#thank you to everyone who sent warm welcomes on part one

[idontactuallywherepjs]

pt. 2

I loved it. I'm well past book one but i loved it. My assorted thoughts out of order that nobody asked for because im screaming

I really really like how Horace was handled. When the three bullies started on him, it was a little bit of "yeah a taste of your own medicine, learn empathy you little shit", because he was mean to Will. And it's made very clear that Will bit back, verbally, and no one party was truly in the right, but Horace was the one to start shit and used his greater physical prowess to his advantage. So with three older boys giving him hell, he might reflect a little. And that's a fine way to write a bully learning and changing.

But then. In the same scene they were introduced, the bullies took it all a step further, and messed with everyone else's things, and forced Horace to clean it up and, possibly, take the fall. In a place like Battleschool, with how strict it is? That's dangerous. And it kept building and building every time we see them. When Harvest day comes, and Will and Horace have their fight, it doesn't feel good. Because even with his actions in the moment, I felt for the kid. He felt like his friends betrayed him, while everywhere else he went his life was made a hell. The only respite was training, and that's just because it was out in the open where the bullies couldn't reach him.

And when Rhodny breaks up the fight, there is a sense of dread. Not just because it could make Rhodny think Horace is more violent then he actually is and kick him out, but because Will and Horace both aren't finished with each other. Their both angry and hurting and this fight is not over.

And then suddenly, it is. They both do their best to defend the other from the boar. They exchange words of peace. But due to the nature of the moment, a lot is left unsaid. Then the three bullies go after Horace. Then they go after Will. And again, they defend each other. And they trust each other. They are friends. Not best friends mind, there's a long ways to go, but they are in each other's corner, and through all this, Horace did gain empathy, and a greater moral compass. It didn't come out of nowhere, but it was strengthened. I really really like how it was done.

Halt being just subtly caring for a lot of the book, so it's hard for even the reader to see just how deeply he cares for Will at any given moment up until the second boar, where he just runs and Hugs Will. In front of Everyone.

That is Halts Son.

I'm going to have to reread this and pay special attention to Halt. Will captured most of my attention he is the baby boy.

Halt and Will working together to pull one over Gilan.

Also Gilan.

So silly that right before he showed up Halt was like "Former apprentices always go after their masters" and Will is about to be like "i won't" and then thought about it for a second longer and shut his mouth because. Yeah. He will.

I absolutely adore Tug. That is a good horse.

The run down of archery, the bows, and the specifics given is, while not in depth, is REALLY FING ACCURATE! LIKE THAT NEVER HAPPENS IM SO HAPPY. I DO ARCHERY AND WAS METALLY PREPPING TO SUSPEND MY DISBELIEF BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TO REALLY!

I mentioned this briefly in my first post, but I love the pacing. More than halfway through the book and we finally get plot. And none of that time was wasted, it was all spent learning the characters and world and getting comfortable so that when things are disrupted it feels disrupted.

I like that Will was a little awkward around Gilan, just because he's a new person. Like yeah they got along right away but they weren't just instantly besties.

The fight with the Kalkara was really tense and well done on all sides. The tracking was interesting, The fights were cool and believable, I was half convinced someone was going to die, and everyone's skills and fears were on full display, and made them feel more real. Even when Will got his certified Protagonist Moment TM it felt both earned and not out of place, or like the plot just decided to make it happen. The set up and pay off were both well executed.

I also really love that the adults do their best to make sure Will is as safe has possible. He's just a boy and while he does save them in the end, they do everything they can to protect him, even if it is an all hands on deck situation.

During the tracking, Halt taking every opportunity to teach Will and comfort him. The moment with the false alarm of not being able to see Gilan comes to mind. And Will just being so concerned for Halt's safety. Will and Gilan having some moments together. They're family your honor.

Halt and Gilan embracing when they first meet up on the way to the Gathering. Such a cute moment.

Actually Halt's training style in general was a highlight. It's a little bit of tough love but he makes sure to get through to Will what he's trying to teach and feels more patient then he wants to let on. It's really sweet.

The story of Wills bio father nearly made me cry. Oh my gosh such a tender moment on all sides. ow.

That's all I have to say on book one for now. Ive got plenty for book 2 though, and im like, 2/3 through book 3? ive got 11ish chapters to go. Im buying 4 and 5 tonight, they don't have 6 or 7 though. they can be easily obtained, but it's still sad. Might also get book 8 just to make sure i have it in case they sell the rest of the latter half of the series before i can get my grubby hands on it.

pt3 coming at some point!

[reidmarieprentiss]

Finding Home Again: Part One

Summary: Y/N meets Spencer Reid when she is 11-years-old, her older brother, Adam, is his classmate and friend. They reconnect at Adam's wedding.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!reader

Category: fluff, angst, one bed trope

Warnings/Includes: mild bullying, name calling, bisexual spencer reid (it's canon to me), wedding activities, swimming in underwear, alcohol consumption, reader wears a dress, suggestive content (16+), commitment issues, emotionally unavailable parents, bad relationship with parents, confrontation

Word count: 12.4k

a/n: part two is here!!

main masterlist

Spencer Reid was a terrified 8-year-old freshman in high school. As he navigated the crowded hallways, his small frame was easily overlooked, but his presence still drew strange looks and whispered comments. He felt extremely uncomfortable and out of place, his heart pounding with every step. By the end of the day, he still hadn't had a single student offer any help or kindness to him. 

His last class of the day was Algebra 2, and he felt a flicker of hope. Math had always been his sanctuary, a place where numbers and equations made sense when nothing else did. When he walked into the classroom, he noticed that there was assigned seating. Relief washed over him; at least he wouldn't have to struggle to find somewhere to sit.

As everyone got settled in, Spencer found his assigned seat next to a tall, friendly-looking boy. Before he had a chance to take out his notebook, the boy turned to him and smiled warmly.

"I'm Adam," he said, extending his hand for a handshake.

Spencer looked at the hand and then back up at Adam, feeling a wave of anxiety. "Hi, I'm Spencer, and I don't shake hands," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Adam laughed, not in a mean way, but with genuine amusement. "Hi, Spencer who doesn't shake hands. It's nice to meet you."

Spencer felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. For the first time that day, he felt a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, high school wouldn't be so bad after all.

— 

Y/N had spent the past few years immersed in the bustling streets and rich culture of Paris, attending a prestigious boarding school that promised to refine her language skills and broaden her horizons. Yet, despite the allure of the City of Light, she often felt the sting of loneliness, her parents' distance echoing even across the ocean. Now, at age 11, she was returning home a month earlier than the American school year ended, her heart a mix of exhaustion and anticipation.

As the chauffeur-driven car pulled up to the grand but cold mansion in the suburbs of Las Vegas, Y/N's heart sank. She had hoped, perhaps foolishly, that her parents would be there to greet her. Instead, the familiar figure of their chauffeur, Robert, was the one to open the car door.

"Welcome home, Miss Y/N," he said with a polite smile.

She forced a smile in return, hiding her disappointment. "Thank you, Robert."

Dragging her feet along the paved path, she entered the house, its opulence doing little to warm the cold emptiness she felt. She made her way to the living room, hoping to find solace in the familiarity of home, but instead, she was met with the unexpected sight of her brother, Adam, and a group of his friends, hunched over textbooks and notebooks.

"Hey, Y/N!" Adam greeted her with a grin, looking up from his textbook. "Welcome back!"

"Hi," she replied, her voice flat. She was too tired and too upset to muster any enthusiasm. Her eyes scanned the room, seeing the familiar faces of her brother's friends that she’d seen in pictures he’d sent. When her eyes finally landed on a boy who was clearly much younger than the rest, with tousled brown hair and a slightly awkward demeanor. He looked up, meeting her gaze with a mixture of curiosity and shyness.

“Who are you?” Y/N hadn’t meant to be rude, she was just slightly shocked to see someone her own age among the older boys.

"This is Spencer," Adam introduced, gesturing to the boy. "Spencer, this is my sister, Y/N. She just got back from Paris."

"Hi," Spencer said softly, offering a small, tentative smile.

"Hi," Y/N replied, her frustration momentarily forgotten as she took in the boy who seemed as out of place in their luxurious home as she felt. "Nice to meet you."

"Sorry we're invading the living room," Adam said, noticing her weariness. "We're just cramming for finals. Spencer here is a genius when it comes to math and science, so he's been helping us out."

Y/N nodded, her exhaustion catching up with her. "It's fine. I just need to rest, so please, no screaming about fractions."

She turned to head upstairs, her feet thudding against each step as she climbed. She couldn't help but feel a pang of envy towards the study group, wishing she had that kind of camaraderie during her time in Paris. They didn’t take well to American’s, no matter how long she was there nor how fluent she spoke. But more than anything, she wished her parents had cared enough to be there when she came home.

—

The summer before his senior year stretched out long and hot, with the air thick with the scent of freshly cut grass and the hum of cicadas. Adam, now balancing a job cleaning pools and the pressures of preparing for SATs, ACTs, and college applications, found his days filled to the brim. He wasn't working for the money; his parents' wealth ensured he never had to worry about that. But he wanted to break free from the golden cage, to carve out a future where he wasn’t reliant on his parents.

Y/N watched from the sidelines as her brother’s schedule became increasingly packed. She missed the days when they would goof around together, but understood that Adam had his own life to lead. Meanwhile, Spencer Reid found himself spending more and more time with Adam. Spencer wasn't old enough to work yet, but his days were equally busy with preparations for the same academic hurdles.

One hot afternoon, Adam and Spencer were sitting on the back porch, textbooks and notes spread out between them. Adam was explaining a particularly tricky math problem, his hair falling into his eyes as he spoke. Spencer listened intently, his eyes occasionally flicking up to Adam's face, a subtle admiration in his gaze.

"Got it?" Adam asked, looking over at Spencer with a friendly smile.

Spencer nodded, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. "Yeah, thanks. You're really good at explaining things."

Adam laughed lightly, clapping Spencer on the back. "No problem, buddy. We make a good team, huh?"

Spencer's heart skipped a beat at the casual touch, his mind racing with unspoken feelings. "Yeah, we do."

Their interactions were always like this—simple, friendly, but with an undercurrent of something more for Spencer. He couldn't help the crush that had developed, even though he knew it was impossible. Adam was older, focused on his future, and saw Spencer as a friend, maybe even a little brother.

One day, as they were packing up their study materials, Adam glanced over at Spencer. "Hey, thanks for helping me stay on track this summer. I know I’ve been busy, but it’s been cool hanging out with you."

Spencer smiled, the words warming his heart. "It's been cool for me too. I’ve learned a lot."

"You're gonna ace those tests, no doubt," Adam said with a confident grin. "And who knows, maybe we'll end up at the same college."

Spencer's eyes lit up at the thought, but he quickly tempered his excitement, not wanting to seem too eager. "Yeah, that would be great."

As Adam slung his bag over his shoulder and headed inside, Spencer lingered on the porch for a moment, watching him go. He knew his feelings for Adam would likely never be reciprocated, but he cherished these moments of closeness, however fleeting they might be.

Y/N observed all this from her bedroom window, a quiet observer to the crush Spencer clearly had on her older brother. She felt the green monster of jealousy coil up inside of her. Why doesn’t Spencer look at her like that? Is she not as smart as Adam? Not as funny? Maybe he only likes older people.

One particularly warm day, Spencer was over to help Adam revise an application essay. They were hanging out by the pool, both to Spencer's excitement and frustration. He didn't want to take his shirt off in front of Adam; he was so scrawny compared to the man Adam was becoming. He didn't even have hair under his arms yet! Spencer found himself getting worked up over the muscle Adam had put on while cleaning pools, feeling increasingly self-conscious.

"Hey, I'm going to grab some lemonade," Spencer said, trying to keep his voice steady as he got up from his lounge chair.

Adam looked up from his notes and nodded. "Sure thing, grab some for me too, will ya?"

Spencer nodded and walked briskly into the house, his thoughts a whirl of admiration and insecurity. As he poured himself a glass of lemonade, having kindly turned down the offer from one of the kitchen staff to do it for him, Y/N walked into the kitchen in a swimsuit. She knew what she was doing; she wanted to see if Spencer would look at her like he did her brother.

"Hi, Spencer," she greeted, her voice casual but her eyes searching.

Spencer almost dropped the pitcher, startled by her sudden appearance. "H-hi, Y/N..."

"How’s it going? Is it hot out there?" she asked, leaning against the counter with an air of nonchalance.

"Mhm, it's hot and, uh, yeah, good. You?" Spencer stammered, trying to keep his eyes on her face and not let them wander. Stupid hormones.

"I'm good, bored. Think I'm gonna go for a swim," Y/N replied, giving him a pointed look.

Spencer swallowed hard, feeling his face heat up. "Oh, cool. Swimming sounds nice."

Y/N nodded. "You should join me sometime. It’s a good way to cool off, especially on days like this."

"I, uh, maybe," Spencer managed, his voice cracking slightly.

She smiled at him. "Well, I'll be out there if you change your mind."

With that, she turned and walked out towards the pool, leaving Spencer standing there, his heart racing. He couldn't help but feel a confusing mix of emotions. He liked Y/N; she was kind and funny in her own way. But his feelings for Adam were something different, something he couldn't quite understand or control.

As he walked back outside with the lemonade, he caught sight of Y/N cannonballing into the pool. Adam looked up and waved Spencer over, oblivious to the tension Spencer was feeling.

"Thanks, man," Adam said, taking the glass from Spencer. "You should take a dip too. Y/N's got the right idea; it's a great way to beat the heat."

Spencer nodded, trying to smile. "Maybe later."

He sat back down, trying to focus on the essay in front of him, but his mind kept wandering. He glanced over at Y/N, who was swimming leisurely, and then at Adam, who was scribbling notes in the margin of his paper. Spencer felt like he was caught in the middle of something he didn't quite understand, struggling to find his place in the dynamics of this family that had become so important to him.

—

The day of Adam's graduation was filled with a whirlwind of emotions. Adam, ever the unexpected, had committed to Florida State, a decision that had shocked and horrified many. Spencer could hardly believe it when he heard the news. Florida State, a school notorious for its party culture, seemed an odd choice for someone who had always been so focused on academics. But Adam was a party boy through and through, and now, with the immense college fund his parents had set up for him, he had the freedom to choose his own path.

That night, Adam's family mansion was abuzz with a grand celebration party. The opulent rooms were filled with friends, family, and well-wishers, all toasting to Adam's future. Spencer, though trying to be happy for his friend, felt a gnawing sense of sadness and anxiety. Graduating at only 12-years-old and moving away to college meant leaving behind the only family that had ever felt like his.

As the party continued, Spencer found himself feeling more and more overwhelmed. Seeking solace, he looked around for Y/N. He found her standing by the grand staircase, looking as though she was taking a brief respite from the festivities.

"Y/N," he called softly, and she turned to him, her eyes filled with concern at his slightly panicked appearance.

"Hey, Spencer," she said gently, sensing his turmoil. "Do you want to go outside?"

Spencer nodded, grateful for her intuition. She led him out of the mansion and into the expansive garden. The night air was cool and soothing, and the garden was a haven of tranquility away from the noise of the party. They walked in silence for a while, the stars twinkling above them like scattered diamonds.

Y/N finally stopped at a secluded spot, a bench under a large oak tree. She sat down and patted the space next to her. Spencer joined her, taking a deep breath as he looked up at the sky.

"I can't believe he's going to Florida State," Spencer said, his voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of sadness.

Y/N nodded. "Yeah, it's a surprise, but it's his choice. He’s an adult now."

Spencer sighed. "I know. It's just... I'm going to miss him. And you. This place feels like home, and now I'm leaving."

Y/N placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We'll miss you too, Spencer. But you'll do amazing things, I know it. You've always been great."

He looked at her, his eyes searching hers for reassurance. "It's just... scary, you know? Moving away, being on my own. What if I don't fit in?"

Y/N smiled warmly. "You will. You always do."

They sat in comfortable silence, gazing up at the stars. The night was calm, the garden a peaceful contrast to the lively celebration inside. Spencer felt a sense of peace wash over him, comforted by Y/N's presence and her words.

"Thank you," he said softly, looking over at her. "For being here. For understanding."

Y/N squeezed his shoulder gently. "I’ll always be here for you, Spencer."

As they sat together, the weight of the impending changes felt a little lighter. The stars above seemed to shine a bit brighter, and for the first time that night, Spencer felt a glimmer of hope for the future.

—

24 years old now, Spencer Reid hadn't thought about Adam in years, but when the invitation arrived in the mail, it brought back a flood of memories. He held the ornate envelope in his hands, his heart pounding with a mix of nostalgia and nerves. The invitation was to Adam's wedding, an event that promised to reunite old friends and acquaintances. Spencer couldn't help but feel a sense of obligation to attend. Adam had always been kind to him during those tumultuous high school years.

Despite his apprehension, Spencer decided to go. He meticulously planned his trip, ensuring he had everything he needed to make a good impression. The journey to the wedding venue in Napa Valley, California was a blur of anxious thoughts and memories of the past. As he arrived at the grand hotel where the event was being held, he felt a knot of nerves tightening in his stomach.

Meanwhile, Y/N was also preparing for the wedding. She couldn't help but feel excitement and trepidation at the thought of seeing Spencer again, Adam informed her that he had RSVP’d yes. She had always harbored a silly little crush on him, one that had persisted through the years despite their long separation. The idea of seeing him again, older and perhaps changed, was both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

The wedding weekend began with a flurry of activities. The hotel was abuzz with guests arriving, mingling, and catching up. Spencer found himself lost in the crowd, his nerves making it difficult to relax. As he checked in at the front desk, the receptionist handed him a key card with a polite smile.

"Here you go, Dr. Reid. Room 212," she said.

Spencer thanked her and made his way to the elevator, his mind racing with thoughts of what the weekend could entail. He arrived at the door to his room and swiped the key card. As he pushed the door open, he was met with an unexpected sight.

Y/N was standing in the middle of the room, her back to him as she attempted to pull up the zipper of her dress. Upon hearing the door open, she spun around with a scream, holding the dress to her chest.

“What the fuck!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

“I’m so sorry!” Spencer stammered, equally startled.

“Spencer?” she said, her expression shifting from surprise to recognition.

“Y/N?” he replied, still trying to process what was happening.

“What the hell are you doing?” she demanded, still clutching the dress to her chest.

“I don’t know, this is the room I was told I'm staying in. My key opened the door…” he explained, holding up the key card as if it could somehow explain everything.

“Shit. Okay. Something must have gotten messed up. I'll check it out as soon as I'm dressed,” Y/N said, her tone calming slightly.

“Okay. Yeah. I’ll just leave you be,” Spencer said, starting to back out of the room.

“Actually… Spencer, could you help me with the zipper?” Y/N asked, her voice softer and a bit embarrassed.

Spencer paused, his face flushing. “Uh, sure. Of course.”

He stepped back into the room, closing the door behind him. Y/N turned around, holding her hair up to give him access to the zipper. His hands trembled slightly as he grasped the zipper, carefully pulling it up the back of her dress.

“Thank you,” she said softly once he had finished.

“No problem,” Spencer replied, stepping back and trying to keep his eyes respectfully averted.

She sighed, shaking her head. “Well, let’s go sort this out. Maybe the front desk can figure out what happened.”

As they left the room together, Spencer couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of awkwardness and nostalgia. Despite the initial shock, there was something oddly comforting about being in Y/N’s presence again. 

—

"So you're saying every single room in the entire hotel is booked? How is that even possible?” Y/N asked, her frustration evident.

“Well, miss, your wedding party is not the only group staying here. It is a very popular vineyard, especially at this time of year,” the receptionist explained calmly.

“So what you’re saying is we have to share this room?” Y/N pressed, trying to find a solution.

“You could stay with someone else, but yes, there are no more rooms available,” the receptionist confirmed.

Y/N sighed deeply, rubbing between her brows. “Okay. Thank you.”

Spencer and Y/N walked away from the desk, both trying to process the situation. Spencer broke the silence with a lighthearted joke. “Hopefully this is the worst thing that will happen this weekend.”

Y/N looked at him, a mix of apology and stress in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Spencer. I didn’t mean to make you think I’d hate to share a room with you… it’s just, this weekend is already going to be stressful.”

“Hey, no, I’m sorry for teasing. It’s okay. It will be like the sleepovers we had as kids,” Spencer said, trying to reassure her.

“You mean where you and Adam slept in the game room and I stayed as far away as possible?” Y/N responded, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

“Exactly,” Spencer bubbled with laughter, the tension between them easing a bit.

They made their way back to their shared room, Spencer couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic, thinking back to those simpler times. Y/N, too, found herself feeling a bit more at ease, her initial worries about the weekend beginning to fade. 

—

Once they were back in the room, Y/N looked over at Spencer, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I was going to pretend to be courteous and ask what side of the bed you prefer… but I have to sleep next to the window,” she announced, a playful smile on her lips.

“Oh, well, thank you for almost considering my feelings!” Spencer laughed, his tension easing. “I don’t mind either way, but if you snore half as bad as your brother, I’m putting a pillow over your face.”

“Oh my god, that man could cut down trees with that chainsaw he keeps in his mouth!” Y/N exclaimed, her laughter filling the room.

They shared some giggles, the awkwardness between them dissolving into familiarity and warmth.

“It’s really nice to see you, Spencer,” Y/N said sincerely, her eyes softening as she looked at him.

“You too, Y/N. You look so grown up,” Spencer replied, noting the elegance and maturity in her appearance.

“Well, 12 years will do that to someone,” she said with a chuckle, her gaze lingering on him.

“Not me, I still look the same,” Spencer said, shaking his head with a wry smile.

“Yeah,” Y/N tilted her head to the side, studying his face. “You really haven’t changed at all.”

“Okay, easy now,” Spencer protested lightly, a blush creeping up his cheeks.

“Did you ever grow armpit hair?” she teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

“Hey!” Spencer exclaimed, trying to defend his dignity.

“Oh, come on, Spencer! Show me!” Y/N teased further, taking a playful step towards him.

“No, Y/N. Hey, get away from me!” Spencer laughed as Y/N chased him around the room, her determination to see his armpits turning into a playful game.

With a burst of energy, Y/N ended up tackling him to the bed, sitting successfully on his stomach. “Give it up, Spencer, I win.”

“Nope!” he yelled triumphantly before using all his strength to flip her, pinning her down and tickling her.

Y/N cackled and shouted, “Uncle! Uncle!” between fits of laughter.

When Spencer finally pulled back, they both noticed the precarious position they were in. Spencer was between Y/N’s thighs with his hands by her head, both of them panting in each other’s mouths. The laughter faded as they locked eyes, the weight of the years apart and the sudden closeness creating a charged moment.

“I need to get ready for the rehearsal dinner,” Y/N whispered.

Spencer took the cue and got off of Y/N and the bed. “Mhm, yup. Me too.”

“Um, I showered when I got here. So, uh, I’ll just go get ready in the bridal suite. You can have the room,” Y/N said as she gathered the things she would need to get ready.

“Y/N… you don’t have to leave, I’m sorry.”

“What? Nothing to be sorry about. Just giving you your privacy. See you later, Spencer.”

“Yeah, see—” but she had already shut the door behind her. 

Spencer ran his hands over his face, feeling a mix of embarrassment and confusion. What had he been thinking? The sudden intimacy had caught him off guard, and now he felt a pang of regret for how awkward things had become. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, and began preparing for the rehearsal dinner, hoping the rest of the evening would go more smoothly.

— 

Y/N was not a bridesmaid, but she was fine with that. She wasn't all that interested in the responsibilities and duties that came with it anyway. She was still very close with her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Elizabeth, and it was no problem for her to get ready in the bridal suite. Once she explained the mix-up with the rooms, Elizabeth was extremely apologetic and understanding.

At the rehearsal dinner, Y/N’s seat was, of course, next to Spencer’s. He had arrived before her, which meant she spotted the back of his head before she sat down, giving her time to make a run for the open bar before making her way to the table.

As she sat down, Spencer looked over and his breath caught at the sight of her. Y/N looked absolutely radiant in her rehearsal dinner attire. The outfit suited her perfectly, complementing all of her assets and making her eyes shine. Maybe he had been silly to waste all those years alongside her chasing after her brother when she was right there. Although, he figured it probably would have been difficult to maintain a long-distance relationship at 12 while he was in university.

“Hey,” Y/N greeted him, her smile warm and genuine.

“Hi,” Spencer replied, still a bit breathless. “You look... amazing.”

“Thanks,” she said, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. “You clean up pretty well yourself.”

Spencer chuckled, feeling more at ease. “Thanks. It’s nice to be here. I mean, it’s been so long.”

“Yeah, it has,” Y/N agreed, taking a sip of her drink. “It’s crazy how time flies.”

As they settled into conversation, the initial awkwardness from earlier seemed to dissipate. They talked about their lives, their work, and the memories from their youth, finding common ground and shared experiences. The laughter and joyfulness that had once defined their friendship began to resurface, making the evening feel less like a reunion of strangers and more like a gathering of old friends.

Throughout the dinner, Spencer couldn’t help but steal glances at Y/N, marveling at how she had grown into such a beautiful and confident woman. The realization that he might have missed something special by focusing so much on Adam gnawed at him, but he tried to push those thoughts aside and enjoy the present moment.

After all the speeches were given and the eating was rehearsed, the youngest and oldest of the crowd turned into their rooms for the night. The bridal party and groomsmen left as well, all needing to be up very early. This left the young to middle-aged adults to the complimentary after-dinner party. There were free drinks, a dance floor, karaoke, and dimmed lighting.

Y/N looked over at Spencer, not knowing if this was his cup of tea or not. “Do you want to stay for a bit?”

The idea of cutting the night short didn't sit well with him, especially not with how Y/N was looking at him. “No, no, I'd like to stay if you do.”

“Sure,” she smiled. “I’ll stay.”

The two walked over to the bar to get a drink. Spencer had very rarely indulged in alcohol. Gideon had tried to introduce him to scotch, which he hated. Hotch had shown him whiskey, which wasn’t as bad but still too strong. Derek ordered him a Sex on the Beach that he really liked but was too embarrassed to order on his own. So he didn't know what he was going to do when the bartender looked at him.

“What will you have, miss?” the bartender asked Y/N.

“Just an appletini, please,” she replied. The bartender nodded and turned his attention to Spencer.

Spencer could feel his palms sweat as he ran over every drink he knew of. Y/N leaned over and asked, “Do you want me to order for you?”

Spencer nodded gratefully and whispered his order in her ear. Y/N pulled away, absolutely delighted. She told the bartender his drink before looking back to Spencer and saying, “At least ask me on a date first, you men are all the same,” teasing the poor red man.

Spencer blushed furiously but couldn’t help but laugh. “Thank you,” he said, his embarrassment mingling with amusement.

The bartender soon returned with their drinks—Y/N’s appletini and Spencer’s Sex on the Beach. Y/N handed Spencer his drink, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Here you go, pervert. Enjoy.”

Spencer blushed even more, laughing despite himself. “Thanks,” he said, taking a sip and feeling the sweet, fruity flavors calm his nerves.

They moved to a small table near the dance floor, the music a pleasant background to their conversation. Y/N sipped her drink and looked around, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.

“So, Dr. Reid,” she began, her tone playful, “what’s your favorite part about weddings?”

Spencer thought for a moment, a small smile forming on his lips. “Honestly, I’ve never been to a wedding before. Have you?”

Y/N nodded, her smile softening. “Yeah. I think my favorite part is the dancing. I’ve always wanted someone to swing me around the dance floor at a wedding, it looks so romantic.”

Spencer took note of what Y/N was saying, thinking that maybe he could be the one to dance her around tomorrow at the reception. “You know, I never said thank you,” Spencer said.

“For what?” Y/N tilted her head.

“For being nice to me, you and Adam both. You never laughed at me or made me feel weird for being so young and advanced.”

“Spencer…” Y/N said with a hint of questioning in her voice. “Why would we make fun of you for being smart? Oh ha ha, look at this guy, he knows way more than us.”

Spencer chuckled. “I know, but still, thank you.”

Y/N smiled warmly, reaching across the table to give his arm a reassuring squeeze. “You’re welcome, Spencer. You’ve always been special to us.”

Spencer felt his heart grow ten sizes at her words, 'us,' and the fact that Y/N remembered his aversion for touching hands. Screw Adam and Elizabeth, he’d marry Y/N tomorrow. Now, that might be a little dramatic, but whatever.

As Spencer and Y/N continued to catch up and enjoy each other's company, they also consumed more drinks. The alcohol birthed an idea in Y/N’s pretty head, quite a good one if she says so.

“Spencer,” she leaned in, her voice playful.

“Yes, ma'am,” he responded, also leaning in until their foreheads pressed together.

Y/N giggled before sharing her idea, “We should go swimming.”

“What? Where?” Spencer asked, bewildered.

“The hotel has a pool!” she exclaimed, her excitement infectious.

“Isn’t it closed by now?” Spencer asked, skeptical but intrigued.

“Nuh-uh,” she shook her head against his, her movement causing his glasses to brush against her eyebrows. “It’s open 24/7.”

Spencer was nervous; he knew Y/N liked to swim, but he wasn’t very good at it, not having done much swimming since his last summer with Adam. But he couldn’t say no to her, it would appear.

“Okay, let’s go,” he agreed, the decision making his heart race.

Y/N squealed in delight, grabbing Spencer by his bicep and dragging him behind her. She squeezed the muscle in her hand before wiggling her eyebrows at him and saying, “Wow, doctor, did you put on some muscle?”

Spencer blushed something fierce. “I had to, I’m in the FBI.”

“Ohh good, I’m gonna need a big strong man in case we get into danger,” Y/N teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Spencer felt like he already was in danger, but a kind he was willing to face.

—

Once at the pool, they were both relieved to find no one else there; it was pretty late after all. As they approached the water, Spencer suddenly realized a flaw in Y/N's plan.

“Y/N, wait,” he grabbed her arm. “What about swimsuits?”

She smirked at him and pulled her arm away before grabbing the hem of her dress and pulling it off. Spencer's eyes were as wide as saucers, hilariously magnified by his frames.

“Close your mouth, doctor. Wouldn't want you to catch flies,” she teased, and with that, she jumped into the pool.

As Y/N resurfaced, Spencer noticed her makeup was impressively intact, probably some of that new waterproof stuff they make. She swam over to the edge in front of Spencer before looking up at him with a gaze not unlike a siren luring in prey.

“Come on in, Spence. The water feels amazing,” she coaxed, her voice soft and inviting.

Spencer, under the influence of something much stronger than alcohol, started shedding his clothes down to his briefs. Y/N wolf-whistled once he had his shirt off, causing a full-body flush to take over him. As soon as he was down to his last article, he jumped into the water to avoid her staring any longer.

The cool water enveloped him, a refreshing contrast to the heat he felt under Y/N's gaze. He surfaced, pushing his hair back and adjusting his glasses, which had miraculously stayed on.

“There you are,” Y/N said, swimming over to him. “Isn’t this nice?”

“Yeah,” Spencer admitted, feeling a bit more at ease now that he was in the water. “It’s actually really nice.”

“Are you ready?” Y/N asked, her voice low and taunting, getting very close to Spencer in the water, their bodies almost touching.

Spencer felt like he was going to pass out. “Re–ready for what?”

“Race ya!” she exclaimed, and with that, she was off, swimming away with powerful strokes.

Spencer blinked, momentarily stunned by the sudden challenge. Then, with a determined look, he launched himself after her, his competitive spirit kicking in despite his nerves. The cool water rushed past him as he swam, his strokes becoming more confident as he pushed himself to keep up with Y/N.

She reached the far end of the pool first, touching the wall and turning to see Spencer still making his way towards her. She laughed, the sound echoing in the quiet night air.

“You’re slow, Dr. Reid!” she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Spencer reached the wall, panting but smiling. “Not all of us are part fish, Y/N.”

“Hey, I’m not that fast,” she said with a playful pout. “You did pretty well for someone who has never won a swimming race, ever.”

“Thanks,” Spencer replied, catching his breath. “But next time, I’ll beat you.”

“Oh, is that a challenge?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Maybe,” he said, feeling bolder. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

“I like when you get cocky, it suits you,” Y/N said, her voice dropping to a flirtatious purr as she swam closer to him, their bodies almost touching again.

Spencer's heart pounded in his chest. “Oh really? I didn’t know I had it in me.”

“There’s a lot you have in you, Spencer,” she replied, her eyes locking onto his with an intensity that made his breath catch. “Maybe you just need the right person to bring it out.”

“And who, um–who do you think that person is?” he asked, his voice trembling and nervous.

“Someone who,” she whispered, her lips just inches from his. “Would have se–”

“Hey! What are you two doing in here?” a security guard called out.

“Nothing!” Spencer yelped.

“Just leaving!” Y/N added quickly.

They scrambled out of the pool, grabbing their clothes and running down a hallway towards the elevators. Once they were safely inside one, they looked at each other and started laughing.

“I thought you said it was open all night!” Spencer exclaimed between breaths.

“I may have told a fib to get you to come swimming with me,” Y/N admitted, giving her best puppy dog eyes. “Are you mad at me, Spence?”

Spencer could see her hard nipples poking through the soaking wet, thin material of her bra and couldn’t find himself to be anything but aroused. “Uh, no, no. Not mad, that was fun.”

Y/N caught him looking but didn’t say anything. What man wouldn’t look at wet breasts right in his face?

“Yeah, it was,” she agreed, smiling. “Thanks for going with me.”

As Spencer looked up at the ceiling to avoid staring at Y/N’s half-naked body, she took her opportunity to glance down at his scantily concealed half hard bulge. She could see the entire outline through his wet, hot pink briefs.

“Never took you as a pink guy, doctor,” she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Spencer blushed fiercely, trying to cover himself with his clothes. “They were a gift,” he mumbled, embarrassed but unable to keep from smiling.

“Well, I think they suit you,” she said with a wink.

The elevator dinged, and they stepped out, making their way back to their room, still dripping wet and grinning from ear to ear. Once inside, they both burst out laughing again, the adrenaline from their escapade still coursing through them.

“Here,” Y/N said, grabbing a couple of towels from the bathroom and tossing one to Spencer. “Dry off before you catch a cold.”

“Thanks,” he replied, wrapping the towel around himself. “I can’t believe we just did that.”

“Me neither,” she admitted, toweling off her hair. “But it was worth it.”

Spencer nodded, his heart still racing. “Yeah, it was.”

They both stood there for a moment, wrapped in towels and basking in the afterglow of their impromptu adventure. The tension between them was palpable, but so was the camaraderie and affection.

“Well,” Y/N said finally, breaking the silence. “I guess we should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Spencer agreed reluctantly, not wanting the evening to end. “Uh, do you want to shower first?”

“Thanks, Spencer,” Y/N nodded her head and grabbed her things.

The next 10 minutes were the hardest, literally, of Spencer's entire life. Knowing Y/N was naked and wet on the other side of the door was pure torture. He could hear the water running, imagine the steam filling the room, and envision her silhouette behind the shower curtain. When Y/N cracked open the bathroom door and peeked her head out, Spencer sat up faster than ever before, super not obvious at all.

“Sorry… I kind of forgot to bring any clothes in, so I need to come out in my towel. Is that okay?” she asked, her cheeks slightly flushed.

“Ye–yeah. Mhm,” he cleared his throat, trying to sound nonchalant. “That’s totally fine, no big deal. Why would I care?”

“Okay, weirdo,” Y/N looked at him skeptically, a playful glint in her eye. “Bathroom’s all yours.”

Spencer nodded and waited until Y/N was facing her suitcase to make a break for it, sprinting to the bathroom so she didn't see his very prominent boner tenting his pants. Y/N turned around quickly at the sound of the bathroom door slamming, finding his behavior odd.

In the shower, Spencer turned the water to cold and willed his erection away. The icy water was a shock to his system, but he needed it to calm down. He had not indulged much in self-pleasure and had certainly never seen as much of a woman as he saw today, let alone been touched by one. Eventually, it did go down, and he got out, only to realize he hadn't brought a towel. Of fucking course.

Spencer was now the one sticking his head out of the crack he made in the doorway, “Y/N…?”

“Yeah, Spencer, what’s up?” she called back, now sitting in the bed.

“I, um, forgot a towel,” he admitted, feeling his face heat up again.

“Oh shit, let me grab yours,” Y/N replied, getting up and walking over to his bag to retrieve the towel.

“Thanks,” he muttered, trying to make himself as small as possible behind the door.

When Y/N walked over to hand the towel to Spencer, she couldn’t help but immediately break into giggles.

“Oh, that’s what every guy wants to hear. What is it?” Spencer asked, mortified, his head barely poking out from behind the door.

“I’m sorry,” she gasped between laughs, “it’s just that I can see your butt in the mirror.”

Completely horrified, Spencer slammed the door shut and banged his head on it. “Can we please forget about this?” he groaned, his face burning with embarrassment.

“Absolutely not! You have the cutest ass I’ve ever seen!” Y/N called out, her laughter echoing through the room.

Spencer felt his face burn even more as he dried off and quickly dressed. When he emerged from the bathroom, he avoided eye contact with Y/N, who was still chuckling softly, a wide grin on her face.

“Ready for bed?” she asked, a playful glint in her eye, clearly still amused by the situation.

“Yeah,” Spencer mumbled, trying to hide his embarrassment as he climbed into his side of the bed.

They settled into their respective sides, the awkwardness from the bathroom incident lingering but slowly giving way to a more comfortable silence.

“Goodnight, Spencer,” Y/N said softly, turning off the bedside lamp and snuggling under the covers.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” he replied, settling into his pillow and trying to calm his racing thoughts.

As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, Spencer couldn’t help but smile. Despite the awkward moments and his own nervousness, he felt a warmth in his chest that he hadn’t felt since that last summer. This weekend, for all its surprises, was turning out to be something special. And as he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.

— 

When the room’s phone began ringing with a wake-up call in the morning, both Y/N and Spencer groaned at being woken up. Y/N stuck her arm out, grabbed the phone, and hung it up to stop the sound rattling in her head. Much to her surprise and gratitude, she was not hungover, just very tired. She went to roll over to go back to sleep when she noticed her body was being restricted by multiple different body parts, none of which belonged to her.

Spencer had one arm around her waist, his other beneath his head, one leg on her hip, and the other between both of her legs. The man had wrapped himself around her like a human octopus. He was also awake, not having slept through the wake-up call, but was paralyzed out of fear or embarrassment, maybe both.

Y/N felt him tense up and his breathing grow rapid, signaling that he was awake. “Well, good morning to you too, Dr. Reid. Or is it Doc Ock?” she teased, her voice still heavy with sleep.

“Ha ha, very funny,” Spencer mumbled, his face burning with embarrassment.

“I know I am, thank you,” Y/N said, a smirk playing on her lips.

They lay in silence for a few more moments, both of them thoroughly enjoying the feeling of the other's body pressed against their own.

“So, not that I'm complaining, but were you planning on letting me go anytime soon?” Y/N asked, amusement evident in her tone.

“Oh god, yes. I'm so sorry,” Spencer said, hurriedly trying to disentangle himself. In his haste, he managed to rub his morning wood against Y/N’s ass.

“Jesus, Reid! Any of your other body parts you want to touch me with?” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

“No, nope. Actually, I think I'm just going to open the window and jump out. I think the 15 floors will kill me,” he said, his voice muffled from behind his hands that were hiding his extremely red face.

Y/N laughed softly, reaching out to gently pull his hands away from his face. “Hey, it’s okay. It happens,” she said, her tone reassuring. “No need to jump out the window.”

Spencer looked at her, still blushing but grateful for her understanding. “Thanks, Y/N. I’m really sorry about that.”

She shrugged, giving him a playful smile. “It’s all part of the fun, right? Besides, I’d miss having you around.”

Spencer managed a small smile, feeling a bit better. “I’d miss you too.”

They lay there for a moment longer, the initial awkwardness giving way to a comfortable silence. Until Y/N, unable to resist tormenting Spencer, said, “Did you want a hand with that?”

“What??” he half-squeaked, half-screamed.

Y/N threw her head back, laughing hard in the early morning light shining in.

“You’re so mean,” Spencer muttered, his face a deep shade of red.

“Aww, did you really want me to?” she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“I’m not answering that,” he replied, trying to sound stern but failing miserably.

“All in good time, young grasshopper,” Y/N said, patting his arm playfully.

Spencer, rolling his eyes and unable to stand Y/N’s antics any longer, got out of bed to get ready for the day. He needed coffee, and maybe 50,000 shots of alcohol. What he failed to consider was that he was still hard, in loose gray sweats, and that he was sharing a room with Y/N, the worst person, ever.

“Whoa baby! I didn’t realize you were holding out on me! Get back here!” Y/N called out, patting the bed and laughing even harder.

Spencer, mortified, ran to the bathroom, his face burning with embarrassment. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, trying to calm his racing heart. The cold shower earlier had been nothing compared to the icy plunge he felt now, thanks to Y/N’s relentless teasing.

Inside the bathroom, he took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself. He couldn’t deny that a part of him enjoyed the playful banter, but another part of him was utterly overwhelmed by the intensity of his feelings. He needed to collect himself and face the day, starting with a much-needed cup of coffee.

Back in the room, Y/N was still chuckling to herself, thoroughly amused by Spencer's reactions. She began getting ready, her thoughts drifting to the upcoming events of the day and the unexpected pleasure of Spencer’s company. Despite her teasing, she was genuinely glad he was there.

As Spencer emerged from the bathroom, now somewhat composed, he glanced at Y/N, who was busy with her morning routine. “Truce?” he offered, a tentative smile on his lips.

“Truce,” Y/N agreed, smiling back at him. “For now.”

They both laughed, the tension easing as they continued preparing for the day ahead. The morning light filled the room, promising a day full of possibilities and perhaps, a few more moments of unexpected connection.

—

The morning sun cast a warm glow over the vineyard as Y/N and Spencer wandered through the charming village, the scent of grapes and fresh earth filling the air. They didn’t have much to do in preparation for the wedding, so they decided to venture out in search of coffee. The village was picturesque, with cobblestone streets, quaint shops, and inviting cafés.

As they strolled, chatting about old memories and catching up, they suddenly found themselves face-to-face with a woman Y/N recognized all too well. Christa, one of the girls who used to bully Spencer in high school, stood before them. Adam had warned Y/N about all the mean girls and boys, just in case they had any younger siblings at the school.

“Oh my god! No way! It’s the baby freak and boarding school!” Christa exclaimed, her voice dripping with mock surprise and disdain.

Spencer immediately tensed, the old nickname hitting him like a punch to the gut. He hadn’t been called that in years. Y/N, feeling a surge of protectiveness, stepped forward.

“Christa!” Y/N exclaimed with a bright, exaggerated smile, moving in for an overly enthusiastic hug that left Christa visibly uncomfortable. Christa awkwardly patted Y/N’s back, clearly thrown off by the unexpected embrace.

“Uh, hi,” Christa muttered, her confidence wavering.

“How are you? What has it been, 15 years? You don’t look a day over 40,” Y/N said cheerfully.

“I’m 30,” Christa replied, her tone icy.

“Oh… well, sunscreen is your best friend!” Y/N said, her voice dripping with false innocence.

Christa’s face twisted in offense, while Spencer struggled to hide his laughter behind a cough.

“Baby freak… you look exactly the same. Still scaring everyone away with your freaky genius powers?” Christa sneered, her eyes narrowing at Spencer.

“I–uh, no, I–” Spencer stammered, the old insecurities rushing back.

“Spencer, here,” Y/N said, emphasizing his name, “is not a baby, maybe compared to the looks of you. And he is not a freak, unless you want to talk about more private matters, but judging by the turn of your nose and the stick up your ass, I’m going to go ahead and assume you have no idea what I’m talking about. How long has it been since a real human touched you?”

Christa was speechless, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to come up with a retort. Finally, she sneered, “I bet Spencer’s never been touched by a human ever.”

Spencer looked down, his face turning red with embarrassment, feeling like the insecure 12-year-old all over again.

“Really? Like this?” Y/N said, pulling Spencer down into a kiss before Christa could say another word.

The kiss was brief but intense, and when Y/N pulled back, Spencer’s eyes were wide with surprise, his cheeks flushed. Christa stood there, stunned and utterly speechless, unable to come up with a reply.

Y/N turned back to Christa with a triumphant smile. “Awe, Christa, you look like a fish. Never speak to me or my boyfriend ever again, okay? Okay, sweetie. So good to see you!”

With that, Y/N took Spencer’s arm and led him away, leaving Christa standing in the middle of the street, fuming and defeated.

As they walked away, Spencer glanced over at Y/N, his heart still racing from the unexpected kiss. “Thank you,” he said softly.

Y/N squeezed his arm gently, a warm smile on her face. “Anytime, Spencer. You deserve better than people like her.”

They continued their walk, the tension from the encounter melting away as they enjoyed each other’s company, feeling closer than ever before. The weekend had taken another unexpected turn, but this time, it was for the better.

—

After grabbing their coffee, Spencer and Y/N realized they still had plenty of time before they had to start getting ready for the wedding. The charm of Napa Valley beckoned, and they decided to indulge in one of the region’s finest offerings: wine tasting. The idea seemed perfect, a way to enjoy the beautiful vineyard and create some new memories.

They made their way back to the vineyard and signed up for a tour. As they strolled through the rows of grapevines, Y/N kept her hand looped around Spencer's arm. It felt natural, a comforting closeness that neither of them felt the need to mention. The guide led them through the process of winemaking, from grape to glass, sharing interesting tidbits and answering questions.

Once the tour concluded, they were led to a private table on one of the many balconies the vineyard’s main building had to offer. The view was breathtaking, with rolling hills and endless rows of vines stretching out under the clear blue sky. A tasting flight of wine was set before them, each glass glistening with rich, inviting hues.

Y/N took a sip from the first glass, savoring the flavor before turning to Spencer. “So… about earlier,” she began, her voice soft.

Spencer nodded, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass. “Yeah. That was… unexpected.”

“I’m sorry if I overstepped,” Y/N said, looking at him earnestly. “I just couldn’t stand her talking to you like that.”

Spencer shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “You didn’t overstep. It was… nice. Surprising, but nice. No one’s ever stood up for me like that before.”

Y/N blushed slightly, taking another sip of her wine. “Well, you deserved it. She was horrible.”

Spencer glanced at her, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with the wine. “Thank you, Y/N. For everything. It’s been a long time since I felt… protected.”

Y/N smiled, her eyes twinkling. “You’re welcome. And for what it’s worth, you could have handled it really well all on your own. I just… wanted to make sure she knew she couldn’t mess with you.”

Spencer chuckled, relaxing more as he took a sip from his glass. “You definitely made that clear.”

They continued their tasting, discussing the nuances of each wine, but the earlier conversation had brought them even closer. The view, the wine, and the company made for a perfect moment, one that felt both nostalgic and new.

As they moved through the tasting flight, they found themselves laughing and reminiscing about old times, the tension from the earlier encounter long forgotten. The vineyard, with its serene beauty, provided the perfect backdrop for reconnecting, and they both felt a sense of peace and happiness that had been missing for too long.

Y/N looked out over the balcony, her hand still resting lightly on Spencer's arm. “I’m glad we’re here,” she said softly. “I’ve missed this.”

“Me too,” Spencer replied, his voice equally soft. “It’s like coming home.”

They clinked their glasses together, a silent toast to new beginnings and cherished memories. The weekend held more surprises, but for now, they were content to simply enjoy each other’s company, letting the wine and the moment carry them away.

“Speaking of home… do you think you’d ever come back?” Y/N asked, her voice tinged with vulnerability.

“To Las Vegas?” Spencer replied, looking at her curiously.

“Yeah,” Y/N said, feeling somewhat hopeful.

Spencer took a moment, thinking it over. “I’ve never thought about it, really.”

“Oh, I guess if I left, I wouldn’t want to come back either,” Y/N said, a hint of sadness creeping into her tone.

“Y/N… it’s not that. There’s just nothing there for me anymore.”

“Yeah, nothing,” she said bitterly, sipping her wine.

“No, no, no. That’s not what I meant,” Spencer said quickly, his eyes wide with concern.

“It’s okay, Spencer. You don’t have to pretend. We haven’t talked in over a decade. I can’t blame you,” Y/N said, looking down at her glass.

“Y/N–” Spencer began, but she cut him off.

“I’m going to head back and get ready. Can you give me an hour alone, please?” she asked, her voice strained.

“Yeah, of course,” Spencer said softly, his heart sinking.

Y/N stood up, giving him a small, tight smile before walking away. Spencer watched her go, feeling a pang of regret. He hadn’t meant to hurt her, and now he felt the weight of their years apart more heavily than ever. He sat there for a moment longer, staring out at the vineyard, before deciding to take a walk to clear his mind.

The serene beauty of the vineyard provided some solace, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Y/N. He realized how much he had missed her, how much he had missed having someone who understood him. The years had created a distance between them, but he hoped that this weekend could be a step towards bridging that gap.

As he wandered back to the room an hour later, he knocked softly on the door, giving Y/N the space she had asked for. He hoped they could find a way to reconnect, to rebuild the bond they once had. The weekend was far from over, and he was determined to make things right.

— 

By the time the ceremony rolled around, Y/N and Spencer hadn't talked yet but took their seats next to each other. Spencer tried to apologize again, but Y/N brushed him off, telling him it was okay. The ceremony was beautiful and didn't drag on too long. Y/N cried, and Spencer put his arm around her shoulders, letting her cry on him.

They took their seats for dinner after, being seated again with her parents and close family. Though her parents weren't there for the rehearsal dinner, they were now. Spencer was extremely nervous, having never gotten a good read on Y/N and Adam's parents before. All he knew was that they shipped their young children off to boarding school and then left them home with hired staff more often than not.

As the first course was being served, Y/N's mother eyed Spencer with a mix of curiosity and disapproval. “Y/N, who is this man you brought?” she asked, her tone sharp.

Y/N took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Mother, this is Spencer Reid. He grew up with us, don’t you remember?”

Her mother pursed her lips, shaking her head. “No.”

“I’m not surprised,” Y/N muttered under her breath.

Her father, catching the exchange, leaned in. “Watch your tone, that’s your mother.”

“I’m 24,” Y/N said, her voice steady but strained.

“And you’re still our child,” her father retorted.

“I’ve been financially independent since I was 18. What are you going to do? Take my salad fork?” Y/N shot back, her frustration evident.

Her parents rolled their eyes in unison. “No wonder it’s your brother getting married and not you,” her mother sneered. “You were always so bitter. Determined to hold grudges.”

Y/N’s mouth dropped open, ready to fire back, but Spencer quickly intervened. “Actually, Y/N and I have been together for what, 2 years, darling?” he said, his voice smooth and confident.

Y/N was momentarily stunned, but then a wicked smile crept across her face. “Yes, baby. And that present you gave me for our anniversary was so… sensual. I can still feel it,” she said, biting her lip for effect.

Spencer tried to contain his laughter, his eyes dancing with amusement as he looked at Y/N. 

Her mother’s face turned a deep shade of red. “Y/N L/N! You are incorrigible.”

Y/N shrugged, unfazed. “I don’t care,” she said, a defiant glint in her eye.

The table fell into an awkward silence, but Spencer felt a sense of triumph. He had managed to diffuse the situation and even brought a smile to Y/N’s face. As the dinner progressed, they exchanged knowing glances, each feeling a little more at ease despite the tension surrounding them.

As soon as people were encouraged to get up from their tables, Y/N and Spencer shot up. Their first stop was the open bar, both needing a drink after enduring a whole dinner with her parents.

“Can we get an appletini and a sex on the beach?” Spencer ordered, his voice only shaking slightly.

“Spence!” Y/N yelled, hitting his arm playfully. “I’m so proud of you!”

He smiled to himself, feeling a sense of accomplishment. They stood at the bar, sipping their drinks as they observed the crowd. The lively atmosphere was a welcome contrast to the tension they had just experienced. Y/N’s eyes were on the couples dancing, and Spencer remembered what she had said earlier about wanting someone to swing her around the dance floor.

“Do you want to dance?” Spencer asked, turning to her.

“Oh no, it’s okay. I know you don’t like to dance,” Y/N replied, her gaze lingering on the dance floor.

“Y/N… I want to dance with you. Do you want to dance with me?” Spencer asked, his eyes earnest.

“Yes, very much,” Y/N said, her face lighting up with a smile.

Spencer set his drink down and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor. The music was a soft, romantic melody, perfect for a slow dance. As they found a spot, Spencer placed his hands gently on her waist, and Y/N wrapped her arms around his neck. They swayed to the music, the world around them fading as they focused on each other.

“I can’t believe I’m finally doing this,” Y/N said softly, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Me neither,” Spencer replied, his voice equally soft. “I’m glad it’s with you.”

Y/N’s eyes were shining. “You’ve always been special to me, Spencer.”

He smiled, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. “You too, Y/N.”

Her heart raced at his bold gesture, not expecting such a move from Spencer. They stayed on the dance floor for a few more songs, enjoying the moment and the connection that had been rekindled. Eventually, Spencer took Y/N's hand and led her away from the floor.

“Spence… you’re holding my hand,” Y/N said, glancing down at their intertwined fingers.

“I am,” Spencer replied, his voice steady.

“You don’t do that,” she pointed out, her heart still fluttering.

“I don’t,” he agreed, looking at her with a small smile.

“But you are,” she continued, her eyes searching his.

“Right again,” Spencer said, his smile widening.

“Why?” Y/N asked, her voice barely a whisper.

“Because I like you,” Spencer admitted, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity she hadn’t seen before.

Y/N felt her breath catch, her heart pounding in her chest. “You… you like me?”

Spencer nodded, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. “Yes, Y/N. I like you. I guess I was just too afraid to admit it before.”

A smile slowly spread across Y/N's face, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I like you too, Spencer. I always have, since we were kids.”

Spencer's face lit up with relief and happiness. “Really?”

“Really,” Y/N confirmed, squeezing his hand.

They stood there for a moment, the noise of the party fading into the background as they gazed at each other. The years of separation and unspoken feelings seemed to melt away, leaving only the warmth of their rekindled connection.

“Do you want to get some fresh air?” Spencer asked, his voice soft.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Y/N replied, her smile never wavering.

They walked hand in hand out to the vineyard’s garden, the night air cool and refreshing. The walk through the garden was very much reminiscent of the last time they saw each other. The path was lined with twinkling lights, casting a soft glow over the grapevines and flowers.

“Did you really not know I liked you all those years ago? I was so obvious. I did everything to get your attention,” Y/N said, breaking the comfortable silence.

“No, I really didn’t know. I just thought you were really nice!” Spencer replied, his brow furrowing in surprise.

“And you liked Adam,” Y/N stated, a hint of a teasing smile on her lips.

“I–I, what??” Spencer stammered, caught off guard.

“It’s okay, Spence, he doesn’t know,” Y/N said, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

Spencer let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “You knew?”

“Of course I knew. I could see it in the way you looked at him. It’s fine, really,” Y/N said, her voice gentle.

Spencer looked at her, his eyes filled with a mix of embarrassment and relief. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make things awkward back then.”

Y/N shook her head, her smile softening. “You didn’t. I just wish I had known how to tell you how I felt. I was always so nervous around you.”

Spencer smiled, feeling a warmth spread through him. “I was nervous around you too. I didn’t know how to handle my feelings. I guess we were both a bit clueless.”

They laughed together, the sound carrying through the quiet night. As they continued their walk, the memories of the past seemed to blend with the present, creating a sense of closure and a new beginning.

“Do you think things would have been different if we had talked about it back then?” Spencer asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Maybe,” Y/N said thoughtfully. “But we were just kids, and you had so much ahead of you.”

Spencer nodded, feeling content with her answer. They reached a bench under a large oak tree and sat down, the stars twinkling above them. Y/N leaned her head on Spencer’s shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.

“I would move back home,” Spencer said softly.

“What?” Y/N asked, her voice filled with warmth and curiosity.

“I would move back home,” Spencer repeated, his voice steady. “If it meant being with you eventually. I’d come back to Las Vegas.”

Y/N lifted her head to look at him, her eyes wide with surprise and emotion. “Spencer, you don’t have to do that for me. We aren’t even dating.”

“I know,” he said, gently cupping her cheek with his hand. “But I want to. You were always like home to me, Y/N. Being with you feels right.”

“I would never ask you to give up your job; you worked so hard to get there,” Y/N shook her head.

“But I—”

“Stop,” Y/N interrupted, pulling away from his touch. Her heart raced, and she felt a wave of panic wash over her. “This is too much, Spencer. We’ve just reconnected, and now you’re talking about uprooting your entire life for me. It’s overwhelming.”

Spencer’s face fell, his hand dropping to his side. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I didn’t mean to pressure you. I just wanted you to know how important you are to me.”

Y/N took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. “I appreciate that, really. But we need to take things slow. I need time to process all of this.”

Spencer nodded, though the disappointment was clear in his eyes. “Of course. I understand. We’ll take it slow.”

There was an awkward silence between them, the weight of their conversation hanging heavily in the air. Y/N felt a mix of guilt and relief, unsure of how to navigate the intense emotions swirling inside her.

After a few moments, Spencer spoke again, his voice soft. “I’m sorry if I overwhelmed you. I just care about you a lot.”

Y/N managed a small smile, her heart aching. “I care about you too, Spencer. But let’s just see where things go, okay?”

“Okay,” he agreed, though the tension between them remained palpable.

They spent the rest of the evening in a subdued silence, both lost in their thoughts. Y/N couldn’t shake the feeling of unease, and she wondered if she had made a mistake. But she also knew she needed to follow her instincts and not rush into anything that didn’t feel right.

That night, the walk back to their room was a silent torture. Each step felt heavier than the last, the air thick with unspoken words and lingering tension. Spencer desperately wanted to fix things, but he didn’t know how.

When they finally reached their room, Y/N wordlessly grabbed a pillow and placed it between their bodies on the bed, creating a physical barrier that mirrored the emotional distance between them. The gesture was small, but it felt like a chasm had opened up.

Spencer lay on his side, staring at the wall, his heart aching. He wanted to reach out, to hold her, to reassure her, but he couldn’t bring himself to cross that line. The fear of pushing her further away was paralyzing.

What was far worse, was when Spencer woke up to an empty bed and an empty hotel room. Panic set in as he called out her name, hoping she was just in the bathroom or getting breakfast. But there was no response.

The reality of the situation hit him hard. Once again, he had managed to lose one of the only people who ever felt like home. The weight of that loss settled in his chest, making it hard to breathe. He sat on the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands, trying to make sense of what had gone wrong.

The silence of the room was deafening, and the loneliness was overwhelming. Spencer knew he had to find a way to make things right, but at that moment, he felt utterly lost and alone.

—

Downstairs, Spencer was checking out when he heard a familiar voice call his name. He turned around to see Adam bounding towards him.

“Hey buddy!” Adam, as broad as ever, swept him into a hug, picking him up in his excitement.

“Whoa! Hi!” Spencer laughed, caught off guard by the enthusiastic greeting.

“How are you? Thank you so much for coming. I’m sorry it’s been so crazy, I can’t believe I almost missed you!”

“Yeah, hah. Glad I ran into you,” Spencer replied, trying to keep his composure despite the turmoil inside.

Adam, unaware of Spencer's inner turmoil, continued with a big grin, “So, I heard you had to bunk with old Petit Chou.”

“Y/N? Yeah, I did,” Spencer replied, the nickname bringing back a wave of memories.

“How was it? Was it like old times?” Adam asked, his tone cheerful and curious.

“Um, no, not really. We got along a lot better,” Spencer admitted, a small, sad smile forming on his lips.

“Oh, you dog! Did you sleep with my sister?” Adam's tone was teasing, but he looked extremely pleased.

Spencer's eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head. “No, no, nothing like that. We just... caught up.”

Adam laughed, clapping Spencer on the back. “Well, I’m glad you two reconnected. She always had a soft spot for you, you know.”

Spencer forced a smile, trying to push away the sadness. “Yeah, me too. She’s... she’s great.”

“Eh, I wouldn’t go that far,” Adam teased in a big brotherly fashion.

“So, I thought you’d be gone by now on your honeymoon?” Spencer asked.

“Oh no, Lizzie wanted to have some time as newlyweds in our house first. You know, get settled in, put all the presents away and such before we leave. She really thinks everything through,” Adam explained, love evident in the way he talked about Elizabeth.

“She sounds wonderful. I’m so happy for you, man,” Spencer said sincerely.

“Thank you, little dude. Are there any lucky ladies in your life? Lucky lads?” Adam asked, raising an eyebrow playfully.

“Huh, no,” Spencer replied, shaking his head.

“Dude, you should have totally made a move on Y/N! She yapped about you for years after you left. When I told her you were gonna be here, she practically threw away her suitcase and bought all new clothes, wanting to make a good impression or something,” Adam said with a grin.

“What?” Spencer choked, his eyes widening in surprise.

“Yeah, man, she had it baddd. It was kind of cute,” Adam chuckled.

“Oh, I had no idea,” Spencer said, feeling a little bit of shock and regret.

“Well, if you’re ever in Vegas, you know who to call,” Adam said, clapping Spencer on the back.

“Yeah... where are you living nowadays?” Spencer asked, trying to shift the conversation.

“Georgia! Met sweet little Lizzie at Florida State and followed her home after graduation. Never left,” Adam replied, his eyes shining with happiness.

“That’s great, Adam. I’m really happy for you,” Spencer said, genuinely pleased for his friend.

“Thanks, man. And seriously, don’t be a stranger. If you’re ever in the area, you’ve got a place to stay,” Adam said, giving Spencer another friendly hug.

As they finished checking out, Spencer’s mind raced with thoughts of Y/N. He needed to talk to her, to clear the air and understand what had gone wrong. But for now, he was grateful for the brief distraction that Adam had provided. It gave him a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to make things right.

—

Y/N went back home, feeling the weight of the weekend pressing heavily on her. She barely had time to sit down and process everything when her best friend and roommate, Billie, showed up at her bedroom door, armed with snacks and drinks.

“Hey, thought you could use some company,” Billie said, giving Y/N a warm hug as they entered.

“Thanks, Billie,” Y/N replied, her voice tinged with sadness.

They settled on the couch, surrounded by an array of comfort food and drinks. Billie opened a bag of chips and handed it to Y/N. “So, tell me everything.”

Y/N sighed, taking a deep breath before recounting the events of the weekend. She told Billie about reconnecting with Spencer, the intense emotions, and the difficult conversation that left her feeling lost and confused.

“I feel so silly,” Y/N said, heaving a big sigh. “Mourning something I can’t have. We live on opposite sides of the country. How would it ever work?”

Billie reached over, giving Y/N’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s not silly at all. Feelings don’t follow logic. You’re allowed to feel sad, even if it seems impractical.”

“I just... I really thought maybe we could make it work,” Y/N said, her voice breaking.

“Hey, you never know what the future holds. Maybe things will change, or maybe you’ll find a way to be together despite the distance,” Billie said, their tone comforting.

“But what if we don’t? What if it’s just not meant to be?” Y/N asked, her eyes searching Billie’s for answers.

“Then it's not, you can't control what's out of your hands,” Billie said, offering a comforting smile.

Y/N nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. They spent the rest of the evening talking, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. While the ache in Y/N’s heart didn’t completely disappear, she felt a sense of peace over the situation.

— 

Spencer wanted to reach out to Y/N, knowing he couldn't even use the excuse of not having her phone number—one of his best friends could hack the Pentagon for fun if she wanted. But he didn’t want to face the rejection he had a feeling would be coming his way. He knew it was impractical: his job was demanding, they lived nowhere near each other, and on top of that, they didn’t even know if they would work. Maybe the magic between them only existed in the air of the wedding.

They went weeks in radio silence, both resigning to move on. They had gone 12 years without each other; they could handle some more. That is until Spencer found something in one of his luggage pockets. He was repacking his go-bag after returning from a case when he opened a pocket that he did not often use, planning to put a fresh pack of gum in there.

He quickly took the note out and opened it, seeing it was in handwriting that he didn’t recognize. His heart skipped a beat as he began to read:

Spencer,

I’m sorry for leaving unannounced. I truly loved seeing you this weekend. It was wonderful to catch up after so long apart and to see that you are still the same sweet, loving guy. I hope you never change.

I left without saying goodbye because of my own issues, not because of anything you said or did. Please understand that. You mean so much to me, and I would hate to jeopardize our friendship over something silly like this.

If you’re ever in Vegas, you always have a place to stay.

Y/N

[victoryverse]

crying screaming begging the lord himself for this-

imagine simon has a wife, he been had a wife, a military so and so who ranks wayyyyy above him -

she visits the base and everyone’s treating her with the utmost respect and formality until she passes simon who js,, casually offers her a cigarette, like ???? as if she’s not super massive important formal person number one ?

i’m here for the shock and awe,, everyone just being so completely caught off guard by them

“wh whahbwhh wh?????!!!!???”

“oh yea that’s my wife btw”

y/n riley

i really liked this idea anon >.< thank you for sending this!!! hope you like this <33

. . .

Simon Ghost Riley, the infamous and elusive member of Task Force 141, had always been a mystery to his team. He was a man of few words, a deadly sniper with a dark past, and someone who could disappear without a trace. But what his team didn't know was that behind the tough exterior, Simon had a soft spot for one special person - his wife, Y/n.

Y/n was a high-ranking military officer, a woman who had worked her way up the ranks with her intelligence, bravery, and unwavering dedication to her country. She and Simon had met during a classified mission, and it was love at first sight. Despite their dangerous jobs and the constant threat of danger, they had managed to build a strong and loving relationship.

But their love was a secret, known only to a select few in the military. So when Y/n decided to surprise Simon by visiting him at the base, the reactions of his teammates were nothing short of comical.

As she walked through the base, every soldier and officer stood at attention, saluting her as she passed by. Even Captain Price, known for his stoic demeanor, couldn't help but gape at the sight of her. But it was Simon's reaction that was the most surprising.

As Y/n approached him, Simon casually took out a cigarette and offered her one. The other soldiers were stunned, their mouths hanging open in disbelief. Did Ghost just offer a cigarette to a high-ranking officer? But Y/n just smiled and took the cigarette, her eyes never leaving Simon's.

The team was in shock as Simon and Y/n walked hand in hand, laughing and talking as if they were the only ones in the base. Even Soap, who had always been the closest to Simon, couldn't believe his eyes.

'Wh-what is going on here?' he stuttered, looking at his teammates for an explanation.

'I have no idea,' replied Konig, equally confused.

But as Simon and Y/n approached them, they all snapped back to attention, saluting Y/n as she stood by Simon's side.

'Boys, this is my wife, Y/n,' Simon said with a proud smile.

The team couldn't believe their ears. Simon Ghost Riley, the man of mystery, had a wife? And not just any wife, but a high-ranking military officer?

Y/n greeted them all with a warm smile, introducing herself and making them feel at ease. As they all sat down to chat, they couldn't help but ask about their relationship.

'How did you guys meet?' asked Soap, still in shock.

Simon and Y/n shared a look before Simon spoke up. 'We met during a mission in Afghanistan. Y/n was part of a team sent to assist us, and let's just say, she caught my eye.'

The team was in awe of their love story, and as they listened to them talk and laugh, they realized that Simon was a completely different person when he was with Y/n. He was happy, carefree, and even cracked a few jokes.

As the day went on, the team got to know Y/n better and realized that she was not just a high-ranking officer but also a kind, down-to-earth person. And as they saw the love and affection between Simon and Y/n, they couldn't help but feel happy for them.

From that day on, Y/n became a regular visitor at the base, and the team welcomed her with open arms. She brought a new light to their lives, and they were grateful to have her as part of their family.

And as for Simon, he had found his true partner in life, someone who understood and accepted him for who he was. He knew that with Y/n by his side, he could face any mission and come back home to her.

Their love story may have started amid chaos, but it had blossomed into a beautiful and unbreakable bond. And for Simon Ghost Riley, there was nothing more valuable than the love of his life, his wife Y/n.

. . .

tags: @ilovehobi101

[simp-ly-writes]

Love is Blind

─────── · · A Smosh FanFic

Pairing: Spencer Agnew x gn!Reader

─ · · SUMMARY: Smosh Games is making another title in the smash hit board game series, love is blind, but is it all fun and games- or will you actually end up winning something worth a lot more?

─ · · TAGS: gender-neutral pronouns, super tooth-rotting fluff, part social media au, suggestive themes, attempt at humour, a bit chaotic but the vibes are there.

─ · · MASTERLIST | TAGLIST REQUEST | WORDCOUNT: 1,570

─ · · A/N: let us all thank the anon that sent this request it! 😊

─────── · ·

"Hello everyone and welcome to the Smosh Games channel today we will be finding out is definitively, is love truly blind? And as you can all see, I am joined here with (name), Amanda, Arasha, Olivia, Spencer, Chance, and Trevor for the first time in this shows history!" Angela introduces the viewer as you all way and cheer for Trevor who hides behind his wine glass with a playful smile.

"How are we all feeling today?" Angela asks the table and Amanda leads first. "Heyyyy, My names Amanda I'm 25 and my friends told me to come on this show. I ummmm, am from New York, yaaa! And I love to party, I work as a marketing assistant!"

"Hi, I'm Olivia, 44, I was told we win money on this show-?" Amanda leans over whispering a loud no, and you laugh as her shoulder drop. "Well, I was going to be on this show to win but now I'm just here for the drama and if I find love, great, whatever- I work as a scientist, can make more money."

"Hello, Name's Trevor and I work in digital media, I-uh am 20-something and love to cook!"

"Its Arasha and I am 20, this is being filmed and Europe so don't you dare take this glass away from me! I work in Digital media as well and if my first date is a walk on the beach, just know that there won't be a second date, m-kay?"

"Sup, I'm straight-Chance and you all have no-chance if I'm the other one in a love triangle. I am 22 and work as an actor, catch me in films you never knew about!"

"I'm Angela, 50, sales, have been divorced thrice and am looking for my fourth special-someone."

"Ummm, hi? I'm (name) i'm (age), and work also in Digital Media. I-uh love table-top games and yeah"

"Hi, I'm Spencer, 33, and also love table-top gaming..." You and Spencer both look at one another with a smile before looking towards Angela as she quickly goes over the rules and the game commences.

─────── · ·

Early on, you were not matching with anyone and that was making you nervous. Sure it was a silly game in all but you were competitive nonetheless and seeing as Olivia, Amanda, and Chance all had multiple connections while you had one and nearly a half, you knew that your odds didn't look great.

"Okay!" it was your turn to read out a question card. "For a date I would: A. Rather stay inside, B. Go out to Dinner. C. Go for a Walk-"

"Fuck the walk," Olivia slammed her card down before you could even show your decision, the cast erupted with laughter as you didn't bat an eyelash and turned over your card. "I said A. Stay Inside. I was thinking we could have a movie night at home or just order in. More intimate that way," you explain. Suddenly feeling the reality of the game come to life as you nervously waited on your peers answers.

"the results are in and only one A... hm" you commented, checking it off on your card with a small from. This unknown person was really running away with your scorecard, only one more point and you could propose- potentially winning the game. It was time to lock it in.

Round after round, question after question, you and this person were connecting effortlessly, it even had you questioning if you had both broken the game by how in-sync your answers were. So much so that the other members of cast started wiggling their eyebrows in your direction as your cheeks warmed.

"Okay guys! Its only just a game but a game I do intend to win!"

─────── · ·

So focused on creating a strategy to match your unknown match, you were none the wiser to Angela calling out your name multiple times.

"C'mon you are sounding like my ex-wives, never listening to me. Please stand up, I have something to say, no one else is playing the purple character" Angela yelled across the table, pointing in your face as you held your hands up and walked around to stand in front of the table.

"(name), even though we both have not known one another for long, I have fallen so in love with you. More in love than my other two, or was it three wives? and however many children I father... just know that I want to have you be mine. Please marry me?" Angelas voice cracks near the end, she conceals her laughter by biting her shoulder as you bring up your hands to your mouth to do the same.

Your eyes are clouding in tears before you burst out in laughter and say no, watching as she collapses to her side and bellows out dramatic cries before standing back up and asking Olivia to come over, they both end up getting engaged.

"I would actually like to call someone forward. If the blue character could greet me at the front, please." And to your shock (and internal horror yet delight), Spencer steps forwards, your eyes wide as saucers as he smiles at you. Forgetting what to do Spencer looks down, reminding you to propose much to everyones enjoyment and your embarrassment as Tommy shouts out from behind the camera, "Could love truly be blind???"

"Shut-up, please! Spencer, I-uh. Well we have connected a lot over this game, we see eye-to-eye and have formed a meaningful connection over these hours that have felt like years. I never knew someone could match my freak, so to speak and would you do me the honour of marrying me?" you take the ring out of your back pocket, presenting it to Spencer who appears to have the blush of his own.

You both stand their still in that moment, forgetting the cast, crew, and cameras, "yes, I do- I mean yes I will marry you." Standing up to place the ring on his finger, you both hug and hold each other for a moment too long for what should be a cut scene before taking to your seats.

In all honesty, you both forget that you are still holding each others hands after the cut-scene and it carries through to the end of the game.

─────── · ·

The drama continues yet for you and Spencer, it was smooth sailing as you both did not go out looking for a 'better connection' and end up making it to your wedding day. you keep having to remind yourself that this is a mere fantasy, a game but it feels too real as Spencer takes your hands in his own, smiling and whispering jokes for only you to hear as Tommy reads out your vows.

"And do you, Spencer, take (name) to be your lawfully wedded spouse? In sickness and in health? For richer or poorer? For both as long as you shall live always?"

"yes, I do," Spencer says, placing the ring on your finger, bringing it up to his face for a kiss as your face heats up more than it has all game. "And (name) do you take Spencer to be your lawfully wedded spouse? In sickness and in health? For richer or poorer? For both as long as you shall live always?"

"I do." And the cast and crew all stand and cheer as in that moment you both debate on kissing one another. "Are you playing?-"

"Never," Spencer eases your worries, "could I kiss you?" he asks in a soft tone, wanting to cherish the moment you both know to be real.

"Yes, please." And then his lips are on your own, the world silenced yet again, his had cupping your cheek as you lean into his touch.

─────── · ·

When the cameras cut, your lips still tingling and your face set with an unmoving smile that Spencer mirrors. You two are the only ones left on the set as Spencer leans against the table, "I know this seems a bit weird considering that we're married-" you laugh before asking him to continue with hopeful eyes as he reaches out to hold your hand, you accept, fingers intertwining.

"Would you want to go out sometime?"

"Yes, I would really like that."

─────── · ·

🔔 Spennser just posted, check it out!

─────── · ·

Liked by trevorevarts, ianhecox, co_mill and others

spennser first date and just married, quite the day! w/@.yourusername

View all 1,245 comments

yourusername you forgot engaged too*

↳ spennser sorry my bad 😞

username24 if you two didn't end up going out after THAT episode, I would believe that love is dead, not blind... or well maybe both idk

Ianhecox this post is doing numbers, please make more videos together, we need these profit margins 🙏

co_mill you two are so cute, can't wait for when you actually get married! 🥹

↳ spennser who says that that wedding was fake? 🤨 ↳ co_mill no, you are correct. I have no idea what I was saying earlier, beautiful ceremony, now can I have your spouse? ↳ spennser no ❤️

username88 no @.username01 comments?? What in the world is happening here??

trevorevarts cograts, cograts, congrats, and congrats (I think I got them all?)

anthonypadilla I leave smosh again for one day to go to the doctors and now another pair of you are getting married, wtf?

─────── · ·

─ · · SPENCER AGNEW TAGLIST: @lisiliely @missflufffanfics @little-stitious-studios @thejourneyneverendsx @sibsteria @lizzylynch1 @babble2 @delaneyburghardt @thevintagefangirl @uniquely-haunting @maricarorp @sarahskywalker-amidala

[estellesdoll]

　𓈒. the comfort of you . 𝜚 . m. sturniolo

ᡣ𐭩﹒𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 : Y/N and Matt enjoy a lively Halloween celebration with his brothers, filled with laughter and treats.

ᡣ𐭩﹒𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : dad!matt x pregnant!reader

ᡣ𐭩﹒𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 : 1.5 k

◉ taglist ◉ pinned post. navigation

The camera flickered on, filling the screen with the cozy, festive glow of the Sturniolo kitchen, all decorated for Halloween. It was one of those rare days when I joined Matt and his brothers, Nick and Chris, in front of the camera. Matt kept his arm around me, his warm smile making me feel at ease amid the Halloween chaos surrounding us.

Nick practically bounced with excitement as he took his spot on camera, his energy contagious as always. “Alright, everyone! Welcome to the Halloween special you didn’t know you needed!” He gestured toward me with a grin. “Today, we’re lucky enough to have my brother’s gorgeous girlfriend, Y/N, joining us!”

I laughed, feeling a little shy. “Hey, everyone! Ready for some fun Halloween treats?”

Chris grabbed a particularly odd-looking treat and examined it with a theatrical grimace. “Y/N’s got the right idea. This stuff looks terrifying. I’m not sure if this is a treat or a straight-up prank.”

Matt chuckled beside me, taking a piece of candy from my hand with a grin. “Guess I’ll be the one to test it first. I mean, someone’s gotta be the brave one around here, right?”

Nick feigned offense. “Oh, brave one, huh? Alright, let’s see you tackle this one.” He held up a neon-colored candy that looked suspiciously like it had been through the apocalypse.

Chris snickered, waving it around like it was some kind of rare artifact. “Matt, if you can survive this, I’ll believe anything.”

With an exaggerated roll of his eyes, Matt took a tiny bite and immediately scrunched his face. “Oh, that is…not right. Okay, I take it back—no one should eat this.”

Before I knew it, I was laughing so hard I could barely stand straight. Their energy was electric, and I loved being part of it. Even if Matt kept a careful eye on every treat I tried, making sure I only picked the safest ones, I could feel the warmth of his care.

Chris, never one to be outdone, suddenly leaped onto the table and began striking poses, rolling his shoulders back and flipping his hair like he was on a runway. “Look at me! I am the Halloween masterpiece!”

Matt laughed and shook his head. “Chris, get down from there before you break something, or worse, kick someone.”

But Chris was on a roll, doing exaggerated model poses while Nick threw candies at him. He raised his leg dramatically, accidentally swinging it close to my baby bump, and I instinctively took a step back. Before I could blink, Matt was in front of me, placing a protective hand on my shoulder and throwing his other hand out to steady Chris.

“Chris, seriously! Watch it!” he scolded, half-laughing but with a clear protective edge in his voice.

Chris backed off with his hands up in mock surrender, his expression mischievous. “Relax, relax! Just showing off for the fans.”

Nick shook his head, pretending to be the voice of reason. “Dude, you are chaos incarnate.”

After Matt made sure I was okay, he let out a small sigh, his hand still resting lightly on my shoulder. His protectiveness sent a warm, comforting feeling through me, and I couldn’t help but reach over to squeeze his hand.

The taste test continued, the guys daring each other to try the most suspicious-looking treats while throwing in jokes and snarky comments. At one point, Nick shoved a particularly ghastly-looking candy my way with a grin. “Y/N, how brave are you feeling?”

I eyed it skeptically. “I’ll pass, thanks! I think that’s all yours, Nick.”

“Smart move,” Matt said with a chuckle, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and squeezing me gently. “Trust me, there’s no need to prove your bravery here.”

The candy tasting carried on, with Nick and Chris engaging in an ongoing competition of who could eat the worst treat without gagging. Every few minutes, Matt would check on me, his concern showing through the playful chaos. And every time he gave me that gentle smile, I felt this overwhelming sense of comfort and happiness.

Toward the end of the video, Chris decided to “close out” by dramatically flinging himself onto the counter in a final, extravagant pose. “Thank you, thank you!” he announced, waving at an imaginary audience. “I know, I’m fabulous.”

Nick scoffed, playfully shoving him off the counter. “That’s a wrap, people!”

As we wrapped up filming, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for being part of such a lively, warm group. Matt turned to me, a gentle smile on his face. “You ready to get some air?”

I nodded, chuckling as he took my hand and led me down the hall. “Be right back, guys!” he called, leaving his brothers still bantering over which candy had been the absolute worst.

The sounds from the kitchen faded as we stepped into Matt’s room. He shut the door behind us, creating a peaceful cocoon from the lively chaos we’d just left. I looked around, taking in the soft light and the cozy space that felt so uniquely Matt’s, every part of it familiar and comforting.

He turned to me, pulling me into his arms. “Finally, some peace and quiet,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “I love my brothers, but sometimes…”

“Sometimes you need a break?” I finished for him, laughing. “I totally get it.”

He nodded, leaning his forehead against mine with a soft smile. “Exactly. I was actually thinking…maybe we could take a little holiday, just the two of us. Somewhere quiet, away from everything and everyone.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh? You mean, like a getaway?”

He nodded, his blue eyes shining with warmth. “Yeah, a cozy little place where we could just relax and spend time together before everything changes with the baby. Maybe a cabin somewhere, or a beach if you’re up for it. Just us, no interruptions.”

“An escape from Nick and Chris’s constant pranks?” I teased, grinning.

“Something like that,” he laughed, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “Mostly, I just want time with you.”

His words sent a wave of warmth through me, and I leaned into him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “You know, that sounds perfect. I’d love that. Where were you thinking?”

“Honestly, anywhere. As long as you’re there, it doesn’t really matter.” He gazed down at me, his expression soft. “We could just be by ourselves for a while, you know? Just us.”

I felt a blush creep up, his words melting my heart. “Then let’s do it. Wherever you want to go.”

He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. “I just can’t believe how happy you make me. It’s like…everything’s right when we’re together.”

I rested my head on his chest, letting his words wash over me. “I feel the same. Being with you, it’s like everything just falls into place.”

He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “You know, I thought I’d never be the kind of guy to want to settle down, but with you…” He trailed off, his gaze growing tender. “I feel like I could stay like this forever.”

His confession made my heart race. I looked up at him, unable to hide the smile on my face. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”

We stood there in silence for a moment, wrapped up in each other, the rest of the world fading away. He gently took my hand and led me over to his bed, pulling me down beside him. We lay together, fingers intertwined, just soaking in the warmth of being close.

He turned to me, his gaze filled with affection. “You’re everything to me, you know that?”

I smiled, brushing my fingers along his cheek. “And you’re everything to me. I can’t wait for our future together.”

His blue eyes softened, and he leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. “I love you, Y/N.”

“I love you too,” I whispered, my heart feeling full. The moment felt so perfect, like everything had led up to this. Just him, me, and the endless possibilities ahead of us.

As we lay there, wrapped in each other’s warmth, I couldn’t help but imagine all the adventures we’d have together—the quiet moments, the laughter, and the joy of sharing our lives. And in that cozy, private space, with Matt’s arms around me and our future stretching out before us, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.

I felt a smile grow across my face, and I snuggled closer, laying my head against his shoulder. As he wrapped his arm around me, I placed my hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat beneath my fingers. I sighed, letting my eyes drift closed.

He gently ran his fingertips along my jaw, drawing my attention back up to him. His eyes were dark with longing, and I found myself holding my breath as he leaned in. His lips barely brushed against mine, sending shivers down my spine. My heart pounded in my chest, and I pressed my palm against the warm skin of his back, pulling him closer. He deepened the kiss, and my breath caught in my throat.

We stayed like that for what felt like hours, until my lips were swollen and my pulse was racing. As we finally broke apart, I saw the desire written plainly on his face, and I felt a flush creeping up my neck.

We both laughed at the same time, and I felt a blush spreading across my cheeks. I shook my head, pressing a kiss to his chest.

I pulled away, smiling at him. "It's funny how things change, isn't it?"

"It is," he murmured, his eyes sparkling. "But it's the best kind of change, isn't it?"

"The best."

I smiled and lay my head on his chest, feeling a strange fluttering in my stomach. We lay there in comfortable silence for a while, and I couldn't help but think about how lucky I was. I never could have imagined this back when we first met.

As I looked up at him, I saw the same look in his eyes that I'd seen before. The look that said he loved me.And I knew that no matter what the future held, we'd face it together.

﹒◟send me your requests and use an emoji if you want to stay anonymous. 𓂃

@.estellesdoll

[puppym3]

farmer!reader x writer!hyunjin who is her secret admirer and he sent her letters? the farmer is new to the town, getting away from the cities and hyunjin is the last person she met after everyone in town since he's always in his cabin near the beach

kind of like the game, stardew valley!

𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ dear farmer,

wc: 4.4k

warnings: fluffy cuteness, confessions, literally not much to warn you on this is just rly cute, mailman chan, fisher jisung, farmer reader, author/writer hyunjin, hyunjin refers to reader as his muse, (LMK IF I MISSED ANY!)

a/n: THIS IS TOO CUTE OH MY GOODNESS GOODNIGHT. i was literally gushing writing this i hope i wrote it the way you were imagining. i love stardew valley so tysm for suggesting this!!!

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

The small village you moved into was a far cry from the bustling city life you once knew. The quaint charm of the town, with its winding cobblestone streets and picturesque cottages, had drawn you in immediately. Seeking a fresh start and a simpler life, you had purchased an old farmhouse on the outskirts of town, eager to put down roots and cultivate your own land.

The townspeople had been incredibly welcoming, each of them eager to meet you. You quickly found yourself immersed in the community, sharing smiles and stories at the local market and lending a hand wherever you could. Despite the warm reception, there was one resident you had yet to meet.

You had heard whispers about him from the other villagers—an enigmatic writer who rarely left his cabin by the beach. The townsfolk spoke of his talent with a mix of admiration and curiosity, but none seemed to know much about him personally. It wasn't for lack of trying—the local mail carrier, Chan, had admitted defeat after only one attempt to reach out, grumbling something about a ferret with a temper.

A part of you had always wondered what his writing was like, and what kind of man would choose such isolation. Perhaps he was shy, or simply enjoyed being left to his own devices. There had to be a reason why the villagers hadn't tried to reach out to him again, and yet—

"Hyunjin isn't one for conversing," Chan insisted, taking the bundle of envelopes from his bag and sliding them into the mailbox outside your farmhouse. "You don't have to worry about him."

You glanced toward the direction of the beach, watching the sun dip down over the waves. Why did his isolation make him more interesting to you? You supposed you should be grateful for his lack of interaction; with the busy work on the farm and the number of people you already tried to help each day, you didn't have time for many social gatherings. Still...

"Well," you sighed, dusting off your hands and returning the empty milk bottles to the box on your porch, "thank you, Chan."

The mailman smiled, his dark eyes crinkling in the corners. "Any time."

Heading toward the field, you squared your shoulders, determined to focus on the day's tasks and push any thoughts of the mysterious writer aside. You still had some planting to do, after all, and a long walk ahead of you.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A few days later, you woke with a yawn, stretching your limbs in your bed. Sunlight poured in through the windows, illuminating the small room. The warmth was pleasant, a sharp contrast from the chilled breeze outside. You couldn't help but smile, thankful that winter had yet to roll around. The transition to farming was a busy one, and the prospect of facing your first snowfall was more than a little intimidating.

Rising from the mattress, you threw on an old, oversized sweater, not bothering to change into your work clothes before making a quick cup of tea in your kitchen. It was an easy routine to settle into, the steamy brew doing wonders for your motivation in the mornings. Once your mug was half empty, you changed into a pair of old, paint-stained overalls and made your way outside.

"You have mail today." Chan greeted you with a warm smile, already standing in front of your mailbox. "I wasn't sure if I'd catch you or not. It's nice to see you awake so early."

"Yeah, yeah." You grinned, nudging him in the arm playfully. "What's the big delivery?"

"Just the usual." Chan shrugged, sliding a few envelopes from his bag and setting them down in the mailbox. "Some advertisements and invitations to parties."

You paused, peeking inside. It looked like the usual bundle of mail—some from fellow townspeople and some from local companies looking to get your attention. You hummed in thought, glancing over the usual assortment before a handwritten letter caught your attention.

It was written in simple script, the envelope adorned with a tiny blueberry stamp in the corner. It stood out against the other, more formal pieces of mail. The sight made you pause.

"Oh," you said, your curiosity piqued. "This one looks different."

"Huh?" Chan followed your line of sight, his eyes widening when he spotted the letter. "That's... oh. Oh."

You blinked. "What? Do you know who sent it?"

Chan fiddled with the strap of his bag. "I recognize that writing," he muttered, refusing to meet your gaze.

"Really?" You said, curiosity piqued.

He paused, glancing around your front porch. "You know, I'm a bit busy today. I should head off," he stuttered, already backing away. "Goodbye."

Before you could question his reaction any further, the mailman was already hurrying away down the path to the next house.

Furrowing your brow, you took a step back. Had you said something wrong? Maybe it wasn't a big deal; you could always ask Chan about it later, anyway. In the meantime, you were eager to see what the letter held.

The moment you picked the letter up, your senses were overwhelmed with a comforting, earthy scent. You recognized it immediately. It smelled of the ground after a spring shower, or of the rich dirt after a hard day's work in the fields. You breathed it in, the smell quickly becoming your favorite. You had always associated the earth with a sense of peace, and this scent was no exception.

Smiling softly to yourself, you broke the seal with ease, unfolding the crisp parchment paper to reveal the same script. You were surprised by the neat handwriting; each letter was carefully drawn out, the author's focus clearly evident in their penmanship. You began to read, your smile growing as you devoured the contents of the letter.

To the farmer,

You know, I've always thought the sun is kind of funny. The sun rises and sets, and then rises and sets again. Sometimes the sky is blue, and other days it is white. But in every sunrise, there is one thing that stays the same. It's you. You always rise with the sun. I used to wake up when it was light outside, but these days I've started to wake up earlier. It's a good way to start the day. I know the sun is your companion in the mornings.

Your admirer,

H.

You stared down at the words, the heat of a blush rising up your cheeks. How sweet, you thought to yourself, holding the letter a bit closer. You had to admit that it was nice to read—to know that someone in town noticed the time of day you woke up and, what's more, noticed how much you liked to work under the early sunlight. You hadn't thought about the author much before, but now, you were eager to meet them.

Before you could think it over, you folded the letter with care, sliding it into the pocket of your overalls. You glanced up toward the sun, letting it wash over your face for a moment before heading to work. The sun was your companion, after all. You may as well take advantage of its light.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Over the next few weeks, the letters continued. Each day, Chan would deliver one to your doorstep. It became part of the routine, and you quickly grew accustomed to the extra attention. Every time you spotted the blueberry seal on your front doorstep, your heart leapt with joy, eager to see the new message written within.

Sometimes the letters were short; other times they were long. Occasionally, the author would ramble, describing a favorite memory from their childhood or sharing a silly joke. You read each word carefully, often smiling or chuckling as you read, already eager for the next message. The more letters you read, the more you wanted to learn about this mystery person.

A part of you wondered who this author might be. The only clues were the scent of earth on the pages and a few hand-drawn images. You had been able to rule out Chan; it would be near impossible for him to write a letter each day and still be on time to the next house. That left you with little knowledge of the writer's identity, though you hoped that the writer might eventually share their identity.

Today, a soft rainfall pattered down over your fields. You sighed to yourself as you entered the house, wiping the mud from your boots before sliding them off on the mat in front of your door. Another busy day in the fields was over. Tomorrow was a new day, one where you would finally plant a new patch of carrots. The prospect of the harvest kept you motivated as you reached for the envelope, eagerly tearing it open with a smile.

As you read the letter, your smile slowly faded. A hint of fear and excitement coursed through your veins, leaving you a little shaken as you absorbed each word.

To the farmer,

It's getting colder here. Soon, I'll have to wear a scarf every day, even indoors. I wish I had the courage to share more of myself with you. Maybe if we ever met in person, I wouldn't be so nervous. I can't wait until I'm brave enough to tell you more about me.

Your admirer,

H.

P.S. I hope the sun will rise tomorrow morning. You always end up rising, and I trust your routine.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The letters started to come with less often. Sometimes you would receive one per day. Other times, you might get one a few days apart, with only one letter on the weekends. You hated to admit that it left you feeling a bit sad, your mood growing darker as time passed.

"Oh, Chan." You tried not to sound disappointed when you spotted the mailman walking up your path one morning, a few letters in hand. "Any letters from H?"

"Hmm, I don't think so." He shrugged, sliding a few letters into your mailbox. "Let me see. Oh! There is one."

He handed you a new letter, a faint smile on his lips. You quickly broke the seal, not bothering to glance over the others as you eagerly opened the newest one. Your eyes widened at the words you saw before you.

My dearest,

I'm sorry that my letters haven't come as often lately. There was a big change at the publishing house I'm working for. I didn't tell you about that before. I've been trying to keep my letters shorter since I have less free time now, but I always find myself wanting to write more to you. I guess I can't help myself.

I'll keep writing letters if you keep reading.

Yours,

H.

P.S. Thank you for working hard every day. It helps to see that the world still spins, no matter what's happening in it.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Have you ever thought about trying to meet H?"

The question made you pause. You were out by the docks, fishing with Jisung. The young man was your favorite fishing buddy, often sitting on the end of the dock in silence with a small smile. You both had been there for an hour, but this was the first time he'd spoken today. You blinked at him in confusion before setting your fishing rod aside, a curious look on your face.

"What do you mean?"

Jisung smiled. "It's obvious you enjoy their letters," he pointed out, reeling in another fish from his line. "Maybe you could meet them?"

You stared down at your reflection on the water, chewing the inside of your cheek. The truth was that you hadn't considered the idea, mainly because you couldn't decide if it was a good one. It wasn't like the writer had never suggested the idea—it was the whole purpose behind their first few letters, but something about that made you hesitate.

It was as if you were waiting for H to come to you when they were ready, and vice versa. It was a little scary, to be honest. The thought of finally meeting the person you'd been so connected to these last few weeks made you a bit nervous, to say the least.

"I guess I should." You nodded, casting your line again.

"Well, I'd like to meet them too," Jisung said, glancing toward you. "To approve."

You smiled at that, rolling your eyes playfully. "What's not to like? They write beautiful letters and draw nice little pictures," you laughed, watching the bait at the end of your hook. "Maybe I should meet them."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

That night, you made your decision.

"Chan! You have a moment?" You waved the mailman down the next day as he passed your house on the trail, a few envelopes in his arms.

He looked over in surprise, smiling as he hurried down the path. "Good morning," he greeted you. "How's the farm?"

You smiled back at him. "Great, hey, you seemed to know a little bit about H that you aren't telling me." You said, getting straight to the point. "Do you know anything more?"

The mailman frowned for a moment, before sighing. "Well, you should go to the beach." He said, gesturing to the coastline, visible over your house. "Hy—I mean, H, they live near there."

You blinked, looking to where the mailman was pointing. "They live near the beach?"

"Yeah."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It had to be the grumpy writer who lived alone that you hadn't met yet. That was your only option, right? He had to be H. Who else could it be? You sighed to yourself, gathering your things in a bag and setting off in the direction of the beach.

It was a bit of a hike, the ocean path curving and twisting to take you along a scenic route. You didn't mind the walk, though, pausing often to take in the scenery. By the time you arrived at the beach, you felt a little calmer. The beach was deserted; though that didn't surprise you. It wasn't too warm today. The air was cool and refreshing, with a few clouds rolling by overhead. It was the perfect day for a walk on the sand.

You scanned the coastline for any signs of a cabin, spotting one in the distance. It was nestled between the cliffs, overlooking a small patch of beach. It seemed a bit hidden, the sight making you smile to yourself.

The author had to be a loner, just like you were.

Taking a deep breath, you approached the cabin. As you came closer, you noticed a small, stone path that led to a patio on the beach. You spotted a wooden swing, rocking slightly in the breeze. A person sat on the seat, their head ducked in a book as they sat under a shady umbrella.

As you drew closer, you saw the mysterious person, his dark hair was a little messier than usual, with a few strands falling in front of his face. He seemed lost in the book in his hands. His eyes were glazed over and unfocused as he sat, oblivious to his surroundings. The sight made you smile, a sudden feeling of affection coming over you as you approached.

You recognized that messy hair and those dark, mysterious eyes.

It was Hyunjin. It was Hyunjin who lived alone near the beach. Hyunjin, the man you had only heard a few stories about from Chan and Felix, but he looked even better than you had imagined.

"Oh!" The man looked up and saw you approaching him. His eyes widened for a second before he cleared his throat, turning to face you with a hint of panic in his expression.

You paused at his reaction, stopping in your tracks. You suddenly felt very silly, not even considering that Hyunjin might not actually want you to visit him. You tried not to frown as you considered the possibilities. Had Hyunjin forgotten about your correspondence? Had you been a mistake? Was this a terrible idea?

"H-Hyunjin!" You stammered, cursing yourself for not planning this a bit better. You could already feel yourself start to sweat. "I'm the farmer, it's nice to finally meet you."

You held your hand out to Hyunjin, who eyed you up for a moment, his expression unreadable. You swallowed thickly, preparing to turn back around and run away—

"The farmer." The words sounded breathless. Hyunjin slowly placed his hand in yours. You couldn't help but notice how his eyes were trained on your face. His cheeks looked a little red as he held your hand in his own. It felt warm and a bit calloused, a clear sign that he was a writer. "It's nice to finally meet you too."

You felt the butterflies in your stomach flutter as you watched him, trying not to let the emotion show on your face. This was H. It was Hyunjin who wrote such beautiful letters to you and sent you drawings in the post. Hyunjin was your author, the person you'd connected so easily to through ink and paper, and he was so beautiful.

"It's nice to put a name to a face." You murmured, letting your eyes wander over Hyunjin. "You're just how I imagined."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"So," You sat next to Hyunjin on his porch, staring up at the sky above you. It was beginning to grow darker, the evening sky giving way to a more vibrant sunset. "How'd you get so good at writing letters?"

Hyunjin smiled a little to himself. He leaned back against his hands, his long legs stretched out on the floor. "I've always loved writing," he confessed. "But it was different before, when I was younger."

"Different how?" You asked, looking over at him curiously.

He let his eyes close. "Before I left the city, I worked at the publishing house." He explained. "I always wrote stories there, but they weren't really... mine."

You blinked, watching the way his long lashes fluttered against his cheeks. "They were stories that people hired us to write," he said quietly. "But I liked doing it. I felt like I was doing something special with the words, even if they weren't my words. I wrote all day and got paid for it. But there was always this... nagging voice in the back of my mind, wondering if it was good enough."

You felt a lump form in your throat. "It sounds like it was a good job," you whispered, not wanting to ruin the moment. "Why did you leave it behind?"

The author chuckled. "I got sick of it." He sighed, opening his eyes and looking up to the sky. "It felt so empty. I wasn't making my own decisions. I wasn't getting paid because the stories were mine."

You swallowed. "But here?" You gestured toward the beach, your heart swelling in your chest. "You can write about whatever you want?"

Hyunjin looked to you and smiled softly.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

As the days turned to weeks and then to months, the two of you fell into an easy routine. You visited Hyunjin every morning, bringing breakfast along with you, and Hyunjin always made sure to leave you a letter by your front door in return. Sometimes he would be waiting outside his cabin when you came, eager to talk about a new plot point that he came up with the night before. Other times, he would be asleep by the time you got to him, only stirring from his slumber when he heard you set breakfast out on his porch.

And he wrote to you every day, leaving letters on your front doorstep, each one signed off with a different nickname. Some days, the nickname was short, others, it was longer. But he always ended the letter with a promise of a new chapter, just as he had with the first one, so long ago.

On your fifth visit, this time you brought him a letter. He was surprised to see you hand it to him. He blinked down at the envelope in his hands, running a thumb over the words on the paper.

You were nervous, you were nowhere near as good as him, but you assumed that speaking in his language would gauge his appeal.

To my writer,

You are more talented than you give yourself credit for.

Thank you for always writing so beautifully,

Your admirer,

The farmer

"I wanted to send you a letter today." You whispered as his eyes scanned over the letter.

Hyunjin looked up from the page. His expression softened as he set the letter down. He held out his arms in invitation, his lips curving upwards as he stared back at you. You didn't need him to repeat himself, throwing yourself into his arms without hesitation. You leaned your head against his chest and listened to his heart beat. The sound made your heart race. It was as if Hyunjin's heartbeat had become a part of you. You could hear the rhythm and knew it was a part of you as well, just as much as it was him.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Over the course of your visits, it was inevitable that your relationship evolved into something deeper. It began with subtle touches—a brush of your hands against each other as you sat together on the porch or the feeling of Hyunjin's gaze on your face as you read a story he wrote. As you began to notice his attention to detail, the way he was able to capture emotions with words you didn't know how to express, you realized how much he had given you.

You had never considered yourself an introvert, but something about being around him made you feel at ease. The thought made you blush. There was a strange warmth that settled in the pit of your stomach whenever you were around him. You began to crave it, yearning to feel it whenever you could, whether you were spending time together on the beach, walking the trails along the coastline, or simply sitting on his porch swing, talking about nothing at all.

And slowly, that warmth grew into something more. The more time you spent with him, the more you wanted to be close to him. It started with soft smiles and light touches, followed by gentle touches and lingering glances. It began as something innocent, but the longer you were with him, the stronger it got. You were becoming addicted to it, longing for the next chance you would get to see him, to touch him and feel that rush of electricity course through your veins.

You found yourself waking up in the early hours of the morning to watch the sunrise. You began to count the seconds until the mail came. You went to bed late every night, staying awake until your eyes hurt to stare.

Your visits grew longer, your conversations becoming deeper.

Hyunjin became your new favorite distraction.

"It's a book." He had whispered as you both lay on the beach, his gaze trained on the stars above you. "I'm writing a book, I think."

"You think?"

He had nodded, the hint of a smile on his lips as he spoke. "Yes, and I've started to wonder..." he had paused then, looking to you as his cheeks turned pink. "That you're my inspiration."

You felt your breath hitch at the admission, a blush creeping up your neck to stain your cheeks. "What do you mean?"

He had sat up and looked at you with those deep, dark eyes.

"You're the one that I'm writing this book for. It's yours, my feelings, my thoughts, everything in it is for you." He said, reaching up to cup your cheeks. "I think about you when I wake up and when I go to sleep and when I go for my walks," he had smiled shyly. "You're the only person that's on my mind and it feels so good to feel that way about something again."

The warmth that spread through your veins made you dizzy, but you found yourself smiling, a small sigh escaping your lips.

You wanted nothing more than to be Hyunjin's inspiration forever.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

And soon the book was complete.

It was the last page in Hyunjin's journal that had been filled with his scrawled words and thoughts. It had taken him months, but he finished it, his heart and soul on each page.

Hyunjin read it to you as you sat on the porch swing, wrapped in a blanket as the wind blew off the sea. He sat with you and held the book in his hands, turning the pages as he spoke. His voice was soft and melodic as he told his story. The words came easily to him, the sentences flowing smoothly together. He paused often to look up at you, his eyes searching yours. His voice grew quieter with each word, until finally, he was whispering the last page.

You felt the tears well in your eyes, threatening to fall as he closed the book and set it aside. The silence that followed felt heavy, your mind still processing what he had just told you.

The book was a confession to you, a way for Hyunjin to express all of the feelings he had been struggling to express for the past few months. He told you that you were his muse, his reason to wake up each morning. You were the person who made him feel whole, complete, and it was all he wanted in life to be by your side, to feel this way for as long as he lived.

The book was about the two of you. He wrote it all, the letters he sent and the drawings he drew, just for you, to tell you how much he loved you.

Your tears spilled over, a few trickling down your cheeks as you sniffed quietly, a smile spreading across your lips as you stared up at him. He watched you closely, waiting for your response. With a shaky breath, you closed the distance between you and Hyunjin, leaning in. His eyes widened in surprise, his breath hitching as he realized what was about to happen. Your lips met his in a tender, hesitant kiss, pouring all your gratitude, relief, and affection into that single moment.

Hyunjin made a quiet noise, almost like a gasp, but he quickly responded, his lips moving against yours with a gentle yet fervent intensity. His hands found their way to your cheeks, cupping them delicately as if you were something precious and fragile. He deepened the kiss, and you felt a wave of warmth and security wash over you.

Time seemed to stand still as the two of you stayed there, lost in the moment. The world outside faded away, leaving only the sensation of his lips on yours, his hands cradling your face, and the steady rhythm of your racing hearts. Every pent-up emotion, every unspoken word, all lost in that moment.

And there was something that you had never mentioned to anyone before, something you were embarrassed to admit, something you had been keeping hidden deep within your heart.

You loved the author who lived by the sea.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

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

[coolnonsenseworld]

At the end of 2022/In the beginning of 2023 I've sent postcards to Patrons and also added sketches for each of them. There were two copies - one to which I added a few details with a liner only for Patrons to keep, and the other printed on white to use as a coloring page or simply keep separately.

Here are all the sketches and I hope everyone who received the Postcard enjoyed getting it!!

You can still get the print of the Postcard (the winter one) separately in the shops - https://linktr.ee/mezzy

And here are credits which Patrons left - HEX was drawn for @caeseria-k , Cheek kiss for @not-so-sunnie, Kosmo Cuddle for sampai_writes (IG) , Cuddlers + Klance for luon-von (Twt), wintery one for @thestargazerfiles and a lap cuddle for @luchsmaedchen !

Big thanks to all the other Patrons!!! I wouldn't be here if not for them and sharing all this within a welcoming, understanding part of the fandom means SO MUCH, and it warms my heart to have the support not only for my fandom creations, but also for me as a person and artist. I mean. I don't assume. Maybe some are there just for klance, that's fine too. But I feel like I've met friends there based on a world of creation, anything I know about my Patrons, is they are so successful, creative and kind ToT. And listen... it's been seven years of Klance, and I still see people having new things to say about them.

Have an amazing week everyone <3

[peachyscenes]

home sweet home | san x yeosang x fem!reader x wooyoung

maybe part three to sweet sweet love and even sweeter love, who knows.

established!sansang & reader, wooyoung happens to be just as loved. woo also has a (not very) discreet crush on reader and sansang, no one minds. reader is the real freak! (/lh) honestly kinda messy since i'm not used to longer pieces hhhh

warnings: smut, smut, this is actually my longest piece and i have no idea how many words this is (word count will be added later), a little plot (?), unprotected sex (do not do this, this is fiction!), foursome, throat grabbing but not choking, bulging (throat and mention of stomach bulge), oral (lots of it), dirty (?) talk, they all like each other and it makes me sick. hints of other kinks but not straight up in your face, idk what else is in here i just started typing 🫶 no established dynamics but san kinda takes charge (but he's not labeled a dom). no use of y/n, everyone has their own nickname for reader

—————

the sun is slightly peeking out through the curtains, but it's not enough to disturb your little trio. although you each have your own bedrooms, san made it clear that he likes sleeping with you. and the night before, yeosang decided to join your sleepover.

san is in deep sleep, his arm is around you and you can feel his warm breath on your back. yeosang is to your other side, he's not a cuddler like san, but every now and then his hand will find yours, just like now. just as you felt yourself going back to sleep, you hear the small buzzing sound of yeosang's phone. you know it's yeo's because of the distinct vibrations imitating the mario theme song.

careful to not disturb your two boys, you reach over to see who it is.

wooyoung.

a small smile graces your features as you answer.

"hi woo."

"o-oh! hi! good morning," wooyoung stutters out. he feels a little bashful hearing your voice this early, he likes the slight rasp that still holds so much love and kindness.

"sorry that yeosang didn't answer, he's still asleep," you say in a hushed tone as to not wake up the other two.

"no, it's cool! i was just gonna tell him that i was planning to head over now, but if you're all still sleeping then-"

"no it's fine woo, come over. i'll make breakfast if you haven't eaten yet."

—

wooyoung doesn't feel awkward being with you. he's welcomed with a hug by you at the door and he's immediately seated and offered a cup of coffee, exactly how he likes it. no, instead he feels at home and he feels a little guilty for feeling this way about you considering you're dating not one but both of his best friends. however, nobody could blame him. you were kind and to top it off you were very attractive.

"yeosang was telling me about your new dance project, he feels real good about it." as you're speaking to wooyoung, you're making several stacks of pancakes to accompany the eggs, ham, and home potatoes you made for breakfast.

"yeah? i'm glad he thinks so. sometimes i feel like i'm not pulling my own weight, but it makes me feel better to know that it's actually going well."

you sent wooyoung a small smile. "don't worry, you always do so well, woo. i've always loved your dancing." wooyoung blushes a bit at the compliment before letting out a small thank you. you plated his food before patting his head. "i'm gonna wake the other two up, ok?"

—

your home is lively as wooyoung had decided to spend the day with you all. he's a real chatter box when speaking to san and yeosang, and it makes you feel a little jealous knowing he's still a little shy around you. it's times like these where you remember a conversation you had with san after sex.

"youngie likes you." san had his arm wrapped around your waist as he pulled you on top of him. his skin was still a little sweaty and his chest littered in love bites and lipstick, he was absolutely gorgeous and you had to fight the urge to take a picture of him and go for another round.

"well i'm glad he does, i like him too." san let out a chuckle before caressing your scalp. he was always so tender, especially on rougher nights.

"no baby, i mean, he really likes you. like how yeosang and i like you"

"but you and yeosang love me."

"exactly."

that night, you giggled at san's confession and told him that maybe wooyoung loved differently. you didn't completely disregard wooyoung's feelings about you. no, that's not something you would do, especially when wooyoung wasn't there to defend or explain himself.

since then, it's been something that's lingered in the back of your mind. but it made you notice things that you hadn't before. you started to notice his lingering gazes, the soft smiles, and how his hugs would last just a tad bit longer. you didn't ask yeosang about it either because it's likely that he knows as well. he and san are very synchronized. and for whatever reason, they didn't mind wooyoung's little crush, so you chose to not mind as well. suddenly, someone wrapped their hands around you, the small hint of citrus fruit hits you. immediately, you know that it's yeosang. speak of the devil.

"what are you thinking about, love?"

"about wooyoung."

"what about wooyoung?"

there's a moment of silence and you're sure that neither yeosang or san would refuse because as observant as they are, so are you. wooyoung may like you, but you also see how much he likes them. like how you like them.

because you love them.

"i hope you don't think i'm being greedy for this, sangie."

"well, that depends on what you're going to say."

you hesitate before deciding.

"why don't we let wooyoung join us?"

—

wooyoung feels like he woke up in a dream. when san asked him if he wanted to join them for a night, he didn't think it was because of you. he also thought it was going to be an outing, not you in between his legs and on your knees. but wooyoung isn't mad because he actually preferred this than going out to dinner with you all.

wooyoung lets out a soft moan as you take more of his cock into your mouth. he's not very long, but he is on the girthier side. he had no idea you'd be amazing at blowjobs, and he's thanking every god in existence.

while you're on your knees, san is right behind you, guiding your head down on wooyoung, praising you for doing such a good job. and right below you is yeosang, eagerly sucking on your clit as you sit on his face.

"that's it baby, making youngie feel so good," san says to you. you let out a moan and you're not sure if it's because of yeosang or wooyoung or san, but you're enjoying yourself and that's all that matters. "make youngie come baby, do it for me, yeah?" and just like that, you're eagerly sucking him off without so much as a sweat and wooyoung is seeing stars as he dumps his load down your throat.

"you took him so well, so proud of you baby." san gives you a charming smile before pulling you off of yeosang's face. a small 'hey!' resounds throughout the room.

"i wasn't done, y'know," yeosang whines as he begrudgingly sits up. "you didn't come, love."

san ignores yeosang as he sits you down right on wooyoung's lap. you take the liberty to turn around and straddle him. his cock slowly becomes hard again as your pussy rubs against it. you feel yourself getting wetter.

"hi." you giggle out before planting a sweet kiss on wooyoung's lips. he returns your giggles with a smile of his own before chasing after your lips again into a deeper kiss.

the bed dips a bit as san sits next to wooyoung. his fingers lightly dance on your thighs before dipping between your legs to tease your clit. you moan softly against wooyoung's lips at the feeling. it is then that yeosang stands behind you and he breaks your kiss with wooyoung to pull off your shirt and bra in one swift movement. you can't help but chastise him for his abruptness.

"sangie! you have have to be careful," you complain to him. he chuckles at you before proceeding to take off his pants. "you can't just pull my bra off like that."

"m'sorry love," he kisses your shoulder. "just want youngie to see you." you huff at him before kissing wooyoung once again. it's san's voice that breaks your little kissing session.

"i know we invited you woo, but i want you to choose what to do first." he tells him. that's just like san, always a giver.

wooyoung looks down to see san's fingers still ghosting over your pussy and it's then that he faintly remembers when san told him how much he and yeosang love to eat you out.

"can i taste you?"

you give him one last kiss before climbing off his lap and laying on the bed,

only for wooyoung to stop you as you're midway on your hands and knees.

"i wanna eat you out from behind, if that's okay..."

it's your turn to feel a little embarrassed before telling him that it's fine. it's not like you haven't received head like this, for christ's sake san loves your ass a little too much, but it's wooyoung and you feel a little embarrassed being spread out for him like that. you make sure to get a bit comfortable.

wooyoung almost immediately presses his face onto your bare pussy before breathing in and letting out a groan.

oh that's hot you think.

"you smell so good. all wet, just for me." you let out a whine as his tongue licks a stripe up before he completely dives in. he stays like this for a bit before stopping to breathe.

"fuck, san was right, you taste sweet."

you let out a moan at his words and wooyoung responds by kissing a cheek.

wooyoung then goes back in, this time he licks a stripe from your clit to your ass, making sure to tongue at your puckered hole before lapping up your juices from the main source.

he's good. a little too good, and you're afraid that you're addicted. your head is buried in the sheets and you think you might rip the sheets if you keep gripping them so strongly. you feel someone nudging your head and when you look up, it's yeosang with his own cock in hand.

without another word, you greedily open your mouth to welcome his length. yeosang is actually longer than both wooyoung and san, but with the many times you've given him head, you're basically trained.

yeosang gently holds your head with one hand as he thrusts into your mouth at his own pace. you can feel him at your throat and he moans at the feeling as his other hand finds your throat to feel the bulge.

"love, you're doing so well, ffuck."

one particular hard suck from wooyoung makes you moan, the sensation causes yeosang to sigh out in pleasure. you know you're gonna cone soon and it's then in that moment you feel fingers at your clit. you momentarily pull away from yeosang to see that it's san.

his other hand is working on his own cock and you can't help but be mesmerized at san. san's cock is thick and it's especially heavier when he's hard, but never have you seen it be this hard. you quickly remember yeosang telling you that san was a bit of a voyeur and you make sure to keep that in mind before turning back to yeosang's cock.

with a final lick from wooyoung, you let out a deep moan as you feel yourself coming on his tongue. wooyoung rides you through your high before parting from your pussy with a final kiss.

yeosang is next, coming down your throat with a deep groan from his chest. san is last, finishing on your back and painting it with his cum.

you all take a moment to breathe before san pulls you up to sit you on your knees and pulls you to his chest.

"you still up for another round baby?" san nips at your neck, waiting for you to respond.

"yes sannie, want you all bad," you whine out. san chuckles before motioning to yeosang. yeosang immediately understands and reaches over to the bedside drawer.

"woo, you're gonna take her pussy. you can take her ass next time."

next time. you hope it comes soon.

yeosang quickly comes back with the lube. you can't help but feel a little nervous. you've done anal before and definitely double penetration, but you don't do it often, so it always feels new. luckily, yeosang senses this and is immediately by your side.

"don't worry love, sannie and youngie will take care of you."

you look at yeosang before smiling.

"and who's gonna take care of sangie?"

he chuckles before caressing your face, "you, if you're still up for it." you nod at yeosang before kissing the palm of his hand. carefully you climb onto wooyoung's lap and align his tip with your entrance and there's almost no difficulty with wooyoung. there's a small stretch, but the slight burn immediately fades away and instead he feels comfortable in your pussy. yeosang is softly rubbing your back as you prepare yourself for san.

you tense a little feeling the cold substance at your hole, but it slowly fades to pleasure as san inserts his fingers.

"'s tight baby, you sure we fuck you enough?"

yeosang chuckles at san's words.

"i don't think so, i mean, we did invite wooyoung, who's to say she won't ask for our other friends. what do you think, youngie?"

"you're quite the greedy one, doll."

you let out a moan at their teasing. you suddenly feel san take out his fingers before taking his own cock and lining himself up.

"breathe f'me baby, relax, okay?"

you nod at san's words and feel him entering. yeosang is by your ear, praising you, as is wooyoung on your other ear. san finally enters you and you're pretty sure there's a bulge on your stomach.

"you feel okay doll?"

"yeah, i feel so full." wooyoung's leaning back on his arms. your head is resting on his shoulder and your hands are holding onto his biceps. san's own hands are on your hips.

slowly, you lift yourself up from wooyoung's lap and fall back down, the feeling of his cock sliding through your walls is euphoric and you really hope he sticks around after this. san takes this as a sign to start moving and eventually you all find a rhythm.

at some point wooyoung lays down, resulting you in riding him and san helping you. the sound of skin on skin resounds through the air.

"y-your cock feels so good youngie. fuck! you fill me up so good mhhh!" you suddenly feel a slap to your ass and a hand on your throat. san is then pulling you back to his chest, almost as if spreading you out for wooyoung to admire.

"what about me baby? don't you like my cock?"

a hard thrust from san has you crying out and he smirks.

"i love it! love your big cock! fuckfuckfuck! please, please, please, san! don't stop please hhng!"

san begins to thrust into you at a harder pace, causing you to fall forward onto wooyoung. wooyoung takes the lead and thrusts up into you, leaving you to just take it. it only takes a few more thrusts from both men before a dam is broken and you come with a loud cry. without realizing it, you had squirted all over both men. san orgasms inside of you right after, slowly pistoning in and out of you before pulling out his now softened cock. wooyoung comes a bit after san, a small puddle of your squirt on his stomach. when he pulls out, some of his cum drips from your opening and yeosang moans at the sight.

wooyoung gently kisses you before laying you down on your back. it's then that yeosang takes over your vision and you giggle at the eager look in his eyes.

"just be a little gentle please."

"of course love."

yeosang pulls you to the end of the bed where he stands and using wooyoung's cum as a lubricant, easily slides into you.

you groan a little at the overstimulation and yeosang does nothing but smile at your reaction.

"sorry." he half-apologizes before pulling out and pushing back in. he keeps his pace as you gradually begin to feel the pleasure of his movements.

"mmm, right there sangie~"

you moan out. yeosang groans and dips down to suck on your nipple. one of his hands travels from your hip to your other nipple, tweaking it between his fingers.

yeosang's pace starts to get faster and it's when you realize that he's close. you reach down between your bodies to fondle his balls and it's then that you feel him come inside you.

—

it's obviously early when you stir awake from your sleep. the sun is barely peaking out, courtesy of the blackout curtains wooyoung got you. when you suggested for him to move in with you all, he was a bit hesitant.

for one, none of you really made your relationship with wooyoung "official". he knew he was with you all and you all knew that you were with him, but no one really bothered to make it official, abd you were all okay with that. besides, it was pretty clear that wooyoung had joined your trio (now quartet).

secondly, wooyoung wasn't sure if he'd be able to move into your home. what if you didn't have enough space? he did own a lot of things. it wasn't until san had told wooyoung that he was going to take his and yeosang's exercise equipment out of the spare room.

you stretch in your spot when the arm that's wrapped around you tightens a bit more. wooyoung is quite the cuddler, that's for sure. on his other side, is san who is holding tightly onto wooyoung as well. you chuckle a bit, thinking that there wasn't much of an issue with the rooms if wooyoung was just gonna sleep with you every night. in front of you is yeosang, who's gently holding your hand in his.

you smile at your trio before ultimately going back to sleep.

besides, it was wooyoung's turn to cook breakfast.

[jake-whatthefisgoingon-kiszka]

As promised here we have part 8.2! Initially I was thinking we would be nearing the end of this sweet little series, but there was so much more I wanted to add to this part and didn’t get to quite yet so, we may have a bit more to look forward to. Thank you to everyone who patiently waited for this update and sent me encouraging messages 🥰

Pairings: Jake Kiszka X Danny Wagner *slash for the babes

Warnings and tags: 18+ only here! Adult themes including: mentions of previous partner death, mentions of marital problems, little bit of angst and jealousy, brief smoking, smut including: sexy stuff in the car, oral, m/m sex, dad Jake, uncle Danny, let me know if I missed anything!

Word count: 7.2k

Vacation Day 3 - Graduation

By Wednesday Jake felt like he’d gotten a little behind in preparing for Luna’s kindergarten graduation. Danny was a welcome respite from the monotony of everyday life, and Jake honestly would have probably cut his vacation short and gone back to work by now if he hadn’t been so otherwise preoccupied with the company.

Josh had assured him that he didn’t need to prepare anything for the party tonight. It was just going to be a small get together at Josh and his partner's home, but Jake knew his brother’s definition of demure was vastly different than his own.

“I’ll see you tonight?” Jake asked Danny as he got ready to leave that morning. Danny had some things to tend to at the shop today that he wanted to get done before the graduation started, and then he was having an early dinner with Emma and their family before ultimately meeting back up with Jake at the party.

“I can’t wait to meet everyone” Danny assured him, a soft smile on his face as he cupped Jake’s in his palms. Jake had his arms wrapped tightly around Danny’s waist, not willing to let him go just yet.

“I thought one Kiszka was enough for you, are you sure you’re ready for three?” Jake raised an eyebrow, partially trying to warn Danny about what he was getting himself into tonight, and partially wanting to scare him into ditching the party so he could keep him all to himself.

“They’re your brothers,” Danny chuckled, granting Jake one quick kiss to the tip of his nose, “I’m sure they have plenty of cute stories about when you were kids”.

Jake finally let Danny go, moving to the edge of his bed to slip his boots on so he could take Luna to her last day of school for the year. “In that case let me call Josh and threaten him to keep his mouth shut”.

“Come on baby, don’t be that way” Danny’s infectious smile was still spread across his face when he leaned over and pressed a kiss to Jake’s lips next. “I’ll see you tonight. Tell Luna I said to brush in circles”.

Jake rolled his eyes, but his own smile worked its way into full bloom as he stood and walked Danny to the door before going to wake his daughter up.

After getting Luna to school Jake headed back home alone. There were dishes in the sink from dinner last night, and a leftover pizza box from the night before waiting to go out with the rest of the trash. In the study, Jake pulled out his work laptop, checking in on some things he’d left others to take care of while he was out of the office. Thankfully his email box wasn’t overflowing with important messages, so he sent a few follow up replies before turning his attention to the array of musical instruments lined up on the far wall.

Jake still played pretty regularly, mostly just old covers he’d learned when he was teaching himself the guitar, but nothing original in a while. His joy in music had never faded. It still grounded him to feel the weight of an instrument in his hands and lap, smell the dirt and sweat that had seeped into the wood from years of heavy use as its body was warmed against his own, and feel the way his fingertips buzzed with the vibrations of the strings he strummed.

He selected a particular piece from the mix, an acoustic he hadn’t touched in a while, the one he’d used to write his last album with his wife. It needed some tuning, but once he got everything right where it needed to be, it sang just as beautifully as the last day he’d heard it.

Jake started with something he played well and often, its notes just muscle memory at this point. Before long though new notes started flowing freely, a song never heard before but one Jake felt intimately familiar with somehow. He closed his eyes and rocked in motion with the melody, the steady pulsating in his chest the beat that kept him in slow fluid tempo. There wasn’t much to it yet, just a few lines of chords he played over again until they sounded like they could eventually be something if he kept at it, but when tears started to fall from his eyes he gave up and quietly set the guitar back in its resting place.

Jake hadn’t written anything new in years, having lost his muse, his love, but now it came to him so naturally, like his heart was vying to speak for itself again.

“Jake! Over here!” Emma’s mom called out to catch his attention as Jake’s eyes scanned the small cafeteria set up with rows of chairs as a makeshift auditorium. “It’s good to see you. How have things been?” She stood up to greet him with a hug like she hadn’t seen him just over a week ago before his vacation started. Well she knew with Danny not being at her house exactly where that meant he was, so her question was mostly just a shot in the dark at getting some news on how they had been.

“I’m doing great” he smiled, hugging her back and taking the seat she had saved. Her husband sat next to her, and he exchanged polite formalities like he always did with Jake before turning his attention back to the small mobile stage.

“Danny went to the restroom, he should be back any second now” she leaned over and whispered to Jake as he stared at the empty seat between them.

“No worries, I figured he was around” Jake casually replied. “How have you been?” He found it difficult trying to maintain the appearance of being completely unaware about her situation with her husband. She on the other hand did an excellent job of fooling everyone into believing things were right as rain with her hand wrapped tightly around her husbands.

“Oh you know how busy we are. Sometimes I can hardly recall what’s left from right or what’s up and what’s down, but we’re healthy and I’m going to be taking a break soon”.

“Really?” Jake was interested to hear more, it had been a while since he’d truly caught up with her and he hoped that maybe if their friendship was still as strong as it was before she would be able to find some solace in confiding in him.

They would have to catch up later though, as Danny arrived. When Jake turned to see him, he was completely awestruck by his appearance being completely different than when he’d last seen him just this morning. His hair looked fresh and glossy, maybe just an hour from the shower probably to clean up after being at the shop. The sweatpants and tank tops Jake had grown accustomed to seeing Danny in these past few days were replaced with a pair of fitted jeans and a black shirt with a high color that made the gold chain he wore around his neck pop even in the dim fluorescent lighting. His eyes were lined with black, and Jake noticed how long his lashes looked in comparison even with having fallen asleep to counting each individual one.

“Everything alright?” Danny asked, mistaking Jake’s wide eyed expression as having to do with being left alone with his sister. His eyes flickered over to his sister's husband who sat ignorantly unaware of the judgment being passed over to him in invisible daggers.

“Excellent” Jake muttered, turning to the side in his seat so Danny could squeeze past him and take his own. Once in place, Danny leaned over and whispered something to his sister that made her unclasp her hand and sit up in her seat. Jake was curious of the interaction, but his suspicions were put to rest when the principal entered the room and called for everyone's attention.

Luna and Emma’s class was the last to take the stage, and when Jake saw his little girl walk across and claim her gimmicky piece of cardstock he stood and clapped as loud as he could alone.

-

Danny pulled up to the house that barred the same address that Jake had text to him earlier that day. He was sure he had the right place because of the extra cars parked in the driveway, one of them he’d easily recognized as being Jake’s, but he hadn’t expected such an extravagant house.

It was the most beautiful one on the block, white washed brick with teak beams and shudders, large lights in intricate wrought iron sconces and a matching chandelier over the porch. The archway at the front of the porch was overgrown with a vine that was blooming with thousands of star shaped white flowers.

Danny could tell that whichever bother lived here maintained his property nicely and kept up appearances. A sudden nervousness started to bubble in his gut, maybe Jake was right this morning. Was he really prepared to face whatever surprises laid waiting in this gorgeous home?

“Nice bike” a stranger called out to Danny as he set the kickstand down and pulled his helmet off, running his fingers through his roots to make sure his curls were fluffed out enough.

“Thanks” Danny’s eyes scoured the direction he heard the voice come from, the sun setting in the distance behind him casting his and a mix of shadows between the cars and across the yard. Finally his vision came into focus on a tall man standing at the edge of the driveway, a comfortable slouch in his shoulders with one hand tucked into the front pocket of his loose fitting slacks and a half smoked cigarette dangling between the fingers of his other.

“Want a hit?” He asked Danny when he saw him eyeing his cigarette, lifting his hand that held the nearly burned out butt.

“Thanks” Danny accepted the offer, inhaling the smoke through the filter and turning his head to let it blow with the wind, feeling a bit of his jitters slowly start to subside with the influx of nicotine into his system. “I think I’m going to need that”.

“I’m Sam” he introduced himself with a chuckle as he took the cigarette back, gave it one last pull, and stomped it out on the pavement. “You must be Jake’s date”.

“Daniel Wagner” Danny introduced himself, internally confused about why he’d randomly used his full name, but continuing to go with it nonetheless.

“Daniel” Sam nodded, his eyes glancing back towards Danny’s bike. “Is that a Honda?”

“Yeah” Danny breathed out a sigh of relief as he glanced back over his shoulder at the glossy black body. Hopefully knowing now that he and Sam had a bit in common there would be one more person other than Jake he would be able to mingle with. “You know your motorcycles?”

“I know a little bit. Surprised you got Jake on that though, he’s no fun anymore”.

I’m surprised I’ve got Jake at all, Danny thought to himself, a flash of memories from the last two days bringing a warm smile to his face.

“Come on, I’ll show you where everyone’s at” Sam waved Danny along to follow him inside.

The interior of the house was even more spectacular than the outside with its high ceilings and cream colored walls holding a multitude of different pieces of artwork.

“This place is really nice” Danny commented out loud as he scanned the rooms they passed by on their way to the backyard, his eyes growing extra wide when he got a glance into the wide kitchen with its island still covered in food.

“Josh and his partner run a gallery downtown,” Sam revealed, a detail Danny had yet to learn about Jake’s notorious twin. Jake had explained a little about his brothers to Danny during their time together, but most things about them were still a mystery. “Sometimes this place can feel a bit like a gallery too in my modest opinion”.

“Sammy!” A few voices cheered when they stepped outside onto a raised stone patio complete with an outside kitchenette and bar. “Who’s this you have here?”

“This is Daniel” Sam stepped aside and Danny could see another smaller man standing with a drink in his hand.

“Just Danny is good actually” he corrected this time, easing towards the small group who had gathered together, all interested in getting a look at the most recent addition to the party.

“Glad you could finally join us!” Josh chimed, throwing an arm around Danny’s shoulder and giving it a welcome squeeze. “I see you’ve met Sam. I’m Josh, the most good looking Kiszka of the bunch”.

“Hey!” Sam called out from behind now.

“Right, Josh” Danny grinned, unable to take his eyes off of Josh as he studied each tiny difference between him and Jake. He’d been told that Josh was his twin, Jake had even agreed to show some pictures when Danny didn’t believe him, but seeing him in person was even more jarring than the likeness from the images he’d seen on Jake’s cell phone screen. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Sam was telling me that you have an art gallery? That’s impressive!”

“Oh, not as impressive as Sammy over here”. Josh called Sam over and the three of them moved somewhere they could chat alone. At the edge of the patio Danny looked out into the yard and saw that there was a modest pool, surrounded by a gate with metal working that complimented that out front. “He’s the computer engineer” Josh pointed out before taking a sip of his cup.

“Wow, where’d you study at?” Danny questioned intently, trying to soak up as much knowledge during their meeting as he could.

“Ummm,” Sam uttered before he spoke, he seemed a little more modest when talking about himself, “Harvard”.

“Harvard?” Danny nearly choked on his own spit, definitely feeling now like he was surrounded by super successful brilliant super brothers. An art collector, computer engineer, and then there was Jake the artist turned businessman whom he already thought was too good to be true. “Jesus”.

“Danny!” Jake’s familiar soothing voice finally made its way into the conversation as he found the three of them huddled together. “Why didn’t you guys tell me he made it?” Jake asked when he joined the group, shooting sharp looks at both his brothers.

“We were just getting acquainted” Danny explained to him, instinctively reaching around to place his hand at Jake’s hip. “So Sam’s a Harvard graduate?”

“Oh. Right” Jake replied, leaning into Danny’s side a little as he looked over at his younger brother.

“Well, did you study anywhere?” Sam asked Danny next, trying to keep the flow going now that Jake had joined.

“Actually I’m a University of Michigan drop out” Danny replied, a bit of self mocking in his tone, though he wasn’t actually ashamed to admit he’d never graduated college. “I’ve tried a few jobs here and there but body work is what’s stuck with me. School was just… too much book work I guess”. In reality there was a lot more to it. Jake was fully aware of his struggles with his family in the past which was the fuel fire for him up and dropping his life before, but he figured he didn’t need to get into that right now, especially at a party.

“I learned I’m much better with my hands, Jake knows”.

“Oh is that right?” Josh snickered and Jake’s expression turned to one like a deer caught in headlights, his thoughts taking him somewhere else entirely than what Danny had meant by ‘being good with his hands’.

“He’s seen my projects at the shop” Danny continued, subtly squeezing his fingers into Jake’s hip with a knowing smirk. Oh, he’d probably get some hell for that later but he welcomed it anyways.

“You resorted that bike out there? It looked good” Sam asked and Danny nodded. “I’d love to take it for a spin sometime. If you’re okay with that”.

“Of course!” Danny agreed- a little too eagerly for Jake’s liking.

“Yeah, we’ll see about that” Jake scoffed and muttered under his breath, though everyone still heard him clearly. Danny’s smile slowly faded as he gauged the atmosphere, realizing Jake wasn’t in the playful mood he’d been in before.

Sam ignored Jake’s snarky comment, continuing to talk freely as he and Danny went back and forth about computer mechanics in engines, something about engine control units in different models that had Danny growing in excitement the more Sam went on.

Josh made eye contact with Jake, both knowing they had lost the other two in their own conversation. Jake placed his hand on Danny’s chest to get his attention for a second so he could excuse himself, and he followed Josh back into the house.

They checked on Luna whom he’d left with Josh’s partner. She was still completely invested in building a racetrack with the legos and toy cars Josh had found at their parents house from their childhood and brought home for when his Lunbug came to visit.

“Seems Sam and Danny are getting along swimmingly” Josh commented, getting Jake’s attention again.

Jake shot him a sideways look, holding his tongue so he wouldn’t sound like the ass who didn’t want his brother to get along so well with his boyfriend.

“This is a good thing” he added, watching Jake’s expression turn from annoyed, to worried, then softened as he realized Josh was of course right.

“I know, it’s just sometimes I feel like it took me so long to find someone I could share myself with again. My true self that I’ve had locked away for so long that even I was afraid I wouldn’t get to be him again. Now that Danny and I have been spending more time together I get weary that since I’ve opened up to him the challenge has been taken away and he will get restless with me”.

With Jake willingly exposing his feelings for once, Josh played the devil's advocate with him, hoping he could do some work to put his brother's mind at ease. “Does Danny seem like the type of guy to behave that way? I certainly didn’t get that impression by the way he lit up when you joined us”.

“No he doesn’t” Jake admit. If he’d gotten that impression of Danny he would have never let it get this far to begin with. “You know how my head works though”.

“I know you’re afraid of losing people” Josh quietly remarked, “especially the ones you love the most”.

Jake looked taken aback now, like he hadn't expected Josh to read him so easily. But then again who was he talking to if not his other half?

“Are you?” Josh asked, though Jake was unclear about what exactly he meant. “Are you in love with him?”

“I think it's still a little early to know that” Jake tried to deflect, not giving an outright yes or no answer.

“You’ve been in love before Jake. You know what it’s like to be stricken with someone. To lose all sense of reality around them, learn yourself through them in a way you never thought you were capable of”. As Josh spoke his eyes flickered over to his partner who was watching over Luna with a carefree smile.

“Ok Casanova” Jake teased, grinning at the way Josh’s face flushed when he realized he was staring at his fiancé.

“I know you’re just as much of a helpless romantic as I am” Josh knocked Jake’s shoulder with his own, “we can’t help it, it’s who we are”.

After snacking on some more of the food in the kitchen Jake, Josh and their respective counterparts Luna and Josh’s partner followed them back outside. Jake brought Danny a plate to try some of the fruit knowing he had already had dinner, and Danny had managed to find a drink from the outside cooler while he was gone.

“I didn’t get a chance to congratulate you earlier” Danny mentioned after Josh introduced him to his partner. “I heard next spring is the big date?”

“We’re thinking destination wedding” Josh revealed, wrapping his arm around his partner’s back and resting his head against their shoulder. “But we will still have something to celebrate here too”.

“When were you going to tell me this?” Jake spoke up. When he imagined Josh’s wedding he pictured something grand and luxurious with at least a hundred of their friends and family as witness, not him being somewhere across the globe without any of them there to help should things go awry. He remembered how much Josh had helped at his own wedding, as was his responsibility being his best man, and Jake had been looking forward to repaying the favor.

“Oh don’t worry Jakey, you will still get to be best man at Sammy’s wedding” Josh chuckled, making Sam nearly spit his drink out.

“My what?” Sam replied dumbfoundedly.

“Oh come on Sam, you can’t remain a bachelor forever. Even Jake has gotten back out there”. Josh bit his tongue when he saw Jake slightly recoil at his words. He hadn’t meant any harm from it, just their normal brotherly banter, but clearly it was still too soon to be making those jokes.

“What about you Danny?” Sam turned everyone’s attention to Jake’s guest who had up until now stayed quiet while they went back and forth. “Do you want to get married someday?”

“Not really” Danny answered honestly. A silence settled over them, no one really knowing what to say now that the conversation had seemed to take a downward turn. “I mean I don’t really see the point in it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for you guys and wish you all the luck in the world, but I just don’t think marriage is for me”.

“See, I’m not the only one” Sam pipped up.

“Well Sammy boy we’ve got to find someone willing to put up with you for more than a few hours first”. Josh continued ragging, though he kept a close eye on Jake who seemed stiff.

“I’m going to go check on Luna” Jake mumbled before slipping away again.

Jake tried to mind his own business while Danny and Sam clung to each other for most of the night, talking and laughing with each other like they had known one another for years. It irritated him to no end, but he didn’t let it show on his face lest Josh give him a talking to again. Instead he just stood idly by watching Luna bounce from person to person at the party.

Danny made eye contact with him a couple of times throughout the evening, and Jake merely looked away, finding something else to pretend being more entertained with rather than watching his every move.

“Daddy, I’m tired” Luna came to Jake, rubbing her eyes and fighting off a yawn.

“I’m sorry sweetheart, do you want to go lay down?” Jake reached over and scooped her up into his arms, immediately forgetting all he had on his mind to ease her. She laid her head down on his shoulder and he carried her off back in the house then into one of the spare bedrooms where it was much more quiet.

It wasn’t too late in the evening, but Luna had a full day so her exhaustion wasn’t without proper cause. He laid her down in the bed, making sure she was nice and comfy and sat in the chair next to the window until she was quickly fast asleep.

Jake snuck out, softly shutting the door behind him so as not to disturb his daughter's rest, and meandered through the house until he found himself in the living room. Sitting alone on the couch as if he was waiting for Jake to join him, Josh turned around.

“Hey” Jake spoke as he came around the side of the white leather.

“Hey” Josh repeated, waiting for the other to sit. When Jake stayed standing though, picking at the skin on his finger, Josh stood as well. “You know I was only trying to give Sam a hard time earlier right?”

“I know” Jake bit the inside of his cheek, “it’s alright. You don’t have to worry about it. I’m fine”. His words were short, strained, but he tried to sound sincere. Honestly, what Josh had said really hadn’t affected him so much. At least not compared to what Danny had unexpectedly said later.

“Thanks for the party Josh, Luna had a really good time”.

“Is she out cold somewhere?”

“Yeah, spare bedroom. I’ll go get her when we’re ready to leave”.

Josh folded his arms over his chest and shook his head. “No it’s alright, let her sleep. She can stay with us, I miss that little hellraiser. You should bring her swimsuit over tomorrow so we can use the pool once more before the weather turns bad”.

“Are you sure?” Jake pressed, but Josh placed his hand on his shoulder before he could talk him out of it.

“Just leave her booster seat with us. We’ll probably go get some breakfast near the gallery in the morning”.

Jake sat in the backseat of his car after switching the seat to Josh’s, in the dark trying to recenter himself before rejoining the party when a rap against the window startled him. Danny was leaned over peering through the other side with an apprehensive look to his face, and Jake slid over in the seat to give him room to join him inside.

“Is everything alright?” Danny asked after a few moments of silence in the still, muggy air trapped there in the car with them.

“Yeah, Josh offered to keep Luna for the night. She’s already passed out in one of the bedrooms. I was just leaving him her booster seat” Jake recounted so that way he didn’t seem like a loser for just sitting in his car alone.

“I feel like I might’ve said something stupid back there to make you upset with me”. Danny blurted out, thinking Jake was purposely trying to get away from him.

“I’m not upset with you” Jake sighed, his shoulders moving with his chest as his warm breath added to the mix inside. “You’re entitled to knowing what it is you do and do not want for your future. You’re still young, there’s so much more in life for you than settling down somewhere”.

“I wasn’t saying I was opposed to settling down, or committing to someone for a long time” Danny tried to explain himself to Jake, though he was feeling more and more discouraged since Jake hadn’t even looked at him yet. “I was just saying we don’t always have to be defined by society’s standards. I want to be happy, and I don’t feel like I should have to build my life around contracts that at the end of the day don’t even mean anything to the people who don’t honor their word. Actions define a man and I’ll always be there to support my significant other whether or not we’ve gone to a courthouse to sign a piece of paper”.

To Danny, marriage had always been a way to tie someone down, make them conform to the image like the one his parents saw for him. Then there was his sister, her own marriage at the brink of collapse to further put a damper on his idea of the sacrament.

“It’s not the paper that matters, or even the rings” Jake argued, getting worked up all over again as he reached up to clutch at his bare chest, the chain that had hung there for so long now gone, back at home tucked safely away in a drawer. “It’s the joining of two families, the vow you make to one another… to death do you part”.

Danny could tell that he’d struck a nerve with Jake. He knew that he was close with his family, and getting to meet them tonight had only put that further into perspective for him. He panicked for a second, thinking maybe he should just give him a little space again, or go find Josh since he apparently always knew what to say to make Jake feel better.

Then Jake finally looked at him. His eyes were so filled with pleading for Danny to do something to assure him that he wasn’t crazy to feel this way that Danny without second hesitation reached over and wrapped his arms around his shoulders to pull the smaller man into his embrace. “I’m right here Jake, I’m not going anywhere. I promise you that”. He kissed the top of Jake’s head once, “you have my heart” another kiss to his forehead, “my body” the next kiss was on the bridge of his nose, “and my soul”.

He waited before kissing Jake again, staring into those downturned eyes and swimming in the darkness of his irises. Jake made the next move, driving forward into the kiss he so desperately wanted. As the kiss quickly deepened Jake moved closer, his hands finding the button to Danny’s pants and popping it open. Jake slipped his hand between the opening he created and the thin cotton of Danny’s boxers and started to palm at his length causing Danny to slide down in the seat to give him better access.

Jake’s movements were rushed. It was late, and dark especially behind the tinted windows of his car, and he didn’t expect anyone to be out wandering around Josh’s quiet neighborhood at this hour. He wanted to get this done though before anyone from the party noticed the both of them were gone for too long and ultimately came looking for them.

Jake turned and slipped into the floorboard, his body twisted at the waist and folded over Danny’s lap. There was a knee in his side, but he ignored the uncomfortable position for a while as he instead focused on freeing Danny’s length and pressing his lips to his overwarm tip. Danny inhaled a sharp breath, anticipating what it was Jake was preparing to do.

“Let’s get something straight first” Jake nipped next, making Danny groan and stiffen even more. “I’m going to give you this, then we’re going to go say goodbye to everyone and when we get home you’re going to fuck me”.

“Hmm,” Danny sounded like he was considering his offer. “So the brat gets what the brat wants then?”

Jake scoffed, he was obviously referring to the attitude he’d had earlier. “Unless you would rather stay and talk to Sam?” He squeezed his fist tighter around the base of Danny’s cock, making him squirm in the seat as he tried to buck upwards in chase of Jake’s mouth.

Danny threaded his fingers through Jake’s hair at the crown of his head and gave him a gentle yet direct push. “No baby, I want you”.

Satisfied with his answer, Jake opened his mouth and took Danny inside, letting the hand in his hair guide him up and down.

“That’s good Jake, just like that” Danny praised him, letting his head fall back against the seats as his fingers worked to massage Jake’s scalp.

Despite the confidence in his words Jake didn’t feel much confident in his skill here. He’d given Danny head once before, on a lazy afternoon without much expectation, but now he worked to get him off quickly. So Jake tried to emulate all the moves Danny had done on him. He hollowed his cheeks, flattening his tongue around his girth, and took him in as far as he could.

“Are you trying to prove something?” Danny groaned, pulling the ropey strands of Jake’s hair that were trapped in his firm grip. Jake looked up through his lashes, his eyes pointed and narrowed to answer him. “Yeah? You are aren’t you”.

Jake only sucked harder, feeling the way Danny twitched wildly on his tongue. It was a comforting feeling, to have such power over someone with just the warmth of your mouth. “Show me Jake. Show me who I belong to”.

Danny moaned loudly, and Jake even hoped that maybe someone had passed by for long enough to hear him. The windows of the backseat were fogged over, and Jake could feel a line of sweat start to form on his brow when Danny’s breaths started to come out unevenly.

When he came Jake swallowed him down, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. Danny grabbed him by the wrist of that hand and nearly yanked him from the floorboard back into his lap so he could smash their mouths together, searching for a taste before it was gone.

Danny followed Jake home on his bike, pulling into the same place in his driveway that he’d remained parked since the beginning of this week. Jake was quiet as he approached his front steps, waiting for Danny to be at his side when he punched in the passcode to the front door and they both entered together.

“Do you want a drink?” He asked, recalling the first night Danny had stayed over. How they had attached themselves together right here in his foyer and he had to slow things down a bit under the guise of being a good host. He had the same nervous energy as before, but this time he was filled with more determination than fear.

“Can I save that offer for after?” Danny replied as he wrapped his arms around Jake’s waist from behind. “I don’t think I can wait much longer to have you”.

Jake turned around in his hold, placing his forehead against Danny’s chest to hide the flush in his cheeks. The wait had been long, and Jake felt like he was more than ready to make this final leap to the last step. He wanted Danny, more than he wanted anything in a long time, but first there was something he needed to say.

“Danny” his voice came out in a breathy exhale, and he looked up to meet his gaze. “Tonight,” he began, making Danny’s brows scrunch together in a brooding furrow thinking Jake was still vexed with him.

Jake reached upward and cupped Danny’s jaw, he didn’t want him to worry, but he had to get this out. “Tonight was the first time I felt like you weren’t perfect”.

Danny opened his mouth to speak, apologize again for speaking out of line, but Jake shushed him with a gentle swipe of his thumb across his cheek. “I’ve been waiting for the pen to drop, for all of this to come crashing down on me, but now-”

“Now?” Danny pushed when Jake failed to find the words to explain the rampant storm of vehemence building within him like a typhoon on the horizon.

“Now” Jake nodded, his other hand coming up to wrap around Danny’s neck and pull him closer. He let his lips brush against Danny’s, feeling the way just that light touch pulled his breath right from his very being. “Now Danny, take me to bed”.

Danny kissed at the delicious little concave of skin in the space between his hip and groin, Jake’s sweet moans filling the room with each call of his fingers deep inside him.

“Danny please” Jake begged, his hips starting to grind in time with Danny’s movements in search of what he was missing. “More, I need you, now”.

Danny kissed him once more, sucking a matching red mark into the pattern of colorful bruises he’d left all along Jake’s lower abdomen as he dutifully made sure he was prepped to take him.

“No need to ask, I’m right here” Danny called back to him as he sat up to retrieve the bottle of lube. He positioned himself between Jake’s legs, pausing for a moment to admire his work that lay in a puddle beneath him, eyes closed but body open and accepting.

“Keep your eyes closed” Danny’s voice came out in a whisper that formed in the air all around Jake, like a long lived ghost that haunted him in his sleep. He positioned himself right where he needed to be, and slowly inched forward until he was nearly half way there.

“Fuck Danny, is that you?” Jake balled the silky sheets into his fists to hold all his tension there and keep the rest of his body loose and relaxed.

“That’s me baby, I’m here with you. I’m inside you” Danny groaned as he waited to let Jake adjust to the extra stretch his fingers could not quite prepare him for.

“I feel so full” Jake whimpered next, his breaths coming out long with short pulls of air back into his tight chest.

“Just a little more, I’m almost there”. Danny pushed in further, holding Jake by the hip with one hand and the other hooked underneath one of his knees to keep him steady.

When Danny bottomed out Jake let out a sigh of relief, letting his grip go and blindly feeling around until he found strong arms to cling onto instead. “Can I open my eyes now?”

“Yes Jake, open your eyes”.

Jake grinned when his focus came too and he saw none other than Danny hovering above him, his Danny. “Hi”.

“Hi” Danny chuckled back, his hand on Jake’s knee leaving to reach forward and move a stray strand of hair from his face so that his view wouldn’t be obstructed in any way. Jake chased his touch with his mouth, kissing at Danny’s palm until he moved lower, trailing his fingers down the sails of Jake’s warm ivory torso.

Danny wrapped his hand around Jake’s length, but Jake quickly pushed him away with a groan. “Not yet, I just want to feel you”.

“Now?” Danny asked, checking once again to make sure Jake was ready.

Jake nodded and Danny started to move, slowly at first until he was able to build a steady pace they could both withstand. He refused to close his eyes again, afraid he’d miss any of the beautiful expressions Danny made when fucking him for the first time.

“Can I go harder Jake? Fuck, please tell me I can go harder I’m losing it over here you feel so fucking good”. Danny rambled, fighting the urge to just uncage the animal he had, up until now, been able to keep at bay. His control was slipping though, just as fast as his hips thrust into the warmth that Jake’s body offered him.

“Kiss me first” Jake requested, a fire burning so deep in his eyes they turned black as coals.

Danny obliged, dropping his grip to lean over and cup Jake’s face as their mouths crashed together, teeth biting into lip and tongues dancing with passion.

Jake tugged on Danny’s hair when he’d had his fill, turning his head to speak directly into Danny’s ear. “Fuck me as hard as you want. Give me all you’ve got”.

With his permission, Danny pulled upright again and gave one hard thrust, testing the waters of Jake’s physical limits. First was the sound of skin snapping against skin, high pitched and sharp, and Jake’s face pinched in a way that Danny nearly crumpled down so he could kiss the pain away. Then came the moan, low and guttural as Jake arched his back off the bed.

“Again, Danny!” Jake cried out, his hands returning to gripping the sheets only so that he wouldn’t claw through Danny’s skin.

Danny started again, his new pace slower but harder as the muscles in his lower body worked to control his thrusts, and before he knew it the intensity was growing, swirling and burning within him like an underground fire that wouldn’t be extinguished for years to come.

Jake knew Danny could make him cum this way, all it would take would be a few pulls on his aching abandoned cock and he’d be thrown overboard, but he wasn’t ready for it to end just yet.

“Lay down” he directed now, having to repeat himself when Danny slowed after seeing the words formed on Jake’s mouth, but not hearing or registering what he’d said. “Lay down”.

The trade in position was quick, Danny moving to his back as soon as he understood what was being asked of him, and Jake climbed on to connect them again. He sank down slowly, savoring each and every inch Danny had to offer him before he began to rock his hips.

“Oh my god” Danny squeezed Jake’s plush hips, helping him grind harder as he threw his head back into the pillows. “You’re gonna break me Jacob Kiszka”.

Jake felt like he was the one about to be broken though, his body already weak and trembling, but when Danny’s tip nudged against that special place deep within him he knew he still had the strength left to make this last a little longer.

So he braced his hands on Danny’s chest and lifted his hips, coming back down into that exact same spot each time until Jake felt like he was just about ready to fall apart entirely.

“Tell me again Danny” he panted as he worked to get them both to their end. “Tell me who you belong to”.

“Yours, I’m all yours” Danny answered, no doubt in his sincerity even as he was fighting to hold it together.

“Good” Jake replied, “then make me cum”.

Danny was more than happy to appease him, eagerly spitting into his palm and wrapping it around Jake’s length- especially with his own orgasm on the horizon.

Jake came first, hot spurts of his release coating Danny’s stomach and chest just as Danny finally let go himself. Spent and tired beyond belief, Jake collapsed onto the bed next to his lover, trying desperately to catch his breath.

“You good?” Danny turned over, eyes scanning all over Jake’s glistening body for any signs of actual harm, even though he knew Jake had to be alright.

“I’m good” Jake pulled on a dopey smile, wanting nothing more than to curl up into Danny’s arms and go to sleep. It was too hot right now though, and they were in desperate need of a shower after that grand finale.

“I think I might’ve over done it a little on my first go” he admit, feeling the ache already setting into his lower back, and not feeling much of his legs at all.

Danny chuckled, though he was very thankful for all the effort. “You think so?”

“Maybe, but I don’t half ass things”.

“Oh I know,” Danny replied just as he scooted closer and wrapped his arm around Jake’s waist to grab a handful of cheek, “I’ve got the whole ass here as proof”.

Jake pushed against his chest with a roll of his eyes and a flush on his face, staggering a little as he stood up from the bed.

“Shower?” Danny asked, glancing down at the mess across his chest with a happy smirk.

“Together?” Jake responded, reaching his hand out.

Danny took his hand. Maybe he wasn’t perfect, but one thing was for certain, he’d never not take that hand for as long as Jake still wanted to offer. “Together”.

Thanks for reading: @sanguinebats @kultavalo @lipstickitty @gracev0609 @lyndz2names

“A brat gets what a brat wants” is a line taken in reference to the lovely @scarletvanfleet whom I love 🫶

[oceans-goddess]

Tyler Galpin x Reader Series Pt. 1-- The Weathervane

A/N: I hope to have part 2 up soon! We will see how my homework treats me, haha

Summary: y/n is a Nevermore student who has the power to grow plants, but hasn’t fully harnessed them yet, making for quite the interesting first encounter with Tyler Galpin at the Weathervane.

______________________________________________________________

You usually kept to yourself at Nevermore, spending most of your time in your room or in the greenhouse with your beloved plants. You’d been sent to Nevermore because, despite all of your parents’ attempts to control your abilities, they’d spun wildly out of control, leaving a massive tree growing through your house. But it had been months since you started at Nevermore, and your teachers were slightly concerned about your lack of socialization.

“Why not spend some time in Jericho? You could get some fresh air!” They’d suggested, and though you didn’t really have a reason to be in town where you knew everyone would stare at you and call you a freak in huddled whispers, you liked walks, so you decided to try it out.

It took a while to get your bearings, having only driven through the town a few times, but you soon found a cute coffee shop called the Weathervane. In sharp contrast from the chilly winter air of Vermont, the cozy coffee shop was warm and welcoming. The croissants and other pastries on the counter smelled incredible. There was nobody in line, so you stepped up to the counter. 

Behind one of the coffee machines was a boy your age in a Weathervane uniform and an apron. He was quite cute, you noticed, with his brown hair curled above his ears and over his forehead, and his pink lips pressed together in concentration. You followed his gaze to see that he was working on a detailed bit of latte art-- a swan. It was intriguing to watch him, to watch his piece of work come together. But suddenly, it was ruined, one of the swan wings mixing into the coffee below and disappearing. The barista huffed in frustration, setting the cup down and looking up, only to yelp in surprise at your presence.

“I am- I’m so so sorry to have kept you waiting,” he spluttered, and you blushed at his sudden attention, feeling as though you had been caught in the act of staring at the beautiful boy in front of you. You didn’t notice the small daisy begin to blossom between your fingers on the counter when you introduced yourself shyly.

“No, it’s no problem! I was just watching you, um, make that swan. It was beautiful. I, um, I’m y/n”

He smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck before replying: “Nice to meet you, y/n. I’m Tyler. What can I get for you today?” You blushed when you realized that the entire time you’d been standing there, you hadn’t even thought to read the menu. Buttercups sprung up in your hair, and Tyler’s eyes grew wide at the sight of them, but you took his expression as impatience and said, “I’ll just have a hot chocolate and a croissant.”

He rang you up and began making your hot chocolate straight away, and you moved down the counter to wait at the pick-up sign. It wasn’t hard to begin staring again, noticing the way the lights above Tyler’s head glinted in his hair, the way his eyelashes fluttered against his cheekbones when he looked down, the way one side of his mouth naturally quirked up into a half-smile, the way he-

“Here you go,” he said, and you were shaken out of your daydreams, ferns unfurling at your feet. You grabbed your order quickly and said thank you with an awkward smile before he asked, “Are you a Nevermore student?”

Seriously? Not even five minutes into talking with Tyler, and he’d already come to the conclusion that you were a freak, just as everyone else had. The ferns were as tall as your knee now, but you were too embarrassed to notice.

“Uh, yeah, I am. It’s that obvious?” you asked, refusing to look at anything other than your cup of cocoa. He chuckled, but answered in plain upon seeing your eyes widen in concern.

“Well, uh, you’ve kinda got...” he pointed to his head, “flowers, y’know, growing out of your hair.”

You slapped a hand over your mouth in horror, but he only chuckled again.

“Don’t worry, it’s cool. Very pretty, actually,” he reassured, but you couldn’t help internally cringing at your inability to control your power.

“Thanks,” you said anyway, and looked down at your shoes in dismay, only to realize ferns as tall as the countertop brushing against your skirt.

“Um, I’m sorry-- thank you-- I have to go now,” you said, spinning on your heels and hurrying away from the mess you’d just caused. You were sure it would only make things worse if you tried to help clean it up.

Little did you know, you’d left Tyler Galpin staring at your receding figure in wonder, and he was surprisingly delighted to find your ferns across the counter soon after your departure.

_______________________________________________________________________

Link to Pt. 2

[memekais]

epic the musical sentence starters. the circe saga. feel free to change pronouns as needed!

puppeteer

i have something that i must confess, something that i must get off my chest. until it is said, i cannot rest.

there's only so much left we can endure.

whatever you need to say can wait some more - of that, i'm sure.

[name], back so soon? where's the rest of your crew?

we came across a palace. inside we heard a voice.

nothing could prepare us for the power that awaited inside...

sir, since we left home we've faced a variety of foes from a wide range of places - gods, monsters, you know the roster, hostile creatures that we could resist.

this was a hell of a twist, cause we are weak to a power like this.

welcome to the best part of your lives.

go ahead and rest wherever you like.

i got you, don't worry [name]'s got you now.

i bet you're tired from the years spent on your feet.

think of your past and your mistakes.. they'll be the last mistakes you'll make.

i got all the power, yeah, i got all the power.

no, i'm not a player, i'm a puppeteer.

they transformed... and it wasn't quick.

this is the price we pay to live.

the world does not tend to forgive.

look at all we've lost and all we've learned, every single cost is so much more than what we've earned.

think about the men we have left before there are none.

let's just cut our losses, you and i, and let's run.

i can hardly sleep now knowing everything we've done.

there's no length i wouldn't go if it was you i had to save. i can only hope you'd do the same.

what if she can't be killed? will you choose to leave?

no one will find their way between my nymphs and i, their loving queen.

it's a game of wits but you don't have to play.

wouldn't you like

i must say what a brilliant speech you gave.

you wanna beat her? you'll need the blessing of a certain god.

[silly little laugh]

wouldn't you like a taste of the power? wouldn't you like to use more than words?

deep in the night the fight lasts for hours.

you can be hurt or you can beat her.

wouldn't you like to have some of thе magic? wouldn't you like your outcome prefеrred?

deep in the night the fight can be tragic.

i'll help you conquer her.

she can turn you into an animal that'll end up on her plate. she can all but make you fall in love like you're on your hundredth date!

she can conjure up a monster that'll grind you to the bones.

she has all the ways to haunt ya when you take her on alone.

here in the root of this flower, there lies such a power to take her on.

don’t thank me friend, you very well may die. haha, good luck!

done for

i sent out some scouts to take a look around through here and they wound up at your door.

through the years we seldom get a warm welcome, so i must ask just to be sure... did you do something to them?

all i did was reveal their true forms.

i don't know who you are nor why you're here but let me make this one thing clear: i've got people to protect, nymphs i can't nеglect so i'm not taking chances, dear.

if you makе one wrong move, then you're done for.

anything i don't approve, then you're done for.

i could put a spell on you and you're done for.

boy, you better run or soon you will done for.

i don't mean to tip your scale but you will fail at placing any spells on me.

you better cower now and flee.

you must be a liar. mortals can't acquire moly without dire consequence.

then i must be a god like you cause i got this root from the ground with my bare hands.

you and i are now evenly matched. our fates are intertwined, they're attached.

i've got people to protect, friends i can't neglect so now there is no turning back.

you've made your one wrong move, now you're done for.

i will be the one to prove that you're done for.

not even a spell saves you, cause you're done for.

the last time we let strangers live, we faced a heavy loss.

you've given me no reason to bestow you with my trust.

everyone's true colours are revealed in acts of lust.

there are other ways

there are other ways of persuasion, there are other modes of control...

there are other means of deceit, there are other roads to the soul...

there are other actions of passion you have so much left to learn.

want to save your men from the fire? show me that you're willing to burn.

who's to say with the mistakes i've made that they will be the last mistakes i ever make?

there is so much power but there's puppet here.

this is the price we pay to love.

i'm just a man, forgive me.

back at home, my wife awaits for me.

she is my everything, my [name]... and she is all my power.

the god of tides is out to end my life.

so i beg you, [name], grant us mercy.

let us puppets leave.

there might be a way to evade him, there might be a way to get home though this other way’s very dangerous.

it might be your one final hope.

i can’t get you home, but I’ll get you to the underworld instead.

maybe showing one act of kindness leads to kinder souls down the road.

i remember actions of passion... i have been in love once before.

maybe one day the world will need a puppeteer no more.

maybe one day the world will need a puppeteer more.

[whispersofalostsoul]

RUNAWAY

Summary: Image if Lando Norris has follen in love for the first time….with a woman that he never thought he could fall for… and when his whole world turns upside down, he finds himself alone…once more...

________________

(Please leave comments to help me improve my story ! Would also love to hear your opinions ! thank you !)

____________________________

Chapter 1 - Encunter --- https://www.tumblr.com/whispersofalostsoul/756913230598815744/runaway?source=share

Chapter2 - Belgium ---https://www.tumblr.com/whispersofalostsoul/757021516150030336/runaway?source=share

Chapter 3 - Dinner --- https://www.tumblr.com/whispersofalostsoul/757096323375824896/runaway?source=share

Chapter 4 - The fight --- https://www.tumblr.com/whispersofalostsoul/757270709880930304/runaway?source=share

Chapter 5 - Sleeping inhttps://www.tumblr.com/whispersofalostsoul/757554318977204224/runaway?source=share

Chapter 6 - Confrontation

Confrontationhttps://www.tumblr.com/whispersofalostsoul/758005643926011904/runaway?source=share

Chapter 7- Greece https://www.tumblr.com/whispersofalostsoul/758100377092620289/runaway?source=share

___________________________

Chapter 8 - Dinner 2

A week had gone by, and Dalia was  unaware of time moving along. Each morning, she woke up feeling on top of the world, eager to dive into another day filled with possibilities. The sun would stream through her window, casting a warm glow that mirrored the excitement bubbling within her. She and Lando were practically glued together, their connection palpable to everyone around them. Their friends couldn't help but notice the undeniable spark that ignited whenever they were near each other, especially when they started stealing kisses in front of everyone, making it all official. Those stolen moments, brief yet electric, sent ripples of joy through their circle, and laughter often erupted as they playfully teased the couple. Every day felt like a fairytale; they went on countless dates, each one more enchanting than the last. They explored quaint little cafes tucked away in the corners of the city, shared ice cream cones on sun-drenched beach benches, and wandered through streets, losing themselves in the beauty of the pieces and each other's company.

Lando found himself sharing secrets with her that he had never told anyone else, feeling completely at ease in her presence. It was as if the walls he had built around his heart were crumbling, brick by brick, and he welcomed the vulnerability.He craved her presence, her touch, her scent every moment. The way her laughter danced in the air, brightening even the dullest of days, was intoxicating. He would often catch himself daydreaming about her, replaying their moments together in his mind like a cherished movie. And when they had to part ways at night, he felt an instant pang of missing her, a hollow ache that settled in his chest. The world felt a little dimmer without her , and he would find himself counting the hours until they could be together again.Each moment spent together was a treasure, and with every passing day, their bond deepened, solidifying a connection that felt destined. Lando felt it in his bones that what he was experiencing for the first time was something incredibly intense and passionate.He was ready to do whatever it took to safeguard this newfound connection. The stakes felt higher than ever, and he understood that the path ahead was fraught with challenges. Yet, the thought of losing this feeling, this spark, was far more daunting than the prospect of jeopardizing his own career. He envisioned the sacrifices he might have to make— multiple travels, late-night calls, difficult conversations, and the potential fallout from those who might not understand his choices. But in that moment, none of it mattered. The intensity of his emotions overshadowed any fears or doubts that crept into his mind.

Dalia called out from the living room, "Who wants ice cream?" and everyone nodded in agreement. The sun had been blazing all afternoon, and after their invigorating swim in the sea, it felt like the perfect way to cool down. While Dalia and Lily decided to go to the nearest shop,  the guys were lounging on the terrace, sprawled out on sunbeds, soaking up the sun and listening to music. The playlist was a mix of upbeat summer hits and nostalgic tunes that made them reminisce about past adventures.

Out of the blue, Oscar, who had been scrolling through his phone, looked up and asked, "So, how's it going with Dalia?" The question hung in the air, and the atmosphere shifted slightly as the guys turned their attention to Lando. He paused for a moment, the weight of the question sinking in. After a brief silence, he finally admitted, "I'm considering introducing her to my parents." The guys were taken aback, their expressions a mix of surprise and intrigue. Lando had always been the more reserved one when it came to relationships, often keeping his romantic life under wraps. The thought of him taking such a significant step with Dalia, who had quickly become a central figure in their summer escapade, was unexpected.  "Wow, that's a big step," Alex said, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're ready for that?" Lando shrugged, a hint of nervousness creeping into his voice. "I mean, I really like her. Plus, my parents are always asking about my love life. I think it might be time to show them I'm serious about someone.""I'm happy for you Lano" Carlos smiled. "Dalia seems great. Just make sure you prepare her for your mom's cooking. It's... an experience." The group erupted in laughter, the tension easing as they teased Lando about the potential family dinner.

The girls stumbled upon a little shop that had souvenirs and ice cream.Lily, ever the curious one, decided to check out the inside to see if anything caught her eye. Meanwhile, Dalia approached the fridge,  scanning the array of flavors displayed behind the glass. Chocolate chip cookie dough, mint chocolate chip, and the ever-popular strawberry swirled before her eyes. Just as she was about to make her choice, a familiar voice broke through the hum of the summer afternoon. "Looks like you're living it up," the voice said, smooth and casual. Dalia felt a jolt of recognition, and just as she was about to turn around, a wave of familiarity hit her, accompanied by the unmistakable scent of cigarettes. "Hey, Dalia," Noah grinned from beneath his cap, his eyes glinting mischievously in the sunlight. Dalia froze, her heart pounding in her chest, feeling a mix of surprise and unease. She hadn't expected to see him here, not in this little corner of the world. It was as if he could read her thoughts when he added, "You're probably wondering how I knew you were here," taking a puff from his cigarette before crushing it underfoot with a practiced ease. "Well, I have this incredible talent for tracking people down," he said with a sly grin, leaning casually against the fridge as if he owned the place. His presence unsettling. 

"Or maybe you just have a talent for popping up where you're not exactly welcome," Dalia shot back. "Oh, look at you! Have you developed a bit of a backbone since hanging out with him?" he said, leaning in closer, invading her space. "I'm intrigued," his tone shifted to a low, dark whisper. "Are they taking turns with you, or is it a group thing?" Dalia, filled with rage and disgust, raised her hand to slap him, but he effortlessly blocked her move. "Not today," he grinned. Noah leaned closer, his voice low and conspiratorial, "I think I have something you'll want to see." Dalia shot back, her tone sharp and defensive, "Not interested," as she struggled to pull her hand away from him. The warmth of his grip felt like a brand against her skin, and she was desperate to reclaim her personal space."Oh, I bet you will be," he replied, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes as he finally stood up straight and released her, "Look out for a message from me tonight," before turning to leave.  As he walked away, Dalia felt a knot of unease tighten in her stomach. This whole situation left her feeling off-kilter, as if the ground beneath her was shifting. She couldn't shake the feeling that Noah was up to something, and the thought sent a shiver down her spine.Just then, Lily came over, her brow furrowed with concern as she noticed Dalia's pale face. "Hey, are you alright?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine worry. Dalia forced a smile, trying to mask the turmoil brewing inside her. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said, waving it off dismissively, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her.

When the girls returned to the villa, the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement from their day out. Lily, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, hurried to the terrace, eager to show Alex the colorful souvenir she had picked up from a local market. Meanwhile, Dalia, feeling a bit overwhelmed, made a beeline for her room, her mind racing with thoughts of the strange encounter she had earlier. As soon as he spot her entering the villa, Lando trailed behind her, wanting to have a quick chat. Carlos's voice broke through the chatter. "Where's the ice cream?" he asked, his tone playful yet expectant. It suddenly hit Lily that Dalia hadn't picked any up during their outing. "She seemed a little off," Lily admitted, her brow furrowing with concern."What do you mean?" Oscar asked, sitting up in his chair, his interest piqued.  "There was this strange guy talking to her, and I think he made her uncomfortable," she explained, her voice lowering slightly as if the memory was still fresh. The guys exchanged glances, shrugging it off with a casual air. They were all too familiar with the island's locals, who often had a reputation for being overly friendly, especially towards tourists. "It's probably nothing," Alex said dismissively, but Oscar couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

Lando grinned as he tapped on the door, the sound echoing slightly in the quiet hallway. Dalia was doing her best to mask her shaken state, her heart racing as she smoothed down her shirt and took a deep breath. "Hey," she said softly, trying to keep her voice steady.Lando stepped into her room, his expression a mix of excitement and apprehension. He looked pretty anxious himself, nervously rubbing his neck as he glanced around the space." Uh," he began, his voice trailing off as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Dalia felt a flutter of unease in her stomach; she could sense that whatever he was about to say was important. "I wanted to ask you something," he finally managed, still avoiding her gaze, his eyes darting to the floor as if it held the answers to his unspoken questions. Dalia's curiosity piqued, and she leaned in slightly, encouraging him to continue. "My folks were in Athena, they're sailing towards Santorini and wanted to make a stop here. I thought it would be nice if you joined us for dinner tonight. I'd love to introduce you properly."

Dalia felt a jolt of excitement when she got the invite. The idea of hanging out with Lando and his family made her pulse race. But with that excitement came a twinge of nerves. She couldn't shake off the thought of Noah being there, watching her, which made her stomach churn. What was that message he said he'd send her going to be about? As she prepared for the gathering, Dalia found herself caught in a whirlwind of emotions. She rummaged through her closet, trying to find the perfect outfit that would make her feel confident yet comfortable. She wanted to impress Lando's family. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was going to have fun, regardless of Noah's presence. After all, this was about Lando. But as she glanced at her phone, half-hoping for a message from Noah, she couldn't help but wonder if the evening would bring clarity or chaos.

Lando's folks were just amazing; they invited them over for dinner on the boat, and it turned out to be such a beautiful experience. The gentle sway of the boat on the water, combined with the warm glow of the setting sun, created an atmosphere that felt almost magical. Dalia could easily tell that Lando was a cherished kid, with parents who adored him but also understood the importance of giving him space to grow and explore. Their laughter filled the air, and the way they interacted with Lando showed a deep bond, one built on love and mutual respect.Throughout the evening, Lando held her hand, his grip firm yet tender, almost as if he wanted to keep her close every moment. It was a simple gesture, but it spoke volumes about how he felt about her. He couldn't stop chatting about her, his eyes lighting up with excitement as he shared stories of their time together. Dalia could see how proud he was to introduce her to his parents, and she felt a warmth in her heart knowing that he wanted them to see the person who made him so happy. 

While Lando was busy helping his dad get dessert ready, leaving the two women to chat. His mom leaned in towards Dalia and said with a smile, "I must admit this is the first time Lando has introduced us to a girl he's dating". Dalia felt her cheeks heat up as she smiled back, a mix of surprise and delight washing over her."I know my son very well," his mom continued with a grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "And I can see he's really into you." Dalia's heart raced at the compliment, and she felt a warmth spread through her. It was one thing to feel a connection with Lando, but to hear his mother acknowledge it made it all the more real. "Ta-da! The pièce de résistance!" he announced, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I hope you're ready for this, Dalia. My dad's secret recipe is legendary."Dalia laughed, her earlier embarrassment fading as the atmosphere lightened. "It looks amazing! I can't wait to try it," she said, her enthusiasm genuine.

As the night wrapped up, Dalia and Lando chose to head back to the villa, even though his parents wanted them to stay on the boat for the night. Lando's dad stepped forward as they prepared to disembark. He pulled Dalia in for a cozy hug, enveloping her in the familiar scent of saltwater and aftershave. His embrace was warm and fatherly, a gesture that made Dalia feel both welcomed and cherished. Leaning in closer, he whispered softly, "Make sure to look after our boy and don't break his heart," all while grinning widely, his eyes twinkling with a mix of humor and sincerity. Dalia chuckled, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks. She appreciated the lighthearted warning, knowing it came from a place of love and protectiveness. 

As Lando and Dalia stopped in front of her room, they exchanged a few playful words, their laughter echoing softly in the quiet hallway. But as the moment lingered, Lando found himself reluctant to leave. The doorframe seemed to form an invisible barrier, one that he was hesitant to cross.He stood there, his heart racing slightly, hoping for a sign, a gesture that would invite him in. He could feel the magnetic pull between them, a tension that crackled like static electricity. It was as if the air itself was charged with unspoken words and unfulfilled desires. He wanted to reach out, to bridge the gap between them, but he held back, unsure of how she truly felt. As he gazed at her, he noticed the way her hair fell softly over her shoulders, the way her lips curved into a smile that seemed to invite him closer. The moment stretched, and he could sense the hesitation in her eyes too, as if she were weighing the same thoughts.

Suddenly, the phone buzzed, breaking the spell of silence that enveloped them and pulling both of them back to reality. As Dalia reached for it, her eyes widened, and a nervous smile spread across her face. "Goodnight, Lando," she said quickly, her voice a mix of warmth and urgency, before slipping into her room with a soft click of the door. Lando was caught off guard by how fast everything changed. One moment, they were suspended in a moment filled with unspoken words and shared glances, and the next, he was left standing alone in the hallway, the echo of her voice lingering in the air. He felt a rush of emotions—disappointment, confusion, and a flicker of hope. He leaned against the wall, staring at the closed door, wondering if he had missed his chance.

 Dalia hurried to the edge of her bed, her heart pounding before she even had a chance to check the message. With trembling fingers, she unlocked her phone and tapped on Noah's notification. Her eyes went wide in disbelief, and in a panic, she quickly dialed his number to get some answers.

Lando was tossing and turning, unable to get Dalia out of his head. The night was thick with silence, but his mind was a cacophony of thoughts and emotions. Every time he pictured her face—her warm smile, the way her eyes sparkled with warmth, the gentle curve of her lips—a smile crept onto his own. He rolled over, trying to find a comfortable position, but the sheets felt constricting, as if they were wrapping around him, holding him back from the truth he was desperately trying to avoid. As his thoughts raced, a sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks, making him sit up straight in bed. The weight of it was overwhelming, and he could hardly breathe. He was in love.

"Did I wake you?" Dalia whispered, her voice soft and melodic, catching him completely off guard. He blinked, momentarily disoriented, as he turned to face her. The moonlight spilled into the room, casting a silvery glow that illuminated her features, making her look ethereal."What are you doing here?" he asked, trying to steady his nerves, his heart racing in his chest. He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, and he hoped the darkness would hide his embarrassment. Without a word, she moved closer, her presence filling the space between them with an electric tension. She reached for his face, her fingers brushing against his skin with a tenderness that sent shivers down his spine.And then, she kissed him deeply. It was a kiss that spoke volumes, a kiss that conveyed everything he had been too afraid to say. Her lips were soft and inviting, and as he melted into her embrace, all his doubts and fears began to dissipate. In that moment, nothing else mattered. The longing that had consumed him transformed into a sense of belonging, a feeling that he had finally found what he had been searching for all along.

[writing-positivelyexisting]

Warm Bodies

The Bad Batch. Bad Batch/Reader. | writing-positivelyexisting🫧

For the 50 followers celebration, I give you this fluffy Bad Batch/Reader! Thank you guys! <3

Sent on a mission to the frozen planet, Kijimi, the crunch of snow was becoming a white noise to you. You trekked behind Echo, desperately pulling your arms across your middle and into your body, trying to contain as much body heat as possible. You weren’t built for this. You grew up on Tatooine. Snow was not your element.

You looked over at your comrades in their winter armor. Not a single shiver or a drippy sniffle. It boggled you completely. How in the galaxy did they stay warm? Genetics? Maybe it was part of their enhancements. Whatever was keeping these men warm would stay a mystery, and it made you envious.

A gust of particularly strong force blew past the group and you felt every fiber in your body jitter. Your body was wracked with a violent shiver to the point where it made you stop moving.

Crosshair, who was walking behind everyone, stopped to look at you. He heard your chattering teeth and had to keep his chuckle in the back of his throat.

“Cold?”

If you weren’t so frozen in place you would have hit him. “No. I was just about to strip, it’s so hot.”

“Be my guest,” he teased, his cruel and taunting smile hidden behind his helmet.

“For the love of – Hunter! Can we please set up camp?”

The leader, farther than the rest of you, stopped and looked back. Seeing you a miserable cold mess brought out a pitiful sigh from him. He comm’d back, “The first sign of shelter we will. Need an extra coat?”

You groaned, but nodded to his offer. You trudged up to Hunter as fast as your icicle-legs would allow and took the heavy parka Hunter packed.

“Thanks,” you huffed, shoving your arms through in greed. Zipping up the jacket, you felt a little difference. It would have to do for now.

Hunter gave you a look over, wanting to be sure you were alright to continue. He could hear the increased rhythm of your heart and felt his own pang in helplessness. Offering you the jacket was the best he could do for you now.

He looked over at Tech beside him and tilted his head, “Can you scan for shelter?”

“Certainly,” Tech tucked his data pad away then looked up, holding onto his goggles as he searched the horizon. “There appears to be an abandoned Kessel mining shaft three klicks north.”

You felt some relief knowing it wouldn’t be too long. “Thank the stars. Let’s get going.”

The trek took almost an hour, but when you finally made it inside the mine, you were quick to plop onto your butt. You took your pack off and looked at the men who were starting to unpack. Bringing your tired body to move, you took out your sleeping bag and unfurled it.

What you saw next you really had no words. There was a hole. Big enough for a really fat Tooka cat to crawl through. Perks of being government property. You shivered and felt like crying. This mission was going great.

Hunter came by with Echo and they both saw your sleeping bag. “Oh, cyare.” Echo came to you and you huffed, trying to keep a brave face.

“I’ll figure something out.”

You stood up and went to help Wrecker with building the fire. He welcomed your presence, bringing you into a comfy side hug. You felt the heat he provided and if you could purr, you would. He let you go with a soft kiss to the top of your head before giving you the lighter.

He asked you how you were holding up on the mission, knowing full well your inability to handle such freezing temperatures. You frowned, kneeling to the fire kit and setting it ablaze.

“Not well. My sleeping bag has a hole in it. So, I’m royally screwed.”

Wrecker frowned at you, “You could always sleep with one of us.”

“I know, thank you.”

Wrecker was right. You had your boys and any one of them would be more than happy to give up their sleeping bag or have you cuddle into their side for the night. Sometimes it still blows you away to realize you’ve got five incredible men at your back, who care for you, who are there for you, who love you.

You smiled at the thought and a little bright idea came to you.

As the sun set on Kijimi, the winds gusted through the mine with ferocity and the temperature dropped to the negatives. While you ate the rations you packed, you couldn’t stop the death-biting shivers that wracked your body. It was becoming unbearable so you looked around the mine and found Wrecker sitting opposite of you, his back against the wall.

You moved, sitting next to him and snuggling into his side. The man grinned, moving his arm to bring you closer (as if it was possible). “Maker, you’re warm…” You looked up and saw the others happily smiling at you two. “It could be warmer, though,” you said wistfully, hoping the damsel-in-distress tone would work.

It did.

Hunter moved in to your other side, pecking your temple. You smiled and thanked him, letting the two men warm you up from either side of you. It was nice, but your little plan had yet to be finished.

“I think… I could be warmer, hmm.” You innocently put your pointer finger on your cheek like you were thinking about how to solve your problem. You glanced at Tech and Echo and winked.

Both of them rolled their eyes at your silly ploy, but gave in regardless. Echo laid on your right thigh while Tech laid on your left, each reaching up to place a kiss on your cheeks. With four out of five brothers, you looked at the sniper whose back was facing you. He had his firepuncher propped up next to him and was ready to take the first watch.

You weren’t satisfied with that.

“I still think it could be way warmer,” you spoke exaggeratingly loud and Crosshair moved to glance at you over his shoulder. His eyebrow raised when he saw your ‘come-here’ hands. Not daring to ignore your cute plea, the snarky sniper got up to take the last spot available: in between your legs.

“Could have just asked, darling,” he breathed against your lips before he kissed you.

It made you giggle and you happily wrapped your arms around him as he settled in on you. “Oh, I know. This was more fun, though.”

The men chuckled, filling you with warmth greater than any sun. As the night was breaching late hours, one by one each of you fell into a comfortable slumber. You were kept blissfully warm through the night and your tiny smile never left.

word count: 1,136.

Beta read by: @beating-a-dead-plot (If you’re looking for a beta reader, she’s an excellent one! Give her a message!)

Tag list: @dangraccoon (comment or send me and ask if you want to be tagged!)

[kit-walk3r]

Together Not Forever (Kyle Spencer x fem!reader) Part 1

You and Kyle learn how to come together and let each other go.

Warnings: mentions of sexual abuse by a parent, mentions of r*pe, major character death :(

Part 2 Alternate ending

You and Kyle met six months into your freshman year of college when you were a waitress at a local diner.

Kyle was there with his frat brothers, who were expectedly being loud and rowdy. The diner was short staffed, so you were left in charge of waiting all the tables. Unfortunately, that meant you were exposed to the fraternity’s rude and obnoxious behaviour with little to no backup.

They made lewd comments and whistled at you as you walked by. They threw their food about, fries going everywhere as they laughed loudly. You noticed one of them, a blonde boy, staying silent in a seat next to the window, shooting you looks of sympathy whenever you approached the table. At least one of them wasn’t a complete asshole.

When the boys finally left it felt like a weight was lifted off your shoulders and you went back to waiting tables without the added pressure of harassing college boys.

It was close to the end of your shift when you were interrupted. “Hey,” a voice said, and you turned around from wiping tables to see a blonde guy standing there with his hands in his pockets. You recognised him as the frat guy who’d been sending you sympathetic looks just a few hours ago.

“Hi,” you greeted awkwardly, eyes flickering around the empty diner before finally meeting his gaze.

“I’m, uh, sorry about the guys,” the blonde apologised, pulling a hand out of his pocket to run it through his hair. “They shouldn’t have been harassing you like that. They’re assholes.”

“Yes they are,” you agreed, making the guy chuckle. An awkward silence passed between the two. “Thank you. For apologising.”

“Not a problem,” he smiled. You couldn’t help but notice his smile was warm, welcoming. “I’m Kyle.” The blonde introduced himself after a beat. He extended his hand.

“Y/N,” you smiled back, grasping his hand in yours in a handshake.

Kyle looked around at the mess on the floor and grimaced. “Do you need any help?”

You were taken aback by his offer. “No, it’s okay,” you answered with a smile. “But thank you.”

“I insist,” Kyle said and grabbed the broom leaning against one of the booth tables. He began to sweep up the mess of fries and other food his friends had thrown about, humming as he did so. You paused what you were doing for a moment and watched the boy intently as he helped you clean up, amazed that someone like Kyle was frat brothers with the assholes you had been serving earlier.

Kyle caught you watching him and sent you a bright smile. Softly, you smiled back.

- - -

Kyle stayed with you until the end of your shift, and then he walked you back home. The two of you talked about the most random things, and when you finally reached your door he shyly asked for your number. You happily gave him it, along with a kiss on the cheek and a gentle ‘goodnight’.

A month after you met Kyle asked you to be his girlfriend. Since the night at the diner the two of you had been texting non-stop, you met up frequently and Kyle even turned up to walk you home from work on numerous occasions. Kyle was someone special, you could tell, and that made you feel special since out of everyone he had chosen you to spend his time with.

He asked you out over text message.

Be my girlfriend? :)

You called Kyle straight after you got his text.

“Only you could ask a girl out over text message, Kyle Spencer,” you laughed down the phone. You heard him nervously chuckle on the other end.

So?” Kyle asked anxiously. The nerves were evident and you giggled softly.

“Yes!” You grinned.

“Wait, seriously?” You could hear the disbelief in Kyle’s voice and you rolled your eyes, even though he couldn’t see you.

“Yes, Kyle. Of course I’ll be your girlfriend.”

“Okay. Cool.”

- - -

The first time Kyle told you he loved you was the day you found out about his mom.

It was the holidays and unfortunately you were stuck in your dorm, flights back home were too expensive. Kyle had made it his mission to spend as much time with you as he could since he lived in the area, but it was Christmas Eve and he had gone home to see his mom. You hadn’t met Kyle’s mom and Kyle had never brought up you and her meeting, so you never prompted it. You’d noticed recently how uncomfortable Kyle seemed to get when his parents were brought up.

You were on the phone to your own mom when you heard a frantic knock at your door. There was a moment of silence before the knocking continued.

“Is everything okay?” Your mom asked over the phone as you got up from your bed to check who was on the other side of your door through the peephole. Out there stood Kyle, looking rather disheveled.

“Mom, I’ll call you back,” you said before hanging up the phone and opening your door. There Kyle was. His hair was damp and sticking to his forehead from the snow outside and his eyes were bloodshot. You could just about make out the tears trickling down his cheeks.

“Kyle?” you whispered, in shock at your boyfriend’s distressed appearance. Kyle’s eyes met yours and you could see the pain radiating from them. You quickly welcomed him into your room and watched as he tentatively took a seat on your bed. You knelt down in front of him and looked at him with wide, concerned eyes, reaching out to gently place a hand on his knee in an attempt at comfort. “Kyle, baby, what’s wrong?”

“I’m really sorry,” Kyle sniffled, raising a hand to shakily wipe his nose. He refused to look at you, eyes instead focused on the battered pair of red converse he wore.

“Sorry about what?” Kyle stayed silent. “Kyle, you’re scaring me.”

“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I didn’t want to.”

“You didn’t want to what?” Your nerves were elevated and you gave his knee a gentle squeeze. “Kyle, you can tell me.” There was a silence before Kyle finally spoke.

“I cheated on you,” he mumbled. You fell back onto your heels, the air taken out of you. Cheated? Kyle? No way.

“What?” Your voice was barely audible. Kyle sniffled again and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater.

“I didn’t want to,” Kyle repeated. You couldn’t think straight, your mind was all over the place after the bombshell Kyle had just dropped. He cheated on you? But he didn’t want to? What was going on?

“What… what happened?” you asked hesitantly, unsure if you wanted to know the details. But you needed to know.

“I said no. I said I couldn’t do it anymore. But she didn’t listen.” Kyle started rambling, almost speaking too fast for you to catch onto what he was saying. “I thought she would understand. She knows I’m with you. I didn’t think she would do it anymore. I thought she cared.” Alarm bells were going off in your head. You were now filled with concern as opposed to the hints at betrayal you were feeling moments before. Kyle was getting more and more worked up, his body shaking as he continued to cry.

“Kyle, please calm down. Who are you talking about?”

“My mom-” Kyle started but couldn’t continue before letting out a quiet sob. Your blood ran cold. His mom. Kyle’s mom. She couldn’t have, could she? No way. “My mom…” he still couldn’t finish.

“Kyle, baby, it’s okay. You can tell me. I promise, Ky, it’ll be okay.” You gently cupped Kyle’s cheek, wiping away some of his tears. “I’m here. You can trust me.”

And so Kyle told you. He told you about how tonight was the first time he’d seen his mother since he started college, that he’d avoided going back since he moved to the frat house. He told you why he’d avoided going home, about the abuse he’d faced at the hands of his mother since his father left. How he let it happen, even though he was strong enough to push her off him, because deep down he felt bad for her, knowing she was lonely. He thought that since his mother knew the two of you were in a relationship that she wouldn’t try anything, that she would finally stop having her way with him. But that wasn’t the case.

“I’m sorry,” Kyle whispered again once he’d finished explaining everything, wiping his eyes.

“Kyle, honey, you didn’t cheat on me,” you reassured him, smiling sadly. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” You pulled him towards you in a tight hug, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. “I’m here, I’ve got you. You’re safe. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”

Kyle slumped forward into your embrace. You could tell he was exhausted, worn out from his early trauma and all the crying and you just wanted to comfort him. You stayed wrapped around each other for what felt like hours.

“I love you,” Kyle mumbled, against your neck. A warmth filled you. He loved you. Kyle loved you. It wasn’t some big declaration you may have expected from Kyle originally, but it didn’t erase the impact and weight of his words. He loved you.

“I love you, too, Kyle,” you whispered back. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

- - -

You attended the party with Kyle on his last day alive.

You were meeting Kyle there, since he was getting the bus with his frat brothers. When you arrived you noticed a new girl stood on her own awkwardly to the side, looking uncomfortable and out of place. Feeling sympathetic, you said bye to the people you were talking to and headed over to greet the new girl.

“Hi!” You greeted her with a smile. The girl turned around, taken aback by your forwardness and politeness. “I’m Y/N.”

The girl smiled back. “Zoe,” she introduced shyly.

“I’m guessing you’re new here?” You asked.

Zoe chuckled slightly. “Is it that obvious?” She asked awkwardly.

You shrugged. “Not really. I just thought you’d like some company. I know these things can be pretty awkward when you don’t know anybody.” Zoe smiled appreciatively.

“I thought you two looked thirsty,” Kyle approached you and Zoe with a smile. He handed each of you a red cup.

“Thank you,” you smiled, leaning up to press a kiss to Kyle’s cheek.

“Is that your superpower? Sensing dehydration?” Zoe joked.

“One of them,” Kyle grinned. You laughed.

“Frat boy, right?” Zoe nodded at the polo Kyle wore bearing his fraternity symbol. “I think frats are full of fascists.”

“Not that I mind being reduced to a stereotype but I’m on a scholarship. My mom lives down in the Ninth Ward.” You looked away at the mention of Kyle’s mother. “Besides, didn’t you come here with a movie star?”

“Fair enough,” Zoe rolled her eyes with a laugh. She looked at you. “Sorority girl?”

You shook your head. “God, no,” you grimaced.

The three of you had been talking for a while when Zoe decided it was time to go find her friend. “Have you seen Madison?” She asked, looking around for any sight of her blonde friend.

You shrugged. “Not since you guys arrived.”

“You think she ditched you?” Kyle asked, looking around for any sight of her himself. Zoe shrugged.

“We’ll go look around upstairs,” you offered, grabbing Kyle’s hand and pulling him in the direction of the closest staircase. “I doubt she’s gone far.”

You and Kyle stumbled upon something you did not want to see.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Kyle demanded in anger at the sight of one of his brothers hovering over a clearly intoxicated Madison whilst another filmed it. “Are you out of your mind?!”

You watched in horror as Madison squirmed about and whimpered under the body pressing her down. You knew Kyle’s frat brothers were assholes, you’d known since your first meeting, but this was a whole other level and you couldn’t believe they had stooped so slow. Zoe appeared beside you, taking in the scene before rushing to Madison’s aid, who had now been freed from the guy’s hold.

At the door to the room the guys started shoving each other. You saw Kyle reach for the phone the other guys had been filming with, only to be pushed aside as the others took their leave and ran out of the door. You already knew what Kyle was going to do.

“Kyle! Wait!” You shouted, but he was already long gone after his brothers. You looked back at Madison, who was now being nursed by Zoe on the bed. “I’ve got to go after him before he does something stupid.” You bolt out the door straight after.

“Kyle!” You followed where you had seen the boys run, pushing past the crowds of partying people. “Did the frat guys go this way?” You asked a couple of girls hanging by the top of the stairs. One of the girls nodded and you thanked them before continuing your chase after Kyle and the other fraternity brothers.

You just caught sight of Kyle running onto the frat bus as you reached outside. You ran straight for the bus, knocking on the door angrily. “Open the door!” You shouted. “Kyle!”

The bus started moving, leaving you standing in the middle of the road alone. You debated chasing after it, but figured out quickly that there was no point as you wouldn’t be able to reach it. Sighing, you watched in defeat as the bus made its way down the street.

Suddenly, the bus flipped over.

“Kyle? Kyle!” You screamed, tears immediately streaming down your cheeks as you saw the bus flip over. You ran towards it, but one of the partygoers grabbed your arms to hold you back. “Kyle!” You fought against the stranger’s grip, trying to reach Kyle, desperate to reach Kyle, but failing. The stranger holding you, a girl, said something to you but you didn’t hear them, a ringing in your ear silencing everything. Kyle. Kyle was on that bus. Kyle was in that wreckage. You soon gave up pulling as the tears came quicker and suddenly you were a heaped mess on the floor, sobbing over the fact that your beautiful, loving boyfriend was dead.

And you never got to say goodbye.

•———•

So there’s part 1! I hope it was okay, it’s my first time writing. Part 2 follows the aftermath of the crash and will be up soon. Thank you!

[goldenavenger02]

Cant rlly decide which one but what ab the ninja helping each other tend their wounds?

I put a lot of thought into this (and if you're seeing this and sent an ask, I'm working on the rest of them. I just don't really have time to write except at night right now) so I hope you enjoy, anon!

“Guys, do you feel that?” 

“Feel what?”

“It's so warm.” Jay sighed contently with a smile on his face and despite rolling her eyes, Nya still wrapped her arm around his hip and pulled him closer to her.

PIXAL couldn’t help but wonder what had happened in the Never Realm without her assistance but, given the bright pink tint to all of their cheeks as well as the gash across Lloyd’s forehead and bruising on Cole’s arms, it looked as though it had not been a very pleasant experience.

In fact, the only one who looked somewhat normal was Zane, who she had been unable to stop herself from jumping into his arms and yet, even he looked worse for wear; something in his bright blue eyes ached of a sadness that she couldn’t understand nor wanted to dissect in front of the others for his sake.

“While I am glad to see all of you,” Wu finally broke the greetings, turning all of their attention towards him, “perhaps all of you making your way to the medical wing would be a good idea.”

“In the nicest way possible,” PIXAL added, her hand grasped tightly around Zane’s, “all of you are looking a bit worse for wear.”

“Good idea.” Kai agreed, his vision obviously fixated on Lloyd and Nya despite his raw palms, which was only made more clear by his gentle nudging against their shoulder blades.

Jay and Cole followed suit with Wu trailing behind them, leaving the two of them alone in the courtyard, her hand still tightly gripped in his.

“Are you in need of repairs?” She finally asked as she let go of his hand to fully focus her green eyes on him, trying to look past his blue eyes to figure out just what was bothering him.

“I do not believe so.”

“Good. Are you able to be of assistance with the others, then?”

“I’m afraid not,” Zane shook his head, “I need some time to myself, I think, to regain my bearings.”

“Very well. But, when you are ready to talk, I am ready to listen.”

“Thank you, PIXAL.” Zane nodded before making his way towards his sleeping quarters which gave her no choice but to make her way toward the med bay and the workload that lay before her in the form of varying degrees of frostbite at the very least.

It wasn’t unusual for Kai’s concern over the others, especially Nya and Lloyd, to echo throughout the hall leading to the medical wing; after the haunting silence that had filled the monastery for the last couple of weeks, the ruckus was welcoming.

Sure enough, when she stepped through the sliding doors, Kai was sitting on the edge of the cot that Lloyd had taken residence in with Nya and Jay sitting together on the one a few beds down with Nya resting her head on Jay’s shoulder as her glance was firmly fixated on Cole, who had already taken one of the pillows and covered his eyes with it.

Despite the circumstances, seeing all of them together made her smile for a moment before she ran her hands under the running water and donned a pair of nitrile gloves; she turned away from the counter and made eye contact with the five ninja as she asked, “who’s first?”

After some insistence on everyone’s end, trying to get someone else to be the first one, PIXAL decided on Cole so he could go ahead and get what looked like some much needed sleep; he had been uncharacteristically quiet since he had stepped through the portal but she also knew that if she needed to know what was going on in his mind that he would come to her in his own time.

Despite having been a part of their group for a few years now, she still did not feel comfortable pressing any of them to speak to her. Not that she usually had to, with how often they would come to her and vent their individual issues to her as she repaired yet another vehicle or mech.

Maybe it was the fact that she spent a good chunk of time behind Zane’s eyes, with no one speaking directly to her except for Zane until she uploaded her subconscious into The Bounty’s computer while she continued to rebuild herself into the best version she could be.

But Cole didn’t have any severe injuries and was sent out of the med bay to go lay down almost as soon as she started to prod at his unnaturally cold skin. The same was true of Jay, who was the least injured and exhausted of the group, and Nya, who had the familiar dark circles of exhaustion weighing her under eyes down.

Kai’s eyes followed Nya as she walked out of the room, but he quickly snapped his gaze towards PIXAL when she started to examine the red, puffy skin that covered his hands and tried to pull away from her.

“I’m fine, I didn’t hit my head on a tree trunk after being in a different realm for less than twenty four hours.” He insisted, his gaze pointedly on Lloyd as he pointed out the comparison, who flipped him off in return as exhaustion weighed heavy on his face.

“I will address Lloyd’s injuries as well,” she insisted as she pulled out the tube of burn cream and started to apply it to Kai’s injured palms, “but these need to be wrapped up if you do not wish for them to become infected.”

PIXAL didn’t mention that the look of guilt engrained in Lloyd’s features was making her wonder if she knew what had resulted in Zane being so distant when he stepped through the portal after weeks of being alone in a cold, foreign realm.

It didn’t take long for her to wrap up the burns that made their way up Kai’s lower wrists, despite how extensive they were, and send him to his room to get some much needed rest with a promise of checking on how the wounds were healing in a few hours.

She couldn’t help but wonder what Kai said to Lloyd in a whisper just loud enough that it hit his ear before making his way through the sliding doors and leaving the two of them in the room alone; she was quiet as she worked, gently wrapping his cold fingers in loose bandages, cleaning the gash on his forehead and checking the dilation of his pupils which revealed a mild concussion.

It wasn’t until she asked if he had any other injuries and he tugged off the top half of his jade green gi that she found herself holding back a gasp of shock.

The rest of the ice that had remained from the Never Realm had been white and tinged with snow, but PIXAL recognized blue-tinged ice all too well; it was the ice that came from her boyfriend’s fingertips, proving her correct in her hypothesis about Lloyd knowing why Zane had been so distant.

When she finally found the courage to make contact with the green eyes, she could see the regret spilling off of him as she spoke while gently examining the sides of the burn that trailed down most of his right side.

“I think it would be wise for you to tell me why this burn was caused by elemental ice.”

“It’s not-” Lloyd flinched away from her gloved hands with a hiss through his teeth while he gripped the side of the cot tightly in his left hand, “it’s not my place.”

“Lloyd, you are injured and I am doing my best to help you heal,” she explained calmly as she pulled her hands away and approached the counter again to soak one of the compresses in warm water, “that being said, knowing how you obtained the injury will allow me to determine if there is a need to be on the lookout for internal damage.”

He remained quiet as she continued to prepare the compress, making sure that it was warm enough to rewarm the skin but not so hot that it would only cause more harm than good; while she worked, she couldn’t help but wonder why.

Why had Zane attacked Lloyd? Just how distraught was he when he was finally found by the others? And to her, possibly the most worrying thought that made its way to the forefront of her mind was how upset was he with the others now?

“It wasn’t his fault,” Lloyd blurted out with another hiss of pain as she pressed the compress onto his skin, “all of it, it wasn’t…he was lied to.”

“Please, Lloyd. I wish to know exactly what happened, for everyone’s sake,” she stopped to maneuver the compress so it covered the entirety of the burn, “and it’s not like you do not have the time to speak to me.”

It seemed to PIXAL that her words were the final push that Lloyd had needed to finally give her all of the details. About the Ice Emperor, about the final message he found in the cave and about Vex and how he had twisted Zane’s erased mind into a ruler set on destruction and control.

“That’s how I got this,” Lloyd finished with a gesture to his side, “I was trying to stop him and because he had that scroll, I…I wasn’t able to keep him busy for long.”

“I never did like holding that scroll.” PIXAL pressed her lips together tightly in order to keep her thoughts about what she would have done to Vex if she had followed them to herself, all while gathering the supplies to loosely wrap the burn.

“You and me both.” Lloyd’s chuckle was dry as it hit her ears but not surprising, given what Nya had told her about both Lloyd’s experience holding the scroll as well as the mirror that sat inside of the Explorer’s Club.

“I require you to sit up, if you are able,” she spoke, unable to keep herself from gritting her teeth in sympathy as he pushed himself upright with his brows furrowed in pain, before she was able to start wrapping the large burn loosely, “I will speak to Zane if you wish, he might be more receptive to my interpretation of the situation.”

“Which is?”

“That he was brainwashed into going against his programming and that I have some very strong choice words for this “Vex” for what he did to him as well as the others.”

“Good inter-” a yawn cut him off, “interpretation.”

“You should get some rest,” PIXAL insisted while pulling the clean, white sheet over him, “I shall return in around an hour to see if I need to continue to treat your burn with the compress. Would you like me to ask Kai if he will keep you company?”

“Nah, he needs the rest.” Lloyd mumbled as he rested his pink-tinted cheek against the white pillowcase, his hair sprawling around his head.

As soon as she could hear the snoring, however, PIXAL knew she couldn’t rest and made her way out of the medical wing of the monastery towards the individual sleeping quarters.

After all, she still had to speak to Zane.

[americanbrffan]

On September 8, 2022, the world lost a beacon of light. And while sad for our loss, her earlier words were a reminder of those she was reuniting with, and who could be sad at that.

On this first anniversary, I'll be reflecting on her legacy. I'm pasting the text of her 2020 speech because so many facets of it are just as important today. And how amazing is it that she mentions the NHS rainbows in her speech, when the universe marked her own passing with a double rainbow, which appeared before any public announcement had been made. [I still believe the second rainbow was Philip welcoming her.] 💕 💕

“I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time. A time of disruption in the life of our country: a disruption that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all.

“I want to thank everyone on the NHS (National Health Service) front line, as well as care workers and those carrying out essential roles, who selflessly continue their day-to-day duties outside the home in support of us all. I am sure the nation will join me in assuring you that what you do is appreciated and every hour of your hard work brings us closer to a return to more normal times.

“I also want to thank those of you who are staying at home, thereby helping to protect the vulnerable and sparing many families the pain already felt by those who have lost loved ones. Together we are tackling this disease, and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it.

“I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge. And those who come after us will say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any. That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this country. The pride in who we are is not a part of our past, it defines our present and our future.

“The moments when the United Kingdom has come together to applaud its care and essential workers will be remembered as an expression of our national spirit; and its symbol will be the rainbows drawn by children.

“Across the Commonwealth and around the world, we have seen heart-warming stories of people coming together to help others, be it through delivering food parcels and medicines, checking on neighbours, or converting businesses to help the relief effort.

“And though self-isolating may at times be hard, many people of all faiths, and of none, are discovering that it presents an opportunity to slow down, pause and reflect, in prayer or meditation.

“It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made, in 1940, helped by my sister. We, as children, spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety. Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones. But now, as then, we know, deep down, that it is the right thing to do. While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed - and that success will belong to every one of us.

“We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.

“But for now, I send my thanks and warmest good wishes to you all.”

- Queen Elizabeth, April 5, 2020