jungkook as he sat quite stiffly in the driver’s seat.

Jungkook’s jaw was tense as he cautiously maneuvered toward the nearest exit, his eyes staying glued to the road in front of him. “Yeah, He’s on tonight.” You nod at his response, letting your gaze drop to your hands that are tucked between your legs.

“Are you okay?” Jungkook’s voice was laced with concern as he finally spares you a glance, his eyes exposing his protective demeanor.

For a moment, you contemplate your answer. You had never witnessed a car accident before and seeing someone helpless on the ground, tethering off the edge of life and death only seemed to make it that much more real and vulnerable. “Yeah, I’m fine.” You offer him a soft smile, hoping it’ll do its job of reassuring him that you’re mentally doing fine. “I’m glad everyone was okay.”

Jungkook’s grip tightens around his steering wheel as he glances in his mirrors, turning onto the large commercial street that leads down toward your apartments. “Me too.” He let out a long sigh, thankful for the reality that no one lost their life due to someone’s carelessness to double-check before merging into another lane.

“I bet you see that all the time.” You mention nervously, unable to imagine what dreadful sights Jungkook witnesses every time he clocks in for work.

Jungkook tilts his head to the side, letting the joints crack as he turns to face you with a broken stare. “That…and worse.” His words are haunting as a chill courses through your limbs. You feel content at the sight of your complex, watching as the parking garage door lifts open as Jungkook’s car approaches the entrance.

“Thank you for tonight.” You make sure to add as he skillfully pulls into a parking spot, thankful to see his eyes lighten from the darkened gloom that was entrapping him since the accident.

He grins as he places the car in park, finding your eyes with his. “I should be thanking you. It’s not often I get served a dose of humble pie.” He’s referring back to your victory on the track, causing the tension to vanish once as you smack your lips together, rolling your eyes as you unbuckle your seat.

As you enter the lobby and venture toward the elevators, Jungkook holds out his arm to keep the elevator doors from closing, motioning for you to enter as you quickly find your way toward the back of the elevator. You lean into the rail, watching as your date clicks the seventh floor. “You were amazing tonight.” You compliment him, your voice a soft hush as his large doe eyes find yours. He is almost surprised to hear you say such things.

“Thanks.” His lips pull into the hint of a smile, as he glances down at his attire. His plaid button-down was discarded into the dumpster of the parking garage while traces of blood were visible on the fabric of the white tank top adorning his toned abdomen. His hair has been tousled in the wind of the busy highway and even though he looks completely disheveled, you still find yourself immensely attracted to him. “I’m a mess.” He chuckles, glancing down at his body as he holds his arms out to better examine himself.

You laugh lightheartedly, thankful to see Jungkook less serious than he was on the drive home. “Comes with the territory of saving lives.” You feel your heart flip within your chest as Jungkook’s eyes met yours, his features softening from the reality of your presence.

“Still up for a nightcap?” Jungkook watches you carefully as if he’s expecting you to say no. The truth is, while the recent events of your evening might have been terrifying and unexpected, you couldn’t imagine going back home to face your thoughts alone.

“Yeah.” You answer softly, watching as he steps closer to you, his hand reaching out to caress your face. You hold your breath, anticipating the warmth of his touch as he leans forward. Jungkook catches himself, pulling his hand away before he can touch you, remembering that he should probably shower before having any more physical contact.

The tone of the elevator interrupts the moment as he turns to lead the way to his apartment. You follow behind him, watching as he searches his pocket for his keys. “I should take a shower first.” He glances back at you as he fiddles with the door handle, offering you a questioning stare. “Mind waiting?”

You shrug your shoulders as you hold your purse in front of you. The least you could do was wait for him to clean up after everything he’s done tonight. “Of course not.” You smile brightly, which only elicits a content grin from your neighbor. Jungkook pushes open his front door, gesturing for you to enter before him as he leans in to flip on the nearest light switch. You shyly squeeze past him, letting your eye wander over the landscape of his apartment as you take in the minimalistic decor.

Jungkook moves around you, taking his shoes off at the door before shifting about to turn on more lighting. You quickly copy him, removing your Converse and leaving them there before exploring more of the entryway. You smile as you watch him, admiring how clean his apartment is despite the collection of random items placed about the space.

“Make yourself comfort.” He offers, moving into his bedroom as he switches on a small gray box, beams of multicolored lights dancing across the walls as the ambient lighting creates a pleasant environment. He moves towards his closet, locating a dresser as he retrieves a plain t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts.

You hesitantly walk into his room, your curiosity taking over as you snoop around to glance at all of the things collected on his shelves. You notice a few Marvel items, video games, and music albums displayed, giving a few insights into some of the things he enjoys. “Nice place.” You hum happily, taking a seat on the edge of his large bed.

Jungkook peaks his head out from the bathroom, feeling completely wrecked by the sight of you sitting on his bed. He lets out a slight groan as he bites the metal of his piercing on the inside of his lip, accepting the fact that you’d look sinful spread across his sheets. He shakes off his imagination, pulling off his tank top before rolling it into a ball and tossing it into the trash given the blood stains. “Feel free to play music or turn on the tv.”

Your jaw practically drops open as Jungkook offers you a delicious view of his muscles, your mind going fuzzy from the sight as he moves his hands down toward the button of his jeans. Your eyes shamelessly follow his hands, noticing the carving of his muscles lubriciously pointing down towards his manhood. You chew on the inside of your cheek, feeling your body ignite in a raging inferno that can only be tamed by Jungkook’s touch.

“Y/n?” Jungkook’s voice painfully drags you from your lustful trance, blinking off your surprise as you shift your eyes back up to his. “Did you hear me?”

For a moment, you can’t remember what he said, your mind short-circuiting as you try to retrace the last things you might have heard. You hear him chuckle softly before unbuttoning his jeans, pointing towards the television and speaker. “You can turn them on.” He adds, before stepping back into the bathroom. “I won’t take long.”

You nod weakly, offering him a bashful smile as you watch the bathroom door close between you. You let out a sigh of frustration, practically palming yourself in the face for being so obvious about your attraction. You shift your weight to one side as you pull your phone from your back pocket, deciding to distract yourself in hopes of cooling off. As you tap your screen, it illuminates indicating a few missed texts from Roxanne.

As you go to tap open her messages, you hear the water turn on, the sound accompanied by Jungkook’s soft humming. You turn off your phone as you listen to his heavenly voice singing through the wooden door, getting hypnotized by the comforting sound. Your eyes follow the slow pulse of lights against his wall, enjoying the mood lighting which only seems to stir your desire to be intimate with Jungkook.

You nervously bite your lip, remembering how you cheated this man out of an orgasm in his own car. Despite the feud you created between you both, you recognize that Jungkook is genuinely a good man and any woman would be lucky to find themselves waiting for him to shower while casually sitting on his bed.

As your thoughts circle back to memories of Jungkook’s body, you begin to wonder what he looks like currently, naked beneath a stream of running water. You feel your cheeks burn at the thought of him soaked and vulnerable for your hands to trail down his body. You smirk mischievously as you imagine him groaning and tossing his head back from your treatment, singing your praise as you threaten to finish what you started in his car that rainy day.

You boldly decide to stand, moving your hands to your waist as you unbutton your own jeans, pulling them down the length of your legs before draping them across a gaming chair near the edge of his room. You quickly remove your panties, hiding them beneath the denim as you slip out of your cropped sweater and bra. You feel completely exposed as you begin to question your decisions. What if Jungkook wants to be alone, cleaning up after a stressful encounter? What if he rejects your advances?

The countless worries plague your mind as you cross your arms over your chest to hide your indecency, questioning your intentions. You fight with yourself, letting your desires take over as you timidly step toward the bathroom, opening the door slowly not to startle Jungkook.

Jungkook hears the click of the door, frantically turning toward the source of the sound as he catches a glimpse of your body on full display. He passes his hands across his face, pushing his hair back and clearing the water from his eyes as he processes the reality that you are standing naked on the opposite side of the shower door. His silence gives you all the confidence you need as you pull open the glass door, the steam clearing from the cool air as you get a salacious view of Jungkook’s body.

“What are you doing, princess?” His voice is almost a growl as if he’s the big bad wolf on the prowl for his little red riding hood, desperate for a taste. A shiver courses through your limbs as you hesitantly step into the shower, closing the door behind you as turn to face the man stalking you from behind the veil of water.

You bite your lip, refusing to let your eyes shift from his gaze as it pins you to a metaphorical wall. “I thought you could use some company.” You can feel your brain going dumb at the sight of his body beneath the stream of water, his muscles flexing against the warmth as he steps toward you. You feel the water run down your hair, trailing down your shoulders and breasts as you stand fearlessly before him, ready for whatever behavior he has in store.

Jungkook pants as he steps closer toward you, his tattooed hand gently trailing up your chest as his fingers grip around your throat, pressing you back against the tile wall as he hovers his lips just barely above your own. “You shouldn’t have come in here.” He groans, pressing his body against yours as the contact between your bare skin causes you to let out a gasp of surprise. He’s holding you firmly but gently, taking caution to read your reactions as you practically crumble before him. He keeps his hand snug around your neck before placing his free hand against the tile just beside your head, caging you between him and the wall as he leans in to brush his lips against the shell of your ear. “I’ve been wanting to fuck you all damn night.”

You feel your mouth run dry, completely parched for whatever sweet nectar Jungkook has to offer as you squeeze your thighs together, desperately spreading your palms across the tile in an attempt to stabilize yourself. You gulp back your arousal, helplessly searching for your will to speak as Jungkook continues to render you speechless. You go to speak until Jungkook lifts his thumb from around your neck, dragging it gently across your bottom lip as he slides his hand across the column of your throat until he’s caressing the back of your head.

A gasp jumps through the barrier of your lips as Jungkook grips his fingers through your hair, the tension of the strands and the swift movement of him pulling your head forward causes you to squeak in surprise. You feel his forehead press into yours, his eyes exposing the torment he’s clearly enduring every second he isn’t getting intoxicated by your affection.

“What makes you think I want to fuck you?” Your frontal lobe finally resumes normal functioning as your stubbornness hijacks any remaining rationality you have left, narrowing your eyes to challenge him yet again. “I just wanted to clean off.” Your excuse is complete bullshit, something Jungkook instantly recognizes as he pulls you closer, boldly smothering your lips with his as he extracts a long, drawn-out moan from you.

“Jungkook-” Your efforts to speak are rapidly muffled by his lips, his piercing dragging against your lip as his teeth bite down as if a warning to keep your mouth shut. You desperately attempt to catch your breath between his kiss and the running water threatening to drown you if Jungkook’s affection didn’t do the job first. Your arms act like the limbs of a marionette being manipulated by the puppeteer that is Jungkook, wrapping around his neck as you arch your body off the wall to allow your chest to press into his toned abdomen.

Jungkook groans from the contact, his lips trailing down the column of your neck as he ventures down your torso, his hands shamelessly sliding down your shoulders to grope your perky mounds as his teeth sink into the fleshy part of your breast. “JK…” You try to speak again between ragged breaths, your body shivering from his intentional love bites.

“Y/n…” He huffs against your skin, anger flashing across his pupils as he lifts his head back to the level of your eyes. “If you don’t shut up and let me fuck you…” He threatens as he presses his forehead against yours once again, his expression completely wrecked as he brings both of his hands down your side to grip the meat of your hips tightly. “I’ll pound you through the damn wall.”

The moment the last syllable leaves his lips, he’s latched back onto your lips, violating your mouth with his tongue as his fingers dig deeper into your sides as he effortlessly lifts you from the ground, guiding your legs to wrap around his waist. You choke back a moan as you feel his hardened cock probing at the inside of your thigh, feeling dizzy already and he hasn’t even entered you yet. “Oh my….” You whimper weakly against his lips. “JK, please!”

Jungkook smirks against your mouth, hearing your sweat pleas as he presses his hips forward to tease you further. “That's right, Princess.” He groans, feeling his resolve crumble as he adjusts you in his arms to align your center with his dripping and eager tip. The strength of his arms hold you up until you feel him drop you onto his dick, impaling you to the hilt as a loud moaned scream breaks the confinement of your lips. “Let me hear how good I fuck you.”

You can hardly catch your breath, gasping through your muffled moans as you smother your face into the crook of his neck, desperately clinging your limbs around his body as he begins to bounce you on his cock. The sound of the running water does nothing to conceal the scandalous sound of your bodies smacking together as Jungkook’s length buries deep within your core, pressing deliciously against your cervix.

Jungkook presses his lips together, his features scrunching from the strain of his body as he compensates for your weight. The look alone leaves your body trembling for more, enamored by his athleticism as he continues to balance you against him. You move your hands up to the back of his head, clawing your fingers into that lovable overgrown mullet as you tug his head back. Jungkook lets out a hiss as he steps forward, pressing your back into the tile as the rough material molds over your shoulder blades.

You release your grip on his hair as your body begins to slide down the surface, the steam and water only creating a slippery environment as your hands press into the side of the shower to keep you up. Jungkook is thankful for the break on his muscles, moving his hands down to your ass as he rotates your hips back, dragging his length from the warmth of your vagina before slamming back into you.

The salacious position he has you pinned in allows him to reach a new depth, filling you to the brim as his cock twitches from the stimulation, his eyes reflecting the same expression as a rabid animal. “Fuck, Y/n.” He pants as he continues to pound into you, his eyes devouring the sight of your blissed-out expression as your helpless moans fuel his motivation to fuck you harder and faster. “You’re so damn perfect…”

His praise leaves you floating on cloud nine as you attempt to move your hips in sync with his, the pressure causing your pleasure to build deep within your stomach. “Oh shit…” You cry out, becoming nothing more than a sobbing mess as you feel your undoing rapidly approaching. “JK!” You shriek, feeling helpless as your orgasm rips through you, an embarrassing amount of liquid gushing from your center as Jungkook groans in satisfaction.

Your body convulses around him, the strength in your arms giving way as Jungkook catches your limp body, refusing to stop pumping himself into you to help you ride out the waves of your orgasm. “Almost there, Y/n.” He bites down on his bottom lip, his teeth unforgivingly pressing against his piercing as his cock swells with the anticipation of his sweet release. “Ah, fuck yes.” Jungkook grunts as your vagina constricts around him to the continuous stimulation, milking him for all of his worth. A guttural sound escapes his lips as his forehead drops to your shoulder, hot ropes of his seed shooting deep inside your uterus.

There is a moment of stillness as Jungkook holds you in place, panting against you as he finally lets your legs drop, despite their inability to keep you upright. You wince slightly from the overstimulation as his penis drags from inside you, gasping as Jungkook adjusts the angle of the shower head to douse you both in the hot liquid. It does its job of washing away the evidence of your sinful activities with Jungkook as he leans forward to press an oddly gentle kiss to your lips.

You sigh contently from the tender affection, feeling comforted by the warmth of the shower stream and Jungkook’s soft kiss. “You were amazing.” You admit timidly, biting your bottom lip as your legs finally allow you to hold your own weight. Jungkook grins at you proudly, chuckling softly as he moves his hands to flatten your wet strands of hair.

“Yeah, you’ve already said that tonight.” He teases, watching your bliss and gratification morph into an annoyed roll of your eyes. The small hint of sass is enough to drive him mad as he leans in to place a passionate kiss against your lips. “Don’t be a brat.”

You tilt your head in annoyance, his soft kisses preventing you from being frustrated with him. “Don’t be an ass.” You counter, feeling your heart flutter at the childlike smile that stretches across his features causing his cheeks to swell against his eyes, exposing his genuine happiness.

“Turn around.” His voice is surprisingly romantic, the tone dipping lower as if rich molasses while his hands caress your hips, gently guiding you to turn away from him. Your eyebrows pinch together in confusion as you hear some rustling from beside him. It doesn’t take long before you feel soft material smooth against the back of your shoulder as it moves down the length of your back.

You soon realize that the texture is similar to a sponge, feeling the suds of Jungkook’s soap alongside the gentle drag as he selflessly begins to clean off your body. You feel a shiver crawl up your spine from the affectionate gesture, tilting your head to the side as he brings the material back up to rub against your opposite shoulder.

A moan of relaxation threatens to reveal itself as you close your eyes, enjoying the rare moment of having someone tend to you so sweetly, feeling your cheeks heat from the blush creeping on your complexion. “JK…you don’t have to…” You’re silenced almost immediately as Jungkook steps closer to your body, wrapping an arm around your waist as he presses a kiss onto your shoulder. You whine as his lips leave your skin, shuddering once feeling them press against the shell of your ear.

“I want to.” His voice is uncharacteristically sweet, leaving you a blushing mess as you fight the infectious smile from creeping onto your face, nodding in agreement as you let yourself float in the serenity of his entrancing euphoria.

You let Jungkook’s hands travel along your body, feeling yourself begin to gently sway along with the glide of his palms, hearing his chuckle softly in your ear as he travels dangerously close to the juncture between your hips. He smirks as you suck in a breath, imagining all of the ways Jungkook has ever touched you as it threatens to send you into another toe-curling orgasm.

“Did I tell you how beautiful you are?” He whispers as he brings a hand up to move your hair across your back over to one shoulder, exposing the back of your neck for him to press open-mouth kisses across the surface. You roll your head to the side, happily allowing him access to your body in whatever way he desires as you hum in response.

He lets the water wash away the soap as he hangs the sponge back up, letting his hand sprawl across your stomach as he pulls you against him. You glance back at him over your shoulder as he slides his fingers down to cup your heat, a strangled gasp escaping your lips as he presses his finger against your clit. “You look even more beautiful when you cum.” He adds completely unashamed as your body convulses from his touch.

Your mind spins from the sensitivity, knowing it wouldn’t take much for him to seduce you into another round of sex. You bravely turn to face Jungkook, immediately noticing the darkened stare behind his pupils as he begins to entertain another moment of weakness in ogling your body. You chew on the inside of your cheek, nervously reaching for the sponge as you swirl your pointer finger in a circle, gesturing for him to turn around.

Jungkook hums in excitement as he follows your direction, turning to face the opposite side of the large shower. You reach out for his bottle of soap, squeezing some of the liquid onto the soft material before turning your attention to the details of his back. Your eyes instantly follow the curves of his body, practically drooling at the sight of his muscles so perfectly chiseled as you gently run the soap down his back. You feel his muscles relax at your touch, taking the opportunity to examine the details of his tattoo sleeve from a different angle.

Jungkook groans contently from your touch as your fingertips brush against his shoulder blades. “You’re not bad looking yourself.” You grin as you use your free hand to pass against his shoulder to better help smooth the soap across the canvas of his skin.

“That’s it?” He complains, quickly turning around to face you as he engages you in a friendly stare-down. “Only not so bad looking?” He adds, staring down at you intimidatingly as you move your attention to washing the surface of his pectoral muscles.

You peer up through your eyelashes as you challenge his bravado, a small hint of a smirk exposing itself on the corner of your mouth. “You have a big enough ego as it is.” You tease, knowing that Jungkook was nothing more than a man to admire. Despite your newfound admiration for your neighbor, you weren’t about to gravel at his feet as if he was a god, even though he definitely looked like one.

Jungkook steps closer to you, diminishing your proximity as he brings a hand up to cup your cheek. “You know, I’m only an ass around you.” He grins smugly, before leaning forward to capture your lips with his. He sighs at the contact, pulling away ever so slightly before pressing another soft kiss upon them.

You smile against his kiss as you pull away, exposing your giddiness as you try to maintain a calm, collected composure. “Oh? And when I’m not there, what exactly are you?”

Jungkook holds out his arms confidently gesturing to himself with a cocky deposition. “Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.” You blink, listening to Jungkook list all of these random titles as you’re features morph into confusion.

“What?”

Jungkook’s smile disappears as he suddenly becomes shockingly serious. “Iron Man?” He questions, gauging your understanding of the reference he just provided you as you shrug your shoulders in even more confusion.

“Is that a quote from the movie?” You inquire given that you’ve never actually seen the movie in its entirety.

“I’m sorry.” Jungkook practically chokes on his shock as he steps back to eye you up and down. “Have you not seen Iron Man?”

You shrug once more, which seems to set off Jungkook as he brushes his hands through his hair to adjust the wet strands from hanging in his face. He reaches past you, turning off the faucet as he turns to snatch a towel from the towel rail. “Alright, I’m getting you that drink and we’re watching it.”

You happily accept the towel now that you’re standing in the absence of the heat from the water, shivering slightly from the cool air of his apartment. “Seriously?” You laugh, finding his actions endearing as he quickly moves about to find himself another towel.

“Oh, I’m dead serious.” He retaliates as he steps out of the shower, drying himself off with a renewed sense of urgency.

You can’t help but laugh, finding this side of Jungkook insanely comical as you watch him tug on his boxers as he tries not to fall over. “Jungkook, at least let me go get some clean clothes…”

“No bother.” He interrupts, offering you his oversized t-shirt. “You can borrow mine.” He smiles widely as he takes the moment to take in the sight of your naked body as you wrap the towel around yourself to conceal the view from him. “I’m sure it looks better on you anyway.”

Your cheeks brighten to a deeper shade of crimson as you bite your lip from his comment, hating the fact that he knows exactly what to say to cause your heart to summersault within your chest. “Okay, fine.” You smile, stepping out of the shower to join him. “You win…this time.”

—

The warmth of the morning sun kisses your skin as it seeps through the curtains of Jungkook's bedroom, causing you to stir from your slumber. You let your limbs elongate as you stretch your tired muscles, startling yourself as your hand brushes against a solid figure beside you. Your eyes snap open, finding the tranquil expression of Jungkook resting soundly as your head rests gently against his bicep and pectoral muscles.

You can’t help but admire his features, enjoying his soft snores as you notice a small cylindrical pillow beneath his neck, allowing his spine to curve around the plush material. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the bright lighting around you, bringing your hands up to rub the tiredness from your corneas as Jungkook’s masculine aroma swirls around you.

It’s not your usual, waking beside such a handsome man, knowing that he seems equally as attracted to you as you are to him. The thought of this becoming a regular occurrence causes butterflies to flutter in your stomach, a blush creeping onto your cheeks. Your thoughts reel through the events of the previous evening, recalling your adventurous date and the severity of watching Jungkook spring into action to help during a car accident. It doesn’t take long for your memory to shift to thoughts of Jungkook in the shower, remembering your daring decision to join him beneath the stream of warm water.

You bring your fingertips to your lips, still feeling the tingle of Jungkook’s affection as you vividly recall the sensation of his cold metallic piercing molding over your mouth with the warmth of his supple lips. You shift in your position, turning your body to face your sleeping neighbor beside you. It’s amusing to you how a relationship that was filled with pranks and animosity suddenly morphed into one of admiration and excitement.

The television screen on the opposite side of his bedroom was still illuminated, the browser for Disney Plus still open as it displayed the title screen for the movie Iron Man. You distinctly recall your evening sprawled about on his bed, tilting your head toward his nightstand to see a few beer bottles remaining from your nightcap. You remember Jungkook’s childlike glee as he watched your reactions to the film, laughing and teasing you along the way as well as stealing some kisses before you both inevitably fell asleep.

Your moments of reminiscing are soon cut short as Jungkook’s soft snores subside, a low groan rumbling in his chest as his hand gently moves to caress your hip. His touch sends a jolt of electricity through your body as his peaceful expression turns into a satisfied grin when he too realizes that you’ve fallen asleep together.

“Morning, Princess.” He smiles brightly, his teeth glistening white as he moves a hand up to brush your hair from your face. You close your eyes as you press your face into his palm, letting a sigh escape your lips as you fight a smile from tugging at your lips.

“Good morning.” You hum happily, completely entranced by his details. Your eyes settle on the metal of his piercing, letting your pupil’s gaze lower to find a small freckle tucked beneath his bottom lip. You watch him lay flat on his back as he glances up at the ceiling, still waking up from his slumber.

Jungkook lets out another soft groan as his sleep threatens to pull him back under, leaving you to examine more of the fine attributes of his features. Your line of sight hovers over the small scar on his left cheek as you bravely decide to reach out and brush your fingertips over the imperfection, curiosity bubbling over as you gently bite your bottom lip. “Did you get this on the job?”

As your fingers feel the slight indentation of his skin against the scar, you hear a chuckle rumble within his chest cavity as he tilts his head back in your direction. “No.” He grins, running his hand along your back as you curl your body into his, keeping yourself up with your elbow. “It’s not that interesting of a story actually.”

You raise your eyebrows in curiosity, letting them scrunch from your pondering expression as you adjust yourself to peer down at him. “I have time.” You tease, waiting to hear the story behind such a distinct feature of his appearance.

Jungkook brought his opposite hand up to smooth his hair down in order to tame the flyaways from his bedhead as he squints his eyes against the sun. “My brother and I got into an argument over a computer.” He stated plainly, watching your reaction cautiously as if expecting to see disappointment invade your expression.

You shrug your shoulders as you lay back down, resting your head against his chest. “Wow, you’re right, that wasn’t interesting.” You tease, avoiding his glare that clearly pierces into the side of your skull.

It’s as if your words cast away Jungkook’s fatigue as he skillfully and athletically rolls on top of you, caging you beneath him as an arm rests on either side of your head. “Don’t be a brat.” He hisses as you gasp slightly from the sudden change in position, your soft sound muffled by Jungkook’s lips as he leans down to capture your lips in a surprisingly tender kiss. You feel your muscles relax from the affection, melting into his mattress as your body suddenly craves to be smothered beneath him.

You move your arms up around his neck, smiling against his lips as you deepen the kiss with every intention of getting your morning fix of Jeon Jungkook. Your actions are only encouraged as Jungkook allows his body to press against you, releasing an arm to trail his hand along your legs and waist. Your lips become a tangle of metal and tongue as Jungkook’s innocent soft kiss transforms into a desperate crave for your taste.

Jungkook’s hand trails against the bottom seams of his oversized shirt that’s draped across your body, his fingers tickling the skin of your thigh as you arch your back from the stimulation. His digits tread dangerously close to the inner part of your thigh, causing a shiver to course through your body as you continue to make out with him shamelessly, moving your fingers to grab ahold of the bottom strands of his hair that hang just at his neck.

You’re satisfied with the deep grutal sound that erupts from his chest as you tug, feeling his hips press into you as something hard pokes against the crevice between your thigh and heat. You gasp at the sensation of his hard dick ready for your attention, moaning at the thought of feeling him inside you once again. Your wall pulses at the excitement as if the ghost of his length sparks an insatiable heat between your legs.

“JK.” You grumble against his lips as he moves his attention to kissing your neck, sucking the skin shamelessly without fear of leaving marks from his rough treatment. Your mind swirls from his attention, leaving you grasping at his hair and bare torso, the flex of his muscle deliciously reminding you of what it feels like to have him strain above you.

Jungkook releases your neck from his affection, trailing his lips down to the collar of his shirt before lifting off your skin to find your eyes. “I knew this would look better on you.” He comments as his teeth snap against the collar, tugging the fabric down to expose more of your neck as he sits up on his shins before moving to pin your arms down by your head.

All you can do is await his treatment, finding yourself trapped as he hovers his lips over various parts of your body, teasing you as you struggle beneath him. “Let me touch you…please.” You plea, your hands desperate to paw at him, wanting nothing more than to feel him inside of you once again.

“Don’t move.” He threatens, leaning forward to hover his face just above yours. You feel the pressure of his stare as he communicates his serious command, releasing his grip on your wrist to move his attention to your panties. You can feel his fingers claw against the waistband as you move your arms to grab at him. Before Jungkook can slide the fabric down your legs, he moves to pin your arms back towards your head, a low warning growl reverberating from his chest as he leans forward to press his forehead against yours. “I said…don’t move.” A shudder rakes through your body as you gulp back your arousal and stubbornness, fighting a smile as Jungkook smoothly slides the undergarments from around your waist.

Buzz

As he goes to pull his boxers down, you hear a loud series of vibrations coming from the comforter beside you, noticing the illumination of Jungkook’s phone screen. From your position, you can only make out that it’s a phone call coming from a number that wasn’t saved in his phone. To your surprise, Jungkook doesn’t care about the device one bit as he turns his attention back onto you, grabbing your hips as he pulls your body to slide against the sheets to be closer to him.

Once both undergarments have been tossed to the side, you feel Jungkook slide his hands up your body beneath the fabric of his shirt as he boldly sticks his head underneath the fabric to press kisses along your torso. You’re left practically squirming to touch him as you watch his head disappear beneath the shirt, obscuring your vision, leaving you blind to his actions as you feel his lips travel lower and lower down your abdomen.

Just as Jungkook reaches your love handles, you let out a squeak from the ticklish sensation of his teeth grazing your skin as he places a few love bites against the fleshy part of your hips. You let your eyes roll back as you melt further into the sheets, the cool sensation of them doing little to tame the inferno igniting across your limbs.

Buzz

Your moment of bliss is once again interrupted by the repetitive buzzing of Jungkook’s cell phone, your eyes searching for his as you wonder if this time he’ll stop and take the call. “JK?” When he doesn’t listen to you, you push up on your elbows, pressing your thighs together to get his attention. “JK.”

“Y/n!” He groans, crawling back out from beneath your shirt as he climbs his way back over your body, stopping only when his face is just above yours. “Stop interrupting me.” He threatens once again, his eyes dark and wild with agitation.

Buzz

As a few more vibrations come through the phone, Jungkook finally decides to pay attention to his device as he reaches across you to grab it from the corner of the bed. You watch him in curiosity before noticing his eyes widen, a look of complete shock and horror invading his face. “Shit.” He curses under his breath, studying the screen for another moment before rolling off of you and standing up as he quickly types away, responding to someone.

“Everything okay?” Your tone can’t help but expose your worry as you quickly sit up, watching Jungkook put his phone down as he turns to quickly retrieve clothes from his closet.

“Yeah, It’s fine,” Jungkook speaks half-heartedly as he quickly turns on the shower, letting the water run to get hot as he collects everything he might need for the day. “Y/n, I’m so sorry. I have to go.”

His words throw you for a loop as you sit perched on his bed, your legs crossed and your hands tucked between them. “What?” You watch him carefully, noticing him grab everyday clothes versus his work uniform, so clearly he wasn’t late for work.

“I forgot I had plans…” He starts to explain, setting everything down on the bathroom counter as you hear another vibration from beside you. You glance down at the screen, noticing the same number on the incoming text message. “I have to go.”

I look forward to seeing you again.

Your heart sinks to your stomach from the incoming message, your mind suddenly spirals with insecurities. Who the hell was messaging him and who did he have plans with? You feel your frustration bubbling in your stomach as you desperately try to collect yourself while also crawling out of his bed to pull off his shirt and put your clothes back on. “Right now?”

Jungkook moves toward you as you question his sudden urgency, and offers you an apologetic smile. “Yes.” Before helping grab your purse and belongings, he stops you in your tracks, pulling you closer to him to press a gentle kiss to your lips. “Yesterday was amazing”, He admits, smiling his famous bunny smile as his cheeks swell against his eyes. “I’ll talk to you soon?” He offers, his eyes searching your stare to make sure you are okay before escorting you to his door.

“Yeah.” Your voice is soft as you take steps toward his door, still trying to process everything. “Thank you again, for everything.” You add, making sure to cover your bases given he paid for everything on your date, not to mention sparing a few beers to share with you for a nightcap.

Jungkook grins as he opens the front door, unlocking the mechanism before offering you another apologetic glance for having you leave so suddenly. You comply, stepping out into the hallway as you pull your keys from your purse. “My pleasure, Princess.” Jungkook’s voice is low as if a purr as you exchange a few glances of admiration.

Your worry is suddenly completely annihilated as he bites his bottom lip, leaning into his door frame to watch you walk away to the door directly beside his. “You owe me.” You tease, narrowing your eyes as your point your keys at him accusingly.

Instead of retaliating, his eyes darken as if he’s happy to provide such compensation. “Oh, you couldn’t handle what I have in store for you later.” He licks his bottom lip lecherously as a heat stirs within you, your legs trembling from the implication. Before you can respond, he remembers that the shower is going and points back into his apartment, offering that same regretful stare. “I have to go. See you later.”

With that, you watch him disappear behind his door, leaving you to your thoughts as you step into your apartment that hasn’t been inhabited all night. You switch on the light, placing your belongings on the counter as you take another moment to process the recent events. While you felt a little better about the situation, you still couldn’t help but wonder why Jungkook needed to run off so quickly. You let out a sigh, settling for the numerous thoughts of what he could possibly be up to now.

—

After your thrilling date with Jungkook, you utilize your day off to accomplish all of your tedious weekly tasks. You took the time to venture off to the grocery store, restocking your refrigerator and pantry before turning your attention to paying all of your bills. You expected to hear from Jungkook at some point throughout the day but became disheartened as more and more of the day dragged on without a single text. The day wasn’t over for you as you began cleaning the entirety of your apartment, finishing with your laundry.

As the evening settled, you found yourself sitting on the edge of your bed as you plucked various pieces of clothing from the laundry basket beside you, folding each item carefully before forming piles across the top of your duvet. Your television displayed your favorite series as the episodes looped automatically, creating the perfect background noise as you continue your task.

You glance over at your phone resting beside your thigh, chewing the inside of your cheek as you tap the screen in hopes of seeing the name asshole with a text message on your display. Your heart sinks in your stomach at the realization that he still hasn’t reached out, leaving you to ponder back to the way your morning with him abruptly ended.

I look forward to seeing you again.

The text message you witnessed on his phone haunts your subconscious as you desperately try not to think back on the trauma from your past. Your efforts are to no avail as memories of your ex flood your mind, leaving you with recollections of the moment you discovered he was unfaithful. Thankfully, you and Jungkook aren’t in a relationship, honestly you just went on one amazing date. Surely he wouldn’t be dating more than one woman at a time, right?

You shake your head of your thoughts as you finish folding the last pieces of your laundry, plucking a pile from the bed as you stand to venture toward the dresser to arrange them in their proper drawer. As you approach the piece of furniture tucked against the bedroom wall that you share with Jungkook, you hear his laughter echoing through the drywall, discovering he is also currently in his bedroom. As you put away the clothes, you decide to reach out to him first, contemplating giving him a hard time and telling him to be quiet since his boisterous energy could be heard from your apartment.

You smile at thoughts of his possible response, pushing the top drawer shut before turning to walk back toward your phone. You stop dead in your tracks as another voice resonates from beyond the wall, this time resembling a much higher pitch, clearly the voice of a woman. You feel as if a freight train just rammed into you as you pause in your steps, moving back toward the wall before pressing the shell of your ear to the surface. Your fears are confirmed as you make out the muffled voices of both Jungkook and another female. No wonder he hasn’t messaged you all day, he was too busy with his plans.

“Fucking asshole.” You hiss under your breath, assuming the worse as you turn your attention back onto to chore. You feel anger bubbling within you as you swiftly finish off the laundry, leaving your bedroom toward your kitchen, and seeking out one of the fruity rum beverages in your refrigerator. You huff in annoyance as you open the door, grabbing the chilled bottle before grabbing a tea towel to help gain leverage on the bottle cap as you twist it off.

It doesn’t take long for you to drink half of the bottle, thankful for the burn of the alcohol as you hear your text tone go off from the other room. You contemplate whether or not you should rush over to check if it’s from Jungkook. As you deliberate, you hear voices from outside your door as the hallway only elevates the sound of their conversation. You take a few steps closer, making out Jungkook’s voice as well as shuffled footsteps of more than one person.

“I’ll text you after work.” You hear Jungkook say, as the footsteps become more distant, not hearing anyone’s voice in response to his words.

You grumble under your breath as you tip your rum bottle back to your lips, taking another swig of the sweet liquor. You finally decide to return to your room, letting your body fall into your plush mattress as you set your bottle down on your nightstand. You curl up to one of your pillows as you finally seek out your phone, noticing Roxanne’s contact appear on the screen.

It’s an immediate wave of disappointment once you realize it indeed wasn’t Jungkook reaching out to you, leaving you with more suspense and curiosity about the situation. You let your head fall back on your pillow with a groan, hoping an evening of rest would help bring clarity to this conflicting situation.

—

The following day, you endure another dreadful day at work as you mindlessly go through the motions, desperately trying not to think about Jungkook. Once you’ve returned home, you ponder if you’ll run into your unruly neighbor, your bitterness returning towards him. You haven’t heard from him since yesterday morning, feeling completely overwhelmed by the sudden whirlwind that has knocked you off of your feet. You knew he worked the night shift and that you should probably give him the benefit of the doubt, however, all the evidence pointed to some questionable activity.

You glance at yourself in the mirror as you observe your figure, nitpicking the way your leggings accentuate your hips and your tank top exposes your form. You let your features scrunch in frustration as you let out a groan of irritation, hoping that a trip to the gym would help relieve some stress given you haven’t gone since your dynamic with Jungkook shifted.

As you walk past your kitchen, you grab your phone and keys from the counter, tossing them into your gym bag as you move to snag your bottle from beside the refrigerator. You toss it carelessly into your bag as you exit into the hallway, your eyes instinctually shifting toward Jungkook’s door despite your fizzing rage. You feel yourself pout as you fight off a whimper, angry that you care so much about what this man is up to. Just a few weeks ago you wanted nothing to do with him, and now the thought of him possibly being interested in anyone else has you practically ripping at the seams.

You finally rip your stare away from the empty threshold of his apartment, slugging your way to the elevator as you fight the teetering of your emotions dangling you from the cliffs of your rationality. As you wait for the elevator to reach your floor, you grasp the small compartment containing your AirPods as you take one, and shove it into your ears, desperate to distract yourself with your favorite playlist.

You tug your phone from your bag as you pop your case back in, scrolling to your Spotify as you tap your gym bops playlist to get your adrenaline pumping. As the elevator tone is hardly audible in your available ear, you watch the doors open, subconsciously holding your breath as if expecting to see Jungkook on the other side.

The empty elevator cart reminds you of just how silly you’re being, becoming annoyed with yourself for being so eager to possibly run into Jungkook. It’s a painful reminder of just how into him you’ve become, which only adds to your crippling anger.

The ride down to the lobby is quick as you focus on a Chase Atlantic song blaring in your eardrum. You strut down the long hallway toward the gym as you feel yourself suddenly becoming eager to run on the treadmill.

As you pass the floor-length windows looking into the gym, you turn to enter the large space only to find you are not alone. You spot a man with familiar features, his lip piercing and distinct tattoos catching your eye as his muscles flex beneath his muscle top. His body looks amazing with the glisten of sweat and the exposed limbs, however, it doesn’t draw your attention as much as his hair. You notice Jungkook’s long overgrown mullet is now more evenly chopped, his hair still long and hanging just above his eyes, yet the drenched strands seem far shorter than you’re used to.

Jungkook’s face is scrunched together as his jaw tenses with each pull of the row machine, the strain of his features evident as he catches sight of you in the mirrors beside him. He lets the row machine retract back to its dormant state as he stands from his position, offering you an excited smile.

“Princess! What a surprise.” He beams as your irritation finally bubbles over from seeing him in person since everything that’s transpired after your date. You offer him a deadly glare, watching his glee turn into utter confusion as you storm toward the floor mat in the far corner of the space. You let your bag drop from your shoulder as you pluck your water bottle from its confinements, taking a swig of water to cool yourself off.

As you adjust yourself on the mat to begin stretching, you notice Jungkook grab a small towel that was draped against the rowing machine, wiping his face to soak up his sweat. “What’s got your panties in a twist?” He snarls in your direction, unamused by your less-than-civil greeting. You try to ignore him, bending forward to stretch the muscles in your legs as you lunge from side to side.

Jungkook takes your attitude as a challenge, stalking toward you as he finds your gaze. “Being a brat, are we?” He continues, poking your inner bear as you helplessly try to avoid snapping at him. You take a deep breath, removing your earbud before reaching for your case in the side pocket of your gym bag.

“Being an ass?” You argue back, offering him a sarcastic grin as you watch his eyes darken from your sudden hostility.

You stand to meet his stare, grabbing your water bottle as you gently twist open the top to take another sip. Jungkook presses his tongue on the inside of his cheek, visibly restraining himself from chewing into your bad manners. “What the fuck is your problem today?” His voice is sharp, sending an instant chill down your spine. Your reaction causes Jungkook’s demeanor to soften, glad to see you’re still most submissive under his treatment. “Need me to put you in your place again?” He teases, raising a brow salaciously as you smack your lips in irritation.

“No, you’ve been far too busy for that.” You bitterly retaliate as you watch his face blanch in confusion. Your patience has run its course as you angrily step toward him, pushing your palms into his chest as the tight band of your anger finally snaps. “I heard you and your guest yesterday.” You seeth, remembering the moment you realized Jungkook was with another woman the night prior.

Jungkook was still visibly processing your accusation as you push past him. Jungkook turns to grab your arm gently, twirling you back in his direction as he tries to prevent you from storming out on him. “What are you talking about?”

“I heard you with some girl.” Your voice explodes as you snatch your arm away from him. “And you have the nerve to ask me out again. I’m not looking to fuck around, JK.” Your voice cracks as you fight off your building trauma, all the distrusting memories from your ex resurfacing in your heart.

Jungkook’s eyes illuminate by the revelation of your words, finally connecting your accusations to his activities from the previous day. His features soften as he reaches back out toward you, trying to reassure you that your insecurities are misled. “Y/n, let me explain.”

Your jaw tightens as you feel yourself wanting to hear him out, turning rapidly on your heel to avoid the conversation as you quickly make your way out of the gym. You need some fresh air, feeling yourself swirl with emotions as you bulldoze your way outside as the cool evening air hits your skin. The pool patio is barren, and residents are clearly not utilizing the space since the sunset. There is still small traces of color swirling into the dark sky as twilight slowly disappears.

The calm reflections of the water reflecting against the Edison bulbs strung across the patio leaves you sighing away your agitation, desperately grasping to whatever tranquil surroundings could prevent you from storming back in to give Jungkook an earful. The luminescent glow of the pool from its interior lighting only aids in casting a peaceful serenity that is soon disturbed by a hand grabbing your shoulder to spin you around.

You’re met with Jungkook’s annoyed snarl, his jaw tense as he offers you one last opportunity to let him explain. “Stop being a fucking brat and listen for a minute.” He growls which only spurs your annoyance, pulling away from him to keep walking away.

Suddenly, your feet lift off the ground as Jungkook’s fingers grip your waist, lugging you over his shoulder as he starts walking toward the edge of the pool. You gasp in protest, smacking your hands against his back as he effortlessly tosses you into the chilly water, your attire becoming drenched the minute you hit the surface. Your lungs fill with the chlorinated water, leaving you completely puzzled that Jungkook would dare throw you in the pool after everything.

Your head breaks the surface as you cough up the water that surged toward your lungs, offering him a death stare as your hair clings to your head. “Fuck you, JK.” You seeth, brushing your hands over your face to clear your hair from your field of view.

“You looked like you needed to cool off.” He offers with a shrug of his shoulders, a smug smirk tugging at his mouth as he leans down to crouch by the edge of the pool. “Finished being a bitch?” He tilts his head with his inquiry, causing you to groan from his persistence as you smack your hands down against the surface of the water, admitting your defeat.

“I’m not a bitch.” You snap, crossing your arms in front of your chest as your eyes drop from his view, refusing to make eye contact with him. Jungkook doesn’t take your gesture lightly, becoming increasingly agitated by your attitude, standing to remove his shoes before crouching back down and placing a palm against the ground, twisting his body as he jumps into the water with a splash.

Your eyes widen from his actions, surprised to see him jump in after you as he takes long purposeful strokes toward you as he pushes his way against the pressure of the water. You hesitate, wondering if you should back up or swim away. Before you can even make up your mind, Jungkook has his arm wrapped around your waist as he aggressively pulls you into him, crashing his lips against yours to silence whatever protest you may have.

At first, you push your hands against his chest to create distance between you, but his strength is overpowering, keeping you pinned to him as his infectious kiss slowly melts your struggle as you accept his invasive affection. Before you know it, his tongue is breaking the barrier of your lips as he begins passionately making out with you, successfully extracting a moan from your vocal cords as you feel his toned muscles beneath his soaked clothes.

You gasp for air as he finally releases you from his treatment, causing your head to spin more than it previously was. Within seconds, Jungkook’s hand latches around your chin, forcing you to look at him as he presses his forehead against yours. “Listen very carefully.” His voice is threatening, paired with the same intensity as you muster up the courage to stare into his eyes that are sternly piercing into you. “I don’t know what you think happened, but I was with Taehyung and his sister.” He explains, his voice sharp with intent as you process his words.

“But you…” Before you can speak, Jungkook tightens his grip on your jaw just enough to remind you to listen but not enough to cause you pain.

“I was late to the airport. I was supposed to go with Taehyung to pick her up.” He proceeds to explain as your cheeks ignite in embarrassment. “The woman you heard in my apartment yesterday, that was her.” Jungkook narrows his eyes at you, slightly amused to find that you were so jealous at the thought of him flirting with another woman. “And since you jumped to conclusions like a complete psychopath…” He releases your jaw, moving his hands to your waist to keep warm from the contact of your body pressed against his. “You should know Taehyung was also at my apartment, or did you fail to eavesdrop long enough to hear his voice too?”

Your face practically goes white at his confession, realizing that your paranoia and jealousy created a monster that jumped to conclusions, assuming Jungkook was nothing more than just another player. “JK…I’m sorry.” Your voice is barely audible as you hang your head in shame. “I shouldn’t have…”

Jungkook releases his hold on your waist, swimming a few inches away from you before dunking his head underneath the water, brushing his own hair out of his face as he slicks the damp strands back. You can’t help but ogle at his appearance, his drenched body deliciously displayed beneath the wet fabric of his white muscle top. The glow of the pool flatters his features, causing you immense regret as you realize that you falsely accused a genuinely good guy.

You turn away from him, feeling a slight shiver as you hug your arms around yourself, unable to process words to express your guilt. Thankfully, Jungkook finds the situation more amusing than upsetting as he swims back up to you, twisting your body to face his as he leans in to press another endearing kiss to your lips. “You were that jealous, huh?” He beams, his eyes wide as they glimmer with amusement.

There is something about the cocky grin on his face that infuriates you, but the truth behind the last few days seems to wash it all away as you happily accept his attention. “I didn’t know what to think” You admit, knowing your past relationship didn’t help your thoughts on the matter.

Jungkook chuckles as he pulls you into him, dropping his hand to your ass as he uses the weightlessness of the water to effortlessly guide your legs around his waist. “What do you think I think about all day? You really believe I don’t think about your ass and tits every chance I get?”

Your face flushes a deep shade of crimson as he compliments your physique in a manner that has your legs tightening around him. “Princess, I don’t plan on seeing anyone else.” His words seal your fate as you pull his lips onto yours, wrapping your arms around his neck and letting yourself indulge in another passionate kiss as you admit your undeniable feelings for Jeon Jungkook.

Jungkook gently sways you both in the water as your kiss deepens, passionately making out with him as he fights off an erection. You grip your hands around the strands of hair closest to his neck, sighing at the realization that it’s now shorter for you to grab. “You cut your hair?” You pull away from his lips, taking in his new appearance as you realize his hair isn’t that much shorter, but it’s definitely more uniform and less choppy. You can hardly call it an overgrown mullet anymore.

“Yeah.” He smiles, pressing kisses into your jaw as he moves back to capture your bottom lip between his teeth. “It was annoying me, so I cut some off.”

You purr as you twirl your fingers around one of the strands, grinning as you pull away from him, watching him chase after you. “You’re still handsome.” You admit, watching his eyes sparkle from your compliment.

“And you’re still a brat.” He adds, giving you a questioning glare as you shrink beneath his stare. Typically you’d retaliate, but given that you falsely accused him of fucking around with another woman, you figure you’ll let him get away with it, just this once.

“You still like me.” You gauge his response, watching his eyes darken as he moves slowly around the pool with you latched around him.

He offers you a serious gaze, smiling ever so slightly as he processes his words. “I do.” His voice is soft, instantly causing your stomach to flutter with butterflies at his confession. “It’ll be the death of me though.”

“Ha, Ha.” Your sarcastic tone has Jungkook lifting you up to sit against the edge of the pool, nestling himself between your thighs as he silences you with another kiss. You smile against his lips, letting yourself drown in the comfort of his affection as you both breathe a sigh of relief.

{Tag List:} @erica2283 @i-never-post-but-i-am-here @koobunsblog @jkoma @jjkw-7 @gretesstuff @chimsworldsstuff @rms-expensive-girl @generouschildcolor @moonfaery @coralmusicblaze @roguesthetic @kissyfacekoo @tatamicc @oopscoop @namjoonscrabjuice @joonssidebitch @shaybtsforever @bangtans-momma @itslamia @aak22 @telepathytae @savinasavers @jjeonjjk7 @chaelvrx @heyitsmehaneul @libra04 @pjmsies @minayas1998 @jk97bam @jalexad @peterstarkchrishiddleston

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ourtearsofrain · 1 year ago

Text

Ride a Cowboy- Save a Horse pt. 2 (D.R.W/S.F.K)

Summary: Danny and Sam tell Jake and Josh they’re dating. Their reactions? That they need to see the line dancing bar where they finally confessed to each other. Lucky for them, there’s a partners night coming up where the newbies dance with local drag queens. What neither expected was to leave the bar with a man on each of their arms.

Pairings: Danny Wagner x Sam Kiszka, Josh Kiszka x male OC, Jake Kiszka x male OC

Genre: fluff (aftercare and everyone being cute and in love), angst and a little bit of hurt/comfort, smut (minors DNI)

Word Count: 15.5 k

Warnings: they’re all gay and have stupid little gay crushes on oc’s but are all too shy to act on their crushes for a fat minute, Dallas is back, smut, anal sex (fingering and penetration), Sam’s not a bottom this time????

A/N: I would like to thank my friends that read pt. 1 and kept (lovingly) pushing me to write a pt. 2, couldn’t have done it without your input. Also, if you’re new here, this is the second part to a series, so I recommend reading Save a Horse first if you haven’t already as topics, people, and events from that fic are mentioned here and slightly crucial to parts of the plot. Thank you for reading!

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“What if they have a problem with it? With us? What if telling them ruins our relationships with them?” Sam says anxiously, pacing across his kitchen as Danny watches him, perched at the edge of his bar stool.

“Love, Josh is queer, it would be extremely hypocritical if he had an issue with it. And you know how Jake reacted when Josh came out, he’ll be fine too.” Danny calmly explains, “They’re your brothers, I’m certain you’ll get nothing but support from them.”

Sam ceases his movements, fully turning towards Danny before he counters, “Yeah I know, that’s not the problem. The problem is that I know they see you as a brother, they have for as long as you’ve known them. I just don’t want them to, I don’t know, feel weird about us being together because of that. I don’t want it to affect how we are, as a group.” He lets out a defeated sigh and runs a hand roughly through his hair, already laying haphazardly and tangled from the anxieties plaguing his mind.

“You three are my best friends, and if I ruin that, I-“ he pauses, tears brimming in his eyes, “-I don’t know how I would be able to live with myself.”

Danny gets off his chair, moving around the counter and quickly closing the space between them. He cups Sams face in his hands tenderly, looking down at the other boy.

“Sammy baby, please. It’s gonna be ok. I promise. And even if it does change anything between all of us, which it won’t, it wouldn’t be your fault love.” He wipes a stray tear away with his thumb and presses a light kiss to Sam’s forehead. “Everything is going to be alright, ok?”

“Yeah… ok. Everything’s gonna be alright.” Danny smiles and Sam manages to offer a weak one back, thoughts still running wild in his mind.

“That’s my boy. We got this.” He brings his hands down to Sams biceps, offering a gentle squeeze. “You got this.”

Sam smiles fully at this, appreciative of his boyfriends’ calm words of reassurance. He pulls him into a tight hug, grateful for the claw clip keeping his mane of hair up and out of the way, allowing him to nestle his face against the soft, warm skin of his neck.

“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” He mumbles.

Danny laughs lightly, knowing Sam had told him he loved him every day since after the night they got together. He runs his hands up and down Sams back in soothing motions. “Yeah, couple times.”

Sam pulls away to look up at the other boy, still close enough to stay in his warm embrace. “Well I think I’ll say it a few more times anyway. I love you, Danny. Thanks for keeping me sane.”

“Of course, Sammy.” He briefly kisses the other boy, before pulling away to check the notifications he just realized were blowing up his phone where it sat forgotten on the counter.

“Hey when did you say they were getting here again? Oh- never mind.” He begins to clear the texts from both Jake and Josh as he continues, “They texted me. So, so many times. Most of them are ‘Hey’ or ‘You dumbasses really need to check your phones’. Looks like they tried calling you,” he raises his eyebrows as he scrolls through the seemingly endless string of messages, “A lot apparently. They’re on their way. At least they were about five minutes ago, so they should be here soon.”

“Shit, my phone is in my room, I completely forgot about it. I told them to be here at 4:30 and, knowing they’re always late, I said to get here at 4:30 or I’d leave them locked outside.”

Danny checks the time, “Well, it’s now five soooo…”

“Guess they’re staying outside then.”

“As funny as that would be, we do really need to talk to them, love.”

Sam fakes an annoyed sigh, rolling his eyes as he shuffles over to Danny, stopping beside him and leaning his forehead against his shoulder. “God it’s so annoying when you’re right.”

As if summoned, the sound of two fists banging violently against the front door startles them.

Josh’s voice can be heard clearly through the door, loud enough to piss off the neighbors. “HEY FUCKERS YOU BETTER LET US IN.”

Jake’s shout comes next, “I KNOW WE’RE LATE BUT I SWEAR TO GOD SAM IF YOU DON’T OPEN THIS DOOR, I’M GONNA TELL MOM ABOUT THE TIME YOU GOT ARRESTED WHEN YOU WERE 18 FOR GETTING PULLED OVER AND HAVING A HALF EMPTY BOTTLE OF FUCKING FIREBALL ON YOUR PASSENGER SEAT!”

“Jesus fucking christ, ok ok. I’M COMING, NOW SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Sam yells as he makes his way to the door, unlocking it when he gets there.

The twins saunter in as Sam holds the door open for them, both already starting to speak at the same time.

“That’s what Daniel’s mother said to me last night, what a lovely woman she is-” Jake starts in a gravelly British accent.

“Why thank you Samuel, wow even holding the door open for us like a true gentleman.” Josh jokes, fluttering his eyelashes at Sam and placing a hand over his heart.

“Both of you, shut the fuck up. You guys are lucky I even let you in, Danny convinced me to.”

“Awwww thanks Danny, I knew you loved us more than Sam does.” Josh says to Danny, still standing by the counter in Sams kitchen.

The twins make their way past him and into Sams living room, unceremoniously throwing themselves down onto the couches and making themselves comfortable as Sam and Danny stand together in mildly tense silence. While the twins are distracted, Danny grabs Sams hand and gives it a light squeeze, giving him a small smile of encouragement before the pair make their way towards the others.

“Hey when is food getting here? What did you order? And what movie are we watching?” Jake says the second he spots Sam and Danny.

Sam wipes his palms on his pants, taking a seat on the unoccupied couch next to the one the twins were taking up all the space on. Danny sits next to him, close enough for suspicion to begin to arise in the twins.

“Uh, we actually wanted to talk. Before getting food or deciding on a movie. I mean we’re still doing that but that was kind of an excuse to get you here.” Sam rambles, causing Jake and Josh to sit up straight in their seats and give him their full attention.

“Talk about what? Is everything ok, Sam?” Josh asks, concern painted across his face at his younger brother’s demeanor.

Sam takes in a shaky breath, looking at Danny before he continues in a rush, “Well, ok, so, uh, there’s really only one way to say this but, Danny and I are dating. We’ve, I’ve waited so long to tell you guys because I was worried it would negatively affect the group dynamic, I didn’t want it to get weird between all of us because of it and I know you guys see him as a brother so I didn’t know if that would be weird for you guys that we were dating. But anyways, yeah that’s kind of all I wanted to say so, uh… now you know.”

A moment of silence passes over the group before Josh breaks it. “Fucking finally, I’ve been waiting for you guys to get together since you guys were Juniors in High School. Jake, you owe me $20, cough it up I know you have the money on you.”

Sam snaps to full attention, looking between the pair as Jake begins to pull his wallet out defeatedly. “You fucking bet on us??” Sam half-yells.

Jake hands Josh a $20 bill, which he snatches from his hand with a grin. “Thank you.” He gestures to Sam and Danny. “And thanks to you too, I was rooting for you. And yeah, we made a bet years ago. Jake thought you guys would never confess. Actually, he thought there was nothing between you two.”

“Shut up, Josh.” Jake retorts, rolling his eyes.

“Anyways, bet aside, we’re happy for you guys. Thank you for telling us. And don’t worry, I promise nothing will change between all of us. Like I said, I’ve been waiting for this for years. We love you guys.”

“We’re proud of you for telling us, Sam. I’m sorry if any worries about how we might react prevented you from telling us sooner.” Jake pauses, “Not to ruin this beautiful tender moment, but I have to ask, how long have you guys been together?”

Danny looks at Sam, giving him a questioning look before answering. “Uh about three months I think? That sounds about right?”

The twins’ eyebrows shoot up. “Three fucking months?? How the hell did you guys act so normal around us? I don’t know about Jake, but I had no new suspicions.”

“Yeah I didn’t think anything was different. You guys did a great job at hiding it. I mean, not that you guys should have felt the need, but.” Jake says.

“Remember that night I went out with Danny and refused to tell you guys where I was going?” Sam asks.

Both boys nod in unison, waiting for him to continue.

“Well, don’t laugh, but I went to a line dancing bar with Danny. And it turned out to be a gay bar. Whole lot of shit happened with this one douchbag, which we don’t need to get in to, and that all led to Danny and I finally confessing.” Sam finishes.

Theres a pause before both boys break out into laughter, Josh hiding it better than Jake. He clears his throat, attempting to speak through his broken chuckles, “Ok, you guys have to take us there some time. I need to see this place.”

“I mean, we can arrange that.” Danny starts. “My friend who told me about the place, I think you guys have met him before? His name is Austin. Anyways, he told me there’s a partner dance night coming up where the local Drag Queens offer to partner with the newer people to teach them how to line dance. The three of us were already planning on going, you guys are invited if you want to go with us.”

Josh snaps to attention, a blush spreading across his cheeks. “Wait, Austin? He’s going?”

“Uh yeah, why?” Danny asks, brows furrowed.

“Oh, just because Josh has a massive fucking crush on him.” Jake teases.

“I DON’T, JAKE.”

“Oh yeah, right. Not like you’ve been debating on asking Danny for his number since the day you met him.”

“Jake I swear to god-“

Sam cuts him off, “Awwww that’s so cute. Josh, I bet you could ask him to show you the moves, instead of partnering up with a Drag Queen.”

Josh’s face turns an even darker shade of pink. “Shut up, all of you.”

Danny comes to his aid, “C’mon guys leave him alone. So, are you guys coming or not?”

“I’m down if Josh is. I plan on getting drunk though, so one of you is going to be the designated driver.”

All eyes turn to Josh, hands on his cheeks to hide his vivid blush. “Yeah, ok whatever, I’m down. As long as no one gives me shit about Austin.”

“Great! I’ll let him know we have two more people coming!” Danny says with a smile.

Josh gets up, talking as he makes his way across the living room. “Well since you guys haven’t ordered food, I’m going to go raid Sam’s pantry.” He stops behind the couch Sam and Danny are seated on and bends down to give Danny a hug from behind. “Hey, I’m proud of you guys. Again, I love you two.” He straightens and reaches over to ruffle Sam’s hair. “Maybe Danny a little more than you, Sam, but.”

“Hey! Knock it off! And why is Danny the favorite now?” Sam snaps.

Josh calls over his shoulder, already walking away in the direction of the kitchen, “Because he’s the only one that didn’t give me shit about Austin.”

Jake chuckles, “It’s just too easy to fluster him about that, he’s so in loooooove.” he finishes in a sing-songy voice.

“I FUCKING HEARD THAT, JAKE!”

————————————————————————

Five days later, Danny and Sam find themselves pulling into the driveway of the twins’ house, ready to return to Bradley’s Honky Tonk once more. Danny fiddles with the top buttons of his dark brown suede shirt, undoing a couple before his hands begin to fidget with the bottom of the shirt tucked into his black jeans. Deciding it would look better untucked, he pulls the fabric out and moves on to fuss over how each necklace and bracelet was laying on him.

“I still can’t believe you decided to wear my cowboy boots.” Danny sighs, checking the time on his phone as he speaks. As usual, they were late and knowing the twins, Danny guessed they would be sitting in the driveway for at least 15 minutes as they finished getting ready at the very last minute.

“Hey, can’t have me tripping all over the place like last time. I’m practically a pro now, gotta dress and act like it.”

Danny shoots a glance towards Sam casually draped across the passenger seat of Danny’s car. His gaze goes from his cowboy boots, up his long legs clad in tight blue jeans, to his teal flannel tucked into the waistband of his pants with all but the bottom two buttons undone in true Sammy fashion, and finally lands on the tigers eye pendant resting at the base of his throat.

Danny cocks an eyebrow at the other man, “Oh, so you’re a pro now?”

“Yessir I am.” Sam smiles and begins reaching back to retrieve something from behind Danny’s seat. “And the boots aren’t the only thing I stole from your closet.”

Sam straightens, and in his hand is Danny’s black cowboy hat. Danny watches as he places it on his head, his long, wavy hair down, cascading down his shoulders from under Danny’s hat.

“Don’t think I forgot about that little comment you made about you doing the riding the next time we went back to Bradley’s.” Sam grins widely at Danny, shooting him a wink before both back doors of the car suddenly swing open.

The twins fling the doors open and practically throw themselves into the back seat, their trip from the front door to the car having gone unnoticed by both Sam and Danny, too distracted by their conversation to notice the other boys. Jake puts his seat belt on and settles into the seat behind Danny, with Josh doing the same behind Sam.

“Yes, I know we’re late. If you want someone to blame, blame Josh. He changed like five times I swear to god.”

Josh lets out a frustrated huff, rolling his eyes at his twin. “Shut up Jake I did not.”

“No? Oh ok, let’s see then,” he begins counting the different outfits Josh went through on his fingers as he explains, “There was the short sleeve brown striped jumpsuit, then the black muscle tee and your khaki pants, then there was the long sleeve white shirt with those pants, after that there was the long sleeve button up with leaves on it and your khaki shorts, only for you to finally decide on a short sleeve white shirt, your khaki shorts, and a brown bandana around your neck. So yeah, five different outfits.”

Jake continues despite Josh’s obvious annoyance with his brother’s rant. “Wanna know how many times I changed? None. I put this on, and I didn’t change it.”

Sam exaggerates looking Jake up and down, from the brown suede Chelsea boots he almost never took off, up to his hard-loved ripped jeans, and finally landing on the light blue button up he wore, all buttons undone except for the bottom two, just like Sam. “Maybe you should have.” Sam teases.

“Shut the fuck up dipshit. I’m not taking any outfit advice from someone wearing a cowboy hat.”

“Alright children, settle down.” Danny says as he backs out of the driveway. “Austin said his brother has his car, so we’re gonna pick him up before we head to the bar.”

Josh’s face pinkens at the mention of his name and immediately pretends not to care, turning his face towards the window to prevent the others from seeing the violent blush spreading across his cheeks.

As if practiced, Jake and Sam set in on teasing Josh, speaking at the same time, “OOOOOO Austinnnnn.”

“C’mon leave him alone guys.” Danny starts, stealing a glance back at Josh through the rear-view mirror. “I will warn you though, Josh, Sam refuses to give up his spot as passenger princess so he’ll have to sit in the back with you guys.”

Josh looks down at his lap, still attempting to pretend he was indifferent about Austin’s presence. “That’s fine, why would I care.”

Sensing his genuine shift in attitude, Sam and Jake quickly reassure their older brother.

“Hey, we’re just joking around. Promise we won’t say anything in front of Austin.” Sam starts.

Jake continues with the same sentiment, “Yeah, promise. We’re sorry if we went too far.”

Josh looks up and glances between his brothers, offering them a small smile. “It’s alright, you didn’t. Sorry if I’m sensitive about this, God it’s so stupid.” He laughs dryly, bringing his hands up to his face before continuing, “I haven’t had a dumb crush like this since like high school, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Josh.” He drops his hands and makes eye contact with Danny through the rear-view mirror before Danny continues, “Do you know how many times I got so embarrassingly easily flustered or nervous around Sammy before we got together? It’s normal, don’t worry.”

Josh smiles at his brother, “Thanks Danny.”

Danny returns the smile before shifting his focus to the numbers on each apartment building they passed. “Anytime, Josh. Uh speaking of, I’m pretty sure this is where he lives so one of you is gonna need to scoot to the middle.” He puts his car into park and reaches for his phone, sending a quick text to Austin letting him know they were there.

“I’m not moving my ass out of this seat.” Jake says pointedly.

Josh groans, letting his annoyance be known to his brothers as he unbuckles and shifts to the middle seat. “You are fucking insufferable.”

“You know it.” Jake responds cooly, casually putting his sunglasses on and leaning into the corner before manspreading, causing Josh’s body to be pushed into the space Austin would soon occupy.

“Seriously?? You’re fucking doing this on purpose. Move over.” He argues, beginning to shove at Jake and reclaim some of his lost space.

“No actually, my knee isn’t feeling too good right now, must have smacked it on something. Anyways, it’s uncomfortable bent so,” he spreads his knees wider, straightening his right leg out and further encroaching on Josh’s space. “I need to straighten it out.”

Josh knows that he’s lying but still gives up trying to fight Jake, looking at his twin defeatedly. “I wish I had eaten you in the womb.”

Sam snorts from the passenger seat as Jake responds sweetly, “Mmmmm you know you love me.”.

The car goes silent as a man approaches the car; he notices Danny and smiles at him warmly, dimples creasing his cheeks as he makes his way towards the passenger side of the car.

He opens the rear door and pauses, slightly confused at the palpable silence that had come between the boys. Danny is the first to break this silence, attempting to make casual conversation to ease the tension. “Hey Austin! How ya doin?”

Austin gets in the car and tries to put his seatbelt on, the latch blocked by Josh as Jake silently shoves his brother closer and closer to Austin. Having given up on trying to push Jake back, Josh grabs the back of each front seat, and pulls himself up long enough for Austin to buckle his seatbelt.

“Sorry, my brother is being a dick and taking up a shit ton of space next to me.” Josh says timidly, too nervous to look him in the eye.

“I told you, bad knee right now Joshy.” He responds, prodding Josh in his ribs for good measure.

“Don’t worry about it, darlin’. And I’m good Danny, thanks for askin’.” The surprise as the casual pet name causes Josh to meet his eyes, hazel and bright. He smiles wide and Josh returns it, despite the action sending a swarm of butterflies straight to Josh’s stomach. Austins cool leather jacket presses against Josh’s bare arm, and the rough denim of Austins black jeans rub against Josh’s thigh with each slight movement of either boy. With Jake subtly shoving Josh towards Austin, the points of contact between them causes a warm blush to settle on Josh’s cheeks.

Danny interrupts their moment, “Anyways, guys this is Austin. Austin, you obviously know Sam.” Danny gestures to his boyfriend in the passenger seat, who raises his hand in a brief wave and answers with a quiet “Hey” in recognition. “Behind me is Jake and next to him is Josh, I think you’ve met him a few times?”

Austin turns slightly in his seat to look at Josh as Danny shifts the car into drive and makes his way towards Bradley’s. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure we have! I remember that I really liked the hoop you have in your conch ear piercin’! I meant to tell you but didn’t get the chance the last time we were around each other.”

Josh’s face lights up at Austin’s compliment, and at the fact he even remembered him in the first place. “Thanks! I really like your septum piercing!”

“Thank you, darlin’.” The two gaze at each other, smiling for a couple seconds before a look passes onto Austins face as if he remembered something unpleasant. His attention turns towards Danny once again. “Oh uh, Dan, I just remembered. My asshole brother has my truck because he totaled his about three months ago, we got in a fight today because he’s a dick, and I finally snapped and told him he wasn’t allowed to use it anymore. Which worked out perfectly because the repair shop is right down the street from Bradley’s, and he said the work on his truck just got finished. He’s droppin’ it by the bar tonight, so I won’t need a ride home.”

Keeping his eyes on the road, Danny responds, “Sounds good, thanks for the heads up. Sorry you had a fight with your brother, I know you don’t mention him much but from what I’ve heard, he sounds like he sucks.”

Austin lets out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, uh, I don’t like talkin’ ‘bout him much, he’s a dick. He’s been stayin’ with me while his trucks in the shop and it has been livin’ hell being around him this much; I’m glad he’s goin’ back to the family farm now that he’s gettin’ his truck back.”

Jake lets his curiosity get the best of him, “So you and your brother, you aren’t close? You guys don’t get along?”

“Not anymore. We were fine as kids on the farm, we’re Irish twins, he was born in January and I was born November that same year, so we were real close growin’ up but,” he shrugs defeatedly, “As we got older he became more and more of an asshole. Anyways, he’s ruined enough of my nights these last couple months so since he ain’t gonna be my problem anymore I ain’t gonna think about him too much tonight.”

“I’m sorry your brother’s an asshole, Austin.” Josh says sympathetically.

Austin forces a smile onto his face, and looks at Josh. “It’s alright, darlin’. Not your fault. Besides, we’re goin’ out to have a good time tonight, we don’t needa think about him. Speakin’ of, it looks like we’re here.”

Sure enough, the boys look outside to see the passing neon lights of Bradley’s Honky Tonk. Just as it had been the first night Sam and Danny had gone, the parking along the road was completely full and people were milling around the entrance smoking or talking. Danny drives down to the same small mom and pop shop, already closed for the night again, and parks in an empty spot.

“Are y’all ready to party?!” Austin whoops, already unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the door.

The others follow suit, all of them piling out of the car before Danny locks it.

“Hell yeah!” Sam shouts, “I can’t wait to see my brothers eat shit trying to dance.”

Danny takes Sams hand as the group begins to walk towards the bright lights of the bar. “Love, you almost ate shit the first time we danced.”

“Shhhh they don’t need to know that, Daniel.” Sam jokingly whispers back.

“Correction, Sam. It’ll be fun to watch Josh eat shit trying to dance. There’s nothing you could do to get me on that dance floor.” Jake responds.

“Why the fuck did you even come then?”

Jake dons a gravelly British accent, “Because, Joshua, I fully intend on drinking so much that the horrid sound of country music no longer irritates me.” He pauses and loops his arm over Josh’s shoulders, continuing in the same accent, “And I truly wish to see you eat shit trying to dance.”

Josh shrugs his arm off and puts a few feet of distance between him and Jake as they walked. “Fuck off, Jake.”

Austin strolls up alongside Josh, putting his arm around his shoulder just as Jake had done. “Aw, it’s alright, darlin’. You can dance with me if you’d like to. I ain’t got a partner tonight and sure as hell know my way around on the dance floor so wouldn’t wanna steal a queen from any newbies in need.”

Josh blushes bright red and leans into Austin’s side without thinking. “Yeah, uh, that’d be great.”

The group make their way past small congregations of people, mostly drag queens taking a break from the crowded bar to have a cigarette or two before they hit the dance floor. As they pass a group of three standing near the door, one of the queens notices Jake walking alone behind the other two pairs, the only one in the group without a “partner”, and reaches out to lightly touch Jake’s shoulder.

She speaks in a voice as smooth and sweet as honey, “Hey mon beau, find me later if you ain’t got a dancing partner.” She winks as they continue past her group, and Jake lets himself stare as he takes in every aspect of each of them.

To her right stood a drag queen with a cigarette hanging off her bottom lip. Her long black hair laid in messy waves down her back, cascading over the silky green fabric of her dress. Jake lets his eyes travel downwards as he notices the slits on both sides of her dress, exposing her legs all the way up to the thigh. He brings his eyes upwards, finally noticing a name tag pinned to her chest reading “Faebelle” and the bright red of her colored contacts contrasting perfectly with her tan skin.

To the left of the queen who had spoken to him stood a shorter drag queen with tight, bright pink coils of curls framing her face. She wore a multicolored pastel tulle A-Line dress that showed off her legs clad in fishnet tights with small hearts here and there and pastel pink platform heels. As Jake had done with Faebelle, the last things he noticed was her name tag reading “Shimmer”, and the stark white of her contacts.

Finally, Jake allows his gaze to settle on the queen in the middle, the one that had initially spoken to him. He takes in her neat, black locks held back by a thin scrap of maroon fabric as if it were a headband, before his eyes travel to her white button up shirt, the top couple of buttons undone with a tight black corset overtop. Her legs are covered with tight leather pants, tucked into brown suede knee-high heels. On top of it all, she wore a green coat, the bottom of it coming to an end just above her ankles. He tears his gaze upwards, catching a glimpse of her name tag momentarily. “Sirena”. When his eyes finally find her face, he is met with her staring right back at him, a fake scar painted vertically on to her face above and below her left eye, the color of it standing out against her warm brown skin.

“Hey! Jake! You coming or what?” Sam calls at him from the entrance to the bar. Jake suddenly realizes that he had stopped to gawk at the three drag queens, leaving him behind with them as the others made their way into the building.

Jake rapidly looks from the queens still staring at him, to his brother calling out to him 20 feet away. “Yeah, uh, coming.” He takes one final look at Sirena before turning and walking towards Sam, cheeks warm and tinged pink from the interaction.

He gets past the bouncer quickly and joins Sam as he pulls him further into the bar. “Hey, I think Josh grabbed a table for us over there.” He shouts over the blaring music.

They weave their way through the groups of people occupying the bar space, finally spotting Josh across the room at the only “empty” table and Jake comes to a stop next to him, Sam weaving around the table and taking a seat on the other side.

Josh only needs to take one look at his twin to know that something had happened. “Hey, Jakey. You good? You look a little flushed. Do you need water or anything?”

He sits down next to Josh, thoughts racing in his mind as he tries to sort through his feelings. “Uh yeah, I’m fine. You know that group of three drag queens we passed right by the door?”

Sam inserts himself into the conversation. “Do you mean the ones you were ogling?”

“Shut up, Sam. I wasn’t “ogling” them. I think one of them was flirting with me? They were-“ he sucks a sharp breath in through his teeth. “Very very attractive. And, I’m realizing that I don’t really care that they’re a drag queen. I mean, I don’t know what they look like out of drag or what pronouns they use but, I don’t think I would care.” He looks between his brothers, expecting to see even the slightest look of surprise on their face. Instead, Jake is met with deadpanned looks, their eyebrows only slightly raised.

“Well,” Josh starts, “I mean I would say I’m surprised but, surprisingly, I’m not. Listen, I understand the feeling and I know this really isn’t the best place to have this realization. All I can say is, thank you for sharing this with us and try not to let it weigh on you too much tonight. Just follow your initial feelings and see where it leads you, Jake.”

“I agree. And hey, maybe following those feelings will lead you to their place tonight.” Sam teases lightly, winking at him.

“Again, shut up Sam. And yeah… yeah ok. Thank you, Josh.” He says quietly, already losing himself in his thoughts.

“Anytime, Jakey. And hey, now you can’t give me any more shit about Austin, cause if you do I have this to fire back at you.” He jokes lightly.

This jest pulls Jake back into the moment, chuckling at his brother’s retort. “Yeah, yeah, ok. I’ll try and lay off the jokes.”

Just as their conversation ends, the other two boys find their way to the table, drinks in hand.

“Alright Jake, I got you a tequila on the rocks.” Danny tells him as he hands him a glass.

As they set the rest of the drinks on the table, Danny continues listing off their various orders. “Rum and coke for me, Dirty Shirley for Sam, with four maraschino cherries of course.”

Sam smiles at his boyfriend, “Thank you, Daniel.”

Danny returns the smile. “Of course, love. Anyways, a salty dog for Josh, and last but not least, a Screwdriver for Austin.”

Austin takes the seat on the other side of Josh, slightly leaning into him as the rest of the group situates themselves on the bar stools, quickly losing themselves in conversation amongst each other, giving Austin and Josh a small amount of privacy.

“Oooo a Screwdriver,” Josh starts, “Haven’t had one of those in so long.”

“You can try mine if you’d like, darlin’. It’s one of my favorite drinks. Although in return, I might need to have a taste of that, what did Dan say it was? Salty Dog, right? Don’t reckon I’ve ever tried one.”

“Of course, go ahead.” Josh replies smiling, sliding his glass towards Austin as an invitation. They exchange drinks, each taking a sip at the same time.

“Hoowee that is bitter!” Austin exclaims.

Josh laughs, “Yeah that’s the grapefruit juice. Your Screwdriver has a little too much orange juice for my liking but, not the worst I’ve ever had.”

They swap glasses again and take a sip of their respective drinks.

Josh makes a face, half wincing at the tartness of his drink. “Ah- yeah that does have a bit more grapefruit juice in it than what I make at home but, hey, still good.”

“I guess I’ll just have to come over and have you make one for me then.” Austin says quietly, shooting Josh a small smile. “Just for, y’know, fairness. Can’t judge you too hard on your drink order until I taste one made to your liking.”

Josh’s face pinkens and he looks down at his drink, fidgeting with his glass as he summons the courage in him. “If I didn’t know any better Austin, then I’d think you were flirting with me.”

“Maybe I am, darlin’. Is that a problem?” The comment catches Josh off guard, his eyes darting back up to Austin only to find him calmly staring back, paused with his glass raised to his lips before he takes a slow sip. He sets the glass down, a sheepish smile playing on his lips as he waits for Josh to respond.

Josh stutters, trying to find the words as his mind reels at this confession. “Uh, yeah, WAIT, no, I mean no. That’s uh, not a problem.”

Austin smiles wide at how flustered Josh had gotten over one sentence and chuckles lightly. “I’m not tryin’ to be rude by laughin’, darlin’. You’re cute, is all.”

Josh grins at the other boy. “Thanks. Uh, I think you’re cute too.” He takes a sip of his drink to cool down, sure that his face is bright burning red.

Both boys suddenly realize that the rest of the table had grown quiet, now staring at the interaction between them with bated breath.

Jake is the first to break the silence, “Fucking finally.” He takes a swig of his drink, noticing the ice had begun to melt as it sat untouched, his mind still too focused on Sirena.

The topic is changed suddenly when Austins phone screen lights up with a text from “Asshat”. He checks the message, sighing deeply as he puts his phone in his pocket, taking a long drink from his glass before speaking. “My brother just got here, I gotta go grab my keys from him. I’ll be back in a second.”

“Want someone to come with you?” Danny asks, concern for his friend apparent in his tone.

“Na, I’ll be alright. Thank you though, Dan.” With that, he makes his way through the people and out the door.

The group goes silent, each turning to their drinks, finishing or close to finishing them.

“So, uh.” Danny starts, looking at Josh. “Not to be nosy but, you and Austin?”

Josh smiles softly, once again fidgeting with his glass. “Yeah, uh, I guess the feeling was mutual after all. I mean, it’s not like we’ve had a conversation about our feelings or anything but, it’s looking good? I think.”

“Looking better than just good, Joshy. I’d bet you could be getting lucky tonight.” Sam says with a wink.

“Shhh, love. Leave him alone.” Danny says with a smile, silently agreeing with his boyfriend but wanting to keep the others from teasing Josh about it too much.

Dannys phone buzzes and he checks the notification, frowning as he reads the message out loud to the others. “It’s from Austin. He says, ‘Hey, I’m really sorry Dan, my brother is insistent on meeting y’all, I can’t convince him otherwise. I’ll try to make it quick, just wanted to give y’all a warning that we’ll be in in a minute.’”

Danny sighs, looking around at the others before speaking. “No matter how much of a douche this guy is, please just grin and bear it. The sooner he leaves, the better. And I have a feeling he’ll start shit if he feels any “threat”.”

The boys grumble their agreements, promising to try and play nice.

“Oh shit, don’t look but here they come.” Josh says to Danny and Sam, their backs to the entrance of the building. “God, he even looks like an asshole.”

A figure appears by Sam’s side, sandwiching him between Danny and this newcomer. Sam feels him before he hears him, an all too familiar arm snaking around his back and grabbing his side.

“Well I’ll be damned. I’ve been hopin’ I’d run into you again, sugar.”

Dallas.

Sam jumps out of his seat away from Dallas, putting space between them as he takes a few steps back. Danny stiffens and turns in his seat towards Dallas, subconsciously putting his arm in front of Sam and pushing him behind him. His response comes fast. “Didn’t I tell you we’d have more of a fucking problem if you came near us again?” Danny spews, anger instantly taking him over as he tries to stay collected.

“I see you’re still hangin’ round with this overprotective bastard, sugar. He finally man up and make it official or are y’all still ‘just friends’?” Dallas sneers.

“Woah, woah, you know each other?” Austin asks, confusion clear on his face.

Dallas winks at Sam, still held behind Danny. “I sure as hell know Sammy boy, very well might I add-“

Danny cuts him off. “Unfortunately. He wouldn’t leave Sam alone the last time we were here, he fucking sexually harassed him and wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. He tried to fight me and got himself kicked out.”

Everyone at the table’s jaw drops and Austin turns to Dallas, enraged. “Oh my god was that the fuckin’ night you totaled your truck? You told me that you had a little too much to drink and was distracted at your anger from unfairly gettin’ kicked outta a bar. If what Danny said you did is true, that don’t sound unfair to me, Dallas.”

Dallas turns on Austin, his voice rising as he grows angrier and angrier. “Pretty boy over there is a fuckin’ liar. That ain’t what happened. He’s just upset someone else showed interest in his friend, he was too chicken to make a fuckin’ move so I did. Who are you gonna believe, Austin? Some random friend who has jealousy issues, or your own fuckin’ brother?”

“Dan.” Austin says in a calm and collected tone. “I believe Daniel.”

Dallas makes a noise of indignation, furious at his brother for not taking his side. “You gotta be fuckin’ jokin’ me, Austin! Seriously? You’re takin’ his side over mine?”

“You’re a piece of shit, Dallas. I don’t care if you’re my brother. I know you, and I know Dan. I know that he’s tellin’ the truth. You’re so fulla shit that your eyes are brown. Now get the fuck out before I make you.” Austin replies through bared teeth.

Dallas laughs, loud and self-righteous. “What’re you gonna do little brother? I would like to see you try.”

Austin takes a threatening step towards his brother, using the extra inch of height he had on him to his advantage. He jabs his finger into his chest, using all the anger he felt to convey how serious he was about making Dallas leave. “I’ll only say it one more time, Dallas. Get the fuck outta here before I make you. I put up with you this long because I had to, and I didn’t have the nerve to say it sooner. This is the final fuckin’ straw, I don’t wanna see your pathetic fuckin’ face again. Now run back home to the farm with Ma and do the only thing you’re good at. Shovelin’ shit.”

Dallas sputters, looking to the others at the table for any backup. Finding none, his attention turns towards Austin once more. He mutters a livid “Fuck y’all.” before turning on his heel and marching out the door red faced.

Austin watches him leave and takes a deep breath before turning to Sam and Danny, guilt and apology written across his face. “I am, so fuckin’ sorry. I would never have let him come in with me if I knew the shit he did to you, Sam. Hell, I would’ve kicked him out onto my doormat the second he came callin’ askin’ for my help.”

With Dallas gone, Sam takes his seat again, now between Danny and Austin. “It’s alright, really. You didn’t know. And it was fucking incredible to see him get put in his place.” Sam offers a slight smile to Austin, “Thank you for backing us up.”

Understanding that he wasn’t upset with him, Austin returns the smile. It slowly turns into a grimace as he thinks about his brother’s actions. “Of course. It’s… it wouldn’t be the first time he’s had issues with takin’ ‘no’ for an answer. Over the last few years I’ve, unfortunately, had to drag him out of multiple bars before he got us kicked out for tryin’ to start shit with people who called him out on it.”

Prompted by various questions from Jake and Josh, Austin begins telling them stories of the trouble Dallas almost got him in to. With the others focused on Austin, Danny silently tugs on the elbow of Sam’s shirt, getting his attention without the others noticing.

“You ok, love?” Danny questions his boyfriend quietly. “We can leave if you want.”

“No, no, I want to stay. Just like last time, I don’t want a few moments with him to ruin the entire night.” He reassures, placing his hand on Danny’s thigh and giving it a gentle comforting squeeze. “I’m ok, really.”

Austin finishes summarizing some of the things Dallas had done, and the attention of the three other boys is drawn to Sam. “Listen, Sam, we-“ Jake starts, “We had no idea that happened, that he did… that to you.”

Josh continues, “Yeah, that’s some serious shit. Are you ok?”

Sam looks between his two older brothers, grateful for their genuine concern. “Yeah, I’m ok. He didn’t… he didn’t go “too far”. Just a few less than pleasant comments and he wouldn’t let go of me while dancing after he stole me from Danny.” He looks over at his boyfriend, “Danny swooped in and saved the day though. I swear he looked like he was about to take and/or throw a punch for me.”

“Not that we didn’t approve of him as your boyfriend before but,” Jake laughs, “We definitely approve of him now.”

Josh cuts in, “Not that you need our approval of course.” He pauses for a moment, turning his attention to his twin for backup. “Right Jake?”

When he doesn’t get a reply, he looks over at him only to see his focus had suddenly shifted to across the room, his eyes fixed intently on the drag queen that had spoken to him before they entered the bar stepping up onto a small stage.

Josh elbows him in the ribs. “I said, right Jake?”

He whips his head towards the rest of the group again. “Oh uh, yeah? I’m sorry, what did you say?”

Josh chuckles. “Distracted? Are we?”

Jake’s cheeks redden, and he looks down at his glass, embarrassed. “Shut up.”

Before Josh can retort, the drag queen in question taps a microphone, getting everyone in the bar’s attention. “Hey y’all! How we doin’ out there tonight?”

She’s met with a cacophony of whoops and hollers from the patrons. She lets everyone quiet down before continuing with a grin, “Fantastic, just what I like to hear! For those of you who don’t know, my name’s Sirena de Lune,” she searches through the sea of people before her eyes land on Jake, winking at him as he stares, awestruck. “But y’all can call me Sirena. Now, before me and my drag sisters, and a few of my drag brothers, hit the dance floor to welcome all you newcomers tonight, we have a little performance for y’all!”

The crowd cheers once more, causing her to almost need to shout to be heard, even with the mic. “So I better see some tips in the air for my sisters!” Met with another roar from the crowd, she hands the mic off and is joined by the two other drag queens Jake had seen her with outside the bar. They take their places, and the twangy guitar intro to their song begins blaring over the speakers.

“I remember it all very well, lookin’ back

It was the summer I turned eighteen.

We lived in a one room, rundown shack

On the outskirts of New Orleans”

The three of them light up the stage with their personas, lip-syncing to the song in practiced perfection before quickly splitting off into the crowd. They weave through the crowd, continuing their performance as they pluck the tips from the fingertips held high in their directions.

“Shit, I only have fives and tens, any of you have any ones?” Josh shouts at the others at the table. All except Jake shake their heads, not having expected the performance and need for dollar bills. He turns to his twin, noticing he hadn’t responded. “Jake? Hey, what about you?”

Jake is too enthralled to hear the question, blindly shifting through the bills in his wallet as he keeps his eyes on Sirena, who was slowly but surely making her way towards their table. Her eyes seem to skirt over Jake, teasing him with her avoidance.

Her eyes finally lock on him, and his breath catches in his throat as she begins to make her way directly towards them.

“It sounded like somebody else, that was talkin’

Askin’, “mama, what do I do?”

She said, “just be nice to the gentlemen, Fancy

They’ll be nice to you.””

She reaches their table, taking the tips from the other boys before finally reaching Jake.

“She said, “here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down.

Here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down.

Lord, forgive me what I do,

But if you want out-”

Her hand that wasn’t clutching her tips traces Jake’s hairline and slowly lowers to his jaw, tilting his chin up to her, just inches from her face as she sings along to,

“well, it’s up to you.

Now don’t let me down now

Your mama’s gonna move you uptown.”

Her hand runs down his arm holding the tip he had for her, slipping it out of his grip before she winks, breaking their contact by taking two steps back and turning away from him.

“HOLY SHIT JAKE?” Sam shouts over the music, “I DON’T CARE IF YOU SAID YOU WEREN’T DANCING TONIGHT, YOU HAVE TO DANCE WITH HER!”

Josh physically shakes him out of his daze roughly, snapping him back to reality. “YOU KNOW YOU JUST GAVE HER A TWENTY, RIGHT? SHE’S DEFINITELY GONNA ASK TO DANCE WITH YOU NOW, THAT’S A HELL OF A FUCKING TIP!”

With his mind still occupied with the interaction, Jake doesn’t care that he gave her the largest bill in his wallet. His eyes follow her as she zig-zags back through the crowd towards the stage, still collecting tips.

The three queens arrive at the stage and throw their tips in the air, causing them to flutter down on them as the song comes to a close and they stand, catching their breath. Without the music to drown the crowd out, their volume is deafening as people stand to applaud them as they re-collect their tips from where they had fallen.

Sirena is once again handed the mic, straightening as she continues to catch her breath. “Whoo, I don’t know about my sisters but y’all, I am winded!” She jokes as the other two laugh and nod in agreement. “We’re headin’ straight to Shake Shack later so, thank y’all for the tips. Looks like got a whole round of shakes on y’all!”

Her laugh sends a thrill through Jake, her personality and stage presence electrifying him from within.

“Now, me and my sisters need a few minutes to catch our breaths, but we got a whole crew of queens and a few kings that will be hittin’ the floor momentarily. I’ll turn the mic over to my baby brother,” she points to a drag king in the crowd with the same eye and jaw shape as her, clad in tight leather pants a white fishnet shirt, tattoo patterned chest tape visible through the mesh. “He’s gonna help all you new folks warm up for some dancin’!”

The crowd cheers as he makes his way towards the stage, taking the mic from Sirena and turning to face the crowd.

“Hey y’all! Let’s give another round of applause for my big sister and our lovely drag sisters!” He pauses, letting the crowd cheer one final time for the queens as they exit the stage. “My name is Sparrow de Lune, and for all of y’all wondering, yes, Sirena is my biological sibling. She gives me shit for “stealing” the de Lune part of the name but, hey, guess you could say it’s a family name now.” He laughs, watching Sirena as she shakes her head at him smiling, before heading backstage.

“Anyways, before we officially kick off the line dancin’ tonight, we’re gonna warm y’all up. Anyone here know the Cotton Eyed Joe?”

The crowd erupts once more, a few stray wolf whistles joining in with the cheers.

“Fantastic! So I need everyone to hit the dance floor, nice and orderly like please, and for those of y’all who aren’t familiar with the dance, I’ll be up here on stage doin’ it too so y’all can watch me and follow along!”

The statement is followed by the sound of chairs skidding across the floor as people get up and make their way to the dance floor, organizing themselves so no one bumps into each other when the dance starts.

Josh looks over at Austin, raising his eyebrows as he asks timidly, “You wanna-?”

Austin smiles broadly at him, already hopping off his stool and making his way around the table towards him. “Hell yes, lets go.” He looks at the others at the table, “Y’all comin’?”

Danny’s already getting up, his hand on Sam’s arm to pull him with him. “Of course!” When Sam doesn’t move, Danny uses the same tactics he had to get Sam to come with him the first night they came to dance, batting puppy dog eyes at him. “C’mon loveeee, you wouldn’t make me dance alone, would you?”

Sam rolls his eyes, pretending to be annoyed as he tries to hide the slight smile on his lips. “You won’t be alone, you’ve got Josh and Austin.”

Danny rolls his eyes back, “You know what I mean. C’mon it’s way easier than any of the dancing we’ve done before. Don’t make me throw you over my shoulder and carry you to the dance floor.” He jokes, both men knowing he wouldn’t if Sam really didn’t want to dance.

“Yeah, I’d like to see you try.” Sam replies as he slides off his barstool, willingly being pulled by Danny. Before the group leaves Josh looks at Jake, who still sat unmoving on his stool.

“Hey, you coming with us?”

“Na, I’m good. I’d rather not be a fifth wheel, you guys have fun though.”

“Loserrrrrrr.” Sam calls as he walks away from the table, Dannys hand in his own.

Jake rolls his eyes, flipping him off before he gets lost in the sea of people.

“You sure, Jakey? It could still be fun.” Josh tries one more time.

He smiles at his twin, “Yeah, go have fun. I’ll be here when you’re done.”

With that, Josh shrugs and turns towards Austin, grabbing his hand in a bold move as they follow Sam and Danny to the dance floor.

The intro blasts over the speakers as the four boys find a spot on the dance floor.

“If it hadn’t been for Cotton-Eye Joe

I’d been married long time ago

Where did you come from, where did you go?

Where did you come from, Cotton-Eye Joe?”

Danny immediately jumps into the motions perfectly, with Sam struggling beside him, his motions delayed as he tries not to trip over his own feet.

“Jesus fuck, Daniel. How the hell are you so good at this?” Sam yells, still struggling to time his movements with the song.

Danny looks down at Sams attempts at the dance, lightheartedly laughing. “You’d think for a bass player, you’d have better rhythm.”

Sam swats his arm lightly, still too focused on the dance to do anything more. “Yeah, yeah, leave me alone I’m still learning how to play. I’m not good enough yet to play at Madison Square Garden or anything.”

He looks over towards Josh and Austin, hoping that at least one of them would be struggling as much as he was. To his dismay, both men are laughing and hitting each beat flawlessly.

“Fuck me.” Sam grumbles to himself under his breath.

“Mmmm maybe later, kinda busy right now.” Danny replies with a smile.

Blood rushes to Sams face as he literally trips over his own feet, Danny coming to the rescue and helping to steady him, somehow not skipping even a beat as he does it.

“Woah there, steady partner.” Danny laughs.

“Shut up.”

A few people in the crowd over, Josh and Austin dance, oblivious to the events that just unfolded between the other two.

“Wait wait wait, Austin. Why the hell are you adding that spin?” Josh shouts with a wide grin on his face.

“Why the hell are you not? This is how you do the dance!” He replies, grinning back at Josh.

“I’ve never seen anyone in my life do it like that!”

“Then I guess you’ve never seen anyone do it right, darlin’”

Jake watches from the table and laughs as he sees Sam almost fall (again), only to be righted by Danny beside him. He spots Josh and Austin, caught in what seemed to be a playful argument, both men beaming at the other as they danced.

A familiar voice beside him distracts him from his observations.

“You not into dancin’, mon beau?”

Sirena. Jake turns slightly to face her, towering over him.

She gestures to the stool next to him that was previously occupied by Josh. “Mind if I sit?”

“Oh, uh, no, go ahead. And uh, not really? I hadn’t planned on dancing, just came as support for my brothers. I mean I know this dance but didn’t want to be a fifth wheel.” Jake wipes his palms on his pants, already flustered from the brief interaction with her.

“That’s understandable, mon beau. It’s nice you came for your brothers though. You said “support”, mind if I ask what you mean by that?”

He points at Josh, “You see the short one with curly hair? That’s my twin, Josh. And the two over there are Sam and Danny. Danny’s not my biological brother, but he’s been best friends with Sam for so long he’s like a brother to Josh and I.” He glances at Sirena, who sat intently focused on his story. “They’ve been into each other for years, but just now got together a couple months ago. They came out to Josh and I last week and told us how they finally admitted their feelings to each other dancing here, so they invited us tonight cause we wanted to see the place.”

She smiles at him. “That’s sweet of you and Josh, mon beau. I bet Sam and Danny are grateful for y’alls support.”

Jakes cheeks pinken at the comment and he smiles, “Yeah… it’s kind of funny, with them coming out, I’m the only,” he brings his hands up, motioning air quotes as he says, “”Straight” brother left. But anyways, if I may ask; what do you keep calling me? “Mon beau”? What does that mean?”

“It means “my beautiful” in French. If that ain’t too forward of me.”

His face lights on fire, and he knows he must be red as a tomato. “Oh- uh. Yeah. Ok. That isn’t… that isn’t too forward of you. Thank you?” He clears his throat, finally getting the courage to look at Sirena again. “Uhm, you know French?”

“Yeah, my dad’s from France, so Sparrow and I are fluent. That’s why part of our drag names are “de Lune”.” She smiles at him again. “It means “moon”.”

He smiles “Oh shit- that’s really cool, I love the moon. I see you’re a man of many talents then.” He pauses, thinking about what he said. “Or- shit, I mean woman?” Smiling timidly, he continues. “I’m sorry, I’m kind of new to this.”

This brings a laugh as smooth as her voice from Sirena. “Don’t worry about it, mon beau. You were right the first time, I’m a man who’s comfortable in his gender identity enough to do drag sometimes. Well, a lot of the time to be honest. Pretty fun “side gig”, if you will.”

“Ah, ok. That’s cool.” Still nervous, Jake rethinks his response once again. “I mean it, I don’t know if I don’t sound genuine. I really do mean it.” He tries for a smile. “I’m just digging myself into a deeper hole at this point, I’m sorry.”

She touches his arm lightly, reassuring him. “Don’t worry about it, mon beau. Like you said, you’re new to this.”

The Cotton-Eye Joe ends, and Sparrow grabs the mic again before Jake can get any more flustered by Sirena’s pet names.

“That was great y’all! Are we all warmed up now and ready for some more dancin’?”

The crowd cheers, and he continues over the remaining few whoops here and there. “Fantastic! Now tonight is a partners night, but if you’re new here or don’t have one, find one of our lovely drag queens or kings out there and ask ‘em to dance! Thanks for comin’ out tonight!”

With that, patrons bustle around the dance floor, exiting it or finding their partner for the night as a song starts loudly.

“I don’t care if it rains or freezes long as I got my plastic Jesus

Sittin’ on the dashboard of my car.

Going down there, it ain’t scary ‘cause I’ve got the virgin Mary

Sittin’ on the dashboard of my car.”

Jake spots the others leaving the dance floor and making their way back towards their table.

“You guys have fun?” Jake asks, attempting to divert any conversation away from him and Sirena as he sees Sam’s “told you so” smirk creeping onto his face.

“Yeah, I had a lot of fun tripping over my feet the entire time.”

Danny tries to lift his spirits. “Awww, c’mon baby you weren’t that bad.”

Sam looks at him doubtfully. “Uh huh, right.”

“Y’all ain’t dancin’ to this song? Don’t like it or just don’t wanna dance?” Sirena questions.

Josh answers, “I don’t know about them, but I am fucking winded holy shit. I need a breather. Everyone makes it look so easy to just dance song after song.”

Noticing the others taking their seats, leaving Josh standing, Sirena realizes that she must have taken his. “Oh shit, hun. I stole your spot, didn’t I?”

She makes a move to get up before he interjects, “Don’t worry about it! I’m fine standing, really.” He moves to the other side of the table, standing close next to Austin.

“So, Jakey,” Sam starts with a mischievous smile. “You gonna introduce us to your new friend?”

“Oh, shit yeah, my bad.” He blushes, already knowing how much Sam and Josh will tease him later for it. “This is Sirena.”

She smiles at the group, “Nice to meet y’all.”

“Nice to meet you too. So, you single?”

Danny swats his boyfriend. “Sam!”

He puts on a show of innocence, “What?”

“Yeah, I am, hun. Why do you ask?”

He smirks at Jake, “Mmmm no reason. Just curious is all.”

Their conversation is interrupted by a man with curly, sandy colored hair tapping on Sirena’s shoulder.

“Excuse me ma’am, I was wondering if you had a dance partner tonight.”

“Oh I’m sorry, hun. I do.” She gestures to Jake. “However, over there’s Faebelle, I don’t think she’s got a dance partner yet.”

He smiles kindly at her and Jake, “No worries! Thank you, ma’am.” and turns, walking towards Faebelle across the room.

Stepping fully into his annoying younger sibling role, Sam butts in. “So, you’ve decided to dance tonight? What happened to getting drunk and not dancing?”

“Change of heart, I guess.” Jake half-grumbles, knowing exactly what game Sam was trying to play with him.

“Well, darlin’, I’m glad you did. I reckon it would’ve been awkward as hell if I had turned down that gentleman just to not have a partner after all.”

The rest of the table quietly observes the interaction, Sam just waiting for another chance to butt-in and tease Jake.

“You ever line danced with a partner before, mon beau?”

Surprisingly, it’s Austin that interrupts their conversation. “Oh, tu parles français aussi?” [Oh, you speak French too?]

She beams at him, “Oui, je parle assez couramment.” [Yes, I’m quite fluent.]

The rest of the table watches, jaws dropped, as they casually continue their conversation in French.

“C’est génial! As-tu étudié le français à l’école?” [That’s cool! Did you study French at school?]

“Non, mon pére est français, donc j’ai grandi en parlant français.” [No, my dad is French, so I grew up speaking French.]

“Encore une fois, c’est genial. J’ai appris à l’école, donc tu en sais problement beaucoup plus que moi.” [Again, that’s cool. I learned at school, so you probably know a lot more than I do.]

Sam and Josh speak at the same time.

“I’m sorry, what?” Sam asks in awe.

Josh comes next, “Jake, did you understand any of that?”

“Only about half. I mean I remember enough from High School to get the gist of it but definitely not enough to carry or join in on a conversation.”

It’s Danny’s turn next to ask a question, “Austin where did you learn French and how the fuck did I not know you were fluent?”

Austin laughs, “Hold your horses there, Dan. I wouldn’t say I’m fluent. Took it in High School, somehow ended up in AP French so it’s kind of just stuck in my head. Never have a need to use it ‘round here so I guess that’s why you’ve never heard me speak it.”

Josh looks at Austin as if he’d just hung the stars in the sky.

“That’s fucking incredible. I don’t know about Danny, but all I remember from High School German is “Krankenwagen”.”

“Yeah no, all German is gone from my mind. Blocked that shit OUT. I fucking hated Frau Werner, and she hated me too.”

Sam joins in on the conversation again, “All I remember from Spanish is “¿Puedo ir al baño?” because my teacher wouldn’t let us go to the bathroom if we asked in English.”

“¿Recuerdas algo mas?” [Remember anything else?]

“YOU KNOW SPANISH TOO?” Sam exclaims, drawing a laugh from Sirena.

“Yeah, and Latin, hun. I’m learnin’ Portuguese and Italian but I ain’t good enough to carry a conversation in ‘em.”

Jake stares at her in wonder. “You’re fucking incredible.”

She grows bashful from the compliment and eyes on her, chuckling before she responds. “I don’t know if I’d call myself that, mon beau. I guess y’all could say one of my hobbies is learnin’ languages. Anyways, back to you, you ever line dance with a partner?”

“Uh, no. This isn’t exactly my regular scene.”

“Don’t worry about that, mon beau. I got you.”

“Yeah, it’s so easy even I can do it, so if you’re shit at it just keep that in mind.”

“Shut up, Sam.” Jake says for the third time that night.

Before Sam can make a quip back, a new song starts playing, drawing a dramatic gasp from Josh.

Everyone’s heads snap towards him, trying to figure out the cause of the gasp. He grabs Austin’s arm, already trying to pull him towards the dance floor. “Oh my fucking god I love this song. Can we dance?”

“Jesus fuck, Josh, I thought someone died. You scared the shit out of me.” Sam says as he rubs his forehead like an exasperated parent.

Austin only laughs, sliding off his barstool to join him. “Of course we can, darlin’.”

They leave without another word with Josh practically running towards the floor, dragging Austin behind him.

Sam turns towards Danny, smiling at him. “You love this song too, don’t you?”

Danny grins at the fact that Sam had remembered, only having mentioned it once or twice over the many years they’d known each other. “Yeah, I do. Wanna dance?”

“Lead the way partner.”

The pair split off into the crowd together, once again leaving Jake and Sirena alone. The second verse starts as Sirena begins to speak.

“I, I, got a new girlfriend here

Feels like he’s on top.

And I don’t feel no remorse.

And you can’t see past my blindness.”

“Well, mon beau. This is sort of a slower song to dance to but, you down to start learnin’ how?”

Jake flushes, his stomach alight with butterflies. “Yeah, that’d be great.”

She offers him her hand as they get off their stools, “Don’t worry about it, mon beau. Follow my lead, promise I’ll do all the heavy liftin’.”

They follow the path the others had taken through the crowd, finding a spot on the dance floor. Sirena places her hands on Jake’s shoulders before she brings them down his arms, taking his hands in her own.

“Loosen up, mon beau. I gotchu.”

She slowly pushes him away, still holding his hands in her own before bringing him back towards her, steadily spinning him behind her with one hand. He ends up pressed flush against her, face to face, as they slowly sway to the music.

“See, that wasn’t too bad?”

He laughs lightly, his breath shallow from the proximity. “Yeah guess not.”

A few pairs over, Sam and Danny dance together, more slow dancing to the song than line dancing. Danny twirls Sam around a few times out of the blue, causing him to laugh and press close to him as they continue swaying to the music.

“Having fun, baby?”

“Yeah, Daniel, I’m really glad we came.”

Dannys eyes sparkle as he gazes down at his boyfriend, still shorter than him despite the small heels on his (Danny’s) boots. Danny sings along to the song, quietly enough for Sam to be the only one that hears it.

“”Honey, I love you.”

That’s all she wrote.

Oh, Ophelia

You’ve been on my mind, girl, like a drug.

Oh, Ophelia

Heaven help the fool who falls in love.”

Sam beams at Danny, pressing a light kiss to his lips as they keep dancing. “I love you too, honey.”

The song comes to a close and another starts, the upbeat twangy guitar intro a complete 180 from the song before it. Sam laughs as he sees Austin immediately switch the pace of Josh and his dance, catching Josh by surprise and almost falling, steadying himself against the other man’s chest.

“Shit, darlin’, didn’t mean to catch you off guard there.”

Josh laughs, blushing as Austin keeps him pressed close to his chest. “Don’t worry about it, I need to learn how to line dance for real anyways.”

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” he whoops. “C’mon darlin’ I gotchu.” He says before spinning Josh behind him and carrying on with the faster pace.

Jake’s attention is caught by this exclamation, looking over to see his brother grinning ear to ear as he got spun around again by Austin. Sirena gently grabs his jaw, turning his head to face her once more.

“Eyes on me, mon beau. This song is more upbeat, you think you can handle it?”

Probably not, he thinks, instead responding, “Yeah, sure!”

She smiles broadly, giving, “Hold on tight!” as the only warning before she suddenly spins him behind her, keeping the swift pace as she takes the lead in their dance.

“When I get the money, we can run away.

Sing a little song ‘bout yesterday.

They’re never gonna catch me, long as I’m alive.

You and me together, we’ll survive.”

Her smile widens when Jake doesn’t trip, and instead matches the time of her movements. “Hey, you ain’t too bad at this, mon beau. You’re keepin’ up mighty fine.”

“Have a great partner. One who’s not just great at dancing but also gorgeous as hell.”

It’s Sirena’s turn to be flustered by the others comment, “You flirtin’ with me?”

Jake’s doesn’t hesitate with his response, “Maybe I am, Captain.”

She raises her eyebrows in question. “Captain?”

“Yeah uh…” Jake blushes, the confidence he had suddenly gained slowly draining from him. “I was just thinking, Sirena, Siren, Piratey, y’know? Sorry, that came out of nowhere.” He looks down, too embarrassed to make eye contact.

Sirena brings her hand to his chin, bringing his gaze back to her as she tilts his head up. “Don’t apologize, mon beau. I like it.” She laughs, warm and bright, “If you couldn’t tell based on my outfit, I love piratey shit.”

His mood is restored with her affirmations, and from now knowing they shared an interest. “No way! Me too! I have a Johnson Mercator Projection map copy and a collection of old pirate coins at home, unfortunately they’re expensive as hell since I try to get authentic ones, so my collection is smaller than I would like it to be.”

“That’s so cool, mon beau! I’d love to see them sometime. Again, if that ain’t too forward of me. I have model ships of the Royal Fortune and Queen Anne’s Revenge, those thing’sre my babies, my prized possessions.” She laughs, remembering something, “And a Lego Pirate Ship that Sparrow got me for my birthday a couple years ago as a joke. Took me a hell of a long time to finish that.”

Jake smiles earnestly, “That isn’t too forward of you, I’d love to show you. On one condition of course.”

She cocks one eyebrow up at him, “And that is?”

“You have to show me your model ships some time.”

“Looks like we got a deal there, mon beau.”

The song changes to something with a strong fiddle intro, Jake thinks he recognizes but can’t quite place it; but Sirena’s eyes light up at the song, a wide grin spreading across her face.

“Oh HELL YEAH! They finally fuckin’ took my song suggestions! Took them long enough”

“I was ridin’ shotgun with my hair undone

In the front seat of his car.

He’s got a one-hand feel on the steering wheel

The other on my heart.”

“What song is this?”

“You don’t know, mon beau? It’s classic Taylor Swift, baby. This is my SHIT!”

Jake smiles wide, “You’re a, what do they call them? Swiftie?”

“Hell yeah, mon beau. Momma loves her some classic Taylor.” She laughs at his expression, “Hey now, don’tcha go judgin’ me.”

He chuckles, “I’m not, I swear. Just didn’t expect that from you.”

“Our song is the way he laughs

The first date, “Man, I didn’t kiss her, and I should have.””

At these words, Jake’s eyes flit down to Sirena’s lips, and he subconsciously starts leaning towards her.

“Wait.”

With these words, he stops, cheeks burning bright red as he stops dancing. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have, without asking, I’m sorry.”

Sirena ceases her movements with him, holding onto his arm as he tries to back away out of reach. “No, Jake, please don’t leave.” He stops pulling away from her but is still unable to look her in the face.

“Jake, please look at me.”

He forces himself to look at her, her sympathetic and caring gaze bringing tears to his eyes.

“I didn’t stop you because I don’t wanna kiss you, Jake.”

The lack of her pet name for him causes a tear to escape, slowly rolling down his cheek. He can’t bring himself to wipe it away.

“Oh Jakey, don’t cry.” She brushes her thumbs across his cheeks, wiping away the tears that had started falling for him. “I stopped you because I cannot, in good consciousness, kiss you before I say this. Earlier, you said you were “the only straight brother left”. I’m not a woman, Jake. I need you to recognize that by kissin’ me, and doing whatever happens between us, makes you not straight. I know I’m drop dead gorgeous right now, in drag,” Jake lets out a quiet, wet laugh at this and Sirena is glad her comment got the reaction she had hoped for. “But I don’t look like this all the time, Jake. Now I know we’ve been flirtin’ back and forth all evenin’, but I need to hear it from your mouth. I need to know that you understand the weight of your actions.”

Jake sniffles, roughly wiping away the last of his tears with the back of his hand. “Yeah, I know. I… I’ll be honest with you, I thought I was straight at the beginning of this night but, then I saw you and…” he makes eye contact with her as she patiently listens to his explanation, “…and I thought you were attractive and then we started talking and it just grew from there. I’m having a whole sexuality crisis right now but honestly, I don’t care. All I know is I really like you, and if that makes me queer, then I don’t care.” He pauses, once again overthinking his words. “Not that I don’t care! I care! I just mean it’s not important to me that you’re a man and I’m attracted to you. I… I know what I’m doing, what my actions mean.”

She smiles wide at him, “Don’t worry, mon beau, I know what you mean. Thank you for communicating with me, Jake.”

Her smile lifts a weight off Jake’s shoulders, and he takes a deep breath to calm his still racing mind. “Of course, thank you for stopping me to have this conversation, Sirena.”

“Sebastian.”

“What?”

“My name is Sebastian.”

“Oh,” Jake thinks for a moment, “Sebastian. Well in that case, thank you, Sebastian.”

“Of course, mon beau.”

Jake becomes anxious again as he tries to find the courage to ask what he wanted. “So, uh, Sebastian. Now that we have that cleared up, can I kiss you?”

“Thought you’d never ask, mon beau.”

With that, their lips come together in a slow and gentle kiss. Jake slightly stands on his toes, leaning into Sebastian’s touch, so he doesn’t have to lean down too much to reach him.

Danny and Sam dance a few groups over as the song nears its end. Sam is the first to notice his brother, “Oh shit.”

Danny whips around, his mind immediately thinking that Sam had seen Dallas. “What???”

When he instead sees Jake and Sirena still kissing, his eyebrows shoot up in pleasant surprise. “Oh- You scared me for a minute there, love. I’ve been waiting for them to do that since Jake introduced us to her, it was so clear they were into each other.”

Sam laughs, “Me too honestly. Hey, do you see Josh and Austin anywhere?”

Danny uses his height as an advantage, looking over the crowd to try and see Josh and Austin. He smiles at the sight of his friends with their foreheads pressed together and small smiles on their lips as they sway slowly to the end of the song across the room.

“Yeah, they’re over there, they look like they’re having a good time.”

The intro to a very familiar song starts playing over the speakers, interrupting what Sam was about to say.

“DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DE-DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DAA-DAAAAA

DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DE-DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DAA-DAA-DAA-DAA-DAAAA!

Well, I walk into the room

Passing out hundred dollar bills.

And it kills and it thrills like the horns on my Silverado grill.”

Both boys’ eyes go wide as they stare at the other. “Oh we gotta-“ Sam starts, before being cut off by Danny already flinging them into the flow of the dance.

“Hey, Sammy, you’re better at this than last time! You’re doing great!” Danny says after dancing for about two minutes.

“That was my plan all along, Daniel. Impress you with how good I am at dancing. Is it working?”

Danny snorts, “Yeah, baby, it’s working don’t worry.”

“Perfect.” He makes sure Danny is looking directly at him before continuing, “And don’t think I forgot about your comment you made that night we came here for the first time, Daniel.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I didn’t. I’m a man of my word, Sammy.”

“And the girls say

Save a horse, ride a cowboy.

Everybody says

Save a horse, ride a cowboy.”

Danny dips Sam before taking his (Danny’s) cowboy hat off Sams head and placing it onto his own with a wink.

Sam’s lips part in anticipation from the sudden shift in energy between them.

“Can we go?”

Danny’s brow furrows, worried that he did something wrong. “Right now? Are you ok?”

Sam blushes, “Yeah I just uh, am about to have a problem in my pants that is going to start being… really noticeable if we stay much longer.”

A smirk dances on Danny’s lips as he realizes what Sam meant by that. “Oh- yeah of course. I’ll let the others know that if they need a ride home, they better leave now. My place or yours?”

“Yours. Closer.”

“I see someone’s a bit impatient. Can’t handle the anticipation, can you, Sammy?”

“Shut up or I’m having you take me to my place, you can go back to yours, and I can fix the problem myself.”

“Hmmmmm you wouldn’t. Anyways,” Danny says as he begins making his way towards Josh and Austin, pulling Sam behind him. “C’mon.”

They reach Josh and Austin and Danny taps on his brother’s shoulder to pull his attention away from his partner. He has to almost yell over the music, “Hey, Sam and I are heading out right now, so if you want to stay, you’ll need another ride.”

Josh’s face is immediately painted with concern, “Alright, you guys ok?” His eyes sweep over Sam, noticing the way he was beginning to uncomfortably adjust his jeans. “Oh- never mind I see you guys are more than ok.” He says with a smirk.

Austin inserts himself into the conversation, “I can take Josh home if y’all are needin’ to split.”

“Sounds good, thanks. I’m gonna go let Jake know too.”

“You two have fun.” Josh says with a wink, before Danny turns and pulls Sam towards Jake and Sirena.

Once again, he taps his brother on the shoulder to get his attention. “Hey Jake, Sam and I are heading out. Josh is getting a ride with Austin, so either catch a ride with him or leave now with us.”

Just as his twin had done, he asks “Are you guys ok?”

“Yep, just tired.”

Jake looks towards Sam, also immediately knowing what was going on. “Uh huh, well, get some rest guys.”

“I can give you a ride home if you’d like, mon beau.”

Jake and Danny both smile at Sirena as Sam is too busy staring at his boyfriend in the cowboy hat to respond to her offer to Jake.

“Thanks, Sebastian.” Jake turns to Danny and Sam once more, “See you guys later, have fun and get some rest.”

“Thanks Jake, see ya.” Danny says before turning away, finally pulling Sam towards the exit. Once out the door, its Sam who’s now leading them, pulling Danny along so quickly that he has to speed walk to keep up.

“You’re very eager to get back to my place, I see.”

“Daniel. Shut the fuck up and unlock your car.”

He does so, and Sam practically flings the door open, throwing himself in the passenger seat before Danny can even fully open his door. He gets in and starts his car, turning the radio on to fill the silence in hopes that it would help ease Sam’s clear rush to get back to his place. Unfortunately, Danny’s phone automatically Bluetooth connects, and the song that had been up next in his queue starts playing loudly. The electronic intro snaps Sam out of his focused daze as Danny scrambles for his phone.

“I like the girls that do drugs (Drugs).

Girls with cigarettes in the back of the club (Club).

Girls that hate cops and buy guns (Guns).

Girls with no buns, girls that’s mean just for fun.

I like girls who make love, but I love girls who like to fuck.”

“SHIT- sorry uh that just automatically started-“ Danny stammers as he pauses the song.

“No, no, no. I’d like to hear the rest of this song, Daniel.” Sam says as he snatches Danny’s phone away from him. Danny lets out a defeated sigh, accepting the fact that he would never be able to wrestle it back from him, before putting the car in reverse to pull out of his parking space and start the short drive to his house. Sam hits play and a shit eating grin graces his face as he listens to the lyrics as the song continues.

“I like tall girls, small girls,

Girls with dicks,

Call girls.

Girls who get naked on the ‘Gram.

They say I’m too fuckin’ horny,

Wanna put me in a cage.

I’d probably fuck the hole in the wall

The guy before made.”

“Y’know, I have been mistaken for a tall girl a few times with my hair being as long as it is. And I do have a di-“

Danny cuts him off, “Shut up, shut up, I don’t wanna hear it.”

“I’m not judging you Daniel, it’s a good song. Just, not what I would expect you to listen to.” Sam finishes with a smirk.

Danny rolls his eyes at the other man playfully, attempting to keep an identical smirk off his face. “Yeah, yeah, whatever, Sammy.”

The chorus starts again, and Sam thinks for a moment before asking, “Daniel, have you ever done molly?” out of nowhere.

This causes a sudden laugh to escape Danny, who turns towards his boyfriend while questioning through giggles, “What?”

Sam shrugs in a show of innocence, “Just a question.”

“Uh huh,” Danny turns his attention back to the road, “You know I haven’t.”

“I like the girls who like to lie that they came,

Girls who fuck on the train.

Girls who got so much hair on they ass, it clogs the drain.”

Sam snorts, unable to contain his laughter as Danny begins shaking his head. “Whatever you’re about to say, I don’t wanna hear it.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything!” Sam replies through broken laughs.

Danny raises his eyebrows, glad that Sam was too distracted by the song to notice how red his face was, both from embarrassment that the song started playing, and from the anticipation of what would happen when they got back to his place. “Uh huh, right.”

The song ends, leaving them in brief silence before another song starts, a complete 180 from the previous one. Sam notices, the gradual guitar intro twisting his face into amused confusion.

“This is… different than the last one. It sounds familiar.”

Danny chuckles, “Uh yeah, I think this is my “Whiplash” playlist. And it’s the same artist and album as the first song we danced to.”

They sit in comfortable silence listening to the song as Danny quietly hums along. He reaches over and grabs Sam’s hand, interlocking his fingers with his own. He keeps his eyes on the road as he begins to sing along;

“But I must admit it, that I would marry you in an instant.

Damn your wife, I’d be your mistress just to have you around.”

Danny takes his eyes off the road to momentarily glance at Sam, only to be met with his lovesick gaze as he offers a slight squeeze to his hand. Danny returns it, smiling at him before looking back to the road as they turn into his neighborhood. Sam snaps back into his previous mindset, having been too distracted by the tender moment and lyrics Danny had sung to him, as he realizes they had arrived at Danny’s house. The charged energy that had been between them as they left the bar and during the first half of the drive returns suddenly, and both boys quickly get out of the car and make a beeline for the front door.

Once again, as soon as the door is closed and locked behind them, Danny’s hands immediately find their place on Sam’s sides, pulling him into a deep kiss. Danny makes a move to take his hat off before Sam breaks their kiss to stop him.

“Wait. Keep it on. Or at least- wear it while you ride.”

Danny raises his eyebrows, smiling wolfishly. “Whatever you want, baby.”

He takes it off momentarily to take his shirt off, replacing it on his head and reconnecting their lips. They make their way towards Danny’s room as they had many times before, having stripped most of their clothes by the time they reached his bed. Danny breaks away to grab the things they needed for prep in practiced motions, coming back to see that Sam had taken off the rest of his clothes and was waiting in already breathless anticipation while he was away. He pulls his briefs off swiftly and sets the Cowboy hat on the bedside table, quickly joining Sam on the bed, wasting no time as he begins to immediately bite and suck marks into his neck.

“So… I know… I know I’m always… oh fuck, baby-” Sam pants as Danny grinds down onto the other man, nipping at a part of his neck he knew was the most sensitive. He collects himself for a moment before continuing, his words broken from his huffs and heavy breaths. “I know I’m always the one that’s receiving... but oh my god- but I think we’ve done this… enough times that I think- I think I know what I’m doing.” Danny hums an agreement, his lips still attached to Sam’s neck. “But if I do anything… anything wrong or uncomfortable, please- please tell me.”

Danny kisses his way up to Sam’s face, giving him one final kiss on his lips before responding. “I will, I promise love.”

With this having eased all of Sam’s worries and concerns, he grins up at Danny before flipping their positions and finding a spot between his legs as he reaches for the lube. As he had seen Danny do many times before, he coats his fingers liberally before ducking his head down to the inside of his thighs, teasing him with nips and kisses as his middle finger circles Danny’s entrance.

He looks up at Danny through his lashes, making eye contact with him before asking, “Ready baby?”

He offers an eager “Mhm.” as his hips involuntarily grind down on Sam’s fingertip in anticipation.

Sam needs no other confirmation, before he presses his finger into Danny fully, relishing in the way his eyes screw shut in pleasure and his head falls back onto the pillow. He begins pumping his finger in and out in a steady pace, his lips finding the insides of Dannys thighs once more, both actions drawing a whine from him. Sam picks his pace up his pace causing Danny to groan, his hands fisting the sheets at his side.

“You ready for another, love?”

“Fuck- please yes, Sammy.”

Sam’s ring finger joins his middle on the next thrust in, the action followed by a breathy moan as Danny’s back arches off the bed. Sam savors each sound he makes and expression that passes across his face as he pumps and scissors his fingers in and out of the other man. Sam brings his lips to Danny’s stomach, peppering kisses across it as he brings his fingers together, curling them at the knuckles in hopes of finding the spot that Danny was so good at finding in Sam. After a few seconds, his attempts are fruitful as he feels Danny’s abdominal muscles flex as a string of curses and praise flood from his lips.

“OH SHIT- Fuck, Sammy baby, right there, keep going, FUCK, oh shit-“ Sam smiles against Danny’s stomach, continuing his movements inside Danny.

“Fuck- baby I’m so close- shit- I don’t- I don’t know how much longer I can last, love.” Danny groans.

“Want another or are you prepped enough?” Sam says against his stomach, his breath sending a shiver down Danny’s spine.

“I’m ready- I’m ready, baby.” Danny repeats. Sam removes his fingers, allowing Danny a second to catch his breath as he cleans off his hands and rips the condom wrapper open. As soon as he finishes putting it on, Danny pushes Sam down onto the bed, having grabbed the cowboy hat while Sam was distracted and replacing it on his head as he straddles him. Sam sits up, running his hands up Danny’s thighs, coming to a stop on his sides as he gazes up at the other man.

Sam checks in with Danny, “Still doing ok, love?”

Danny grins down at him, replying, “Couldn’t be more ok, Sammy.” before lining Sam up at his entrance and sinking down on his cock in one swift motion.

Both boys moan, their foreheads coming together as they pant, adjusting to the feeling of each other. Danny’s the first to move, bringing his hands to Sam’s shoulders as he lifts himself almost completely off of Sam, before bringing his body back down again. He continues his motions, quickening his pace as their breaths become erratic once more, interrupted by various moans and whines. Danny’s lips find Sam’s as he continues to ride him, their kisses messy and eager as they both head towards their climaxes. Sam’s right hand, still slightly slick with left over lube, moves to wrap around Danny’s cock, sliding up and down when he finds it. Danny moans into Sam’s mouth, biting down on his lower lip from the sudden added pleasure.

Despite the pain from the bite deliciously mixing with his pleasure, Sam tears his mouth away from Danny to gasp, “Fuck, baby I’m so close-“

Danny thrusts into Sam’s hand, changing his motions on Sam’s dick to grind against him, taking him deeper. “Cum for me baby. Fill me up.”

His words send Sam over the edge, his head falling forward as he moans, his left-hand gripping Danny’s hip with the other slightly squeezing Danny’s dick as he fills the condom inside him.

“Ah- shit-“ The added pressure sends Danny over the edge with him, his release coating Sam’s stomach as his nails dig into his shoulders.

They both ride their climaxes out, breathless as they come down from it. Danny lifts himself off of Sam, collapsing on his side next to the other man, his hat falling off his head and rolling onto the ground. Sam removes his condom, throwing it into the trash next to the bed and cleans his hand and stomach off with the still wet washcloth. He turns to Danny, still catching his breath as he lay on the bed and wipes the small amount of cum left leaking from the head of Danny’s dick off with the other side of the washcloth. Danny sucks in a sharp breath at the contact, overstimulated from his orgasm.

“Sorry love.” Sam says as he tosses the washcloth across the room in the direction of Danny’s laundry hamper before helping him under the covers, following suit soon after.

“S’ok. Thanks for handling the aftercare.”

Sam turns the bedside light off and leans down, kissing Danny’s forehead before pulling him close, wrapping his arms around his abdomen and tangling his legs with his own. “Of course, baby. You always take such good care of me after, it’s time I return that favor.”

Danny laughs lightly against Sam’s chest, already falling asleep from exhaustion as he nestles his face into the crook of Sam’s neck.

“Maybe I should do the riding more often.” He mumbles into Sam’s skin.

“I wouldn’t be opposed to that, Daniel.” Sam replies, quickly realizing his comment had fallen on deaf ears as Danny lightly snores, already asleep.

Sam buries his face in Danny’s hair, giving him one final gentle squeeze as he holds him, before joining his boyfriend in a deep, calm slumber.

————————————————————————

A/N: The bar that Bradley’s Honky Tonk is based off of is an actual bar in Nashville called Layla’s Honky Tonk, which I realized while writing this part that it is right across from Bridgestone Arena where Greta performed their first show of Starcatcher at.

All the songs mentioned, in chronological order:

Fancy- Reba McEntire

Cotton-Eye Joe- Rednex

Plastic Jesus- Tia Blake

Ophelia- The Lumineers

A Bank Robber’s Nursery Rhyme- Goodnight, Texas

Our Song- Taylor Swift

Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)- Big & Rich

Girls- The Dare

Cleopatra- The Lumineers

Thanks again for reading :)

#fic #greta van fleet #greta van fleet fan fiction #gvf fic #greta van fluff #daniel gvf #greta van smut #gvf smut #sammy gvf #sanny gvf #cowboy sanny #cowboy danny #josh kiszka x oc #jake kiszka x oc

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wendigo-volturi · 8 months ago

Note

Marcus with an insecure/easy overwhelmed reader?

1. Marcus recognizes the insecurity and anxiety of his reader immediately, having a keen sense for emotions. He notices the way they fidget nervously, avoid eye contact, and constantly apologize for minor things.

2. Despite his stoic exterior, Marcus feels a deep sense of empathy and protectiveness towards his s/o. He understands the weight of their emotions and wants nothing more than to provide comfort and stability for them.

3. Marcus is incredibly patient with his reader, never rushing them or pushing them beyond their limits. He allows them to open up at their own pace, offering a listening ear and a strong shoulder to lean on.

4. When his reader becomes overwhelmed, Marcus has a knack for calming them down with his soothing presence. Whether it's a gentle touch, a reassuring word, or simply being there for them, he knows just how to ease their anxiety.

5. Marcus is a master at reading his reader's emotions, able to sense when they are struggling even before they admit it themselves. He always knows the right thing to say or do to make them feel supported and loved.

6. Despite his cool and collected demeanor, Marcus's love for his reader burns deeply, fueling his determination to help them overcome their insecurities and fears. He sees their vulnerability as a privilege, a chance to show them just how much he cares.

Story time:

The night was quiet, the only sound filling the room was the steady rhythm of their breathing. Marcus held his s/o close, feeling the tension slowly ebb away from their body as they leaned into his embrace. "I just... I don't know how to deal with all of this," they whispered, their voice heavy with the weight of their worries.

Marcus tightened his hold on them, planting a soft kiss on their temple. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. We'll figure it out together, I promise." He could feel the hesitation in their movements, the lingering doubts and fears that still trapped them in their own mind. But he was determined to be their anchor, the one constant in their ever-changing world.

"Marcus, I feel like I'm drowning in this sea of uncertainty," they admitted, tears glistening in their eyes. He wiped away a stray tear with his thumb, his gaze never leaving theirs. "I know it's overwhelming, but I believe in you. You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. "They buried their face in his chest, the warmth of his embrace comforting them in ways that words could never convey.

"Thank you for being here for me, for being my rock when everything feels so uncertain."Marcus squeezed them tighter, a silent promise etched in the embrace. "I love you, and I'm not going anywhere. We'll weather this storm together, I promise."

And as the night stretched on, with the stars shining brightly outside their window, Marcus held them close, a steady presence in a world that felt so utterly chaotic. And in that moment, they knew that they were not alone, that they had found a love strong enough to weather any storm that came their way.

#aro volturi #caius volturi #marcus volturi #volturi x reader #vampire #twilight saga #Comfort

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shitsndgiggs · 5 months ago

Note

Hey..... I saw that you write for kenan yildiz... can you write something about reader meeting his parents for the first time, and she is not german and neither turkish..... for example Bosnian? Because they have similarities with turkish culture.... and studies in Germany....and that is the reason she speaks German....something like this....please

A/N: I changed it so the reader is Albanian. Btw sorry for all the german, I got carried away

MEETING THE PARENTS - KENAN YILDIZ

Meeting the parents is always scary

Kenan Yildiz x albanian! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵

I stood outside Kenan’s childhood home, a charming house in a quiet neighborhood, my heart pounding with nervous excitement.

It was the first time I was meeting his parents, and despite Kenan’s reassurances, I couldn't help but feel a bit anxious.

Kenan stood beside me, his hand gently squeezing mine, offering silent comfort.

"Are you ready, güzelim?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with warmth.

I took a deep breath and nodded, trying to steady my nerves. "Yes, I'm ready."

Kenan rang the doorbell, and within moments, the door swung open to reveal his mother, Beate.

She had a warm, welcoming smile that immediately put me at ease. Her eyes, so similar to Kenan's, sparkled with kindness.

"Kenan! Welcome!" Beate exclaimed, pulling Kenan into a tight hug before turning to me. "And you must be Y/N. We've heard so much about you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Yıldız," I said, returning her smile.

"Oh, please, call me Beate," she insisted, stepping aside to let us in.

We entered the cozy living room, where Kenan’s father, Engin , was waiting. He stood up, his tall frame towering over me, but his gentle demeanor eased my anxiety.

"Merhaba, Y/N," Engin greeted, extending his hand. "Welcome to our home."

"Merhaba, Mr. Yıldız," I replied, shaking his hand. "Thank you for having me."

"Engin, please," he corrected with a friendly nod.

As we settled into the living room, Beate brought out a tray of tea and pastries. "I hope you like turkish tea, Y/N."

"I love tea," I replied, accepting the cup she offered. "Thank you"

Kenan sat beside me, his hand resting on my knee, providing silent support. "Y/N is studying in Germany, you know," he said, his pride evident in his voice. "She speaks German fluently."

"Is that so?" Beate said, her eyes lighting up. "Das ist wunderbar! Wie findest du dein Studium?"

"Es läuft gut, danke," I replied in German, appreciating the opportunity to showcase my skills. "Es war bisher eine großartige Erfahrung."

Engin nodded approvingly. "Es ist wichtig, eine gute Ausbildung zu haben. Wir freuen uns, dass du deine Zeit hier genießt."

As the conversation flowed, I began to feel more at ease. Beate and Engin were warm and welcoming, and it was clear how much they loved Kenan.

We talked about everything from my studies to Kenan's football career and even shared stories about our childhoods.

"Kenan tells us you’re Albanian," Engin said, his tone curious. "Tell us more about your family"

I smiled, grateful for their genuine interest. "Yes, my family is from Albania. My parents were a bit apprehensive about me studying abroad, but they've been very supportive."

"That's good,” Beate said. "It's always important to have family support."

Kenan squeezed my hand, his eyes filled with pride and affection. "I’ve learned so much about Albanian culture from Y/N. It’s fascinating."

As the evening progressed, I found myself laughing and sharing stories as if I had known Beate and Engin for years.

They made me feel like part of the family, and I could see where Kenan got his warmth and kindness from.

“Where did you meet each other?” Beate asked, her eyes twinkling with curiosity

"Y/N and I met at one of my games when I was playing for Bayern Munich," he said, his pride evident in his voice. "She was in the stands, cheering us on."

"Is that so?" Beate said, her eyes lighting up. "Das ist wunderbar! Wie war das Spiel?"

"Es war unglaublich," I replied in German, appreciating the opportunity to showcase my skills. "Kenan hat ein Tor geschossen, und ich war so begeistert."

Engin nodded approvingly. "Ein denkwürdiger Tag. Wie hast du Kenan gefunden?"

“He “was very friendly I said, glancing at Kenan with a smile. “We met after the game and immediately hit it off.

Beate smiled warmly. "Es scheint, als ob Kenan dich sehr schätzt."

Kenan grinned. "Das tue ich. Y/N ist etwas Besonderes."

After dinner, Kenan took my hand and led me to the backyard, where we could have a moment alone. The garden was beautiful, filled with blooming flowers.

"You did great," Kenan said, pulling me into a hug. "They love you."

I sighed with relief, resting my head against his chest. "I was so nervous. But your parents are wonderful."

"They are," he agreed, kissing the top of my head. "And so are you. I’m so glad you’re here with me."

Just then, Beate called us back inside for dessert, and we returned to the warm glow of the living room. As we enjoyed the delicious homemade sweets, I felt a deep sense of belonging.

Meeting Kenan’s parents had been a nerve-wracking experience, but it had turned out to be a wonderful evening filled with laughter, warmth, and love.

By the time we left, I felt like I had gained a new family. As Kenan and I walked back to his car, he stopped and turned to me, his eyes shining with love.

"Thank you for being here, for meeting my family," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "It means the world to me."

I smiled, leaning in to kiss him softly. "Thank you for sharing your world with me, Kenan. I love you."

"I love you too, güzelim," he whispered, pulling me close.

As we drove away, I glanced back at the house, feeling a warmth in my heart.

#football imagine #football x reader #turkiye #kenan yildiz x reader #kenan yildiz

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fanficdelulus · 1 year ago

Text

Time Gone By

Part Two | Fate (Gojo x Fem! Reader)

————————————————

"Thank you so much for watching them on my day off, Mrs. Johnson," you graciously expressed your gratitude as you dropped your siblings off at the daycare. They left you with quick kisses on your cheeks before eagerly running off towards their friends, excitement filling their faces.

Mrs. Johnson, the daycare owner, smiled warmly and pulled you in for a quick hug. "It's no problem, my dear. We're all rooting for you to get that scholarship!" Her motherly warmth and support provided you with that extra strength and determination to move forward with your decision.

You couldn't shake off a slight feeling of guilt as you made your way towards the bus stop, knowing you had lied to Mrs. Johnson. But you kept reminding yourself that you didn't have much of a choice. If things worked out as you hoped, you'd be earning money that could provide a brighter future for you and your siblings, even if it meant venturing into the unknown world of sorcerers and black markets.

Fear coursed through your veins like ice as you arrived at the seemingly dingy warehouse. Every instinct in your body screamed at you to turn around and run as far away as possible. Doubts and anxieties gnawed at your resolve, but then the images of your beloved siblings flashed through your mind, giving you the strength and determination to push forward, no matter how daunting this situation appeared.

At exactly the stroke of three, you knocked on the door. A tall, bald man who looked to be in his thirties greeted you in a fine pressed black suit, but his initial reaction was far from welcoming. He muttered a few expletives as he peered down at you. "Surname," you shakily introduced yourself, extending your hand.

He rolled his eyes, barely acknowledging your introduction, and pulled you inside with a firm grip on your wrist. In a hurry, he led you down a sterile hallway, and two automatic doors opened as you approached a single bed.

With some hesitation, you approached the bed where a man with a severe wound lay. You focused your energy, hands glowing faintly as you placed them over the injury. Slowly, you channeled your power into the wound, and as you did, the flesh started to regenerate.

Exhaustion began to take its toll as you pushed your healing abilities to the limit. You had managed to close around 80% of the man’s wounds, but the strain on your own body became too much. Your legs gave out from under you, and you crumpled to the ground, breathing heavily.

Gaku's grip was unyielding as he yanked you up by your arm, his tone harsh. "Do a half-ass job, and you won't get paid, kid," he snapped, his impatience evident as he tried to get you back on your feet.

Suddenly, the man on the bed, Hiroki, spoke up, his voice a bit groggy but assertive. "Gaku, let go of the girl, you hardass."

Gaku grumbled and reluctantly released his hold on your arm, allowing you to regain your footing, albeit unsteadily.

"I've got business to attend to," Gaku grumbled, then turned and left the room.

Hiroki extended a hand. "Sorry about him. You've got some serious skills, kid. Thanks for patching me up."

Your fingers tremble slightly as you moved to shake his hand. "You're welcome. Just give me a minute, and I promise I'll finish. By the way, I'm [Name]." You panted as you tried to catch your breath.

"Hiroki. Call me Hiroki." He offered you a warm smile, taking your hand, his grasp reassuring but gentle. Nodding in agreement, understanding the strain you must be under.

"Take your time, [Name]. I'm grateful for your help."

After a few moments to catch your breath, you returned to your task, focusing intently on healing Hiroki's wounds. Despite the fatigue, your sense of responsibility drove you forward. Hiroki watched with gratitude in his eyes as you worked.

Gaku had returned shortly after, standing nearby, his initial irritation fading as he observed your determination. "Impressive," he muttered under his breath.

Drenched in sweat, you collapsed to your knees, desperately trying to catch your breath. Hiroki, now mostly healed, noticed your struggle and quickly helped you to your feet.

He chuckled heartily as he lifted you onto a nearby leather couch. "You're pretty strong, kid. With some training, you could become our organization's after hours healer," he suggested with a friendly grin. Beside you, Gaku handed Hiroki a sports drink and a water bottle, then placed them on the side table next to you.

Sitting there, recharged from the drinks, you made your decision. "I'll take the position, but only if you ensure my siblings' safety while I'm working," you asserted, your resolve evident as you looked from one man to the other.

Hiroki seemed amused by your determination. "What makes you so sure we're capable of doing that?" he challenged, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

You met his gaze confidently. "Your people found me without much effort, leaving no trace except for what you wanted them to leave behind," you explained, your analytical mind at work

Impressed by both your strength and intellect, Hiroki chuckled, "Sharp as a tack, too. You'll go far, kid." He readily agreed to your terms, recognizing your worth.

Gratitude painted a smile across your lips as you shook his hand in agreement. But the thought of being late for the bus suddenly made you flustered.

Hiroki reassured you, "Relax, kid. Now that you work for us, we'll pick you up and drop you off to and from work." Proceeding to fetch your payment.

After everything, Gaku made sure to drop you off near the daycare. Quickly making your way inside. Mrs. Johnson was there to greet you with her warm smile.

"Ah, there you are, [Name]," she said. "How did everything go?"

With enthusiasm, you took a seat on a nearby bench and shared your exciting news, "You'll never guess, they were so impressed by my grades and story that they actually want to sponsor me for extracurricular classes outside of school on top of giving me the scholarship!”

"That's incredible news, my dear," Mrs. Johnson joyfully responded, taking a seat next to you. Her voice was soft and gentle, reminiscent of your mother's. She sensed there was something more and added, "I assume you're going to have to quit, huh?"

You let out a sigh and gazed down at your feet, tears welling up in your eyes. The daycare and everyone there had been like a second home for you, and you'd grown attached to the sense of tranquility and safety it provided.

You nodded, your voice heavy with emotion, "Yeah." The decision weighed on you, knowing you'd be leaving behind the comfort of your current job for something more dangerous and unpredictable. Yet, the financial stability and power it offered were too good to pass up if it meant you’d stay with your siblings.

“You’re more than welcome to drop the kids off anytime you need to study, free of charge” Mrs. Johnson softly offered as you pulled you in for one final hug.

The relief of having the three of you safely home was immeasurable. Taking care of your siblings, ensuring they were well-fed and comfortably tucked into bed. When you finally had a moment to yourself, you counted the money in sheer disbelief – a grand total of five thousand dollars.

Your heart swelled with the realization that your dream of adopting your siblings and creating a loving, stable family was closer to becoming a reality. Tears of joy welled up in your eyes as you imagined the bright future ahead.

————————————————

The weight of the past was taking its toll on you as the anniversary of the invasion neared, causing restless nights filled with nightmares that left you exhausted. Gaku noticed the change in your demeanor and handed you an iced coffee, his gruff voice softening.

"What's wrong, kid?" he asked as you leaned back against the plush leather couch, exhaustion evident in the dark circles under your eyes.

Taking a deep breath, you inquired, "You helped Hiroki with my file, right?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Gaku responded in his usual straightforward manner, his tone no longer intimidating you, having grown accustomed to it.

"Then you two must know why I'm an orphan and in the position I'm in now," you said, your tired [e/c] eyes staring at the ceiling.

"Get to the point, kid”

You hesitated briefly before confessing, "I want to know why my family was targeted that night." Your eyes briefly drifted shut as you said it, the question that had haunted you for years finally finding a voice.

Gaku regarded you as you lay there on the couch, visibly tired and weighed down by the haunting memories of the past. He leaned against the doorframe, his dark eyes assessing your request. A moment of silence hung in the air, only the distant hum of the city breaking it.

Finally, he broke the silence, his voice more thoughtful. "If there's anyone who can find out why your family was targeted that night, it's Hiroki." Gaku's gaze softened slightly, perhaps in a rare moment of empathy. "He's got connections and resources we can use to dig into the past."

You looked at him with a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty. "You really think he'll help?"

Gaku pushed away from the doorframe, straightening his tie. "He's a pragmatic guy, but he's got a soft spot for a sob story like yours. He'll be here tonight, so you can ask him about it."

As Gaku left, disappearing into the night to attend to his own mysterious business, you couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, you'd uncover the truth behind that fateful night.

————————————————

The room was dimly lit, and the air was heavy with the scent of cigars. You took a deep breath and finally knocked on the imposing oak door. "Hi, Hiroki, it's me," you softly announced, the trepidation evident in your voice.

"Come in, kiddo," Hiroki replied from inside, his tone surprisingly welcoming.

As you entered, he was seated behind his large mahogany desk, his sharp gaze focused on you. You settled into the chair across from him, trying to steady your racing heart. "Do you think you could look into something for me?" you inquired, your voice low but earnest.

Hiroki's expression softened as he regarded you. He leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together, listening intently. "Go on," he encouraged.

You hesitated for a moment, then continued, your voice quivering with emotion, "You know I'm an orphan. I need to know why my family was targeted that night. I can't understand why he chose us of all people."

Silence hung in the room as Hiroki considered your request. The pale glow of his desk lamp cast shadows on his weathered face. Finally, he spoke, his tone grave, "It's a dangerous path, digging into the past. But, I can look into it for you. You need to understand, though, that sometimes answers bring more pain than closure. Are you sure you want to proceed?"

With a deep breath, you met his gaze. "I need to know the truth, no matter how painful it is. It's the only way I can move forward."

Hiroki nodded, his expression one of understanding. "Alright, kiddo, I'll do what I can. It might take some time, but I'll get back to you when I find anything."

You felt a mixture of relief and anxiety, knowing that you were now one step closer to uncovering the secrets of that tragic night.

————————————————

You were quick to drop off your younger siblings with Mrs. Johnson at the daycare the following weekend, making sure they were safe and sound. You watched them for a moment, a bittersweet mix of pride and protectiveness welling up in your chest before you made your way towards the luxury black sedan.

The morning sun cast a golden hue over the city as you rode silently with Gaku to the office. Anxiety coiled tightly in your stomach, and your mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. You couldn't shake the uneasiness you felt about the conversation you were about to have with Hiroki.

As you entered the office building, your footsteps echoing in the hallway, Hiroki greeted you with a warm smile. His presence was both comforting and intimidating, creating a tumultuous mix of emotions within you. "Hey, [Name]," he said, and the knot in your stomach tightened.

With a deep breath, you followed him into his office, sitting across from Hiroki, you found yourself in a room filled with an air of somber authority. His luxurious solid mahogany desk was a formidable barrier that separated you two, and he appeared deep in thought as he scratched the back of his neck, an action that betrayed his own discomfort.

His voice broke the silence, and you listened intently as he began to unravel the unsettling truths. "Your father was a prominent congressman," he started, and you felt the weight of the revelation in those words. "At the time, he was one of the few who voted against an international tax law that would majorly favor the elites of the world."

Your heart clenched as the pieces of this dark puzzle began to fall into place. Hiroki's voice was steady, and he seemed to understand the gravity of his words. "The man who killed your parents worked on behalf of his benefactors. They instructed him to kill, not just your father, but anyone whose blood ran through their veins."

Tears welled up in your eyes as the reality of the situation bore down on you. Hiroki's empathy shone through as he handed you his pure white handkerchief, a small yet significant gesture of compassion. Then, he poured himself a stiff drink, a tacit acknowledgment of the gravity of the information shared.

The clinking of the ice in Hiroki's drink punctuated the weight of the revelation, serving as a stark reminder of the gravity of the situation. You continued to dry your eyes with the handkerchief he'd offered, doing your best to maintain composure.

Hiroki's words resonated with a chilling truth. "You weren't alone," he began, and you listened with rapt attention, "the two other congressmen who voted against the law were also killed, along with their families."

It was a horrifying revelation, a grim reminder of the ruthless lengths those in power would go to protect their interests. As Hiroki took a long swig of his drink, you could sense the deep, somber knowledge he carried.

"With you being the sole survivor of all these attacks and in foster care," he continued, "they were able to swiftly cover things up. Placing their pawns in and winning the following election."

The realization of the intricate web of deceit, power, and violence was overwhelming. You appreciated Hiroki's fatherly hand on your trembling shoulder, providing you with some semblance of comfort amid this terrible truth.

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Your sixteenth birthday approached faster than you’d expected. "Happy birthday, big sister!" Your siblings cheered as they excitedly jumped onto your groggy form. You chuckled tiredly as they snuggled close, and you replied, "Thank you, my loves. Let's try and sleep a bit longer." Sharing a warm, cozy moment before sluggishly slipping out of bed, their small hands pulling you towards the kitchen.

"Surprise!" they announced as their gift for you was revealed. It was a picture frame, lovingly decorated with glitter glue, popsicle sticks, and various fake flowers. Inside the frame was your favorite photo of the three of you, taken on a sunny day during a picnic near the lake one summer evening. Tears welled up in your eyes as you thought about the hardships you had overcome together.

Just another two years, and you could ensure your siblings' safety, giving them a life filled with tranquility.

Your voice quivered with emotion as you said, "This is the most beautiful gift I've ever received. I love you both so much." Your siblings smiled, and you shared a tight, tearful hug, grateful for the strength and love that had brought you this far.

Spending your day leisurely around the house. Your little sister insisting on painting your nails, carefully selecting vibrant colors from her modest collection. As she diligently worked on your nails, your little brother took your other hand and began to give you a massage. It was a makeshift spa day, filled with giggles and shared moments that filled your heart with joy. The three of you watched your favorite TV shows, snuggled up on the couch.

"Big sister, we're going to take good care of you, just like you take care of us," your little sister said with a proud smile, finishing painting your nails.

You smiled warmly, touched by their love and thoughtfulness. "I'm the luckiest big sister in the world to have you both by my side."

Your little brother chimed in, "Happy birthday, [Name]. We love you!"

Tears of happiness welled up in your eyes as you hugged them tightly. These simple, heartfelt moments were the most precious gifts you could ever ask for, oh how you wished things could stay like this forever.

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With your siblings fast asleep, you made your way downstairs, and there, waiting for you by the front door, was Shouma. He was a tall and robust man in his early thirties, and his muscular arms were adorned with tattoos. As you gathered your belongings for your upcoming shift, you greet him “Hey Sho.”

Shouma had become your family's protector, ensuring your parents stayed away and knew their place. He was not to be underestimated, and his presence had turned your home into a sanctuary of peace and security.

As you prepared to leave for work, Shouma placed his large, tattooed hand atop your head, offering a sense of reassurance. "Alright, I'm off," you told him, ready for your night's work.

"Happy birthday, [Name]. I'm proud of you, kid," Shouma said with a reassuring pat to your head. His words filled you with warmth and determination as you ventured out into the night.

The moment you stepped into the building, the atmosphere felt entirely different. Gaku's stoic demeanor, as always, was somewhat reassuring as the two of you proceeded down the hall toward your 'office.'

But what you encountered next was beyond your expectations. As you walked through the door, a chorus of cheers and laughter erupted.

"SURPRISE, [NAME]!" a group of grown men exclaimed in unison. Hiroki, their leader, was seated behind your desk, and a delicious birthday cake occupied the center of the room.

A mix of emotions washed over you—surprise, gratitude, and the realization that you had indeed found good people in this unlikeliest of places. Tears welled up in your eyes, but a joyous smile graced your lips as you approached the desk.

Hiroki, with a warm smile, gestured for you to come forward. "Happy birthday, [Name]. We couldn't let your special day go unnoticed." The camaraderie in the room was palpable as the men celebrated your birthday, making you feel like you truly belonged.

The atmosphere in the room was filled with warmth and camaraderie as you blew out the candles on your birthday cake and wiped away the joyful tears that streamed down your cheeks. Shortly after, Hiroki called for Gaku.

"Gaku, her gift," Hiroki said, a hint of amusement in his voice. He handed you a small, solid black gift bag, and your heart fluttered with curiosity. As you reached into the bag and pulled out the gift box inside, you couldn't believe your eyes.

Inside the box were a pair of beautiful 24k solid gold hoop earrings. They glistened under the room's warm lighting, and their elegance took your breath away. Tears of gratitude welled up in your eyes as you realized how much this unexpected family meant to you.

"Thank you," you managed to whisper through the tears, unable to put into words just how deeply moved you were by their kindness. These earrings weren't just a piece of jewelry; they symbolized the bond you had found with these individuals.

After enjoying the cake and the wonderful company, Hiroki informed you that you weren't on shift that day but still assured you that you'd be paid. You politely tried to decline, but Gaku had different plans. He gently grabbed the back of your shirt and firmly stated, "Nope, you're going home for the night, kid. No use in fighting it."

With a sigh of defeat, you gathered your things. After bidding everyone goodnight, you climbed into the luxury black SUV. You were pleasantly surprised when Hiroki joined you in the second captain's chair. Gaku slowly pulled out, and the drive home through the city was filled with a sense of peace.

As the city's lights twinkled outside the window, Hiroki's deep voice broke the silence, "Is your goal still the same, [Name]?" He took a swig from his flask, and you gazed at the passing cityscape as you replied, "All I want is to give my siblings a good and stable life, one filled with love, safety, and certainty."

Hiroki chuckled, and a warm smile appeared on his face. "I have someone I need you to meet, then," he informed, piquing your curiosity and leaving you wondering about what new possibilities lay ahead.

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A few weeks passed, and you received a call from Hiroki to meet in his main office. There, you found yourself seated in front of a man with short black hair, sporting two buzzed parts that wrapped around his head.

He introduced himself as Masamichi Yaga, the principal of Jujutsu High in Tokyo, Japan. His words left you both surprised and intrigued. "I would like to adopt you and bring you to Tokyo, where you'd be able to harness your powers and become a proper Jujutsu Sorcerer," he explained, his tone firm yet inviting.

Your eyes widened at the proposition, and you felt a mix of emotions swirling inside you. The idea of harnessing your powers and becoming a sorcerer was enticing, but if it meant leaving your siblings behind, you had to refuse.

"I truly appreciate your offer," you began, your voice firm, "but I'm sure Hiroki has informed you that I have two younger siblings. I won't leave them behind. It's all three of us or none."

Yaga sighed empathetically. He admired your determination to keep your family together, but he also understood the danger you were in, considering your current line of work to provide for your siblings.

"I have no problem adopting your siblings as well, but the life of a Jujutsu sorcerer is incredibly dangerous, especially for those without powers," Yaga explained, noting the defeat in your eyes. "Even with the right contacts, your association with this line of work is putting your siblings at risk. We need to consider their safety."

Tears of frustration welled in your eyes as you grappled with a truth you had tried desperately to avoid. Despite the financial support and the sense of protection that Hiroki and Gaku's organization had provided for you and your siblings, you knew deep down that nothing in this life was permanent. Yaga's sober assessment hit home, and you realized he was ultimately right.

Without your current source of income, there was no way you could take care of your younger siblings on your own, let alone provide them with the loving, stable life you had dreamed of. The weight of this realization felt crushing, leaving you with an impossible choice to make.

As the tears streamed down your cheeks, the weight of the painful reality began to settle in. Your heart ached with the knowledge that you had to make an incredibly difficult decision – to let your younger siblings go in order to protect them. The dream of providing them with a loving, stable life felt further from reach than ever before.

Yaga, with his calm yet empathetic demeanor, understood the weight of your decision. "I know this is a lot to ask," he began, "but it's not about giving them up. It's about keeping them safe and giving them the best chance at a good life."

You nodded, struggling to regain your composure as you considered what was truly best for your siblings. Despite the tears and the turmoil inside, a glimmer of hope sparked in your eyes. While it would be incredibly painful to let them go, you understood that this might be the path to ensure their future.

Yaga's comforting hand on your trembling shoulder provided a sliver of solace in the midst of your inner turmoil. His voice was laced with sincerity as he continued, "I promise to find them a good home, one filled with love and kindness."

You swallowed hard, understanding the gravity of the situation. But as he delivered the most difficult part of the news, it felt like a dagger through your heart. "The only way I can ensure their safety is by letting them start fresh," he said somberly. "They'll get new identities, but any trace of your lives together must be wiped clean."

Tears welled up in your eyes as you nodded in acceptance. You had known from the start that this was the only way to keep them safe, but it didn't make it any less painful. The separation and the erasure of their shared past weighed heavily on you, but it was the price for their security.

With a heavy heart, you whispered, "I understand. Please, promise me you'll find them a good home, one where they can be happy."

Yaga's eyes held a solemn promise as he replied, "I will, [Name]. They will be well taken care of, and I'll do my best to make sure they have a bright future."

You took a shuddering breath, realizing that this was the painful but necessary path you had to take for your siblings' sake.

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The warm aroma of dinner filled the air as you put the finishing touches on the meal. It was surreal, knowing that this would be one of the last dinners you'd share together. Soft giggles and laughter from your siblings drifted through the house, and you couldn't help but smile, your [e/c] eyes wistful as you listened to their joyful voices.

Bath time and storytime passed in a blur, as if time itself had conspired to make this evening pass too quickly. Their eyes sparkled with excitement as you read them their favorite stories, and you felt your throat tighten with emotion. It was impossible not to be swept away by the profound love you had for them.

Finally, they fell asleep in your arms, their small bodies trusting and content in your embrace. The sight of their serenely sleeping faces should have brought you peace, but instead, it intensified the pain in your heart. Tears silently cascaded down your cheeks as you gazed at them, your love for them a bittersweet ache that lingered in the depths of your soul.

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Sitting them down with a heavy heart, you tried your best to explain that you had found them a loving family, one that could provide for them and take care of them better than you ever could. It was a painful conversation, and their little faces filled with confusion and fear only made it harder.

Their cries were like a dagger through your heart as they clung to you, their tiny arms wrapped around you tightly. "We don't want to leave you, you can't leave us," they sobbed, and their words shattered what was left of your composure. The tears flowed freely, and you held them close, your own heart aching with the same sentiment.

You reassured them that this was for their safety, that you would always be their big sister no matter where they were. But in that moment, nothing could comfort the pain.

Amidst the tears and the heartache, you made a promise that you intended to keep. As the three of you cried until you could no longer produce tears, you assured them that even though you wouldn't be together anymore, your love and presence would always be with them.

"I will always be right here," you whispered, gently tapping their tiny hearts as they cried themselves to sleep. Those words were etched in their memories, and though they couldn't understand the full extent of what was happening, they knew that their big sister loved them with all her heart.

In the following weeks, you found yourself meticulously packing up your siblings' belongings, a bittersweet task that brought back countless memories. Each item you placed in a box felt like a piece of your heart being placed in someone else's care.

As you carefully selected their clothes, toys, and cherished keepsakes, you couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. You knew that these items, imbued with love and shared moments, would soon become a part of their new lives.

With each item carefully packed and labeled, you made a list of notes for their new family, detailing the little quirks, likes, and dislikes of your beloved siblings. You wanted to make sure their transition was as smooth and comforting as possible.

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The day you'd long dreaded had arrived. It was time to say goodbye to your younger siblings, who had been your lifeline in this often cruel world. You'd grown accustomed to saying goodbye over the years, but parting ways with your brother and sister was an entirely different kind of heartbreak.

Your little brother, his eyes wide with fear and uncertainty, sought refuge behind your legs, gripping onto your pants as though they were a lifeline. He muttered in a trembling voice, "Sister, what if they're..."

You knelt down to his level, crouching close as you held him gently. "I promise you," you whispered with tears welling up in your [e/c] eyes, "that your new parents are nothing like our old mom and dad. They will love and care for you just as you deserve." Your words were filled with tenderness and unwavering commitment.

In the distance, you spotted their new family, a couple who had chosen to open their hearts and home to your beloved brother and sister. Your little sister held onto your free hand, her grip just as tight as her brother's, as the three of you approached their new family.

The pain of separation was almost unbearable, but you knew it was the right thing to do. These caring people would provide your siblings with the love, safety, and certainty they deserved.

The lump in your throat felt constant, a heavy weight as you hugged your little sister and brother goodbye for what you knew was the last time. Tears streamed down all your faces, mingling in a heart-wrenching moment of farewell.

"We'll love you forever and ever, big sister," they both cried, their tiny arms wrapped tightly around you.

"I will love you forever and ever, my little sister and brother," you cooed, your voice filled with affection and heartache. Your fingers tenderly stroked their backs as you held onto them, never wanting to let go.

Reluctantly, you released your grip, tears shimmering in your [e/c] eyes. Their new parents, their faces filled with compassion and understanding, gently took one of each child's hands. Together, they led your beloved brother and sister toward their car, which waited to take them to their new life.

A painful sob escaped past your lips once they had driven out of sight, the only family you had left was gone. The one thing tying you down to the states had now been severed as tears continuously streamed down your cheeks. If it weren’t for Yaga’s warm fatherly hand on your shoulder, you would’ve probably remained in that spot indefinitely, two pieces of your heart now spectated from you forever.

Sobbing uncontrollably, you felt as though the world was slipping away, and your heart was being torn asunder. Your vision blurred, and the air around you became an impenetrable fog of grief.

A sharp, painful gasp escaped your lips as your [e/c] eyes snapped open, and reality crashed back into focus. You found yourself lying on your bed in your room at Jujutsu High. Satoru by your side, attempting to change the warm rag that rested on your forehead.

Your heart pounded in your chest as the memories of the recent events rushed back into your consciousness. Toji, Satoru, Riko, and the chaos that had unfolded. Your eyes searching his body for any signs of injuries, and as you found none, a wave of relief washed over you.

Tears streamed down your face, and without hesitation, you threw your arms around him, hugging him tightly. "You're alive, Satoru," you sobbed with a mixture of joy, relief, and grief in your voice. Satoru's cheeks flushed with warmth as he felt your arms wrap around him, reciprocating the embrace. The joy of seeing you awake after all that had transpired was almost overwhelming. He held you tightly, savoring the moment.

"I'm here," he whispered, his voice laced with relief, as you clung to each other in the midst of the turmoil that surrounded you.

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Hi my love! This concludes our precious reader’s backstory! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for all the support!

As always, much love xoxo

ʕ·ᴥ·ʔ

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