#thankfully i was actually awake and calmed myself down before going back to sleep

[coles-scythe]

You would think that after reading abt 2D on the fandom wiki and coding my S/I TH page for most of yesterday, I'd probably get some kind of dream abt him considering all the info floating around my head, right?

No. Apparently that's a recipe for a dream about home invasion and burglary.

[peace-for-levi]

Isabel [Levi Ackerman x GN!Reader]

N.B: heya! if you're scrolling through the tags and thinking, "hey, i have read this before..." chances are you probably have! don't worry, this is not plagiarism. you read that on a - now - deleted blog (i had to restart for reasons i won't go into.) so i am reposting everything now!

synopsis: when levi's wife goes into labour, he has to drop the crude, cold façade he normally holds and be there in their time of need.

tw: possible inaccuracies as i have never been pregnant before LOL, reader is labouring, occasional use of she/her throughout, levi being soft ASF (self-indulgent all the way.)

--

You turned your head at the sound of the door and almost immediately, you felt the wintery gust flood through the narrow hallway of your house. You sucked in a breath, but you quickly smiled. After all, your husband had returned to your cosy cottage.

He shut the door behind him, and you saw him lean his head against it, heaving a great sigh. You frowned at how he almost always needed those few seconds to just process everything in his head before turning to face you. You instinctively brought a hand down to your swollen tummy - was this a good decision after all? Having a baby in these troubling, turbulent times?

But then he turned around again to face you and his face was illuminated by the amber-coloured light of the oil lamp. He saw you stirring the steaming pot of stew and his steely gaze softened immediately.

He smiled.

Don’t be silly, you chastised yourself for such thoughts, he’s happy with us.

Of course he was. He could calm down instantly looking at you. He walked over and shrugged off his forest green cloak and placed it on the counter next to you. War-torn hands reaching out and cupping your cheeks, he pressed his lips to your forehead. You felt his calloused thumbs rub against your temples and you leaned into his touch. Immediately his hands fell to your tummy and rubbed in circles.

“Dinner smells good,” he whispers softly against your lips, “how was your day?”

Dinner did smell good; nothing could beat some beef stew after a long day with your cast iron kettle hanging over the fire, right? He couldn’t wait until your bellies were filled and he could cosy up with you in front of the fire with a cup of black tea in his hand.

Your smile grew wider when he sank to his knees and nuzzled against your tummy. You were probably going to give birth in the next week or two. You lowered your right hand and allowed it to tread through his raven locks, your other hand still stirring to prevent any sticking to your pot.

“Eh…” you huffed out.

Levi pulled back for a bit. “Had an ‘eh’ day myself… What’s troubling you?”

“Just very crampy today and my back is killing me. Why did you have an ‘eh’ day?”

You almost laughed when you heard Levi’s heavy sigh, and it was a long sigh too. He closed his eyes as he recounted the disaster at HQ but… what with the amount of grief Levi had been through, there was very little that could faze him now.

Still, when he recounted to you that Hange accidentally launched one of their new projects - a thunder spear - into HQ and close to his office at that - while he was drinking his tea! - obviously he would be pretty livid. All that was destroyed in the fires of the aftermath were two bedrooms and a storage room, and thankfully no lives were lost, but he wasn’t going to forgive Hange for a while after this. You had to give him credit for his composure.

“I miss Hange, even in spite of these incidents.” You spoke.

You hadn’t seen Hange since you were discharged by Erwin at three months. Well, you had waved at her in the streets when you did your shopping for you and Levi and you might converse briefly, but she was always too busy to stop by for a chat. She did, however, say she’d be present for the birth.

“I bet he’d get along with Hange.”

“Still sure we’re having a boy?” your husband asked.

You yawned as exhaustion began to consume you more and more. “Yeah, he is giving me a lot of trouble like how his father used to.” You teased.

Levi only muttered something under his breath, and you weren’t quite sure what it was. He leaned back a bit and extended his index finger. “Oi, stop giving your mother a hard time. She’s tired.”

Another yawn. “I am, actually. I might pass on dinner tonight and just head to bed.”

Levi stood up again and eyed you curiously; wasn’t like you to skip dinner but he thought nothing of it. He mentioned he’d save some for you and with a chaste kiss to your lips, you made your way upstairs.

You opened the creaky, wooden door to your shared bedroom and when you disrobed, you rooted around for a clean nightgown in your drawers. You groaned as another sharp pain radiated around your lower back and pelvic area. You held onto the edge of the drawers with a white-knuckle grip. You had gotten cramps here and there before throughout your pregnancy, but these were just all-consuming. A few more whimpers and a few deep breaths though, and they subsided.

Hmm, weird, there’s no way it’s time already? I’m still a week or two early, you said to yourself. If he wants to come now, what will happen… would he be healthy?

You shook your head and made your way over to the bed, propping yourself up with a few pillows. It wasn’t long before Levi came into the room too with a candle in his hand before placing it down on his desk. As he removed his shirt, the dull light illuminated and highlighted his defined body. You smiled dozily at him and you were fast asleep before he could even climb into bed.

.

.

.

Awaking in the middle of the night with your husband’s arms wrapped around you was always a treat. He didn’t always sleep, and when he did, it was poor. But whenever his arms snaked around your chest with one hand resting on your tummy, you knew he was sleeping well. It gave you a chance to look at his unguarded and peaceful countenance.

You woke up with a feeling of heartburn that was hard to ignore so you decided a drink of water might be a good idea. You made your way downstairs, careful not to wake your sleeping husband. Leaning against the countertop once you reached the kitchen, you fetched yourself a glass of water and began to sip slowly.

Gulping the last bit down, you placed the glass in a sink and walked towards the stairs again… until you felt a gush of warm liquid flow down your legs.

Oh, crap!

You peered down at the pool of fluid between your legs that was now pooling in your hallway. Your mind froze and all you could do was stare for a few seconds.

“U-uh… Levi?!” you shrieked.

You heard a large thud from upstairs when he landed less than gracefully - unceremoniously, even - after jumping from your bed and he was quick to scurry down the stairs at the yell.

“What the hell?! Are you ok--?”

He stopped when his bare feet splashed against the pool of fluids between you both.

“Oh, my?” he questioned and peered down. “Is it that time already?”

You only blinked at his calmness at the situation. How was he not freaking out?! Your fingers moved to clench your soaking gown. He reached for your hands and walked you towards the front door. He stopped for a few seconds as he scratched his head in thought.

“Levi?!” you screeched at his silence.

He had to stay as calm as possible. It was something he was well used to, being a good captain and all. But it was so different in this situation. Seeing you panic like this and the gravity of the situation made him almost lose his composure. He was able to keep everything well hidden beneath his steely exterior and this was all because he was good at analysing typically abnormal situations.

This wasn’t a situation like this. All he had to do was be a supportive husband for you.

As he hurried down the stairs again, the realization dawned on him again.

Was this actually happening? Were you two going to be parents? Could you two do this?

Well, it was not like you had a choice now.

“Come, let’s get moving.” He said, holding you with one hand by the small of your back.

He assisted you back up the stairs as fast as your body would allow, but once you got to the bathroom just a few metres shy of your bedroom, that’s when you felt everything tighten and your breath became lodged in your throat. Your legs buckled as your hands gripped onto the architrave. Levi was quick to descend with you and hold your hand. A pained groan escaped your lips and you heard deep breaths beside you.

“Deep breaths, you can do it, [F/n]...” he said as he rubbed your back in circles. He tried to do deep breathing with you, taking long, exaggerated breaths. All to feel you a little less alone or too lost in your own pain.

It wasn’t the worst pain you had experienced - you were a former veteran of the Scouts after all - but that didn’t make the feeling pleasant either.

He propped up all the pillows to give you ample support and he placed a hand on your shin, gesturing you to keep your legs open. It seemed that the next contraction seemed to be taking its time, so he made the decision to alert the neighbours. This was a plan Levi had made with them a few months ago, that he’d call next door and ask them to go rush to the nurses and for Hange. Luckily for you two, HQ was no more than a five-minute walk away.

After slipping into a dress shirt and black slacks, he ran down the stairs and hopped over the wall to your neighbour. It was close to midnight now, but hopefully they’d be awake… If not, he’d have to leave you alone by yourself and that was not an option.

He rapped on the door and even called out to them, before knocking again. Thankfully, the middle-aged man and his wife seemed to be up and were quick to open the door.

Perhaps Levi looked a bit more flustered than he thought he did. Then again, as someone so composed all the time, any change in composure screamed out.

“Captain Levi? Is everything alright?” the wife asked.

Levi inhaled sharply. Damn, he was getting stressed already. If they were to shine the oil lamp up to his face, they would be able to see the sweat beading at his brows and how his pupils had narrowed from the intensity of the situation. “[F/n] has gone into labour, earlier than we expected. She needs the nurses a-and Hange--” Fuck, was he stuttering from it all? “I can’t leave her alone to get them and-”

The wife who was probably a good three inches shorter than him looked up at him and passed him a soft smile; a reassuring smile. She had been through all this before. She knew the chaos involved but knew the best thing he could be was a pillar of support for you. She placed her hands on his shoulders and got her to look at him. Normally he’d shrug off any physical contact from anyone that wasn’t you, but his mind was spiralling, and he was doing his best to hide it.

“Levi, it’s okay. Dear, you go get the nursing staff and Hange, okay?” she called out to her husband who had already saddled up in the meantime and taken off. “My husband will be back soon. Let me get you a few things.”

Levi tapped his foot impatiently as she pattered around the house for a bit. She came back with a bag of rags, towels and some knitted clothes.

“It’s important you stay calm, okay? What do you think you’ll have?”

Levi shrugged as he nodded his thanks. “I don’t know, of course, but [F/n] reckons we’ll have a boy.”

“Hmm… I think you’ll have a daughter!” she beamed.

Levi began to head out the door again. “Look, thank you so much for everything.”

“Best of luck, Levi,” she wished with a gleeful smile, “and congratulations.”

Levi nodded with the bag and headed back up the stairs of his home. He burst through the door of your bedroom and was immediately at your side again. He dropped the bag down at your bedside and reached for your hand. He caught you just in time for another contraction. You tried to steady yourself, but you cried out once more and gripped onto the blankets as another contraction overwhelmed you. You hastily grabbed a pillow and cried into it, trying to muffle your cries. Okay, it was official, this was the worst pain you had felt thus far, and all Levi could do was stare helplessly.

It’s not like he could do much. He couldn’t take away the pain from you, but by god, he wished he could. He’d deliver the child if biologically possible, anything to not see you in so much agony. But every time a contraction died away, you would re-emerge and tackle this again with an ungodly amount of strength.

And he couldn’t be prouder of you in these agonizing yet awe-inspiring moments.

You lowered your pillow when you vaguely heard the crowd of nurses patter into the room and everything kicked off. The lead nurse stated she’d be the main overseer to everything. At times, Levi’s mind flitted in and out of the conversation at hand from the nurses. His stare glossed over occasionally, and you couldn’t exactly decipher what it was he was feeling. Whatever it was he was feeling, he hid it well. He absent-mindedly rubbed the small of your back hoping you’d relax as the nurse checked your cervix. His ears perked up once he heard the number ‘three.’

“Three centimetres, seven to go, I reckon.”

“OOH, SEVEN?! HOW EXCITING!” a voice from outside screeched and Levi’s face fell flat. The bespectacled brunette burst through the door. “THAT’S SO FEW!”

“Hange.” Levi barked. He said nothing but his gaze said, be quiet now. “If you’re not gonna be helpful to [F/n], you can leave out the door you came in.”

“Sorry, sorry,” she aired as she rushed over to the other side of your bed and sat on top. “How are you doing, [f/n]? Anything I can do?” she asked. At first you shook your head, but when she mentioned that she brought a few scented candles to help soothe you - or at the very least, keep a gentle ambiance going - you perked up. “Okay, I’ll go light them. Levi, do you have any matches?”

“In the high cupboard left to the sink.” He said and she scurried down.

“Fuck… Levi, it’s happening again…” you groaned as you tossed your head back.

“I have you.” He reminded. He loosened his hand so you could squeeze it. With each contraction came a pain that dominated your entire being. In those moments, for those seconds that stretched into infinity, there was nothing else. Every contraction seemed to hurt more than before, and you would be left panting and almost delirious for a few seconds. Everything melted into the background when a contraction came; the nurses melted to nothing as did their encouraging cries.

But you remained grounded to Levi. He held your hand with every contraction and his lips were pressed to your sweaty temple. While you could only vaguely hear his encouraging words, he was still there and encouraging you to breathe deeply through it all, even if it hardly did anything to alleviate the pain.

“How much longer will this take?”

“She progressed quickly enough to get to the three so it may not take too long. Though it could just as easily be another few hours, or even well into tomorrow. I’m sorry, there’s no way of knowing.” The nurse replied.

Levi only nodded. He just wanted you to be okay and to make this as pain-free as possible. Hange came back in with the matches and began to light a few candles.

As time passed, your head fell. The contractions kept coming but you weren’t progressing as fast as you thought. By the time the second hour rolled by, you had only made it to four centimetres. You were reminded that you’d know when to push.

Levi couldn’t stand to see you in so much pain.

“Is there anything we can do?” he asked, now getting slightly panicked.

The nurse smiled sadly, knowing there was only so much they could do. “[F/n], how about a walk out in the fresh air?” she offered.

Levi peered over at you. Within the past two hours, he had acquired a basin and wet cloth, and was dabbing it occasionally on your forehead. “How about it?” he asked, repeating the motion of it as you lifted your head up again to receive his touch.

“If I walk down those stairs, I don’t think I’ll make it back up…” you huffed.

Hange had taken to holding your other hand too. Levi’s initial glare at her excitement seemed to do the trick and she was very helpful. Perhaps more proactive than the nurses. Then again, she was your best friend; she probably wanted to do everything under the sun.

“A bath may help?” Hange perked up. “Warm water and all?” to which you nodded.

Levi stood and pulled you up. Before you may have walked upright and with your back straight, but now you walked totally hunched over. He ordered for someone - anyone who could get there fastest - to draw a bath. A few stayed behind in the bedroom, taking turns supervising you.

Levi walked you towards the bathroom and unbuttoned your nightgown. With an ‘arms up’ command, he had it off you quickly and you were left in just your bra. He lowered you into the bath and you sat in the middle of the tub. He questioned why you weren’t going to lean back and that was when you asked him to come into the bath with you. He wasn’t going to fight you in the moment and rushed back to the bedroom and put on a pair of (swimming) shorts… or shorts he had no issue getting wet. Within mere seconds, he lowered himself into the bath and wrapped his legs loosely around your waist, his chest firm against your back. He began to rub your arms up and down and leaned over to press a kiss to your cheek.

“You’re doing so well.” He said. His tone lowered to a whisper when he heard you begin to weep. “Hey, hey, hey… What’s wrong? Ah-- Hange, can you go get us a basin?” he asked. Your face paled a little and he shouted for the Titan scientist to hurry as another contraction washed over you.

“L-Levi, I don’t feel right…”

“Hange!” he barked for the third time.

You brought a hand up to your mouth and expelled whatever food had been inside you from before. The pain of this contraction was so intense you had thrown up. Levi swept a thumb across your chin and Hange came in with a basin, and you spilled the rest into it. In fact, you threw up twice more. The bitter taste in your mouth left you feeling all disgusting and ‘icky’, and you let out a choked sob of frustration. Your body had you rocking back and forth on its own accord, trying to move with the pain so to speak, letting out pained groans through gnashed teeth.

Levi leaned you forward and began to rub your lower back. “Breathe. You gotta breathe, [f/n], come on.”

You shook your head as you wailed, almost sounding like you were giving in. “I can’t! It’s too much, Levi!”

“Hey,” he called gently. “Sniff the flowers,” he commanded and paused to breathe in, “and blow out the candles” and he exhaled. “You can do that for me?”

You weren’t sure about how the silly visual cue helped you at all, but you also knew Levi wasn’t going to quit saying it until you did what he told you to do. After a few deep breaths, you calmed down and your contraction died away. Levi continued to rub your lower back, offering whispered words of encouragement.

“Gosh, Shorty, aren’t you such a sweetie?” Hange jeered.

“Go away, Four Eyes.”

The contractions came and went, growing more and more intense. Levi sometimes opted to swish the water down and forth or turn on the tap, to give you something else to focus on. You weren’t sure how long you two stayed in the bath, but Levi helped lift you out once the water had gotten cold. Hange went to relight the candles, pillows were propped back up and you were moved back to your bedroom, to do the whole thing all over again.

And frankly, you weren’t sure how long you could hold on for. It was unbearable. As the hours ticked by until the wee morning, you were losing your strength.

“I’m sorry.” Levi mumbled as he kissed your matted hair.

“It hurts so much. I’m so tired.” You whispered, your voice dry and hoarse.

Levi looked up at the nurse and then over at the small clock on your bedside lock. Seven in the morning, so you had been labouring for seven hours, if not more if you were experiencing smaller contractions before your water broke.

How he ached to take all your pain away from you; to shoulder it all and save you from this agony. You both knew it would be worth it at the end, but the process of getting there was no doubt painful.

“You’re doing well. It’ll all be over soon, won’t it?” he asked and looked at the nurse.

“I’ll go see how far you are,” she said, softly. You let your legs widen as she did another cervical exam. You flinched a bit as you felt her gloved fingers inside. She gasped. “My, you’re almost there. Easily nine centimetres!”

For the first time in a couple hours, you felt genuine relief amidst all the chaos and pain.

.

.

.

Levi had sent the nurses and Hange downstairs an hour later, telling them they were free to help themselves to food stored in your cupboards. They had been crowding around you both for over eight hours now, they deserved a break too. You were fine with your husband sitting through your contractions with you, especially when you only had a centimetre or two left.

That was when you felt an excruciating pain down below, unlike anything you had felt all evening. Levi was at your side in seconds.

“What is it?”

“Hnnn!” you groaned out. This was it. This had to be it, the feeling the nurses told you about. An overwhelming amount of pressure was building between your legs and you let out a guttural noise. “Get Hange and the nurses.”

“Wait, is time? Now-”

“Get the fucking nurse, Levi!” you yelled, and he ran down to fetch them.

The pressure had your hips swaying into position, it was almost unbearable to refrain from pushing. The pain had your whole body trembling. Levi arrived back in with the nurses and you opened your legs at the lead nurse’s command. Your husband was sitting by your side once more, lacing his fingers with yours.

“I see a head! And plenty of hair too! The baby has moved into the birth canal. I need you to push on the next contraction.” She explained.

You heaved in massive strokes, starting to lose your breath. You were completely worn out now, body and mind. You all waited with bated breaths for the next contraction to hit. You took in a massive breath when you felt that familiar pain come back again. Your stomach tightened - everything tightened - as a scream ripped out from your throat.

“You have got to push harder, [f/n].” The nurse urged. Hange came in, sitting on the bed and shuffled onto the bed to hold your other hand.

You shook your head. There was no way you could, you were so depleted of energy.

“You can do this.” Your husband said.

“I can’t! You have to do it for me!” you wept into his arms.

“I would if I could.” He assured you.

The nurse called for your attention. “The next time you push, tuck your chin into your chest and push as though you got to do a number two. But push very hard.”

You blinked frantically. “Wait, what if I do poop?”

“That means you’re pushing right!” Hange cheered.

This entire conversation made Levi grimace, and it took every ounce of self-control to not cringe.

The final contraction hit and with whatever strength you could muster, you pushed through with a shrill cry. The baby began to crown, the hot stretching of flesh almost making you want to stop but you had to keep pushing through. You felt the head leave your body and you pushed through the rest of your contraction. You held onto Levi’s hand with such force he was pretty sure you could have broken it. And he would have taken it.

And then the pain left your body finally.

Tiny cries pierced the air.

Levi tilted your head back and his lips crashed against yours in a kiss that carried so many emotions with it; love, adoration, pride, elation and gratitude. He kissed you again and once more while your baby was being wrapped up. One of the extra nurses moved to clean you up and help deliver the placenta.

“A girl, congratulations.” The nurse whispered. Hange cracked a toothy grin, but she knew to step back and leave you two to have your moment.

You looked down at your wrapped-up little miracle, falling in-love instantly. Had her father’s hair and gunmetal eyes, but your eye shape and complexion. She also had your chin too. Your index finger rubbed against her plump cheeks and almost began to whimper again but with a few gentle hushes from you, she settled down once more. She was probably hungry too.

“She looks so much like you…” you whispered, looking up at your husband. The nurses and Hange took this as their cue to leave. Levi’s eyes had completely glossed over with a newfound vulnerable expression that you had never seen before. You could tell he was just itching to hold her, so as gently as you could, you shuffled over to the side to allow Levi to relax into the headrest. “Here, Levi.”

Your little girl was placed into his arms and a calloused thumb immediately went to trace under her eyes and around her cheeks, her forehead; everywhere. A swell of emotions overcame him like a tsunami crashing against the shoreline and he shut his eyes, tears flowing down his pallid cheeks and he made no effort to stop them. His lower lips trembled, and minute whimpers escaped his lips, but he was desperately clawing at whatever composure he had left to try to piece himself back together.

But he could cry, his daughter was here. He was a father now; he could be as emotional as he liked, and no one would care.

“Isabel.” You said, gently, and Levi nodded at the suggestion.

Levi’s thumb moved to his daughter’s fist and her fingers latched around it instantly, bringing his thumb to her mouth and began to suck. He let out a soft chuckle. “I think she’s hungry.”

“I bet she is.” You said, reaching out and taking a hold of her once more. The baby began to wriggle, and her arms broke free from the blanket, beginning to fuss. You lowered one side of your nightgown and held your daughter against your breast. She latched after a few seconds and by god was it uncomfortable. The feeling had you biting your lower lip in discomfort, but you just had to grin and bear it.

The three of you sat in silence for another half hour or so as you nursed your baby when you heard a knock on the door. Hange peeked her head around and smiled widely at you both.

“Shhh.” Levi was quick to say.

Hange tiptoed in. “I may have bought a few visitors…”

The raven-haired man’s face fell flat. “How many?”

And in came all of Levi’s newest squad and Erwin. He face-palmed at the noise and shrugged off his blazer to cover you and your daughter.

“Is this a bad time, Levi?”

“Yes, it’s a bad time. She’s barely been born a half hour and--”

“I KNEW IT WOULD BE A GIRL! TAKE THAT, MISTER DEATH WISH!” you heard come from outside the room. You only sighed softly.

“I tried to keep those two out of this,” Erwin mentioned as he walked over to the two of you. You removed your baby from your breast and buttoned up your nightgown again. The blonde smiled in pure adoration. “She’s so precious. Congratulations, Levi, [F/n].”

“Thank you, Erwin.” He replied and you nodded your thanks.

In your half-asleep state, you began to nurse again in front of everyone, not bothering to cover up. Levi sighed heavily and moved to cover you up again before you came through.

“Sir, we can call back later if you want.” Eren piped up, walking over to stand by his superior.

“It’s okay, Eren, this is natural. I don’t mind, provided you don’t stare too much.”

“I mind?!” Levi cried. With your free hand, you rested it on his hand. He took a deep breath and sighed. “Fine. You can stay, Jaeger. All of you can.”

Sasha and Connie were next to try to squeeze onto your too small bed for nine extra people.

“I brought her some potatoes!” she chimed and handed one to you. You had to politely explain that babies probably won’t eat until four months at the earliest. And even then, it would only be baby gloop and mushy foods. Not steamed potatoes.

Connie peaked over Levi’s shoulder. “Do you mind?” Levi asked him rhetorically.

“Nope,” he answered swiftly and saluted. On the wrong side. “Sir, why does it look squishy and ugly?”

And then ensued a fiery debate from everyone in the room (apart from Erwin) on why you shouldn’t call babies squishy and ugly, especially in front of their parents. Especially if one of those parents was one Levi Ackerman. But amidst all the commotion, both you and your baby were tuckered out. Levi was surprised that he saw you dozing off in spite of all the ruckus and that your baby was suckling away on nothing.

The short man may have had his doubts before Isabel was born but looking at everyone around here right now - being so chaotic and noisy, but so full of happiness and pride for you both - made all those negative thoughts wash away.

It took a bit of shuffling and squeaking of military boots, but eventually everyone was kicked out by Levi. He looked back fondly at you two, both of you sound asleep.

He would promise you both a normal, peaceful, family life one day. Even if he had to lay down his life doing it.

Because every doubt, struggle, emotional outburst, hormonal-fuelled argument led you both to this, and he would not trade it for the world.

This was his purpose; protect his beautiful wife and precious daughter.

And maybe one day, in the distant future, he would be able to spend more time with you two. In a world without Titans. In a world that was peaceful.

But for now, he had a small serving - a slice - of peace at home and he couldn’t wait to navigate this new chapter of his life with you.

[illyaana]

Collab: Chaos's Bearsday Collab by @chaos-night

Thanks for having this Collab hun! I hope you had/have an amazing birthday <3

Tags: Aged Up! Birthday boy! Izuku Midoriya x Binaural, SFW, Fluff

Synopsis: You thought this was going to be a normal birthday with Deku - the only thing that was different is you were going to make Katsudon, pork cutlet bowls, for Deku. What you weren't prepared for was a flirty Izuku Midoriya.

Word Count: 1689

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You groaned at the sound of your blaring alarm, forcing you awake. You raised your head to meet Izuku’s chin. His hands were wrapped around your waist, pulling you into his body even more. You pressed against the bed, pushing yourself upwards to face the sleeping face of your beloved.

You adored the sight of the defenceless hero.

His dishevelled green hair mimicked a bush in the woods - wild yet so adorable. His lips were slightly parted, allowing soft snores to escape the powerful quirk user. His small freckles glowed under the soft sunlight entering your shared room from the window, leaving you in awe. His long lashes framed his closed eyelids.

Thankfully, your alarm turned itself off - he wasn’t letting you move anymore, not with the vice grip he had around you tightening unknowingly.

You couldn’t resist the urge to run the pad of your thumb against his soft lips - it looked so soft and supple. The rest of your fingers found their place on Izuku’s cheek, enjoying the warmth only he could radiate. You smiled, looking at the sleeping Izuku subconsciously pressing his cheeks against your fingers.

This is what you believed a life spent with him would look like - and you pray so that it stays like this.

“Hey,” you say as you kiss Midoriya’s forehead, “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

Your alarm began to ring again, causing the hero beside you to groan loudly.

“Turn that thing off,” he said, placing his head on your shoulder, “We don’t need to wake up early today.”

This man… how was he the top hero?

You ruffled his hair, chuckling.

“Weren’t you the one who told me to wake you up early today?” you ask, recalling your conversation with him yesterday.

“I just wanted to spend the whole day with you, but I think we can do it from this bed, can’t we?” he said, pressing kisses on the nape of your neck.

“I think you forgot, Deku,” you say, cupping his cheeks, “You have a press conference with Bakugo and Todoroki today - you know, about your job as a hero?”

His eyelids shot open.

“Oh, shit,” he mumbled, making you laugh.

“It’s only,” you looked at the wall clock, “9 am right now. You have about 1 hour to get ready and head to the studio. That trip would take about 20 minutes.”

You smiled when you saw him visibly relax.

“Sadly,” you say, “You aren’t getting breakfast from me since I couldn’t even move one inch from the bed,” you gesture to his arms on your waist.

You kissed his forehead again, trying to wipe off the guilty smile he had on his face.

“Happy birthday, Midoriya Izuku. Now, go get ready.”

He kissed the apples of your cheeks before pressing his forehead against yours.

“Thanks, love.”

⁜

⁜

⁜

The minute you heard the door close, you got out your phone and called your mother-in-law.

“Hi!” she answered cheerfully, “You ready to do this?”

You turned the voice call into a video call, then propped your phone behind the salt shaker.

“Hopefully…” you trail off as you put on your apron, “You don’t think I’ll burn anything or cause a fire, right?”

“If you’re anything like Izuku in terms of cooking, we’ll be fine.”

You weren’t.

Pancakes, waffles - you could handle that.

But meat? It definitely was not your forte.

Izuku’s the one who handled all the savoury dishes while you were the resident taste tester.

“Don’t worry - the very person who introduced him to the savoury dish is right here, showing you each step in detail. You won’t mess up that much,” you said to yourself as you brought out the ingredients.

You laid them out in front of her, allowing her to examine them thoroughly.

“First things first,” she said, moving to her couch, “You’re wearing your apron wrongly.”

⁜

⁜

⁜

You stared at the pan filled with onions, eggs and fried pork, feeling defeated.

You were supposed to move all of that into a small bowl of rice.

You were supposed to move a bunch of slippery onions doused in sauce, a steamed omelette that looked like it was going to break into two and a pork cutlet that you slaved over - all of that, into a small bowl of rice.

“Trust me, it’s pretty easy,” Inko said, trying to calm you down, “It just looks intimidating.”

“Intimidating is one way to explain it,” you said, staring at your hard work.

“Just do it, don’t worry - you have multiple backup pork cutlets if you mess up.”

“I know, but-”

“Just do it.”

You immediately placed the toppings into the bowl of rice without any spillage.

...or so you thought.

The whole thing spilt over the sides of the pan, missing the bowl of rice entirely.

“Try again, dear,” she said smiling, “No harm in trying again.”

⁜

⁜

⁜

After 5 tries, you managed to make two perfect bowls of fresh katsudon. The smell of the fried pork cutlets wafted through the air, making you smile at your hard work.

“It looks really good, dear,” she said, smiling, “He’ll love it.”

You smile at her cheerful gaze towards you.

“You sure you don’t want to come over? It’s just a fifteen-minute drive.”

“I appreciate you asking me,” she said, sighing, “But I think you two should spend the day together. I’m pretty sure you both haven’t spent much time together since your honeymoon.”

“You sure?” you ask once again.

“I’m very, very sure,” she says, chuckling, “Now go get ready.”

You placed your phone flat on the countertop and started to set the table. As soon as you finished, Izuku came into the house, a tired expression painted on his face.

“You okay?” You say as you walk towards him.

“How rude of them to make me work on my own birthday?” he chuckled softly.

He looked to the dining table and his eyes lit up.

“Did you made Katsudon?” he asked, the tired expression he once had leaving his face.

“Yeah, I did,” you say as you help him take off his jacket.

“However,” you place his hands on his chest, “You need to go bathe.”

“What’s with everyone bullying me today?” he huffed.

“Bullying or taking care of you?”

“Well, when you put it that way…” he trailed off.

“Just go bathe,” you say, chuckling as you push him towards your room.

“Oh no,” he said as you pushed him, “My feet can’t move.”

This grown kid.

“So I’m supposed to carry you bridal style now?” you joke.

“ I did it to you, didn’t I?” he whispers in your ear.

You felt blood rush to your cheeks the minute the sentence left his lips.

This man…

“Wow, my feet work now! I’ll go bathe,” he said as he kissed your cheek.

This man is too cute for his own good.

⁜

⁜

⁜

“This…” he said, mouth stuffed with food, “This is really good!”

You smile, looking at the green-haired male scarfing down the food you made. You loved the little sparkle he had in his eyes whenever he truly enjoyed something - and to your luck, it was the food you prepared for him.

“You seriously made this by yourself?” He asked with his eyebrow raised.

“You don’t see your mom here, do you?”

“You sure you didn’t order in?” He teased again.

You kicked his leg under the table, causing him to wince in pain.

“Oh, how you wound me,” he said, faking tears.

“Serves you right for making fun of me,” you huff.

He got off of his chair and headed to the sink to wash his bowl.

“Well, to be fair,” you add, “I did video call your mom so she could teach me.”

“So I was right, then,” he said as he places his bowl in the sink and turning to face you.

“She didn’t make it, though!”

“You said you made it all by yourself, but you got my mother’s help. Hence, you lied to me,” he put his arms on the countertop.

“I didn’t lie to you,” you say, laughing, “I really made it by myself.”

Izuku was already standing in front of you, cupping your face in his hands.

“You kicked me,” he stared at you, “You kicked a tired hero.”

“Heroes don’t tease others as much as you do,” you retort.

“What is my purpose in your life but to tease you?”

“A lot of things actually,” you say, smiling at him.

“Oh? Like what?”

“First of all,” you put your hand on his chest, “Where did this flirty Izuku come from?”

“Maybe,” he put his thumb on your lower lip, “He came because I am using my birthday privileges to be a little more flirty than usual.”

You stare at his green orbs. They glimmered even under his own shadow. Its golden flecks shined just for you and you alone. The creases of his eyes curved upwards, showing you how happy he was just to be in your presence. The wild forest he calls his hair had rogue strands that tickled your cheeks. You loved how soft they were - especially after him just washing it roughly an hour ago.

Your hand on his chest began to outline the scars he cultivated through his years under All Might’s wing and his hero training back in UA. You smiled as you remembered how strong-willed he was as a boy to become a hero, and now he was - standing on the very top.

“You okay?” he asked, worried.

“I was just thinking of how much you’ve grown from back then,” you look up to his face, meeting his eyes that were staring straight at you.

“For someone who took so many notes back then, you’re really dumb,” you both chuckle.

“How are you still bullying me?” he sighed.

“Endure it, Deku,” you joke, imitating Bakugou.

You close your eyes as you pressed your forehead against his, enjoying the small moment you’re sharing with the male in front of you.

“Happy birthday, Izuku.”

“Thank you, love.”

You both shared a kiss, both bellies and hearts full.

[stanknotstark]

Pulse Pt.1 (Loki x Reader)

So I got this idea from a creative writing blog that you can find here. Basically the prompt is feeling their pulse. Enjoy! 

NOW COMPLETE. Check masterlist for part 2!

Summary: Your pulse calms Loki down. Multiple scenarios where Loki finds solace in your pulse. 

The first time it happens it’s completely normal. You had been fighting next to Loki when you had been shot. The shot of energy had gone straight through and left a small hole in your abdominal area. Luckily it missed all your vital organs somehow but you were still on the ground in agony. You’re curled into a fetal position and too quiet for Loki’s liking.

Loki ran up and threw up a shield, then put two fingers on your neck and you watched, uncurling, as this man counted mentally. When he is satisfied with your pulse he looks down at you, noticing your movement. “Don’t think of checking out now, the battle has just begun.” He smirks.

“I think I’ll stay right here, hurts less when I don’t move.” You groan.

Loki rolls his eyes at your dramatics, he’s definitely seen you worse off than now. 

“Must I carry you? Choose wisely because depending on your answer, you may ruin my reputation.” Loki says. 

You smile coyly up at the god. “Ahhhh I can’t feel my legs, I see the light!” 

Loki laughs under his breath but picks you up and as he stands his shield dissipates. He starts making his way towards the medical team that thankfully set up as the Avengers started their attack on Dr. Doom’s invasion. 

You’re thoroughly enjoying Loki carrying you around like you weigh nothing. He nimbly steps and jumps over fallen rubble making sure not to jostle you too much and make you hurt more. 

You have half a mind to hold a finger to your ear and activate your headpiece. 

“Cap, I’m down and out, You’ll need someone to cover the right side of the attack until Loki can get back into position.”

“Why is Loki out?” You hear Tony ask. 

“Because he’s carrying me.” You fail to realize how bad this’ll sound considering you’ve walked off a field with a broken tibia and a gunshot wound to the chest.

“What hit you that hard?” Steve yells, small explosions in the background of his audio but the concern still very evident in his voice.

“Uh....” You look up at Loki who glances at you and smirks. He can’t activate his headpiece and he probably likes watching you explain that you demanded to be carried for no good reason. 

So you do what any brat would do and blame Loki. “Loki was very concerned about me not hurting myself further. I told him I could walk but he insisted. I’m fine, just a hole in my stomach!” 

When you look up at the god again he is clenching his jaw instead of smirking, his eyes stay forwards but you know, oh you know, you’re going to be punished for this. 

~~~ 

The next time Loki does it you’re in the middle of this limbo state of liking and not liking each other romantically. Liking each other comes naturally but when one or both of you realize this is a concoction for a bad idea (it’s really not you’re probably both just in denial) you both avoid each other for a few days before coming around again when you miss each other too much. 

With this new limbo thing going on you both get random cuddles. Meaning it’s completely normal that you’re laying on the couch with Loki behind you. The god breathes into your neck softly, seeing as he has fallen asleep. You frown when you realize Loki has a hand wrapped under your waist that comes to your front and across your chest to rest on your pulse point on your neck. He has his hand there and from the outside it might look possessive. However, you know better and realize the god is soothed by being able to feel your pulse point. 

You tab this in your head and relax again. You play on your phone for awhile. Natasha makes her way through the living room to the kitchen without a word. When she passes again, this time with a bowl of cereal, she stops to look at you two from the other side of the couch. 

You look at Natasha without bumping Loki and raise a brow at the assassin. She chews on some cereal then purses her lips after swallowing. “You guys ever going to, uh, work this thing out? I’ve got a bet going on and I’d like to win it.”

You can’t help the snort that comes out of you causing Loki to huff in his sleep then curl into you more and his hold on your neck becomes a little tighter. You look from Loki to Natasha with wide eyes. 

“It’s a work in progress.” Is all you give her and she nods and stalks off. 

~~~

The next time Loki does it it’s by your hand. Loki is fighting someone from Asgard, you don’t know his name, but he knows exactly what to say to rile up Loki. Loki starts attacking him with pure rage and unrepentant emotion. When Loki gets the chance he knocks the guy down and straddles his hips, beating the life out of him with his fists even though he’s already knocked out. 

You rush to Loki and grab one of his hands. Before he does something he regrets you open his hand and place it on your pulse. It takes you a few tries to find it through his hands but when you do find it Loki stops beating the guy with his other hand and just sits there breathing haggardly with his eyes clenched tight. 

You say nothing and let Loki feel your pulse as long as he needs. It’s not long though, Loki’s breath is normal and he opens his eyes and looks at you. Standing from the Asgardian’s bloody body and pulling you into him into a hug. You wrap your arms around Loki and he holds your head to his neck, breathing in your scent through your hair.

“Quick thinking.” Loki chokes out. 

“Mmhmm.” You hum into his neck.

When the Avengers show up to apprehend the Asgardian you go to pull from Loki’s embrace, knowing he’s a bit iffy showing PDA in front of the team. What shocks you is that Loki grabs your wrist and stops you from getting too far. You share a look through your eyes and Loki’s hand drifts from your wrist to your hand instead. 

You let the look of shock pass over your face and then smile at Loki and hold his hand back. When you turn around Steve in looking at your hands but quickly looks up to both of you and nods at the Asgardian on the ground. 

“Was that really necessary?” Steve asks as you hear Tony in the background trying to rouse the beaten man. 

“Hey, stupid, wake up!” You hear causing you to snort and bring a hand up to cover your mouth.

Steve rolls his eyes and looks at Loki for an answer. 

“A lapse in judgement. I merely thought he was more of a hazard than he actually was.” Loki lets the excuse slip from his mouth like he truly means it. You definitely understand why he is called silver tongued. 

Steve nods with a disapproving look on his face, because he lives with Loki and knows him well enough, but leaves the situation at that and goes over to Tony. 

“Stop slapping him! You’re supposed to wake them up gently!” Steve yells at Tony.

Tony scoffs, “Dude deserves it, he really thought he could beat Loki in hand to hand? Why are all Asgardian's so arrogant?” 

“Tony!” Steve yells after another loud slapping noise rings in the air. 

You and Loki begin to walk towards the extraction point. Loki has brought you into his side, his right arm around your shoulders, hugging you into him. His left hand holds onto your wrist, across his body, settled over your pulse point. 

“When did you figure it out?” Loki asks you as you both walk. 

You glance up at the god but decide to keep your eyes on the ground so you don’t slip on anything. That would be embarrassing. 

“You weren’t awake when I figured it out. We were cuddling in the living room and you had fallen asleep with your hand over my neck. Kinda pieced it together then.” You shrugged. 

Loki gives a small ‘Ah’ but doesn’t implore. 

~~~

[agirldying]

a little update

I got the Mirena iud yesterday morning and I just wanted to talk about my experience because I feel like it's not often talked about and I think it's important that people know what getting it can look like. If medical procedures and problems squick you out or trigger you then feel free to skip this post (it's long).

Honestly I was really excited to get it done, I really had my game face on and I was like "What's the worst that could happen?"

So the gyno told me to take cytotec vaginally the night before which I didn't realize is literally a labor induction pill but. I took it at like 10pm and went to bed early because the appointment was for 9am and not only does it take an hour to get there but I was instructed to take 600mg of motrin an hour before the procedure.

I woke up at 2am to cramping that was worse than my periods which are usually heavy and painful. I decided to take a motrin but the cramping was so bad I started convulsing and shaking and for a moment I wondered if I should go to the hospital but tried to just go back to sleep knowing I had to wake up early.

Then I woke up at 4 and went to the bathroom just to cramp over the toilet, at this point I felt a little nauseous so I sat in front of the toilet for a while but nothing came up so I decided to just go back to bed. I went back to the bathroom a couple times and it started frustrating me to the point where I remember crying but not being able to shed any tears. I remember lying wide awake in bed staring at the clock reading 4:38am, just in so much pain that I started dissociating. I felt the pain spreading from my uterus to my ovaries, then my thighs, then my stomach.

Then I woke up at 6am, went back to the bathroom, and as I was heading back to bed I realized that I was much more nauseous than before, especially while walking, and at this point I just wanted to get it over with so I grabbed my garbage pail and walked around until I started dry heaving and then I ran to the bathroom and threw up. I sat on the bathroom floor until my nausea subsided and woke my mom up to tell her I had thrown up, so we ended up starting our morning at 6:30 in the morning.

I waited impatiently for 8am to take the motrin. Dumbass me took 6. I legitimately thought 1 pill = 100mg. 1 pill actually = 200mg. So I had accidentally overdosed on motrin but didn't know. Right after I took the pills I had 2 slices of banana and morsels of a chocolate chip muffin I bought from the grocery store. I wanted to eat more but I was literally forcing myself to chew. I felt so weak that I kept dropping my head and arms and when I got in the car (my mom drove) I put the seat back and lied down. But not even 15 minutes into the drive I sat up and hunched over in pain, and just started crying because I was looking around at everyone walking on the street and envying their painlessness.

The next eventful part was when the procedure actually started and I told my gyno about the previous night and morning, and she was surprised and apologetic, and said that its uncommon to react severely like that.

The procedure itself really wasn't that bad, they injected some numbing medication in my uteran opening (i don't know terms leave me alone lol) and then used a clamp thing to hold it open. my uterus rejected the iud the first try but the second try worked and let me tell you. The feeling the first few minutes of that iud inside me was SO painful, not only did I feel it in my entire uterus but my lower back as well, and the pain was so severe that I started shaking again and threw up my breakfast.

Thankfully the nurses were really nice and they pet me and let me rest until my body calmed down and then they gave me an ultrasound to make sure the iud was in place. Then I told the gyno that I had taken 6 motrin and she stared at me and was like,,, that's double what you should've taken. and I was like... uh oh. what might happen? and she said renal failure, i asked what that meant, and she said kidney failure, and i was like oh shit. so she left the room, came back in after a while and asked how much i weigh so she could determine the toxicity level, but then she realized that I had very likely thrown it up with my breakfast and just let me rest for a bit longer to make sure I wasn't dizzy. She also said that I could've been throwing up because of how much motrin I ingested as well.

Soon enough I was cleared to get dressed and leave. When I got dressed I realized that there was a lot of blood on the table so I decided to go to the bathroom and put a pad on. What was interesting was that as soon as my body calmed down I still felt an aching in my uterus but it was just localized to the uterus as opposed to the cramping I was feeling in my ovaries from the cytotec. So somehow the iud overrode the cramping from the pill and honestly I was perfectly fine with that since this was a dull ache in comparison.

The pain very quickly went away entirely and I am no longer in any kind of pain but my body is still incredibly fatigued from the lack of sleep, the pain, throwing up, and also just the shaking. I took a long nap when I got home and now (the next day) I'm actually still really weak but other than that I'm feeling good.

If you read this whole thing than here's your special medal:

[drmmyrs]

Remember Me (Becca x MC)

So, weird story. I was randomly browsing tumblr one time when this ask pops out at the top of the screen (req about amnesia au Becca’s POV). It wasn’t even related to anything I was reading but checked my inbox and it wasn’t there. Most probably the ask isn’t for me but still wrote it just in case 😅

PS if someone DID send me this ask, kindly drop me a message just so I know I’m not seeing things 😭

PPS I’m trying out a new writing style and I’m not sure if it’s any good so I’d really appreciate any feedback 🥺 (this will be a mini series too, I think, since the angst potential is definitely there 😂)

PPPS title is inspired from the song in Coco just cause I’ve been playing it a lot on piano recently

tag list: @whackawriting @samanthadalton @crazzyplays @uselesslesbianfr @baexpoppy @alexroyard @alexlabhont @veenast @noixngn @sillyandcutewizardstuffs (If you wanna be added or removed or just prefer a certain ship just let me know ❤️)

Pairing: Becca x MC (Emily)

Word Count: 2090

I don't remember what happened, nor know where I am, but I hear shouting, lots of it. I try to move, but my body feels completely numb; the only thing I can feel is the trickle of liquid that splatters across my face. Rain? I open my eyes strenuously, but all I can see past my blurry vision are brown eyes glistening with tears. I can't quite make out her face, but for some reason, seeing her cry sends a flurry of emotions that hurt more than my throbbing head. I try to open my mouth, hoping to provide comfort somehow, but no words come out. She is saying something over and over again, something about leaving? But my head hurts too much to be able to comprehend. A siren then blares from a distance, growing louder by the second as flashes of red cloud my vision. And that is when everything turns black.

I slowly open my eyes–still reeling from the nightmare that somehow felt too real–and harsh, blinding lights immediately greet me. I hastily shut my eyes back and suddenly become well aware of the ache engulfing my entire body. It isn't before long that I realize that someone is holding my hand, tracing lazy circles against my skin ever so often. I try to move it but only manage to lift a finger, and at once, the grip tightens and becomes still for a moment before I hear a voice– How can a voice sound so familiar... yet so strange? It's saying my name, urgent and gentle at the same time as though I might break at any second. I try to open my eyes, but exhaustion grips me powerless. And soon, I succumb to its fiery grasp as I slip back into slumber.

When I wake up again, I already feel much stronger than before. The ache in my body has turned into a dull hum as if sharp nails are gently caressing my skin, enough to be felt but not to hurt. I look around the room, panic swelling in my chest as I take in the sight of different medical equipment looming around my bed and needles sticking out of my arm. I fight the urge to squirm as I take big, calming breaths, ignoring how the four white walls seem to close in on me. Thankfully, the door opens, and a nurse walks in, temporarily distracting me from my distress. She smiles upon seeing me awake and walks towards me.

"Welcome back, Ms. Davenport. How are you feeling?"

"W–where am I?" I ask weakly.

"In the hospital. A month ago, you were involved in a car crash, and your head was hurt pretty badly," the nurse says sympathetically. She is now taking my vitals, scribbling something on her chart from time to time.

Car crash?

I scrunch my eyes, trying to remember, but the harder I try, the more my head hurts.

"Wait. A month? Are you saying that I've been here... for a month?"

The nurse nods. "You've been unconscious the entire time. But your vitals now are looking good. The doctor will just run a few tests to make sure we don't miss anything."

I stay quiet for a while, my mind still processing everything the nurse just said, which has only raised new questions.

"Your friends and family were really worried about you, you know. There wasn't a day when you didn't have any visitors. Especially that special friend of yours you were in the car with." The nurse turns towards me, holding a pen against her chin. "What was her name? Em–Emma, I think? She barely left your side. She actually just went to grab some food before you woke up."

...I don't know any Emma, but I don't tell her that.

"What about my parents?"

"Your mom and sister usually visit during the evening."

"And my father?"

The nurse shakes her head. "I don't think I've ever seen your father."

The nurse leaves after a while, and the doctor comes inside the room shortly. I answer a few questions before I'm escorted outside to take some tests. Afterward, the nurse leads me back to my room and gently guides me to bed.

"Would you like me to call in your visitors?" the nurse asks.

I nod.

The nurse goes out, and soon my mom walks in followed by–

"Emily." I frown. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Both of them stop in their tracks. My mom looks at me in concern and confusion, while Emily looks like I just punched her in the gut.

Anger bubbles up inside me as a realization comes to mind. "Y–you. You're the one who did this, aren't you? You're the reason I'm here."

A guilty look flickers across her face, confirming my suspicions. And before I can stop myself, I shout at her to leave, but she stands there motionless, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Go get the doctor," my mom tells her, which snaps her out of her shock. She scurries out of the room at the same time my mom starts walking towards me.

"Why is she here, Mom?"

My mom stops at the side of the bed and reaches out to stroke my hair. "Honey, the accident was not her fault."

"But she was there with me..."

"Yes."

"Why?"

My mom's hand goes still, resting on top of my head. "Becca, what was the last thing you remember?"

"I..." I close my eyes and think hard for a moment. "I–I remember hosting the Kappa party. But that doesn't make any sense. Why would I leave with Emily?"

A brief look of panic flashes across her eyes.

"Mom? What's wrong?"

My mom smiles at me, but it looks forced. "It's nothing, sweetie. The doctor will be here soon."

But I can see that she's trying her best to keep calm–the look on her face similar to when she would talk to my little sister and me right after we would hear her and dad fight.

The doctor comes in a little while later, asking a bunch of questions similar to my mom's. They then do more tests on me, and I grow scared by the minute, not understanding what the hell is going on. Eventually, I'm back in my room alone, my mom and the doctor staying outside to talk. After some time, they enter the room, and my mom sits beside me, taking my hand as the doctor walks towards the other side of the bed.

I look at my mom, drained from all the medical tests I went through the entire day. "What's happening, Mom? I'm scared."

My mom squeezes my hand and gives me a reassuring smile. "The doctor will explain it to you, sweetie. But I'll be right here the whole time." She then gives a single nod to the doctor.

The doctor smiles at me politely. "How are you feeling, Becca?"

I stare at him, suddenly annoyed at being asked the same question over and over again.

"Right then." The doctor clears his throat. "During the accident, your brain was affected more than we initially thought." He pauses, and I meet his gaze, willing him to go straight to the point. "It seems like you have retrograde amnesia, meaning that you have no memory of the past three years of your life."

The doctor goes on and on about the technicalities, but I'm not listening anymore. His voice is reduced to background noise as I repeat his words inside my head, trying to grasp the implications of what he just said. I prop myself up, looking wildly around the room, tugging at my shirt as if it would help me breathe. But it doesn't. My body feels numb, which is why I almost don't notice my mom pulling me into a tight hug, stroking my back comfortingly as she whispers reassurances. I focus on her voice, forcing myself to take deep breaths as I slowly begin to calm down. I pull away after some time, recomposing myself as I find my voice.

"Three years," I whisper.

"We'll help you recover your memories, honey. But for now, you can ask me anything you like."

"I–I think I just need some rest."

My mom nods, helping me settle back in bed before she leaves, promising to be back tomorrow.

Sleep comes easy to me, and I wake up the next day with Madison sitting at the chair next to my bed, browsing her phone.

"Hey, Maddie."

She looks up from her phone, a smile lighting up her face before she practically jumps out of her chair to hug me. "Becca!"

"Ow, that... kinda hurts."

When she pulls away from me, her eyes are teary.

"Sorry, I just missed you so much. You were gone for so long! I thought–"

"Hey, hey, none of that," I say, smiling at her.

She pulls the chair closer to my bed and sits down. "How are you, Becca? Your mom told me about your... condition."

I stare at the ceiling. "Yeah, it sucks." I snap my head back to her. "Tell me something. Do we still hang out a lot?"

"We still meet up from time to time. Not as much as we used to, though," Madison says, smiling sadly.

I nod. "Who do I usually hang out with now?"

"Emily."

I furrow my eyebrows. "Did we become close friends or something?"

"Oh, right. You've only been together for like two years," Madison murmurs contemplatively. "She's your girlfriend, Becca."

I let the information sink in. "You have got to be kidding me." I stare at her wide-eyed. "How–What–Why?"

Madison recounts our 'love story,' each detail more absurd than the last. I don't want to believe any of it, but Emily as my girlfriend... it actually explains everything. I rub my temples. How the hell did that happen? I remember like it was yesterday when she tried to steal Chris away from me. And now... and now...

"Maddie? Can you do me a favor and grab me something to eat? I'm starving."

Madison smiles. "Of course."

Madison goes out in a while, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

***

After a few more days of recovery, I am finally allowed to leave the hospital. Despite my protests, my mom explains that I will have to stay with Emily and her friends at what I assume has been my home for the past two years. She explains that she prefers for someone to look after me constantly, and she will not be able to do that with her job and all.

Outside the hospital, I find Emily waiting near a car; her eyes are bloodshot, as if she hasn't slept a wink in days. When she sees me approaching, her face immediately brightens up. Our gazes lock briefly before I turn back to my mom.

"Are you sure I can't stay with you?"

My mom smiles sadly. "I'm sorry, honey. I wish you could, but..."

"It's okay, I understand."

"Look, I know you don't remember, but these people you've been living with... they care about you very much.”

I nod.

My mom pulls me into a hug before guiding me inside the car, shutting the door afterward. She and Emily talk for a brief moment outside, and I watch as she hugs Emily before walking away. Emily steps into the passenger seat.

Zack, who is sitting in the driver's seat, turns around and smiles at me warmly. "I'm glad you're back."

I shift uncomfortably, ignoring his gaze. "Thanks."

We drive home silently, awkwardness saturating the car space. Upon arriving, I observe the details of the house, seeing if it sparks any memories... but nothing. I see Emily looking at me intently, probably thinking the same thing. They then lead me inside the house, and I step in hesitantly, taking in the surroundings, which vary immensely from the sorority house, the last place I lived based on my memories. Emily guides me to my room, lingering near me as I open the door.

"Becca–"

I turn towards her. "Please don't. I know you think I'm your girlfriend. A–and I guess I was. But as far as I remember, I don't like you at all. So I would appreciate it if you just leave me alone." I turn around and go inside my room, shutting the door behind me. I then lie on the bed, trying to forget how the light dimmed out of Emily's eyes as I broke her heart.

[lumosandnoxwriting]

Navigating Fatherhood - Fred Weasley

Title: Navigating Fatherhood Pairing: Fred x Fem!Reader Summary: Fred knew being a dad would be an adjustment, but he never imagined it would be this hard. Early mornings, tantrums and meltdowns are all new territory for him, and each time something goes wrong he can’t help but feel like a failure. Complete and utter exhaustion seems to be his new normal, and he can’t seem to keep up with his kids’ ever changing moods.  Luckily for him he’s got the best co-parent in the world who knows just how to make him feel better. And it helps that the good parts of being a dad certainly outweigh the bad ones. A/N: first part of the dad!fred mini-series!! I really wanted to showcase some of the more difficult times I think Fred would experience as a first-time dad to small children, but also make sure to show some of the more tender parts as well! Feedback is always appreciated!! Tags: @feltondarling @pandaxnienke @raerae27​ @thefifthweasley

Series Masterlist Based on Honey, Flowers and Pinky Promises

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“Oof,” Fred groans as a little elbow digs into his thigh. One of his eyes slowly opens and he can’t help but smile when he sees Phoenix looking up at him sheepishly.

“Sorry, Daddy,” Phoenix whispers as to not wake up Y/N.

Fred yawns and sits up a little. The room is still dark, so he figures it’s only a little past midnight. “That’s alright, little man. Come here.” Fred opens his arms up, melting as Phoenix crawls up the bed and onto his chest. He wraps his arms around the little boy in a tight hug, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “What’s wrong, Phoenix? Why aren’t you in bed?”

“Because I’m done sleeping,” Phoenix answers, looking up at Fred.

Fred chuckles and brings a hand up to stroke his son’s fiery red hair. He’s only been in Phoenix’s life for a few days and Fred can’t believe how much he already loves him. Every time he thinks his heart can’t fill with more love, all he has to do is look at Phoenix or his sister and it swells ten times bigger.

“What do you mean you’re done sleeping?” Fred asks, his tone light. “It’s only,” Fred pauses to look at the clock on the bedside table, and he has to do a double take to make sure he’s seeing it correctly. “It’s 5 am?” Fred is still exhausted, as if his head had just barely hit the pillow before Phoenix crawled into bed with him and Y/N.

The door to their bedroom creaks as it slowly opens then, and a moment later Fred can see Electra’s head poking through the opening. She smiles when Fred’s eyes meet hers, and she runs into the room to launch herself up onto the bed. Electra crawls up towards where Fred and Phoenix are, pushing her hair out of her eyes and Fred lifts one of his arms up so she can burrow into his chest as well.

“Good morning, Daddy!” she greets happily before turning to her brother. “Mornin’ stinky.”

“Good morning to you too butt face,” Phoenix greets, sticking his tongue out at her.

“It’s wonderful to see you Angel but what are you two doing awake?” Fred asks, causing both kids to look up at him. “The suns not even awake yet.”

Electra gives Fred a look, and he can’t help but chuckle at how confused she looks. “What do you mean? We always wake up before the sun! The we get to say good morning to it when it finally wakes up too!” Phoenix nods along in agreement.

Fred raises his eyebrows. The last time he’d been awake at 5 am was because he didn’t go to bed until 6 am. “You guys get up this early every day?”

Y/N laughs then, causing Fred to look over at her. She rolls over to face Fred, a bemused smile on her face. “Every single one,” she answers, stretching out her limbs. “Good morning my monkeys.”

“Good morning Mummy!” Electra greets happily, crawling off of Fred so Y/N can cuddle her into her chest.

Fred reaches down to stroke Y/N’s cheek, a soft smile appearing on his face when she turns her head to press a kiss to the palm of his hand. “Mornin’ love. Hope we didn’t wake you up.”

Y/N shakes her head with a chuckle, reaching out to ruffle Phoenix’s hair. “Don’t worry about it, Freddie. I’m so used to waking up this early my body just kinda does it on its own these days.”

“Really?” Fred asks in disbelief. But he can tell that Y/N is being truthful with him just by her appearance. Her eyes are already bright, not an ounce of sleep still clinging to them and her voice is clear. Fred can still feel the heaviness of exhaustion in his eyes and his voice is still deep and grumbly. “I feel like I barely slept.”

Y/N gives him a small smile. “It’s okay, Freddie. You’re still getting used to all this.” She sits up then, and both kids look over at her. “Come on then, monkeys. Let’s head downstairs while your Dad gets some more rest before he has to go to work.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Fred insists. He’s already missed out on so much of their lives, and just a few nights ago he’d promised Y/N, Electra, Phoenix and himself that from that moment on they were going to be a family, and it’s a promise he intends on keeping. “Let’s go do some coloring, you guys can make me some pretty pictures to hang up in my office.”

Fred clutches Phoenix to his chest as he stands up and settles him on his hip. Electra abandons Y/N and runs at Fred, jumping into his outstretched arm. He starts to head downstairs then, both twins giggling as Fred tickles their sides.

-

By the time Fred actually has to start getting ready to leave for the joke shop he feels like a zombie. Coloring only kept Electra and Phoenix occupied for so long, and Fred has spent the last hour and a half alternating between chasing them around the living room and tossing them up in the air and catching them. Thankfully they got distracted in a game of hide and seek and Fred was able to sneak upstairs.

“Blimey. What have I gotten myself into?” he muses with a shake of his head as he starts to head over to where his suit is hanging up. This is the first time that Fred has spent the night, and while Y/N did warn him that the twins can be a bit much in the morning, a 5 am wakeup call was not what he was expecting. He gets dressed slowly, already plotting how to sneak upstairs to his bedroom for a midday nap without George noticing. Today is their long day at the shop, they’ll both be there early to restock, and Fred is sure he’ll never make it to closing time without at least one nap.

Fred has just started to do up his tie when the bedroom door swings open and Electra barges in.

“Found you!” she shouts, looking around the room. When all she finds is Fred, her smile turns into a pout. “Oh, sorry Daddy. I thought Phoenix was hiding in here.”

“It’s alright, Angel,” he assures her with a chuckle. He sits down on the end of the bed to pull his shoes on, watching as Electra climbs up to sit down next to him.

Electra reaches out to grab Fred’s tie, her eyes focused on the blinking pin in the shape of the shop’s logo on it. “Woah,” she sighs, sounding completely mesmerized. “That’s so cool!” When she looks up at Fred her eyes are wide, and he can’t help but laugh.

“You think so?” When Electra nods wildly Fred leans down to kiss the top of her head. “I’ll get you one, then, Angel. Then you can match with Daddy.”

“Wicked cool,” Electra announces. She watches Fred tie his shoes for a moment, a frown on her face. “Why are you getting all dressed up?”

“I’ve gotta go to work, Angel,” Fred explains. He kisses her on the top of the head one more time before heading to the dresser so he can fix his hair in the mirror.

“Work? What do you mean you have to go to work?” Electra asks, her disappointment evident in her tone. “Mummy works from home, why can’t you?”

When Fred turns around his heart breaks in his chest. Fat tears are rolling down Electra’s rosy cheeks and her lower lip is wobbling. “Oh Angel,” Fred coos, reaching out to her. Fred picks her up and holds her against his chest, one of his hands rubbing her back to try and calm her.

Electra presses her face into Fred’s neck as she sobs, her breath coming out in sharp pants. “I don’t want you to go!” she wails.

“Shh. It’s okay, baby,” Fred soothes, starting to gently sway her back and forth. “I’ll be back before you know it, okay? And I’ll have a pin just like mine for you to wear. And we’ll play together, and I’ll tuck you into bed and read you a bedtime story.” He pauses to press a few kisses to her forehead. “Does that sound good?”

Electra’s sobs start to quiet down and she pulls away to look at Fred. “I guess,” the little girl sniffles. “Will you be here tomorrow when I wake up?”

“Of course, Angel,” Fred promises with a smile. “I’ll be here every day when you wake up no matter how early it is.”

Electra holds her pinky out and Fred immediately hooks his around it, squeezing tightly.

-

After a few days of waking up early with the kids and going to bed late after finishing up some work Fred is practically dead on his feet. Normally he’d stay at the shop to take care of the day’s paperwork after closing, but ever since he found out about the twins he’s been skating out right after closing and taking it home with him. Between helping Y/N with the kids all evening and dealing with the massive amount of paperwork he always seems to have, Fred figures he’s only getting four or five hours of sleep before the twins are crawling into bed to start their day all over again.

“I don’t know how you did it on your own for so long,” Fred sighs as Y/N cuddles into his side. The kids are upstairs playing before bed and they’re having their first quiet moment alone together since the night they got back together. “Even with you to lean on I feel like I’m falling behind.”

Y/N looks up at Fred, smiling when he kisses her on the forehead. “You’re doing great, Freddie. The kids love you and all that matters to them is that you’re there with them and that you love them too.”

“I do love them. So much. More than I ever thought I could love anything,” he says softly. “But you make everything look so easy. It makes me feel like I’m never going to be good enough for them.”

Y/N sits up so she can look at Fred properly and grabs his face in her hands. “It wasn’t always so easy for me, Fred. I can’t tell you how many times I would mess up or forget something and end up crying endlessly. I spent a lot of time feeling like the worst mother in the world while the twins were growing up. Being a parent takes time to get used to, you gotta figure out what works best for you and your kids. Hell, I still feel like there’s loads more for me to learn as they grow up. All that matters is that you’re trying, Fred.”

Fred leans down and capture’s Y/N’s lips in a slow kiss, letting the movements of their mouths melt all of his stress away. She’s always known just what to say to talk Fred off of a ledge, and while his chest is still tight with worry, he doesn’t feel it as strongly anymore. Fred’s just started to deepen the kiss when the phone rings, and he pulls away with a groan.

“Your Mum has the best timing,” he jokes, pulling away from Y/N so she can go answer it.

“It’s time for the twins to go down anyway,” she chuckles. “Can you go up and start getting them ready? I’ll join you in a bit.”

Fred nods but stays on the couch until Y/N disappears into the kitchen so he can watch her hips sway as she walks away. Once he’s alone Fred bounds up the stairs, determined to get the kids to bed quickly in the hopes that he and Y/N can spend some time together in bed. There is a stack of paperwork that needs his attention on the kitchen table, but he can deal with George being cross tomorrow if it means getting to spend some time alone with Y/N.

When Fred reaches Electra’s doorway he leans up against the frame, just watching the twins play together for a moment. They’re talking to each other excitedly, passing toys between them. Fred never thought this would be his life at 22 but he wouldn’t trade it for the world. He still can’t believe that these two pure, cheeky little Angels are his and he can’t wait to spend the rest of his life with them.

“Daddy!” Electra says suddenly, pulling Fred out of his thoughts.

Fred smiles down at her, opening up his arms to grab her off the floor as she runs at him. “Hi, Angel. Long time no see.” In reality, it can’t have been more than 30 minutes since Fred saw them last. He’d been helping Electra and Phoenix with some kind of art project when they both got bored and abandoned it to head upstairs to play.

“You’re so silly, Daddy! We just saw you downstairs!” Electra reminds him with an eyeroll.

“You’re right Angel, my mistake,” he chuckles pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “Have you guys been having fun?”

Electra nods and wiggles in Fred’s grasp so he’ll let her go. Once her feet are back on the ground she’s running back towards her brother. “Load and loads and loads of fun!”

“Uh huh!” Phoenix agrees happily. “We built a tower, and then we knocked it down and then built it again. Then we played restaurant but that got really boring, so we’ve been playing with our stuffed animals!”

Fred nods along as Phoenix talks, amazed at how much energy they have in their tiny bodies. He makes a mental note to send his mum the biggest box of chocolates he can find as a part apology, part thank you for dealing with him as a child as he steps into the room. “I’m so glad you guys are having fun! But it’s time to start getting ready for bed now, okay?”

The energy in the room goes flat as both the twins turn to look at Fred.

“No, it’s not,” Electra insists, picking up one of her dolls.

Fred sighs, clearly this is going to be harder than he anticipated. “Yes, it is. Now let’s all clean up your toys so they’re ready for you to play with tomorrow and then we can get ready for bed and pick out a story for me to read to you. Sound good?”

“Sounds rubbish,” Phoenix responds, making both him and Electra laugh.

“Come on guys, let’s start cleaning up,” Fred encourages. He starts to pick up some of the things strewn about on the floor, trying to ignore the way Electra huffs at him.

“But I want to keep playing,” Electra whines, giving Fred her best puppy dog eyes.

Fred’s insides melt at the adorable look on her face, but he knows that if he gives in now he’ll regret it later. “I know you do, sweetheart. But it’s time for bed.” Fred pauses to put some of the things in his hand in their proper spots. “You guys can get up tomorrow and play all day, but for now it’s time to clean up.”

Phoenix and Electra share a look before they reluctantly start to clean up.

“Good job guys,” Fred praises, hoping it will motivate them to keep doing.

When they don’t say anything, Fred frowns and helps them pick up the few remaining things on the floor. This is the first time he’s had to be stern with them, and while he knows it was the right thing to do, he can’t help but feel like he’s messed up somehow. Fred continues to get them ready for bed, trying everything he can to get them to say something. But they continue to do as he asks in complete and utter silence, angry looks on their faces.

“Alright, what book do you want Daddy to read?” he asks quietly as they settle into Electra’s bed. Getting the twins ready for bed has somehow exhausted Fred even more and he’s ready to just read them a story, take Phoenix into his bed, and kiss them both good night.

“We don’t want you to read us a book,” Phoenix grumbles, looking up at Fred.

“Yeah, we want Mummy to read us a book. She’s nice to us,” Electra adds with a huff.

“Oh,” Fred says softly, feeling defeated. All the worries Y/N had washed away come flooding back, and Fred’s chest tightens so hard it feels like he can barely breathe. “Alright then. I’ll send her up.” Fred heads towards the door, pausing in the entryway so he can turn to look back at them. “Goodnight. I love you both.” He waits for a moment to see if they say anything back, and when they don’t he heads back down towards the kitchen, his heart heavy in his chest.

-

Much to Fred’s surprise, when Electra and Phoenix come to wake him and Y/N up the next morning, they both snuggle into his chest first. He thought they might still harbor some anger towards him, but they both demand he hug them 5 times before he leaves for work in the morning, and they’re both waiting by the front door to jump into his arms the second he gets back in the evening. It confuses the hell out of him, but he gladly accepts the snuggles and kisses.

“Alright, what movie are we watching?” Y/N asks as she enters the living room, a giant bowl of popcorn in her hands. It’s Friday evening, and they’ve decided to start a tradition to solidify their new family, so from now on every Friday will be family movie night.

“Frozen!” Electra announces excitedly as she bounds over to Y/N, a DVD case pressed close to her chest.

“Daddy’s never seen it! Can you believe that, Mummy?” Phoenix asks as he climbs up onto the couch, pressing himself as close to Fred as possible.

Y/N shakes her head with a laugh, handing Fred the bowl of popcorn so she can take the DVD from Electra. “I can’t, baby. We’ll have to be sure to sing the songs extra loud for him, okay?” She settles onto the couch, waving her wand to get the movie set up. “Come here, Ells, sit next to me.”

Electra doesn’t move from her spot in front of the couch. She’s facing Fred and Phoenix, her arms crossed and a deep pout on her face. “I wanted to sit next to Daddy!”

“Snooze you lose!” Phoenix taunts, sticking his tongue out at her.

“You can sit next to Daddy next week, Electra,” Y/N suggests softly. “Just come sit next to me so we can start the movie.”

Fred watches in amusement as Electra turns to glare at Y/N. Last night both Electra and Phoenix wanted nothing to do with him and now tonight they’re fighting over who gets to sit with him. He tries his best to keep the smile from his face, not wanting to encourage her behavior, but he’s struggling. It makes him feel good that his kids both love him enough to fight for his attention.

“But I wanted to sit with him tonight,” Electra whines.

“Here Angel, how about this,” Fred starts, causing her to look at him. Fred hands Y/N the bowl of popcorn so he can pick Phoenix up and move him closer towards his mother. “We’ll all move down a bit,” he continues, moving down the couch so he’s sitting next to Phoenix again. “And now there’s room for you on Daddy’s other side.”

Electra smiles brightly and scrambles up onto the new spot Fred created for her. She immediately snuggles into his side before looking up at him happily. “I love you Daddy.”

“Love you too, Angel,” Fred responds, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead.

Phoenix makes a noise, snuggling into Fred’s other side. “I love you too, Daddy!” he announces.

“And I love you too, little man,” Fred says with a chuckle, kissing him on the forehead as well.

Y/N rolls her eyes fondly, her chest warm from the amount of love she has for the three of them. “Are you monkeys finally ready for the movie to start?” When all three of them nod she waves her wand, letting the opening song begin.

Electra and Phoenix both start singing along excitedly, and Fred kisses his plans of falling asleep goodbye.

-

“You sure you’ll be alright with them by yourself?” Y/N asks, eyeing Fred wearily.

Fred rolls his eyes, hitching Phoenix up onto his back higher. While bedtime had been a disaster the other night, Fred has been feeling more optimistic after family movie night. Clearly both Phoenix and Electra love him, and while he still feels like he can barely keep up with them, being able to spend this time with them and bond with them makes it all worth it.

“Y/N, we’ll be fine,” Fred assures her. There’s some kind of issue with one of the ads Y/N had written for tomorrow’s issue of the Daily Prophet and she needs to head into the office to take care of it.

“If you’re sure,” she responds, shrugging on her coat. “They can color or play with their toys but absolutely no screens and no sugar. It’s too close to bedtime,” Y/N reminds.

Fred chuckles and leans down to press a soft kiss to her lips. “This isn’t my first rodeo, Y/N. We’ll be fine. Right guys?”

Electra cheers from where she’s gripping onto Fred’s leg and Phoenix nods wildly over Fred’s shoulder.

“Daddy is the bestest Daddy in the world, Mummy! We’re gonna have loads of fun,” Phoenix promises.

Fred bites his lip, trying to contain the emotion he feels buzzing around in his chest. He’s had a hard few days parenting wise, but hearing Phoenix call him the best dad in the world has certainly made the struggle worth it. “See? Go on, get to work and sort everything out like you always do. And when you get back everything will be fine.”

“Alright, alright. I love you my monkeys, okay? You might be in bed when I get back, but I’ll come in to give you kisses, alright?” Y/N reaches over to ruffle Phoenix’s hair before leaning down to press a kiss to the top of Electra’s head.

“Love you!” Both twins shout as Y/N steps into the fireplace, watching in awe as green fire swallows her up and takes her away.

“Hey Daddy?” Electra asks sweetly, plopping herself into Fred’s lap.

Y/N has been gone for nearly an hour and so far everything has gone smoothly. Fred brought their large box of blocks down from Phoenix’s room, and they’ve all been sitting on the floor together building random structures for the twins to knock down before building something else and repeating the process. Bedtime is quickly approaching and while Fred is a tad nervous that he’ll have to go through it alone again, he’s optimistic that it will go well.

“Yes, my Angel?” Fred responds, pressing a light kiss to her hair.

Electra looks up at Fred from under her eyelashes and the softest look she can muster is on her face. “Can we pretty, pretty, pretty please have some ice cream?”

Fred gives her a look. “No, sweetheart. It’s too close to bedtime.”

“Please,” she begs, sticking out her lower lip.

“No, Electra,” Fred says firmly. “And that’s the last time I’m going to say it.”

Electra glares at Fred and scrambles out of his lap, her cheeks turning red at her frustration. She storms over to where Phoenix is standing and knocks over the tower he’d been working on.

“Hey!” he shouts, his little fists clenching up. “What did you do that for?”

“Electra,” Fred scolds. “That wasn’t nice. Apologize to your brother.”

“No,” she responds firmly, kicking some more of the blocks. “I want ice cream!”

Fred sighs and stands up. “Alright, that’s it. It’s time for bed, let’s go.” Fred moves to grab Electra’s hand and she slaps it away, stomping her feet.

“No! Not until I get my ice cream!”

Fred fixes her with a firm glare. “This is not appropriate behavior, Electra. I said no ice cream and that’s final.”

Electra’s face is red with anger, and Fred can see tears welling up in her eyes. Her fists are clenched at her sides and when she stomps her foot again, several things in the room fly off of their shelves and move in every direction across the room. “I want ice cream, now!” She starts to scream as she rips pillows off of the sofa and the frustrated tears start flowing down her cheeks.

Fred ducks as a picture frame comes flying at his head, his mind moving quickly to decide what to do next. If the other night had been disastrous, this is nuclear. The living room is slowly turning into a giant mess and Phoenix grabs on to Fred’s leg in fear.

“Fine!” Fred says suddenly, grabbing his wand from his pocket. Electra is still crying, but several of the things that had been flying around the room clatter to the floor. “I give up. Eat the damn ice cream.” With a wave of his wand the freezer opens and the pint of ice cream inside of it starts to float over towards them. A spoon from one of the drawers joins it, and all of Electra’s anger disappears as she grabs them both out of the air.

“Daddy,” Phoenix says quietly, tugging on his pant leg.

Fred looks down, his heart breaking at how upset his son is from his sister’s meltdown. Tears have started to roll down his cheeks and his bottom lip is wobbling.

“Oh, baby, it’s okay,” Fred coos, gathering him up in his arms. He hugs him close to his chest and starts to head towards the stairs. “Come on, let’s get you into bed, yeah?” Fred rubs Phoenix’s back as he takes them upstairs, his mind racing about what to do about Electra.

20 minutes later Fred is finally heading back down the stairs after getting Phoenix to fall asleep. His shoulders are tense, and his mind is still trying to figure out what exactly to do with Electra. He’s never seen a meltdown quite like that before and he has absolutely no idea what to do. Fred’s never had to punish a child before and this is certainly the worst place to start.

“Why aren’t you in bed, Electra? And why in the world are you eating ice cream?” When Fred finally reaches the living room he can see how mad Y/N is just from her body language. Her shoulders are tense, and her hands are planted firmly on her hips.

“Daddy gave it to me,” she answers calmly, licking her spoon clean.

“I can explain that,” Fred says quietly.

Y/N turns to look at him, her eyes narrow. “I thought this wasn’t your first rodeo, Fred? And yet this room looks like a bomb went off and I’ve got a kid not in bed stuffing her face with ice cream.” Fred opens his mouth to respond, but Y/N puts her hand up to stop him. “We’ll talk about it later.” She turns back to look at Electra. “Bed, now Missy.”

Electra begrudgingly gets off the sofa and heads towards the stairs, putting the ice cream and her spoon in Fred’s outstretched hand. Fred watches as she stomps up the stairs, Y/N following close behind. He sighs heavily before shuffling to the kitchen to put the ice cream away. Once the freezer is shut tight he waves his wand so the living room can start to put itself back together, before collapsing in a chair at the kitchen table.

“Can you not yell at me,” Fred asks when Y/N comes into the kitchen a bit later. “The past 45 minutes have been hell on earth, and I can’t take anymore yelling.”

Y/N sighs as she hoists herself up onto one of the counters. “What happened, Fred? You were so confident when I left and now you just look, broken.”

“Everything was going so well. We were all playing and laughing, and then Electra asked for ice cream. And I said no. And she asked again, and I said no. Then all hell broke loose. She went full meltdown. Crying, screaming, shit was flying all around the room. I didn’t know what to do. Phoenix was scared, she was throwing pillows all over the place, so I gave her the damn ice cream.” Fred runs a hand through his hair before he looks over at Y/N. “Which I know is probably the worst thing I could have done but I just needed her to calm down and then Phoenix was crying, and it was all just one huge shit show.”

“I’m so sorry, Fred,” Y/N says softly. “Electra can throw some explosive tantrums and I should have warned you. And I shouldn’t have left you alone with them. That was my fault.”

Fred rubs his forehead, trying to relieve some of the tension in his head. “They’re my kids too, Y/N. I should be able to handle them on my own. But the second something goes a little wrong my mind goes completely blank. I’m a terrible father.”

“Freddie come over here.” Y/N’s tone is firm, yet gentle and Fred slowly makes his way over to her. When he gets close enough her legs wind around his hips and she pulls him in. “You are not a terrible father,” she starts, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You’re a new father. There’s a difference.”

Fred buries his head in Y/N’s neck, taking a deep breath in. Her scent of honey and flowers overwhelms his senses, and Fred can already feel himself starting to relax. “I love them both so much that I think my heart is going to explode. And I thought that would be enough but I’m very clearly in over my head.”

“Then walk away,” Y/N says flatly, surprising Fred. “Walk out the front door and never come back. “

Fred pulls away from Y/N’s neck and grips her face so they’re looking into each other’s eyes. “I would never do that, Y/N. You have to know that.”

Y/N smiles at Fred, rolling her eyes. “I know that you dummy. You know how? Because you’re not a terrible father. A terrible father would walk away when things get tough.” She grabs Fred’s chin and tilts his head down to kiss him on the forehead. “Becoming a parent is a huge adjustment, Fred. And honestly you’re doing amazing, love. I promise you that. You know how I know?”

“How?” Fred murmurs, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose.

“Because Electra and Phoenix are giving you a hard time. I know it sounds weird, but kids tend to be extra naughty for their parents,” Y/N chuckles. “They could be throwing the biggest tantrum for me and the second my mum walks in their all smiles and hugs and kisses. They’re testing your boundaries. It’s what kids do.”

“Who knew being a parent was so confusing?” Fred muses with a chuckle. He leans down to kiss Y/N softly. “I couldn’t do any of this without you, you know.”

“Well duh, I’m the one that gave birth to them,” Y/N jokes.

Fred rolls his eyes, letting his hands wander to her hips. “Well yes obviously. But that’s not what I meant. You always know exactly what to say to make me feel better, to motivate me to keep going.”

“I will always be there to motivate you and support you. Because I love you, and I love our family and I can’t imagine a future that doesn’t have you three in it with me,” Y/N admits, a pink blush on her cheeks.

“I love you too,” Fred whispers. “And I love our kids. And our family.” Fred pulls Y/N into a slow kiss, trying to convey every feeling he has for her through his mouth. “I used to dream about having this life with you. And now that it’s come true I’m never giving it up. I promise you that.”

-

Fred comes up behind Y/N as she stirs something on the stove, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Hi, love.”

“Hi Freddie,” she greets with a laugh. She tilts her head back slightly, allowing Fred to kiss her briefly. “You’re up to something.”

Fred gasps in fake shock. “Me? Up to something? Couldn’t be,” he teases. His grip on her waist tightens and he starts to press a few open-mouthed kisses to Y/N’s neck. “I just couldn’t help but notice how quiet the house is.”

Y/N lets out a quiet moaning, letting her head fall ever so slightly to the side to give Fred more room to kiss. “Yeah the kids are out back running around.”

Fred hums as he kisses Y/N’s neck, smirking when she shivers. “I think that means we should sneak upstairs for some, mummy and daddy time,” he suggests. While Fred expected that they wouldn’t be having sex every night as they adjusted back into their relationship and into this new normal, he had figured he and Y/N would have been intimate again by now. But with Phoenix and Electra always sneaking about, the closest they’ve gotten is some heavy petting while making out in bed before they both practically pass out.

Before Y/N can respond there’s some kind of commotion outside before one of the kids bursts into tears. They break apart and just as Y/N reaches the back-door Phoenix is approaching, his hair damp from the light snow that started to fall, and tears streaming down his cheeks. Y/N squats down and holds her arms out for him, and to both of their surprise he pushes right past her and heads over towards Fred.

“What’s wrong, buddy?” Fred coos, leaning down so he can pick Phoenix up. He settles him on his hip before he starts to wipe away some of his tears, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“I-I fell down and hurt my elbow,” he gasps in between sobs.

“That’s no good. Want Daddy to kiss it better?” When Phoenix nods Fred presses another kiss to his forehead before gently placing him down on the counter. He helps him out of his jacket before slowly rolling up his sleeve. Fred leans down to press a few kisses to his elbow. “All better?”

Phoenix nods at Fred with a smile, sniffling through his last few tears. “So much better! Thank you Daddy.”

Fred tickles his sides a bit, laughing as Phoenix starts to giggle. “You ready to go back outside and play with your sister?” Fred helps Phoenix put his jacket back on before putting him back down on the ground.

“Love you!” Phoenix shouts as he runs back out into the yard.

“I can’t believe he just did that,” Y/N muses with a shake of her head as she comes to stand with Fred.

Fred chuckles and pulls her into his chest. “I detect a bit of jealousy in your tone there, Y/N,” he teases. He hugs Y/N tightly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “That’s the first time one of them has chosen to get help from me over you, did you know that?” Fred’s chest feels like it might burst from how happy he feels.

“See, love? You’re navigating this fatherhood thing just fine,” Y/N responds, pulling him down into a kiss.

[evanbuckley-heartofgold]

Do You Think of Me?

Read on ao3 (1k)

Buck jogs his leg anxiously, eyes on the floor. 

He manages to drown out the sounds of the hospital, focusing only on keeping calm. He almost lost Eddie, he can’t lose Bobby too. Buck’s been sitting in this uncomfortable plastic chair for what feels like hours. Athena managed to convince Hen and Chimney to go home, but Buck wouldn’t be swayed as easily. He knows that if he goes home then all he’ll think about is Bobby. So he stayed. 

“Buckaroo.” Buck looks up to see Athena standing in the doorway of Bobby’s hospital room. “He’s awake. Do you want to go in?” 

“I don’t want to intrude,” Buck says immediately, squishing down his instincts to just rush in. 

Athena shakes her head, “I’m stepping out to call the others and May and Harry.” 

Buck nods and allows Athena to gently pat his cheek before she walks down the hallway. Buck takes a deep breath before walking into the room. Right off the bat, Buck can tell that Bobby is in much better shape than Eddie. He looks alert and Buck thankfully can’t see the bandages that he knows pad his torso. 

When Buck walks in, Bobby smiles a little, “Hey, Buck.”

“Hi,” Buck says quietly. 

Bobby frowns a little at him, “You okay?” 

The question brings tears to his eyes immediately. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?” His voice trembles as he asks. 

“Hey, hey,” Bobby says immediately. He gestures for Buck to sit in the chair beside the bed. Buck does, not looking at his captain. “I’m just worried about you.” 

“Why?” Buck tries to suppress how his voice cracks. He looks up at Bobby and sees the older man looking down at him with concern. It almost hurts to look at. “I-I’m not the one who got shot.” 

“But you are the one who watched your best friend get shot and saw your captain bleeding out.” Bobby takes Buck’s hand and squeezes it. “It’s okay that you’re not okay.” 

Buck shakes his head vehemently, “It’s not. Because I’m...I’m fine, Bobby.” 

“Are you?” Bobby challenges. 

Instead of answering, Buck curls in on himself, covering his face as he starts to cry. Everything from the past week comes rushing out of him all at once. Eddie getting shot, taking care of Christopher, the possibility of being shot on every call, Bobby’s silent radio, Athena and the paramedics carting Bobby into an ambulance.

Buck sobs and he knows he shouldn't. He’s at his captain’s bedside for god's sake and all he can do is cry and feel sorry for himself. Buck feels Bobby’s familiar hand on his shoulder, rubbing comforting circles. 

“It’s alright, kid. Everything’s okay,” Bobby assures him. 

“I’m sorry,” Buck says quietly when the majority of his sobs have passed. “I...I should have gotten shot-”

“If you finish that sentence, Evan Buckley, I will shoot you myself.” Buck and Bobby look over to see Athena standing in the door with her arms crossed. She walks over to them and sits on the edge of Bobby’s bed looking down at him. Buck ducks his head and Athena sighs. “Buck. Buck, look at me.” He does so reluctantly. Athena just looks at him for a moment before giving him a sympathetic look. “You didn’t choose for any of these things to happen, it’s not your fault.” 

Buck tears his eyes away from hers and softly admits, “It would be easier for everyone if I was the one who got hurt.” 

“That’s not true, Buck.” Bobby gives him a gentle but stern look. 

“It is. You said it yourself, I don’t think before I act. I don’t listen to you I-I...it should have been me.” There’s silence from Bobby and Athena. The silence weighs heavy on his shoulders. “I should go.” 

Buck moves to get up and leave, but Athena snags his wrist. “Athena-”

“Come here.” She gives a light tug on his wrist and Buck knows that if he really wanted to he could break away from her, but he doesn’t want to. He lets Athena pull him until he’s sitting on the bed between Bobby and Athena. 

Bobby pulls Buck down until he is essentially curled up on Bobby's side. Buck is hesitant to let Bobby hold any of his weight, but a soft, “It’s okay,” makes Buck relax into Bobby’s side. 

“I’m only going to say this once, so you better be listening,” Bobby says, his voice gentle. Buck nods into his shoulder. “Yes, you take risks and yes, sometimes that pisses me off. But you are…” Bobby chuckles, “You’re my kid, Buck. You have proven to me over and over again that you are a good person, that you deserve this job, and you have a good head on your shoulders. There is no world in which I’d prefer you to get hurt, Buck. It’s bad enough that Eddie got shot, if you had as well…” Bobby trails off, tightening his arm around Buck who’s begun to cry silently into Bobby’s hospital gown. 

“I’m sorry,” Buck whispers. 

Athena shakes her head and puts her hand on Buck’s leg, “There’s nothing to be sorry for. It’s been a long week, for all of us.” Buck nods into Bobby’s shoulder. They stay like that for a little while before Athena says, “We should get going, Buckaroo, visiting hours end soon.”

Buck nods and slowly lifts himself out of Bobby’s arms. The thought of going back to his empty apartment fills his mind, loneliness already sinking deep into his bones. But Athena squeezes his wrist, “Why don’t you follow me home?” 

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother.” 

Athena shakes her head, “Not possible. Come on, I’ll make us some dinner too. I’m sure May and Harry will be happy to see you.” 

As they get ready to leave, Buck lets Bobby pull him down into a proper hug. “Actually sleep tonight, Buckley.” 

He nods, “I’ll try.” 

Bobby gives him a nod and a small smile. He steps out of the room for a moment to let Athena and Bobby have a moment alone. He can hear their quiet voices and a minute or so later, Athena joins him in the hallway. 

She gives his shoulder a motherly squeeze, “Let’s go home.” 

[longing-and-heartache-and-lust]

Prompt: Spending the day in bed Title (optional): Relationships (romantic/platonic/etc): Geralt/Jaskier Rating: Mature Content Warnings: None Summary: Geralt comes back from a hunt hurt, Jaskier makes sure all his wounds are mended and that he’s got a good enough reason not to get out of bed the next day.

@sugar-and-spice-witcher-bingo

Crossposted on ao3 here

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

On some days, Geralt returns from a hunt completely safe.

He returns with not a single scratch on him, only his tousled hair and glowing eyes giving him away.

Those are the days Jaskier loves the most. To his relief, most of the hunts end like that.

But other days, the witcher comes back covered in blood, at least a part of which is his own, his steps heavy and uneven as he stumbles through the door, breathing shallow and ragged.

Every single time that happens, Jaskier can feel his heart break but he knows it's unavoidable. He never tries to talk the witcher out of hunting, never tells him that it's not worth the risk, because he knows that that is just who Geralt is, what his life is. Becoming a witcher had always been his destiny and they both knew that if he became someone else instead, he would not have been the person he is now.

Jaskier knew that there was a price for giving his heart to a witcher, and that price he paid with no hesitation every single time.

So when he hears heavy footsteps on the staircase, he's ready for it even though his heart shatters in his chest once again.  

It's a little past midnight, the inn still full of music and overlapping chatter so when the door behind Geralt shuts loudly, Jaskier doubts that anyone's even heard it.

"Geralt?" he calls, getting out of bed and coming closer in hurried steps. "Gods, Geralt, are you alright?"

The witcher raises his head slowly to look at him, a long cut on his left cheekbone painting his pale skin with uneven streaks of red. His eyes are still darker than usual from the elixirs but Jaskier can already see the gold shining in the low light of the fireplace.

Geralt smiles at him softly, trying to reassure but that smile is so weak that it just tears Jaskier's heart apart even more.

"Foglets," he mutters, pressing a gloved hand over three bleeding gashes on his side. "Seven of them."

Jaskier can feel his hands shake as he reaches out to gently pull Geralt's hand away and he has to take in a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

"Come on," he urges softly, brushing Geralt's hair away from his eyes and leaving a gentle kiss on his pale lips. "Let's get you out of there clothes."

Geralt visually limps as the bard leads him to an armchair set by the fireplace and it's only now that Jaskier notices he's got a cut on the inner side of his right thigh, as well.

"It's nothing," Geralt says, sitting down with a pained groan. "We can be back on the Path tomorrow."

"Like hell we are," Jaskier retorts, reaching for a towel to soak it in warm water. "If you as much as try to get out of bed tomorrow, may the gods forgive me, Geralt, but I will kill you myself."

Geralt laughs quietly, running his hand through Jaskier's hair as the younger man kneels next to him, undoing the buckles of his armour with deft fingers.

"Jask, I'm not sure I'm in my best shape right now," the witcher teases, his dry sense of humour apparently coming back to him. "Give me a few hours."

Jaskier just grunts, finally getting the tight leather trousers off him to examine the wound on his thigh better. It's not as deep as it could've been and, thankfully, it misses the artery, though only just.

"You won't be able to ride for a couple of days if you don't want this to keep re-opening."

Staying in town for a few more days is not something that Jaskier really objects to. They've been on the Path for almost a month and the weather had only been getting colder with every passing week, so a day or two in bed sound like a much-needed break.

Geralt winces slightly when Jaskier presses the wet towel to the wound on his thigh, the light fabric turning red almost immediately. It hurt every time but over the years the bard's gotten used to it. Witchers feel pain different to humans, he knows that.

And yet, he can't help but touch his lips to Geralt's skin, closing his eyes powerlessly.

"Let's stay for a day or two, alright?" he asks softly, wiping the blood off without even thinking, allowing for his hands to move automatically, out of habit. "You need to rest."

Geralt falls silent for a couple of seconds, getting his armour and shirt off so that there's nothing but his smallclothes left on him. Then, with a soft little moan of pain, he reaches down to catch Jaskier's lips with his own, the kiss warm and tender.

"You're right," he says, pulling away just enough to press their foreheads together, breathing the same air. "Of course, we'll stay."

***

Patching him up is not nearly as hard is it used to be. By now, Jaskier knows just about every kind of stitch there is.

Geralt sits through it as stoically as ever, clenching his fists but not flinching even as the needle goes through the delicate skin under his ribs over and over again, until all three cuts are stitched closed.

When it comes to the wound of his cheekbone, he says that it will heal on its own and Jaskier doesn't object, just touches his lips to it gently, brushing a strand of Geralt's silver hair away from his face.

"How are you feeling?" he enquires when the last stains of blood are wiped off and all the wounds are bandaged. "Do you want anything?"

Geralt gets up from the armchair on his own, holding a hand over his wounded side but otherwise looking better than some nights. Even in bandages, he looks incredible, Jaskier thinks.

"Let's just go to bed."

Jaskier, who had been hoping for the witcher to say that, gladly follows him to the opposite side of the room, mentally thanking the innkeeper for providing the rooms with actual decent sized beds.

He climbs under the heavy blankets, carefully moving closer to Geralt when he lies down next to him.

"Will you tell me about the hunt later?"

It's been decades since they met but writing sogs about his witcher is something that Jaskier still hasn't gotten tired of. He doubts he ever will.

"You really need a song about foglets that bad?" Geralt laughs, throwing an arm around Jaskier to pull him even closer, hiding his face in his hair.

"Fuck the foglets," Jaskier chuckles, carefully running his fingers down the witcher's thigh, over the old scars. "I can turn them into a dragon in the song."

Geralt hums, relaxing into his touch.

"No-one is going to believe you. There are barely any dragons left, if any at all."

He's already falling asleep, Jaskier can feel that by the way his breathing evens out. So he chooses to make the best of it, propping himself up on one elbow to reach down and brush a gentle kiss over Geralt's lips, cheek and jaw, slowly making his way lower, all the way to his chest, every touch so tender that it's barely there.

"An archgriffin, then," he agrees easily, trailing his kisses down the centre of Geralt's abdomen until he reaches the last pair of his ribs and starts moving back up. "People don't really care how believable the song is, as long as it gives them a nice story."

"'Respect doesn't make history?'" Geralt murmurs, drifting off.

It's always been this way: he could keep himself going for hours on end, even if he's barely conscious but as soon as they would get to bed, he'd pass out almost immediately.

Jaskier smiles at him, adjusting the blankets and reaching up to wipe away the sweat on the witcher's brow before giving him one last kiss and settling down next to him.

"Respect doesn't make history."

***

When Geralt wakes up the next morning, the sun is already high above the town roofs, its rays breaking through the thin curtains and splaying along the bedsheets in a variety of different shapes.

Jaskier is no longer asleep but he's still in bed, by Geralt's side, flipping through pages of a poetry book with one hand and lazily playing with the witcher's hair with the other one.

Once he hears that Geralt is awake, however, he forgets about his book altogether.

"Morning," he smiles, turning to face the older man and moving closer to him to hook one leg over his thigh. "How'd you sleep?"

Geralt looks much better than yesterday, the cut on his cheekbone now closed and the colour - though not much - back in his face. He smiles and wraps both his arms around the bard, huffing with displeasure when all the feels is the soft fabric of his shirt instead of skin.

"Off," he orders, pulling on the edge of the hem.

Jaskier laughs, batting his hands away but doesn't argue, pulling the shirt off over his head and tossing it somewhere to the side, unperturbed by where it ends up.

"Better, Witcher?"

Paying no mind to the protests, Geralt gets his arms around the bard again and hauls him on top of him, their bodies fitting together perfectly, and sighs, content.

Jaskier, on the other hand, cannot relax, trying to escape the tight grip and settle back onto the pillows.

"Geralt, by the gods-" he grunts, knowing that there is no way he's twisting himself free if Geralt doesn't want it but not planning on giving up. "You're hurt, I don't want to disturb your wounds."

The witcher just shrugs in response, nosing at Jaskier's hair and breathing in the familiar scent.

"Then stop twisting."

With a defeated sigh, Jaskier does as he's told, relaxing into the touch and closing his eyes to concentrate on the warmth of the older man's body, not on his wounds that he could graze any time. Soon enough, he does.

For a long time, they stay like that, just breathing together, Geralt's hands moving slowly up and down the bard's back and Jakier nearly falls asleep again, wrapped up in the quiet comfort of that tenderness. With him, Geralt was different. And there was nothing that Jaskier cherished more.

"What are you thinking about?" the witcher asks, voice still husky from sleep. "Your scent's different."

"My scent is different?" Jaskier laughs quietly, lifting his head from Geralt's shoulder to get a better look at him. "Different how?"

Geralt shrugs with one shoulder, his hands slipping down to Jaskier's thighs, each touch just as soft as before, no lust between them.

"Sweeter. Like... bird cherry."

His fingers catch on the edge of Jaskier's smallclothes and, before he really knows it, they're both completely naked, legs tangled together under the sheets. It's comforting, to feel each other so close.

"Like bird cherry," Jaskier echoes, dipping his head to touch a kiss to the sharp of the witcher's jaw. "Never would've thought."

Geralt's stubble is rough against his lips but it's more pleasant than not, so he doesn't object in the slightest, just leans down a little more to nip at the delicate skin of his neck, barely tangible.

"You didn't answer," Geralt points out, no real displeasure in his voice. "What were you thinking about?"

Jaskier had never been the one to keep himself from expressing his feelings. He would wrap his affection in thousands of beautiful words and gestures, ranging from telling Geralt he loves him before they go to bed and writing special songs just for him to picking flowers in a field to make a flower crown or braid them into his hair.

But sometimes he loved a little game.

"Not telling," he answers with the biggest smile, propping himself up on both elbows so that there's just a little more space between them.

Geralt cocks a brow in amusement.

"Not telling?"

Breaking through the curtains, the sunlight makes Geralt's eyes even brighter than they are, the amber shining like the most precious of jewels. It takes Jaskier's breath away, just like it did years upon years ago, when they'd just met.

He's dying to dip his head down and place a new kiss on the witcher's parted lips - a longer, sweeter one, but instead, he just smiles and shakes his head, testing Geralt's limits.

"Not telling."

That seems to be just about enough for Geralt and he decides to take this conversation his own way, flipping them both around with no warning and making Jaskier yelp in surprise, breaking into laughter as the witcher presses him into the bed, settling between his spread knees.

"We'll see how well you'll talk," Geralt grins, catching Jaskier's lips with his own before moving on to his chest, steadily making his way down.

Jaskier wants to say that Geralt shouldn't move, that he's hurt, but his breath heavies uncontrollably with each touch and before he even realises it, his hands are already in Geralt's silver hair, playing with long strands and guiding him gently. They've been together for what seems like an eternity now but Jaskier still trembles, just like he did the first time, all those years ago.

"Geralt-" he breathes, brushing his calf over the older man's thigh before resting it on the small of his back, careful not to brush over any of the bandages. "Come here."

He tugs on the strands of his hair, just hard enough to beckon his closer, and as the wotcher's lips slot against his own, they both moan softly, quietly, only for them to hear.

"Are you sure we won't disturb your wounds?" Jaskier whispers, rolling his hips slowly against Geralt's despite his own words, both of them already half-hard.

"I'm sure," Geralt whispers back and really, that's all the encouragement Jaskier needs.

He cares for Geralt, more than for anything else in the world and if he wasn't sure, if there had been as much as an edge of hesitation to his voice, he would've told him to wait, would've said that they'll have all the time in the world once Geralt's wounds heal a little more but the way Geralt looks at him tells him everything he needs to know.

"Alright," he breathes, cupping the sharp of Geralt's jaw and guiding him to his lips. "Just promise me you'll be careful."

From his lips, Geralt slips lower, running a line of soft dry kisses up the bard's neck and running the tips of his fingers over his ribs.

"I promise."

***

Geralt does keep his promise.

When they move, holding each other close and breathing soft moans into each other's lips, he keeps his every move gentle, rocking his hips at a pace they can both keep up with and whispering gentle words into Jaskier's ear that make him crumble to pieces right in the witcher's arms.

It took Geralt a very long time to learn to let go like that, to let his walls down and allow for the tenderness that he now knew could feel just as good as lust, if not better. And even though it's never been the easiest journey, Jaskier would've done it all over again if needed.

He would've gone through all those years of taking a step forward only to take two steps back if that meant hearing all those words from Geralt and feeling his gentle hands and lips on him; he would've done it all over again if that meant seeing all those emotions in the witcher's golden eyes when he looks at him so softly that it's sometimes overwhelming.

"I love you," Jaskier murmurs, reaching down to press a kiss to the top of Geralt's head, resting on his chest. “That’s what I was thinking about.”

They're both a little breathless still, the last waves of pleasure echoing through their bodies, and it's only when Jaskier turn his face to look out the window onto the silently falling snow, amber in the rays of the setting sun, that he realises how much time had passed.

Geralt stretches, making a pleased little sound somewhere deep in his chest, almost like a rumble, and turns to lie on his stomach, still settled comfortably between the bard's knees.

They both really need to get out of bed and order themselves a bath but neither are planning on it for another couple of hours, so instead, he just dips his head and places a kiss on Jaskier's chest before resting his chin on the same spot to look up at the bard and lock eyes with him.

"Love you more."

[prettyyoungandbored]

Becoming Mrs. Wayne [The Dark Knight] Five

Pairing: Christian Bale!Bruce Wayne x OC

Summary: Demetria Gallagher knew her cozy life would change the second she became engaged to Bruce Wayne. But what she doesn’t know is she’s getting more than what she agreed to. (I am trash at summaries.)

Warning: Sight panic attack, mentions of anxiety and panic attacks

Taglist: dragonballluver , disgraceful-marvel-trash, barikawho (Let me know if you want to be tagged in this!)

Previous

It was around 2 AM when Demetria found herself once again outside on the balcony. She leaned over the railing, looking out at the view before. The sounds of sirens filled her ears as she eyed the bright lights of the city.

Bruce had managed to calm her down about what happened at the orphanage. Demetria apologized profusely to Sister Mary, who told her she’d done nothing wrong and in fact, appreciated what she’d done and was rather impressed.

Demetria sighed as she leaned up, her hands over the railing. It wasn’t until she heard tires squeal followed by a crash of metal that she looked down. While she was far up, she still had a decent view of the street.

She leaned forward to see a car smashed into a pole. A male figure wearing what appeared to be a purple trench coat exited the car, looking around, before throwing a lit match into the car, setting the car on fire.

Before Demetria could react, she felt herself be pulled back. She went to scream when a hand covered her mouth from behind. She began kicking, squirming, and attempting to scream despite it sounding muffled.

She then felt herself be turned around, coming face-to-face with Batman. She stopped screaming as he took his hand off her mouth.

“The fuck is wrong with you?!” she cried.

“I told you to stay inside,” he growled.

She rolled her eyes. “Jesus Christ. I’m not in any danger, ok?”

“How do you know that?”

“Well I haven’t received any death threats yet.”

“Doesn’t mean you aren’t in any danger.”

She blinked. “And what kind of danger am I in then.”

“You’re a public figure with ties to other public figures.”

“I’m not really a public figure.”

“You’re engaged to a billionaire and your best friend is the DA.”

She chuckled and threw her hands up. “You got me there.”

“Does he keep you safe?”

She tilted her head. “Who?”

“Your fiancé.”

She opened her mouth to respond, when her lips curved into a grin.

“You know it’s actually pretty scary to have a bunch of people taking photos of you all at once, following your every move. Makes you feel like an animal in a zoo enclosure or something. Everytime they get too close or scream questions at me, my throat closes up and my heart is racing and there’s this sharp pain and it’s unbearable. It’s like I’m drowning. But when he-Bruce-holds my hand...well, it’s not a total fixer, but it really helps.” Her face softens. “I don’t think he knows that.”

“That you have panic attacks?”

“No, he knows that. He just hasn’t seen them. He knows when I get anxious, but not when I have a panic attack.”

She turned around when she noticed off in the distance, a light with a bat symbol cast on a grey cloud.

“So that’s how they get your attention,” she remarked, her eyes still on the bat symbol. “You see that signal and you go out?”

“Yes.”

“Where’s the signal coming from?”

“A rooftop.”

She scoffed, looking over her shoulder at him. “You could be a little more specific.”

“It’s not important where it’s coming from.”

“Does Batman not work alone?” 

“You ask a lot of questions.” 

She shrugged. “Just curious.” She glanced over at the bat symbol before tucking a strand of hair behind her hair. “You know...there are some people who are grateful for what you're doing, right?”

“Like you?” 

She nodded, a wide smile swept across her lips. “Like me.” 

“Good to know.”

With that, he jumped off the building, Demetria watching him as he made his way down.

“You’re welcome!” she called down to him.

_________________________________________________________________

The next morning, the sound of her cellphone ringing awoke her from her sleep. She groaned, wondering who the hell would dare interrupt her slumber. She felt a heavy presence over her, looking over to find Bruce’s head curled up right behind her and his arm swung over her body. He was still fast asleep, thankfully.

She gently moved his arm and grabbed her phone, answering it without bothering to look at the caller ID. 

“Hello?”  

“Hey girl, it’s Alicia.” 

Alicia was a reporter at GCN and one of the very few friends Demetria had there. She had been the one to overhear about the photographer who was outside ready to photograph Demetria leaving and helped her escape the building without being seen. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” Demetria yawned. 

“I’m sorry to wake you, but I wanted to give you a heads up that ‘Gotham Times’ is working on a piece about you.” 

She shot up. “What do you mean?”

“They’re doing a whole article on you, about your life, you know, the works.” 

Demetria’s heart sunk to her stomach, eyes bugling open. This had to be a nightmare, had to be. Her body tightened, hoping maybe she’d wake up but was unsuccessful. 

“Oh my fucking god,” she whispered. 

“What’s going on?” Bruce asked, his voice groggy and barely awake. 

Demetria put her hand on his arm, mouthing “one second.”

“They have a reporter in the newsroom trying to get a few people to talk. So far only Walter and James have talked to them. They tried to get me and Molly to talk, I guess because someone had told them we were friends, but both of us said ‘no comment’.” 

A tiny wave of relief crashed over her. “You’re both saints. I owe you both a big one.” 

“Don’t worry about it. Just call your brother and mom and give them a heads up.” 

“Will do. Thanks again.” 

She hung up and buried her hands in her face. “Jesus fucking Christ.” 

“Babe, what’s going on?” Bruce asked putting his hand on her shoulder. 

“That was a friend from GCN. She says ‘Gotham Times’ is doing a piece on me and is asking people there about me.” She shook her head. “I’ve gotta warn Mom and Henry.” 

Bruce watched as Demetria got up from the bed and made another call. Guilt weighed over him as he watched her talk into the phone. He never meant to drag her into this limelight. He’d tried desperately to keep her private, to keep them private. He was fine with being in the spotlight and he’d been ok with being photographed with women in because, frankly, they lasted barely a week. 

With Demetria, she could be hunted and gunned down just like his parents. He refused to let that happen. 

“I left messages for both of them,” she said hanging up her phone. 

She set her phone back on the nightstand and let out an exasperated groan as she crawled back into bed. She scooted in closer to Bruce as he collected her into his arms. His warmth was enough to keep her at bay, but she couldn’t deny the pain in chest and the millions of thoughts running amok in her mind.

“Why can’t they leave me alone?” she exhaled.

“I know, sweetheart,” Bruce mumbled, his lips pressed against her temple.

“I just want to write a press release that simply says ‘Fuck off’.” 

“I endorse that.”

“But if I do that then they’ll run with it and suddenly it’s ‘Oh Mrs. Wayne has mouth on her!’” 

“A pretty mouth that I get to do this to.” His lips pressed against hers, cradling her face with his hands. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead on his. 

“What did I do to deserve you?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. 

“I ask myself the same thing.” His fingers ran through her hair. “How can I make this easier for you?” 

Her heart warmed at his words. She knew he had a lot of power and that one simple request from her could make this all go away...at least temporarily. The press would hound her even more if Bruce were to step in and help, claiming she relies on him to do everything for her.

She let out deep sigh, resting her forehead against his. “Just...just be you. Just love me. That’s all you can do.” 

His eyebrows furrowed. “Are you sure that’s it? You know I am more than willing-.” 

“That’s all. Just be here.” 

She pecked his lips and removed the duvet cover from her body. “I have to meet Rachel for lunch but I’m going to Harvey’s office beforehand.”

She felt him grab her hand. Her eyes turned to find him smirking at her. “Hmmm, why don’t you stay here in bed with me?”

“Don’t tempt me, Wayne.”

=================================

Demetria had heard about the wig shop from Molly, who bought a wig for her mom after her mom had to shave her hair due to chemotherapy treatments a few months ago. 

The store had head mannequins surrounding the entire area with different color wigs in different styles. Her eyes scanned the store as she lifted the sunglasses from her eyes, placing them on top of her head. The wig had to be realistic looking, but one that wouldn’t draw attention.  

She was looking at a honey blonde bob with thick bangs when a voice broke the silence.

“Can I help you find anything?”

Demetria jumped, looking over to see a blonde saleswoman smiling at her.

“I’m just looking,” Demetria answered.

Demetria and the saleswoman stared at each other, a silent understanding between them. The saleswoman nodded and held up a finger. “One moment.”

She went toward the back of the store, Demetria watching her every move. The saleswoman reached on one of the shelves and grabbed an auburn colored long bob with bangs. She then brought it over, presenting it to Demetria.

“The auburn would suit you well,” she said before turning away. “It compliments you without drawing attention.”

She handed it to Demetria and then reached over the counter to grab a wig cap. “May I?” 

Demetria nodded, using the hair tie on her wrist to pull her hair back into a low bun. The saleswoman adjusted the cap on Demetria’s head before gently placing the wig on top. After a few minor adjustments, the saleswoman handed Demetria a wig to take a look. 

“What do you think?” the saleswoman asked, crossing her arms against her chest, leaning back onto the counter. 

Demetria marveled quietly. The saleswoman was right - it suited her enough without drawing attention. 

“I’ll take it.” 

———————————

Demetria wore the wig walking out of the store and for the first time in a really long time, she felt like everyone else. A weight lifted off her shoulders as she walked on the crowd Gotham streets with a big smile on her face. 

As she made her way inside Harvey’s office, she realized she’d need ID to get through security to get to the elevators.Even though they all knew her, and she was given clearance to come and go as she pleased thanks to Harvey, she still needed to show ID as a formality. She cursed under breath when she remembered the bathroom that was nearby. She reached into her purse and put her sunglasses over her eyes. 

She walked in, making eye contact with Hank, the old security guard. 

“Do you mind if I use the bathroom?” she asked, making her voice higher than normal. “I really have to go.” 

He gave her a kind smile and gestured toward the bathroom. She hurried inside and went into a stall. Closing the door, she threw off the wig and cap, throwing them inside her purse. She grabbed the tie, sliding it off her hair and onto her wrist. She shook her hair, smoothing it out with her fingers. Taking off her trench coat, she threw her purse over her shoulder and trench coat over her arms and made her way out of the bathroom. 

She approached Hank smiling. 

“Hi Hank, how are you?” she greeted him. 

His face lit up. “Demetria! Good to see you! I didn’t see you walk in earlier, but you know, people come and go in here so fast so it’s hard to tell, especially with my old brain. Doesn’t work as well as it used to.”

“Oh, you’re fine! I followed a crowd and quickly had to use the bathroom.”

“I assume you’re here to see Harvey?” 

“You’ve guessed correctly. Let me grab my-.” 

“Not necessary. You go right ahead now.” 

She pouted. “Are you sure?” 

He waved his hand. “You're fine. You go along now. Oh, and congratulations on the...you know.” 

She smiled. “Thanks, Hank. You take care now!” 

“You do the same!” 

She made her way into the elevators, pressing the top floor. The doors closed and she sighed, waiting for them to open again. 

When they did, she was surprised to see there was barely anyone around. Normally, people would be walking around everywhere. 

She went up to Harvey’s assistant, Grace. Grace’s eyes smiled. 

“Demetria, great to see you!” she greeted. 

“Good to see you as well! How is everything?”

“Oh you know, the usual! How are you? How’s...you know?” 

Demetria leaned down to show Grace the engagement ring. Grace took her hand gingerly, letting out a gasp as she admired it. 

“Look at that,” she marveled. “It’s gorgeous! Oh, congratulations hun!” 

“Thank you so much! It’s just so-.” 

“I thought I heard your voice out here.” 

She looked up to find Harvey poking his head out the door. Demetria smiled, thanking Grace one last time before walking into Harvey’s office. 

“So...what brings you into my office?” Harvey asked, taking a seat at his desk. 

She eyed the photo frame on his bookshelf of the two of them at their college graduation. She rembered the day clearly - the two of them grabbing breakfast at the local diner before going to the auditorium. Their mother snapped the photo, having bought both of them flowers.

She walked over to the bookshelf and picked it up. 

“Aww, look at us,” she pouted. “We were babies.”

“Hungover babies,” he corrected.

“It was-.”

“Your idea,” he reminded her. “I told you to stop after the sixth vodka shot.”

“We still made it on time to the ceremony.” 

“No thanks to me. Now are you going to tell me why you’re here?”

She set the photo frame back and sat on the edge of his desk. 

“I went to the orphanage yesterday-.” 

“So I saw.” 

She tilted her head when Harvey pulled out the newspaper that had a photo of Bruce holding her back as she yelled at the camera. The headline read “Future Mrs. Wayne LASHES Out!” 

Her stomach dropped, mouth wide open. “That son of a bitch,” she seethed. She threw down the paper and began pacing the office. Her blood boiled as anger succumbed her body. 

“It’s not that bad,” Harvey reasoned. “The orphanage actually released a statement defending you. It’s in the article.”

“I had a great time at the orphanage,” Demetria spoke up. “I got a tour, I got to meet the kids - the kids! Harvey, the kids are awesome. They’re kind and cool and I even got to play basketball with them!” 

Harvey stared at her, unsure of where she was going. 

“I was doing great until that-that fucking asshole started taking photos!” 

“That’s what they do, Demetria. That’s their job.” 

“Alicia called me this morning to tell me ‘Gotham Times’ is doing a piece on me. They called people I worked with.” 

“Did they call your mother and brother yet?” 

“I don’t know. I left them a message but they haven’t called me back.” 

“Well for the record, they did call me.”

Her face froze. “What did you say?” 

“I said I wouldn’t comment on our friendship without your permission.” 

She threw her hands up. “Why can’t they leave me alone?!” 

“Because you’re-.” 

“Because I’m getting married to someone?” 

“You’re marrying Bruce Wayne, one of the richest men in-.” 

“Why does that matter?! Why should that deprive me of living my life in peace?” She reached into her purse and pulled out the wig, showing it to Harvey. “I have to wear a wig just so I can walk around and feel like a normal human being again.” 

Harvey let out a chuckle. “Demetria, you’re not serious.” 

“I want to be able to go wherever I want.”

“What about credit cards? Debit cards? Id?”

“I don’t buy alcohol and pay with cash.”

“What about the pharmacy?”

She snapped her fingers. “Fuck! I didn’t think of that.” 

“Here’s a question for you, why are you so up in arms about all this when you of all people know there’s nothing you can do to stop it?” 

“Because I don’t want people or Bruce to see who I really am!” 

Harvey’s face softened. 

“If the reporters dig any further, they’re gonna find out about the mistakes I’ve made and about....it.” 

“It?” 

“My anxiety and panic attacks. I’ve had them in public places before, remember?”

“Why does that matter?” 

She threw her hands up. “Are you fucking kidding me right now, Harvey? Why does that matter? It matters because if people find out that I’m a thirty-something woman who suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, they’re going to eat me alive. They’re going to see that I’m worth nothing. They’re going to say ‘she’s crazy’ and that I’m joke and I’m scared Bruce is going to see it too and he’s going to--.” 

Her throat started closing, chest tightening. 

“I am a difficult person,” she continued, her breath hitching. “You know that better than anyone else. I have always been difficult with...with the depression...anxiety...with everything. And because of that, I have managed to screw up my life multiple times and ruin so many relationships.I’ve tried to change it. I’ve worked on it with God knows how many therapists and I can’t change it. So when the one guy - who is so far out of my league - who loves me as much as I love him and who goes to hell and back just to be with me, I don’t want...I can’t mess this up...”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Harvey hushed her as he hugged her. “You’re not gonna mess this up. He loves you for all that you are and-.” 

“He’s never seen me have one.” 

Harvey pulled back. “What do you mean?” 

“Bruce has never seen me have a panic attack. He’s only heard me.” She sighed. “The one night he stayed over my place, I was woken up by gunshots from outside. I started getting...you know...and I ran into bathroom. I took medicine and practiced my breathing and I was shaking and crying...and I heard him knock on the door and I told him to stay out there. I didn’t want him to see it. He tried to reason with me, but I told him I couldn’t.” 

She ran a hand through her hair. “I don't know what I’m getting myself into and it scares the shit out of me.” 

Harvey placed a reassuring hand on her back. “I know it does, Dem. But I’m telling you, as someone who has to deal with this everyday, at a certain point  you’ve got to learn that you’re a public figure now and that you’re up for grabs by the media. Some days they’ll be nice and other days they’ll rip you into pieces. You are a human being, you’re not perfect and no one is expecting you to be. Not even Bruce.” 

Demetria nodded, acknowledging Harvey’s point. She was human and Bruce never asked her to be anything other than herself. Still, she wasn’t completely relaxed about the issue with the press, but it seemed best to drop it. 

“Hey there!” 

Demetria turned to see Rachel enter the office with a big smile. Both Demetria and Harvey smiled, both relieved to see her. 

“Sorry, was I interrupting something?” she asked. 

“No, I was just telling Demetria that she’s human and that the press are nothing to be concerned about,” Harvey responded. 

Rachel nodded knowingly. “They called me too. Then again, they call me anytime they do a piece on Bruce or the Wayne family in general.” 

“Well here’s hoping they don't find out about the drunk karaoke Harvey and I did in college,” Demetria remarked, smirking at Harvey. 

“Drunk karaoke?” Rachel inquired, interested. 

“You guys should probably get going,” Harvey brushed it off. 

“No I want to hear more about drunk karaoke!” Rachel pleaded.

“We’ll talk about in the taxi ride to the store,” Demetria assured. 

“No you won’t,” Harvey called out. 

“It was ‘Black Balloon’ by Goo Goo Dolls,” Demetria told her. 

Rachel’s eyes widened in delight. “Goo Goo Dolls?!” 

“Leave now, please,” Harvey demanded, annoyed. 

============================================

Inside the luxury department store, Demetria stayed close to Rachel as the two eyed the gowns. 

“Exactly what the hell am I supposed to wear?” Demetria asked, her eyes scanning the dresses. 

“Considering Bruce is throwing it, you’re going to want to wear a gown,” Rachel remarked. “But I’m sure you could show up in sweatpants and a shirt and he would still show you off proudly.” 

Demetria eyed her. “If you’re serious, I might consider it.” She shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about dressing up but...I don’t know. I feel like there’s an expectation for me or some quota I have to fill for these people to take me seriously and I hate that.” 

Rachel laughed. “I wouldn’t worry about that. Bruce hates the people he’s inviting.” 

“Which doesn’t make sense to me! I mean, why waste your time pretending?” 

Rachel pulled her lips back. “Listen, I didn’t mean to...but I kind of eavesdropped on yours and Harvey’s conversation and...” She turned to Demetria. “I’ve known Bruce my entire life. I’ve seen him with every kind of woman and have had the unfortunate pleasure of having to meet them. But I see the way he is with you. I know it’s cliché to say, but it’s true. You bring out the Bruce I’ve always known and loved. I know how happy you make him and how much you mean to him.” She paused. “Don’t worry about the media or everyone trying to pick it apart. Take control of the narrative. Show and tell them what you want. Just don’t let it eat you alive.” 

Demetria smiled, her heart swelling. She wrapped her arms around Rachel, much to Rachel’s surprise. 

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I needed to hear that.” 

And in her mind, an idea began to unravel. 

[cutiepisenpai]

Part 1 of 3.   Part 2   Part 3

Kenma X F!Reader

Warnings: Fluff, Implied Sex

Kenma is a well known and extremely successful video game streamer. He has millions of followers who would show up day after day and watch his hours-long streams. His followers of course know very little about his life outside of gaming. The shy streamer shared nothing of his personal life and his fans searched for any miniscule amount of information they could find. They all knew about his best friend Kuroo who would show up in his streams from time to time. They also knew he has a long time girlfriend, they heard you talking to him on a few streams before but you never come into view of the camera. The few times that they had heard her she was checking in on him. His followers have asked many times if he would ever reveal her and he always says no. He likes his private life to stay private, but little did they know that there is another reason other than privacy that he didn’t show his girlfriend in videos is because you are a very popular vlogger and cosplayer. Back when you were in high school he was in a few of your videos that are now private, long before either of you rose to popularity becoming the big names you are known as now. Some older viewers of yours know about your relationship and thankfully have kept that secret for you as well. But there are still people who just want to know anything they can.

Right now you are doing a live Q and A and can’t count how many times, ‘Who are you dating?��� has shown up in the chat. 

“Alright guys the Q and A can’t just be you asking me about my relationship. So for the final time no you don’t get to know his name or see what he looks like.” You say, before continuing on answering questions about upcoming conventions and cosplays you are working on.

“Okay guys it’s about time to bring this to its end…” At that moment Kenma peeks his head in and you look up over the camera. “Hey, I was just signing, off I’ll be there in a minute.” Kenma nods leaving the room.

“Ok I am out until next time.” You say ending the live.

Sitting back into your chair giving a little stretch before getting up and walking out of the room. You find your way to Kenma who is lounging on the couch switch in hand. You sit down next to him leaning your head on his shoulder.

“Sup, puddin’?” 

He shrugs, “Nothing, your stream went well. Except for all the people asking about me.” 

Another thing no one knows is that you moderate each other's chats while streaming. 

“They just want your beautiful face to grace their screens.” You joke. 

“Do you want them to know?” He asks.

“Nah, I prefer to keep you all to myself but I would be glad to stop all the questions.”

“That wouldn’t stop the questions. They will ask hundreds more after finding out.” He says.

“True. If we ever decide to tell them then I can finally convince you to dress up at a con with me.”

“Not a chance.” He shuts you down.

“Oh, come on.”

Your regular day could be hectic; you usually filmed early in the morning while Kenma was still sleeping before editing or working on your cosplay. Today you are filming several videos consecutively because you were going to a gaming expo with Kenma and you can’t film or stream while there together. You also needed to pack later for the both of you for the trip. Kenma could pack for himself but it's easier on both of you if you just do it. While you are busy getting everything you need to do done, Kenma sleeps on peacefully.

You may have thought that Kenma was asleep when you got out of the bed, but he hadn’t slept at all that night. He had big plans that you are unaware of. He talked with Kuroo and Hinata but neither helped calm his nerves. He lays awake in the bed exhausted, he can hear you filming in the next room. The sounds of your cheerful laughter makes him smile. He has been so exhausted trying to keep his plans a secret from you and soon it will all come to a close. He takes a deep breath before sitting up and dragging himself out of the bed. He pulls his suitcase out of the closet and starts packing. 

Once you are done filming you walk back to the bedroom to find Kenma has already packed his bad and started on yours. He is currently looking into your underwear drawer confused. 

“What are you doing?” You ask.

“Packing.” He says bluntly and you roll your eyes.

“I see that, I meant why?”

“We’re going on a trip.” This guy can’t be serious.

“I am also aware of that...”

“Why do you own so many different types of underwear.” He asks cutting you off.

“What?” 

“They’re organized in pairs, but why are there just so many?”

“Pairs?” 

“Tops and bottoms.” He hasn’t turned to face you looking at the drawers offendedly. 

“I was going to pack.”

“I couldn’t sleep so I just did it.”

“Did I wake you?” You ask. He shakes his head in response. “Okay, well thank you for packing, but I can take it from here.” 

Kenma makes no effort to move, giving the drawer one last glance before picking up a sheer mesh bra and panty set. “You should bring these.” He says, before kissing your forehead and walking away. 

A few hours later and your bag is packed you set it and Kenma’s next to the front door stopping  by his stream room to check in on him. You peek inside waiting to catch his attention. 

“I’m not streaming right now.” He says.

You walk over sitting in his lap and draping your hands over his shoulders. 

“What are you doing?”   

“Just editing some clips for while we are gone.”

“Ah, I need to go edit my videos too.” 

“You should probably go and get that done.” He says. 

“Trying to get rid of me.” You feign being hurt.

“No but I don’t want you to be stressed about it tomorrow while we are traveling.” 

You share a quick kiss before you are on your way out. Once he is sure you’ve gone to work on your own stuff he pulls the video program back up that he had been working in. It was a video he had already edited several times trying to assure it was perfect. 

The next morning bright and early, much to Kenma’s dismay, you were off heading to the convention. The first night would be a preview night, but that didn’t mean you could walk around as a couple. You actually avoided each other a bit so that no one would become suspicious. He hung with other game streamers while you met up with some vloggers you know, occasionally coming together your close friends always asked if it was difficult to do these events together when you had to pretend to not be a couple. And of course it could be difficult but you were both used to it at this point. During these events Kenma wished that everyone knew about your relationship already so that he could have you next time while he dealt with the hordes of people he encountered. By the end of the first night you are both completely exhausted and after your showers you fall asleep quickly. Kenma wakes up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. He looks over to you sleeping peacefully and decides to go into the other room. He opens his laptop playing an RPG game, but he can’t focus and dies repeatedly. He grows frustrated until you plop down on the couch beside him startling him.

“You should be asleep.” He says.

“You’re one to talk. Why are you in here?”

“Can’t sleep.”

“What’s wrong?” You ask.

“Nothing.”

“I know you better than that. Something has been bothering you. I thought you were stressed about the trip but now I know I’m not sure.”

Kenma is quiet, he is normally quiet but this is a telling silence. 

“I’m just worried about tomorrow.” He sighs.

“What’s tomorrow? The tournament?”

“Yeah.” He lies. 

“You shouldn’t worry about something as silly as that you’ll be great.” You say to reassure him. 

Seeing you smile believing so wholeheartedly in him, helped relieve the immense amount of stress he had been feeling. 

“Ready to go back to bed.” You ask.

“Yeah.” 

Kenma finally got to sleep peacefully for the first time in weeks. The next morning trying to wake Kenma up requires effort and patience.

“Come on Puddin’. You have to get up.” 

“Don’t want to.” He mumbles. 

“We’ve got to get downstairs.” You say and receive no response. 

“I’ll give you kisses.”

“You’ll do that anyways.” You hear muffled from under the covers. 

“You are right, Okay what do I have to do to get you out of bed.”

“Nothing I’m not getting up.”

“I’m not going to keep playing nice with you.” No response. “Okay.”

You pull the covers off of him climbing over him and straddling his hips. He cracks an eye open looking up at you and moves his hands to your hips. 

“What is your plan?” 

“Get up.” You say adamantly. 

“You don’t scare me.” 

“I have an incriminating photo of you.”

“You would never post that.”

“You’re right I wouldn’t, I have a better plan. I will send it in the group text to the team.”

He opens both of his eyes wide, “You wouldn’t”

You pull your phone out, “Try me.”

“You’re mean but fine.” He pouts sitting up and coming face to face with you. 

You smile at him, “See that wasn’t so hard.”

He kisses your forehead and taps your legs for you to get up. Down at the expo today Kenma is busy meeting his fans, you watch from a distance and even from where you are standing you can see how uncomfortable he is. You want nothing more to go over and comfort him but you know you can’t. You send him a text instead, 

To Puddin’:

You’ve got this just take a deep breath. 👍

He opens the message and smiles, the crowd notices and breaks out in questions and you are glad you weren’t over there. Later on that same day you meet up before the tournament starts.

“This is so exhausting. How do you do this so often?” He asks 

“Mmm, I’m much more of a people person that you. But I think I just got used to it.” You look at the clock nearby, “Alright it looks like it’s time to head over for the tournament.” 

He hums in agreement getting up and heading out of the door before you. You wait a few minutes after he leaves before leaving yourself and going to take your seat watching the tournament begin. Kuroo shows up taking the seat next to you, “Hey, what’s up?” Kuroo says.

“What are you doing here?” You ask him.

“Wow you hurt me and I thought we were friends.” Kuroo says clutching his hands close to his chest.

“I’m happy to see you. I'm just surprised. Shouldn’t you be at work.”

“I got out of it.” He says proudly. 

You raise an eyebrow at him, “Oh yea do they know you’re at a gaming expo?”

“You don’t tell my secret and I won’t tell yours.”

“I don’t have any secrets.”

“So your millions of followers know about Kenma now.”

“Shut up.”

The announcer comes out and introduces the gamers playing in the tournament. You and Kuroo cheer loudly and embarrass Kenma just a bit. The tournament has been going well, everyone making quiet conversation, Kenma has gotten into a groove playing intensely. Suddenly the power goes out. You feel Kurro’s hand grip your wrist, people murmur around you. ‘Sorry for the interruption everyone. We will fix the power and be back momentarily.’ The announcer says. 

“Are you afraid of the dark?” You ask Kuroo.

“No, are you?”

“No but I am also not holding onto you.”

“I’m keeping you safe.”

“From what exactly.”

“Creeps.” 

You laugh knowing he is completely serious. The screen on the stage flickers before lighting up and everyone's attention is directed towards it. A video begins to play, “Hey, it’s Kenma.” You say to no one in particular. He looks nervous almost fidgeting before he takes a breath and starts talking, “Hi everyone I am Kozuken if you didn’t know I am a pro - gamer.” You stand and watch trying to figure out what this video is, “I am not good at this, but I made this video for something important. My followers have always asked about my girlfriend and for privacy reasons I never show her in my videos. But she is the.. I don’t…  there aren’t words to describe her.. But this video is for her.” There are a series of awws heard all around. The video shows a montage consisting of photos and video clips in chronological order, starting from when they first met in middle school to high school with the volleyball team, graduation from high school. When they lived together in college and the moments of their life until now. You are so engrossed in the video you don’t see everything moving around you. As the montage ends Kenma is back on the screen. “She is my heart and soul and I can’t imagine my life without her and so if she would just turn around I have something to ask her.” The video ends and when you turn around Kenma is behind you down on one knee ring in hand. 

“Will you marry me?”  

You stand there in shock because you hadn’t suspected it at all but you can see him starting to panic from your silence. 

“Yes, of course I will.”

You had forgotten you were at a public event surrounded by thousands of people until the crowd cheers startling the both of you. He stands sliding the ring on your finger giving you a quick kiss on the cheek. There are cameras flashing and people cheering all around. You are ushered out by the event coordinators helping you back to your room. Once inside with the doors closed you are finally able to take a deep breath and take in what happened. You feel a rush of excitement and jump wrapping your arms around him. 

You let out a high pitched squeal, “Oh my god. I can’t believe that just happened. I had no idea…” You begin to ramble. 

Kenma just looks at you in awe smiling. He listens to your rambling just happy he was finally able to get that done and even happier that you said yes. You two stop when you hear a knock followed by the door promptly opening.

“Hey lovebirds, please tell me you’re decent. Wouldn’t want to see that again.” Kuroo says walking into the room.

“If you would stop walking in without anyone prompting you that wouldn’t have happened the first time.” Kenma says as your face heats up at the thought of that incident. 

“Ah, just yell out before I can see anything.” He smirks, “You know to let me know. But I guess that could be confused with the other kind of yelling out.”

“Okay, what do you want?” You ask before he can say anything else. 

“To celebrate with you of course. I’ve seen this from the very beginning now let’s break out the champagne and celebrate since you know pudding head finally decided to announce his love for you to the world.”

“To the world?” You ask. 

“Oh yeah that whole thing was live streamed on both of your channels.” Kuroo says.

You look to Kenma who is avoiding eye contact, “Is that true?” 

“Yea, sorry I didn’t ask it would’ve ruined the surprise.”

“It’s okay I’m just surprised and a little scared to check my phone now.” 

“Do that later after you’re completely blitzed.” Kuroo cheers popping the cork on the champagne. 

You spend the rest of the afternoon cuddled next to Kenma drinking way more than you should and talking with Kuroo. Late into the evening Kuroo says his goodbyes before heading for his own hotel room. You and Kenma are lying in bed and you can see your phone flicker every few seconds with a new notification. The ringer had been turned off long ago. You turn over in bed to face Kenma gently moving the strands of hair from blocking his eyes. He grabs a hold of your hand bringing it to his lips and kissing it. 

“Tomorrow is going to be a very long day.” You say.

“It is .” Kenma nods in agreement.

“At least I can stick close to you. Since everyone knows now.”

“Yea that will be good.”

You have a big smile plastered on your face. “What?” Kenma asks.

“I’m just happy.”

“Go to sleep.”

The next day things are eventful normally the final day of any event would be calm and this was anything but that. Fans are still buzzing over the news of you two and the engagement surprise offering the congratulations. The day is overwhelming for both of you and by the time it is over you are ready to be back in your own peaceful and quiet home. When you finally decide to check social media you are bombarded by thousands of photos, videos, clips and mentions. Most are positive but there are a few critical tweets here and there. It is just too much and you decide it can be avoided for a little while longer. It can’t be avoided forever. Both of your careers require you to react eventually and it will come sooner rather than later since you have filming and lives planned. At the house you want to collapse on your bed, you slowly change waiting for Kenma to come in but he doesn’t. When you find him he is in his streaming room staring at the three monitors. 

“Couldn’t wait to play.”

“”Hmm, I’m not playing.” He says turning slowly to face you but looking back at the screen. As you approach him and the screen comes into view you see that he is in fact scrolling through twitter, something that he never does. He opens his arms up a gesture you have come to know as him asking you to sit in his lap. You do just that sitting between his legs leaning your back against his chest. 

“So why are you scrolling through twitter?” You ask.

“It’s faster on my pc than my phone.” 

“Understandable, the question is still the same.”

“I had a lot of notifications.” 

“Well when you decide to abruptly make your private relationship with another well known creator public that happens.” You say.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Yes.”

“Well so long as I am with you I am always happy.” He says hooking his chin over your shoulder.

“You should probably stop scrolling. It’s not good.” You say and he hums in agreement. “We can take a bath together and cuddle while playing an easy game.” 

The next week was hectic, you two tried to continue as usual. But during Kenma’s first stream back his chat was spammed with question upon question about you and your relationship. Why weren’t you on his stream, after three hours he ended his stream early out of frustration. You had a little better control in your own live for the most part, you started your live by saying you would not be discussing your personal life regardless of them knowing about the two of you now. You thanked everyone who sent their congratulations but still you had to remind them that you and Kenma still valued your privacy and not to go over to his channel and bother him. 

“We’re going to have to do a Q and A aren’t we.” Kenma says over dinner. 

“We don’t have to do anything, everything that we do is our own choice and our own decision.” 

“Do you think they will ever stop asking?”

“It may die down after a few weeks but there will always be questions.” 

You two end up announcing a joint live Q and A after too many of Kenma’s streams kept getting spammed with questions. 

“Hello everyone and welcome to our first and probably only ever joint Q and A.” You announce. 

You can feel the nervousness seeping out of Kenma, he was barely comfortable answering questions during his streams and then he had a buffer. Most of his focus on the game. It was strange to be here with Kenma if anyone had ever said when you started dating that one day he would propose to you with nearly a million people watching you would have thought it was a lie. Hell if someone had mentioned that something like this would happen even a month ago you wouldn’t believe it.

“I hope you all don’t mind listening to me talk because getting a lot out of this one is practically impossible.” You say gesturing to Kenma. “So we have a list of pre submitted questions we will be going through and after we will answer questions from the chat.” 

You hold up a notecard with a question for Kenma to read, “ ‘Where did you meet?’, Seriously that’s boring.”

“Okay so we actually met way back as first years in middle school. I was an exchange student and Kenma was my first friend in Japan.” Kenma nods along not feeling the need to add more.

“ ‘What was your first impression of me?’ Oh that’s a good one.” You read.

“You were quiet and shy. I don’t know where that went.”

“I got more comfortable around you. Is this your way of telling me to be more quiet?”

“No.”

“ ‘How long have you been dating?’ ” He reads, “Since high school.” 

“We have been dating for seven years since our first year of high school.” You say. 

There are comments in the chat talking about you being high school sweethearts and of course none of them would have ever had a chance with either of you since you have been together so long. You two have finally gotten into a groove answering questions, laughing and telling stories. Kenma loosens up after a while almost forgetting you are being watched live. You had gone through cards you had prepared and are now taking questions from the chat. 

“ ‘When are you going to get married?’ ” Kenma reads.

“Well since we’ve been engaged for less than two weeks no idea. Seriously take a guess and maybe you’ll be right. We probably won’t mention it publicly anyway. We love you guys but don’t want any wedding crashers.”

“ ‘What do you argue about the most?’ ” You read.

“Sleep probably?” Kenma says looking at you. 

“Yeah neither of us have the best sleep schedules and we argue telling the other that they need to sleep.” 

“ ‘Who wears the pants in the relationship?’ ”

“We like it best when neither of us are wearing pants.”

“ ‘Who said I love you first?’ ” 

“Well we were friends for a long time before we started dating So I love you was just a pretty normal thing to say like hello or goodbye by the time our relationship became romantic.” You say. 

“She did.” Kenma answers.

“Care to elaborate.”

“No”

“C’mon, you obviously remember and I don’t so it’s only fair that you share.” 

With a huff, “The first time you said it was when you were leaving to visit your home over the summer break. You hugged me and said I love you and that I would be the first person you saw when you got back.”

You are left speechless that he remembers that so vividly. The chat of course is filled with hearts and everyone talking about how cute it is that he remembered. 

“Okay everyone this is where we are ending this tonight because nothing else could top that. We hope that you are having a good morning, afternoon, or evening wherever you are in the world. Until next time.” You say ending the live. “Oh my god were you trying to make me cry on live.” 

“No.”

“Well I almost did. You do realize you are so cute and anyone who was not simping for you before that definitely is now.” 

“Why all I did was say what happened.” 

You give him a kiss, “Yea and that is exactly why.”

“That makes no sense.”

[obx-adventures]

The Introverted Twin

Summary - Being John B’s bookish twin isn’t easy. Especially with my best friend, Pope, being weird about me getting closer with JJ.

Warnings - Smut at the end

A/N - I have tried to tag everyone who has reblogged at least one of the chapters. If you don’t want to be tagged, just let me know. If anyone wants to be added to the taglist, let me know. Thank you everyone for being so into this series!

Catch up here: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5

——

Chapter 6

“JJ! I know you’re here! Answer the damn door!”

I jolt awake at the banging on the bedroom window and it takes me a few moments to recognize my brother’s voice. JJ is sitting on the edge of the bed frozen in place. I reach out and grab his hand. When he looks down at me, I see how nervous he is. I’m reminded that the Pogues are his only real family and being with me puts that in jeopardy.

“JJ, it’s going to be ok. I’ll talk to him.” I glance out the window and see my brother walking to the front of the house. Once he can’t see into the bedroom anymore, I sit up and put on my shirt. As I climb past JJ to get out of his bed, I kiss the top of his head. “I promise I won’t let you lose your best friend.”

I fix my hair quickly and open the front door. My brother stares me down as I step outside and close the door. I remember the conversation he had with JJ and I feel my anger rising too.

“John B, what are you doing here?” I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him.

“I came to see if JJ knew where you were. But I guess you were here with him. All night.” I can’t stop my eyes from rolling at the implication.

“JB, stop. I left you a note that I was ok and would be back in the morning. You couldn’t wait for me?”

“Y/N, you have never disappeared like this before. I was worried about you…” Guilt washes over me as I take in his face. He has huge bags under his eyes and looks like he didn’t sleep at all last night. But I can’t let him know that he’s wearing me down already. We have too many things to hash out.

“You were worried about me or worried that JJ was with me?”

“About you! First you freak out yesterday and bolt, then I find out from Sarah that you went to talk to her when you wouldn’t talk to me, and then I see the van outside and find your note. None of this is like you!” He’s right. Everything I did yesterday after we docked back at our pier was out of character.

“Calm down, I’m really ok.” I hold out my arms and spin in a circle to show him I was completely fine. “See? Not a scratch on me. I just needed some space.”

“From me?” I can’t ignore the hurt in my twin’s voice. In this moment, I remember that John B and I are the only family we have left. Our mom left when we were little, and our dad has been gone for almost a year. It’s just the two of us and we’ve grown to rely on each other.

“Yes, I saw how you were getting worked up after we got back from the marsh and I didn’t even know what I was feeling in that moment. How could I talk to you about something so important when I didn’t understand myself? You said Sarah told you I went to see her? Did she tell you what we talked about?”

“No, she wouldn’t tell me anything. She just said that you needed to talk through some stuff.” His frustration is evident, and I have to stop myself from smiling at the pouty look he has.

“I did. I needed to figure out how I feel.”

“How you feel about JJ?”

“Yes, John B, how I feel about JJ. And how JJ feels about me. And how Pope and you fit into all of that. I didn’t mean to scare you. Honestly, I’m sorry that I did. I just… damnit, this is all stuff that will change our whole little world and it freaked me out.”

“Yea, I’m pretty freaked too. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”

“So you could try to scare me away from JJ? Like you tried to scare him away from me?”

“He told you?” he asks sheepishly. He looks down and won’t make eye contact with me as he waits for my response.

“Yes. How could you say those things to him, JB? You know that his dad has told him at every opportunity that he is worthless and won’t amount to anything. How could you pile on like that? He’s your best fucking friend.”

“I didn’t say he’s worthless!” His anger is back now that he’s reminded about part of the reason he’s here. He can tell me all he wants that he was trying to find me, but I know him well enough to know that he was planning on having it out with JJ. “And you’re right, he is my best friend. But as my best friend, I know him really well and I know how he is with girls. I can’t let you be one of the girls he tosses to the side when he’s had enough.”

“All the girls that he ‘tosses to the side’ are Tourons or girls he barely knows. We’ve been friends since 3rd grade, just like you two have. I know we’ve never been as close, but he’s defended me when I was picked on for being the nerdy kid that doesn’t surf. He saw me get stood up last year and wanted to go beat the shit out of that guy. He cares about me, he always has.”

“But Y/N –” I hold up my hand to interrupt my brother. I will not let him tell me what’s best for me.

“No, John B! You do not get a say in this. Did I give you shit when you started dating Sarah?”

“That was different,” he responds stubbornly.

“Why?” My eyebrows raise as I await whatever bullshit explanation he tries to give me.

“Because Sarah isn’t –” I stop him again. I also will not let him try to make JJ out to be the bad guy.

“Stop. Sarah cheated on her boyfriend with you. I knew Kie hated her, too. But did I give you shit like everyone else? No, I didn’t. So, I need you to return the favor here.”

“I’m not trying to give you shit, I’m trying to protect you.” His shoulders sag after he tells me this and I realize he doesn’t understand why JJ is so important to me.

“Do you know how difficult it is for me every day? I have never been good at making friends, I’ve never fit in. Do you remember all our birthday parties when we were little? Everyone was there for you. JJ was the only one who ever even got me a present. I was invisible to everyone else. Thankfully I found Pope so I don’t feel so alone every day. But with JJ, it’s more than that. He makes me feel alive, John B.”

“You make me feel alive too, Sunshine.” I jump at JJ’s voice and wonder how long he’s been standing there. “Dude, I get that I don’t have the best history here. I’m not even pissed about what you said yesterday. I just need you to see that this is different. I’m in for as long as Y/N wants me here. I don’t want to hold her back from her dreams, I just want to be a part of it. If that means waiting here for her, fine. If she’ll let me come with her, even better. Like I told her yesterday, I’m in. 100%.”

John B starts pacing while he thinks through everything he’s just heard. I go over to JJ and bring him in for a tight hug. He gives me a quick kiss and I know that he’s thanking me for defending him to my brother.

“Did you have sex with her?” John B asks.

“JB!” I am mortified and livid that JB would think he’s entitled to ask that question.

“Y/N, it’s fine. No, we didn’t have sex. I’m not going to tell you anything else because that’s none of your business.”

“You shouldn’t have told him anything.” JJ chuckles as he pulls me in close to him.

“He needs to know this isn’t my usual bullshit, Sunshine.”

“Is that why –” JJ cuts me off before I can finish my question. He must have known I would think this was why he stopped us last night.

“No, he had nothing to do with that.” He leaves it at that and looks back at my twin. “JB, are we good?”

“He makes you feel alive?” John B asks me.

“Yes.”

“And you actually care about her? You don’t just want to mack on her?” I roll my eyes at John B while he waits for JJ to answer him.

“Yes, absolutely.” John B looks back and forth between us and finally let’s out a resigned sigh.

“We’re good… I’m sorry for being a dick yesterday. And, Y/N, I’m sorry for –”

“Being a macho asshole?”

“Yea, that.” We both break into a smile and John B comes forward to hug me and JJ. “But JJ, I was serious yesterday. You hurt her and I’ll beat your ass.”

“Whatever, JB. Ready to go home?” After he nods, I turn to JJ and smile when I think about our date tonight. “What time for tonight?”

“I’ll pick you up at 6.” He gives me a quick kiss and pats my butt when I turn towards the van. I look back at him and he winks at me, causing both of us to laugh. I kiss him again, but the kiss is cut short by John B honking the horn. I flip him off as I go in for one more kiss just to bother him.

The ride back to the Chateau is quiet, my thoughts stuck on what JJ may have planned for our date. So I shouldn’t have been surprised when John B slams on the brakes after I yell out. We are in front of Heyward’s and I just saw Pope walk outside.

“JB, give me 5 minutes. I need to try to talk to Pope.” I’m already half way out the door before John B understands why I yelled.

“Good luck, I’ll wait down the street.”

I wipe my suddenly sweaty hands on my shorts and walk over to the dock. Pope hasn’t seen me yet, so I take a minute to think through what I want to say.

“Pope, can we talk for a minute?” He freezes at the sound of my voice but doesn’t turn around. “Please, Pope.”

He finally turns to face me, and I can see that this past week has been hard for him. He looks like he’s barely slept and has lost a couple pounds. I feel terrible for my best friend and incredibly guilty about what I need to tell him.

“I can’t do this right now, Y/N. I’m already late for deliveries and my pop will flip if I’m not gone in like 30 seconds.”

“Please just talk to me. I could come with you on your deliveries.”

“No, that’s not... no.” Pope won’t look at me but is shaking his head quickly to shut down this idea.

“But I miss you, Pope. And there is something I need to talk to you about. It’s really important.”

“You better get your ass on that boat!” Heyward yells at his son.

“Look, Y/N, I’ll try to come by tomorrow. Ok?” He doesn’t wait for my response before he jumps on the boat and starts the engine.

----

“Y/N, JJ’s here!”

Sarah gives me a gentle squeeze on my shoulders to calm me before she put the finishing touches on my hair. When we got back to the Chateau earlier, Sarah was here waiting. She looked nervously between me and John B to try to figure out if we were ok. I pulled her into a hug and asked her to help me get ready for my date. She took the assignment very seriously and has spent the rest of the day perfecting my look.

Before Sarah lets me leave my room, she forces me to stand in front of my mirror to admire her handiwork. I gasp when I finally see the finished product. Dressing up and wearing makeup is not me but Sarah has found a way to make it natural. My makeup is subtle but makes my eyes sparkle. The dress that she picked out highlights my curves and looks great with my tan skin. My hair is down, and my normally wild curls are tamed.

“Wow, Sarah,” I whisper as I turn to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. Do you think JJ will like it?”

“Are you kidding me? He is going to drool when he sees you!” Sarah laughs and opens my bedroom door.

I walk out to the living room and the boys don’t see me right away. I get a chance to study the way JJ is nervously fidgeting with his lighter. He has a button up shirt on and styled his hair. He looks up and his jaw drops as he takes in my appearance. John B notices JJ’s response and turns to look at me. My anxiety ticks up at their silence. Thankfully, Sarah steps in to break the silence.

“So, JJ, where are you guys going?” It takes JJ a moment to respond, his gaze still focused on me.

“Umm… I... I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.” I raise my eyebrows to silently ask for a hint, causing JJ to grin. “Nope, can’t tell you, Sunshine. You’ll just have to wait.”

“Y/N, can I talk to you for a second?” I tear my eyes from JJ to furrow my brows at my brother. But I follow him to the kitchen and find him pacing nervously.

“JB, what’s wrong? I place both hands on his shoulders to get him to stop and look at me.

“Are you sure about this?” I roll my eyes at my brother, give him a kiss on the cheek, and go back to the living room.

“Ready, J?” He nods as I take his hand but he doesn’t walk with me.

“John B, I promise –”

“Nope, we’re not doing this, J. Let’s go.” I pull him with me outside and link my arm with his when we get off the porch.

We walk to the beach and JJ guides me to an area that I’ve never been to. After walking in comfortable silence for a little bit, JJ gently reaches over and covers my eyes. He turns us away from the water and leads me for another minute. When he removes his hand from my eyes, I am speechless. He has laid out a picnic for us with all my favorite things – a blanket that I always cuddle under on movie nights is spread out on the sand, candles that Kie gave me last year for my birthday holding the blanket in place, a picnic basket that my dad used to use when we went out on family adventures is sitting in the middle, and my favorite classical music piece is playing through the speaker. I instantly remember how much JJ pays attention to little details and all of my anxiety disappears.

“JJ, this is… wow.” I give him a quick kiss and he leads me over to sit down on the blanket. “I’ve never even listened to Clair de Lune around you guys. How did you know?”

JJ smiles at me and tucks one of my curls behind my ear. “You were so pissed when you found out it was in Twilight. We were 12, I think, and Ms Lana gave you the Twilight movie set for your birthday. JB put the first one on as a joke since he knew you would hate it. Pope talked you into watching it with us and you stormed away when they started talking about Clair de Lune and John B yelled ‘Oh come on, it’s your favorite!’ I’ve listened to it every once in a while since then after I get into it with my dad. It helps calm me down.”

I’m shocked into silence. I watch JJ unpack the picnic basket and am in awe of the beautiful boy in front of me. I tear my gaze from him to see what he brought for us and am confused when I see the assortment of food. JJ sees the look on my face and worries that he did something wrong. I offer him a reassuring smile and ask what’s for dinner.

“We have grilled cheese sandwiches, yours has that weird cheese you like so much and tomatoes. I still don’t get why you like tomatoes on there but whatever. I have your favorite chips and peanut butter filled pretzels. I also got strawberry lemonade and mixed it with real strawberries like they do at the Wreck. And vodka to add in if you want since you don’t like beer. I know it isn’t fancy, but I thought this was more you and all of these are your favorites.”

“JJ… this is perfect. You’re perfect.” I smile when I see him blush. How did I get so lucky to have such a sweet and caring guy?

We eat in comfortable silence and JJ chuckles when I moan in satisfaction after taking a bite of my grilled cheese. I decide to add some vodka to my strawberry lemonade to calm my nerves. After JJ finishes eating, he lays down on the blanket and looks up at the stars. A little later I join him, resting my head on his chest. JJ points out different planets and constellations as I trace the different constellation patterns on his forearm. We lay like this for a while and I feel myself drifting off as he plays with my hair.

“What are you thinking about, Sunshine?”

“How happy I am right now. You?”

“Mhm, I wish we could stay here, like this, forever. Dance with me?”

“Seriously, J?” I sit up and study his face.

“Please, I wanted to take you to that dance last year but that asshole asked you first. That was one of the reasons I wanted to kill him when he stood you up.”

I stand up and pull him with me. As I wrap my arms around his neck, he places one hand on my waist and selects a song on his phone. After he puts his phone away, he pulls me flush against his body and we start to sway to the opening notes of Ed Sheeran’s Perfect.

“This is my favorite love song,” I tell JJ as I rest my head on his chest.

“I know, you told me last summer.”

“Really? When?”

“We all went out on the Pogue and I decided to sit with you instead of swim. You quietly asked me if I didn’t want to get in because I didn’t want everyone else to see my bruises from my dad. But I didn’t answer you and instead of pushing it, you turned up the music and held my hand. A little later, Perfect came on and you told me you loved it because it is about wanting a life and future with someone instead of the chase or just one night with someone.”

“I can’t believe you remember that, JJ.”

“I remember everything,” he whispers to me.

——

“Did you have a good time tonight, Sunshine?” JJ asks me as we walk up the steps of the porch at the Chateau.

“Absolutely, JJ. Everything was perfect.”

JJ steps closer to me and rests a hand on my cheek. He leans in and kisses me gently.

“I love you, Y/N. I should have said it yesterday but I was scared.”

I take JJ by the hand and lead him inside the house and into my bedroom. I lock my door behind us and wordlessly guide him to sit on the edge of the bed. I straddle his lap and crush my lips to his.

JJ’s left hand wraps around my waist while his right settles on the back of my neck. He tangles his fingers in my hair as he pulls me as close as possible to him. This kiss is carnal and hungry. We pour every ounce of emotion into the kiss and I begin to feel lightheaded. I pull back to catch my breath but JJ’s hand in my hair only allows me to move back an inch. He looks at me with lust filled eyes before he squeezes them shut and takes a few steadying breaths.

“Sunshine, I should go.”

“J, stay... please... You can’t tell me that you love me and then leave.” I lean down and brush my lips along his jawline then nibble gently on his earlobe. “Stay...”

JJ moans and grips my waist tightly with both hands when I start kissing his neck. I run my hands down to his waist band and skim my fingertips along the top of his shorts. His hands move down to my bare thighs and I’m so damn thankful Sarah forced me into a dress.

“You’re killing me...” JJ groans as he tilts his head to give me better access. I smile against his skin knowing that I’ve won him over. I start unbuttoning his shirt and kiss back up to his lips.

When our lips connect, JJ takes control. He moves his hands roughly up and I shiver when he traces along the lace of my bikini panties. His insistent fingers press into my ass and pull my hips closer to his. I thread my fingers into his hair and gently tug as I slowly grind my core on the ridge of his growing erection.

Keeping one hand on my ass, he brings the other up to cup my breast and uses his index finger and thumb to tease my nipple over my clothes, eliciting a moan. He moves the hand on my breast to my back and finds my zipper, hesitating until I whisper please, trying not to break the kiss. He slowly unzips my dress and runs his finger pads back up my now exposed back. He roughly grips the dress straps with both hands and pulls my dress down to expose my chest. I climb off his lap quickly to remove my dress completely and his normally ocean blue eyes are dark with desire as my dress pools around my feet. He rakes his eyes over my body and licks his lips as he takes in the sight of my matching red lacy bra and panties set. He reaches out to pull me back to straddle his lap again and my skin tingles everywhere he touches me. He roughly cups both of my breasts and pulls down the lace to gain better access to my nipples with his nimble fingers.

Instead of returning his lips to mine, he kisses down my neck as he teases and tweaks both nipples. My breath hitches and I revel in all the different sensations. When his mouth reaches my breast, he releases one nipple from his fingers but quickly encircles it with his tongue while his free hand moves to my back to make quick work of the clasp. Instead of returning that hand to my breast, he slides it down my back and firmly grabs my ass. With one hand on my ass, the other on my breast, and his mouth on my other nipple, he drives me wild and my panties are soon soaked.

I release my grip on his hair and move my hands down his chiseled torso to unbutton his shorts. Because my body is pressed so closely to his, I can only brush my thumb over the head of his penis but this is enough make him moan. He quickly flips me over to lay down on my back and he removes his shirt and shorts before joining me on my bed. His boxer briefs and my panties are our only remaining clothes as he settles between my legs.

He switches his mouth to my other nipple as I slip my hand under his waist band to grip his erection. I marvel at the feel of his silky skin as I move my hand slowly up and down his length. He bites down on my nipple causing my hand to tighten around him and his other hand grips the back of my thigh.

He moves lower as he kisses down my belly and licks along my pelvis, trailing his tongue under the hem of my panties. He settles between my legs, kisses me over my panties, and runs his tongue over my covered folds while I grip his shoulders.

With his index finger, he moves the fabric to the side and swipes his tongue again. I groan at the sensation and tighten my grip on his shoulders while he slowly inserts one finger. His tongue laves along my clit as he moves his finger in and out. When he adds another finger, I gasp and feel my body tightening. I start to feel lightheaded and my hips buck. He rests his free arm over my stomach to keep me in place and increases the speed of his tongue and fingers. My breathing speeds up as I feel my body explode. I moan his name over and over as I ride my high.

He crawls up my body with a satisfied grin on his face and brushes his lips on my forehead as I come back down to reality.

“Close your eyes, Sunshine.”

“But why? What about you?”

“Tonight was for you.”

“JJ -” He silences me with a gentle kiss as he cups my cheek.

“I told you, I’m in no rush. This, us, it’s different, too important to blow through all the stages at once.”

“Will you stay?”

“Are you going to steal all the blankets again?” He shows me my favorite JJ grin as he cuddles in next to me.

“I love you, JJ.”

“I love you too, Sunshine.”

Ch 7

Taglist: @agirlwholovescoffee @obxlife @meaganjm @kaelyn-lobrutto24 @velyssaraptor @http-cherries @prejudic3 @love-youu-softly @rudyismymanperiod @justcallmesams @celestialmaybank @yasminesameh @chaoticbisous @liloddcora @obx-snippets @xx-randomshit-xx17 @thepanmermaid @rudysdiaries @cinnamonandspice1994 @sexualparkour @lasnaro

[nowoyas]

Rest (and Other Things You Force On Your Boyfriend)

A/N: So this is technically a sequel to Bunny Eyes but it can be read completely standalone. There’s no real reason for him to be a bunny in this other than I Wanted Him To Be, and honestly, what else do you even NEED?

man I just wanna snuggle with nearly every iteration of this bunny boi. send cuddles pls.

Summary: In which your bunny boyfriend catches your flu and now you’re taking care of him. (sick!bunny!Izuku x reader)

Warnings: issa sickfic, izu has the flu. no emetophobia, not even in passing, mostly just fever and discussion of taking meds

Word Count: 2000-ish

~

Oh, you wish you could find the strength within yourself to not feel guilty.

It's his fault! You told Izuku not to kiss you and tried to push him away and now he's got the flu and you're the one taking extra-good notes to teach him the information after class while he's pretending to rest all day!

And yet. And yet. You still feel guilty about letting him get sick.

"If I'd only been stronger," you wail dramatically as you walk back from shopping with Ochaco and Tsuyu. They'd gone with you to help you purchase proper boyfriend-doting supplies, which definitely didn't include proper soup ingredients or a cute new dress that happens to look like a fashionable version of scrubs so you could act as his nurse proper.

Ochaco pats your shoulder in solidarity. "You tried your best, [name]-chan. It was only a matter of time before Deku-kun got sick, too."

Tsuyu places a thoughtful finger to her chin. "He was pretty stubborn about taking care of you when you were still sick, kero. Did he even wear a mask when he was taking care of you?"

"No," you groan. "I insisted, but he's an idiot."

Ochaco rolls her eyes as she opens the door for your poor arms-full self. You smile and curtsy before walking through to enter the dorm's common area, where you promptly drop your shopping bags. "Izuku!"

"Oh no," comes the quiet response as green rabbit ears snap to attention, followed by a (thankfully muffled) sneeze. Izuku appears to have dragged himself downstairs to study, a medical mask over his mouth and nose as he pores over an open notebook. At his side, having just been lowered in defeat on sight of you, is a hand weight. "I-I thought you were going to be gone all day?" he tries sheepishly.

You stomp across the room to him, not coming to a stop when you reach him. Instead, you scoop him up off the couch, eliciting a surprised yelp as he clings to you. "[N-name!]" he whines. His drawn-out complaint is cut off by his own racking coughs, and you're careful to tighten your bridal carry until his body stops shaking.

"You're going to rest," you demand when his coughs have calmed. "Honestly, how did you even get down here? When I was still sick I could hardly make it to the bathroom in my room!"

"I'm on a lower floor than you?" he says, though it sounds more like a question than an answer. You raise an unimpressed eyebrow. "...fine. I came downstairs to take my trash out and couldn't make it back up myself, so I sent Shouji-kun up to my room with my key so I at least had something to do while I recovered."

"Unbelievable," you mutter. "You're supposed to be resting. I told you I'd do all that for you when I got back from shopping, didn't I?"

"B-but I'm tired of resting," he complains.

You turn and glance over your shoulder at your very amused girl friends. "Sorry, can I ask you girls to take my shopping up to my room for me? It looks like I've got some nurse duties to handle—"

"I-I can handle myself at least while you—" Izuku begins to protest weakly, struggling a bit in your arms.

You sigh and cut him off. "Izuku, I love you, but if you don't be quiet and let me carry you to bed so you can get some rest and then actually get some rest, I will literally call your mom."

He lets out a squeak, hiding his face in your chest. "Got your key with you?"

He nods. "In my pocket," he mumbles.

You bump the elevator button and carry him up to his room, humming gently as you approach his door. You're careful to fish out his room key and unlock his door, and then more careful not to break said door down when you wrench it open with one foot.

"Alright, health check, bunny boy," you say sweetly after dropping him on his bed. "Cooperate honestly and I'll reward you, alright?"

He nods, pulling his medical mask off to reveal his pout and twitchy nose. "What kind of reward?"

"Depends on how well you cooperate with me, Zu-kun," you chirp as you set about getting the stuff you need and shutting (and locking, just in case) his door. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Dunno."

"How's your appetite?"

"Bad."

"Can I convince you to eat a few crackers?" you ask. Izuku groans at the question, about to complain, but you don't give him the chance. "Reward, Zu-kun," you remind him gently.

"I-I might be able to stomach a few."

"Don't worry, I'll make it worth it," you hum, reaching for the sleeve of crackers and taking one between your teeth, careful not to bite down as you cross the room to him. You waggle your eyebrows at him suggestively as you sit down, leaning in close. It's hard not to laugh when his already surely fever-flushed face goes even redder when he realizes what you're suggesting, and even harder not to squeal when he takes the opposite corner of the cracker in his teeth and pulls it away from you.

It'd be seductive if only he didn't look so pathetic right now, which you mean in the most loving way possible. He's still your adorable muscly bunny boy, but he's also visibly ill and very carefully nibbling on a saltine cracker held in both hands.

When he's forced down the whole thing, you press a slow kiss to his forehead, frowning when you realize just how hot he feels. "Izu, honey, I'm going to take your temperature," you say, grabbing the thermometer from the kit.

Sure enough, his temperature reads feverish, at a concerning 100.6 degrees. You worry your lip, glancing between him and the thermometer.

"How is it?" he croaks. You shove a water bottle towards him with a meaningful look and reach for your phone. Luckily, you have Recovery Girl's number after you got sick, so calling her won't be an issue. 

"You're fine, honey," you say gently, ruffling his hair. "You should lay down. I'm going to get your medicine and your things from downstairs, okay?"

The absolute angel doesn't suspect a thing, letting you guide him to lay down. He refuses the blanket, which is fair.

"When I'm back, I'll have you take your meds and then we can cuddle for a bit, alright, 'Zu-kun?"

He nods.

"Okay, do you want the fan on?"

Another nod. You flip the switch for his ceiling fan on your way out, careful not to lock yourself out, and wait until you're out of the elevator on the bottom floor to make the call.

You tangle one hand through your hair as Recovery Girl answers with one of her trademark sighs. "Please tell me he hasn't broken something while he has the flu."

"He hasn't!" you say as you set about gathering his things. Bakugo glares at you (for some reason) as he pointedly drowns the room in disinfectant spray. "No, no broken bones. I'm calling because his fever's gotten worse."

"How bad is 'worse', exactly?" 

"You told me to call if he got above 100.4."

"And?"

You nervously thumb the thermometer in your pocket. "100.9. He's mostly acting calm and going along with treatment, but apparently he came downstairs earlier while I was out and couldn't make it back to the elevator, and honestly, he's so stubborn that actually listening to me is almost more concerning, and I—"

"Calm down, sweetheart. I'm on my way over. You know the drill, make sure he's not dehydrated and in bed, and give him a Tylenol."

"Yes ma'am. He hasn't taken his regular medication yet, I'm about to give it to him once I get back upstairs with his things. Thank you, I'll do all that right away."

"See you as soon as I've finished handling this student, dear," she says, and you're answered with a click as she hangs up. You pocket your phone, scoop up the last of his things, and scurry back up the stairs to your hopefully resting boyfriend.

When you return to him, he's laid down on his bed, facing the wall with his phone in his hand. You're not sure whether to be annoyed that he isn't asleep yet or glad you don't have to wake him to get him to choke down his own disgusting flu medicine.

A single ear turns in your direction when you enter, and you note with amusement that his tail also twitches at your arrival. "Recovery Girl is on her way over," you say gently. "I've got your regular medicine and some Tylenol to kick your fever down. I'm sorry I called her, but you're running a bit too high for comfort and I don't know what else I can do so..."

Izuku makes a noncommittal hum. You suppose he's only half awake, so you set down his things and lean over him, waggling both bottles of medicine within his line of sight. "Come on, up and at 'em for just a moment longer, okay?"

"I thought you wanted me to rest," he whines weakly, slowly sitting up with a pout.

You sit where he'd been laying. "Flu medicine and Tylenol first. We gotta deal with your fever, 'Zu-kun." 

He whines, but lets you give him the right doses of each and set the bottles of medicine aside. Before you can get up, though, he's laid back down, arms wrapped around your waist as he rests his head on your lap. "C-can I sleep here?" he mumbles, not looking up at you.

"I promised you a reward for cooperating with me, right?" you hum, winding fingers through his hair to gently scratch his scalp. "Rest as long as you need to, baby."

"Thank y'. Lo'you." His words turn to slurred speech as he snuggles up close, and as you play with his hair, you rest your head against the wall. It's not long before your eyes drift closed and your fingers still in his hair, resting at the base of his ears.

When you wake up next, you're still sat there with Izuku snuggled up to your stomach. He opens one eye to look up at you blearily before wordlessly yanking you down so you're lying next to him. Before you can respond, he's laid on top of you, his face buried in your chest as his ears tickle your face.

"'Zuzu—" you start, wriggling in his vice grip.

"You already had this flu strain, so you're safe," he mumbles back.

"Get your ears out of my face before I bite them." Despite your words, you press a kiss to the space between his ears.

"Mm, what if I'd like that? You should know by now that I—owww..."

You snort, releasing his ear from your teeth and pressing a kiss to the spot you'd just bit. "Love you~"

You can actively feel him pouting against your chest, grumbling something suspiciously similar to "I guess I love you too". You giggle, nuzzling the top of his head as he flattens his ears back.

"I'll make it up to you when you're feeling better, Izuku," you promise before the both of you fall back asleep. He doesn't respond, but his tail and ears both twitch at your words. You coax him back to sleep with soft kisses, noting out of the corner of your eye that there's a note tacked carefully on the headboard. You snatch it up, careful not to disturb the bunny as you read.

It's a note from Recovery Girl. Apparently, she came by while you were still asleep. She's just chiding you for both being asleep when she arrived, and left you a few instructions. You let the note fall , deciding it's best to address it later. For now, you've got a nap with your sick boyfriend to deal with, and if he rests better with you in his arms, well, who are you to deny him?

Taglist: @zylith-imagines-and-fics​ @tooloudarts​ @sapid-rose​ @xxangelpridexx​ @birds-have-teeth​ @icythotsenpai​ @hypercriticals @warmchoccymilk​ @wesparklebitch​ @izoodles​ @fujimoribaby​ @my-bnha-things​

[thefanficmonster]

Late Nights

Andrew (The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope) x Reader (Female)

Warnings: Swearing

Genre: Fluff, a bit of Angst

Summary: Late nights are famously accompanied by deep conversations. The type to keep you up like a full dose of caffeine. Those are the best, most relaxing and freeing conversations you’ll ever experience. Good thing Andrew and Y/N are the perfect company for each other when it comes to those exact talks.

Requested by Anon. Hello! I’m sorry there is no specifications on your request. You requested for some Andrew x Reader fluff and this idea immediately dawned on me haha. I hope you like it and I’m so terribly sorry for the wait. Hopefully the final product makes it worth your while. Looking forward to hearing your feedback and receiving any other requests you may have! Love, Vy ❤

A random notification sounds from my phone, scaring me out of my peaceful, dreamless slumber. Oh wait, I’m not in my bed. I’m sitting at my desk, surrounded with sheets of paper with notes I’m supposed to memorize by my 8 AM exam. Speaking of that exam, it’s in less than five hours. I’ve been studying for what feels like days, but my head still feels as empty as it was at the start of the semester. The way I see it, I have two options: I can either die from a caffeine overdose or from the heart attack this exam will cause me. No in-between and no other options. Just death. Maybe not in the literal sense, but if you ask me, burn-out should be considered death and that’s exactly what I feel right now. And the fucking exam hasn’t even happened yet, for fuck’s sake! 

I lift my head to look at the clock on the wall and instantly get dizzy. Thankfully, I’m still seated. Damn, this calls for more caffeine.

“Hey T, can you -“ I look behind me in search of my roommate who’s supposed to be pulling this all-nighter with me. Needless to say, she has perished. 

I already have an idea of where she might be, but the sticky note she has left on my dresser confirms it.

~ Daniel has more notes. Come to the floor lounge 

Oh, hell no. I am not that committed to passing this exam. I am not about to be a third-wheel for five hours and feel miserable afterwards. Correction: More miserable than I’m already going to feel. Good thing there are two staircases on either side of the floor so I don’t have to pass through the lounge in order to get to the dining hall. That’s the only place I could obtain coffee and if I don’t I might just die right here on this desk.

I put my slippers on, throwing a jacket over my pajamas as well. It’s January and the dorms could not be colder. I swear to God, they are trying to build our immunity and resistance to cold one freezing night at a time. The heating doesn’t do much even if it’s on, which is a rare occurrence considering it’s faulty and doesn’t work 80% of the time.  I leave the dorm, quietly shutting and locking the door behind me before taking the right hallway instead of the left. I wander around the dimly lit hallways, some of which don’t have lighting at all, my arms folded over my chest in a pointless attempt to bring myself more warmth than the jacket is able to provide me. No matter what I do, I can’t get rid of the intense shaking that started from my torso and has now spread as far as my bottom jaw.

I navigate the halls, mumbling curse words to myself while doing so. Having taken the long way, I have an extra two minutes or so of freezing before I can find myself in the warm and cozy dorm. Taylor and I bought a small heater for Christmas cause we were not having it with the shitty heating system. Must say, that’s a better investment than all the money I threw to be here.

The dining hall is dark as usual. The only lights are the exit sign and some small lights on the vending machines. And the glorious coffee machine! I can just imagine myself turning into a heart-eyed emoji looking at it. 

“All-nighter?“

The voice is so sudden and so out of place, it startles me to the point of letting out a half-scream and immediately backing away towards the entrance of the dining hall. 

“Hey, it’s ok. It’s me.“ A light appears at one of the tables, illuminating the person holding it.

I sigh in relief when I finally get a good look at the person opposite me. It’s Andrew - a classmate and friend of mine. We have creative writing together and a few other classes. We’re in the same friend group as well. I started hanging out with him more through Taylor’s boyfriend Daniel who’s roommates with him. I’m glad I met them both, they are really fun to be around. However, recently, Andrew hasn’t been himself. It might be a stretch, but I think it’s because of the upcoming field trip our creative writing professor John has organized. I have tried asking him what has been bothering him but he always brushes off my concerns by claiming nothing’s wrong.

“Jeez, Andrew. You scared me half to death.“ I place a hand over my racing heart, taking a deep breath to calm myself down, “You’re lucky I didn’t chuck anything at you.“

He has the audacity to laugh. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out.” He puts his phone on the table, flashlight facing up at the ceiling, “What are you doing here, anyway?”

I return to my previous task, “Getting coffee, can’t do without it. What about you? Do you just hang out here, waiting for student-zombies to scare?” I get my four cups of coffee, balancing them in a very risky way to where he’s sitting. “Want one?”

His eyes widen, “These are all for you?” I nod, “And they are all just straight espressos?” I nod again, “Are you trying to kill yourself?”

I scoff, “That’s plan B. For now, I’m just trying to stay awake.” I knock back one of the cups, trying hard not to cringe at the unpleasant flavor due to the lack of sugar. “You didn’t answer my question.” I say after getting over the initial battle to get the coffee down without puking.

He hesitates, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the tabletop. I can tell he has spaced out, leaving me unsure of weather I should nudge him again or let him return to reality at his own time.

“I, uh....I had a nightmare.“ He says despite his eyes still carrying that thousand yard stare. “Daniel wasn’t there, and I didn’t want to stay alone in the dorm, so I came here. A lot more open. Not so suffocating.“

I frown, “What was the nightmare like?” I don’t try to hide my concern, there is no reason to do so. I want him to know I care, that I am and I always will be there for him. Even if it’s just as a friend, I will take what I can get. This is not the time to be thinking of anything more than being a good friend and helping Andrew.

He shrugs, his eyes slowly lifting to meet mine. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last cause he shakes his head, breaking eye-contact again, “You’ll think it’s ridiculous.“

I put my hand on top of his, stopping the repetitive tapping of his fingers. This causes him to reconnect our gazes. After a two second confirmation that he won’t look away, I speak up, “You could tell me elves chased you around with axes and I still wouldn’t say that, Andrew. Come on, talk to me.”

He sighs, nodding his head. I take this as a positive sign and give him an encouraging smile. Instinctively, I start withdrawing my hand as I lean back in my seat. To my surprise, he turns his hand, taking a hold of mine when he begins to speak.

“They started a week ago, when John told us about the trip to Little Hope.“ he still hesitates, but I still consider it progress. “It’s always one of two nightmares - it’s either a housefire which non of us survive or...I can’t even explain the other one.“

I give his hand a comforting squeeze, “Take your time. I know it’s tough.”

“Um, we are at this ruin of a house and we, well, you guys get attacked by these deformed, demonic monstrosities. I can’t get to you. I can’t save you. Darkness takes over my brain and all I hear is horrified screams and calls for help. And then I wake up. Terrified.“ 

I am terrified just picturing it, let alone experiencing it. I’d probably sob like a baby and refuse to go to sleep ever again. “That’s horrible, Andrew. I’m so sorry you have to go through that.” I pause for a second, “Little Hope is a place with terrible history, I can’t blame you for being so hesitant about going. I’m a sucker for these types of places, but I completely understand your angle.”

He chuckles, “Yeah, I believe I overheard you saying you’d like to visit Centralia.“

I can’t help but smile, “Oh, I’d love to.”

Suddenly, completely out of the blue, he gets a spark in his eye. He becomes livelier, almost like new life was breathed into him. Pushing back his chair, he stands up and takes the remainder of coffee cups. “Well, that’s not gonna happen if you kill yourself.” Without batting an eye at my baffled expression, he throws the cups in the trashcan near by. “Let me help you with the studying. Two work better than one, after all. I’m sure you’ll grasp everything better if you have an actual person explaining it to you. Also, I’d like to make up for the time you wasted here with me.”

I get up as well, “No need, seriously. I can figure it out. Apart from feeling so energized I could run a marathon, my brain is working a lot better now. You go try to catch some z’s.” I wave my hand dismissively but he catches it mid-motion, mumbling a quick ‘come on’ before leading me out of the dining hall and towards the staircase I took earlier.

                                                           *  *  *

It’s been about two days since that night and history is over here repeating itself. I am, once again, pulling an all-nighter, this time alone because no one else from my friend group shares this class with me. You’d think I would have learned my lesson and would start studying at a reasonable time, granting myself both peace of mind and a better functioning brain, but NOPE. Actually, I’m beginning to think I can’t study at any other time of day. The late nights/early mornings give me the best atmosphere. Those hours before dawn are the quietest I’ve ever had the chance to experience - for studying and just chilling on the roof of the dorms. The dining hall is still a place I frequent. I can’t help but hope to run into Andrew every time I walk in that big, eerie room. I haven’t been so lucky, though. We got the results of our last exam today and I was, and still am overjoyed for the grade I got. Not only was it a passing one, it was a SOLID passing one. I can swear, if it wasn’t for Andrew’s help, I would’ve failed it with the lowest score in the class.

“How does this work...?“ I mumble in frustration, reading through the poorly written notes I’ve made. Full disclosure - this is my nap class. This is the class I spend spacing out and - as its title suggests - taking naps. I am surprised I have as many notes as I do. 

Taylor, being the great friend she is, refused to budge from our dorm, determined to help me in any way she could. I appreciate the gesture, don’t get me wrong, but having another person would defeat the purpose of being up this late, so I talked her into sticking to her original plan - hanging out with Andrew and Daniel at their dorm while I fry my brain cells.

Just as I’m about to take a sip of my third coffee for the night, my phone starts ringing. I look at the phone screen that’s displaying Andrew’s name and straighten up in my chair, ready to launch myself out the door in case he needs my help. Screw the exam.

“Hello? You ok? What’s wrong?“ I blabber into the phone after picking up the call

“Hey, sorry for bothering you. Hope I didn’t wake you up. Um, I had another nightmare....never mind. Sorry for calling.“ His voice is shaky and hesitant, almost as if he’s speaking with zero air in his lungs.

My concern shoots through the roof, “Don’t you ‘never mind’ me! And don’t apologize! Meet me in the dining hall in five minutes.” I jump to my feet, pulling my jacket on with my unoccupied arm.

He sighs, “I’m already there.“

I nod distractedly, momentarily forgetting that he can’t see me, before leaving the dorm. I power walk the familiar hallways, the only reason I’m not running being the late hour and the trouble I’d get in for the noise.

I stop right outside the dining hall doors, giving myself five seconds to compose myself so I won’t look absolutely unhinged when I walk in. I get that it’s pointless, considering I have massive bags under my soulless eyes, but a girl can try.

Pushing the door open, I am met with small, flickering dots of light hovering over one of the tables. The outline of Andrew’s silhouette is also visible, but nothing more. It takes me a second to realize the lights I was looking at were three small candles.

“Andrew?“ I whisper-call his name while I’m still at a distance of about ten feet, cautious not to freak him out by approaching without making my presence known.

As I near the table, the candle-light illuminates his face enough for me to be able to see that he doesn’t look at all like what he sounded like over the phone. Something about his gaze when his eyes meet mine screams ‘I’m so glad you’re here’, but then again, that might be wishful thinking. Apart from that, he looks rather normal - not like someone who just had the most horrific of nightmares. Actually, I think I can see a hint of a smile forming at the corners of his lips.

“Hey Y/N.“ He greets me, “Ready to study?“ He points to the several notebooks and sheets of paper neatly stacked on the table. Next to that pile is a similar one of snacks. 

My eyes widen, “Wait, what? What is this?“ I narrow my eyes at him, “Is this your way of dealing with the nightmares or something? It’s completely ok if it is, don’t get me wrong...“

He shakes his head, the smile now fully formed on his face, “No, Y/N. I actually haven’t had a nightmare since that night you found me here. This...” he motions to the table, “...is several things. First of all, a celebration for your passed exam. Second, a thank you - cause I believe you’re the reason the nightmares stopped. I just needed to talk to someone about them and you were the only person I could do that with properly. And third, I know you have an exam in a few hours, so I wanted to help. We make great study-buddies, don’t you agree?”

I’m honestly speechless, “You schemer.” I’m smiling and blushing like crazy and I couldn’t be happier to be surrounded by darkness at this moment. “How did you even get these notes? You’re not in that class.”

He gives me a conspiring smirk, “That’s classified info.” He hands me a coke can, “No more coffee for you tonight.”

“You interrupted me on my third cup, but better late than never I guess.“ I giggle taking the handed soda and taking a seat on the chair opposite him. “Thank you so much, Andrew. Really, it means a lot to me. How am I supposed to repay you for this?“ I can tell he’s about to protest so I hurry to stop him, “No, no, no. You can’t change my mind on that.“

He sighs in defeat I can only guess is fake, taking the smirk on his face into consideration. He contemplates whatever’s on his mind for a second, buying himself time while he opens a soda can for himself. I copy his action, opening mine as well. “Um, well, there is one way I can think of....” he trails off, avoiding eye-contact. The brief moment I manage to catch his gaze I give him a nod, encouraging him to go on. “How about calling this a date?”

I am shocked. No, ‘pleasantly surprised’ is a better term to use. ‘Overjoyed’ an even better one. 

The blush I thought couldn’t get any darker or more wide-spread just proved me wrong. Despite the chilliness of the dining hall, my face, neck and ears are on fire. Once again, a big thank you goes to the darkness that surrounds us.

Instead of showing off how surprised and happy I am, I lift my soda can in the air, “It’s a date then.”

His smirk turns into a relieved smile as he takes his can, clinking it against mine, “It’s a date.”

@sparrow-gg  @artlovingbre  @chairtiger

[answers-of-a-pokemon-researcher]

Professor, what pokemon did you originally go on your first journey with?

Oh, those are some fond memories. When I was growing up my birth region of Johto was recovering some substantial wildfire damage, so I was sent to Kanto for my own journey when I was ten. All the Pokémon who were with me are all still alive and well, though most of them have dropped out of the battling circuit. Not that I battle much at all anymore!

My first Pokémon was Bulbasaur, on the entire boat ride to Kanto I made sure to stay wide awake so sleep wouldn’t hold me back from picking first, just to make sure I got a Bulbasaur. Turns out it probably wouldn’t have mattered as that species wasn’t as popular back then, but I wanted one bad. That Bulbasaur was old Maxwell, my first Pokémon. I thankfully have a small country home in Johto out by the Ilex Forest, but with a rather large yard so I don’t have to worry about space, and most of my Pokémon who aren’t active teammates anymore have that as a base to linger around and roam, including him. Maxwell’s a big lug and he’s really slowed down with his age now, but he’s fiercely loyal. We’ve had good fights together. The window in my study faces my yard, and old Max comes by periodically to rest his face on the windowsill and watch me write reports. He’s near the end of his life, near 70 years, but that old Venusaur has lived a good one and I’m making sure his golden years are comfortable. And that some of the... younger upstart Pokémon I took in give the old man some peace once in a while.

While camping in the Viridian Forest on my first night on the road, a Weedle crawled into my sleeping bag! I was honestly lucky to not get stung by accident thanks to the close quarters, but I figured it was a sign and took him with me. That was Hubert, my now-Beedrill, and though bug types are generally not long lived, Hubert is going on 20 now. Beedrill at their oldest tend to reach mid-thirties, so I have plenty of time with him. Hubert is my ambassador for the greatness of the bug type! Quick evolving bugs like him are often disregarded as beginner species, but he remained on my team as I collected all eight gym badges and contributed a lot. He’s pretty friendly for a Beedrill, but I’ve always made sure he was well socialized. He’s made his nest on the top of my wardrobe and always freaks out visitors because he’s so possessive of me.

In Mt Moon I got lost a lot, like, a LOT thanks to all the twists and turns, but I found a Paras on one dead end I hit. I’d always loved bugs and was in love with those big, cute eyes, so he came with. That was France, the now Parasect still wandering around my house. He’s pretty docile and usually stays inside, but as I warned before, it’s important to watch out for spores with a Parasect in the house. He was a pretty formidable battler for his calm nature, but I think he was happy to leave the battling scene. A lot of trainers who see him get concerned if he’s even alive thanks to all the misinformation about Parasect, but make no mistake, he is alive and fully alert! Lethargy is just part of the symbiotic relationship Parasect share with the mushrooms they carry thanks to a mixture of energy sharing, but most importantly, consistent exposure to sleep-inducing fungal spores.

I remember trading with a boy who was desperate for an Abra because he hated the psychic type he was given and thought it was scary. A Mr Mime! That was Marcel, and he was only 10 when I got him, not to mention most psychic types are super long-lived, so Marcel will be around for a very long time. He might not have liked Marcel, heck, most other trainers my age didn’t like him either when we were around, but Mr Mime has always been my type of Pokémon. I did contests and most prominently theater for a long time, and still do, and have been trained in clowning a lot, so I appreciate such a silly clown Pokémon! Mr Mime are great friends, they’re radically intelligent, you just have to be ready to manage such a smart and often mischievous Pokémon. Marcel has toned down the pranks now since I’ve established countless times I don’t have an appreciation for being tripped over invisible walls, but that doesn’t stop him from pestering other Pokémon sometimes. For all his troublesome behavior and a bit of a rough start with an unappreciative trainer, Marcel was a hard worker during my first journey and he never fails to make me laugh at least once a day.

Then there was Jane, an Elekid I found who washed up on the river by Rock Tunnel, probably from the nearby Power Plant. She was and still is quite the spitfire! Jane isn’t really used on the occasions I do battle, but she hasn’t been dropped from the battling circuit quite yet. I can’t bring myself to evolve her into an Electivire, though. She’s very content as an Electabuzz and I don’t see much of a reason to. Her and Marcel are a bit of a troublemaking duo but I love them both dearly. I do occasionally loan Jane out to people in need of a temporary Pokémon companion for things like trips through treacherous terrain with unfriendly wildlife. It’s good enrichment for her, which she constantly needs. I don’t think I would ever want to raise another Electabuzz, they’re far too high energy for my liking, but Jane is my special exception.

The last of my first Pokémon is actually the only one who’s still in the team I now regularly use for battling on the rare occasions I do it, but mostly for the sake of outings. Post is my Dragonite, which is probably the only Dragon type species I consider myself capable of handling. He‘s a retired mailworker, if you couldn’t guess by the name, haha! That was back when Dragonite were used much more commonly as postal service Pokemon, before breeders from Hoenn helped make the much more efficient Pokemon Pelipper more widely available outside its native region. He’s a kind and gentle soul, as most Dragonite are. There really aren’t many other dragons (besides the lovely Drampa or perhaps some Altaria) that can match Dragonite for its inherent friendly and loving nature. I use him for travel, as he does miss his delivery days, so we both win in that situation. I get a way to travel quickly for my research, and Post gets his exercise!

[writearctic]

Ask Me Again - oneshot

⚤︎ badboy!felix and fem!reader

✔︎ fluff, hints of angst, semi suggestive

⌨︎ 4.9k

monnie's @ "To Your Heart"

hello! this is our first book of The Pasta Chronicles! i'm so glad @monscastle was able to collab with me; also shoutout to monnie for the lovely banner~ ♡

“Go out with me.”

Lee Felix, the campus bad boy, asked you out. Again. It was a weekly occurrence: him asking you; you saying no as politely as possible.

He never stuttered his words. Not the first time and certainly not today. “Go out with me, y/n. Please.”

It sounded like a plea for you. But his voice never wavered. It kept you in reality that he was a player, and you were an ideal student. Not the best but better than him.

“Felix, I’m sorry. I can’t. Not with exams coming up,” you replied with a soft smile while stepping past the boy. You were lucky to find a real enough excuse. He dug his heels into the cement path and followed you-- an action you couldn’t fail to notice.

“Gosh, he’s a real stickler, huh?” Your roommate, Lea, quietly reminded you.

“After exams, y/n.” Felix sped up to stand in front of you, stopping your pace altogether. “I’ll wait ‘til exams are over.” He leaned forward and pecked the sweetest, gentlest kiss on your temple. He smirked at your blushed reaction before skipping back to his crowd.

“Well, I guess he won’t bother you for a bit.” Lea started walking again.

You bit your lip, mind still focused on how warm, how sweet, his lips felt on your skin. It made your heartbeat quicken; the thought of his lips on yours sent a nice, tingly flow throughout your body.

“Y/n.”

‘H-huh?” Lea snapped you out of your daydream.

“He won’t bother you for a bit.” She hooked her arm with yours and happily continued to your next lecture. “Now, you can put 110% into your grades.”

“I’m glad,” you faked a smile. Lea endlessly went on about her thesis book. Her words served as white noise to you though.

Honestly, you liked Felix. There was no doubt about it. He was courteous towards his professors. It was rare for him to turn in an assignment, but he was studious in class and never interrupted the professors or classmates.

He was kind and respectful, despite his liaisons with countless ladies on campus. When they came and begged to date him, he was thoughtful with his words. He never said no, but he never said yes. A handful of guys would ask him out as well, but Felix stuck to his words. He had a rule. No getting together, no relationships. No romance. Just a quick fuck. And everyone knew this. “Having strings ties you down. And I don’t see myself tied with you,” he had said, in the lightest way possible.

You haven’t slept with him, yet you knew he held a fragile piece of your heart. He was your fantasy. A dream. Nothing more. But it never hurts to dream.

Your mind stopped wandering when Lea opened the lecture hall door. As you entered, you were met with hateful glares from the students.

“Y/n. Lea. I saved you a seat.” Jackson’s deep voice startled you. Lea shuffled the pair of you through the isle and to the row Jackson was sitting in.

“Gosh, what the heck was that for? Is there something on my face, y/n?” Lea worried.

“No, Lea. You look beautiful as ever.”

She beamed back at you.

“Look.” Jackson held up his phone, allowing Lea and you to watch an Instagram story. It was you. Specifically, Felix kissing your temple.

Lea sighed. Someone had filmed the “intimate” moment you had with Felix. You read the words at the bottom of the post: ‘Another whore for Lix?’

You deserved this. It was karma coming to get you for the thoughts you had of the boy. You mindlessly reached your fingertips to where he kissed your skin. Why was he even attracted to you? Were you a dare? A dare for him to get in your pants? You had your dignity, but you thought this boy was melting it away piece by piece.

You returned to your shared rental with Lea after class ended. At the apartment desk, the security guard stopped you. “Miss Y/n. A boy left this parcel for you.” He grumbled and handed you the gift.

You thanked him kindly and proceeded up the stairs.

“Open it.” Lea crossed her arms and demanded after removing her shoes and coat.

You walked to the kitchen and cut the package with a pair of scissors. You dug into it and found a bag of homemade cake pops.

“I’ll take one thank youuu,” Lea joked while tearing the plastic bag of goodies from your hands. You giggled, a way of granting her permission as you watched her slump on the couch. You stepped to discard the package when a note card fell to the ground reading: ‘I’m sorry, y/n. If I had known they were filming us, I would have kissed you on those rosebud lips of yours to let everyone know you’re mine.’

You released a voiceless whimper. Felix was surely playing you, but he made you feel special and desired none the less.

You quickly picked up the note and hid it in your back pocket.

It's been almost two weeks since Felix last asked you out. You had seen him around campus and longingly stared at him in hopes he would look at you. The few times your eyes caught his, Felix blushed and turned away. Now that he was respecting your boundaries, you didn’t want him to ignore you.

The sneers and occasional trash talks you received since the video of Felix’s delicate kiss to your head didn’t get under your skin. The few times they would, you couldn’t think much of them; you had more important matters to ponder about. You chewed on the painful distance between you and Felix habitually.

Studying wasn’t worth it. Your mind always trailed back to him. You wondered how he was. You hoped he was fairing better than you with his studies. You couldn’t help but miss his tranquil presence. Even if he was desperate for you, Felix had a calming aura that aroused you in the most loving way.

Aside from studying, you couldn’t get much sleep at night. Felix was awaking you every time you tried to clear your mind. He had engulfed and overpowered you into a longing for him.

You sat down in your class with a huff.

“Someone’s grumpy,” Jackson teased playfully.

Upon seeing your lifeless form, Lea hummed. “I think it’s ‘cause she slept in.”

You folded your arms on the desk and threw your head down. “I’m not going to do well on this,” you muttered.

Jackson and Lea exchanged looks. “Y/n, you studied-”

“Not really,” you admit to them. “My mind’s been… elsewhere.”

“Wha- why?” Jackson asked. “Is it Felix? You said he was leaving you alone, right? He’s not bothering you is he? I swear I’ll punch that hopeless romantic in the gut if you fail your exams.”

“Please don’t.” Your friends recognized the pitch in your voice; you were crying now.

Lea leaned towards the table and softly spoke. “Y/n, what happened?”

“I- I don’t know.” You shot up from hiding your face in your arms. Your puffy eyes were no stranger to the classmates around you as it was finals season. Lots of tears had fallen from multiple peers in the past week. Thankfully, they paid no mind to your tear-stained face and brushed it off as the stress that came with final exams.

“He’s doing things to my heart, and I can’t explain how hopeful I am that he’s not toying with me.” You reached for your pencil case and pulled out the letter Felix had written a few weeks earlier.

“Oh.” Lea’s reaction mirrored Jackson, whose mouth circled like an ‘o.’ They already suspected your feelings for him long before you had received the note.

“So, do I beat him to a pulp or…” Jackson joked, hoping to make you smile. But his efforts only resulted in his ribs getting elbow jabbed by Lea.

“I don’t know what to do.” Your voice was pulsing with desperate hope from your friends.

“Tell him ‘yes.’ Y/n, next time he asks you, and I’m sure there will be a next time, say ‘yes.’” Lea soothed your anxious mind with the natural honey in her tone. “The only thing you have to lose is your chance with your dream guy.” She winked and turned her gaze to the podium where the professor was introducing the exam.

Her words echoed in your mind. What did you have to lose other than Felix? Your dignity? No. If Felix is the right guy for you, he would strengthen your worth rather than hinder it. As you opened your laptop to the class page, you crossed your fingers, wishing Felix would ask you just once more.

Two days have passed since your last exam. Lea scored higher than you on your overall average. It made sense, and you easily accepted it. You spent hours of mindlessly studying the textbook while Lea actually studied. The two of you, along with Jackson, celebrated the success of your roommate with drinks.

“So,” Jackson began after the clink of your shots. “Has he asked you out yet?”

“No,” you frowned.

“Hey! I thought tonight was about me!” Lea laughed, trying to lift the mood so thick, you could cut it with the wimpy, plastic knives from your college cafeteria.

Jackson had only downed a shot or two; thus, he still was fully aware of his surroundings. So when he saw Felix stride through the local campus bar, he pinched Lea’s shoulder.

“Yah! What do you nee-” Jackson shushed her and guided her face towards Felix’s figure. They turned their attention back to the dim-lit table and met your curious gaze.

Jackson winked. “Don’t worry, y/n. He’ll come for you.” Both he and Lea stood up and walked to the bar for another round of drinks.

You stood up with your brow furrowed, but before you could follow them, you spotted Felix. He looked stunning in his ripped, leather pants and neatly combed hair. The green neon lights above fell on his sculpted face in the most angelic way. You admired him for a while until he moved to dance with a girl. 'With that skin tight dress of hers, how could he fight the urge to grind on her thin hips?' You thought, wishing you had worn something more than a long sleeved crop top and black jeans. Your gaze fell to the floor; you wore your ballet flats. They weren’t the most attractive, but at least they didn’t blister your feet.

You sighed and went after your friends. It had been 2 minutes at most, but you found Lea shamelessly twerking on a peer from her bio class and saw Jackson, long past sober, swiveling on a bar stool and mindlessly ranting to the man next to him about asparagus. The sex driven Lea and rhetorical thinker Jackson had made way out of hibernation. They were drunk.

You hustled to pay for your drinks and exited the crowd. It was cold outside, and you fell victim to the chill in your thin shirt. You didn’t want to flag down a taxi or call an Uber; at this time of night, riding alone with a stranger was not a pill you could swallow. Leaning against the building, you pulled open your contacts. Maybe your landlord would give you a ride home? Before your finger hit the call button, Felix called your name.

Waiting for exams to pass without hearing your voice or seeing your tender eyes up close was absolute hell for Felix. On occasion, he caught you looking at him. But as quickly as he saw you, you bashfully turned away. He kept his word and left you to your studies. Felix knew you cared about your education, and he was the last person who wanted to be in your way. So, he backed off at your excuse of exams.

After the last week of tests, final averages were posted near admissions. Felix eagerly raced to see how well you did. He knew by allowing you the space you needed to ace exams would easily grant you a high grade. But your name wasn’t in the top 100 list. He checked it once, twice, thrice before turning to the longer list of all student results.

Felix’s eyes were glued on the page; he memorized each printed name as he glossed over them looking for yours. When he found it, his head fell from his defeated shoulders. You didn’t do well. In fact, you did better last semester when he had bugged you to go out with him.

Something was wrong, yet he couldn’t understand.

Until he realized, you must’ve been tormented by his flock of admirers. He came to the conclusion that he would permanently give you space; the last thing he wanted was to bring pain to the girl he truly likes.

Felix tried avoiding you by taking different routes to class. If he did see you, he felt guilty and wished there was a way to protect you from the world.

He couldn’t keep you from gracefully invading his mind. Jisung, another playboy at campus, suggested “getting drunk or having sex with another bitch to remove that chick” from his mind. Felix’s nostrils flared when Jisung referred to you as a “chick” when you deserved much more than such a lowlife name. He nearly immobilized Jisung had his friends not stepped in and prevented Felix from further harming the boy.

Directly after throwing punches to his friend, he felt horrible. Felix sprinted away from his peer; it was ironic how he found himself in the campus bar. He downed no more than three shots. He didn’t want to forget you. Yet, his carnal instincts kicked in when Belle approached him.

She wore a mahogany, sheath dress that did wonders for his dry spell. Felix hadn’t been sleeping with anyone since he promised to ask you out after exams. He believed he needed to be faithful and better in order to make you his.

As she began to shake her rear against him, he placed his hands on Belle’s hips. 'Too skinny,' he thought. He would’ve preferred you.

It was like a higher being heard his plea because he saw you seated with your friends. The dim lighting made you look like a fever dream. He longed for you to be his. When he turned back to catch a look at you again, you were gone.

“E-excuse me,” Felix removed Belle’s body from his, but she clung to him like velcro.

She flicked her false lashes at him and grinned. “My place or yours?”

“I need to go.” He pushed her off a little more aggressively than he should and left without another word.

He found you outside, leaning against the club. Alone.

“Y/n!”

A wave of heat flashed through your body when your name fell from his tongue. You eagerly turned to him. Felix ran the short distance between you before urgently pressing his lips on yours.

The kiss was patient, yet you both could sense a deeper passion. Felix pulled your cold body against his and tightened his arms around your waist. Your fingers ruffled the bit of hair that touched the nape of his neck. He pulled his lips away; you quickly whined in protest, but Felix didn’t let you go.

He burrowed his face into your shoulder. You leaned to kiss his head, and he began whispering soft words against your skin causing you to shiver, this time, not from the cold temperature.

“Felix,” you whispered. “I- I can’t understand you.” You giggled breathlessly at him when his face moved back to yours.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why? Felix, are you ok?”

“I- fuck. I love you, y/n. And I’m aware that we hardly know each other, but please. I want to learn every precious detail about you. Tell me your favorite way to pass the time on a rainy day. Tell me who taught you how to braid because gosh, when your hair is braided to the side, you make me want to rip out any gawking eyes that look at you. In fact, I won’t hesitate-”

“Felix.” Your voice was quiet. It was his first time hearing you so vulnerable, and it made him want to kiss every part of you. You deserved to be showered with kisses on a daily basis. But he traced his fingertips along the sleeves of your crop top and passionately listened to you.

“Ask me again.”

He smiled and raised a brow, puzzled. “Ask you what?”

You stared at him and fought the urge to kiss the small dimples on his face. You hadn’t noticed them before.

“Will you go out with me, Felix?”

“Fuck. No.” He cursed under his breath. His eyes turned to you when he felt you crumble in his hold. “Wait, shit. No, that’s not what I meant.”

You stepped back with tears brimming your radiant eyes, and it made Felix want to pull you back against him and never, never let you go.

“I wanted to ask you out!”

“You’re mad at me for asking you out!?”

“Yes!”

“Lee Felix, will you ask me out?”

“Y/n, please go out with me!?”

“Goodness yes.” You breathlessly whispered with no hesitation in your voice. He wasted not a second more before pulling you into his arms again. You tightly gripped his shirt; a few tears fell from your lashes. Felix felt them and released you from his embrace. He raised his hands and carefully wiped away every tear. He saw your lip quiver and observed how cold you were.

“Let me drive you home,” he quavered. Felix’s hand was warm in yours; his pinky tangled with yours as he led you to his car.

He knew where your place was. There weren’t many words spoken on the way to your apartment. Both of you were embarrassed and unsure about what to do next.

As he pulled to the building, he shifted to park and turned to you. “I want to take you out tomorrow.”

“I’d like that,” your voice was sunny. You inched closer to him and kissed his lips once more. It was quick, but it was everything you needed to know he was yours. “Good night, Felix.” You stepped out of the car and trudged to the apartment gate.

“Y/n!” Felix stood on the drivers side and yelled. “I need your number!”

You stopped punching the code for the gate to open. “Pick me up here tomorrow at six, and I’ll give it to you!” You playfully hollered back.

“I’ll be here,” he whispered, watching your figure walk through the gates.

“Oh. Em. Gee. Wow! I’m so glad you got him, y/n!” Lea cheered when she finally had some conscience. “Where are you going?”

“Oh, uhm, I’m not sure.” You realized the issue. Not having his number made choosing the perfect outfit harder. 'Shouldn’t have played hard to get,' you thought.

“Knowing him,” Lea stepped for your closet. “He’ll probably take you somewhere nice. Like a concert, fancy restaurant, or art exhibit. Since he’s head over heels in love with you.” She pulled a black velvet dress off its hanger and handed it to you. “Oh! Here.” She tossed you some sheer, black tights as well.

“I hope you’re right,” you giggled and went to change.

Lea adored the gown and begged to straighten your hair; she thought it looked best with your outfit. Once straight, she tied your hair into a low ponytail. She picked some dangly earrings for you to wear in addition to a silver bracelet. You felt like an actress being prepped for a scene. Lea was definitely the stylist between the two of you.

Your roommate stood by the window as it was nearing 6:00. You sat nervously on the couch, praying your outfit was right.

“He’s here.”

With a shaky sigh, you slipped on your shoes and went to the door. “Wish me luck.”

“You’ve got nothing to worry about, y/n. You’ve made an impression of Felix, one so strong he’s stopped sleeping around.” She walked over to straighten the collar of your coat before continuing. “Plus, if anything does happen-- but I highly doubt he’ll be a jerk to you-- remember, Jackson’s offer to beat him up still stands.”

You giggled in unison before hugging her and heading past the threshold.

What a sight you were. As you stepped out the apartment gates, his breath hitched. You bloomed in the evening fog. He hustled to the passenger door and eagerly opened it for you.

You paused before getting in. “Does my outfit fit the occasion?” You asked nervously.

“Yes; it’s perfect.” He charmed.

Felix drove away. His car was warm, and it calmed your nerves. You kept stealing glances at his profile, noticing the kisses of the sun on his cheeks and nose. His lips were highly alluring and since last night, you wanted nothing more than to kiss him again.

The ride was quiet. Felix played some soft r&b music in the background. At every traffic light, he turned to you and took your hand in his. He raised it to his lips and kissed the back of your hand; his eyes remained locked with yours, causing you to buzz with delight.

“We’re here.”

He shifted to park before stepping to your side and opening the door. You stood on the curb and admired the restaurant while Felix paid the parking meter. Dilettante was one of the finest restaurants in town. You had never been; it was far too expensive. The thought puddled in your stomach. Felix brought you to a highly exquisite restaurant on the first date.

“Felix.”

He hummed. Finished with the meter, he latched your arm with his and strolled to the building. “Yes?”

“This is expensive. Are you sure we should eat here? We can always go to Olive Garden or-”

“Y/n.” Felix paused and slipped his hand in yours. “This is the only place you deserve for a first date.”

Your cheeks darkened at his comment when he started up to the door. “Mia, your finest table please," he winked. The receptionist led you to a candle lit corner booth. She placed the menus on the surface: “Your server will be here shortly.” Mia return the wink and strolled back to the front.

Felix obviously knew the girl. You removed your oatmeal coat and sat down. Felix sat across from you. You leaned in and whispered, “Have you slept with her?”

He laughed. He laughed at you. You chuckled nervously, unsure of why you were laughing. “Mia’s my cousin.”

Shoot.

“Your cousin?”

“Hmm,” he glanced down and played with his wrist watch. “My family owns this restaurant.” You were not expecting that. “We get to eat here for free-”

“So, I’m a free meal?”

“What? No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” His head snapped up when you spoke. His hands reached across the table and held to yours. “I’ve actually never brought a girl here.” He mumbled while his thumb caressed your skin.

“I wasn’t even expecting the meal to be free-- I mean, I was expecting a discount, but I think my family is excited for me to finally stop sleeping around and bring someone here.”

You nodded in understanding. Your hands played with his. “Felix, you said you didn’t want to be tied down…”

“That was before I met you.” That smile of his could light up the entire restaurant.

You didn’t get to respond right away; a server came and took your drink order. He placed a basket of fresh bread on the surface and slid a platter of sweet butter alongside. You both ordered water and the server returned quickly with your drinks in hand.

“Have you decided on something to order?”

“Gosh, you’ve hardly given us time to decide, Kang.” Felix sneered and rolled his eyes.

“Right, yes. Of course. Sorry, sir.” The boy, around your age if not younger, fearfully backed away. Felix hung his head in shame when the server scurried away.

You held his hands in your; you stopped playing with them and held them still. “Lix-”

“I know, I know. I shouldn’t have snapped at him.” He raised his gaze to yours. He shuffled closer to you-- the booth made it easy for him to melt at your side so quickly-- and linked his fingers in yours once more. He tucked a wisp of hair behind your ear and kissed your neck. “I just want tonight to be perfect,” Felix breathed into your skin before sitting upright again.

You didn’t know what to say. He kept leaving you breathless; you could hear your heart pounding louder now that he was closer to you. And when his palm slid to your thigh in a non-sensual way, you prayed he wouldn’t hear how harshly your heart pounded against your rib cage.

"This isn't the best table here," he commented upon seeing your flustered state.

"We don't need to move tables. This is fine," you assured.

"I made sure Mia reserved this table. It wasn't hard; no likes sitting in the back corner anyways. But I like it here. I can kiss you without any bothersome stares."

Felix reached for a piece of bread and spread some butter on it before passing it to you. 'What a gentlemen,' you reminded yourself for the nth time this evening.

You took a sip of water after finishing the dough and spoke, “What’s the best meal here?”

“The alfredo.” He didn’t hesitate at all, and he reached for the menu to show you the different options. “My favorite is the regular chicken, but they're all decent.”

“I’ll have a chicken fettuccine alfredo then,” you giggled and swiped a hair out of his eye.

The things you did to him caused red to tickle his cheeks.

A different waiter came back and took your order. Felix explained the kid who previously served you was a distant, younger cousin and that they weren’t on the best of terms. You didn’t pry.

“Y/n?”

“Hm?”

Felix bit his lip gently before continuing, “What happened to your finals?”

“Oh, that.” You laughed deeply.

“Were there more posts like the one on Instagram or have people been bothering you?”

“No. Well, only you.” You smiled, and when you saw his clueless face, you added: “I couldn’t really study because I kept thinking of you.”

“I’m glad it was because of me. I don’t know what I would’ve done if students had been hurting you,” he admitted and leaned a little closer to your warmth, blushing.

He watched as you tried to refold the cloth napkin into its original swan origami. And when he took his and instantly folded it back, an engaging conversation about origami fortune tellers and puppets took place. Apparently, Felix was in his 5th grade talent show with a few of his buddies. They put on a Star Wars puppet show made with construction paper. The talent show gave no winners, but Felix was certain they would’ve won.

“Who would’ve known you, the mysterious campus bad boy, was into arts and crafts,” you giggled delicately at him.

“Am I still a bad boy in your eyes?”

“No!” Your response was swifter than intended. “Sorry that was a poor choice of words. You were the campus bad boy, but now you’re all mine.” You pressed against his torso and kissed his lips.

“You changed me, y/n.” Felix began and paused his words when the plates of pasta arrived. “I found myself desperate for you. So desperate. I couldn’t imagine being with anyone but you. I stopped jumping from bed to bed a while ago; I hoped it would prove myself to you. Because y/n, I want to be tied down with you for the rest of my life.”

It occurred to him that you hadn’t stopped looking at him since he began speaking. You hadn’t even touched your plate yet.

“Stop staring at me,” he blushed.

You moved your eyes to the cuisine and twirled the pasta. “I’m so in love with you I don’t think that’s possible.”

Felix’s fork clinked onto the ceramic plate. He faced you and met your gaze.

“Wait, was that too soon? I didn’t mean to offend-”

You couldn’t finish your apology with his breath dangerously close to your lips. “I love you, too.”

His lips were creamy and warm when they pressed into yours; they tasted like alfredo sauce. His pinky maneuvered its way to lock with yours while the other hand pulled you deeper into the kiss. He moved away after ensuring your pinky finger was connected with his.

Felix admired how dazed you looked after just one kiss. He didn’t notice it last night, but then again, that was the first kiss you had shared together. You opened your doe eyes at him, and he smirked.

“I’ll kiss you later. Eat your food.” He bent over his plate and continued to eat. You did the same. “How does it taste?” Felix asked, confident it would meet your expectations.

“It’s delicious,” you faced to him and smiled. Your pinky gave his a loving squeeze. “But…”

His eyes widened slightly. “But…?”

“The sauce tasted better on your lips.”

You pivoted back to your dish; you tucked that stray hair back behind your ear and bit your lips.

Felix looked down at his plate and pierced his lips together as he grinned. “You really are perfect,” he breathed, before twirling another spoonful of pasta into his mouth.

“Do you know how to make this?” You confidently inquired.

“I do,” he hummed.

“This is the best fettuccine alfredo I’ve ever had, and having a boyfriend who can make it-- you’re truly the love of my life.” Although you said it in a teasing way, you meant it, and Felix knew you meant it.

Despite not knowing each other for long, being in his presence made you feel loved and safe. And Felix vowed to do just that.