#the songs full of innuendos. I had to make my own

[cozystars]

senshi’s my lil gumdrop <3

[cherryobx]

Illicit affairs

a/n: last fic of my 2.4k picnic! thank u all for requesting and participating! i love yall! also, this song is so Rafe fr

pairing: Rafe Cameron x pogue!reader

summary: you're tired of keeping your relationship a secret

warnings: rafe is a simp but also so stupid, language, like one sexual innuendo i think, mentions of alcohol, drugs and doing them (idk if i missed anything but if i did pls let me know)

wc: 4.3k

Even though it wasn’t technically wrong in any way, it seemed that way. People in Kildare had been separated into two for so long that it made it almost sinful or illegal in a sense for a pogue and a kook to be together. But you loved him. You loved Rafe.

You met him at Midsummers. Sarah begged you to go with her because she didn’t want to go alone and converse with all the snotty kooks there, even though she herself was a part of that society unfortunately. She just needed someone there for her so she could make this evening a bit less insufferable.

“It doesn’t seem so bad, to be honest,” you said looking around yourself and the people there who were dressed in all kinds of fancy outfits. You yourself included.

Sarah offered to buy you a dress. You denied her offer at first but after rummaging through your own closet you finally said yes to her. You didn’t have anything to wear to an event like that. You also didn’t want people to make fun of you or notice immediately that you definitely didn’t belong there.

Sarah was happy to help you out and go shopping together. It took you a whole day to find something you not only liked but felt confident in. You also kept your eye on the price tags and made sure to not pick anything super expensive because you were planning on paying her back. Even though she insisted that it was a gift and she didn’t want your money.

“Trust me. It will get worse as people drink. They start getting chatty and ask too many questions that I don’t wanna answer.” She scoffed and took a sip of her champagne flute.

“Like what?” you asked curiously.

“Every year they’re like ‘are you seeing anyone’, ‘what college are you going to’, ‘planning on getting married’ or stuff like that. Like let me live. It’s none of their business. One time this older lady kept telling me I needed to lose weight. Like what? It’s insane.”

Your eyes are wide in slight shock. “Yeah, they never know when to shut up, do they?” 

“No, they do not.”

And then your eyes met his. He was standing across the room with a bunch of his friends. Rafe tilted his head as he looked at you curiously. You felt almost exposed under his gaze. There was a small smirk on his face as he raised his glass, saluting you, before downing its contents with one gulp. 

You were sure he knew you weren’t a kook. He saw right through you. But you didn’t find it in you to care. 

You mimicked his actions and the smirk on his face grew into a smile.

You kept stealing glances at each other throughout the night and once Sarah was pulled away by some of her acquaintances, Rafe made his move

He was standing at your side in a second. “You lost?”

“Why would I be lost?” you asked, turning your head so you could look up at him.

“Because you don’t belong here, sweetheart.” 

Your heart rate picked up at the pet name he used, making you nervous. He was so attractive, although you didn’t want to admit it to yourself. He looked really good in his suit. He wasn’t wearing a tie and the first couple buttons of his shirt were undone.

“That obvious?” You chuckled and took a sip of your champagne.

“Surprisingly not really. But I’ve seen you running around with your pogue friends so I know you’re not a kook.”

“That I am not. But I’m a friend of Sarah’s. She invited me here so please don’t rat me out,” you pleaded.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, pretty girl. See you around.” He left as suddenly as he arrived, leaving you standing there with a dumbfounded look on your face and a stomach full of butterflies. 

Pretty girl.

Somehow, through many coincidences, you and Rafe kept seeing each other around more often. At Tannyhill when you were visiting Sarah, at your work, on the street. It wasn’t like you hadn’t seen him around before but it was weird how you seemed to run into him much more after the Midsummer incident.

Your relationship with Rafe took off after one night at Tannyhill when you couldn’t sleep so you wandered around the house and ran into Rafe in the kitchen who was getting a late night snack.

“Well look who it is?” He smirked. “Isn’t that my favorite pogue?”

“Am I not the only pogue you’re not absolutely disgusted by?” You asked and hopped onto the kitchen island, sitting there and dangling your legs.

Rafe took in your appearance. You were wearing shorts and a large hoodie. You looked really cozy. He almost wanted to tuck you to bed and give you a goodnight kiss, which he realized was an absolute crazy thought to have.

“Hence why you’re my favorite.” He stood next to you, booped your nose, and leaned against the counter, facing you. 

“Want one?” He held out a small bowl full of strawberries that he had previously washed and removed the tops from.

“Sure. Thanks.” You looked at him for a second before taking one from the bowl and popping it into your mouth. It seemed insane to be on speaking terms with the Rafe Cameron who was known for being an asshole to pogues.

Another thought you had, which you also thought was an insane one, was that he was beautiful. He had always been extremely handsome but in that moment, in the moonlight, he was breathtaking.

“You’re thinking really loud,” he commented after catching you staring at him with a disconnected look in your eyes.

You’re shaken from your trance and your eyes meet his. “What?”

“I said you’re thinking loud, kid.” 

Again with the nicknames. You were pretty certain he knew what he was doing.

“Oh umm…” you started but then he scooted closer to you and all thoughts vanished from your head.

And he noticed. Of course he noticed. Rafe was not stupid. He knew what kind of effect he had on girls. But he liked your reactions especially. He found himself liking you, actually. He never thought he’d like a pogue, that he’d not be repulsed by one. But with you it seemed to be the opposite. He was drawn to you.

“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” he asks. He pushed himself off the counter, putting down his bowl of strawberries, and forced himself between your legs. You instinctively made more room for him, accommodating his large frame in your space.

“Nothing much.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Really? You were so deep in thought just a second ago.”

He places his hands on your bare thighs, feeling your warm skin under his palms. You looked down and saw how big his hands were and swallowed thickly.

“It’s nothing.”

“Don’t be coy. Share with the class.”

You laughed. “What class, Rafe?” 

He smiled. “Come on, baby. Don’t be shy. I shared my strawberries with you.”

“A strawberry for my thoughts?”

His smile widened, revealing his perfect teeth. “Exactly.”

“What do you wanna know?” You raise an eyebrow at him in question.

He shrugs. “Just what you’re thinking.”

“I’m thinking that the moonlight is very pretty.” It was not completely a lie but also not the full truth. And Rafe knew that.

He squeezed your thighs with his hands. “What else?”

“That you’re really close to me.” He leaned even closer at that. He was so close your noses were almost touching. His eyes darted to your lips for a second before he looked back up at your eyes.

“Are you bothered by that?”

“No.”

“Anything else on your mind?” You couldn’t help but look down at his lips too. It was just a second but Rafe caught that. Of course he did.

“No.”

“No?”

“No,” you confirmed, obviously not being honest. There were about a million scenarios in your head at that moment and all of them included Rafe’s lips on yours and his tongue in your mouth.

“Fucking liar.”

“I’m not lying,” you tried to deny it but he saw right through you.

“You’re not lying?”

You shook your head.

“Is that so?” 

You nodded. Rafe smiled and leaned in. Your lips were just about to touch.”Why are you lying to me?”

You open your mouth to once again deny his claims but he interrupted you even before you could begin. “Be honest, baby.”

Baby.

“I’m thinking about your lips.” You were almost shocked at your own words, they just slipped out. 

“My lips? What about them?” He knew exactly what you meant but found joy in teasing the living hell out of you.

“They look so kissable.” You were wondering if you were drunk because you’d never say stuff like that to him of all people in the daylight.

“Then you should probably find out if they are as kissable as they look.”

You blinked at him. “Why are you acting like this?”

He looked confused as he furrowed his eyebrows. “Like what?”

“You’re flirting with me. And touching me.”

“So? Can’t I? Say the word and I’ll back off.”

“No, it’s just that I’m a pogue. Don’t you like want to light me on fire and stuff?”

His forehead fell to your shoulder as he chuckled. “Light you on fire? You’re funny, kid.”

Kid.

“Don’t you?”

He raised his head and looked you in the eyes again. “I would like to do many things to you but lighting you on fire is not one of them.”

“Then why are you flirting with me?”

“Is it that crazy that I actually like you? That I’m attracted to you?”

“Kind of,” you admit. 

“Why?”

“Because you’re a kook? Because you’re insanely hot and I can’t imagine you wanting anything to do with me?”

“You think I’m hot?”

You rolled your eyes. “Don’t let it get to your head. Your ego is big enough as it is.”

“You know what else is big?” He wiggled his eyebrows and smirked knowingly.

You gave him a gentle shove but laughed nonetheless. “Shut up.”

He laughed alongside you and it felt good. It was fun. He was fun. You never thought you could use that word to describe Rafe but that’s how it felt.

When your laughter died down he got this look in his eyes that could only be described as ‘hungry’. He wanted something, craved something.

Automatically you angled your body towards his. It was like something was pulling you. A magnet of sorts, perhaps.

Once again you found yourself close. You were too close for a pogue and a kook anyway but too close for two random people as well.

His eyes met yours in a plea. And you took the leap, leaning in and connecting your lips. He didn’t waste a second to kiss you back. It was slow and almost sweet at first, experimental. But then it got heated. Hands everywhere.

You didn’t find it in yourself to care about the consequences or future in that moment. You didn’t care that it was socially not acceptable for you to be making out with a kook. You just didn’t care. You just wanted to kiss him.

After that night, these meetings started happening intentionally. Sometimes Rafe sneaked into your house, other times you snuck into his. You found each other at every party, every event. It became serious. But both of you knew that this was meant to be a secret. This relationship was only for you two, no one else.

“Make sure no one sees you, okay?” You stood on your front porch, Rafe in front of you who was about to leave. He had spent the night but had to leave before your parents woke up. They’d kill you if they knew you were dating a kook, Rafe Cameron at that. The sun was starting to rise and the birds were chirping. It was a beautiful morning.

You grabbed the hood of his hoodie and pulled it up to cover him up as much as possible. You didn’t want to risk anything.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ll take the other route, no one really uses it.” He leaned down to press a kiss to your lips. “Bye, baby.”

“Bye.” You waved him off and watched him drive away.

Soon, your friends started suspecting that something was going on. They saw how happy and glowing you looked, tremendously more than you usually were, but couldn’t figure out for the life of them what or who exactly it was.

“What’s got you in such a good mood lately?” Kie asked one day when all of you were sitting in John B’s backyard, you, Kie, and Sarah in the hammock and the guys in lawn chairs.

You shrugged “It’s summer.”

“Bullshit,” JJ scoffed.

“Bullshit?” Did they really see right through you?

“Yeah. I’ve never seen you like this,” he commented, narrowing his eyes at you like he was trying to see into your brain and what was going on in there.

“Like what?”

They all looked at each other, speaking only with their eyes. That meant that they had discussed this topic previously and were hesitant to bring up their suspicions.

“You seem…in love,” Sarah said. It was actually kind of ironic how she was the one who spoke up. If she only knew it was her own brother who you were seeing.

“In love? What?” You tried to play it off by acting confused. “I'm as single as ever.”

Pope rolled his eyes at you. “Yeah right. You know you’re a horrible liar right?”

“Shut up.”

“We’re going to find out eventually who this mystery lover is. It’s either you tell us or we’ll do some investigating.”

You suddenly became nervous. “Just drop it guys. Okay?”

They raised their hands in surrender but exchanged quick looks with each other which told you that the topic wasn’t as much as dropped as it was postponed.

Later that night you snuck off to see Rafe. You excused yourself and lied that you were tired and your head was hurting. They didn’t seem convinced but didn’t start prying either. You made sure you weren’t followed when you biked to Tannyhill. 

Sneaking into his house wasn’t very hard. The place is huge, so many doors to enter through without being seen.

He met you at the staircase and dragged you to his room.

“They suspect that I’m seeing someone.” You were laying between Rafe’s big arms in his bed under the covers, all cozy and warm. Your back was against his chest, his body curled around yours. It made you feel very safe,

“Who?”

“My friends, your sister.”

“Wheezie?”

“No, Sarah, you idiot.” He laughed and then placed a kiss on your shoulder, the action making you feel all giddy inside.

“They won’t find out. They’re stupid.”

“Hey!” You furrowed your brows. “Don’t call them that.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a part of that group. By calling them stupid, you’re calling me stupid.”

“Who said you aren’t stupid?” You just knew he was smirking.

“Asshole.”

“You love me.”

“Are you sure about that?” You turned around in his arms and looked at him, a smirk on your face.

“Yes.” He said confidently, placing a soft kiss on your nose before pressing one to your lips. You closed your eyes in bliss, relishing in the feeling.

Weeks turned into months and so far into your relationship you had managed to hide it and be with him undetected. Your friends tried to do some detective work but unsuccessfully so.

“Aren’t you tired?” Sarah asked one night when you were sitting in John B’s backyard once again, just chilling and spending time with each other.

“Of what?”

“Of hiding your relationship.”

There was a beat of silence. You thought about what she said. And she was right. You were kind of tired, obviously not of Rafe but all the sneaking around and almost never seeing each other in the daylight. You love being with him and love spending time with him but sometimes you actually wanted to be out in public with him. To go on dates or the beach together or whatever normal couples did.

And you wanted to be with him without hiding it. Without either of you caring about what others might think. Without there being judgment from people closest to you.

“I have to go.” You stood up.

“What? Why? I’m sorry if what I said upset you.” Sarah jumped up too, grabbing your wrist to stop you.

“No, it’s not that. I just have to go.”

You texted Rafe to meet you at a random parking lot where he sometimes picked you up. You arrived before him and paced around nervously, biting the skin on the inside of your lips.

He pulled up about 10 minutes later, parked the car and then got out, hurrying to you. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

He placed his hands on your arms and looked you in the eyes with a worried expression, searching for the answer in your eyes.

“I’m fine, Rafe. I just needed to talk to you.”

He furrowed his brows and stood up taller. “Okay. What is it?”

“Sarah said something tonight and it made me think.”

Rafe rolled his eyes at that. “Sarah?”

You nodded. “She asked me if I was tired of hiding us, our relationship.”

“And?”

“I am. I’m so tired, Rafe. Aren’t you?” You asked, looking him in the eyes.

He contemplated for a second. “I am. But there isn’t really anything we could do about it, right?”

“We could just say fuck it and go public?” you asked, voice filled with hope.

“Go public? No, that’s not a good idea.” He shook his head, shooting down your idea immediately.

You were taken aback by that. “You said you were tired too?”

“Yes but this,” he pointed a finger back and forth between you two, “going public will ruin both of us.”

“Will it? We don’t know that, Rafe. We can’t possibly know that.”

“It most definitely will,” he argued.

“How can you be so sure?”

“We’re supposed to hate each other.”

“So? I love you, Rafe. I don’t care anymore. I wanna be your girlfriend everywhere, not just your bedroom or this random-ass parking lot. I want to be your girlfriend during the day too, not just night. Don’t you want that?”

“Of course I do but it’s not that simple. You’re asking for a lot.”

You took a step back, away from him. “I’m asking for a lot? I want us to be normal!”

“Baby.” He tried to get closer again but you just backed up again.

“Don’t fucking ‘baby’ me right now! Do you even love me?” You were beginning to feel frustrated and that brought tears to your eyes.

“Of course I love you! You knew that this is what it was going to be like when we started dating. You knew!” He was clearly angry and frustrated too.

You took in a shaky breath. Rafe’s constantly angry but it’s never been directed towards you before.

“Then I can’t do this anymore.”

“Kid-” he said, voice now quieter, almost pleading.

“No, I can’t do this to myself.” You turned around and hurried towards your bike which was lying next to the curb. 

“Let’s just talk about this!” he called after you.

“Clearly there’s nothing to talk about anymore.” You looked back at him.

“I love you.”

“Do you?” you asked, eyes filled with tears.

“Of course I do.”

“Then why don’t you want to be with me?”

“I do want to be with you but what we have is complicated.”

“It’s really not, Rafe.” You got on your bike and pedaled away as quickly as possible. You didn’t greet your parents as you got home and stormed past them to your room where you finally broke down.

You loved him. Of course you loved him. But you were tired and he wasn’t willing to compromise. 

Days passed and you barely left your room. All you did was wallow in sadness and cry yourself to sleep every night. And even then you didn’t get any peace because he even filled your dreams. You couldn’t get a break.

Rafe was absolutely miserable too, lashing out at everyone, breaking furniture and punching walls. He couldn’t sleep so he sat on the balcony the whole night, occasionally doing a line or smoking something to make him feel better but it never worked, he couldn’t get the heartbreaking look of you in that parking lot out of his head. 

It was a warm summer night a couple of days after your breakup. Rafe was smoking a joint on the balcony at Tannyhill when Sarah approached him, keeping her distance just in case. She stood by the door and leaned against the frame.

“You should go after her.”

Rafe turned around and stared at his sister. “What?”

Sarah said your name and Rafe swore his heart skipped a beat, or stopped working completely. 

“Why the hell should I talk to her. She’s your friend,” he scoffed and took another hit, looking at the treeline.

“You love her.” 

His head snapped towards Sarah.

“I know, Rafe.”

“I don’t know what the fuck you think you know but you don’t. So get lost.”

“It wasn’t really hard to figure out,” she continued. “I’ve never seen you actually happy before, you know?”

“Go annoy someone else.” He looks away before taking a big breath to calm his racing heart.

“It’s not the end of the world to love a pogue, Rafe. It’s literally not that big of a deal. You’re so stupid.”

He sighed before he spoke. He couldn’t believe he was about to actually talk to Sarah of all people about this. “It’s not just that.”

Sarah raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue and explain what he meant by that.

Another sigh. “She’s the first girl I’ve ever loved and I pussied out when she told me she wanted to stop hiding.”

“Go talk to her.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Of course it is.”

“She loves you, Rafe, for whatever reason. I hate seeing her suffer. I don’t care that much about you but your actions are what caused this. So fix it so I can have my friend back.”

“You’re so annoying, y’know that?” His blunt had run out and he put the butt into the ashtray, then pushing past Sarah into the house

“Where are you going?” She whipped around and followed Rafe down the stairs.

“Where do you think I’m going, dumbass?” 

“Say hi for me.” 

“I won’t.” He slammed the door and got in his car, making the drive across town to your house. He wasn’t even sure what he was going to say. That he’s sorry? That’s pathetic.

He stopped the car on the side of the road and walked up to your house, picking up pebbles as he went.

He threw one against your bedroom window. The sound was loud in the quiet of the night but you didn’t open the window on the first try like he had hoped.

He threw one more. And then one after that. He kept trying until you pulled open the window, staring down at him. “What the hell do you want?” you hissed.

“I love you. I was an idiot. I was a pussy and I made a big deal about something that isn’t even that important. I love you and I don’t care who knows. I want you to be mine 24/7. I knew I was going to love you from the moment I saw you at Midsummers. I’m a fucking fool and I’ve never deserved you in the first place. I’ve never deserved your love but I need it. I can’t live without your love. You’re like a drug and I cannot live without you. I can’t get you out of my damn head. I’m half the man that I could be when I’m without you. You’re the first girl I’ve ever loved and I promise I will try to be worthy of you and your love for as long as you’ll have me. I want you to be my girlfriend officially. I want to show you off and take you on dates. I want to introduce you to my dad. I just want you. I will love you in private and in public, when we’re alone and when with friends. I promise. Please, just give me another chance. I’m sorry.”

Rafe watched you disappear from the window and his heart sunk. He tried. He turned to leave but then heard the front door open and saw you sprinting towards him in your cute pajamas and messy hair.

He caught you in his arms, holding you close to his chest so tight you thought you were going to suffocate.

“You’re a fucking idiot,” you mumble against his t-shirt.

“I know.”

“I hate you.”

“I know.”

“You will have to do a lot of groveling.”

“I will, I promise.”

You raised your head from his chest, looking up at him. “Did you really mean all that?”

“I did and I do. I love you and it shouldn’t matter if we’re from the opposite sides of an island. It’s not important in the slightest because I love you and that’s all that matters.”

“Do you wanna come inside?” you asked.

“Thought you’d never ask.” He wrapped his arm around your shoulders and pulled you to his side as you made your way back towards the house. He pressed a lingering kiss to your hair, keeping his lips there.

“I love you, kid.”

“I love you too, baby.”

[moremaybank]

AIN’T A LONELY CHRISTMAS SONG — j.m

pairing: dad!jj maybank x mom!reader warnings: sexual innuendos (sort of), jj being a tad mistletoe obsessed, your daughters get into a tiny disagreement, mentions of pregnancy, i think that's it author's note: so i was trying to stay away from using names, but it was getting repetitive saying your older daughter and your younger daughter over and over so i gave them names. hopefully you find them cute LOL. also, this isn't technically part of my holiday event, but i wanted to write this to sort of kick things off ♡︎ naughty or nice ! ౨ৎ

“C’mon, pretty girl. It’s getting hard holdin’ on like this. You sure it’s not too big?”

“We just need to finesse it a bit. Nudge it a little to the left ‘n then we can slide it in.” 

Beads of sweat started to form on JJ's forehead. His muscles were starting to cramp and he had to hold his breath to make sure he didn’t physically combust. “Okay, baby. How ‘bout now? ‘M I good?” 

“Yeah. Okay. You’re good.” 

With a collective heave, JJ pushed while you pulled, but the oversized tree seemed determined to resist. Then, after numerous strategic twists and turns, you managed to get the tree inside of your shared home. Needles of pine littered across your wooden floors like confetti. 

JJ chuckled as he looked at the slightly dishevelled tree. “Well, you said you wanted the entryway to look memorable, right?”

You sent a glare his way. “Not what I meant, J.” 

Soon, you heard the pitter-patter of tiny feet against your stairs, followed by two adorably shocked gasps. Your older daughter Avery sprinted down the steps, her little sister Elle hot on her trail as they rushed over to the two of you. 

“Woah! Big tree!”

“Big tree,” Elle echoed in agreement. JJ crouched down, scooping her into his brawny arms and lifting her so she could get a better look. She reached out, her small fingers brushing against one of the branches and she retreated with a curious and excited squeal. 

“Yeah, I think Mama went a little overboard. You agree?” 

Avery clung to your side, her arms circling your hips as her chubby cheek smushed against your thigh. Big blue eyes gleam as they stare up into yours. “I think it’s perfect.” 

You broke out into a smile, smoothing out some of the frizz on the top of her head. “Me too. Daddy just doesn’t see our vision.” 

JJ rolled his eyes at that. 

—

Soon enough, Christmas music swirled through the air, and the sweet fragrance of your festive candle made your home smell like its own winter wonderland. 

JJ used his manpower to retrieve all of your decorations from your basement, earning a sweet but fleeting kiss from you before you lugged it all over to the tree.

Boxes upon boxes of ornaments and other decor littered around the room, messily so as your girls dove in with eagerness. Their decorating skills were definitely…questionable, but neither of you could deny how adorable they looked as they overflowed the tree with everything they could find. 

JJ instantly recognized that caliber of enthusiasm, knowing that his gorgeous girls had no doubt inherited it from their mom. The woman of his dreams had passed on everything he loved about her to their children, and it warmed his heart. 

“Look at this, babe,” you said, peering at your husband over your shoulder. 

JJ abandoned his place on the couch, crouching down beside you to get a look at what you were showing him. It was an ornament, a very worn one. Inside laid a picture of the two of you, huddling together with bright, toothy grins and Santa hats on your heads. You couldn’t have been more than twelve years old at the time. Your parents had invited JJ to stay over for Christmas, knowing full well that Luke wouldn’t try to give him much of a memorable day. They’d gone over the top, getting double the amount of presents and matching pyjama sets for the both of you. You’d crafted gingerbread houses (in which JJ had tried to make a competition out of it and lost severely), drank copious amounts of hot chocolate, and watched Christmas movies until you slumped together on the couch in deep slumber. 

JJ smiled fondly. Those times were so precious to him, then and now. He’d just started to recognize that he was nursing a crush on you, and being with you at your favourite time of the year only made him fall for you more. Sure, he was just a kid in middle school. But that didn’t mean he was too young to realize how much adoration he held for you in his heart. 

“You were so cute,” you gushed, turning your face to him so you could kiss his cheek. “Baby JJ.” 

He arched a brow. “You sayin’ I’m not cute anymore?” 

A laugh bubbled from your throat. “Of course not. But look at those cheeks. So squishy.” You pinched one of his cheeks, maybe a tad too hard, and he shoved your hand away, massaging the soreness away. 

“Ouch, baby.” 

You leaned in to plant another kiss on the apple of his cheek but were interrupted when a sudden and spirited fight broke out between your daughters. Both of your heads snapped toward them, your shared bubble of love now popped. 

“I want the star!” Elle insisted, clutching onto the golden tree topper with all her little might. 

“No fair! You did it last time!” Avery’s arms crossed over her chest and she stomped as her tantrum began to surface.

JJ, sensing the inevitable meltdown about to ensue, intervened with his signature, charming grin. The one that had convinced you to marry him and had managed to give you two beautiful children. “Alright, ‘lil ladies. There’s no need to fight. You can both do it together, yeah? Can you do that?” 

JJ’s hands reached out, tickling each of their sides and watching their twin frowns dissolve into smiles. Giggles filled the air and warmth bloomed in your chest instantly. 

“Okay, Daddy,” Elle spoke, giving in to her favourite person in the world. Her eyes drifted onto her sister. “‘M sorry, Avey.” 

“That’s real nice of you, Ellie,” JJ praised, kissing her temple. Then his gaze moved onto her sister. “How ‘bout you, Aves?”

Your eldest nodded, now looking bashful. Avery, ever the sweetest (despite her occasional outbursts), caved in the moment her little sister’s nickname for her hit her ears. “I’m sorry too. We can be a team.”

Your smile grew larger, making your face sore.

You and JJ had been through it all together. From friends to lovers, and everything in between. He’d plucked his heart out of his chest and handed it to you on a silver platter without thinking twice about it. The power of his love was almost surreal. But the most magical thing you got to witness while being with him was watching him transform into an amazing father. Sure, he was a goofball who was constantly bouncing off the walls with all that energy pumping through his veins twenty-four-seven, but when it came to your little girls, he was a natural. Hell, your theory was proven to be right yet again when he handled that impending tantrum with just the flash of his smile.

“What are you lookin’ at, goof?”

JJ’s voice broke you out of your daze. He was standing now, each of your girls propped up on both of his hips as he carried them. Avery and Elle eyed you curiously while their hands both held the golden star.

You gave him a shrug, walking over to them. Your arms wrapped around all three of them as best as you could manage. “You’re all just so lovely.” 

JJ burned to kiss you. He almost did. But when Elle whined about how her arm was getting tired from holding the tree topper up, he was returned to reality.

The kiss can wait, he thought.

“Alright, my little star commanders. Let’s do this thing.”

He carefully stepped up onto the stool sitting in front of the large tree, and with a team effort, Avery and Elle strategically placed the star at the very top. They clapped and cheered together, high-fiving in victory once JJ stepped down and back to let them admire their work. 

“Nice work, babies. You killed it.”

—

You passed through the living room and into the kitchen, taking note of the mistletoe that your husband had sneakily hung in the doorway. You shook your head, smiling to yourself as you headed over to the cupboard to grab some mugs and the hot chocolate mix. As you waited for the milk to warm up, your eyes landed on the alternate entrance into the kitchen. More mistletoe dangled from the doorframe. You knew without a doubt that you’d find it in every entryway that adorned your home. 

You made all four cups, completing them with dollops of whipped cream and chocolate shavings. You placed them on your wooden tray, but before you could pick it up and bring it to your family, strong arms wrapped around your frame. The owner’s chin dropped onto your shoulder after leaving a kiss there. 

“Hi, Mama,” he rasped. You could hear the mischievous grin in his tone. “These look amazing.” 

“I figured we deserved something sweet for all our hard work,” you responded. You turned around in his hold, your hands running up the lengths of his arms and coming to a stop on his shoulders. “Nice job with the mistletoe, by the way.” 

He shrugged casually, but his smirk only grew wider. “Can’t be out here wasting any opportunities. Y’know I can’t live without your kisses.” 

“Mhm.”

“Hey. ‘M serious. Gotta be prepared.” JJ pulled something from his pocket, and his arm raised over your heads. “See? Prepared.” 

You laughed softly, leaning up to peck his lips. “You don’t need to carry that around. I’ll kiss you any time you want.” 

“That a promise?”

“The biggest promise, Maybank. Those lips are mine.” You granted him another kiss, this one languid and loving. “Now let’s go check up on our troublemakers. It’s way too quiet in there.” 

—

The four of you settled in on your couch, the fireplace glowing and providing a coziness to the room. You all found refuge under one of your thick, fluffy blankets, with both girls plopped in yours and JJ's laps. The soft, golden cast of the lights on your tree illuminated the room enchantingly.

Avery nestled against JJ, her head resting comfortably on his chest, while Elle found a cozy spot in your hold. The familiar tune of Where Are You, Christmas filled the room, Cindy Lou Who’s sweet voice carrying out the lullaby that seemed to put everyone at ease. 

As the plot unfolded, the Grinch was giving a dramatic monologue at the annual Whobilation festival in Whoville. Even with all the chaos ensuing as the he burned the town tree and destroyed the celebration, Avery’s eyes drooped, and Elle’s rhythmic breathing told you that she was already fast asleep. You shifted her into a more comfortable position gently and looked over at JJ. His eyes were fixated on the sleeping girls, a soft smile playing on his rosy lips. 

“I’ve dreamt of nights like this.” His voice carried in a whisper, careful not to wake the kids up. 

“Yeah?”

He nodded, his expression clear with contentment. “Yeah. When I was younger, I’d just sit ‘n imagine what it’d be like to have a home, a family…all of this. Luke never gave me any of that.”

His arms tightened around Avery, who curled into his chest further in her sleep. “Never thought I’d have this, y’know? Never thought I’d get to call you my wife — I still can’t believe I get to call you that, by the way. Or have a real home, a real family. I love you guys more than I ever thought I could.” 

“We love you. The girls are crazy about you, ‘n so am I. We’re so lucky to have you, baby.” You extended your arm toward him, placing your hand on his shoulder and giving him a comforting squeeze.

He shook his head. “Nah. I’m lucky. You made this real for me. I never thought I deserved any of this, but you never stopped trying to convince me that I could have it all. This is all ‘cause of you, pretty girl.” 

“It was a team effort,” you assured him. “The house, the girls. Our life. This was both of us.”

“When you talk like that, it makes me wanna give you another baby.”

You bit your lip through an uneasy smile. “I don’t think it’s gonna take that much work…”

His blonde brows pulled together in confusion. “Huh?”

“I’m pregnant.”

JJ’s eyes widened once the words sank in, showcasing a mixture of surprise and overwhelming joy. His smile was so bright that it gave your decorated tree some tough competition.

“Really?” He whispered, breathless.

You nodded, your smile mirroring his. He’d always had that effect on you, always had such contagious enthusiasm. “Yeah. Looks like we’re getting our dream again.”

With a lack of better judgment, JJ let out a whoop of excitement that echoed throughout the room. He had temporarily forgotten about the peaceful slumber that had taken over your girls. “Fuck yeah!”

You giggled softly, placing a finger on your lips and shushing him. “Shh. You’re gonna wake them.”

He half-ignored your words, leaning in to kiss you deeply. “‘M sorry,” he mumbled against your lips. “‘M just excited.”

“It’s okay, babe. I’m happy you’re happy.” 

Your head tilted, resting on his shoulder. You settled further into the couch, feeling the warmth of the joyful news you’d just shared. JJ swore to himself that he didn’t think he could get any luckier, but in a matter of mere moments, he learned that he was wrong. Your family was expanding, and there was more love to be shared. Love he didn’t even know he had in him. Each time you have a child, it grows more and more, yet it still shocks him every time it appears on his doorstep.

JJ’s head rested against yours after he kissed your hair. If this was how he’d live out the rest of his days — surrounded by the beautiful family you two had created together, he’d never want for anything else. His dream came true, now four times over. 

TAGS: @taintedxkisses @findapenny @bmo-bri @princessbetsy123-blog @slytherhoes @rafetopia @poppet05 @lyndys @adoreyouusugar @f4ll-for-you @tell-me-when-ur-ready @bbycowboi @jjmaybankisbae @enhypens-hoe @loverofdrewstarkey @earth2starkey @angelofcigs @koalalafications @aerangi @cantstoptheimagines @maybanksbabe @sarah5462 @drudyslut @lvvrgrl @dancinglikeaballerina @somerandos-world @peachpitlover @sya-skies @emmalandry @urbestieboo @thatsthewaythechrissycrumbles @gillybear17 @abbybarnesstuff @lovelyxtom @camelliaflow3r @runningfrom2am @rcbuttercup @redhead1180 @luversgirl @thejuleshypothesis @scarlettocean @subconsciouscollapse @vivian-555 @violetmacher @drewstarkeyslut @hoeforstarkey24

[vintageshanny]

Waiting for Love - Part Twelve

You Fulfill My Soul

Content: All of the Elvisy things - angst, fluff, smut, mention of prescription drug use, removal of sweaty jumpsuits, etc. 18+

I know I said two more chapters, but as I started outlining and writing this part, I knew it would take us to the end. I had a loose vision for this story from the beginning. I don’t want to spoil the end right now, so I have written an author’s note at the bottom about how much this story means to me. Thank you so much for reading, liking, commenting, sharing, etc. I appreciate it more than you know. ❤️❤️❤️

Catch up here: Waiting for Love series

December 1972

“I don’t know, Rox. I’m excited to go to Hawaii and see him do this big performance, but I’m worried about him. He keeps trying to lose all this weight, he’s barely been eating. He just looks so stressed and tired.” Vivien curled the phone cord around her finger, peeking over toward the bed to make sure Elvis was still asleep. His light snores reassured her.

“I’m sorry hon, hopefully he’ll feel better after it’s all over.”

“I hope you’re right,” Vivien sighed. “Oh, are you and Michael coming to the Christmas party?”

“I wouldn’t miss it!” Roxanne sounded excited and then snickered a little bit. “Well actually it depends. Am I going to walk in on the two of you getting busy on the couch?”

“Roxanne! I apologized for that a million times,” Vivien protested, her face heating up with embarrassment.

“I’m just giving you a hard time. I was actually enjoying the show, I wish I had stayed til the end. Does he start singing when he orgasms?”

“No, he just moans my name and, well…” Vivien trailed off as she thought about how he would look at her with such tenderness when they were done, how occasionally she would see a tear brimming in his eye. Those moments were just for her though.

“C’mon, don’t stop now. You’re no fun,” Rox complained.

“Elvis thinks I’m pretty fun.” Vivien blushed at her own innuendo.

“Now you’re just being a tease!”

“You love it,” Vivien laughed. “I’ll see you next week.”

*************************************************

January 14, 1973 - 3:00AM

“Okay, tell me the truth now baby. How was I? The guys always jus’ tell me what they think I wanna hear.”

Back at their private villa in the wee hours of the morning, Vivien eyed Elvis, still in his sweaty jumpsuit emblazoned with an eagle. He looked beyond exhausted, but also a little relieved that it was over.

“Honestly? I thought you were amazing.” Vivien smiled and grabbed his hand, fiddling with the giant rings he’d worn for the special.

“Really? Ya think the people watchin’ at home will like it? Will they feel the energy?”

“Well, right off the bat they’ll like it because you look soooo handsome.” Vivien winked and Elvis blushed and smiled. “There’s that cute blush,” she teased, watching him grow even redder. “And yes, they will feel your energy. I was just getting upset that they made you keep doing songs after it was over. They’re wearing you out.”

“And that’s your job, right?” Elvis laughed when he saw it was Vivien’s turn to blush. “Don’t worry baby, I still got enough gas in the tank for ya.”

“Oh yeah? Are you gonna shoot me full of rhythm and blues?”

Elvis’ laughter grew as he pulled her in for a kiss. “I shoulda known that’d be your favorite part.”

“I think this next part is actually my favorite,” Vivien whispered as she unzipped his jumpsuit and started slowly peeling it off of his sweaty body.

“I look good, don’t I baby?” Elvis stood before her in just his white briefs, the jumpsuit now a sweaty pile on the floor. “I knew I could lose the weight.”

“You always look good to me.” Vivien leaned in and licked the sweat off his collarbone, sending a shiver through his body.

“Mmm baby, I think I’ve worked up an appetite.” He unzipped her blue sequined dress and let it pool onto the floor at her feet. “Oh God, like a feast for a starvin’ man,” he groaned as he slid her lacy panties down and laid her on the bed, spreading her legs open. “How do ya get more beautiful every time I look at ya?”

“Elvis,” Vivien protested shyly.

“Honey, this is my reward for all my hard work. I jus’ know ya wouldn’t deprive me of that.” He started kissing and licking up the insides of her thighs, approaching the wet delicacy at her center. “Mmm, sweeter every time too.” Vivien moaned as he licked her folds. “That’s right baby, keep lettin’ me know this is your favorite part.” Elvis started grinding against the bed, his dick almost uncomfortably hard as he sent her into orbit, his name echoing off the walls of the room. Ahh, sweet release.

“Okay that was definitely my favorite part,” Vivien panted, trying to regain control of her breathing.

“I think the people staying in the next villa over might know it too, baby.” Elvis laughed as he pulled himself up to lay next to her.

“Let me make you feel good now.” Vivien reached inside his underwear and found he was already a sticky mess.

“Honey, ya already did make me feel good. Ya know I jus’ can’t control myself around ya. And it makes me feel so good when you feel good.”

Vivien blushed, feeling flattered that her moans could excite him so much. “Well, let me take care of you in a different way then. I’m going to draw a nice relaxing bath for you.”

“Okay baby,” Elvis whispered, his eyelids already starting to feel like they didn’t want to stay open anymore.

“Come on, my love. You can sleep after we get you all cleaned up. You can sleep all day if you want.” She slipped on her nightgown and pulled him into the bathroom. “You’ll have to take your underwear off,” she reminded as he stood there next to the tub while she tested the water with her wrist. She smiled at his cute embarrassment when he quickly pulled off his underwear and sat down in the soapy water. As if she hadn’t seen him naked before. Hadn’t kissed and licked every part of him…

“Are ya comin’ in here with me?” Elvis’ voice brought her thoughts back to this beautiful exhausted man lying in the tub.

“No, this is just for you. I want you to lean back and relax while I take care of you.” She took a soft washcloth and started slowly washing his body, starting with his long graceful neck and working her way down. She scrubbed over his hairy chest and stomach and then very gently washed his penis and scrotum. His eyes were closed, but he let out a tiny little moan when she touched his most sensitive areas. She felt her own desire heating back up, but she knew how badly he needed to rest. She moved down his legs and then scrubbed his aching feet, setting aside the cloth when she was done so she could massage them with her hands.

“Baby, you’re so good ta me,” Elvis moaned.

“Okay, time to get you into bed.” Vivien helped him stand and step out of the tub. She grabbed a fluffy towel and carefully wiped him down from head to toe, no body part escaping her attention. Then she helped him into his pajamas and led him over to the bed.

As they curled up together, his arm wrapped around her from behind, Elvis whispered in her ear. “Baby, I was jus’ thinkin’ that my mama would be so proud of me for findin’ such a special woman ta love me and take care of me like you do. I wish you coulda met her.”

Vivien smiled, her eyes watering with emotion. “Elvis, I feel like I have met her in a way. All the love and kindness and passion that shines in you, I know that she gave that to you.”

Elvis didn’t say anything, but Vivien could feel the teardrop that slipped off his face and onto her own.

*************************************************

April 1973

Vivien awoke to see Elvis staring critically at himself in the full-length mirror on the bedroom wall. He was wearing just his silky pajama pants. The top was draped over the velvet tufted chair next to him. Elvis jumped with a start as Vivien crept up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

“What’re we looking at?” she murmured into the soft skin of his back.

“N-n-nothin’ honey, lemme jus’ grab my shirt.” Elvis reached for the shirt, but Vivien snatched it away and hid it behind her back.

“Mm-mm, no, that will block my view,” she teased with a wink.

“C’mon baby, lemme have it,” Elvis demanded, turning toward her.

“You can have it in a minute. Just turn back around first. Pwease,” she added in a baby voice.

“Okay baby.” Elvis relented and turned back toward the mirror as Vivien tossed the shirt onto the chair.

“Wow…look at you,” Vivien breathed as she peeked out from behind him, looking at his body in the mirror.

“Yeah, look. I’m gettin’ too fuckin’ fat,” Elvis retorted. “All that weight I lost for the special came back. Plus more.”

Vivien wrapped her arms around him again. “You look amazing,” she murmured, her hands running over his broad hairy chest and down to his soft stomach. “I can’t believe this is all mine.” She slipped a hand inside his waistband and let her fingertips trace lightly over the little pooch leading down to his pelvic region.

“N-n-now that’s enough honey,” Elvis breathed out, but he didn’t make a move to stop her hand from drifting down further.

“This,” she whispered, “this is one of my favorite spots. Cuz if I follow it down, it takes me right to Little Elvis.” She cupped the soft warm appendage in her hand, feeling a shudder run through Elvis’ body as she stayed pressed tightly against him.

A low groan seemed to catch in his throat when she removed her hand from his pants and leaned in to kiss an old acne scar on his shoulder blade. She started slowly sliding his pants off, leaving a trail of kisses down his back and over that perfectly round butt. As his pants pooled around his ankles and she gave a tender kiss to the back of each sturdy thigh, Vivien noticed Elvis’ body trembling slightly. The sight of him being nervous after all this time together made her heart swell.

“Wh-wh-what are ya doin’ down there baby?” Elvis stuttered out as Vivien crawled around to kneel in front of him. She gave a kiss to each foot as she lifted them to help him step out of his pajama bottoms. “Ya ain’t gotta be d-d-down there on your knees like that, honey.”

Vivien took in the sight of him while she knelt there - his foreskin had rolled back to reveal that sensitive tip just begging to be tasted. “It looks like you’re enjoying it.” She smiled up at him and leaned in closer, licking her lips.

Elvis looked down and saw that, despite the…issues he’d been having the last couple weeks, Little Elvis was indeed standing at full attention. He sucked in his breath as Vivien pressed her lips to him, kissing his tip before lapping at it with her tongue and then taking him fully into her mouth.

“Oh damn Vivien, ya always know how ta make me feel good,” Elvis moaned out. His hands rested on her head, his fingers weaving through her thick dark hair.

Vivien could feel her own core throbbing with desire as she moaned around him, grabbing his butt and pushing him deeper inside of her. Every one of her senses was consumed by him.

Elvis looked down at Vivien taking care of him so passionately and his heart swelled with a profound desire. To make her his in every way. If only he could find a way to make his body keep cooperating. Too late…He could feel Vivien’s movements slow as he began to soften in her mouth.

“C-c-c’mon honey, that’s enough now,” he whispered with his eyes closed, the embarrassment threatening to push him into anger.

Vivien pulled her mouth off him but could not turn off her desire to shower him with affection. She saw that he had retreated completely into his cocoon and pressed two soft kisses to it, then two more to the fuzziness covering his pubic area, another one to his lower abdomen, then one to his belly button, until she had worked her way up and her face was buried in his chest. Elvis still felt embarrassed but also oddly grateful for her display of affection toward the body that just betrayed him. He’d never experienced this level of tenderness from someone.

“Did I do something wrong?” Vivien mumbled nervously into his chest.

Elvis kissed the top of her head. “Naw honey, it wasn’t that at all. I want ya, I really do, it’s j-j-just that I gotta couple new medications, a-a-and sometimes it does this ta me. My body’s not in sync with my mind and heart I guess.” Elvis pulled his pants and shirt back on and sat on the edge of the bed, avoiding eye contact.

“More new medications?” Vivien asked softly. “What are these for?”

“Baby, we’ve been over this. Ya ain’t gotta worry about me. I jus’ need some things ta help me keep performin’, ta help me sleep, and now my stomach’s been hurtin’ lately, so I got some more painkillers, but none of this is your concern, okay?”

“Not my concern?” Vivien echoed in disbelief. “I love you. How would I not be concerned? And I’ve seen your medications in the bathroom. Why do you have so many from different doctors? And some don’t even have your name on the bottle…” her voice trailed off when she saw Elvis’ jaw tighten. She braced herself for the storm she knew was coming, the storm she had provoked. But she could no longer bite her tongue and pretend that she didn’t see what was going on.

“You’ve been snoopin’ through my things?” Elvis barked, his whole body tensing up.

“I wasn’t snooping! Everything was right there on the counter by the sink.” She tried to lower the defensive in her tone. “Elvis. I’m just worried about you. You’ve been so exhausted lately, and sometimes you don’t seem like yourself. I think that maybe you should go to the hospital so they can see if there’s something seriously wrong.”

“Oh, I see. Ya wanna send me off cuz I can’t fulfill ya no more?” Elvis still sounded angry but now also hurt. “How do ya like that,” he muttered under his breath. “Like a race horse that’s outlived its usefulness. Just send him off ta die.”

“Elvis, you’re talking crazy now.” She tried to reach out and grab his hand, but he pulled back from her touch. “I know we are both passionate and affectionate people, but it’s not about the…sex,” she said, her voice dropping to a hoarse whisper. “It was never just about that with me and you. From the first time we spoke, I saw something so deep in you that I can’t let go of. You fulfill my heart, you fulfill my soul. And I just can’t watch you do this to yourself.” Her voice cracked with emotion.

“So that’s it? You’ll leave me if I don’t go to the hospital?” His voice was quieter now, but still full of hurt.

“I could never leave you. I love you beyond what I ever would have thought possible. I need you.” Vivien wished there were words to describe how completely her heart belonged to him. “But it will break my heart to see you getting sicker. It will break me. Please Elvis, I’m begging you to try. Just go get checked out and take only the medications that they give you. You can take a break from touring. We can run away together. Anything you need, I’ll be there to help you. I can’t exist without you.” Vivien felt the tears flowing freely down her face as she dropped down to her knees and buried her head in his lap.

Elvis swallowed as he looked down at this beautiful woman who cared for him so much. Who would do anything for him. He tried to let go of his anger as he stroked the back of her head. “Baby, please don’t cry. I know you’re worried about me. You don’t have ta be, but I know it’s cuz ya love me. I will go get checked out, okay? I’ll do it soon. For you. To make ya feel better, okay? You’ll see there’s nothin’ wrong, okay?”

Vivien nodded and wiped her tears away, knowing how hard it must be for him to make that concession, to let go of what little control he had in his own life. “Thank you.”

Elvis pulled her up off the ground and onto his lap, giving her a sweet kiss before reaching to button his shirt, feeling too exposed all of a sudden.

“Do you have to button that?” Vivien asked, stilling his hands with her own.

Elvis let out a guffaw, his face turning pink. “What, ya want me ta be walkin’ round in the nude all day?”

“Maybe I do,” Vivien teased, pushing his shirt back open. “Can you blame me when you look this good? So sexy,” she cooed.

Elvis grabbed her glasses off the nightstand and put them upside down on his own face. “I-I-I don’ know honey, I think we gotta get ya a new prescription in these things. I don’t know what you’re seein’. You’re liable to run off with some other sexy man thinkin’ it’s me!”

Vivien giggled and snatched her glasses back. “Hey, you’re the one who’s always losing your glasses!”

“I don’t lose ‘em baby, I give ‘em to fans as gifts. Plus your beauty is so powerful I could be blind as a bat and still see it.” He put a finger under Vivien’s chin and lifted it toward him so he could plant a sweet smooch on her lips. “Thank ya for worryin’ ‘bout me and takin’ care of me, baby.”

“Oh Elvis, you really want to know what I see when I look at you? It’s this.” She pressed her hand firmly against his heart, feeling the soothing rhythm that guided him. “Your heart is so beautiful it makes every part of you glow. Your looks could change a million times - you could gain weight, lose weight, stop dying your hair,” she teased, playfully running her fingers through his black mane with random pieces of silver nestled throughout. “You will always look perfect to me.”

“Thank ya sweetheart,” Elvis murmured, overwhelmed with emotion and…something else. “Oh baby,” he groaned as she pressed her body into his. “I think we’re back in business.”

VIvien squealed as he rolled her onto the bed and lowered himself on top of her, preparing to join their bodies as one.

*************************************************

May 1973

“There she is! Vivien!”

Vivien turned her head at the sound of her name to see half a dozen reporters and a news camera swarming toward her. She nervously took a step backward and bumped into Roxanne, who was carrying the sack of Krystal burgers that Elvis had sent them out to get.

“It’s okay Viv, I’m right here with you.” Roxanne whispered her reassurance into Vivien’s ear.

“So it’s true that Elvis is staying here in this hospital? Can you share what condition he’s in after canceling shows due to exhaustion?”

Vivien steeled her nerves against the intrusion, knowing Elvis would be much more polite and kind than she was about to be. “What condition do you hope for him to be in? Didn’t you report last week that he’s been gaining weight and might be losing his touch?”

“I take it you don’t share that opinion?” A condescending smirk played across his face.

“Not in the slightest.” Vivien tried with all her might to keep her voice even and steady.

“Do you think you’ll be the next long-suffering Mrs. Presley, watching over the home while Elvis goes off gallivanting with the boys?”

Vivien cocked her head slightly to the side, fire shooting out of her eyes. “Let’s get one thing straight - I am not suffering with Elvis. He is the kindest, most beautiful person I’ve ever known. It is an honor to be at his side, loving and supporting him while he gives everything he has to bring happiness to his fans. But if you’re content to be vultures waiting to pick at the bones of a man, of a human being, who only wants to bring joy to this often miserable world, well, I can’t stop you.” Vivien turned on her heel and marched into the hospital lobby, Roxanne tagging along behind her in awe.

“Wow Vivien, that was amazing! I didn’t know you had it in you to tell him off like that.”

“Neither did I,” Vivien exhaled, her hands shaking with nerves as she took the bag of food from Roxanne.

“You’re gonna have to be strong like that to help him through all this. Have you thought about what you’ll do, I mean what if it doesn’t work? What if he starts taking all the painkillers again? What if he doesn’t get well?”

“Then we’ll try again. I’ll try forever with him, by his side.” Vivien spoke with determination. “I know he hasn’t always gotten everything right, but neither have I. I know he always tries his best. And I wouldn’t trade a second of our story. He has shown me this whole-hearted love that has filled my soul. Roxanne, I need him.”

“I know, Viv. Are you gonna be okay without me? I have to get back to work.”

“Yes, I’ll be okay. Thanks for driving me. And walking with me past the vultures.”

“You go be strong for him now, okay?” Roxanne pulled Vivien into a quick hug. “I love you.”

*************************************************

“There’s my baby! My baby with my burgers!”

Vivien was relieved to see that Elvis was still in such good spirits.

“Mr. Presley, you really should try to eat something a little healthier while you’re here.” The older female nurse spoke sternly but then smiled at Elvis’ pouty expression. “But I guess one burger would be okay.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” Elvis dramatically stage whispered with a wink, a crooked grin lighting up his face. The nurse giggled like a schoolgirl and left the two of them alone in the room. “C’mere baby.” Elvis patted the narrow spot next to him on the bed, and Vivien squeezed herself in, snuggling up to his soft warm body. “They’re just running some tests now honey. They’re gonna find out why my stomach’s been hurtin’ and see what medicines I actually should be takin’. Ever’thing’s gonna be okay, you’ll see.” He put his arm around her and kissed her forehead tenderly.

“Of course everything’s gonna be okay,” Vivien said confidently. “I was waiting for love for such a long time, and I’m never letting go of you. Got that?”

“Mm-hm,” Elvis nodded as she pressed her lips against his sweet plush ones, her hand resting on his chest. The steady thump of his heart beat vibrated out and coursed through her own body, an ocean of love washing over the two of them.

Author’s note:

A million thanks to everyone who stayed with me on this one! This was such a cathartic thing to write for me, but I’m also sad and overwhelmed with emotion to let go of it. I feel Elvis gets a lot of undue criticism for just essentially being a human being. I loved being able to explore a little bit of what he may have thought and felt about his own life and relationships and why he did the things he did. My goal is always for my writing to convey the love and compassion that I feel for him, so hopefully I was successful. As for the ending, I had in mind from the beginning that it would be a little bit open-ended as to the future. In my fantasy world, with the right love and support, he would have been able to be with us a lot longer. But I also know that addiction and the health problems he faced were very serious, and sometimes all the love in the world can’t take that away. I don’t believe his level of fame is healthy for anyone’s psyche, and part of me thinks that he would have been better off as a human being if he had a short career at local clubs and then settled down to have a family. But on the other hand, I wonder if, knowing how much love and light he’s spread around the entire world for decades after his passing, would he still take the same path despite what fate had in store? All I know for sure is that, like Vivien, I am never letting go of the love I’ve found in him. ❤️

I would love to hear your thoughts, feedback, comments, etc.!

Tag List: @whositmcwhatsit @lookingforrainbows @arrolyn1114 @thatbanditqueen @missmaywemeetagain @ellie-24 @be-my-ally @from-memphis-with-love @pebbles403 @deniseinmn @everythingelvispresley @little-laamb @annapresley8 @leapresley @littlehoneyposts @epthedream69 @atleastpleasetelephone @gatheraheart @richardslady121 @helen06dreamer @arg-xoxo @i-r-i-n-a-a @returntopresley

[thatsofic]

BEST COMEBACK (FEMALE) IS A GRAND PRIZE AKA DAESANG AWARD!

Who had the song of the summer? Meet the seven stunning female artists who are nominated for BEST COMEBACK!

STARDOLL - SUMMER OF LIFE ! ... SUMMER OF LIFE is the second full album from STARDOLL. It was released by NEWTRO MUSIC on July 7th 2024, and contains thirteen tracks. They performed "#TooSPICY" for three weeks in music shows and received seven music show wins. \\ @stardollism

HIJINXX - MY WORLD ! ... following the low perception of their debut single, HIJINXX seemed to take the hit personally, returning back to the scene on october 4th with their first mini album MY WORLD. a six track project leading with the title track MAKE YOU CRY, it follows the girls on their journey towards finding the tear in their universe and exploring the newfound xverse, meeting their otherworldly lookalikes. \\ @hjnxx

VENUS - VENUS VICTRIX ! ... Venus Victrix is the third full album of the fictional South Korean girl group VENUS. The album was released by Angelico Entertainment on December 18th, 2023. Before the release of the highly anticipated album, the girls released two pre-release singles, "DRAMA" and "I AM THE BEST," both getting two weeks of promotions and being met with widespread praise. With a total of twelve songs, VENUS would promote "THE BOYS", "UNTIE", and "BYOB (bring your own bestie)" for three months. \\ @venusvity

STUPID CUPID - TRUE VALENTINE ! ... STUPID CUPID, a dynamic force in the music industry, made waves with their latest release, the 10th mini album, TRUE VALENTINE (LET'S TALK LOVE!). this captivating collection of seven tracks, launched in may, showcases the group's unique concept and musical style. \\ @stcpidcupid

BAD GIRLS CLUB - HOT ISSUE ! ... HOT ISSUE is the first extended play released by fictional girl group Bad Girls Club. The EP features 5 songs, two being title tracks, one being a pre-release single, and the final two being side tracks. The EP did well, exploring a new concept for the girls, retro futurism and old Hollywood. The albums contents including the music itself, was criticised due to provocative imagery and sexual innuendos through out it. \\ @badgirlswrld

VIVID - MIDAS TOUCH ! ...  "Midas Touch" features signature sounds and synthesizers from the 2000s whereas "Nothing" is a medium-tempo R&B song inspired by the same era. "'Midas Touch' sings about love at its very early stages, while 'Nothing' is about the love reaching an end — love that changed and the lack of emotion in relationships" \\ @alwaysvivid

JUDY - FALL IN LOVE ! ... The extended play features twelve tracks, including the title track FALL IN LOVE (with you). The EP was released on July 12, 2024, containing ten tracks, including the title track. The single debuted atop the South Korean music charts, keeping the number-one spot for nearly two months. \\ @anqelsweep

  ┈─★ ⠀⠀⠀CLICK HERE TO GET TO VOTING!

[freddiemercurylegendabovelegends]

Freddie Mercury with his beloved cats over the years

Extract from article

Cat Fancy – Freddie & His Best Friends

By Gail Flug - 2003

In many people’s eyes, Freddie Mercury was one of the world’s most dynamic and charismatic rock frontmen.

Yet for the man who had the love of countless fans, he loved his cats most. Peter Freestone, Mercury’s personal assistant and cook, wrote in his book “Freddie Mercury” that his boss put as much importance on them as any human in his life.

Jacky Smith, who has run the Official Queen Fan Club for 21 years, said, “Most of them were from rescue centers. We have a charity [in the United Kingdom] called The Blue Cross, which takes care of sick animals. Freddie got at least two from them, if not more.”

According to Smith, cat toys were sent from fans to the office from time to time, as the cats’ photos occasionally appeared in the club newsletter. Plenty of fans have also named their own cats Freddie, a gesture that, Smith said, would have flattered the singer.

Mercury’s first cats were Tom and Jerry, who he and then-girlfriend Mary Austin brought in during the early days of the band. She kept them when their relationship ended in the late ‘70s, yet he still considered them his, as the album dedication for “Mr. Bad Guy” proves. Austin, who remained his closest friend, gave him a lovely longhaired bluepoint he named Tiffany.

The most famous feline of the Mercury clan is Delilah, a large, tri-colored tabby who was adopted in late 1987. As the lyrics to her song state, and Freestone’s book confirms, she took over the house and pretty much did whatever she pleased. “She was a real character, that lady!” agreed Smith. “Delilah was just kind of funny. She was a bit of a bully to the others, but was always first on his lap, first for food.” In turn, Mercury favored her as well, picking her up more than the others. She would also fun to him for safety when the other cats would gang up on her. She loved sleeping at the foot of his bed, or in the laundry baskets.

“They were all well-loved and cared for and mostly ‘normal’ pussycats,” Smith said. “They did get ordinary cat food at times, but mostly it was fresh chicken and fish prepared for them. I also remember he used to talk to them on the phone if he was away for a long time.”

Freestone also wrote that each cat got its own Christmas stocking filled with treats and toys. They had full run of the house and were permitted outside during the day to roam the gardens. There were the occasional territorial markings on the soft furnishings for his staff to clean up, and the quick trips to the vet if a cat showed the slightest hint of illness.

No one except for his closest friends knows how long Mercury was aware he was HIV-positive, although both Freestone and Smith believe that his cats knew. Their unconditional love gave him great comfort and company in his final days, and Mercury would never deny them admittance to his bedroom. Said Smith, “Cats have that fantastic sixth sense… I imagine that they knew he wasn’t well and spent more time with him. It’s just the thing cats would do.”

Before Mercury passed away on Nov. 24, 1991, he made sure all of his loved ones would be taken care of. “They all stayed at Garden Lodge with Mary, which is where they still are today,” said Smith. “I have heard reports of Delilah being spotted on top of the wall occasionally.”

It’s clear she still rules the house. Freddie wouldn’t have wanted it any other way

Freddie Mercury with his beloved cats over the years

📸 Photos from Mary Austin’s personal collection

'Delilah Delilah

Oh my oh my oh my you're unpredictable

You make me so very happy

When you cuddle up and go to sleep beside me

And then you make me slightly mad

When you pee all over my Chippendale suite'

🔸 Extract from'Delilah' track by Freddie Mercury

(taken from 'Innuendo' album released in 1991)

Delilah his beloved cat 😻

[yourlocalsmutwriter]

Don’t bite your tongue, it’s just a word game ‐ Rena x reader

It was time for the class mission and your team wasn’t doing too well. Redlic’s choreography was rejected in favour for Latrice’s and your own rookie group was a bit tense. But there were more obstacles in the way. Buckey entered the hideout, sighing.

‘’Rena barely has me in the video, you can’t see me. I tried to talk to her, everyone’s been kissing up to her. But even though I try I can’t seem to convince her.’’ With that she turns to you, batting her eyes.

‘’Can you try to help.’’. Since you had an interest in Japanese culture from a young age, you had picked up the language. You even had enrolled in a language school to learn it better. Unbeknownst to the people around you, it was called ‘’The lesbian school’’ and you kinda helped with that reputation. Bring together a bunch of teenage girls with the same interests, nerdy looks and too much love for GL manga and Sputnik Sweetheart by Murakami and well. To be fair, it reminded you a bit of this competition. And now it was time to use your Japanese skills to win over a woman again, with less of your sapphic energy, sadly.

You knocking on the door of the Tsubakill hideout was not unusual. You had been bonding with their team since the begging of the competition. Asking about the dance scene in Japan, teaching them more about Korea. You had also been the one to translate the lyrics for the song Rena was choreographing. At the words beckoning you inside you opened the door and were surprised . Rena was alone.Before you could ask, she started explaining herself :

‘’Everyone’s either practicing or resting. But why are you here. Let me guess, Buckey sent you.’’

‘’Yes, but if you could just give her a chance, she can preform well in a more central spot.’’

‘’I’m not doubting your teammate’s skills. But this is a competition, Manequeen should have just preformed better.’’

‘’So this is about strategy. I’ve been nothing but helpful to you. And I can continue to be. Voting the way you want. Teaching you new moves, extra practice. Of course you know I’m a cunning linguist. ‘’ The thing is you didn’t mean to say the last word like that. It was a direct innuendo, a freudian slip on your part. It had been a running joke at your school to make certain Japanese words as gay as possible. And this one stuck, apparently.

“Rena, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. It’s a stupid pun I just happened to memorise.”

Instead of saying anything about your fuckup, she just told you.

“I’ll think about it. And while I do, let’s play Shiritori. It always clears my head. ”

You thought that it seemed strange, but you weren’t about to argue with the woman you needed help from. You motioned for her to start.

とうみ she said

もん you continued

こ she replied

いる you fired back, hoping to trip her up. There were no stakes in the game, anyway so there was no point in being competitive. Still, you were curious about what she would say.

むんこ was her response. Your eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Rena just said pussy. She could’ve played friend, cup or even anger. But she chose that word. Before you could comment any further, she bursts out laughing.

“You should see your face, you’re so red. Did I surprise you?"

“Did you even want to play Shiritori?”

“No. I suck so much at that game. I’m amazed I lasted long enough to pull it off.” With that you both started laughing again.

“You know, I’m surprised that we are getting along so well. You know, with everything being so intense, I didn’t think you were the affectionate type.”

“Not affectionate, huh. How’s this for not being affectionate?” You lean into her and pressed your forehead against hers. You look at her lips for permission and she responds by kissing you. One kiss turns into two and then a full blown make out session on the couch. Apparently your attraction wasn’t as one sided as you thought. And also being cooped up with a lot of beautiful women for weeks had a similar effect on everyone. You wondered if Rena also took longer showers, so she could get off. But you quickly thought of something else, not wanting to go too far, despite how wet you already were.

But soon enough Rena was on top of you, kissing your neck and your hands were under her shirt. In the mess of limbs your knee lightly brushed against her pussy. She moaned and then covered her mouth.

“Should we test if you are a cunning linguist?” She said. You moved from under her and kneeled on the floor. You pulled her body close to yours, removing her panties. Thank god for skirts, am I right. You began kissing her inner thigh and moved slowly to where she wanted you. You lapped at her clit, moving your tongue up. Her hands pulled on your hair, making you both moan. You say. “Need to taste you, Rena.”. But before you do, she pulls you up and gives you a passionate kiss. You decide to tease her again, kissing her breasts, sucking on her nipples. As much as you wanted to take your time and please her, you remembered that her crew could be back any time now. So you set out to make her cum before her team comes.

You teasingly flick your tongue on her clit before slowly licking her, fucking her with your tongue. You slip a finger into her while you mouth is on her clit, and added a second finger when she asked for more. You curl two fingers inside her and move them up, while sucking on her clit and look up to watch her cum. She looks so pretty, her face red and her hand over her mouth.

And that’s how you go far in Street Woman Fighter 2.

[mischiefandmedicine]

Very Full - Chapter 13: Melara's Daughter

Summary: Saoirse recounts a memory from her life in the Avengers compound.

Word Count: 2,672 words.

Chapter Warnings: Health problems, injury/trauma.

Soundtrack Link

This Chapter's Music Inspiration:

Savage Daughter sung by Sarah Hester Ross

Very Full MASTERLIST

Previous Chapter

A/N: As per usual, I just want to say that I do not own the rights to the lyrics. I did, however, imagine that Melara wrote this song, because the lyrics fit so perfectly into hers and Loki's story.

Let me know if you would like to be added to the taglist!

---

Back at the end of time, amid the cosmic serenity, Saoirse and Loki found themselves adrift in a sea of memories once more. The air still charged from their heated exchange and the recollection of the dawning of Melara’s extraordinary gifts. Saoirse, her gaze piercing the veil of her father’s stoic façade, spoke with a voice that echoed with fondness.

“The Avengers compound…I was a baby when we first went there?” she asked, eyes alight with warm memories of the past.

Loki could only bring himself to nod in response.

“I have so many memories of the compound…mom’s check-ups…and then she moved us there towards the end. But you…your presence was…sporadic at best,” Saoirse mused, the words painting a picture of a childhood mosaic, rich with vibrant hues yet shadowed at the edges.

The ghost of a grimace transiently marred Loki’s face. “Saoirse…the compound was a sanctuary of sorts for your mother, a citadel of science and sorcery intertwined. As for my own absence, it was a necessary evil to support your mother’s healing,” he murmured, his words heavy like stones in a velvet pouch.

With a brief pause, he continued with a smirk. “Besides, haven’t you heard the human expression that ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’?”

Saoirse opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out, realizing Loki’s innuendo. “Oh, gross! Really?!” she shouted, an amethyst-colored glow emanating from her eyes.

Loki held up his hands in acquiescence, attempting to mask his laughter.

“Anyway…the compound, it was a world unto itself, yet. They helped mom a lot, the fortress of heroes that they were in so many ways. And then there was Clint…,” she reminisced, a smile curving her lips. “He didn’t look at me and see just another responsibility or duty; he saw me. He looked after me.”

Loki’s expression tightened imperceptibly at the mention of the archer. “Barton…of course,” he acknowledged, the tone laced with a complex blend of respect and a simmering disquiet. “And during those times, what became of your mother? Was she not your anchor?”

Saoirse’s eyes glimmered, “She was…always fighting, always strong. But her music was quieter, and her flame…it flickered without you there. Clint, he…” her voice trailed off again, laden with an unspoken gratitude for the man who had unwittingly stepped into a void.

The god’s gaze drifted, lost in the whorls of time. “He didn’t…” Loki began to wonder.

Knowing instinctively that Loki’s question would be about Clint’s relationship with Melara, “Not that it would be any of your business, but no. He knew I was your daughter and he knew about you and mom. He didn’t dare,” Saoirse spat. “Besides, he was married and had a family himself.”

“Ah…well, I remember the songs she wrote back then. The ones in recovery; they spoke of resilience. Of triumph and loss in equal measure. Yet, I could only listen from afar. The complexities of the timelines…they demanded sacrifice.”

Saoirse’s posture stiffened in her seat, her earlier warmth giving way to a frost that crept into her tone. “You keep speaking of sacrifice, yet it was always her strength that held us. You say you were there, and I want to try to let that in, but it was Clint’s stories, his laughter, and his protection that filled my days. Why, Loki? If you cared, why were you so distant then?”

Loki, for once found himself ensnared in his own labyrinth of truths and half-confessions. “There were reasons, threads of fate too perilous to tug. Your mother’s burgeoning power, it began to…distort the fabric of reality. My presence there, it would have risked far more than you can imagine. The branch of your timeline, it…it began to overshadow others. I had to step back to preserve the balance.”

Saoirse’s eyes, once reflecting the stars, now mirrored the storm clouds of a brewing tempest. “Balance? While we lived in uncertainty, you balanced equations of what?” Her words were sharp, each one a barb aimed with precision.

Loki reached out, his gesture a plea for understanding. “It was never about equations or cold calculations. It was about safeguarding the multiverse, and that included you and your mother. I chose the path that ensured your survival, even if it cost us moments…years together. That is the sacrifice I speak of.”

A silence stretched between them, a chasm of years filled with absence and longing. Saoirse, standing at the precipice of revelation, grasped at the threads of her fragmented past.

“You sacrificed being with us to protect us?” she whispered, the realization dawning. “And in doing so, you left a vacancy that Clint willingly filled. He…he never tried to take your place, but in many ways, he did.”

Loki, his heart a fortress besieged by his daughter’s words, conceded, “Perhaps in another life, an alternate timeline, I could have been the father you needed me to be. But Clint, he was there when I could not be. For that, I am indebted to him.”

Saoirse’s gaze softened, the edges of her anger dulled by understanding. “I didn’t come here to dwell on what could have been, Loki. I came seeking answers about the now, about this fire that burns within me. But first, I needed to understand the past.”

Loki, with a solemn nod, braced himself to unfurl the remaining tapestry of their shared history, ready to ignite the torch of truth and illuminate the dim corridors of Saoirse’s understanding. “Then let us journey back, through the annals of time. Let us trace the path that leads to this very moment. Tell me…what do you remember most of those years that I was gone?”

Saoirse leaned back, the celestial dust beneath her forming a cushion as her mind traveled across the years scattered like stars behind her. “I remember the compound,” she began, her voice a river flowing from the springs of her earliest recollections.

Loki listened, his façade muted by the earnest narrative spilling forth from his daughter. He, the weaver of tales, found himself caught in the threads of Saoirse’s storytelling.

“Clint had a way of making everything seem like an adventure. When mom was in sessions with doctors or locked in her own battles, he would whisk me away to spar or even to the archery range. It was like I was the youngest Avenger. I remember the thrill of it all,” she recounted, a smile playing on her lips at the memory.

“He told me stories too, you know. Not of battles and glory, but of life and of loss. Of a family he fought to return to, of a world he hoped to keep safe. And in every story, every lesson, I saw the silhouette of the father I wished for in the quiet of the night.”

A silence fell between them, heavy with the memories that hung in the balance. Loki, once the harbinger of chaos, now found himself in the eye of a storm of emotion he had not anticipated.

“Saoirse,” he said, his voice a low thrum that resonated with the frequency of the universe around them, “your strength is a beacon that not even the darkest void could smother. And it seems to have been forged in your mother’s crucible of courage and tempered by the care of those around you.”

Saoirse turned to face him, “Yes, her fire is a part of me. A legacy that burns within, and oh how I wish she had learned to control it for much longer than she did.”

Loki reached out, a hand hovering as if to touch a star too distant, too faint. “And I,” he said, “am here to listen, to learn, and to finally understand the narrative of the life you led, daughter. Tell me more…”

With a vacant look on her face, Saoirse began telling her father the most vivid memories of those years without him.

***

Within the labyrinth of steel and echoes that was the Avengers compound, a 7-year-old Saoirse sat huddled against the cold, unyielding wall outside the medical bay. Her small frame shook with the silent sobs as the harrowing sounds of her mother’s anguish sifted through the fortified doors. The sterile lights of the hallway painted shadows that danced with the rhythm of her trembling. The episodes of pain seemed to have gotten worse over the years, leading them to take up residence at the compound in between musical tours.

Clint Barton, known to the world as Hawkeye, but to Saoirse as an unspoken guardian of sorts, paced the hall with a furrowed brow. His steps slowed as he approached the weeping child. Kneeling to her level, his voice was gentle, yet tinged with the gravity of the situation, “You shouldn’t be here, sweetie.”

At his words, the air around Saoirse crackled with an energy that belied her tender years. Her eyes, a stormy hue of amethyst, flashed with a ferocity that startled even the seasoned warrior. From the ether, a dagger materialized, its blade reflecting a purple glint – an echo of the power she had inherited from her absent father and had yet to understand. The weapon trembled in her small hand, aimed instinctively at Clint.

His reaction was not out of fear but of concern. His hands raised in a gesture of peace, his gaze locked with hers. “Saoirse,” he said softly, his voice a lullaby amidst the cacophony of her fears and her mother’s screams. “It’s okay, I’m only here to help you.”

The tension held for a heartbeat, two, then dissipated like morning mist as Saoirse’s grip on the conjured blade wavered. The dagger vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving only the trembling girl and the man who crouched before her, his eyes never leaving hers.

Clint reached out, his hand steady and warm against her arm. “Let’s find you a better place to wait,” he suggested, “somewhere you can still be close to your mom, but not where you have to hear…”

He didn’t need to finish; they both understood the horrors that lay beyond the door. Saoirse nodded, her tears still flowing but now mingled with a child’s trust in the face of Clint’s protective resolve.

He stood, offering his hand, which Saoirse took with a fragile trust. Together, they walked down the corridor, away from the sick bay, to a small alcove filled with cushions and the quiet murmur of a fountain. Here, the world seemed to soften, the harshness of reality cushioned by the hush of flowing water.

Clint settled beside her, his presence a steadfast sentinel. “Your mother is strong, Saoirse. She’s got the best people looking after her,” he reassured her, his voice firm with belief.

Saoirse nestled into the cushions, drawing her knees up to her chin. “I know. Uncle Bruce helps her every time, but it hurts her so much,” she whispered, her words barely audible over the fountain.

“It does,” Clint acknowledged, not one to shy away from the truth. “But she fights, and she has you, which is the best reason to keep fighting.”

Wrapped in the soft embrace of cushions, murmured a question that had haunted her heart for as long as she had the words to consciously think about it, “Why isn’t he here? Why isn’t my daddy here for her? She needs him…”

Clint’s gaze softened, his eyes reflecting a sorrow too deep for words. “Some questions don’t have easy answers, kiddo. But you’re here, and that’s what matters to her.”

They sat in silence, the compound’s hum a distant thrum. It was no place for a child, but here she was with one of the world’s heroes, wishing for a father who always seemed to have something more important than her and her mother. Saoirse’s eyes, once alight with conjured fury, now watched the water’s dance, finding a measure of calm in its predictable rise and fall.

Clint’s gaze never wavered from the girl beside him. He saw not just the daughter of a powerful yet enigmatic friend, but a burgeoning force in her own right. He saw the flickers of her potential, the nascent strength that would one day be a torrent to reckon with. The way she wielded a blade was a natural skill and it would only be a matter of time before she would best him in combat. The skill of a friend he once knew…

 Time passed, marked only by the shifting of light as it streamed through the high windows. Saoirse’s sobs had quieted, her initial fear giving way to a wearied exhaustion. Clint remained, his vow of protection unspoken but as tangible as the bow he often wielded.

Eventually, the door to the medical bay opened, and a hush descended upon the alcove. Saoirse tensed, her eyes darting toward the sound. Dr. Banner emerged, his expression one of cautious optimism.

“Your mom’s resting now,” he told Saoirse, his voice kind as he stooped to look into her eyes. “She asked for you.”

Saoirse rose, her small hand slipping into Clint’s as they made their way back to the sick bay. The door swung open to reveal Melara, pale but smiling faintly at the sight of her daughter. Saoirse rushed to her side, her earlier fear forgotten in the wake of relief. She climbed onto the bed, her place by her mother’s side a natural fit.

Clint watched from the doorway, his heart a mix of pride and sorrow. He had seen too much of pain and loss, but in moments like these, he found hope.

Melara’s own hand, noticeably charred, found Saoirse’s, their fingers intertwining. “I’m okay, my brave girl,” Melara whispered, her voice a tender caress.

Saoirse nestled closer, her world once again righted by her mother’s touch. “Mommy…” she whispered, nuzzling into her mother.

“Baby girl, sing to me. You know that always makes me feel better,” Melara said as she smiled weakly in her daughter’s direction.

Saoirse knew just the song that would calm her mother.

I am my mother’s savage daughter. The one who runs barefoot, Cursing sharp stones. I am my mother’s savage daughter. I will not cut my hair, I will not lower my voice.

My mother’s child is a savage. She looks for omens in the colors of stones, In the faces of cats, in the falling of feathers, In the dancing of fire, In the curve of old bones. Though she was weak, Melara joined in as Saoirse sang.

We are our mother’s savage daughters. The ones who run barefoot, Cursing sharp stones. We are our mother’s savage daughter. We will not cut our hair, We will not lower our voice.

The next verse, Saoirse sang alone once more, in a whispered hush.

My mother’s child dances in darkness. She sings heathen songs, By the light of the moon. And watches the stars and renames the planets, And dreams she can reach them, With a song and a broom.

Melara closed her eyes gently as a tear fell from her eye. She was exhausted and still in pain, Saoirse could sense it, but she knew that her mother tried to hide it. Still, Saoirse continued to sing until she felt her mother’s tension seep out from her muscles.

I am my mother’s savage daughter. The one who runs barefoot, Cursing sharp stones. I am my mother’s savage daughter. I will not cut my hair, I will not lower my voice.

And with the last words, Saoirse placed a gentle kiss on Melara’s cheek, whispering the words, “I love you, mommy,” before she climbed out of her mother’s bed in the dimly lit sick bay. There were so many questions she dared not ask.

***

“I feel like that was the beginning of the end for her,” Saoirse said softly, an emotionless expression on her face. “She started to lose control of the fire and I know you had something to do with it, Loki.”

Unable to look Saoirse in the eye, Loki’s voice quivered as he said, “I…I don’t even know what to say to that.”

---

taglist: @mischief2sarawr

[brandstifter-sys]

Infectious

Word Count: 1153 (Ao3)

Pairing: Dukexiety

Rating: T

Warnings: Intrusive thoughts, ocd, violence mention, gore mention, innuendo, out of context emo lyrics and song titles

Remus is having a bad day, his intrusive thoughts are loud and stressing him out. He's lucky that his emo boyfriend is willing to ease the tension

(songs referenced linked at the end of each paragraph)

----

It was one of those days when Remus couldn't get out of his head. He tried everything to quiet some of the horrible horrible thoughts about killing his brother or Janus and going all Leatherface on the snake's body, or turning Patton into a casserole, or pulling out a dissection kit and—no no no, he was not giving in to these ideas. Why were they so loud!?

He paced around his room, making sure his heels touched his toes with each step, stretching his room when he didn't have an even number of steps before he hit the wall.

His canopic jars were organized and dusted, and all the pickling creatures were looking toward the wall. His floor was spotless save for one blood splatter that he could not under any circumstances try to clean. It had to stay there. It was supposed to dampen the noise.

He couldn't handle his flood of screaming thoughts. And then they found a new target. Virgil. Oh he could see himself going Dahmer on that edgy snack. He could see Virgil doing the same to him, full of hatred and venom.

Who wouldn't hate him? It was an uphill battle to like him! Remus had to fight to like himself and he fought tooth and nail—which in its own way was something he could like. This was just one battle he was losing.

He fell to his knees and groaned into his hands. He couldn't stop his brain from flooding. He could deal, most of the time but this was too much. He needed something to calm his frayed nerves.

"You know I love it when you're down on your knees—but you should get up," Virgil said with a teasing lilt to his voice. Remus glanced up, wondering when Virgil showed. (x)

"Why would I?" Remus said with a laugh, "I'm in the perfect position to relieve some of your tension!"

"I'm not that tense, but you are. And maybe I want to help," Virgil shrugged and averted his gaze.

Remus got to his feet and tried to focus on anything but the urge to bite off his fingers and eat them.

"Your OCD is getting to you," Virgil said and grabbed his hand, "What kind of thoughts are you having?"

"Skin stealing and cannibalism. They're too loud today."

Virgil brought his hand to his lips and smiled softly.

"I'd like to be able to keep you safe and warm while I get to touch all of you, like you're not under my skin already."

Remus giggled shyly as Virgil gently kissed up his arm and locked their fingers.

"And you already devour me with your eyes," Virgil hummed when he reached Remus' neck, "I don't want you to stop."

Remus giggled as Virgil's bangs tickled him.

"Scare Bear, I'm the horny mustache gremlin here!"

"Don't care. I feel like doing this," Virgil said and pulled Remus' back to his chest, "I feel like treating you like the muse of an emo song."

"Even if I keep thinking about biting you and tearing away your flesh to eat?"

"Babe, if you don't think I dream about being the one to sustain you, to be a crucial part of your life, to know the deepest parts of you, I'll have to prove it to you," Virgil mumbled and got back to kissing his neck and shoulders,

"My fingers are yours to cut off, and my bones are yours to shatter in pieces. My teeth are yours to pull out and my soul is yours to slowly rip apart," he muttered between kisses. (x)

"You know that's really dark, especially when I keep thinking about it," Remus pouted.

"Yeah, but you also keep thinking about how much you think I'd hate you for it. I wouldn't. I'd still do anything just to hold you in my arms." (x)

"You thought I made Thomas bad for being an intrusive thot. You thought I was evil. Why wouldn't I think you'd hate me for going all Buffalo Bill?"

"No I didn't, I never thought you were evil, just acting up and stirring up trouble at the worst possible time."

"But—"

"I'm not exaggerating when I say it was the worst possible time. I wasn't thinking clearly, afraid. You know how that one issue was plaguing Thomas and affecting me and Patton in the worst ways. I know you better. Even if he still thinks you're evil, you look like heaven to me. I'd follow you to hell and back again." (x)

"You mean that." It was not a question, Remus knew Virgil all too well and melted into his touch, even if he was using lyrics to seduce him.

"And I will make your worst nightmares as picturesque as the sea," Virgil said and wrapped his arms around Remus.

"By quoting emo bands," Remus jeered and leaned his head back to flutter his lashes.

"Joke's on you, I only made four music quotes. You just make it easy to get poetic. No matter how gory your mind gets."

"I love it when you get sweet and poetic with me. Am I the only one who ever sees this side of you?"

"You're the only one I want to see this side of me. You're the only one who I want to see me bare and vulnerable, hidden under your covers in the middle of the night. I want to feel your skin on mine, hear your breathing, taste your poison laced lips, and succumb to a taste of death in your arms."

"You want to snuggle in the buff? You know I'll get touchy and then I'll get pregnant from eye sex!" Remus giggled and spun around, feeling less stressed.

He scooped Virgil up and wiggled his eyebrows. Virgil snorted and shook his head.

"This is probably the best, not to mention the worst idea that I have ever had," he said and licked Remus' cheek. (x)

"Is that another—? Scare Bear!" Remus laughed and carried him to the bed for cuddles, "You're such a dork!'

"It's the easiest way to calm you without stripping," Virgil shrugged, "and maybe I like getting you a little flustered for a change. It's cute."

"I love the way that you tease, I love the way that you breathe," Remus jeered and nuzzled Virgil's cheek. (x)

"Kiss me, I'm contagious," Virgil jeered, "And you're just as infected with emo lyrics as me." (x)

"You were peppering me with smooches and emoing all over me, it's your fault if I caught it!" Remus countered, "And I'm feeling better about the thoughts of eating you alive."

"Cuddefish, you know I'm dead inside," Virgil teased and kissed the tip of his nose.

Remus giggled and flopped on the bed, holding Virgil to his chest. The thoughts were still loud but he had an emo nightmare to ease the tension and remind him that he was still lovable no matter what his brain said.

[greypetrel]

Hello! 💙 10,12,15 and 33? (if you want to and feel comfortable sharing, obviously) ✨

Hello there! 💜

Yeah, not entering much into details in public and outing myself as "Boring queer" but...

(also don't know how much this will be new for you but oh well you know where to find me xD)

10. Something that gives you gender euphoria (whether you’re cis or trans):

Boringly cis, here… Not very girly or gender euphoric, but. Dressing up and putting up a good outfit, colours matching. SWIRLY SKIRTS, particularly if they have pockets. (I own one skirt I LOVE, it's big and swirly and it has pockets, I'm considering a petticoat to make it poofy and going full '50s new look style. It gives me lots of casual Cinderella vibes and oh man. IT HAS POCKETS. BIG ONES THAT FIT A CELLPHONE.)

12. Name some queer artists/bands or songs you like most:

*after the necessary "I haven't ever listened to music once in my life no thoughts head empty" moment*

QUEEN. I have one Freddie Mercury in every space I inhabit. I have two in my bedroom, one is hanging in my studio right in front of my desk. Queen had been a big and important part of my teen years. I am not a person who cries at movies/music, but put on The Show Must Go On or press play on Bohemian Rhapsody (the movie; i know it has flaws and it's dramatised but still) and watch me crumble. My favourite song of them tho… I can't choose one. Fat Bottomed Girl? But shit, Innuendo is just… A mindblown. I always clean my house with I Want to Break Free blasting on because I'm a basic bitch and that's mandatory.

David Bowie came into my life later but in stride, he's equally important, he's been the one celebrity death I felt like a blow (still can't listen to his last album without crying). Rebel Rebel is a favourite of mine but out of personal affection, the soundtrack of Labyrinth is the closest to my heart (that whole movie).

Janis Joplin. And with her my big favourite is Me and Bobby McGee (Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose 🎶*sings*)

I just discovered that Florence Welch is apparently bi too, so FLORENCE + THE MACHINE. The list of favourites is long but… Which Witch? Queen of Peace? Free? Morning Elvis? Can't choose, ARGH.

… I have the music taste of an old man, yes. Also I have the bad tendency in not getting much informations over artists if I'm not EXTREMELY hyperfixated, and it's a little since the last time I was hyperfixated with a band. It may be that other artists I regularly listen to are queer but I don't know. Again, I discovered Florence is queer writing this answer, oops.

15. How has your identity changed over time?

I had not many close contacts with the community until university, so I just assumed I was straight and never really thought about it much. Being demi ultimately didn't help me put two and two together any sooner, and without the proper terms and words… It was all very misty. So:

Straight > … People shipping me with a friend who is a girl don't bother me. Maybe… > No no, straight. Uh-uh. Just an ally. > Maybe bi-romantic, yeah, that maybe fits if I'm not having impostor syndrome, I won't tell anyone tho, I'm not sure. > "Hi friend of a friend who's very evidently flirting with me, WHY. You don't even know me. You have everything I should like but… WHY. This is overreacting, I'm sure you're getting something wrong it's too soon. Nobody is that much into someone else so soon in real life, this is fake and you're mocking me, right?" > … let me check the ace spectrum… > Demisexual. > Bi-romantic I said? No no Bisexual, definitely, still with a foot in the ace spectrum but oh shit why the girls I befriended and developed crushes on are all straight WHY.

(in all this I know that there are many people I know IRL that realised before I did. Hi, hello, I hope it was amusing to watch. x°D)

33. What about your LGBT identity do you feel proud of/ want to recognize/celebrate?

For my mental health, but also for the one of many other people: Being a valid queer person even if unable to go to Pride (they're a huge trigger for me, I'll start panicking before walking), or out with everyone or with relationship to prove it.

And the bisexual inability to sit down straight and composed without our joints falling off. That's a superpower we should be proud of. u_u

Jokes aside, I think there's some poetry in saying "I like people for being people, gender is secondary", and as much biphobia there is around… It's a good message to give.

[lightgriffinsect]

I posted 2,778 times in 2022

That's 2,778 more posts than 2021!

170 posts created (6%)

2,608 posts reblogged (94%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@lovelyladylavie

@imjustusingthistolikeartists

@talesofsorrowandofruin

@fazar234

@twinklecupcake

I tagged 1,716 of my posts in 2022

Only 38% of my posts had no tags

#friday night funkin - 376 posts

#the owl house - 237 posts

#reblog - 183 posts

#toh hunter - 137 posts

#fnf incorrect quotes - 136 posts

#incorrect quotes - 135 posts

#fnf void - 132 posts

#fnf fanart - 126 posts

#art - 101 posts

#fnf agoti - 93 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#i always love-hate when a character is starting to have fun again then their past comes crashing down on them and shatters their confidence

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Garcello: What's up, guys? I'm back. BF: What the— you can't be here. You're dead. I literally saw you die. Garcello: Death is a social construct.

10 notes - Posted September 4, 2022

#4

Cacophony

(Friday Night Funkin’)

Agoti’s not one to regularly compose poetry in his head. He definitely would ironically, but he normally can’t take himself seriously enough to get overly descriptive of his surroundings. 

But now, as he takes in the sounds and colors of early-evening Newgrounds City two days after escaping the void, he can’t help feeling nostalgic. The noise that everyone around him would consider a chaotic, disorderly pollution has become a long-lost friend. Cars screech at each other, dogs bark and cats yowl, humans try to talk over the convoluted loud and end up only contributing to it. It’s beautiful.

To Agoti, it’s all an orchestra, a song to pick apart to its many elements. Every instrument tells its own tale, as one thread weaving through all the others to create a tapestry illustrating the harmonious noise. 

The sounds have all become so familiar and comforting. He never once imagined missing this so much as when he was drowning in the void’s overwhelming silence, but here he is.

13 notes - Posted June 17, 2022

#3

*Everyone is standing around the broken coffee maker* Ruv: So. Who broke it? I'm not mad, I just wanna know. Everyone: Hex: ...I did. I broke it. Ruv: No. No, you didn't. Agoti? Agoti: Don't look at me. Look at Whitty. Whitty: What?! I didn't break it. Agoti: Huh, that's weird. How'd you even know it was broken? Whitty: Because it's sitting right in front of us and it's broken. Agoti: Suspicious. Whitty: No, it's not! Aldryx: If it matters, probably not, but BF was the last one to use it. BF: Liar! I don't even drink that crap! Aldryx: Oh really? Then what were you doing by the coffee cart earlier? BF: I use the wooden stirrers to push back my cuticles. Everyone knows that, Al! Hex: Okay let's not fight. I broke it. Let me pay for it, Ruv. Ruv: No! Who broke it?! Everyone: Whitty: Ruv...Tabi's been awfully quiet. Tabi: rEALLY?! *Everyone starts arguing* Ruv, being interviewed: I broke it. I burned my hand so I punched it. Ruv: I predict 10 minutes from now they'll be at each other's throats with warpaint on their faces and a pig head on a stick. Ruv: Ruv: Good. It was getting a little chummy around here.

13 notes - Posted September 3, 2022

#2

So Entity is canceled. I honestly didn't believe it at first, but after reading through the link, I can say that as disappointing as this is, I understand why it happened.

This was the mod I was the most attached to, and seeing it go is heartbreaking. I loved everything about it and was really looking forward to seeing the full release. However, Sugar and Innuendo and the rest of the team have lives too, and their mental health is more important than the mod. It wouldn't be worth it if working themselves to death on this mod left them negatively affected and resentful. Of course, since we're still allowed to make fan content, this doesn't mean the full, complete erasure of Entity. I still have several WIPs revolving around these characters that I plan to finish. And Solazar's chapter will still be released as well, so that's something to look forward to.

I'll always love the Entity mod. But now we have to say goodbye.

See the full post

15 notes - Posted June 30, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

BF: We're supposed to be a team. What happened to this family? Pico: *complaining about everything to nobody* Agoti: *pacing back and forth while murmuring insults* Tabi: *curled up in the corner* Hex: *hitting on a mannequin* Ruv: *dead* Whitty: *crying and shoveling cereal into mouth*

20 notes - Posted September 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[xjoonchildx]

adonis | pjm x reader

🚨 summary: your crackpot of a neighbor will not rest until you throw yourself at the gorgeous paramedic in town. she's nuts, y'all.

🚨 pairing: reader x paramedic!jimin

🚨 genre: meddling neighbors? horny little old ladies with bad-slash-good intentions? awkward OCs who can't find the words to speak in the presence of greatness?

🚨 warnings: one very mouthy senior citizen, sweet/shy jimin, an OC who can't find a clean shirt throughout the entire fic, one very spoiled pomeranian, smoking, sexual innuendo, literally one line of implied smut

🚨 word count: 3.4K (lmao)

🚨 notes: this is my drabble *snort* for the possum anniversary and i am celebrating the wonderful @starlostjimin who is such a cool, funny, amazing, talented person. did you know that 911 is 911 in america AND canada? anyhoo. i hope you like my very first jimin fic ever, and i hope it delivers on the things that you wanted 💕

thank you always to @hobi-gif for being the most amazing beta and person in general.

If you had to wager a guess, you’d say it was Mrs. Choi from the fourth floor who’d dialed 911. That miserable old bat has always struck you as kind of a snitch.

At any rate, that’s how you find yourself standing outside your condo at ten o’clock at night, wearing nothing but a faded bathrobe and a pair of worn-out house slippers. Lights mounted on top of the fire truck idling at your building’s entrance turn the courtyard into a tragic makeshift disco, everything and everyone splashed in flashes of red and white. 

You mill around on the damp grass with the rest of your neighbors, each of you turned into temporary exiles in mismatched sleepwear. 

Mr. Nam from the sixth floor is yelling into his phone as he paces, giving someone an earful about the disruption. Mrs. Song from the seventh floor was smart enough to grab a lawn chair and she watches the scene unfold like it’s one of her beloved dramas. Mr. Baek from the first floor doesn’t pay any mind to the fuss around him, engrossed in a book good enough to drown out the grumbling and sirens. 

But you don’t spot the woman who lives in the unit next to yours – not right away – because it takes her an absurdly long time to heed this whole evacuation business. 

When Mrs. Yun finally breezes through the condo’s glass doors, she does so with all the subtlety of a pageant queen. She makes a beeline for you, decked out in a Hawaiian-print muumuu loud enough to wake the dead – accessorized by a full face of makeup, a full set of curlers, and her trusty Pomeranian tucked under one arm.

“What is all this fuss about?” she pouts, giving Chichi an affectionate scratch. You lean over to give the dog your own scratch and she licks your fingers as thanks.

“Hell if I know,” you shrug. “I came outside when I heard the sirens. Which, by the way, was about ten minutes ago.”

“I was busy,” Mrs. Yun sniffs, affronted by your reprimand. She sets Chichi down to pat her curlers and make sure each is still in place. “I have a friend coming over tonight.”

“A friend.”

“Yes honey, a friend,” she echoes, tone haughty. “You should try it some time.”

God, you really should. The only man in your life these days is the Doordash driver and the last time he’d come by, he’d made a clumsy joke about your sodium intake. You’d been embarrassed, sure, but somehow that pales in comparison to this reminder that you’re being outsexed by the little old lady next door.

“You should ask someone when they plan to let us back in,” Mrs. Yun says, tapping her foot impatiently. “You should ask – ” she pauses to look out over the crowd, eyes lighting as she points one fresh gel nail in the direction of the fire truck, “ – him.”

You follow the trajectory of that thin finger with your gaze until your eyes land on Mrs. Yun’s intended target. And then you blink as you take in what is surely the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen. Dark eyes and sandy blonde hair and a jawline so sharp, it could have been cut from granite.

Holy shit.

“I’ll say,” Mrs. Yun grins, and your face burns with embarrassment when you realize you’ve spoken out loud. It flames even hotter when she raises an arm to wave him over. 

“Sir? Sir!”

“No. No, no, no, no, no.”  You panic, whispering in the most threatening tone you can muster. “Put your hand down. Don’t – ”

But it’s too late. Mrs. Yun has already caught the attention of this Earth-bound Adonis. He makes his way towards you both without delay, wearing an easy smile so devastating it makes sweat bead at your temples.

“Hi there,” he greets kindly. “How can I help you?”

“Thank you, Mr. – ” Mrs. Yun pauses to squint at the name embroidered on the man’s dark navy uniform, “ – Park. What’s all this uproar about tonight, huh?”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” he chuckles, and you find yourself mesmerized by the way his eyes crinkle at the corners. “Someone called 911 because they smelled smoke, so we had to come check it out.” A radio secured to his shoulder crackles with an incoming transmission and he pauses to listen before he speaks again. “Pretty sure they’re almost done checking the building. Old places like this, we’ve always got to put in a bit more attention where the wiring is concerned. Wouldn’t want to leave you ladies in a dangerous situation.”

“Oh, of course not,” Mrs. Yun purrs, making no effort to hide the cheeky once-over she gives him. “We certainly appreciate you being thorough.”

The Adonis – Mr. Park – flushes, clearing his throat as the tips of his ears turn pink. You make a mental note to sit Mrs.Yun down later to explain that a few things have changed since her heyday.

The radio crackles again, a garbled voice coming over the line.

“Sounds like they’re almost done,” he explains, looking down at his feet to find Chichi sniffing at his boot. He crouches down to pet her and she curls into the curve of his hand, eager for his touch. 

Somehow you’re willing to bet this man has that kind of effect on everything in his path – men, women, and houseplants alike.

He gives Chichi a few firm scratches before getting back to his feet. The rigid fabric of his uniform pants strains against the lean muscles of his thighs as he moves and Mrs. Yun’s eyes practically bug out of her face. You’d jam an elbow in her side if you thought there was a chance you could pull it off without being caught.

“I’d better get back,” he says, turning to you with one of those debilitating smiles. Your toes curl inside the shabby velvet of your slippers. “Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything.”

“Oh, we won’t!” Mrs. Yun calls out, appreciating his retreating form with a lifted brow. You wait until the man is well out of earshot before turning on her.

“What the hell was that?” you demand.

“That – ” she says with her nose in the air, “ – is why you never leave the house without your face on.”

“You were practically undressing that man with your eyes,” you accuse hotly. “You do know what sexual harrassment is, don’t you?”

Mrs. Yun huffs as she bends down to scoop up Chichi. “I wasn’t harassing the man, I was appreciating him. Fine art is meant to be admired.”

“Oh, please,” you grumble. “And don’t think I missed that little detail about the smoke.”

She narrows her eyes at you.

“Mind your business.”

🚨🚨🚨🚨

One week later, a knock at the door nearly startles you right off the couch. You frown into your half-eaten carton of ramen and set it down on the coffee table, taking a moment to seriously contemplate pretending not to be home.

But then there’s more knocking – more insistent this time.

You pad across the floor, crack the door open and the ramen in your stomach threatens to come right back up.

“Hi again.”

You blink. 

“Sorry to bother you, it’s just that your neighbor suffered a fall and she said you would have a key to get into her place.”

The Adonis – Mr. Park – looks a little sheepish as he stands in the doorway, waiting for you to speak like a normal human being with a passable set of social skills. He shoves one hand through his sandy blonde hair and the locks seem to fall back in slow-motion.

“I – y-yes of course,” you stutter, so flustered that you nearly trip over your own feet in your haste to scramble for the kitchen. You dig Mrs. Yun’s spare key out of the silverware drawer and rush back to drop it into his waiting palm.

“I hope she’s okay,” you worry, biting at the inside of your cheek. “I’m right here if you guys need anything else.”

“We’ll take good care of her,” another voice promises, and you crane your neck to peer past the stunning Mr. Park to search for the source of it. A second man stands out in the hallway, a heavy duffel bag slung over one muscular arm covered in a myriad of tattoos. His face is boyish and beautiful and soft, a stark contrast to his powerful body.

Jesus. Who’s doing the recruiting in this city?

“We’ll have this back to you right away,” Mr. Park promises, and your neck heats when he rewards you with one of his sweet smiles. 

The second they leave, you make a beeline for the bathroom – and cringe as you stand in the mirror and peel one half-dried ramen noodle off the front of your shirt.

🚨🚨🚨 🚨

15 minutes later, Mr. Park’s picture-perfect partner is knocking at your door.  

“Hey there.”

You might have run a brush through your hair and dabbed on a bit of tinted chapstick in the last five minutes, but he notices that – or the absence of one half-dried ramen noodle, he makes no indication.

“Hi again,” you say. “Is she okay?”

“Oh, for sure. Maybe a little banged up, but otherwise she’s alright. She’s asking for you though, if you can walk over with me.”

“Yes, of course.” You shuffle into the hall and let him lead the way, through the open front door to Mrs. Yun’s unit and the narrow foyer that opens up into her living room. She’s upright on the couch, holding an ice pack to her head. The glorious Mr. Park is bent down on one knee at her side.

“I’ll tell you what,” she says, looking as pleased as a queen holding court, “I’m grateful every day for the very dedicated public servants in this city. That was terrifying.”

“But you’re okay, right?” you ask.

“Nothing broken, so far as we can tell,” the Adonis says. “She’s probably going to be good and sore tomorrow, but for now she’s doing just fine.”

“Thanks to Mr. Park and Mr. Jeon here,” Mrs.Yun says sweetly. A little too sweetly, in fact. The wheels in your brain start to turn and you eyeball her from across the room. She peeks at you from behind the ice pack and dons an angelic smile.

“Yes, they are certainly appreciated,” you say slowly, the skepticism in your voice vibrating at a frequency only Mrs. Yun can hear. She beams at Mr. Park as he gets to his feet and starts to pack up his things.

Mr. – Jeon, was it? – slings his heavy duffel bag over his shoulder. “Be sure and take those anti-inflammatories tonight, okay? You’ll be all locked up in the morning if you don’t.”

Mrs. Yun practically preens at the personal attention she’s gotten from these two insanely good-looking men. “I will.”

“You’re lucky to have a good neighbor,” the Adonis says to Mrs. Yun, turning to you with a genuine smile. Your heart thuds in response. “If it’s alright with you, keep an eye on her tonight? She might need your help.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her, alright,” you say with a tight smile, and Mrs. Yun clears her throat.

🚨🚨🚨🚨

“Promise me – right now – that you really fell.”

“What did I tell you about leaving the house with your face on?”

“Answer the question,” you fire back and Mrs. Yun sighs, tossing the ice pack down on the couch.

“Yes, honey, I did fall. I fell in love with that scrumptious Mr. Park the second I saw him. And if I were a woman thirty – ”

You raise an eyebrow. 

“ – Okay, fifty years younger than I am, I would be taking him for a spin myself. But since I’m not, I’ve decided that you should have him. Did I bend the truth a little? Yes. But for a good cause. I’m a very thoughtful person, you know.”

“You are outrageous,” you hiss, pacing as Mrs.Yun pretends to look for dirt under her fingernails. “This is a waste of public resources! They’re supposed to be responding to emergencies. Real emergencies.”

“First of all – ” Mrs. Yun is defiant, chin in the air, “ – Nothing ever happens in this town. Nothing. And second, there’s dust in your panties, sweetheart. If that’s not an emergency, I don’t know what is.”

Your mouth falls open in a silent scream and Mrs. Yun ignores it, climbing off the couch with ease to cross the room and crack open a window. She pulls a box out of the tiny accent table perched beneath it and proceeds to light an absurdly long cigarette.

“You’re too damned young to be shut away in your house all the time,” she argues, pursing her lacquered lips to blow a stream of smoke out the window. “Work. Couch. Work. Couch. How can you stand it? Let me tell you what I’d be doing right now if I could turn back the clock and have your youth again: Mr. Park. I’d be doing Mr. Park. You should be doing Mr. Park.”

You stifle a disbelieving laugh. The novelty of your neighbor’s loose lips and bad habits wore off a long time ago, but sometimes she still manages to catch you off guard.

“Well, I’ve got an early morning so unless you have any more unsolicited sex advice to share, I’m going to have to call it a night.”

Mrs. Yun blows another long stream of smoke out the window. 

“Nope. I’ve got it all off my chest.”

“Good then,” you say, turning on your heels. You make it all the way to the door before you pause and call out to her.

“And put that thing out!”

🚨🚨🚨🚨

Three days later, you find yourself struggling with an overloaded paper bag from the grocery store. Yes, you’ve purchased the reusable ones and yes, they’re a hell of a lot stronger – but you never miss an opportunity to leave them hanging in the closet on your way out the door.

Something in the bag is wet – well, moist at the very least. And it’s enough to have you gripping the bottom tight with both hands as you try to maneuver your way through the revolving door at the entrance to your condo. It’s an awkward fit inside the narrow sliver of space and as you’re shuffling forward, the door’s momentum dies. You push at it with one foot and lose an onion from the bag, nearly losing your balance in the process.

You blow out a heavy breath and go to push the door again, only this time it smoothly glides away before you even make contact. The misstep makes you jerk forward, but at least the door keeps moving long enough for you to step out of it.

“Think you lost something back there.”

Most of your hair has slipped out of your ponytail holder by now, the strands matted to your forehead with the sweat you worked up on the walk from the car. But when you turn, you can still make out the glorious Mr. Park quite clearly. He drops the onion back into your bag and smiles at you.

“Please, allow me.”

He lifts the bag out of your arms, carefully securing the bottom like you’d done just moments before. With your hands now free, you push your hair out of your face and silently pray that you don’t look as unfortunate as you suspect you do.

“You don’t have to do that,” you demur. “But I appreciate it anyway. Mr. Park, right?”

“Well, I’d much prefer you call me Jimin,” he laughs, the sound of it making heat bloom inside your chest. “But yeah, it’s me again.”

He’s not wearing his uniform, you realize. And though some small part of you mourns the loss of those fitted shirts and pants, his off-duty look – an oversized sweater, jeans and pair of sharp boots – sure as hell doesn’t disappoint.

“Do you… live here?” you ask stupidly, as though a man this handsome could live anywhere on this entire street without someone taking notice. “Or – ”

“No, no,” he says quickly. “I came by to check on your neighbor. You know, after the fall and all. I told her she could call me if she ever needed anything and she asked me to stop by.”

“You gave – ” you pause, shock forcing your voice at least an octave higher, “ – You gave Mrs. Yun your phone number?”

His cheeks pink at the observation. “She’s in her 70s, you know? Lives alone. I really don’t mind.”

You truly have no idea how your chain-smoking, jazzercising, oversexed hellion of a next-door neighbor has managed to convince this man she’s a frail old woman in need of a hero.

Will wonders never cease?

“Besides,” he says, “She’s kind of...quirky, you know?”

“That’s a very strange way to say unhinged,” you counter.

He laughs.  

“You’re funny. Come on, I’ll walk you up.”

yun: DID YOU HAVE YOUR FACE ON [ 9:15 PM ]

yun: he told me he helped you with your groceries [ 9:15 PM ]

yun: now tell him to help you out of your clothes [ 9:16 PM ]

you: go to bed [ 9:16 PM ] 

Two days later, legs like noodles from spin class, you limp through your front door and sag onto the couch. You might have napped for a second, you’re not entirely sure – but after a knock sounds at your door, you are most definitely alert. Your thighs protest as you force yourself off the couch to answer it.

You crack the door open and it’s him. Adonis. Mr. Park. Jimin. 

And you’re wearing a gray workout shirt with what you are certain is one very sizeable sweat stain down the front. Good God, will there ever be a time when you see this man and don’t look like a complete wreck?

“Oh my gosh, did she call you again?” you ask, incredulous. “You are so sweet to do this for her, really but this is too – ”

“ – She didn’t call,” he interrupts, looking just the tiniest bit bashful.

“Oh.”

“Listen, this is kind of embarrassing and maybe not entirely appropriate given I know where you live, but it’s just that I don’t have your number.”

Your eyes widen and your already distressed legs start to feel a bit more weak. Jimin scrubs a hand down his jaw before he speaks again.

“I was actually wondering if you might let me take you to dinner sometime.”

You blink. 

“Or I could cook you dinner. I make this really great prawn dish? But again, I’m not trying to be a creep or anything and it’s okay if you’re not comfortable with that – ” he’s backpedaling now, his words coming out in a rush.

“– You are not a creep,” you insist, when you’ve finally come to your senses and figure out how to access your words and use them to form sentences. “I just – I was just not expecting that. But yes, I’d love to go to dinner with you.”

Your knees threaten to buckle at the slow smile that comes over him.

“That’s great.”

🚨🚨🚨🚨

You fling the silverware drawer open and practically rip Mrs. Yun’s key out of it in your mad dash to her apartment. No, you do not feel guilty for letting yourself into her house, the woman has absolutely no boundaries and could use a taste of her own medicine.

You slam the door behind you when you walk in, and Mrs. Yun squints at you from her perch in the window. She blows out a perfect ring of smoke and then raises a brow.

“Got a bee in your bonnet?”

“Give me one of those,” you demand. “Right now.”

🚨🚨🚨🚨

There’s a knock at your door – again – only this time, you already know who’s on the other side. It’s your beloved Doordash driver, bringing an order of your beloved shio ramen. Two, actually.

You open the door to grab your food and Jimin calls out from the couch.

“Need some help with that?”

“Nah, I’m good,” you say over your shoulder. 

When you turn back to thank the Doordash guy, he’s staring into your living room, eyes wide and trained on Jimin. You clear your throat and he snaps his focus back to you.

“Have a good night,” he says pleasantly.

And then he gives you a thumbs up.

yun: can the two of you keep it DOWN  [ 11:22 PM ]

yun: some of us need our beauty sleep [ 11:22 PM ]

[supermarvel-fics]

Nervous

word count: 8,300

pairing: bucky x fem!reader (romantic) and a splash of natasha x reader (platonic)

cw: mild swearing, a bit of sexual tension, sexual innuendos (still sfw though)

summary: You make quick friends with Nat after you move to the city and she introduces you to the avengers. After meeting Bucky, you are at a loss for words.

author's note: this fic is inspired by the song "Nervous" by Shawn Mendes (link to the song below). this one was a lot of fun to write so I left it open for a part 2 if anyone is interested. also, thank you to a sweet anon who sent in this prompt for bucky. just a reminder that I'm always excepting prompts and ideas! love you all!

“Don’t worry,” Natasha said as she led you through the front doors of the compound. “Everyone is going to love you!”

You smiled politely, following her into the lobby. It was bigger than you imagined, but then again, so was everything else. You moved to New York City only a few short weeks ago from your small hometown. A change in pace was exactly what you needed after years of driving along the same streets and seeing the same people day after day.

You met Nat on the second day of your new job. You found it hard to believe that the Avenger’s didn’t have their own massage therapist considering how much distress they put their bodies into, but Nat had told you that Tony wasn’t interested in paying for one due to most of the heroes having magic healing powers or super strength.

You scoffed at that, welcoming her into your practice with open arms. As you worked out her over-tired muscles, the two of you talked about any and everything; where you grew up, how she became a Widow, what it was like to live in a tower full of testosterone.

By the end of her one-hour session, you decided that Nat needed another girl friend to hang out with. Selfishly, so did you since you’d just moved into the city the week prior. You exchanged numbers and have been hanging out almost every weekend since.

Nat had been begging you to come meet the rest of her friends since your second get together and you’d been weary at first. Meeting new people was never your strong suit—it was mostly why your only friend was Nat and one of your other coworkers—but after weeks of her assuring you that they were dying to meet you, you finally agreed.

Nat escorted you out of the elevator and into the kitchen where three of Earths mightiest heroes were eating lunch.

“Guys, hey! This is my massage therapist, Y/N. She just moved here from Michigan,” Nat introduced you. You waved at the boys and let a shy grin grace your features.

“Ah! Yes, the young Widow has spoken a lot about you,” Thor bellowed. “She says you have magic in your fingertips.” He wiggled his fingers for emphasis.

You giggled at him, peeking over at Nat as you caught her covering her eyes with her hand in embarrassment. “Yeah, well not real magic, I assure you, but I can definitely work out some knots.”

“Well, obviously you’re doing an amazing job considering she’s way less tense, now,” Steve jested at the redhead. Nat crossed her arms, swiveling to face the Captain.

“You know what, Rogers, I—”

“So, you have your own practice?” Sam interrupted, taking a bite of his sandwich. “Because I’ve had lower back pain for months and Tony refuses to hire someone to help.”

“So I’ve heard,” You hummed. “It’s not my practice, no, but I work at one just around the block. You’re welcome to come see me anytime!”

“I might just take you up on that,” Sam said and you smiled in response.

“Hey, now! She’s mine! Get your own!” Nat pointed at Sam, narrowing her eyes at him. You chuckled and grabbed onto her forearm, pulling her arm back down to her side.

“There’s plenty of me to go around, Nat. Besides, you get most of my time off the clock, anyway. I need to make some money here and there,” You winked at Sam who let out a bark of a laugh.

“I like her. Let’s keep her around.”

Again, a sheepish smile returned to your face and a blush fell onto your cheeks. You and Nat said your goodbyes and made your way down the hall and into the common room where Wanda and Vision were watching a movie. You all chatted for a moment, finding joy in the love that the witch and the android had for one another.

Nat and Wanda concurred that the three of you needed a girls day and before departing, you seemingly had a new friend.

“See? I told you everyone was going to like you,” Nat assured you once you left the common area. You let a breathy laugh come through your nose and nodded.

“I guess I just thought I’d feel more out of place,” You shrugged. “You guys save the world from impending doom and I’m just me.”

“Uh, you saved me from impending doom after you fixed my shoulder that one time. Don’t dote on yourself. We’re people just like you,” Nat nudged your arm with her elbow and you snickered, rolling your eyes.

“Right… people with magic powers, iron suits, super strength, and extreme combat training.”

“Look, if you’re so worried about not fitting in, come with me to the gym,” she declared, quickly switching hallways to change route. “I’ll teach you some basic defensive skills that everyone needs to know—especially since we live in the city.”

“Woah, woah, wait, Nat!” You called, shuffling your feet faster to catch up with her. “I don’t know about that! I’m not even dressed for a workout!” You gestured to your clothes. Nat peered over, noticing you were in jeans and a nice blouse.

“Alright, fine. Another time, then,” She waved her hand in the air. “But we’re still going to—”

The rest of her sentence was lost when she pushed the gym door open with vigor and almost immediately, your breathing hitched at the sight of a man with a metal arm taking a few hits at a bag hanging from the ceiling.

You couldn’t describe the emotions you were currently feeling. You’d been in love once. Years ago, fresh out of college, but it never felt like this. Your chest was on fire and it spread up into your cheeks. Your throat was a bit tight and you were sure if you took one more step, your knees would buckle from underneath you.

But this wasn’t love, right? Love at first sight didn’t actually exist… right?

“James!” Nat shouted at the handsome man from across the gym, pulling you from your trance. Your lips tugged themselves into an unwilling smile as he continued throwing punches while answering Nat.

“It’s Bucky, Nat! You know I hate it when you call me James,” the man corrected, keeping his focus on the bag. You eyed him intently; taking notice of how much stronger his left hook was from his right.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Nat said dismissively before turning her head back to you. “This is James ‘Bucky’ Barnes,” She yelled his real name louder to grab his attention, “Buck, this is Y/N.”

Bucky finally ceased his workout, lifting his eyes over to where you were standing and God, if that didn’t make you want to melt right onto the floor. He smiled sweetly at you, giving you a once over.

“That’s a beautiful name,” Bucky stated matter-of-factly and if you didn’t believe it before, then you certainly did now. “What brings you here?”

You struggled to find the words you were looking for as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, causing Nat to look at you wearily.

“She’s, uh, my massage therapist. I wanted her to meet everyone,” She muttered while giving you a confused look. She must have noticed the blush forming on your cheeks and how closed off you seemed compared to when you were meeting the others.

“Oh, are you coming to work here?” the devilishly handsome sergeant asked. You sucked in a large breath, praying that the words you were thinking would actually come out this time.

“I, uh, n-no actually I, um…” you stammered before turning to Nat. She obviously got your hint.

“No, she’s not. You know Stark thinks it’s a waste of money considering the majority of you rarely ever get hurt.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t get sore from time to time,” Bucky argued. Nat held her hands up in defense.

“Don’t complain to me! If you want her here, go talk to Tony,” the redhead pointed in your direction which made Bucky look back over at you, another grin finding its way to his lips. You followed suit and giggled quietly.

“Well, regardless, it’s nice to meet you,” Bucky chuckled. “I think I may just have to write a strongly worded letter to Stark about getting you to join us, but until then, I’ll see you around?”

You nodded fervently, biting your bottom lip. “Y-yeah, I’ll be, uh, around.”

“Good.”

You and Nat waved goodbye to him, letting him resume his workout, and rushed out of the gym hurriedly. Once you were out of sight from the winter soldier, you dramatically let your back hit the wall, dropping your head into your hands.

“Oh, my God, that was so embarrassing!” You groaned. Nat laughed and pushed your shoulder playfully.

“What happened to you? You went all goo-goo eyes on him!” She teased you.

You whimpered, letting your hands fall back down to your sides and leaning your head back against the concrete wall. “I don’t know! I took one look at him and my brain just stopped functioning.”

“Oh, you like him!” Nat smirked and poked you in the stomach, causing you to flinch away from her with a small yelp.

“Ah! Nat!” You swatted her hand away. “How can I like him? I don’t even know him.”

“You don’t need to know him to have a crush on him. That’s like, the first rule of having a crush,” She explained to you. You scoffed and twisted away, continuing to walk down the hall. “Admit you like Bucky!”

“Well, I don’t!” You yelled out as you continued down the corridor. “Besides, we’re not in high school. I shouldn’t have to admit anything.”

Nat huffed, as if it pained her to do what she was about to do, and scurried up behind you to latch her hands onto your sides, squeezing them ticklishly. You didn’t even have the wherewithal to support your own weight considering you didn’t see it coming. You yelped, holding your arms close to your waist to block her fingers and sank to the floor.

“Nahahat! Whahat the hehehell?” You said through your giggles.

Nat clicked her tongue. “It’s plain as day that you like him, so just admit it and I’ll stop!”

You jolted and attempted to squirm away once she moved her hands up to your ribs, but you knew it was a fruitless endeavor—you’d never be able to escape the Widow.

“If yohou alreheheady knoHOW, then whyhy do I neheheed to say it?” You squeaked, mostly from how Nat’s nimble fingers prodded into your sensitive ribcage, but also from embarrassment. She laughed along with you, delighted in how a simple pinch could almost incapacitate you.

“Because once you say it, I’ll have confirmation and can set you two up on a date!”

“WHAHAT? NO WAHAHAY!” Your laughter and voice pitched up as Nat’s thumbs drove into that wretched spot along the backs of your ribs. She found that spot fairly quickly at the beginning of your friendship. She asked if she could give you a massage since you do it so well for others. You were a bit reluctant, but she did ultimately convince you after kneading into your shoulder for a second or two.

As she moved down your back, you immediately realized why you never let people massage you because the second that Nat moved below your shoulder blades, bracing her first four fingers on your sides and circling her thumbs into the ribs next to your spine, you lost it. What started as a massage turned into a tickle attack from your brand-new friend.

And she never let you live it down. Nat wasn’t opposed to tickling you if you said some cheeky remark at her expense or if you changed the channel while she was watching one of her favorite shows. She always had the upper hand because she, herself, wasn’t ticklish. At all. So, it wasn’t like you could retaliate. You just had to sit there and take it.

“Come on, all you have to do is—”

“OKAY! OKAHAHAY! I LIHIKE HIM, P-PLEHEHEASE NOHOT THERE!” You screamed in laughter. Nat let up, chuckling as you attempted to catch your breath.

“See? Was that so hard?” She taunted you. You glared up at her, then grabbed the hand she was holding out for you to stand up. You unwrinkled your clothes and giggled at the absurdity of it all.

“God, I feel like I’m a teenager again,” You complained. “I haven’t felt like that in years and honestly, I’m still not sure why I had such a hard time talking to him!”

“Bucky has that effect on people. I think it’s that old 1940s charm he’s got going on,” Nat shrugged, leading you two back down the hallway to the lab where Tony and Bruce were sure to be working on something.

You thought about that for a moment—Bucky’s way of making you weak in the knees—but it had nothing to do with what time period he was from. You certainly didn’t fall for Steve Rogers when you looked him in the eye. No, it was something else.

Maybe it was how kind he was considering his past. It was hard to believe that a man that sweet could have murdered people in cold blood. Or maybe it was because of his muscles. No, definitely not. Your eyes didn’t fall to Thor’s bulky exterior when you met him.

Maybe it was just Bucky’s essence. The way he carried himself and the way he joked with Nat. You were racking your head for a thousand reasons as to why you acted the way you did in front of him and Nat noticed once she said your name 3 times without an answer.

“Hey,” She voiced softly, turning to you with her hand on your upper arm. “You don’t have to have a specific reason as to why you like Bucky. Sometimes, humans are just really good-looking and it catches you off guard. You think he’s cute and I think he thinks you are, too.”

You covered your face in flustered awkwardness and grunted. “There’s no way he thinks I’m cute after that disaster of a conversation I just had. It wasn’t even a full-fledged conversation. I think I only said 5 words!”

“After spending years with these boys, I know their facial expressions inside and out. Bucky likes you.”

“Okay, fine, whatever, just…” you trailed off, grabbing Nat’s forearm with urgency, “don’t tell him I like him. I want to get to know him first.”

Nat chortled and nodded. “You have my word, but it’s not really like I need to say anything. If Bucky didn’t catch that you wanted to marry him on the spot, then he’s an idiot.”

You snatched your hand away from her, jaw agape and shoved her arm. “Shut up! You know what, I’m done talking to you about this!” You continued marching down the hall, leaving Nat snickering behind you.

You met the other habitants of the tower with no problem—which, of course, Nat teased you for later—and ultimately felt welcome in the band of heroes. You found an unlikely friend in Loki. He was unsure at first—an outsider coming to make friends with a bunch of superheroes wasn’t very common—but once you made a joke about his brother, he laughed and said that he was delighted to have someone with a sense of humor hanging around.

After you left the compound, the only thing circling your mind was Bucky. It was like he mentally took you hostage because all you could think about was his welcoming smile and entrancing blue eyes. It caught you at the most importune times, too. One minute, you’d be talking to a client, and the next you’d remember how Bucky told you that you had a beautiful name, causing you to blush.

You wouldn’t say you were trying to forget about him, but damn, it was hard to focus on anything else but him.

That’s why you were so relieved when Nat called a few days later with good news.

“Bucky asked me about you,” She sang through the phone. You internally panicked for a moment, your heartrate increasing and heat pricking at your face.

“You’re kidding! What did you say? You didn’t say anything bad, did you? Oh, God, I don’t want to know!” You spoke in quick succession.

“Woah, hey, calm down there, sea-biscuit! I didn’t tell him anything other than what he asked.”

You waited for her to elaborate in excruciating silence for a few seconds. “…And what did he ask?”

“Oh, just if I’d be bringing you over more often. He was basically drooling at the mouth when I told him yes. I told you he liked you!”

It took everything in you not to squeal in excitement. “I know we sound like 16-year-old girls at a sleepover gossiping about boys, but I don’t care. I am so happy.”

“I never had that experience, so I’m glad to be doing it with you now as a grown adult,” Nat laughed. “You coming over tomorrow, then?”

You took a quick peek over at the planner on your desk. “I have a bit of work to do in the morning, but I can probably swing by around noon. Just don’t make a big deal out of it, okay? I’m nervous enough around him as it is.”

“Yeah, yeah. See you later.”

--

The next day, a beautiful Sunday morning, you ventured to the coffee shop around the corner from your apartment to do your work instead of at your drab desk. It was certainly out of the ordinary for you, but fresh air and a nice iced coffee might do you good as you filled out and filed patient reports.

The change in scenery helped you work tremendously better than if you were in your own office. At this rate, you’d be done before the sun was high in the sky, getting you that much closer to seeing Bucky again.

It fueled you. You sped through the paperwork, though you made sure they were completed correctly, and sent them to your boss through email.

Just as you were about to pack up to leave, the bell on the front door to the café rang again. It was a nasty habit you had—looking up every time it sounded to see who was walking through the door. You supposed it had something to do with the way you loved to people watch, but it was distracting when you were desperately trying to get work done on a busy morning.

You gazed up, as you always did, then went back to putting your laptop away, but something in your mind told you to do a double-take.

And what you didn’t expect was to see Bucky himself walk through the door. Nor did you prepare for the utter fear you’d feel when he looked straight at you, too.

Almost instantly, your heartbeat sped up as if it were signaling the end of an intense workout. Bucky recognized you, sporting a giddy smile as he got in line to order. You returned it, albeit more reserved, and attempted to put your attention back on gathering your belongings.

Your head tilted down to hide the severe burning in your cheeks, but nothing could conceal the fact that your hands were shaking vigorously, making it extremely difficult to contain a grip on your laptop so you’d be able to stow it away.

You wrung your hands out and scolded yourself for acting this way. It’s just a guy. A guy who might like you back, but it’s just a guy.

This wasn’t how you planned on reuniting with him. You expected Nat to be at your side as a buffer and possibly as a translator considering how well your last conversation went. But here he was, making his way over to your table after he’d ordered his drink.

“Funny meeting you here,” Bucky grinned. “Is this seat taken?”

Your eyes shifted from him to the chair in front of you, then back to him. You bit the inner corner of your bottom lip and shook your head. “No. You can sit.”

Nice. A full sentence without stuttering.

Bucky slid the chair out and gracefully sat down, leaning back to get a better look at you. “So, are you a frequent café flyer?”

You cleared your throat, hoping to sound more confident than you felt. “Uh, no, actually. This is my first time here. A-Are you?”

“Yeah, I come here almost every morning after my jog around the block,” He said before standing up to retrieve his coffee as the barista said his name. As he walked away, you had to force yourself to calm down so that when he returned, you’d be cool as a cucumber.

Bucky graciously grabbed his coffee and made his way back over to your table. “Anyway, I didn’t mean to interrupt whatever it was you were doing. I just saw a familiar face and thought I’d come and say hi. I don’t talk to very many people outside of the Avengers.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine!” You quickly reassured him, lest he think you didn’t want him joining you. “I just finished before you walked in. I was actually, uh, g-going to head to the c-compound after dropping off my stuff.”

Bucky’s eyes noticeably brightened and his smile, well, you weren’t sure if it could get any bigger. It set a flame to your heart; having a semi-mutual understanding that the two of you were interested in each other without having to say anything.

“Back again already, hm?” He voiced lowly prior to taking a sip of his coffee. You could tell he was teasing you, causing a breathy laugh to come through your nose.

“Yeah, well, don’t let it go to your head, but you guys are pretty interesting.”

“And what is it that makes us so interesting?” Bucky raised an eyebrow. You mimicked him.

“Are you just asking me to c-compliment you?” You asked, stuttering the slightest amount at how Bucky was flustering you. He giggled a bit, and it delighted you how melodic the sound was.

“I’m only asking what you see in us as an outsider looking in. Getting a compliment is simply a bonus,” Bucky shrugged, a hint of a smirk at his lips. The more the two of you talked, the less nervous you felt, which was a success in your eyes. It was as if the adrenaline finally kicked in, so you decided to match his cheeky behavior.

“What? Is being born in the early 1900s and having a vibranium metal arm made by possibly the smartest person in the world not interesting enough for you?”

Bucky let out a genuine laugh this time, nose scrunch and all. You thought it only happened in movies, but your stomach fluttered with butterflies at the sound and sight. It was exceedingly cliché, though it was warming to know that love was being depicted correctly in the cheesy romantic comedies you’d watched.

Love. Was it love? You were weary of putting a label on the way you felt about Bucky so soon since this was only the second time you’d laid eyes on him. It didn’t seem right to say you were in love with someone you’d just met, even if ‘love at first sight’ was real.

But love was a social construct. Different people are enveloped in it in different ways. Before Bucky, you were sure that you loved your last boyfriend, but the way he made you feel seemed so bland compared to how your face set aflame just by the sight of handsome super soldier.

Maybe you’d never truly know. It’s hard to have an understanding of what true love feels like if you’ve only dated 1 person in your life.

“You’re funny. I like you,” Bucky nodded in approval. You weren’t sure of the implications of what he just said, though it honestly didn’t matter—your hands began to tremble violently again as the weight of it dwelled on you. You fiddled with your fingers under the table, out of sight, and half-grinned.

“Y-You’re not too b-bad yourself,” a light chuckle rumbled through you. “Well, uh, I’m going to head home and drop m-my stuff off, so, um, I’ll see you back at the t-tower?”

Bucky furrowed his brows ever so slightly before looking out of the window at the darkening sky. “May I walk you home?” He asked. Your eyes widened into genuine surprise at the question. “It’s just… it’s about to rain and it would be rude of me to let a lady walk home in weather like this by herself.” A sheepish expression found its way to Bucky’s face at the way yours seemed to lose all its color. “I don’t mean to intrude or anything. You can absolutely decline, I just—”

“N-no, you’re not intruding at all! I appreciate the offer, really, but I’d hate to ask that of you since neither of us have umbrellas and sorry if this makes me sound really dumb, but, like, won’t your metal arm get rusty… or something?” You rambled.

Bucky had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing at you. “Uh, no, my arm would be just fine. Plus, you didn’t ask, I insisted, but like I said, if I’m overstepping my boundaries, I apologize.”

You took a moment to gaze out of the window, too. It was dark, but you only lived a couple blocks away. Maybe you could make it home without getting soaked. After all, Bucky’s offer was just too good to pass up. It would give you a little more time alone with him.

“You’re definitely not overstepping. You’re…” You trailed off looking for the right word, “…very sweet. If you���d like to, I wouldn’t say no.”

You stood from your seat and grabbed onto your belongings, grinning shyly as Bucky took your empty coffee cup and tossed it in the trash for you. What a gentleman, you thought.

He held out his hand gesturing for you to lead the way, only proving your thoughts correct, and followed you out the door and onto the busy New York City street.

“My apartment isn’t too far from here,” You said over the bustle of cars and pedestrians. “If we hurry, we might be able to make it.” Just as you finished your sentence, you felt a raindrop fall onto your forehead. You flinched before wiping it away, scoffing at the irony. “Okay, maybe not.”

Bucky snickered and began to walk faster, urging you to do the same. “This is the last time I leave the house without an umbrella.”

Just as the two of you hit a crosswalk, having to wait at the corner due to the traffic, the rain’s pace picked up. A sprinkle quickly morphed into a light drizzle. You looked up at Bucky with slight panic and you were surprised to see that he was already looking down at you. Your face caused him to let out a snort, which in turn made you giggle as well.

Once the street was clear of vehicles, you and Bucky power-walked across and before you could even reach the other side, it started pouring.

“Shit!” Bucky hissed, ducking his head as if it would protect him.

“Come on!” You shouted prior to sprinting down the sidewalk. Bucky was hot on your heels, though you were positive he could have raced passed you without a second thought. Still, he let you lead the way back to your place, keeping a steady jogging pace behind you.

You found this whole fiasco to be a bit childish, thus making you fall into laughter as you raced an Avenger down the street. Within a couple of minutes, you were at the revolving door to your apartment complex.

“Go,” Bucky nodded to the entrance. “I’ll wait right here for you.”

Your eyes shot open and you shook your head aggressively. “What? No, I’m not letting you stay out here! Come inside.”

You didn’t care of the possible implications this time around. You’d never make him wait outside in the rain for you.

“Seriously, I’m fine right here. I—”

“I’m not taking no for an answer, Bucky,” You said, playfully glaring at him. “We’re wasting precious time standing outside bickering like children. We can throw your clothes in the dryer.”

“And what do you suppose I wear in the meantime?” Bucky smirked at you. You were damn lucky that the rain had made it difficult to see because your cheeks set on fire at his comment.

“I-I have s-some of m-my dad’s shirts here and… uh, s-sorry. I didn’t m-mean to make you uncomfortable or anything.”

“Doll, it’s okay. I was joking. If you’re adamant about me coming in, I certainly wouldn’t mind,” He comforted you, placing a firm, yet gentle hand on your shoulder. You swore your heart skipped a beat at the cute pet name that rolled off his tongue. Pulling yourself together, you nodded and tilted your head towards the door, silently asking him to follow you.

The elevator ride up to the 6th floor was agonizingly quiet. You just invited the man who you’d been crushing on for days into your apartment. That reality hit you like a truck. What had gotten into you? How were you so timid in front of him one minute, only to be extremely forward the next?

You supposed it had to do with the fact that you had hints of Bucky liking you, too, though it was unspoken. Knowing that he might feel the same way you do—a mutual connection of sorts—helped you feel a little more comfortable around him.

You rounded the corner once the elevator doors opened and Bucky followed behind you; footsteps echoing in the silent hallway.

“Sorry about the mess in advance,” You finally spoke, digging through your purse for your keys. “I just moved in a couple months ago, so I’m still trying to unpack everything.”

Bucky chuckled. “I feel like anyone who says that doesn’t actually have a messy house. I’m sure it’s fine!”

The pair of you halted at your front door so that you could unlock it. You cleared your throat before swinging it open and stepping inside, becoming somewhat embarrassed about the dozens of boxes scattered around the living room and kitchen.

Your apartment was small, but still one of the bigger ones in the city. It was only a one bed, one and a half bath, but you had a killer view of the skyline and the architecture was admirable. It was hard to pass up after you toured it with the landlord.

You dared to take a peek at Bucky’s face once he crossed the threshold into your dumpster fire, cringing at how wide his eyes were. “I told you so.”

He snapped his head to look at you, smiling sympathetically. “Okay, yes, it’s messy, but it’s definitely not the worst I’ve seen. Besides, you just moved in. You have an excuse. Sam moved into the tower almost a year ago and his room still looks like this.”

You giggled at the jab, shaking your head as you kicked a cardboard box away from your path.

“I brought a couple of my dad’s t-shirts with me that I think might fit you,” You muttered, stumbling away from him to search for the box titled ‘miscellaneous’. “And I have this pair of sweatpants that are just way too big for me that also might fit. Honestly I don’t even know where they came from, so if they do fit you can have them.” You dug through the box on your left, shouting with victory as you pulled out a large black t-shirt and the pair of grey sweats that you referred to. “Aha! Here, you can change into this and I can throw your stuff in the dryer.”

You held out the clothing to Bucky, who was staring at you fondly. You retracted back into yourself as you noticed. “Sorry, I ramble when I’m nervous.”

Bucky grabbed the clothes from your clutch and tilted his head. “Why are you nervous?”

“Well, uh, I don’t really make it a habit to invite men into my apartment and ask them to undress. Especially if I’ve only known them for a couple of days,” You said sheepishly, ducking your head to avert your gaze to the ground so that Bucky wouldn’t be able to notice the pink tint to your face.

“Well, I think it’s endearing,” He replied. “Thank you for your kind hospitality.”

“You’re welcome,” You uttered, biting your lip to stop yourself from smiling too overenthusiastically. “The bathroom is, um, down the hall t-to your right.”

Bucky nodded and disappeared down the dark hallway. You watched as he retreated out of sight, then let out a giant breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. My God, you thought. How in the hell was this happening to you?

You assumed you would have a nice coffee and then go to the tower to hang out with everyone in a group setting, but somehow the universe aligned in just the right way so that you could get some alone time with Bucky. Natasha would be proud.

You scurried into your room to change as well, tossing your damp clothes into the hamper and switching to something more comfortable; a loose fitted tee and black leggings. Reaching for your phone, you called Nat to let her know that you would no longer be coming over.

“Hey!” She answered brightly. “Where are you? I thought you said you’d come over around noon.”

“Yeah, uh, change of plans. I’m not coming over,” You responded, feigning disappointment. You heard Nat sigh from the other line.

“Why not? Is it because of Bucky? I told you that he likes you, so I don’t know why you’re so scared to talk to him.”

“Well, I—”

“Seriously, you just have to buck up and tell him or something…”

“Nat.”

“…because if I have to sit here and watch you two pine for each other when it’s obvious that you like him and he likes you, I will lose my mind.”

“NAT!”

“What?”

Silence fell upon the call for a moment, letting the anticipation build for a bit of dramatic effect. You lowered your voice to a whisper before speaking. “I’m not coming because Bucky is here at my apartment.”

Nat immediately gasped. “Shut up! I knew you liked him, but I didn’t think it was that much. Holy shit, you barely know the guy!”

“Nat! That is NOT why he’s here and you know it!”

She laughed at your expense. “Yeah, I know. I just wanted to see what you’d say. But why is he there?”

“I was doing my work at a coffee shop this morning and he walked in just as I was about to leave. We talked for a minute, then he walked me home. End of story.”

“So, you’re staying there, then?”

“I mean… I’d rather spend time with him alone so I can get to know him better, so, yes.”

“Alright, well don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Nat said with a teasing lilt to her voice. You rolled your eyes even though she wasn’t able to see.

“Goodbye, Nat.” You knew she’d hear the smile in your voice, so you hung up before she could say anything else back. Remembering you had a guest, who was probably waiting outside for you, you shuffled out back into the living room.

Your focus effortlessly fell onto Bucky, sitting patiently on the arm of your couch. You were unsure as to why, but he looked 10 times better than he did before, causing your face to heat up, yet again.

“S-Sorry I took so long. I had to call Nat really quick,” You explained before taking his wet clothes and heading over to your dryer. Bucky’s gaze followed you, a grin on his lips.

“I mean, you did leave me sitting out here for an awfully long time, but I suppose all is forgiven since you’re doing my laundry for me,” He chuckled. “Thank you, by the way.”

You set the timer for 30 minutes and strolled back over to him. “It’s no problem, really.”

“I’ve got to make it up to you somehow,” Bucky pondered. “I can’t cook, so that’s out of the question. It’s raining, so I can’t take you anywhere…”

“Bucky, it’s fine,” You giggled, coming to sit next to him on your couch. “I don’t need compensation or anything.”

“How about a movie?” He declared, ignoring your protests. You sighed, though with an unwilling grin on your lips, and raised your eyebrows.

“You’re not gonna give up on this, are you?”

“Not a chance,” Bucky quipped back, smirking. “You pick the movie and I am simply just here to enjoy it with you.”

Tearing you gaze away from him, you twisted your head to look at the television. You suppose it would be fair. Besides, you were totally counting this as a date.

“Okay, fine, I guess I’ll agree,” You said, patting the couch cushion next to you. Bucky rounded the couch and took his seat with a shit-eating grin on his face. You shook your head at the sight of it, swiveling so your back was resting against the arm of the couch and your feet were directly next to Bucky’s legs.

You selected a movie you thought you’d both enjoy—a cheesy romantic comedy—and settled into the couch.

You tried to pay attention to the film, really, you did, but as it went on and the silence between the pair of you grew louder, it was hard not to drown in your thoughts. Why did you choose this movie? You could have picked any movie on Netflix and you chose the one about a woman falling in love with a stranger. Was there a possibility that your subconscious selected it knowing that was exactly the position you were in?

Is Bucky wondering about the implications of this movie, too? He’d be a fool not to, right? God, what you’d give to have a peek inside his mind right now. He was probably weirded out by the fact that your feet were right next to him. Why did you sit like this? You could switch positions, but then that would definitely turn his attention back to you. You could—

“You’re doing it again,” Bucky spoke in a low, gravelly voice. You head whipped up and your eyes locked onto his, giving him a quizzical look. “You’re in your head making yourself nervous.”

You groaned almost inaudibly, biting the inside of your cheek. “Was it that obvious?”

“You weren’t even looking at the TV and you were fiddling with your fingers in your lap,” He stared at you sympathetically before reaching for the remote on the coffee table to pause the movie. “What’s got you so edgy?”

You thought about lying to him. It would certainly be easier, but how could you form a true bond based on lies?

“I don’t know, I just…” you let out a breath and shrugged, “…this isn’t normal for me. Normally, I’m more confident and I don’t give a rats ass what people think, but with you… I don’t know, you just make me nervous.”

“So, if I’m understanding right, you’re timid around me because you care of what I think about you…” Bucky clarified. You nodded shyly, going back to picking at the skin around your thumb. “Well, here’s what I think about you…”

“Oh, no, Bucky, that’s not what I—”

“Shh! I won’t take no for an answer,” He used your words against you, holding up his finger to stop you from interrupting. “You’re kind. One of the kindest human beings I’ve ever met, actually. I mean, who just lets a strange man into their apartment so that she can dry his clothes for him?”

“You’re not strange,” You laughed at his self-deprecating dig.

“You’re also funny. I’m stone cold sometimes, so it’s hard to make me laugh, but somehow you do it. I think part of it is the whole sheepish demeanor you have, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

You blushed for the millionth time and moved your head so he wouldn’t be able to see it as clearly as he would if you continued staring at him.

“I love your sense of style, too. Seriously, your socks are so cute! I love the little cherries,” Bucky joked, scratching at the fruit on the top of your foot with one finger. You spluttered a bit, covering that foot with the other to stop the ticklish sensation. Bucky quickly did it again, this time with all 5 fingers. You giggled and pulled both feet closer to yourself, heat creeping up your neck at the fact that the man you had a serious crush on now knew you were ticklish.

And by the devious look in his eyes, you could tell he was about to exploit it.

“And lastly,” Bucky said, gripping one of your ankles with his metal arm and tugging it towards him, “I love how ticklish you are!”

“No! Buhucky, WaHAHAIT!” You screeched as his fingers descended down onto your arch. You attempted to pull it from his vibranium grip with all your might, but it obviously didn’t work. “Nohoho fair! Yohou have suhuhuper strength!”

Bucky smiled at how your laughter pitched up once he got closer to the ball of your foot, so he refocused all his efforts there. “I think it’s very fair. This is definitely getting you out of your head!”

“Yohou jeHERK! NAHAHA!” Your struggle became more frantic as his fingers scribbled just underneath your toes. You hit the cushion of the couch to signal your need for air because words were definitely not easy to come by through your laughter.

Bucky relented immediately, releasing your ankle and twisting his body to face you. “Are you no longer nervous?”

You curled into yourself as you sent him a malicious glare, though it was absolutely non-threatening with a ticklish grin still on your face.

“Noho! Because now you know my secret and I’ll never live it down!” You shouted playfully. “Honestly, I do your laundry and this is the thanks I get?”

Bucky smirked. “Doll, I figured out this secret on the day we met. Now, where was that spot Nat got you that had you screaming, huh?” He lunged forward, latching his hands onto your thighs, squeezing them between his thumb and forefinger.

You gasped prior to letting out a squeak and falling into howling laughter. You batted your hands against his to push him away. “You wehehere lihistening?”

Bucky pinched his way up higher, hoping to find that weak spot on your hips. “Well, I mean it’s kind of hard to focus when there’s a tickle fight going on right outside the door,” He teased you, digging his thumbs into your hip bones. You squirmed underneath him, even though it was pointless. You weren’t getting out of this until Bucky decided to let you.

The ticklish shocks sent you into a state of euphoria, which was possibly why you didn’t immediately freak out at the fact that Bucky heard everything you said, meaning that he heard you say—or rather scream—that you liked him.

“Hmm, still not this one,” He commented, switching techniques as his hands found your belly, lighting scratching at the place between your side and navel. Your hands grabbed his wrists, but you made no serious moves to push him away. It wasn’t exceedingly unbearable and to be perfectly honest, you didn’t mind his hands all over you, tickling you senseless.

“Yohou’re nohohot gonna fihind it!” You taunted him back. He paused his attack and stared at you incredulously, baffled by the fact that you had the guts to be cheeky with him in such a precarious position. You took this second of reprieve to catch your breath, knowing he was nowhere near done with you.

“And what makes you think that?” Bucky raised an eyebrow.

“It’s not that ordinary of a place to be ticklish, I guess,” You shrugged, a self-satisfying smirk on your face. Bucky scoffed and laid his hands flat across your abdomen.

“Alright, here’s a deal. If I find it within the next 2 minutes, I get a dare. If I don’t, you get a dare,” He bargained. You took a second to wager your options. You were right; your weak spot wasn’t all too common, so you were a bit confident that you’d win this little game. The only question on your mind was ‘what is his angle here?’

“You want me to endure two whole minutes of torture just so you can dare me to do something?” You interrogated the soldier.

“Yes, but I promise to make my dare really good,” He winked. You locked eyes with him and saw the sincerity behind the playfulness. He was waiting for consent. He wouldn’t continue to seek out your weak spot without permission, which you found to be extremely sexy, because there’s nothing hotter than a man who respects boundaries.

How bad could it be, anyway?

“Fine, but just be prepared to lose, Barnes.”

Without responding, Bucky dove right back into tickling your belly, fluttering his fingers around the sensitive places that made your skin crawl. You fell back into giggles, thankful that he didn’t want to incapacitate you within the first few seconds.

Once he had his fun watching you squirm, he shot his hands up to the front of your ribs, causing you to jolt violently. All of your ribs were pretty ticklish, but some more than others.

“Ooh, did I find it already?” He asked teasingly, splaying his fingers wider and digging into the crevices of the bones. You screeched and clamped your elbows to your sides, hoping to block him.

“NOHOHOPE!” You yelled.

“How do I know you’re not lying?”

“TRUHUST ME! YOHOU’LL KNOHOHOW IF YOU FIHIND IT!”

Bellowing laughter ripped through you as Bucky pinched at your ribs. He was getting warm, but not warm enough, because he finally moved targets and slid his fingers into the hollows under your arms. The feeling of it caused you to yelp in surprise, but your cackles turned into belly laughter.

“Damn it,” Bucky hissed in frustration.

“Fohorty five seheconds,” You provoked him. He growled before jamming his thumbs into your upper ribs so that the rest of his fingers could wiggle against your back. “AHHHAHA!”

You pressed yourself farther into the couch cushions, hoping to stop his torturous fingers, but you only made it worse for yourself. His hands were trapped at the wretched spot now.

“Oh-ho-ho, what do we have here?” Bucky chuckled deviously, gliding his hands down an inch lower, making you jolt one last time before falling into silent laughter. “I win.”

You weakly swatted at his arms to get him to stop and he did without hesitation. He pulled his hands out from underneath you, grinning at you fondly. You hiccoughed a few times, still giggling intermittently, and covered your face with your hands to hide your utter embarrassment.

“You’re absolutely right, that is a very strange place to be ticklish,” Bucky stated once you calmed yourself. You groaned and he laughed at you. “That was very cute.”

“Shut up,” You snapped at him without any bite. “Go on, give me your dare.” You straightened yourself to sit upright on the sofa, waiting for the inevitable humiliating task.

You bit your lips in anticipation, suddenly very aware of how Bucky was looking at you.

“I dare you to kiss me,” He announced without an ounce of hesitation. It was matter-of-fact. He wasn’t asking, he was almost demanding, but you knew he wouldn’t force you to. “That day we met, I heard you and Nat in the hallway talking… and laughing. I heard you say that you liked me. Honestly, it was such a relief because I thought I was crazy for having those same feelings for you the second I laid eyes on you. So, I dare you to kiss me.”

Your breathing hitched in your throat, much like how it did that day in the gym. It was his confession back to you. It left you no doubt in your mind that he felt the same mutual connection. Then, your lips twisted into a smile as you leant forward to press a kiss to his.

Your skin automatically felt 10 degrees warmer than it had been a second ago as Bucky’s hand rested on the side of your face. You sighed happily into his mouth, relishing in this moment because God, how was this your life.

Bucky drew back once he’d had his fill and stroked his thumb across your cheekbone. “You’re so beautiful,” He whispered.

You drank the compliment as if it were a cup of cold water on a hot day; savoring it in every way possible. You brought your hand to rest on top of his and half-smiled.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?” You blinked, waiting for his answer.

Bucky was quiet for a moment, gazing admiringly into your eyes. “Before the day I met you, I would have said no.” He surged towards you, kissing you passionately once more, then pulled back to finish what he was saying. “But it definitely exists.”

“I think so, too,” You replied in a hushed voice. You pulled his hand away from your face, placing a small peck onto his palm before interlocking your fingers with his.

There would be days were you still might get nervous around Bucky. Hell, if he kissed you like that every day, then maybe your hands would never stop shaking. But now, as the feelings between the two of you were out in the open, you might feel confident every now and then.

Confident that Bucky loves you just as much as you love him.

part 2

[mybillyhardgrove]

I'll take care of you b.h.

A/n: i haven’t written in a while, so here we go / also not exactly related, but Eight by Sleeping at Last is a perfect song for characters like billy (and daryl dixon i cry) <3

Disclaimer: i don’t own any Stranger Things material

Word count: 1758

Warnings: a lil bit risque (more than anything I’ve written before at least lmao)

Pairing: Billy Hargrove x Reader (female)

Summary: after a fight with his father, Billy comes to you for comfort

Another night, another essay.

If you knew how hellish it would be to take so many English classes in one year, you would have reconsidered. Reading books used to be one of your favorite things to do and has now become a chore. You found your eyes drifting out of focus for the millionth time as you tried reading the same passage again and again, so finally you shut the heavy book with a frustrated sigh. Where you would have normally wished for this silence and peace to finish your assignments quickly and accurately, you now wished for your boyfriend to come knock on your window and distract you.

Those were your favorite times as much as you feigned annoyance - Billy had perfected the art of pushing your buttons and making you squirm, dragging your attention away from Shakespeare or calculus. It wasn’t like you didn’t want to finish your work and relax for the rest of the night, it was just that your laziness and frustration outweighed that well-intentioned attitude.

Should you call him? Take a ride over to his place and knock on his window for a change?

No, that wouldn’t be a good idea. Either way, it was late and if Neil answered the phone or found you with Billy, the consequences would be bad for your boyfriend and you couldn’t be the cause of that. The guilt would be unbearable. It was already hard enough to promise Billy you wouldn’t say anything about that bastard, you couldn’t do anything to egg Neil on or give him an excuse to continue what he was doing.

You finally decided to put the work away for the night as you had just upset yourself thinking about Billy and you no longer felt you could complete any work in a sensible way that was worthy of a good grade.

You tiptoed downstairs to return your book bag to its proper spot for the morning and grabbed a cold glass of water before returning to your room. While you were in the kitchen, you decided to make yourself some lunch to take to school, since you didn’t feel tired enough to sleep yet anyway. As you were doing so, you heard the faint rumble of a car engine and a door slam, but didn’t think anything of it.

Once you were finished and the food was in the fridge, you grabbed your water and went quietly back to your room.

You did not expect to see Billy perched on the edge of your bed, so you gasped and jumped a bit, some water spilling over the edge of the glass and wetting the carpet. In a flurry, you shut the door and placed the glass down.

“Holy shit, Bill, you scared me. You can’t surprise a girl like that, now my carpet is all wet.” You smiled a bit, confident that your sass would be met with a quip back from your boyfriend. Not to mention there was an innuendo somewhere in there that Billy would take full advantage of. However, your eyebrows furrowed when you were met with silence. “Billy? Are you alright?” You approached slowly, waiting to see if he would look up at you in response to your question, but he only sniffed and wiped his nose. The hand that he retracted was ruby red. Your heart began to beat faster and you turned on another light in the room, illuminating the heartbreaking sight of the man.

He was a mess. Blood was leaking slowly from his nose and smudged across his cheekbone, which was swollen and beginning to bruise. His full bottom lip was bigger than usual and had a small split, which was also bleeding a bit. It also looked like the neckline of his white tee was ripped and the shirt itself had spots of red on it. His knuckles were broken and bleeding. Once you had given him a once over, your eyes returned to his face to find his eyes glassy and red-rimmed. Your vision blurred as you put the pieces together and assumed this was Neil’s doing. “I’m gonna kill him.” You wiped your eyes to see straight and grabbed your keys off the table, turning in a huff to storm out.

“Don’t.” It was the saddest word you had ever heard, the weakest version of Billy’s voice you could remember. You turned back and saw him finally looking at you, tears leaking down across his cuts and dripping onto that white shirt, turning the crisp white gray. He wiped them away gingerly, reaching a bruised hand out to you that was shaking and weak. Your heart shattered and you took it, softly sitting next to him and waiting for him to make the next move. He curled into you and weakly wrapped his arms around you before laying his face into the crook of your neck. You held him and slowly rocked him back and forth as he silently cried.

After a few minutes of quiet whispers and hushes, Billy lifted his head and sniffed. “Sorry,” he said, looking at the shoulder of your shirt that you could only assume was now stained with tears and blood. Without acknowledging it, you caressed his cheek and went to your hallway closet to retrieve a first aid kit and some towels. You wet them in the sink and returned to your room with the supplies, shutting your door and asking Billy to turn his face to you. You carefully wiped the blood away, spending more care on the spots that were dry and cracked. You wrapped his hand in a bandage, applying cream to all the broken skin of his knuckles and face. It took a lot of energy not to break down at his beautiful face and all it had clearly endured that night, but it wouldn’t be fair to distract him from his own emotions to tend to yours.

You took a deep breath once finished, scrutinizing your work and deciding it was the best you could do. You pressed a kiss to each of his eyelids, the crease between his eyebrows, each cut on his face, and finally his mouth. He hummed a bit at that last kiss, placing a hand on the back of your neck and keeping you there. Your mouths moved together and you kept your eyes closed, pretending for a moment that he was healthy and happy. That wish was squashed when he hissed as his lip split again. “Shit, I’m so sorry.” You were about to get up to grab a tissue and some more cream, but he stopped you.

“I’m alright. Don’t stop.” He put his hand to your face and you closed your eyes, avoiding that corner of his mouth the best you could, but his lips still tasted a bit metallic. Regardless, you kept quiet as you pulled his shirt off and put your hands on his shoulders, pushing him down so he was laying down flat. He had a questioning look in his eyes, which left when you began kissing his neck and moving slowly down to his collarbones. He sighed and relaxed a bit as you sucked and licked the sensitive spots you knew so well. You felt his large hands on your lower back as you continued your work down his chest, stopping right above his waistline.

Once you were satisfied that there were some marks that showed you loved him among the bruises, you lifted a leg and straddled his lap. He shifted his hands to your thighs, groaning a bit as you began rocking up and down on his jean-clad lap. He tried sitting up to gain control, but you pushed his chest back down. “Relax, baby. Let me take care of you.” He growled under his breath and relaxed his posture, watching you from half-lidded blue eyes. You leaned down to press more kisses to his mouth and behind his ears as you continued your rocking, both your breaths quickening the longer you went. “Is this alright?” You wanted to make sure he was comfortable, but you also loved to hear his compliments.

“Yes, God yes, this is perfect. You are perfect. Keep going, I’m getting close.” To help him along, you loosened his belt and dipped your hand beneath the waistline of his jeans. It was not long after that he was finished, quietly moaning your name in your ear so as not to wake the parents. He fully relaxed, muscles loosening, head dropping, and eyes closing as he worked to slow his frantic breathing.

Once he had, he smiled lazily and looked at you. “I love you.” That was enough to know all he wanted to say, but couldn’t. You smiled back and kissed him again. You slowly got up off his lap and opened your drawers to grab him some extra clothes. You piled them in your arms, reaching out a hand to help him up and to the bathroom. You went in with him, helping him to strip everything and then wiping him down. You crouched down so he could step into the pair of sweatpants he had left at your place the other week. You helped him lift his arms enough to shimmy a new tee shirt on. You slipped thick socks onto his feet and held his hand back to your bed. You tucked him in and handed him your water so he could take a few sips, pushing his curly hair from his forehead and pressing a kiss there before climbing in next to him.

He immediately pulled you close and laid his head on your chest, taking a deep breath before fully relaxing. After a few minutes, you thought he was asleep but he whispered your name, cutting himself off. “Yes, honey?” You weren’t sure if he needed something or if anything was hurting him.

“I- I… um,” you gathered it was hard for him to say what he wanted to, as it so often was for him. You laid still, eyes on the ceiling as you waited, patient as always with him. “Thank you. For everything. I love you.” You smiled to yourself and snuggled even closer to Billy if that was possible.

“I love you, too, honey. Stay here as long as you want, forever if you need.” He smiled at that, closing his eyes and finally allowing himself to drift to sleep with your hands brushing through his hair and your heart beating in his ear. You followed suit not too long after.

[fivelakesinwriting]

Hey love! Could you do a Dylan smut where him and the reader are trying for another baby? It could be very fluffy and cute. Thanks!❤️

Author's Notes: I based this around the same family dynamic as Around the Carousel. Thank you for the request - if this was yours, I hope you love it! I decided to not make it full smut, I enjoyed the dynamic as it was. Doesn't mean there's a lack of love. Please let me know what you think if you have a moment - messages, comments and feedback are appreciated! Thank you! xoxo

Warnings: Swearing, Drinking, Parenthood, Talk of pregnancy, Sexual references - Sexual innuendos. Otherwise rather fluffy.

Requested? Yes! Requests are OPEN!

*My work is not to be transferred, copied, translated or reposted to any other sites without my permission. And you do not have permission. Please see my masterlist for all other works and warnings. Thank you! xoxo

Dylan liked to say that after their daughter was born that he made a firm "promise" that he and his wife would have a longstanding date night. Although in total honesty, going to the grocery store for the potatoes for dinner with her felt like a romantic outing.

Yeah, he'll take all the grief. Pile it on.

But Dylan Rhodes O'Brien is nothing, if not a man of his word. So every other Saturday since Melody Lynn had been born, he and the wife did something. In the beginning when she didn't like being far away from the baby for too long it was just a coffee and a walk around the block. And slowly it progressed. A movie, a couple of cocktails, dinner and cocktails. Then before they knew it, they were kissing Melody's forehead goodbye as they dropped her off at a friend's house for her very first sleepover.

"You sure that you're alright to watch her tonight?" Dylan inquired, hands stuffed in his pockets as he watched his wife fuss over the baby one last time.

Pacifier? Check. Mr. Bear? Check.

His wife had vowed to him that if he had forgotten Mr. Bear than it would be a long, long time before he would ever see her naked again. Their daughter lived for that stuffed bear, so he knew that the stakes were high.

"I promise, we will be fine. You know I'm dying for a little girl time with Miss. Melody. We're going to watch a movie, decorate some cookies. It's going to be so much fun. Now, you two. Leave us alone, and go have your own fun." The tall woman smiled, brushing the baby's messy hair back from her face.

"Okay. Call us if you need anything, or have any questions?" Dylan's wife mumbled, wringing her hands nervously as she stepped down from the porch and watched their little girl curl her body happily into her Auntie.

"Leave. I love you, but leave. We are more than fine here. Wave bye to Mama and Papa, Miss. Melody."

Dylan gently wrapped his fingers around his wife's elbow and pulled her down the porch, back towards their family friendly S.U.V. Usually on date nights they took out the Audi, but this date night was different. Instead of going out for dinner, drinks, a movie or dancing - they had decided to do any, or all of those things at home. Dylan had picked up something for dinner, was happy with their selection of wine and the weather forecast, so he suggested they have a night at home.

"It's so strange being here without Mellie." She sighed as they walked back into their home, nothing but the sounds of their shoes over clean hardwood floors.

"Can put on some music. Are you getting hungry?" Dylan muttered as he walked up behind her once he locked their front door and placed his hands on her hips. He honestly didn't mind the silence, not that he didn't adore his daughter. But the break from ringing bells, songs about washing your hands, and the fucking Wiggles was much appreciated.

"Yeah. Pour me some wine, first?" His wife requested as she leaned her body back into his, a hand reaching back to softly brush her fingertips over his facial hair.

"Of course." Dylan nodded with a gentle kiss to the side of her face before he removed himself from her vicinity and towards the kitchen where the wine was waiting for them. He made a show of uncorking the wine bottle, because it always made her laugh. He filled their glasses as much as he possibly could without spilling over the brim, then handed his love her glass, silently toasting her and them.

"So, what are you making me for dinner?" She smiled, licking her lips free of the alcohol he had served her. She thumbed at the corners of her mouth, a nervous habit of hers that he had noticed over their years together.

"Don't worry about it. Go sit outside, enjoy the nice night and I'll take care of it." Dylan breathed out as he kissed her forehead, his hands cradling her face. He wanted to take care of her, because she spent so much of her time taking care of him and Melody. It was genuinely the least he could do.

Dylan liked cooking, he just never got much of an opportunity to do it. He worked a lot still. He had time with the baby after she was born, he refused to work. He didn't care what happened. He shut down everything he was doing and wouldn't be away from his wife or his daughter for longer than absolutely necessary. Then as she got older, and became a little more independent he went back to work for a few projects - minor things here and there that didn't require him being away so much. But Dylan loved getting all the things he needed together, chopping, dicing and cooking it all to make something (arguably) delicious.

"Dylan, that was so good." She groaned as she sat back in her chair, hands resting on her stomach after she dropped her fork down to her plate.

"I'm glad. Been a long time since I've been able to feed you. Wanted to remind you that I am, in fact, a decent cook." Dylan smiled as he brought his wine glass up to his lips and emptied it, eyes on his wife the entire time.

"I mean, you aren't terrible. You did almost burn down our old place when you tried to cook that salmon. Remember? Our apartment smelled so bad." She laughed as she finished off her own glass of wine.

"I am never going to live that down, am I?" Dylan smirked as he reached for the wine bottle, their second, and filled their glasses once more.

"Nope." She grinned, arms folded over the outdoor table as she watched him.

A silence came between them again, but neither seemed to mind. The evening wind was soft, moving her hair around her face and shoulders while the sun set behind them, giving their yard a soft, orange glow.

"You miss Mellie?" Dylan inquired softly as he took another sip of his wine, his eyes moving from his wife to their yard which was littered with their daughter's toys. Dolls, bubble machines, strollers for said dolls, a stray unmatched shoe or two, her favourite giant red ball and for some reason a cooking pot. Dylan never questioned why.

"Yeah. Do you?" She questioned as she ran her fingertips down the stem of her glass.

"I always miss her when she's away from me." Dylan nodded as he kicked his legs out, getting comfortable as he felt the alcohol rush to his head. He wasn't sure if it was age, or fatherhood, but he couldn't drink like he used to.

His wife looked over the table at him with sweet eyes, the closest thing to heart-shaped eyes he had ever seen. She rested her chin on her hands, holding her pretty face up as her eyes got heavy with the alcohol in her system.

"What do you think about us, maybe, trying to have another baby?" Dylan mumbled as he ran his fingers through his hair, his heart rate starting to pick up in his chest.

"You wanna get me pregnant, O'Brien?" His wife slurred, the wine getting the best of her as she took hold of her bottom lip between her teeth.

"You know I loved it when you were pregnant with Melody. You were all round, and soft. A monster for all things salty, or spicy. Couldn't feed you quick enough." Dylan teased as he slid his chair closer to hers, reminiscing about the time not too long ago, she had been pregnant with their girl.

"Lots of people dip their french fries in hot sauce." She pouted as she scooted to the edge of her seat so she was able to put her hands on his face, his facial hair prickling the tips of her fingers.

"Yeah. I'm sure lots of pregnant women do it." Dylan breathed out, the corners of his lips turning up as he reached for her hips and pulled her into his lap. He ran his hands over her soft, bare thighs. Her thin, short sundress hiked up above her hips as she rested in his lap, her feet across his armrest and her arms tossed around his neck.

"Do you really want to have another baby?" She questioned as she twisted a section of his hair at the top of his head around her fingertips.

"Yeah, I do. Been thinking about it for a while, and I like the idea of there being four of us. I think Melody could benefit from a sibling. And maybe, I like how you look when you're pregnant with my baby." Dylan smiled softly as he leaned his head back to look at her, his palm resting against her hip.

"M'kay. I'll let you take me inside on one condition. Tell me, boy or girl next?" She inquired as she got up off of his lap, stumbling on tipsy feet as she tried to steady herself.

"Honestly? I kinda like the idea of being surrounded by a bunch of beautiful women that look exactly like you. Besides, I can encourage at least one of them into liking baseball. So, a girl." Dylan laughed softly as he stood up with her and wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.

"Dylan." She hummed as she turned around in his arms, her fingertips curling into the material of his shirt. She pressed up onto her toes to get closer to his height, trailing her fingertips from his chest up his neck and into his hair to make him shiver.

"Let's go, woman." Dylan grunted as he hitched at the waist, draping her body over his shoulder and doling out a firm smack to her backside before he secured his arms around her legs as he walked back inside their home.

"Dylan! You have a nice butt." She laughed as she returned the favour and smacked his backside while she was upside down over his shoulder, on the way to their bedroom.

"Thanks, hon." Dylan scoffed as he carefully walked through their home, stepping over more stray toys left behind by their daughter, making his way towards the master bedroom.

Dylan dropped them both down on the bed, a smile on his face at his wife's raucous giggle as they rolled in the sheets for a moment trying to gain some semblance of balance. Dylan pressed up on his forearms above her, looking down at her face while she looked up at him. Her eyes were a little heavy from all the wine, a soft flush in her face from being tossed over his shoulder.

"Kiss me." She whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her knees spread wide on the mattress for him. It was his not-so-secret favourite, the way her body opened up for him in moments like this, silently telling him that she wanted him too. And after all these years together their bodies seemed to move as one.

"Kiss you as much as you want. You know I love your mouth." Dylan muttered, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"Dylan!" His wife gasped, eyes wide as she tugged his hair and forced his head back.

"No! C'mon, don't do that. I wanna kiss." Dylan chuckled as he took hold of her hips and used his abdominal muscles to flip them over, making her straddle his waist. He pushed his hands underneath her dress, feeling her warm thighs beneath his palms.

"Fine. Give me a kiss then." She whispered as she lowered her chest down to his, holding his bearded jawline in her hand and guided his lips to hers.

Dylan breathed a sigh of relief through his nostrils as his lips finally connected with his wife's. He pressed his fingertips to her thighs underneath her dress, loving how soft and smooth her skin was. Her fingertips traced over the scruff along his jaw as she started to slowly move her hips, rubbing herself over his manhood. Dylan moved his thumbs up along her thighs to flick over the straps of her panties then hooking them underneath the thin lace.

"Take these off for me?" Dylan mumbled into their kiss, running the length of his thumbs over her hips. He reluctantly removed his hands from inside of her dress as she stood up over him, feet on either side of his hips as she shimmied out of her underwear and kicked it off of the bed.

Dylan reached up for her hips again, grabbing her bare skin beneath her dress and tossed her to the top of the bed. He pulled off his own shirt as his wife rustled around in the sheets, getting comfortable then he crawled between her legs again. He held his weight on his hands as he dropped his head down, kissing and sucking along her neck. He hummed into her skin as she twisted her fingers in his hair, keeping his lips against her neck while she hooked her ankles under his backside to keep him close.

"I know we fooled around in the shower last night, but it feels like it's been forever since I've felt you next to me like this." She breathed out as she moved her fingers from his scalp, down his shoulders and over his bare biceps.

"I'm right here, sweetheart." Dylan muttered into the crease of her neck as he moved to lace his fingers with hers, pinning her hands over her head against the pillows.

"Be closer." She wriggled in his grasp a little, fingers gripping at his while her knees pressed to his sides.

"You have to let me go a little for that, sweetie." Dylan laughed softly with a shift of his hips between his wife's tight gripped knees. He pressed his forehead to hers, letting her bite at his bottom lip as he continued to keep her hands above her head.

"Dylan?"

"Yes, my love." Dylan mumbled as he place soft kisses all over her face. Between her eyebrows, the corners of her eyes, the tip of her nose, her cheeks, chin and finally her lips.

"If it's only ever the three of us -"

"Then I'll still be the luckiest man in the world. Coming home to you and Mellie is the best thing that has ever happened to me. If it doesn't happen for us again, then that's just fine. I've got my girls." Dylan smiled softly, untangling one of their hands to hold her face and thumb at her cheekbone.

"But we can still try?"

"As much as you want." Dylan grinned with a lick of his lips.

**I have stopped doing a tag list for the time being. Please let me know what you think if you have a moment! Thank you so much xoxo

Requests for Dylan O'Brien and Andrew Garfield are open. Requests for OBX are closed.

[phoebe-delia]

Teddy Bear (Dronarry)

Okay. Yes I have done this prompt already—a long time ago. But I had this idea, back then, and I wrote it down and I wanna do it now. So here is a second entry for @drarrymicrofic prompt: serenade.

Oh, and if anyone is wondering—it is directly inspired by this scene from Full House. Also—I was going to have this just be Drarry + a third-wheeling Ron, but I decided: fuck it. We can have some Dronarry as a treat. Also: this is my first triad fic so please be gentle! HUGE thanks to my darlingest @basicallyahedgehog for the beta and cheerleading. CW: one tiny blink-and-you-miss-it innuendo.

"Alright little one, what song do you want to sing tonight?" Harry smiled helplessly as Lily gave him a wide, toothless grin from her new 'Big Girl Bed.'

"Teddy Bear!" She exclaimed, her words slurry but eager as she pounded tiny, demanding fists onto the quilt in her excitement.

Harry heard Ron murmur to Draco, "She gets that from you," and then Draco's retaliatory smack to Ron's arm— it was light, from the way Ron still snickered.

Harry turned back to the two of them—Ron's impish grin and Draco's half-hearted glare. "Are we ready?"

"I know I am—unlike some people," Draco sniffed in Ron's direction. "I know how to carry a tune."

Ron leered. "Mmhm—and I know how to make you sing."

Harry and Draco both flushed. "Can we please get back on track here?" Harry huffed—a bit too breathily for his own liking. "Now—" he said, grinning brightly at an obliviously smiling Lily. "Ready?" He let his husbands nod at him affirmatively. "A-one, a-two, a-one, two, three, four!"

The three of them clapped their hands rhythmically, Ron and Draco singing "buh-pa-da-da" while Harry started the first verse:

"Oh baby let me be Your lovin' teddy bear Put a chain around my neck And lead me anywhere.

"Oh let me be—" he paused to let the other two sing—"Oh let him be"—before joining in—"Your teddy bear"

They continued the song, each taking turns as practiced—according to Draco's specifications, which both Harry and Ron had to admit worked well, especially as Lily settled down, her head on her pillow.

"Don't wanna be your tiger." (Ron)

"'Cause tigers play too rough." (Harry)

"Don't wanna be your lion" (Draco—who always sang that line with a bit too much enthusiasm).

Then Ron again—"'Cause lions ain't the kind you love enough," and the three of them held that note for a one, two before—

Draco took back over, singing the chorus while Ron and Harry happily snapped their fingers to the rhythm of their background, "buh-pa-da-da"'s.

And then, finally, Draco sang, "I just wanna be your teddy bear—" and the three of them ended with a harmonized, "Oooooooohhh" that Draco let go on for a second before lifting his hand and making a fist to cue the end of the note.

Harry watched Lily's eyes start to flutter closed, a contented smile curving her lips. He glanced over his shoulder to see Ron and Draco with similar expressions of aching love and fondness for their daughter. "Good night, darling," Draco smoothed a hand over Lily's head, leaning over to press a kiss to her head.

"Sleep well, sweetheart," Ron mumbled as he moved in close to kiss Lily's temple and wrapped an arm around Draco's waist. The two of them glanced up at one another, soft and open, and Harry let them have a moment while he kissed Lily's cheek. "We love you."

When Harry glanced back at them, two sets of adoring eyes met his gaze, making him inhale sharply. It still surprised him, even after so many years of being with these two incredible men, that he was living a kind of love he'd never known was possible.

"C'mon, loves," Ron said softly, taking Harry's and Draco's hands in each of his. "Let's go to bed."