#that Jess's family raises

[booomerangarrow]

Y'all, I need someone to be emotional with me about TEENAGE NOAH BENSON CARRYING JESSE ROLLINS' TROMBONE FOR HER 😭😭😭

[notsocooljess]

Happy WIP Wednesday!

thanks for the tag @thelettersfromnoone! 🎅🏼

please share your last sentence; or, if you don’t have one, share a plot bunny or idea! (OR sketch for your artwork!)

last one before christmas! here’s a snippet of my everlark christmas drabble (that is of course much longer than i intended)🎄

“So remind me of our menu tonight?”

Peeta went on to describe the feast he had planned, which Katniss was already familiar with since she had helped gather much of the items. Roasted duck, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes. Cheese buns and spinach pastries. Too many types of cookies and apple pie. Normally, Katniss’s mouth would be watering just from the conversation. Currently, the only thing that sounded appetizing was the cheese buns.

“Well if we’re gonna feed the town tonight, shouldn’t we get started?” Katniss asked.

“Soon, but not yet,” Peeta responded.

tagging: @atelierlili & @littlemarianah 🎁

[bogdreamz]

SOOO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SEASON 4???

(love your art btw!!!)

smeltbracket found dead in this kitchen

[disasterbiwriter]

You may have seen me obsess over this before, but... Luke tries to teach Jess how to play baseball, because "every boy likes baseball, right?" And it doesn't go very well. 😆

The Diner Dudes and the Bad Hop

Part I

Lorelai is bussing a table when Luke clatters down into the diner, and as she looks up and takes him in, it's clear she's trying not to laugh.

"What?" Luke demands. "What?!"

"Nothing, I just didn't know you realized you could wear those things with the brim to the front." She reaches up and gently flicks the brim of his ancient Mets cap.

"Knock it off." What does it say about him that even that miniscule degree of contact with her sends his stomach into somersaults?

"Sorry, sorry." She looks him over once more, from the hat down to the scuffed up Slugger hanging at his side. "So, you're really going to go through with it?"

"'Course," he says. "He's excited."

Her face is soft. "Of course he is. He loves to take the trash out if it means you're with him."

"It's going to be fun," Luke insists. "All boys love baseball."

"Right right." She snaps and points at him, cheeky. "Hey, do you think he'll put whatever he's reading down long enough to hit the ball, or are you thinking the reading material will be thick enough to be a stand-in for the bat?"

Luke rolls his eyes. "Are you in overtime yet?"

"Maybe."

"Go home."

Part II

"All right, bud, remember what I told you?"

Six-year-old Jess is vibrating with excitement. "Yep!" He ticks the items off on his grubby fingers. "Keep my eye on the ball. Don’t swing at anything below your shoulders or anything higher than your knees."

"Er, close. It's actually - "

"And quit when it starts to feel like all the baselines are running uphill."

Luke scratches his head. "Did... I don't remember telling you that last one."

Jess scrambles for the backpack he slung off along the first baseline and pulls out a pristine library book. "Babe Ruth’s Baseball Advice," he announces proudly. "Mrs. Gilley ordered a copy of it for the library when I told her you were gonna teach me baseball."

Mentally Luke runs through a catalogue of sayings attributed to the Big Bam and makes a mental note to remind Mrs. Gilley that Jess is still in elementary school. "All right, put the book down, let's get to it, kid!"

"I'm ready, Uncle Luke!" With comedic effort he hefts the bat over one shoulder and readies himself behind the plate.

"Uh, honey? Try taking the mitt off when you bat."

"You got it, Uncle Luke!"

Part III

"Jess, I think you'll probably have more luck if you open your eyes when you swing."

"Good idea, Uncle Luke!"

"Jess, honey, that's third base, not first."

"But we read left to right! Why do we run right to left?!"

"I, uh... I don't actually know the answer to that."

"That was better! Try running towards the ball instead of away from it next time!"

"What if it lands on my head and cracks it open like an egg?!"

"No, I'm definitely sure there are only three bases, kiddo."

"Chuck Presby says there are twelve, and if you miss any of them they make the umpire put you in JAIL!"

"But are you sure?"

"Look, sweetheart, I know I told you I don't actually know everything about baseball, so I guess it's possible... But I'm telling you, I don't think there has ever been a baseball player who was also a bank robber. And you've gotta stop listening to anything that Presby kid tells you, he's an id - he's just teasing you."

"Uncle Luke! We forgot the wickets!"

"No, Jess, there are no wickets in baseball, that's cricket."

"Uncle Luke! Uncle Luke! I hit it! I - oh no! Uncle Luke! Are you okay?!"

Part IV

Lorelai unearths a bag of peas from the diner's freezer and gently settles it against Luke's cheekbone. "Well, at least he hit it."

Luke glances over at the counter where Jess is wearing more ice cream than is getting into his mouth. He loves that little gremlin so much he might actually cry - or would, if any tears could escape his rapidly-swelling eye. "He certainly did. Baby's first bad hop."

"What on earth is a bad hop?"

"You know," Luke sighs, "ask me some other time. I think I'm done talking about baseball for the day."

"You got it. Need a beer, boss?"

"Make it two. Hey, didn't I tell you to go home?

"You want me to get you a beer or not?"

"Right, shutting up now."

Part V - Two Weeks Later

"And then," Jess says proudly, tapping the little square with his finger, "the guy hit a fly and got out at center field - so I put the 8 in his box Eight stands for center field, remember?"

Lorelai whistles over the scorebook, impressed. "That's so cool, kid. And you learned how to do all that today?"

"Yep." He spins a little on his stool, clutching the precious document carefully in both hands. "Uncle Luke says I picked it up faster than anyone he's ever seen."

"Well, that doesn't surprise me even a little bit."

"I think watching baseball is more fun than playing baseball." Jess beams at Luke as he comes out from the kitchen, Jess's dinner in hand. "Don't you think so, Uncle Luke?"

Luke sets Jess's plate in front of him and strokes his nephew's hair. "You know what? These days I think you're right."

[thelivingautomaton]

alright, since the Remedy brainworms got me I've been replaying Control, got to the AWE expansion last night and picking up on all the echoes/foreshadowing for Alan Wake 2 is making me go utterly bonkers, but like. has anyone picked up on or talked about how in all of Alan's Hotline messages to Jesse, when he's writing about her POV, he exclusively calls her 'Faden'

like, maybe it didn't poke my brain the first time I played it since he does the same thing when talking about Hartman, but coming from AW2 it's pretty jarring as a stylistic oddity...almost like there's a reason (in-universe and/or out-of-universe) that he doesn't call her 'Jesse'...almost like there's only one Faden in his story...

and given how in AW2 we also get some (quasi-) clarification regarding the limits of Alan's ability to "make stuff up" vs alter and rewrite "real-world" events that he sees in clairvoyant flashes...given the Night Springs screenplay pages you can find in AWE that parallels the FBC and the events of Control (i.e. a Director and a Scientist opening a portal to another dimension, finding an eldritch Entity, the Director trying to take its power for himself and then getting taken over before shooting himself)...given how literally all of the "dreams" Dylan tells Jesse about are descriptions/viewings of stuff that takes place on one level of reality or another ("I was the director and you were an intern"; "we were in a game, and it was a fucking boring game but you couldn't stop playing it"; Mister Door, and "a world with a writer writing about a cop, and another world where the writer was real"; a "musical" about Jesse), except, seemingly, the dream about "Jesse Dylan Faden"...

guys. are you picking up what I'm putting down here. guys. GUYS

[twobites]

is this something (alt text under cut)

Image 1: Still from The Social Network of Mark leading Eduardo outside the party.

Image 2: Connor McDavid and Dylan Strome talking inside an arena.

Image 3: Transcript from The Social Network. MARK: “I’m afraid if you don’t come out here you’re going to get left behind. I want - I want - I need you out here, please don’t tell him I said that.” EDUARDO: “What did you just say?” MARK: “It’s moving faster than any of us ever even imagined and -” EDUARDO: “What do you mean get left behind?”

Image 4: Still from The Social Network of the above scene.

Image 5: 2015 headline from The Star, “Dylan Strome happy to develop in Connor McDavid’s shadow”

[themuseoftheviolets]

'can't believe i'm gonna be a dad. i think i'm ready to raise a little kid' bitch you already are??? you've been raising three kids for the past 4 years

[sersi]

love how i can spend a week reading absolutely nothing except for original trilogy era sw aus and even when the most fucked up shit happens, a part of me is still just “...you will never be the roys” 😭

[shadafaml]

🚨 Help Save Shada’s Family and Baby Adam! 🚨

My name is Shada Kassab, and I am a 24-year-old mother living in Gaza. Every day is a fight for survival for me, my husband Hussein, and our baby boy Adam, who is just five months old.

Our lives have been turned upside down by war. My home has been reduced to rubble, and my husband lost his water truck, which was our only source of income. We’ve been forced to evacuate twice—from Deir el Balah to the Nuseirat camp—and now, we live in constant fear of what the future holds.

To make matters worse, Adam was born with clubfoot and urgently needs surgery. The cost for his treatment and specialized medical boots is at least $3000, but this surgery isn’t even possible in Gaza.

I recently graduated as a nurse, and I dream of building a better life for my family. But to do that, we must leave Gaza and start over in safety.

💔 I need your help to save my family and give Adam a future. Even a small donation 5$ can bring us closer to safety, and if you can’t donate, sharing our story means the world to us.

I dream of living in safety, of seeing Adam grow up healthy, and of building a better life for us all. Please don’t give up on us. Your kindness can make all the difference.

❤️ Thank you for taking the time to read this. Your support and compassion give us strength to keep going.

[gender-euphowrya]

i get that brba/bcs were really good shows but wow those fans who are Demanding a spinoff for every character sure are something else

[saintjosie]

DONT WASH VEGETABLES WITH SOAP JESSICA

jess and i are raising money to help rajaa and her family get out of gaza! tell me in the tags, what is your favorite vegetable that you are NOT washing with soap?

UPDATE: WE HAVE REACHED OUR GOAL FOR RAJA!!!

im so incredibly proud of the queer community’s ability to step up and organize. i have had so much hope and faith renewed in the power of community and solidarity through this.

i am exhausted but also i am not ready to be done.

jess and i are now targeting a new goal. raja’s sister saja has already crossed the border into egypt but almost the entirety of the rest of raja and saja’s family are still trapped in gaza. there are 9 adults and 12 children including a pregnant mother and a elder diabetic man who need medical attention as soon as possible. the goal they are hoping to reach is €112,000 for everyone to cross safely.

this is so much larger than our previous goal and we are already exhausted and terrified that nothing we do will be enough. but i have renewed faith in my community and i sure as hell am going to keep trying.

if you are able to donate or boost, every little bit helps.

[heavenlymorals]

I feel like a lot of people forget that the Van Dir Linde gang was actually famous in their universe- Dutch Van Dir Linde was as famous as the real life Butch Cassidy. The gang had as much infamy as the Wild Bunch or the Dalton gang. Arthur Morgan, John Marston, Bill Williamson, Javier Esculla, Lenny Summers, Charles Smith, Sean McGuire and more were probably as famous as the real life Doc Holliday, Jesse James, Black Bart, Rufus Buck, Ike Clanton, the Sundance Kid, Wild Bill Hickock, and more.

Sadie Adler would've been just as famous. She was a gunslinger like the real life Calamity Jane and Anne Oakley and she was an outlaw at one point like Laura Bullion, Pearl Hart, Belle Star, The Cassidy Sisters, and more.

The other women of the camp would've probably been less popular but still very intriguing figures to people in the future.

In the newspapers, we see that there are songs about Dutch's boys and books too. Trelawny mentions them being on dime novels. In the future, the pieced together story of the Van Dir Linde gang might've gotten adapted into a movie, similar to "Butch Cassidy and the Sun Dance Kid" or "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". They could've gotten biopics, documentaries, and more.

Historians and fans of the wild West era would dig up records, find pictures, and maybe even track down people who were apart of the gang, accomplices to the gang, or victims of the gang. They would try to piece together stories to figure out the mystery of what actually happened to the gang.

People would argue over things that happened in the gang and have their evidence to back it up. Letters written by gang members would become so valuable. If they ever someone come across Arthur's journal, it would probably be considered one of the most valuable pieces of documentation to ever exist for that time period.

The guns of the gang would probably be kept in museums if found. Albert Mason's portrait of Arthur Morgan would be found in history books, same as other pictures.

Dutch would probably be a very controversial figure in history- some would hail him as a failed hero and others would condemn his violence no matter the reason- they wouldn't know what the people in the gang knew- especially in the end. Same with the rest of the gang members.

They'd probably all get romanticized. Hosea and Dutch's friendship, the raising of the boys, Dutch and Annabelle and his fued with Colm, Mary and Arthur, John and his family, Javier being a revolutionary- no one would know the full story.

And then there is Jack- he may live to see the 1960s and 70s and 80s. He may have grandchildren who'd pull him into a theater to watch a retelling of the gang that he was a part of at one point. He'd be amused. He'd think that the actor playing his father was too clean looking, too pretty. He'd think that the movie Arthur was too skinny. He'd think that the man playing Dutch had a funny voice as he tried to mimic the accent. He'd laugh and make notes in his head of the historical accuracy. He'd feel sorrowful at the deaths of the characters- he knew them at some point. And no one at the theater would know that the old man with the rowdy bright eyed boys who brought him there was Jack Marston, the last of the Van Dir Linde gang.

Jack might talk about it to the public. He might do interviews. He might even write a book about his father, the infamous John Marston. Those would be priceless. Even Beecher's Hope might be kept around and visited as a historical site for history goers.

And honestly? It is such a bittersweet thing.

[clockwayswrites]

@redghostbirdy Dick/Danny, skeleton shaped sugar cookies cw blood and stitches

Of course Dick still had to take his trash out after getting back from patrol. He was exhausted and wounded, but the trash had really gotten untenable and now had bio-waste in it. He had to take it down to the dumpster. It was almost a compulsion at that point to get it taken care of, or he knew he wouldn’t sleep well. As much as his family teased him about the state of his apartment he had his limits.

So, Dick tied up the bag, tugged it free of the bin, managed to slip on some shoes after a few attempts, and headed out into the hallway. And right into his neighbor.

His hot, brick wall of a neighbor that could totally bench press Dick in all the meanings of that phrase that Dick had totally been thinking a little too much about for the last few months.

“Whoa, careful there, darlin’,” Danny drawled, steadying Dick with large hands on both of Dick’s shoulders. “What are you doing wandering around out here at this time?”

“Um, trash?” Dick said ineloquently and raised the bag a little. The bag which apparently was leaking because his hand was wet.

Dick looked down at his hand and the red blood that coated it. Did his stitches pop?

“Ah, fuck,” Danny cussed and stepped back a little.

(Embarrassingly, Dick almost swayed after him.)

Danny lifted up the edge of his shirt, which may have killed what was left of Dick’s brain functions, to show blood flaked skin and—

“Is that a menstrual pad covering a wound?!”

Danny shrugged. “It’s just a little knife wound and Jess, the bouncer, hand one handy.”

“Oh my god. Just, come on, we’re getting that stitched up or at least bandaged properly,” Dick said. He set his bag of trash down by the door and grabbed Danny’s hand with his clean one to drag the bemused man into his apartment.

Luckily the first aid kit was still out on the little island counter and Dick all but pushed Danny onto one of the stools. Dick peeled the offending pad off maybe a little more harshly than was necessary and found a plastic bag to drop it into.

“I can’t believe that’s what you were using. And you call that little? How did you even get that? You’re the bartender! You’re supposed to be behind the bar.”

Danny just shrugged, an easy going and not at all repentant grin on his face. “I had to stop someone from being a creep.”

Dick just glared, mildly, at him as he washed his hands. He couldn’t really argue with that. He snapped on some gloves instead and set about cleaning Danny’s wound.

“I think this could use some stitches. I can do them, but I can also just get you patched up enough to go to urgent care if you’d feel more comfortable with that.”

“You can do them.”

“…yeah?” Dick asked just to be sure and glanced up at Danny.

Danny shrugged again. “I mean, you do have a very well stocked first aid kit on your counter already. Why was that?”

“Hush.”

Dick covered the area around the wound with a numbing agent while Danny chuckled at the non answer.

“If I promise to be a better patient than your students, do I get a cute bandage?”

Dick smiled despite himself as he threaded the needle. “All the cute bandages are at the gym. Stay still now.”

“Damn,” Danny said, and then waited until after Dick had started the stitches to ask, “What about a lollipop?”

“I might have some jelly beans still,” Dick said, grinning now. He kept his eyes on his work though, not wanting to give Danny uneven stitches.

Thankfully, Danny didn’t need that many and Dick was soon tying them off and taking a step back.

“No fun bandage, no lollipop,” Danny sighed, “what about a kiss to make it all better?”

Dick’s gaze shot up to look at Danny and his cheeky little smirk.

“Or did I miss read things completely?”

Dick rolled his eyes at Danny’s confidence, though it made him smile. “I think a kiss to make it better I can do.”

Danny’s smile turned into a full on grin. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Dick said and leaned in to press his lips to Danny’s.

He tasted like spice, lime, and sugar.

[rafeskai]

Life as We Know It — Rafe Cameron

Chapter Two

Two opposites must navigate love, loss, and unexpected parenthood to discover the meaning of family.

Summary: When tragedy strikes, two very different individuals find their lives unexpectedly intertwined as they become the guardians of an orphaned child. As they navigate the challenges of co-parenting, balancing careers, and confronting their pasts, they discover that family can form in the most surprising ways. Through heartfelt moments and unexpected humor, they explore what it means to build a life together—one step at a time.

Pairings: Rafe Cameron x Reader

Warnings: Character deaths & angst.

Author's Notes: Inspired by the movie "Life as We Know It"!

Masterlist: Here

It had been three days since you’d found yourself in Rafe’s house, a place that now felt more like a cage than a refuge. You hadn’t had much time to adjust to the new reality. Between the funeral, the endless meetings with lawyers and child services, and the sudden responsibility of Willa, everything seemed to blur together in a haze of exhaustion.

You had told yourself you’d stay at the house more often, that you’d help Rafe get into a routine with Willa, but the sheer weight of everything had left you in a constant state of uncertainty. It wasn’t just that you were suddenly her guardian, it was that you were also navigating a delicate, complicated dynamic with Rafe. Every time you thought you had a handle on things, another obstacle seemed to rise up in front of you.

But life didn’t stop, and the bills still needed to be paid. So, you found yourself at the local café by 7 a.m. every morning, working the early shift as if it were a lifeline to some semblance of normalcy. The smell of fresh coffee and pastries helped ground you, a comfort amidst the chaos.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

That morning, you found yourself staring blankly at the coffee machine, lost in thought as you tried to get a fresh batch brewing. Willa’s laugh echoed in your mind, that small, joyful sound she’d made when you’d managed to make her smile that morning at Rafe’s house. But then there was Rafe—his disheveled hair, his barely-contained frustration as he tried to make breakfast, as if he were a stranger in his own life.

You shook the thoughts away, focusing on the task at hand. You couldn’t afford distractions right now.

"Hey, [Y/N], you okay?" Jess, your co-worker, asked as she slid into the back room, eyeing you with concern. Jess had been your friend since you started working at the café, and while she wasn’t a mind reader, she could always tell when something was off.

You nodded quickly, putting a smile on your face. "Yeah, just a little tired. You know how it is."

She raised an eyebrow, but didn’t press further. "Well, the morning rush is about to hit, and we’re already behind, so I’ll let you catch up. Just take it easy when you can, alright?"

You offered a grateful smile, trying to ignore the tightness in your chest. Jess had a way of reading you, and the last thing you wanted was to let her know the extent of what you were juggling.

The morning rush came and went, the familiar frenzy of orders, refills, and people coming and going. By noon, the crowd thinned, and you finally got a break. You slipped into the back room, sitting on one of the crates as you checked your phone, hoping for a distraction.

You had a few missed texts, mostly from Sarah’s family offering condolences, a few work-related messages, and then... one from Rafe.

Can you come over tonight? Willa’s been fussy all day. I can’t figure out what she wants.

You stared at the message for a moment, your thumb hovering over the screen. You’d been trying to keep your distance from Rafe, only coming over when absolutely necessary, and still, he was asking for help. He hadn’t exactly been forthcoming with his emotions, but there was something about the way he’d written this message that gave you pause.

You knew it wasn’t just about Willa—it never had been. There was still tension between you and Rafe, an unspoken rift that neither of you had quite figured out how to cross. Yet, here he was, reaching out.

You sighed, rubbing your temples. You’d been trying to balance it all—work, helping Rafe, and processing the grief that seemed to be dragging you under—but it wasn’t easy. You needed to be there for Willa, but you also needed to keep your job, and your sanity.

After a moment of contemplation, you typed out a reply. I’ll be there around six. I can stay for a few hours.

You didn’t know what you expected, but you sure as hell didn’t expect the quick response. 

Thanks. I’ll make dinner. She’s been restless.

You felt a strange knot form in your stomach at the offer. Dinner? From Rafe Cameron? A part of you wanted to laugh, but another part—an irrational, confusing part—wondered if this was his way of trying to do something right, for once.

The rest of your shift passed in a blur. You tried to focus on the coffee orders and the chatter of the customers, but all you could think about was Rafe and the odd, fragile dynamic that had begun to take root.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

By the time you pulled into Rafe’s driveway later that evening, you could feel the exhaustion settling deep into your bones. But Willa needed you, and whether or not you wanted to admit it, Rafe did, too.

You took a deep breath before getting out of your car, trying to mentally prepare yourself for whatever awaited inside.

The house looked even bigger at night, the lights from the interior casting long shadows across the front yard. As you walked up the stone path, you noticed the faint scent of something cooking—garlic, herbs... something surprisingly warm and inviting.

When you stepped inside, the familiar coldness of the house hit you, but this time, there was something different. The warmth of a home-cooked meal filled the air, and for the briefest moment, it almost felt like things could be normal again.

Rafe was in the kitchen, his sleeves rolled up as he stood over the stove. He looked up when you entered, a slight tension in his posture as if he was still waiting for you to call him out on some unseen mistake.

“Hey,” you said quietly, watching him carefully. “Dinner smells good.”

He nodded, but didn’t meet your eyes. “It’s nothing fancy. Just pasta, I—uh, thought it might help if she had something warm.” His voice faltered, just a little, but he quickly recovered.

You glanced over at Willa, who was in her high chair, her small hands gripping the edge of the tray as she watched Rafe. She looked so small in the expansive room, and the sight hit you in a way you weren’t prepared for.

You walked over to her, gently picking her up from the chair. “Hey, little one,” you whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

Rafe turned away from the stove, his hands gripping the counter as he stared down at the floor. "I don't know what I'm doing. She won’t stop crying, and I... I don’t get it."

You felt a pang of sympathy, despite everything. You moved toward him, your voice soft. “It’s okay. You’re doing fine. It’s all new for both of us. You don’t have to have all the answers.”

Rafe looked up at you, his expression tense but vulnerable. "Yeah. I guess I just... I want to do right by her. I don’t want to screw this up."

You nodded, the weight of his words sinking in. 

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The sound of Willa’s cries echoed through the vast kitchen, filling the space with a noise that felt almost too loud for the house. She was tiny, yet her cries were fierce, relentless. It had been over an hour, and you were beginning to feel like you were running out of options. You had tried everything.

You’d fed her, changed her, rocked her. But no matter what you did, she wouldn’t stop. Willa’s little fists clenched and her body writhed in your arms, the tears never slowing, never quieting.

“Come on, Willa,” you muttered, trying to soothe her with the kind of gentle rocking you’d seen Sarah do a million times. But nothing worked. You glanced over at Rafe, who was standing across the kitchen with his arms crossed, looking both helpless and frustrated.

“I don’t get it,” he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his already messy hair. “Why the hell won’t she stop?”

You didn’t have an answer. Honestly, you didn’t know why she was crying, either. She had been fine all afternoon, playing with her toys, laughing when you made funny faces at her. But now, she was inconsolable, and it was starting to tear at your patience—and Rafe’s too.

You rocked Willa more gently, trying to keep calm. "I don’t know," you said softly, your voice low and soothing. “Maybe it’s... something else. She could be tired, or maybe she’s just upset. Babies have their moods.” You spoke from experience, but your words felt thin in the moment. You hadn’t expected to be thrown into this role, and you were starting to feel every bit of the weight of it.

Rafe glanced at you, his brow furrowing. “Do you think she’s sick?” he asked, his voice laced with genuine concern.

You shook your head. "I don't think so... I mean, she doesn’t have a fever. Maybe it's just... a bad moment." You were doing your best to sound confident, but even you didn’t believe the words you were saying.

Willa’s cries intensified, her tiny body wriggling in your arms, making it even harder to calm her. Your chest tightened with frustration, helplessness. It was hard enough to balance everything with the weight of the situation, but right now? You felt completely out of your depth.

“I don’t know what else to do,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. You looked over at Rafe, who hadn’t moved an inch since you started holding Willa. His face was tight, his eyes narrowed in frustration, but there was something else there, too—something you hadn’t expected: vulnerability.

He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. After a few more seconds of Willa’s crying, he finally broke the silence.

“Maybe I could try,” he offered, his voice a bit softer, tentative.

You were surprised at the offer. You’d never seen Rafe with kids—never even imagined him with a child this young. But there was something in the way he said it, a quiet desperation, that made you nod.

“Yeah. Try.” You handed Willa to him, careful not to jostle her too much as she continued to wail. She was still kicking her legs, her face scrunched up in distress.

Rafe hesitated for just a second before adjusting her in his arms, awkwardly holding her against his chest. His expression was uncertain, like he wasn’t quite sure what to do with this tiny person who was now his responsibility.

“Hey, Willa,” Rafe said softly, his voice surprisingly gentle. “It’s okay. You’re safe. We got you.”

He bounced her lightly, just enough to make her feel the rhythm of his movements. For a moment, nothing changed. Willa’s cries didn’t soften, but Rafe didn’t seem to mind. His focus was entirely on her, like he was determined to make it work.

You watched him for a moment, trying not to show your surprise. You didn’t think you’d ever see Rafe in this light. The way he moved, the way he spoke to Willa—there was something different in his tone, something real.

But the crying didn’t stop. Willa’s cries just seemed to escalate, as though she was testing him, testing you both.

Rafe gritted his teeth, adjusting his hold on her again, more firmly this time. “Alright, little one,” he muttered under his breath, his voice still trying to stay calm despite the rising frustration. "We’re gonna get this right. I swear."

He then shifted, trying a different approach, gently patting her back. He’d seen Sarah do it before, you knew, but it still felt foreign coming from him.

You, not sure what else to do, knelt beside him, trying to be as calm and soothing as possible. You placed a hand gently on Willa’s leg. “Shh… Willa, sweetie, it’s okay,” you cooed, matching Rafe’s rhythm.

And then, something unexpected happened. Slowly, gradually, Willa’s cries began to soften. Her body stopped wriggling as much, her little fists loosened. It wasn’t immediate, and it wasn’t magic, but her wails started to turn into quiet sobs, then sniffling, then, finally, she rested her head against Rafe’s chest.

You exhaled a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding.

"See?" you said softly, your heart still racing. "I told you it was just a moment."

Rafe, his face still a bit tense but now with a faint trace of relief, looked down at Willa. Her eyelids fluttered as she finally, finally, drifted off to sleep.

“I don’t get it,” he said quietly, shaking his head. “I tried everything, but... she calms down when you do that. When we’re both here.”

You shrugged, feeling the exhaustion in your own body. “Sometimes... it just takes both of us. Babies are unpredictable.” You didn’t know what else to say, because, truth be told, you didn’t really understand it either. But you knew one thing for sure—despite your differences, despite the chaos, this was something you could do together.

Rafe shifted his weight, still holding Willa carefully. “Thanks,” he said quietly, as if he hadn’t just gone through a whirlwind of frustration. It was brief, but there was sincerity in his voice. “I didn’t think... I mean, I wasn’t sure I could handle this.”

You glanced up at him, and for the first time in a long time, you saw something different in his eyes—something that wasn’t defiance or anger, but something closer to gratitude.

“You’re not alone in this,” you said softly. “We’ll figure it out, one step at a time.”

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The house had fallen into a strange stillness after Willa finally settled into bed, her little form bundled up in the crib, tucked in for the night. The hours of chaos, the endless crying, the uncertainty—it had all melted into a tense kind of quiet that felt almost too heavy to breathe through. You and Rafe were both exhausted, physically and emotionally, but the weight of the situation hadn’t lightened one bit.

You leaned against the counter in the kitchen, your fingers wrapped around a mug of warm tea, trying to find some semblance of calm. The silence was comforting in a way, but also suffocating. You and Rafe hadn’t exchanged many words since Willa had fallen asleep. There had been a brief moment where you’d both sat at the kitchen table, exhausted, sipping coffee in silence, but now it felt like the quiet was pressing in from all sides.

Rafe was standing by the window, his arms crossed, looking out into the darkened yard. He had been quiet for a while, but you could feel his presence like a weight in the room. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke.

"You know," he began, his voice low but firm. "I’ve been thinking. Maybe it would be better if you just moved in here."

You froze, your fingers tightening around the mug in your hands. "What?" You turned to face him, the surprise evident in your voice. "What are you talking about? Why would I—"

He cut you off, not giving you a chance to react. "Look, we’re both her guardians now, right? I get it—you have your life, your job, but you can’t keep going back and forth between here and the café. Willa needs us both, and we both need to be there for her."

You blinked, trying to process his words. "That’s... a huge thing to suggest, Rafe." You shook your head, stepping away from the counter, moving to the other side of the room. "You think it’s easy for me? You think I don’t have a life outside of this? I’ve got my job, my own responsibilities. I can’t just—move in here."

He turned, his gaze sharp as he watched you. "I’m not saying it would be permanent, but Willa... she’s not going to be okay if we’re both stressed out all the time. You’re already running yourself ragged. This way, you wouldn’t have to go back and forth. You could be here when she needs you, and you wouldn’t have to worry about missing shifts or running out of time."

You felt your pulse quicken, frustration creeping in. "You don’t get it, do you? It’s not just about time. This is my life, Rafe. I’m not just going to—what?—move in with you? Because that’s what you think is best?"

Rafe’s face hardened. "It’s not about what I think is best, [Y/N]. It’s about what Willa needs. You think it’s easy for me, either? I didn’t sign up for this. But here we are, and we both have to step up. We both have to make sacrifices."

Your breath hitched, your voice shaking with the weight of it all. "You think I haven’t thought about that? But this isn’t just about ‘stepping up,’ Rafe. This is about our lives. You can’t just dictate how things are going to work because you suddenly want to play house. I’m not some—"

"Not some what?" he snapped, cutting you off, his jaw tightening as his temper flared. "You think I’m asking for you to live with me because it’s some great idea? I’m trying to help you. You can’t keep doing this alone, and neither can I."

You felt a sting of anger rise in your chest, the frustration of everything spilling out. "I don’t need you to help me, Rafe. I don’t need you to fix everything. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of this!"

There was a long, painful silence that hung between you both, a tension that had been building ever since that damn phone call, and now, it seemed like it might tear everything apart.

Rafe exhaled sharply, his shoulders sagging slightly as the heat of his anger cooled into something more complicated, more raw. "I’m not trying to fix everything," he muttered, his voice quieter now, laced with frustration. "I’m just trying to do the right thing. I didn’t ask for any of this, either, but I can’t keep pretending it’s just going to work if we’re both barely holding on. You need help. I need help."

Your heart ached at the words, and for a brief moment, you thought you saw the cracks in his armor, the vulnerability he tried so hard to hide. But you pushed it aside, unwilling to let the floodgates open.

"I don’t need you, Rafe," you repeated, more firmly now. "I need to figure out how to do this on my own. We’re both her guardians, but I’m not going to make this—whatever this is—worse by complicating it. I can’t just move in here and pretend like that makes everything better."

His face tightened, the walls going back up, the Rafe you knew slipping behind his defenses. "Fine," he said, his voice flat. "Then keep living your life. Keep juggling it all, and see how far that gets you."

You shook your head, your words coming out in a rush. "You think this is easy for me? You think I don’t care? I care, Rafe. But this isn’t just about what’s easiest for you, or me, or anyone else. It’s about Willa. And right now, she needs more than just two people fighting over what’s best for her. She needs stability. She needs peace."

Rafe was silent for a long moment, the tension still thick in the room. His eyes flickered to the hallway where Willa’s room was, the soft rise and fall of her tiny chest visible through the crack of the door. His face softened for just a fraction of a second, but then he steeled himself again.

"Yeah," he said, his voice quieter now, though there was still a trace of frustration. "She needs peace. And maybe you’re right. Maybe this isn’t the right call." He turned his back to you, his body tense as if he was still holding onto something you couldn’t see.

You felt your anger begin to ebb, replaced by a quiet weariness that settled deep in your chest. You wanted to argue more, to fight for your space, for your independence. But the truth was, Rafe’s idea, crazy as it seemed, did make some sense. And yet, you couldn’t bring yourself to agree.

You stayed silent, the space between you growing more and more uncomfortable, until Rafe finally broke the stillness.

"I guess we’ll just have to figure it out, huh?" he said, his voice distant.

You nodded, though you weren’t sure if you were agreeing with him—or just acknowledging the mess you’d both gotten into.

"Yeah," you whispered. "I guess so."

And for the first time in a long time, the silence between you both wasn’t just filled with tension. It was filled with uncertainty.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ 

It had been weeks since the argument, weeks since you and Rafe had first clashed over what was best for Willa, what was best for the two of you. You’d spent those weeks bouncing between your place, Rafe’s, and the café, and with each passing day, it was becoming more and more clear that you couldn’t keep it up. You were running on fumes, your mind spinning with the constant demands of work, the responsibilities of being Willa’s guardian, and the weight of your personal life crumbling under the strain.

You couldn’t do it anymore.

It was a quiet morning when you finally made the decision. The sun had barely risen, casting a soft, golden glow across the living room of your small house. You hadn’t been home in days, had barely slept in your own bed. Willa was still adjusting to the routine, and the nights at Rafe’s were becoming more frequent. The constant back and forth was wearing you down.

You stood at the kitchen counter, staring at the coffee mug in your hand, the warmth barely reaching you. It was still early, and the sound of Rafe’s truck hadn’t yet filtered through the house. But today, you had to make it right.

You had to admit you couldn’t juggle it all.

The idea of moving in had been haunting you for days, but admitting it was another thing entirely. Rafe’s offer wasn’t just about practicality—it was about more than that. About Willa, about what you and Rafe were going to have to become for her. You’d been resisting it, pushing it away because it felt like giving up control of your life. But you knew you couldn’t keep going on this way.

And so, you made your decision.

When Rafe finally walked through the front door a few hours later, his presence filled the space like it always did—big, heavy, almost too much to ignore. He didn’t say anything at first, just kicked off his boots and moved to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water before leaning against the counter, his gaze flickering over to you.

“You good?” he asked, his voice low but not unkind.

You set your mug down, taking a deep breath before you spoke. “I’ve been thinking,” you said, your voice steady but with an undercurrent of hesitation. “And I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep bouncing between my place, yours, and work. It’s... it’s too much.”

Rafe’s brow furrowed slightly. “So what does that mean?”

You met his gaze, the weight of what you were about to say pressing down on you. “I’m going to move in. I can’t juggle all of this alone. But there are some conditions.”

Rafe tilted his head, his eyes narrowing just slightly in curiosity. “Conditions?” he echoed, a hint of skepticism in his voice. “Like what?”

You took a breath and laid it out, clear and firm. “First, I’m not giving up my job at the café. I need that. I need a space where I can breathe and do something for myself. I’m going to be there on my shifts, but I won’t be running myself into the ground. So, we need to find a rhythm that works. I can’t just be at home all day, every day. I have my own life, too.”

Rafe nodded slowly, processing the first part. “Okay. Makes sense.” He crossed his arms, waiting for the rest.

“Second,” you continued, your voice unwavering. “I’m not going to just be a ‘housewife’ or whatever. I need to be treated as an equal, I’m her legal guardian too, not some babysitter. I’ll help with Willa, but I can’t take on the full load. If we’re doing this, we’re both sharing it.”

Rafe didn’t argue with that. He gave a slight nod, the corners of his mouth twitching as if he were preparing for the next condition.

“And third,” you added, stepping forward, your gaze never leaving his. “We set some boundaries. This is for Willa. We’re doing this for her, but I’m not moving in here for any other reason. We need to keep things professional—for her sake. I’m not moving in here just to... make things weird.” You paused, feeling the tension rise between you. “If we’re doing this, it’s for Willa. Nothing more, nothing less.”

There was a long silence between you two as Rafe absorbed your words. He was silent for a moment, then exhaled through his nose, a sound of reluctant agreement. “Fair enough,” he said. “I can deal with that. We both need to be in this equally. No one person doing more than the other.” He glanced over at you, a little more seriously now. “And about the boundaries... I’m not trying to make this any more complicated than it has to be. I get it. You’re here to help with Willa, and I’m not going to make that weird.”

It was strange, the way things were shifting between you both. There was a subtle shift in his tone, something closer to understanding. As much as Rafe might have wanted to fight you on it, you knew he respected the fact that you were being clear about your limits.

“So, what now?” he asked, breaking the silence. “You move in today?”

You nodded. “Yeah. But, you’ll have to help me get my stuff together. I’m not just leaving everything behind, Rafe.” You allowed a small, almost imperceptible smile to tug at the corner of your lips. “You’re not getting off that easy.”

Rafe smirked, the tension breaking between you two for the first time in weeks. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll help. Just don’t expect me to pack your clothes.”

You laughed quietly, feeling the weight on your chest lift just a little. “I don’t need you to pack my clothes. I just need you to be... not a pain in the ass while I get settled in.”

Rafe raised an eyebrow. “No promises there.”

You shook your head, a soft chuckle escaping your lips. It was a step in the right direction, you told yourself. A step toward figuring out how to make this new life work.

Maybe it wasn’t going to be easy. Maybe it would take time, patience, and more compromises than you had ever imagined. But one thing was clear: you couldn’t do this on your own. And maybe, just maybe, with Rafe by your side, you could figure out what it meant to be a family, even if it wasn’t the family you’d ever expected.

With a deep breath, you took the first step.

"Alright," you said. "Let’s go get my stuff."

© 2024 rafeskai | All rights reserved. This fanfiction is a work of fiction inspired by characters from Outer Banks, and no part of it may be reproduced or distributed without permission.

[atthecenterofeverything]

something interesting about succession that I've rarely seen these Eat the Rich movies do is that it completely lacks the figure of the benevolent commoner who raised the children and cares for the estate and works beyond his paycheck because underneath it all he thinks of them as his family, or even just the selfless man who handles all of the family's dirty business - sure, a figure that's mostly associated with aristocracy, but not exclusively, and in any case it's absent on both logan's and caroline's side. colin is omnipresent in the show if you look but it never attempts to describe their relationship in any terms but financial - most emotion there is disinterest, or fear of the power imbalance. jess sees a better opportunity away from kendall and takes it. you can't walk away from the show thinking that any of the siblings' relationship to people can remain unaffected by their status (or that its effects can be even mildly mitigated by "genuine" affection, whatever that means) despite all 4 of them's clear and repeated insistence to the contrary. like these people don't love you and never will lol and no one is going down with your ship if they can help it cause you wouldn't either

[hgfictionwriter]

Self Control: Part Seven - Proposing

Jessie Fleming x Reader

Summary: You are part of Jessie's future and she wants to make it official. With a ring and a plan, she lets you know how much you and your growing family mean to her.

Warnings: G!P smut. G!P sex, preg and breeding kinks, some possessive language/content, language.

A/N: Mostly fluff, but a bit of smut as well. The rest of the series can be found here. Thank you all for reading!

“Jess!”

“Yeah?” Jessie called back, her gaze lifting from her bag towards the bedroom.

“Can you come here?” You called back.

Jessie huffed quietly. She was focused on making sure absolutely everything was in order and didn’t want to get distracted. She triple checked the placement of the small black box before she zipped up the bag and headed into the bedroom where you were getting changed.

She’d planned a hike for you two this morning. Nothing crazy strenuous, but a lesser known, still very scenic path that she hoped wouldn’t be too busy at this hour.

When Jessie walked in she saw you standing sideways in front of the mirror and examining your profile. You had your shirt raised and your pants undone with one hand gliding over your stomach. You looked up to her as she approached.

“I think I’m starting to show,” you relayed with an undertone of wonderment. You eyes returned to the mirror. “Or my pants are just snug because of, you know, all my snacking lately.”

Jessie vaguely registered your joke and offered a faint laugh, but she was much too focused on the first half of what you said. Her eyes were set on your torso as she came up, she laid two hands on your stomach, her thumbs softly caressing and feeling.

She felt your eyes on her and she lowered herself to knees in front of you to get a better look. Tension settled in her forehead as she examined you, looking for signs of what she’d been hoping to see from the beginning.

A slow smile spread across her face as she noted the slightest swell. She looked up at you right away, eyes shimmering and meeting your curious frown. She kissed your stomach.

“I think you’re showing, too,” Jessie said brightly.

You were nearly at the 4 month mark, so it was still a touch early, but all things indicated that your baby was growing well and growing strong, so showing now was entirely possible. Sure, you’d been bloated at various times, of course, but this seemed different.

She laid another, lingering kiss on the slight swell of your stomach where your baby was starting to make themselves known. She pulled back, looking at the very subtle bump, her hands still resting on it.

“Hi,” Jessie said, her voice soft but brimming with excitement. “Hi my little one. Are you growing nice and big for us? Momma’s doing such a good job of taking care of you.” She offered you a smile. “Gosh, I can’t believe we’ll finally be able to see you. In some sense anyway. Pretty soon you’ll be able to give us a soft,” she gave you an exaggerated look, “kick to let us know you’re good and happy.”

You rest one hand on top of Jessie’s and the other caressed her hair. You looked down to your stomach as well.

“Considering who your mommy is, you’ll probably be quite the kicker,” you chuckled, stroking your stomach now. “Try to go easy on me.”

Jessie laughed and kissed your belly once more.

“Alright, little one. I’m going to take Momma on a nice hike this morning. Get some fresh air, get the blood flowing. And someday, we’ll get to take you on hikes too. Carrying you on my back, your little head peeking over my shoulder as you’re pointing at all the trees and things you’re curious about - I can’t wait to show you and tell you all about them.”

A light blush formed on her face as she stood up, now more fully aware of your adoring gaze. She smiled coyly as you kissed her cheek. She pulled you into a gentle hug before stepping back.

“Are you okay to wear these?” She asked as she gestured to your hiking pants. No stores would be open right now, so if you needed a new pair, there was no way you’d be on the trail before the crowds. A small wave of anxiety started to build in the back of Jessie’s mind at the thought, but it quickly diminished with a nod of your head.

“They’re tight, but they’re fine. I’ll need something a bit more forgiving soon though,” you said with a laugh.

“Okay, sounds good.”

——————

Jessie carried the backpack as you two walked the trail between the trees. Rays of light from the early sun filtered through the branches and leaves and Jessie shouldn’t have been surprised to see at least a few other people on the trail, but it worked her up nonetheless.

“Can we stop for a sec?” You asked as you stilled and she stopped with you. “I need some water.”

“Of course,” Jessie said readily as she retrieved the water bottle and handed it to you.

You gulped down a few sips and offered it back to her with a slight frown.

“Are you okay? You’re awfully quiet this morning,” you teased lightly.

Jessie’s eyebrows raised in surprise as she took a swig of water.

“Oh? No, I’m fine. I’m just appreciating my surroundings,” she said with a reassuring smile.

“Alright, if you say so,” you said, not entirely convinced, but accepting it regardless.

“How are you feeling? Okay still?” Jessie inquired. You gave her a slightly chiding look.

“I’m totally fine. Thank you for asking though.”

She nodded and offered you the water bottle again, which you waved off. She tucked it away.

“Ready to go?”

It was true that she was quieter than usual, and that remained true as you carried on up the trail. Jessie had idly thought about this moment for years, but in recent months it was crisp, clear and front of mind.

She thought anxiously about the little box she tucked away earlier. Did she put it in there? Yes. Did she check that the ring was inside? Yes - where else would it be? What was she going to say? She knew. And even if she didn’t, her feelings for you were so deeply engrained she could’ve come up with something on the spot anyway.

She was driving herself crazy. She barely slept the night before. And she knew it was silly. You were having her baby, thrilled about it too, you were buying a house together, you were so compatible - she knew you would say ‘yes’. Yet, she laid there last night as cuddled up to you as she could get without waking you, nervous, yet one look at you put her at ease.

It filled her with a sense of awe - taking in your sleeping form last night or glancing over at you this morning as you walked - this woman who, years and years prior, Jessie didn’t even know existed, but now could never live without.

In some ways it was hard to picture a life before you. And it’s not that she felt unhappy before you - she’d had a very good, privileged life, full of loving family, great friends, and amazing experiences. Sure, her romantic life had never really been much to shout about, but she hadn’t really cared. She had more than enough to keep her busy and her life didn’t lack for care and love.

Yet, once you came into her life, from the moment her chest first twinged when you laughed at one of her lame jokes and smiled at her the way you do, everything changed. How could life have been complete before you? It certainly wouldn’t be without you, now.

Jessie was so lost in her thoughts that before she knew it you were both arriving at the ridge. You stopped as you reached the lookout.

“Oh my gosh, it’s beautiful, Jess,” you said as you surveyed the view before you. “Oh, look, you can see the river cutting through over there.”

She looked to where you pointed, but frankly she was more enamoured with the pink tinge of your cheeks, the dewiness of your skin and the way your shoulders rose and fell.

Her eyes were trained on you as she swung her backpack around and unzipped it. She reached it, but stilled when she heard voices coming up the path behind her.

You both looked over your shoulders to see a couple walking up. Jessie subconsciously frowned at them, glaring probably, but relaxed her features when they smiled at you both and gave a small wave of greeting.

Jessie huffed quietly as she snuck the box into her pocket and flung her bag back over her shoulder.

“Let’s take a picture,” you told her as you beckoned her in. She tried to refocus on the moment and gave you a delayed smile as she wrapped an arm around you and you took a few photos together. She snuck a kiss against your cheek and adored the way you giggled about it.

Jessie walked around, very determinedly looking around and taking pictures as she waited out the other couple. They were finally retreating down the path when suddenly spotted a few bright pops of colour approaching through the trees.

“Are you kidding me?” She thought as a new set of hikers approach. She exhaled steadily through her nose and kicked lightly at the ground.

“When do you want to go back?” You asked after a few more minutes.

“Um, I’m just capturing a few more pics,” she said with a shrug as she continued to look through the viewfinder of her camera. You nodded an occupied yourself by wandering elsewhere on the ridge.

Several more minutes passed and Jessie could feel the tension in her shoulders growing as the other group lingered.

"I love that you appreciate nature the way that you do, but I'm going to have to go pee if we stay up here for that much longer," you told her and Jessie let out an irritated sigh. You shot her a look. "Oh, I'm sorry if your baby pushing on my bladder is an inconvenience for you," you said only half joking. "I'm fine peeing in the bush, I was just letting you know. Geez."

Now Jessie was really stressed. She shot a mild glare at the hikers who now finally seemed to be gathering up their things to leave.

"I'm sorry, babe," Jessie said imploringly, though her eyes were still on the group. She lowered her voice. "I just- I'm just irritated that there are other hikers here. It's not you. I promise."

"Why does that matter?"

Jessie didn't answer right away as her eyes followed the group disappearing down the path. She waited them out and could feel the annoyance start to emanate off of you.

As the last person disappeared out of sight she spun around on her heel to face you, that weight of tension dissipating immediately only to be replaced with a new kind as she stood before you and the significance of this moment began to mount.

You stood before her, arms now folded over your chest as you scrutinized her before holding out a hand in question. Despite how cross you were, Jessie couldn't help but smile at you.

"What?" You asked, mild irritation in your voice.

Jessie continued to smile at you. "I just love you," she said simply.

You rolled your eyes and looked away, but allowed a half smile to peek out across your lips.

"Yeah, alright," you mumbled, granting a small glance back at her, the smile on your face more than a hint now.

"I really do," she repeated. You looked at her again, now holding her gaze and she knew you were about to fire a quip of some kind at her. She spoke first.

"I have for so long," she went on. "When we first met, sitting around that boardroom I couldn't stop looking at you." You smirked, laughing lightly.

"I noticed," you said, as you always did when you both talked about that moment. Jessie chuckled and took your hands in hers.

"It wasn't just how you looked. It was how you carried yourself. The way you spoke. The way you approached things. Without even knowing you, I was curious to know your opinions, your thoughts - I wanted to know everything," she said.

"And thankfully we had to keep talking," you added. You shrugged playfully. "Which was alright. A few people around the office had talked about what a big deal it was having you onside for a project; guess I had to see what the fuss was all about."

"And thankfully I impressed you enough that you were willing to go for coffee with me even though the collab was over," she said. "You made me so nervous, yet entirely calm at the same time. I was already falling for you by the time we went on that date. By the end? It was a done deal."

"Date," you emphasized with a laugh as Jessie chuckled. "I still can't believe you didn't tell me that was a date."

She tilted her chin up pridefully with a grin. "I knew it was a date." She lifted your hand and kissed it, pulling a smirk out of you.

"Well, I figured it out when you kissed me at the end," you teased. Jessie gave an exaggerated shrug.

"What can you do? When it's right, it's right." She grew earnest. "And with you, it's the only time it's felt right to me. From the beginning to now. Every up, and even the downs - I've never had any doubt that we would ride them out together. That we'd choose each other every night and every day. Whether it's something small or simple, like going to the market together or tidying up the apartment, or something huge, like starting a family together - it's you and only you for me."

Jessie took in the soft smile on your face as she spoke and noted the shift of surprise as she lowered herself to one knee and released your hand to reach into her pocket. She couldn't help but laugh affectionately at the expression on your face as she revealed the small box and opened it before you.

When she'd pictured this moment, she anticipated she'd be a bundle of nerves, heart racing, pulse pounding in her ears. Instead, she smiled up at you and spoke easily.

"You've been so much more to me than a girlfriend for so long. And there is absolutely no word or title that could properly capture what you mean to me, but, until there's something even more, I would be honoured to call you my wife. Y/N, will you marry me?"

"Jess," you said sweetly with a soft laugh as you gave her a light tug, coaxing her to her feet and you pulled her into a kiss. "Of course I will," you said when you pulled back, a hand on her cheek. Jessie beamed with a happy laugh and you pulled her into a tight hug.

You suddenly laughed as you held one another in this embrace. "I was going to say, 'You don't even have to ask' but I guess you do."

Jessie chuckled and gave you a squeeze before pulling back and kissing you once more.

"Are you going to wear my ring or what?" She joked as she held up the box. "You're doing this all out of order."

"Then put it on me," you said with as you held out her hand for her. She smiled at you before she slid the ring onto your finger. She looked up at you inquiringly as you held your hand up to look at the ring.

"It's beautiful, Jess," you told her and she set her shoulders back proudly at your approval. You narrowed your eyes at her teasingly. "And just because I'm going to be your wife doesn't mean you can control me. I'll do things in whatever order I want," you went on haughtily.

"Don't I know it," she accepted with an affectionate smirk.

You kissed her once more and when you drew back, the expression on your face cause Jessie to frown.

"I hope you're not just proposing because I'm pregnant. I'm not that traditional - clearly," you questioned. "I only want to get married if that's truly what you want. Not just because you feel the two have to go hand in hand."

Jessie was shaking her head adamantly before you were even done speaking.

"That's not it. I guess it seems that way, but no. You were going to be my wife at one point or another - granted you'd say 'yes' -" she interjected with a mumble, "so why not now? I mean, we've lived together for years, we're having a baby together, we're buying a house together. We're as good as married, why not make it official?"

You gave her a soft smile and kissed her cheek.

"True. And let me be really clear - yes, I do want to marry you. But," Jessie's chest seized up and she did her best to not show it. "because of all the things you mentioned, I don't want to get married now."

"I-I don't understand," Jessie said, blinking at you as she tried to process your wishes.

You moved in closer to her, wrapping your arms around the back of her neck and looked into her eyes. Jessie held you in her arms, the feeling so natural despite the uncertainty around what you meant.

"We're having a baby. We're buying a house and moving. A wedding alone would be a huge undertaking - as much as both of us would want something small and intimate, I really don't know how it'll be possible - so especially in that case, it's going to take a lot of planning and effort. I just feel like we have so much on our plate already. I think our little one is setting the timeline for us - calling the shots already, can you believe it?" You paused with a smile, but carried on as Jessie's expression remained unchanged.

"I don't want to rush a wedding. And, say what you want, but the thought of being pregnant during our wedding or leading up to it just doesn't sound like fun. And I'd love for our baby to be part of our day. All I'm saying is, I don't know when we'll get married. But yes, I absolutely want to marry you."

"That's more than good enough for me. Sounds incredible, in fact," Jessie accepted with a nod, nerves now settled and her mind now thinking about your baby being part of wedding. "They could be in our pictures. Maybe a little, tiny ring bearer - oh my gosh," she went on. You laughed adoringly.

"You're such a softie," you teased. Jessie snuck a kiss.

"To be clear, I wasn't necessarily thinking of a wedding right away, I just wanted to make it official that I want you to be my wife, and I want to be yours."

"I love that," you told her as you gave her a slow kiss. You held up her hand in yours after. "Can we get you a ring now, too? If I'm going to wear your ring for the next couple of years, I want you to wear one as well."

Jessie smiled brightly, her chest warming at the thought of you wanting to stake claim on her as well.

"That sounds amazing to me."

-------

That afternoon, Jessie laid freshly showered on the bed in shorts and a t-shirt reading as she waited for you to finish showering. You came out wrapped in a towel and walked over to the dresser to start pulling some clothes out.

"Hey, this first," Jessie said as she beckoned you over, your ring held between her fingers. You smiled and walked over to her side of the bed and held out your hand for her. She beamed as she slid the ring onto your finger again.

"You look very pleased with yourself," you teased as you eventually pulled your hand back.

"That's one way of putting it," she reciprocated with a smug grin. "I think it looks perfect on your hand. Can't believe I didn't give you a ring sooner."

You snickered at her. "I'm a little surprised too considering how possessive you can be." As if on cue, Jessie's eyes flashed with that familiar sensation.

"Mm," she voiced, gripping your hand again and pulling you onto the bed. You held your towel as you straddled her and she placed a hand over yours. "Come on, baby. You don't need this."

You gave her a knowing smirk and allowed her to pull the towel away from your body.

"You're so gorgeous. And you're mine," Jessie said, nearly in a daze as she took you in. "If not for this," she held up your hand, the diamonds in the ring catching the rays of sun that filtered into the room, "then for this," she went on as she laid her other hand atop the subtle swell of your stomach.

"Shit, Jess," you said as you bit your lip and looked away. You returned to meet her with a teasing gaze. "I thought you said you wanted to go to the store."

"The store can wait," she said as she gently rolled her hips up into you, her cock already starting to harden. "I'd rather take care of my fiancée."

"Is that so?" You said playfully as you began to ground yourself back against her.

"Mhmm," Jessie said, her hands now gripping your hips, thumbs digging into the tops of your thighs. She smirked. "We have to consummate our engagement. That's a thing, right?"

"Mm," you nodded. "Definitely."

"Promise me one thing?" You prompted as you continued to work yourself against her. Jessie exhaled unsteadily as she saw cum marks on her shorts from where you were grinding against her.

"Anything," Jessie puffed out as her hands moved with your hips.

"Promise me we'll get married before you knock me up again," you said very nonchalantly. Jessie's eyes shot up from your heat up to your face at the request.

You chuckled and rolled your hips skillfully against her. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she held her breath in her lungs. She exhaled in a laugh at how you smiled, very satisfied with yourself.

"Well, based on everything that's occurred over the past few months. Including how your cock is aching to be inside of me again at the mention of how I'm starting to swell with your baby, I'd say you may be eager for us to make baby #2 sooner rather than later."

"Fuck," Jessie released in a slow breath. "Jesus Christ, babe," she went on as she began to grind herself up into your with greater force.

"Let's get these clothes off of you," you said benevolently as you swung a leg off of her and began to undress her.

Soon enough, you were straddling her once more, your slick folds sliding directly along the length of her cock which was pressed flat against her lower torso now.

"So? Do you promise?" You asked as you slowly slid up and down her, causing her whole body to jolt when you slid against the head of her cock before sliding back down.

She exhaled through her mouth as you rubbed yourself up and down her, small moans starting to fall from your lips as you angled your clit against her. She pulsed as she watched the way her cock spread your lips and you began to coat her length with your arousal.

"I promise," Jessie told you, dragging her eyes up your body to meet yours. "You may need to remind me though," she added with a smirk.

She exhaled again, trying to steady herself as she helped guide your movements. "You are so tempting and you looking so gorgeous already carrying my baby."

"I'll try to remind you," you told her teasingly before you leaned further forward, allowing Jessie's cock to rise up. You positioned yourself and slowly sank down onto her, both of you moaning at the feeling.

Okay. Yes. Fucking you bare and raw with the pure intent of giving you her baby or simply worshiping you for carrying her baby was going to be something she'd miss.

Jessie's mouth hung open as you began to steadily rise and fall on her cock, her fingers digging into your hips to the point that her fingertips were nearly white.

"God, you're beautiful," she said in devotion as she gazed at you. "I can't believe you're going to be my wife."

You leaned down, kissing her deeply as your rode her, rolling your hips in emphasis.

"And you'll be mine."

Jessie sat up, wrapping her arms around your waist as she did so and you braced your hands on her shoulders. She held you in her embrace and kissed you deeper. Though she loved admiring you as you rode her, she wanted to be closer to you and feel you against her as you made love.

"I love you so much," she proclaimed as she began kissing your neck.

"God," you breathed between moans, "I love you, too."

As she held you in her arms, she was overwhelmed.

First, there was the incomparable feeling of how you wrapped tightly around her cock, massaging her up and down as you rode her, along with the sounds of your soft breaths and moans filling her head.

Then there was the reality that you were finally showing; the life that you both made was growing inside of you and your body was changing with it. Jessie could see it, she could feel it; it was a gentle, barely there curve of your stomach, but it was there and it had her feeling so many ways.

And now, you were going to be her wife. It was official. You were wearing her ring and she'd wear yours.

Jessie looked up at you, your cheeks flushed, lips parted as you grew closer and closer to your high. She felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes as all of these emotions and feelings collided. She couldn't believe how lucky she was.

"I love you more than anything," she professed as she kissed down your neck. "My beautiful wife."

"I love you too, Jess. So much. But I'm not your wife just yet," you said with a teasing nibble at her earlobe. She pulled back and gave you a deep frown.

"Don't," she warned.

"What?" You asked innocently as you lifted up and down repeatedly, knowing her so well that you rose exactly to the point where she could nearly pop out to tease her sensitive tip, before sinking down and engulfing her once more. You panted. "Are you picturing me with someone else?"

Jessie growled, clutching you tighter against her and you laughed before giving her a placating kiss.

"Don't be silly. I need to lock you down. I know girls are always fawning over you. It would be easy for you to be with someone else."

"I don't want anyone else," she responded unequivocally. She held your gaze. "I want you. I want your mind, your body, your soul, your time - I want everything."

She didn't break her gaze. Sometimes you two talked dirty during sex, and sometimes your most open and vulnerable declarations were during it. Regardless of where you fell on this, she needed you to hear her. You kissed her slowly, your hands cupping her face.

"Then I'm yours."

"Always," Jessie said, thrusting harder up into you now. "I need you."

You wrapped your arms more fully around her and rode her faster. "I need you too."

Sweat sheened on both your skin as you both drew closer to your climax.

"Jess," you panted. "I'm so close. I need you to cum inside me."

"Oh fuck," she groaned as a wave of pleasure shot through her length at just the mention of spilling inside of you.

She felt your nails dig into her back and she let out a groan deep in her throat as you began to pulse around her cock and you grasped her body tightly against you, whimpering in her ear.

Jessie let out a cry as she let go and ropes of cum began to coat your insides. Her fingers dug into the small of your back and you arched into her even further as she rest her teeth against your shoulder, and used every ounce of will to not bite down.

You'd stilled, your breathing ragged, and after a while Jessie softened inside of you. When you eventually went to get off of her, she helped you as your legs shook slightly.

Jessie looked down at the pool of cum that had leaked out of you and onto the bed. She smirked at you. "So much for clean sheets."

"Clean sheets? So much for having a shower."

"Well," Jessie said slowly as she kissed your shoulder and began kissing down your arm, "if you're going to shower again, first, we might as well really make it worth it. And secondly, I can help you shower."