#the starter noone asked for but you both needed

[wcmi-22]

After Lady Bristlebrush’s letter.

By Allison Blossom

The Mad Hatter known as Reginald Theophilus the third was many things. He was crazy, he was passionate and right now he was just plain out frustrated!

With the upcoming season for Matrimonial seeking in Wonderland, the poor hatter thought maybe this time he would have a chance. Yet, ever since the new Lady Bristlebrush columns started coming out, no one could be away from the light of her paper and even were at risk of scandal. Now including him!

As Ears finally entered into his home after receiving a much worrisome message on the telephone, he sees his dismal friend pacing back and forth from one part of his house to another, raving like the mad man he is.

“Can you believe this Ears?!”He shouted.

“Can I believe what, Reg?” Ears asked.

“ Cause I just can’t believe!” He said.

“Can’t believe what, Reg?” Ears asks his manic friend again.

“ UGH I JUST DON’T BELIVE IT I SAY!I WON’T BELIVE IT! I CAN’T BELIVE IT! I SHAN’T BELIEVE IT!” Reginald raved!

“CAN’T BELIVE WHAT????!!!!” EARS shouted stopping Reginald’s pacing and ranting.

“The Lady Bristlebrush column, Ears!” Reginald explained handing the scandalous paper to his friend“ And you need not shout, old boy.”

Ears sighed and gave a look that read “ugh ridiculous!” But then proceeded to read the column.

As Ears read the column he laughed a bit for a spell or two.

“She really has good taste and really let Maui have it!” Ears commented.

“Read on!” Reginald said as he sulked dramatically on his couch.

As Ears read on, to his surprise he saw his own friend in the paper. He read on and almost giggled but contained himself for Reginald’s sake.

“Wow she really ripped you one, didn’t she Reggie!” Ears chortled

“It’s not funny Ears!” Reginald stated and pouting like a little baby hatter.

“It’s kind of funny Reg and honestly she seems to be putting you in your place!“ Ears commented. “And well written too! Especially when she says and I quote:

“Of course if he wishes to find such wife material he will have to put on a suit of armor for his dismal disposition known as “husband material!” For Mr. Theophilus has shown great strides in pursuing but, catching and keeping is not one of his strong suits as seen with many of these women.”

“UGH” Reg says putting a pillow over his face.

“Come on Reg! It’s not that big a deal!” Ears tried to sooth. Little did his friend know that in the back of the March Hare’s mind he secretly laughed. “You deserved it!”

“Not a big deal! I have been trying to court Alice for months with no luck mind you! And just when I’m getting closer! BAM Bristlebrush! Now she’ll see me as nothing more than a a….”

“A callus Rake.” Ears said smoothly.

“I was going to say silly cad but yeah that too!”

“Reg, it’s just a gossip column!”

“A very mean on!”

“But a truthful one at that!” Ears scolded.

“Ouch Ears!” Reg said.

“Well someone had to say it! And besides Alice has said a lot of worse things than Bristlebrush has to you!”

“But I’ve changed Ears, really!”

“We’ll prove it to Lady Bristlebrush!”

“How though?” Reg asked.

“Well for starters, maybe not through a tantrum like a toddler whenever you don’t get your way! Then there is your manners you need to brush up on including with women, you can Quit with the pick up lines, try to have a formal conversation….”

As Ears listed more ways Reginald could improve more, Reg sighed a pouted.

“And another thing, no more stalking Alice!”

“What!” Reginald exclaimed “ but I can’t stop stalking my cricket! What if she needs me or what if she does something interesting!”

“ I mean it Reg, no more stalking!“

Ears said.

At that moment both Ears and Reg looked at each other as if they were dueling at high noon.

“Fine no stalking!”

“Now, get yourself ready!” Ears gestured.

“The presentation is tonight and you know how the queen feels about late comers!”

“Fine but I’m not wearing the cummerbund! I am a modern man after all and refuse societies ideas of fashion!” Reginald explained proudly.

“Fine, fine just get dressed!” Ears said.

After they have gotten themselves ready, they headed out the door for the presentation of the Season was at hand! And maybe even romance for the Hatter after all!

[ptolomeas]

               CLOSED  STARTER     .ᐟ               @               HALF - BLOOD  HILL,               half  an  hour  before  leaving  time               —               late  morning,  closer  to  noon  than  eleven,  a  send - off  where  nobody  is  waiting  to  see  them  off  (  because  everyone  has  already  said  goodbye  and  it's  easier  this  way  ),  a  moment  stolen  between  friends - turned - sisters.

an  uneasy  stirring  in  her  belly,  something  awkward,  like  tough  meat  that  wasn't  chewed  correctly  now  sitting  in  her  gut.  bunny  hasn't  left  camp  since  she  arrived,  not  even  to  visit  the  city  or  get  some  prohibited  snacks  from  the  gas  station  up  the  road.  anything  she  needs  someone  else  can  get  for  her,  someone  more  adventurous,  with  more  courage,  a  clear  mind  left  untouched  by  the  plague  of  wracking  paranoia.  she  begged  her  father  to  let  her  stay  —  xander  would  do  just  fine  defending  his  honor  in  the  wild,  he  would  be  a  great  son  to  show  ot  zeus,  all  to  fall  on  deaf  ears.  dionysus  is  as  agitated  as  the  rest  of  them  and  even  chiron,  whose  eyes  look  more  tired  with  each  passing  day,  couldn't  do  anything  but  give  her  a  sad  look  and  an  empty  statement  that  he  had  seen  many  heroes  return.  they  both  know  that  she's  read  enough  to  understand  that  most  heroes  don't  return  at  all. standing  next  to  @omorfias,  bunny's  eyes  hide  behind  a  pair  of  sunglasses,  golden  aviator  glasses  also  stolen  from  her  dad  (  thank  you,  tony  !  ).  she  heaves  a  sigh,  which  is  followed  shortly  by  a  groan  and  she  clicks  her  tongue  against  the  roof  of  her  mouth.   “   we'll  be  fine,  right?   ”   she  asks  ga - eun.  it  is  obvious  she's  trying  to  soothe  herself  rather  than  the  newcomer.   “   they're  relatively  easy,  nothing  should  go  wrong.  we're  just  finding  the  —  fates,  easy  peasy,  right?   ”   

[lightxshadow]

closed starter: @garlandhightower setting: the bedchambers of the lord and lady of the hightower, on the day of the birth of their twins

zialla had heard from the women in her life that birth was beyond painful, but it was also beyond worth it when the babe was placed in your arms. however, no words they had used to describe the pain did it justice. a small scream tore from her throat as another wave of relentless pain washed over her. she had awoken in the night from pains, drenched in her birth waters, and immediately figured out what was happening. she had awoken her husband and they managed to have a short moment of calm together before the maester had to be called. it had been controlled chaos after that. everything had been prepared for the birth. their bed had been transformed into a birthing bed by the servants who had all been awoken. the red priestess disguised as zia's handmaiden was present, the maester and the midwives were there. garland was by her side. everything was as it should be. and yet none of that was a comfort to her as wave of pain after wave of pain tore through her body. the small breaks in between were never long enough. when she could sense that dawn was breaking outside, she begged to have the curtains opened to allow light to stream into the room. she felt slightly calmer when the room was lit up by the sun, more at peace. the disguised priestess hovered by her but did not bother her in any way, she only left the room occasionally to pray as zia had instructed her to do on her behalf.

as the morning became noon and noon became midday, her pains became more frequent and much stronger. she had snapped at the midwives three times by now, unable to find the energy to put on a fake smile and be polite even when they annoyed her by constantly touching her and asking her questions. it was all just survival. zia had even physically pushed away garland at one point as she managed to get on her side and throw up the contents of her stomach over the other side of the bed. birth was not as beautiful as she had imagined. she understood now why most men were not present for the birth ― and she could only hope garland would still desire her after witnessing her like this. exhausted and drenched in sweat, her face contorted in pain and unladylike noises coming from her. when she finally felt the need to push, she almost cried with relief. one step closer to the pain ending. "the babes are coming," lady hightower managed to declare to her husband. she was propped up by more pillows, her hand flying to grab hold of garland's, as she began to push. zialla did not think much during the pushing phase, there was no energy left to question things, no energy left to worry. all she could do was push and scream and yell out in agony while she did. she had enough mind to let go of garland's hand at one point, afraid that she'd somehow manage to break it. she grabbed hold of the sides of the bed instead and held on so tight that both her hands shook from the force of her grip. just when she thought that she could not survive one more push, she pushed one last time, felt something slide out of her and the room filled with the sound of a cry.

her eyes had been closed but they shot open now. every thought of having to suffer through this again went out of her head as she saw her child. the babe was covered in blood and slime that she'd prefer not to know what was, but none of that mattered in that instant. she was the mother of this screaming child and a rush of joy went through her. the maester took a quick look at the child and then smiled.

"congratulations, my lord and my lady, you have been blessed with a healthy daughter."

she looked at garland with glistening eyes, her hand taking his once more and holding it tight. a girl, a daughter. she felt serene at the thought as she knew their son was coming. she was convinced that she'd give birth to garland's heir on this day, she had been convinced of that for a while. zia almost protested when one of the midwives took her daughter away, but she saw they were just bringing her to a small tub to clean her up. the maester was then suddenly standing beside her and feeling her stomach. zia winced from the pain. "i am sorry, lady hightower, but i need to feel if there really is a second babe." it was only then she fully realised that she had to go through this all over again. she felt her unbridled joy dampen a little. but then the midwife returned with her daughter. she tried her best to ignore the pushing and pulling of the maester as she watched garland hold the babe wrapped in silks in his arms. "she is beautiful," zialla whispered as she reached out to caress the fussing babe's cheek, relieved that the maester had finally left her alone. she was enamoured with her daughter, so much that she almost did not hear the maester say that another babe would be coming shortly, that the babe was already in position. zia barely reacted to the news that there definitely was a second babe. it was what she had expected, what they had all assumed for a moon now. "you choose the name, ñuha prūmia, they are both as pretty as her." they had discussed names for a while now, constantly going between rosaria and lucia if they had a girl. zahrina as a second name was already decided upon, it had been zialla's wish to honour her closest friend.

zia opened her mouth to say something more, wishing to hold her daughter, but the weak cramps she had experienced since delivering the first of the twins now became painful contractions that would no longer go ignored. she let out a long whimper of pain and fell back into the pillows behind her. the name would have to wait. "it's time to deliver the other twin, my lady." one of the midwives carefully took the babe from garland while she steeled herself to birth another child.

[forestryfae]

literally everything has to be some kind of a deal and everything i do HAS to have a comment or criticism attached to it and i HAVE to be commented on constantly. i cant even fucking do my laundry 20:22 cus "isnt it a bit late" NO. THE DOOR SAYS 22:30 IS WHEN YOU CLOSE. why the FUCK cant i just be allowed to do ONE load of laundry at 8 in the evening without criticism and they cant even unlock the fucking door in the morning cus they just dont give a shit. i couldnt have done it earlier cus i was pissed at the staff because of that fucking "you cant have juice flavouring in your water at dinner" NEVR BEEN A RULE + there were SEVERAL people drinking soda at dinner onf riday and ive seen people drink energy drinks at dinner so what the FUCK is the problem. they even put out the flavouring on the dinne rtable yesterday and ive never heard that fucking rule BUT WHEN I DO SOMETHING its a problem and im the only one at fault apparently. meanwhile they cant even unlock the fucking door to the laundryroom so we can wash our fucking clothes without having to ASK THEM to open the door. WHAT. i have wednesday and friday off SPECIFICALLY so i can do laundry and ive been woken up with "good morning are you going to do laundry today it looks like you need to do it" and going downstairs and the door is fucking LOCKED. and then they changed the closingtime from 9pm to 22:30 and told NOONE, so every fucking rule is a guessing game of "am i allowed to do this or am i actually the worst person in the world because i shouldve just known this" and now i cant do laundry so ill have clean clothes for work tomorrow because apparently its "too late" and also fuck me i guess. everything i do is wrong. nothing can be a simple question or request that gets done, everything has to be a big deal

also fuck that girl i went to the store w last saturday, shes very nice and not a bad person but jesus christ it gets kind of grating to have to listen to her constantly comment on everything. they need to do this, they need to do that, this isnt how SHE would have done it and this isnt what SHES used to, why did you just this or that. well for starters i didnt just buy the candy i wanted from a different store cus we were AT ANOTHER STORE. was i supposed to just NOT buy candy? was i supposed to read her fucking mind and just know its slightly cheaper at this other store??? was i supposed to pour the candy out and run to the other store. not to mention we DID go to the other store and they had literally nothing. it was like two things i liked, the other had like 8 of them. not that id know either cus im not a psychic, and neither is she cus she commented on how little they had. i was lucky to even make it INTO the other store too cus the cunt sitting in front of me in the six seater wouldnt fucking move. its one of those minivans that have doors on both sides that go to both the back and the back-est seats but you have to clap the seats together and move them forward to get through. and she had the fucking audacity to go "you guys will have to go out through the other door if you want to go out" THERE WERE TWO GUYS WHO WERENT GONNA GO OUT OF THE CAR. FUCKING MOVE YOU BITCH. the others had already left the car and went inside the other store without me, wtf. and then she had the fucking audacity to ask if i could get through between the door and seat while she was sitting there when i was trying to get back in. OHHHH MY GOD how self centered can you get. "i do NOT wanna sit in the backseat" i dont give a shit. people have to sit in the back sometimes youre not special. unless you get physically ill you have no excuse. and since the roof had windows and those sunscreens they ofc removed them so the three of us in teh back got the sun in our eyes the whole fucking ride up and down. oh my god. can people just not think.

like im trying to keep my cool and not get mad at people cus it feels fucking ba dto get so annoyed and angry over relatively minor things but sometimes i just wanna bite peoples faces off. holy shit. can people just not think. i know were all inpatient and i know not everyones perfect but jesus christ. for just one second i wish people had the capability of selfreflection. i am constantly day ina nd day out monitoring myself so i dont fuck up and i try my best to not be rude or shitty to other people meanwhile its uncomfortable going into the livingroom because we have one guy whos allowed to sit in there and just fucking sulk and be cranky instead of staying in his fucking room until hes able to be around people without biting peoples heads off or sitting there scowling at people when theyre not even fucking talking to him we have that one girl who has zero respect for other peoples time and will gladly ask us to wait half an hour to start watching a movie cus she wants to join but needs to eat first then spends the whole half hour just sitting there talking to people then starting to actually make heer food WHEN WERE ALL GOING DOWNSTAIRS TO WATCH THE MOVIE, then making us wait another half hour so she can eat before changing her mind and the theres that fucking cunt who keeps fucking. i very clearly said to the staff that no, i hadnt been informed about the 9 am takeoff time for a three day trip, i hadnt heard any information about anything even though i asked for info. takeoff time was written literally two days before and i hadnt seen it because i was in my room the whole time feeling like shit. staff insists theyve informed everyone, i point out i havent been informed about anything, the guy just fucking interjects with "they wrote it on the board you shouldve checked" and somehow thats MY fault for not knowing. BUT TEH MILLISECOND some other motherfucker whos been here every day doesnt notice the plans that were made the weekends before and written WITH TIMESTAMPS on monday, the millisecond he didnt know about that on saturday thats a HUGE problem. poor guy didnt get to come along to something he was informed about several days earlier and thats a fucking problem but it was perfectly okay when i wasnt informed

[ittybittylittlebit-hot]

🎉- attend a Halloween party together from THINGS TO DO IN OCTOBER post for @wtfnoie​

Normally, David would really be annoyed by being dragged to a party dressed in a couple costume (or any costume), however, this year was different. He was a married man wearing a coordinated coupe costume with his husband. David wasn’t really a fan of getting dressed up but his husband wanted to go to a Halloween party they were invited to and he was a Halloween fan so guess what? Still on their marriage high, David agreed and he had even let Jackson pick out the costumes. “I still can’t believe you got me to wear this,” he chuckles as he holds his man’s hand as they make their way to the entrance. 

[kuroos-babie]

Falling in Love with a Single Mom HCs

Akaashi x fem!Reader | Daichi x fem!Reader | Oikawa x fem!Reader

[ Headcanons/MiniFic ]

Request:  🥺👉👈 if you could do more single mom headcanon-fic-things LOL SORRY IDK WHAT TO CALL THEM and w/ akaashi, daichi, and oikawa? THANK U i love u and your writing you're so sweet  —anonymous

a/n: okay so strangely enough, i thoroughly enjoyed writing oikawa's and it's probably my fav out of these three 😳 thank u for giving me the chance to write these and thank u for the kind words! i hope u like it 👉👈

❀ he’s been noticing you more and more — sat on the corner of the cafe he frequents during his breaks

❀ you would always order the same drink and sit on the same table by the window, he would occasionally glance at you, admiring the way sunlight hits your skin and the way the cafe music seemed to be playing solely for you

❀ but you always left too soon for his liking, 15 minutes before 2 in the afternoon to be exact

❀ he never knew where you went or what you did outside of the little cafe he sees you in everyday

❀ but soon enough, he was given a chance

“excuse me, is this seat taken?” 

he saw your eyes look up at him in surprise and your lips curve into a small smile, “oh! no, go ahead”

“sorry for the trouble, i didn’t expect it to be this packed today”, he said in an attempt to engage in small talk

“it’s no problem at all” you assured him with another smile, “i often see you here, do you work nearby?”

❀ the two of you continued to chat until akaashi needed to remind you of the time

❀ but of course before you could even leave he'll ask you for your number saying

"i'd really like to know you more, if that's alright with you"

❀ of course it's alright with you sjckskdks

❀ the two of you would meet at the café everyday, except the weekends — same spot and same time, until it became part of your routines

❀ keiji took his time getting to know you and openly expresses his admiration for you

❀ of course you liked him back, he was sweet and considerate, he was everything you would like in a partner

❀ but you just needed to make sure of one thing before diving headfirst into a relationship

"akaashi-san—"

"keiji", he corrected, reaching out for your hand

the warmth of his hand helped eased your nerves of bringing up something that may potentially be a huge deal breaker

"keiji, we've been meeting for a while and i thought maybe it's time i tell you,"

❀ when you said you have a daughter, you never would've expected him to say "can i meet her?"

❀ you almost cried then and there— it had always been a big deal to the guys you met before, you being a single mother

❀ keiji sensed your relief and squeezed your hand in reassurance that it really was no big deal to him

❀ well it was, but it wasn't something that would easily shake up his resolve of being with you

❀ meeting your daughter for the first time was set in the same café, on a saturday half past noon

❀ he smiled seeing the quiet four year old on your lap, curious eyes and a small smile as he held out the little bunny plushie he got for her as a gift

❀ weekend café dates became frequent with the three of you and soon became home dates— alternating between your and keiji's apartments

❀ your daughter loved when he read to her, having her sat on his lap with a picture book in his hands

❀ more often than not, you would catch him fast asleep on the couch— picture book on the floor and your child snuggled up against his chest

❀ during these moments, especially, you couldn't help but imagine spending every day with them both without having to part ways by the end of it

❀ and of course, when he wakes up, keiji can't help but think the same thing when he wakes up to you smiling softly at him and the little girl who kept a part of his heart inside her tiny little hands

❀ your son met him first

❀ he just got out of the police academy and was assigned near the elementary school gates

❀ kids would often come up to him with fascination in their eyes

❀ and it wasn't a different case with your seven year old son

"hey mister are you a policeman?"

"sure i am, why do you ask?" he answers with the softest smile, crouching down to the child's level

"that's so cool! mom said my dad was a policeman, maybe you're my dad?"

he watched the boy's eyes widen in realization and he couldn't help but chuckle

"sorry, bud, but i don't think i have a child yet neither do i have a wife"

"well do you want one?"

❀ that effectively painted his cheeks in red, standing straight up and ruffling the boy's hair, urging him to go straight home

❀ everyday your son would come up to him to ask him the same questions and saying the same things

"would you want to be my dad?"

"i think it'll be sooo cool to have you as my dad"

"let me ask my mom if you can be my dad"

❀ jesus help this man pls

❀ he found it all to be endearing and soon enough he looked forward to chatting with your son for a few minutes every afternoon on his way home from school

❀ your child would always brag about how nice you are, how pretty, and just how amazing of a mom you are

❀ an amazing lil wingman if u ask me

❀ it wasn't until one of his day offs that he met this wonderful mom that he always heard of— and boy was he stunned

❀ he was out grocery shopping, skimming the aisles when he heard the familiar voice of your son

"mama, it's the policeman i was talking to you about!"

before you even had the chance to react, your child bolted through the spice aisle and cling to this man's leg

you quickly caught up to him and was about to apologize to the stranger when you saw him get to your child's level and pat at his head

"oh hey, didn't know i'd catch you here"

"i'm with mama! now you can see just how pretty she is!"

❀ the comment made both your faces heat up but even moreso when daichi looked up at you, absentmindedly muttering a "she is"

❀ your son had the proudest grin on his face >:)

❀ the three of you went out for lunch then which you insisted to be for all the trouble your son has caused him— who so conveniently disappeared to the playhouse to leave you two to yourselves

❀ it didn't take a lot for daichi to be absolutely smitten by you— admiring how you could handle a child and a job all by yourself and still managing to have that pretty smile on your face

❀ he had to thank your son his little accomplice the next time they have their afternoon chat

❀ and maybe start planning on "Operation Get Mom and Daichi-san Together"

❀ started as students sharing a class and later on became inseparable best friends

❀ you two met in college

❀ tōru would rave on and on about how much better you were than "iwa-chan" whom he never lets you see during their facetimes bec you "might fall for him and choose iwa-chan over me"

❀ he was there to witness you going out with an orgmate, there to listen about the first time you got laid, and of course he was there to comfort you when your ex left the moment you told him you were pregnant during your third year in college

"do you want to keep it?"

tōru held you close as you cried, his soft voice mingling with your sobs

"i d-don't know"

you buried your face on his chest, prompting him to hold you tighter and rub comforting circles on your back

"whatever you choose to do, i'll be here", he promised "i won't leave you"

❀ the moment you decided to keep your baby was the moment it was decided that oikawa would co-parent with you

❀ during your pregnancy, he came to your apartment everyday and stayed over on weekends

❀ he kept his promise and never left your side even after you gave birth

❀ he practically moved in with you, staying up late at night to care for your child so you could get some rest, he changed schedules and skipped classes to let you continue going to yours

❀ it was alright, he said, afterall a pro volleyball team was already eyeing him— he was set even before graduation

❀ the both of you fell into a steady rhythm of domesticity

❀ eating breakfast together, taking turns changing your daughter's diapers, cuddling in the same bed and having sleepy conversations about the future and how you're both thankful of the other

❀ it was never established what you two were— you just knew that you were each other's constant and that you promised to stay with the other until god knows when

"what're you planning to do then?"

"i don't knoooow~ iwa-chan help me out here~"

"well, for starters, you should go and tell her— y'know, about argentina"

there was a moment of silence between the line, tōru mulling over his options

"i don't want to leave her" was his quiet reply

"i know you don't, but this opportunity may never come by again, don't let it slip"

❀ it was a few weeks before your graduation, your daughter now more than a year old, when he received the call inviting him to play for argentina

❀ on one hand he knew it was the chance of a lifetime, but when he looks at you in his arms with your daughter on your chest, he couldn't even think about leaving you

❀ it was less about the promise he made and more about how he couldn't imagine his everyday without the two of you

"y/n-chan~"

you only hummed in response but looked up to meet his eyes

"if i were to get invited to go to the other side of the world to play volleyball, would you come with me?"

he held your gaze with hesitation

"i'll go anywhere with you, tōru, i thought you knew that by now"

a small smile of relief graced his face as he exhaled, closing his eyes and rubbing his face against yours, "thank you"

the next few moments were spent in comfortable silence before he broke it with a chuckle, "is it too late now to ask you to be my girlfriend?"

"tōru, we're basically a married couple for the past two years"

...

...

...

"so will you marry me for real?"

[ohhipstaplease]

Strawberry Sugar | NH

In which an uncharacteristically bashful Naruto finally realizes he’s in love with Hinata over a slice of strawberry shortcake.

nsfw | semi-canon divergence | ongoing

Read: Ao3 / FFN

Chapter 1

They say it takes about three seconds to fall in love with someone, but how long does it take to be reciprocated? That was exactly the question that Hinata Hyuga asked herself time and time again.

Ever since she had blatantly admitted her love to the boy she had been fawning over since their schoolyard days, she had realized that perhaps if it didn't happen within those three minuscule seconds, it never would. After all, love was something you either felt or you didn't, and clearly her golden boy, well, it seemed as if he felt the latter.

Hinata's cheeks reddened at the thought of her confession. It had come at the most unexpected, and perhaps, most inappropriate times—right at the cusp of the Fourth Shinobi World War. To be completely fair, she had believed that she would not survive the battle. She had really thought that was the final stand for her, and who better to take it for. She was willing to put his life before hers, the whole village was. Ultimately, he was the one who would save the entirety of the nation. What was one for many? But before she confronted her own mortality, she only thought it right to make it clear to him why she was willing to so easily die for him.

But he didn't understand. Or rather, he did, but not to the extent that Hinata had hoped. Quite clearly she was alive and well. The sun shined, the birds chirped loudly, and the familiar smells of the various shops preparing for the breakfast rush surrounded her. But still, even though she had made her confession, even though she had been on the brink of death right alongside him, nothing had changed.

She had thought that the moment would bring clarity, not only to her but to the boy who had been the reason she had become the woman she was now. But it had been over a year and he had not said a word about the matter. But, then again, it was in the middle of a battle, so you know, emotions run high. He could have written it off to that whole thing about being confronted with your mortality and saying things you don't wholeheartedly mean in the heat of the moment. Or he could have confused the love she had confessed to him for one similar to that of which he felt for his longtime rival Sasuke. You know, the sibling kind of love that has nothing amorous or passionate to do with it? That's the one.

Why did Hinata think that? Well for starters Naruto had taken to calling her for trivial things, things that honestly did not put her anywhere other than in the friend zone. From walking him back to his apartment after his physical therapy, to just helping him pick out a new rug for his too-cold wooden floor, Naruto had, perhaps without realizing, told Hinata what he had thought of her declaration without saying a word.

Hinata constantly ran various scenarios through her head, but all she could come up with was that Naruto simply didn't reciprocate what she felt for him. That she had to let it go.

And just as she ran that thought through her mind for the billionth time, she found herself bumping into Sakura Haruno, one-third of Team 7, and currently, one of Naruto's closest confidants.

"Hinata! It's been so long"

Hinata's lavender eyes widened in surprise as she saw a blur of pink and maroon before feeling a pair of strong, almost too strong, arms around her shoulders.

"Sa-Sakura-chan"

"Yes?"

"You're hurting me"

Sakura stepped back and laughed loudly, a big smile upon her face. Her cherry blossom colored hair was slightly askew, her clothes a little worn, clearly she was coming back from some mission or another she had most likely been sent on.

"How are you?" Sakura asked, taking hold of Hinata's hand.

Hinata curled her fingers around her friend's and smiled, "I've been alright. Hanabi's birthday is tomorrow, I just wanted to make sure that we had her favorite strawberry shortcake at home."

Sakura nearly squealed, "She's getting so big! I can't believe she's turning fourteen!"

"I know," Hinata exclaimed, "I can barely believe it myself."

"Are you heading to the bakery? I'll walk with you, I need some things myself. My fridge is completely empty! Can you believe I went home expecting to have at least instant ramen in the cupboard and I found absolutely nothing?"

"Oh, you need to take better care of yourself," Hinata said, concern clearly etched upon her face.

"Tell that to Naruto. You know he's planning on going on missions soon? I don't know who in their right mind would clear that, Tsunade-sama hasn't even finished working on his arm. I really don't know what to do with him."

"Hmm," Hinata mumbled, blushing and looking down at the gravel under her feet.

Sakura held back a chuckle, "He still hasn't said anything, has he?

"About?"

"You know what about."

"I-I uh."

"Don't get all worked up," Sakura said, looking at her friend's changing complexion. Beads of sweat began to form upon Hinata's forehead, and her once smooth and warm hand became clammy at the mention of Naruto's name.

"I-I'm not."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Okay, then tell me why you're going out with Naruto, again, if he has not mentioned anything about what happened."

Hinata didn't want to seem rude, but she let go of Sakura's hand to push back her too-long bangs off of her forehead, "He needed some help picking out a gift for Lord Hokage-sama."

"Ah, yes. He did say he had his eye on something for Kaka—I mean lord sixth. God, baka, I keep forgetting."

"It's okay. I'm sure Lord Hokage doesn't mind. You were a part of his team."

Hinata said, recalling how uneasy the Sixth Hokage had been in the first place in regards to his new title and position.

"Yeah, but formalities are formalities. He's not just my sensei anymore, you know?"

Hinata nodded, "I understand, Sakura-chan."

"You always do," Sakura said, unintentionally rolling her eyes.

Hinata stiffened, wondering what she had done to insult her friend, "What does that mean?"

"If you keep being this understanding, you're never going to get anywhere."

Hinata understood, of course, she did. She and Sakura had spoken about this time and time again, but she didn't have the heart to fight her today. So she simply responded, "I don't know what you could possibly-", only to be cut off by the pink-haired girl.

"You know exactly what I mean, Hinata. Please, just talk to him. You mustered the courage to say something all that time ago. Why not again?"

"Because..."

"Because?"

Hinata avoided looking at Sakura's too intense stare and mumbled, "What if he rejects me? What if he didn't say anything because he really just wasn't interested."

"Oh, please."

"What?"

"He's interested."

"How could you be so sure?"

Sakura shrugged, "Sometimes you just know."

"And if he isn't?" Hinata asked.

Sakura jokingly drew her fist roughly to her hand, "Need I say anything else?"

Hinata gulped knowing Sakura's strength, "Please don't hurt him."

"If he doesn't hurt you, then I don't have to," Sakura said sweetly.

"Oh, Sakura-chan."

"Never mind me, let's go get that strawberry shortcake. I have to be back by noon, I promised Shizune I'd take over so she can take a break," She said, linking her arm through Hinata's and turning them both in the direction of the bakery.

Hinata chewed the side of her cheek, careful not to draw blood...again. She didn't know how'd she muster the courage once more, but Sakura was right. Something had to be done.

————————————————————-

Hinata arrived home within the hour, strawberry shortcake in hand. She had spent the better part of the morning in an inner debate, wondering whether or not she should once and for all just re-confess to Naruto.

"Oneechan?"

Hinata's head snapped up as she saw her younger sister walk into the kitchen, with the cake still in plain sight. Hinata quickly stepped in front of it, in hopes that Hanabi would not see it.

"H-hi!" She said, excitedly waving her hands.

Hanabi tilted her head slightly, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just fine." Hinata leaned against the counter in hopes of looking more relaxed.

"Did you go out?"

"Yes. I ran into Sakura."

"Oh, that's nice."

"How was your training?" Hinata asked, not moving an inch.

"Fine. You know how it is with otousan. Can't even take a day off for my birthday."

"He only wants the-"

"Best for me. I know Onee-chan, I know," Hanabi finished with a sigh.

"Well, at least tonight we can all have dinner together," Hinata tried, with a smile.

Hanabi nodded and walked towards the water pitcher on the table, "Did you run into anyone else while you were out?"

"Oh, no. Just Sakura."

"Not Naruto?" She asked as she poured her glass of water.

"Why would you ask that?"

"Well, you two have been hanging out quite a bit."

"He's needed help with some things, you know?"

"I do. And I also think that considering you confessed to him-"

Hinata sighed, "Why does everyone keep saying that."

"Because you did it! You confessed to him!"

"Shhh! Otousan is going to hear, Hanabi."

"Oh, like he hasn't already. It's only been going around the entire village."

"No, it hasn't!"

Hanabi smirked, her violet eyes twinkling mischievously, "If you two are so close, why don't you just call him up and tell him you want to see him."

"Why would I do that?"

"So that you can confess to the stupid idiot again."

"Hanabi!"

"Hinata, please, the entire village is on edge waiting for you two to finally just get over yourselves and get it on with it."

"What!?"

"Just call him so we can cut the cake, please."

"You knew?" Hinata asked, looking behind her.

"Oh please," Hanabi said in her sweetest voice, "I knew you were getting it the moment you said you were going into town. Now please, call him and so you two can finally just get married."

"We're just friends!" Hinata said her pale face reddening.

"Right. Friends that are probably going to have babies together."

"Get out!"

"Cake? Soon?"

"Out, Hanabi!"

Hinata rubbed her temples as she avoided the general direction of the phone. She knew what she needed to do, it was as easy as picking up the phone and dialing a number.

"Just do it already!"

Hinata turned to see Hanabi peering at her from the doorway, "Fine!"

"I'm not leaving until you do it."

Hinata walked over to the phone on the wall, tentatively grabbed it, and slowly typed in the numbers she clearly knew by heart. It wasn't until Hanabi heard Naruto's unmistakable voice on the other line that she turned on her heel and left Hinata to make plans with him for the next day.

[backtothestart02]

Fall Break - 6/6 | westallen fanfiction

A/N: This is not the end. Thanksgiving Break coming soon!

...

Chapter 6 -

“What time are you leaving tomorrow?”

She asked it casually, like she was asking what the weather was, and Barry’s mind flatlined.

They were at an ice cream shop off-campus. They’d gone there in his car, since he had one, and they could get away, since Iris didn’t get to very often, since she didn’t have one. It was fun. It felt like a date, though neither acknowledged it was one. And Barry kinda really wished she hadn’t asked that particular question, since up until that moment he’d brainwashed himself into thinking at least until he left that they were a couple.

“Oh…uh…10, 10:30 maybe,” he said with a shrug. “Definitely want to be on the road before noon if I’m going to make it back to campus before my 8am Tuesday class.”

“Don’t you have classes on Monday?” Iris asked with a frown.

“I have one.” He nodded. “I already have an e-mail prepared to send out Monday morning though. It says in detail how sick I am and that I can’t make it to class. But I know a few other students who are bailing just because it’s Fall Break and what’s one more day?” He joked.

“Like Caitlin and Felicity?” Iris asked pointedly.

His eyes locked on hers, though they were focused entirely on scooping out the remains of her ice cream in her dish.

“Iris, maybe we should…talk about that.”

“Talk about what?” she asked, pretending for all the world to be oblivious to his meaning.

“Well, your jealous for starters.”

Her head whipped up.

“I’m not-”

“It’s unnecessary, for one. You’re the only one I’ve been making out with and having sex with.” He paused a beat. “I don’t have a crush on or an attraction to anyone at my school, that includes the two girls you just mentioned, who you don’t even know.”

Iris’ shoulders slumped.

“Sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“I think I do,” he said, inhaling and exhaling deeply, preparing himself for the confession of his life.

“You do?” she asked curiously, almost desperately.

“Yeah, Iris, look, there’s something I need to tell you. Something I should’ve told you before you took your shirt off for strip uno.”

“Oh, Barry…I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“It has to be. It’s the only idea I’ve got. And if I don’t tell you I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

“You might regret it if you do.”

He looked dumbfounded.

“What?”

“Look, whatever it is that we feel or don’t feel, what point is there in admitting it?”

He frowned.

“Huh?”

“You’re leaving tomorrow. And the next time I’m going to see you is Thanksgiving, at home, with my Dad and the rest of my crazy family. And I just…” She licked her lips. “I don’t want feelings to get in the way of what we know is real.”

“And what’s that?” he deadpanned.

“You and me, us, our friendship. That’s real. That’s something I can’t live without.”

“Iri-”

“So, kiss me, Barry, all you want…tonight and tomorrow morning, but after that? It was just a really smoking hot weekend we’ll never forget but can never come back to. Okay?”

Barry scoffed.

He ran his hand over his face.

He got up from their outdoor picnic table and walked a short distance away.

Was she for real? After all this, after practically acknowledging they both have feelings for each other? She just wanted to let it go? To not even try?

“Barry…” She got up and followed him to where he stood. “Come sit back down.” She tugged on his shirt, but he wouldn’t budge. “Don’t let all the sex we’ve been having cloud your judgement.”

“My feelings haven’t changed, Iris.”

She stiffened.

“Not from the day we met, or the day your dad filmed us getting married by a stuffed dinosaur…or when you started getting interested in other boys in high school. And definitely not after all the sex we’ve had in the last 24 hours.”

Iris’ lips thinned.

“Iris, I love you.”

“Barry,” she warned.

“I’m in love with you, and I’m not going to stop being in love with you just because you want to forget all these feelings don’t exist when I know that they do for you too.”

“I’m not in love with you! Okay? I’m not! It’s all the excitement of sex. But take that away? You’re just…my best friend, Barry.”

“Oh, am I?”

“Yeah,” she said, running her hands over her arms covered in goosebumps from the wind. “I’m sorry.”

“Is that why you keep getting jealous over girls you don’t know just because they’ll be in my vicinity?”

“I told you, I’m not je-”

“Oh, cut the crap. Stop lying to yourself, Iris. You have feelings for me! And you realized them this weekend! Just…admit it!”

Her eyes filled with tears, but she wouldn’t budge. And when the tears started to fall down her cheeks, and Barry reached to wipe them away, she backed up.

“I think you should take me back to school, Barry. You can sleep on Carissa’s bed tonight.” She turned and started walking back towards the car.

“Oh, Iris, don’t be like that. Just…tell me the truth!” He followed her, his stride longer than hers.

“That is the truth. I don’t want someone who claims to be my friend telling me I’m lying about something so personal touching me.”

“You won’t see me for two months, Iris.”

“Not long enough,” she spat, whipping open the passenger door and getting inside.

Barry sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He’d known it’d be difficult to get her to see the truth by pushing too hard, but he didn’t think it’d be this bad. She was obviously overreacting or maybe just needed some space. Maybe he should’ve done it before he left in the morning. It was too late now to wonder of what could have been.

He got inside the driver’s seat and turned on the car.

“Look, Iris-”

“Just drive, Barry. I don’t want to talk to you anymore tonight.”

His shoulders slumped, but he did as he was told. And when they got back to campus, he drove her up to the entrance to let her off before parking. Part of him wanted to overreact as well, sleep in the car maybe. Or worse, just start driving back to his school now. He’d never make it through the night on as little sleep as he’d gotten, and he couldn’t afford to stay in a hotel, so he knew he’d just have to tough it out in Iris’ room.

Taking a deep breath, he trudged back into the building. He heard quiet sobs just outside her door and wanted to kick himself. He knocked lightly, and the sobs ceased altogether.

She didn’t come to the door though, so he tried to turn the knob, and it opened easily.

The room was dark. He could only faintly see her with the moonlight streaming through the blinds.

“I’m just gonna go, Iris. I’ll sleep in the car, and I’ll leave first thing in the morning. I’ll see you at Thanksgiving. I’m sure everything with be fine between us then. Two months is plenty of space, and-”

Her form moved suddenly from the bed and wrapped around him where he stood by the door.

“Don’t you dare leave.”

Her tears stained his shirt, and his arms hesitantly came around her small body. He didn’t know what to say or do... All he knew was one minute she was holding him, and the next she was bringing his face down to hers, and they were kissing and moving back across the room, landing on her bed and stripping off their clothing for the third…fourth time that day?

And it was the closest thing they’d felt to lovemaking all day.

It was fragile and tender and emotionally impactful, and they fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms, not saying a word.

…

The birds woke Iris up first the next morning. She didn’t turn her head to see what time it was. It had to be early.

Her face was still pressed to Barry’s chest, and his arms were still wrapped around her.

Everything from their fight last night still remained permanently impressed on her mind.

Barry was in love with her.

She wanted to insist he was lying, but she’d seen the look in his eyes. This was not a result of all the sex. Maybe the sex gave him the confidence to finally say it, but he believed he loved her as intently as he believed she was his best friend.

She wished she’d seen it sooner, maybe they’d have a more established relationship by now, and she could agree to something without worrying about the distance.

Because did she love him? Romantically? She didn’t know. She knew she felt something. She felt possessive of his body, that was for damn sure. And she got jealous of him spending time with other girls in a way she hadn’t before this weekend. But that didn’t mean she was in love with him, did it?

She didn’t know. She needed time. To think about all of this.

But she didn’t want to give him hope by asking him to wait for her if come Thanksgiving she realized she didn’t have feelings for him at all and that maybe she should give this Caitlin or Felicity a shot.

She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Maybe by Thanksgiving.

Either way, it still left her not knowing how to say goodbye to him. She’d thought saying goodbye when he left for college was hard, but now only a month later having to do it all over again after feeling such a strong connection to him? Stronger than anything she’d ever felt in her life?

Damn, but sex had a way of messing with your head.

“Hey.”

He squeezed her body gently.

“You up?”

She smiled tentatively.

“Yeah, just thinking…”

“About?”

“How much I’m going to miss this,” she admitted.

“It’s just two months, Iris.”

“This weekend I haven’t been able to go two hours,” she muttered.

“Yeah, me neither. The drive back to school will be brutal.”

She chuckled.

“I could talk to you on the way.”

“About what? We’ve caught up on everything there is to know about each other.”

“We’ve done more fucking than talking, Bear.”

“Yeah…I guess I never really did get around to that dirty talking you wanted me to do.” He frowned.

She tipped her head up and dropped her eyes to his lips, so he’d know to kiss her. They kissed for a while before she pulled back, tucking her head beneath his chin and intertwining their fingers.

“This weekend was perfect. It really was.”

“Except last night.”

She sucked in a breath.

“It ended perfect. That’s what’s important.”

She tipped up her head again.

“You want to get breakfast?”

He tucked wild curls behind her ears.

“I just want to kiss you.”

Iris smiled sadly, but didn’t move to untangle herself. And so they kissed for a while, got lost in it. Not so much that it would lead to sex, but enough that they could get everything and everybody but each other.

At least for a while.

Finally, Barry’s stomach grumbled, and they resolved to get dressed, get Barry’s things together and grab some breakfast before he had to leave.

He was leaving early – really early. But there almost didn’t seem to be a point to delay the inevitable.

Iris walked him out to his car in a thin sweater and jeans. It was unexpectedly cold, even for late September. Barry was glad he was wearing his thick Coast City U sweatshirt. Mostly because it allowed him to warm Iris up when she came in for a hug.

“Thank you for coming to visit me,” she said, looking up at him and smiling.

He couldn’t bring himself to repeat his love confession, lest it trigger another sad goodbye.

So instead, he said, “Anything for my girl.”

Her smile weakened, and she took a tiny step back away from him, breaking his heart.

“This doesn’t have to be weird, Barry. You were my first time. We were each other’s first time.” She licked her lips, thinking over her next words carefully. “Who wouldn’t want their first time to be with their best friend?”

He smiled half-heartedly and kissed her one last time. It felt like she put her whole soul into that kiss.

“I’ll call you when I get there, alright?”

He stepped away from her towards the car, their hands dropping when he got too far away.

“Bye, Barry.” She hesitated, then, “I love you.”

His heart broke across his face, because he knew it wasn’t meant the way he needed it.

“I love you, too, Iris,” he said, then got inside the car, waved, and drove out of the Central City University parking lot.

Iris stood there a long time, watching his car exit and then even after that, thinking about their last interaction and if it could’ve gone better. When she couldn’t decide, she went back inside.

Barry called her when he got back to campus two days later, but it went straight to voicemail. He didn’t text her, and she never called or texted back to acknowledge it. They didn’t speak again for three days, and when they did, they didn’t mention a thing about their steamy, emotional, roller coaster of a weekend together.

It was almost as if it hadn’t happened.

Just like Iris wanted.

Or so she thought.

[adorehs]

tryst

Hi! This is the first fic I fully completed and I wanted to post it even though I don’t like it much. I know the writing is underdeveloped and the ending is absolutely horrible (tried to expand but everything just seemed bad) but I tried my best. I haven’t written anything for fun in years so I thought I’d give this a try and post it so I can get feedback and improve!

This is my entry for @bfharry’s #boyfriendathon!

Summary: Y/N and Harry struggle to keep their new relationship hidden on a group trip to Ibiza. (3.3k words) 

Warnings: poorly written fluff and smut 

The four of you had been planning the trip for the past year, doing extensive research and saving up for the airfare and cost of living for your week trip in Ibiza, and you had finally arrived on the warm island after a day of travel. As excited as you all were and as much as you would like everything to be perfect, the trip had already started off with a few extra complications. 

For starters, your rental car didn’t have a large enough trunk to fit in all the suitcases everyone had brought along, so atop yours and your friend Tara’s lap you held a suitcase each and the gravel road made the thirty minute drive to the hotel practically unbearable. 

Along with that, you had arrived a few hours before your rooms were ready, so you and Tara stalled in the lobby as Harry and your other friend Niall went to a cafe to pick up a few essentials for everyone. 

When the boys had arrived with your coffees, the receptionist had informed you that your room would be ready in about fifteen minutes so you four sat down with your bags in a huddle around a small table, speaking in hushed voices as you waited for your keys. 

“Didn’t they say it would be ready by noon in the email?” you ask, pulling out your phone for proof. 

“I think so,” Niall agreed, “Maybe one of ours isn’t ready so they're giving us both at the same time,” he suggested. 

Harry groaned in response, “Still, I want to take a fucking nap before we go to the beach.”

You all murmur an agreement as you heard your name being called by the receptionist. You glance at your friends before heading over to the young lady to retrieve the keys for everyone. 

The process was quite quick since you had attempted to check in earlier and had given her all your information then, and soon you had four sets of keys to two hotel rooms. 

“Harry and Niall in 1406, me and T in 1408,” you hand everyone their keys, “They’re adjoined but you still have a separate door.”

“Thank god,” Niall exclaims before hurriedly transporting himself and his bags to the elevator, “I’m exhausted,” he comments when you all join him a few moments later. 

//

A few hours later, you all head to the nearest beach to relax. Niall and Tara led the way as you and Harry walked slowly behind them, his hand resting on your lower back as he whispered in your ear telling you how good you look. 

“Harry,” you giggle softly when he grabs your hand, “Come on you know we can’t…” you trail off, looking up at your friends, making sure they haven’t seen Harry’s display of affection. 

“Yeah,” he agrees with a sigh, “I hate lying to them but they would freak out.”

You and Harry had recently started dating (after a few dates that you promised didn’t have to go anywhere). You both knew that if Niall and Tara found out, they would freak out with the presumption that the group could fall apart in an instant. 

You dropped his hand and sidestepped as you saw Niall peer over his shoulder looking for you both, “Hurry up!” he called out, making you speed walk to catch up with your friends. 

By the time you had caught up with them, you were practically on the beach, so you set down your towels under an umbrella someone had left there before and you strip yourselves of extraneous clothing. 

“I’m gonna go look for somewhere to rent a surfboard, you guys want one?” Tara asks. 

“I’ll just come with, I need one,” Niall decides as you and Harry shake your heads no.

“Okay we’ll be back,” Tara calls out as she begins roaming the beach with Niall. 

Harry smirks lightly and throws his arm over your shoulder as you reach for the sunscreen beside you, “Alone at last,” he sighs dramatically. 

“Shut up,” you shrug his arm off you and replace it with a palm full of sunscreen, “Get my back, please?”

Harry nods, taking the bottle from your hand and squirting some sunscreen onto his hand. He moves your bathing suit straps down your shoulders slightly and you shiver at his gentle touch. Beginning at your shoulders, he massages the sunscreen in, relieving you of hours of stress. You moan lightly at the way his hands work at the crook of your neck and he chuckles under his breath. 

His hands lower themselves across your back with a suitable amount of pressure with every movement, making goosebumps rise on your skin, contrasting with the hot air of the beach. He unhooks your bathing suit and you yelp, quickly holding onto the cups ensuring you wouldn’t flash anyone walking about. “Relax,” Harry advises, “It’s only sunscreen.”

You look over at him with an unimpressed look plastered across your face, “It’s only sunscreen,” you mock him, sticking your tongue out childishly, “This is where it starts, but watch, next time there will be no sunscreen,” you predict. 

“Okay, you got me,” he smiles at you, rehooking your bathing suit and helping you shrug the straps back onto your shoulder. Harry taps your shoulder when you’re situated and kisses you lightly on the nose and then fully on your lips, “Will you get my back?” 

You smile and nod fondly at your boyfriend before shuffling on your knees so you are behind him. Following a similar process to Harry, you massage the sunscreen into his shoulders and press lightly on his back, feather a few kisses on his shoulder blade when you’re done, but scrunch your face together in disgust at the sour sunscreen that found its way into your mouth. 

He laughs lightly and kisses you, holding onto your chin, careful not to transfer the sunscreen onto his tongue as well. “Have I told you how sexy you look in this?” he asks between kisses.

You smile, “A few times,” before breaking out of his hold and reaching for a book you had brought along with you.

He studies you as you open the book, watching how your mouth draws a straight line and your forehead creases slightly as you concentrate on the words. Just as he is about to bother you again, he hears Niall’s laugh. Harry’s head snaps in the direction and he sees Tara and Niall laughing and pointing at a seagull who keeps trying to run away from an inquisitive kid. In both their arms, they hold surfboards and they have changed into wet suits. 

“The stand is over there,” Tara points to a building lined with surfboards, “You can change there too, if you want to come later.”

Harry nods, and through his peripheral vision he can see you do the same, “I’m gonna try and read but I might come out there later,” you reply. 

Harry just shrugs, “I might tan or nap but I’ll go look for food in an hour.”

Niall nods in agreement, “Cool, we’ll try and be back by then.”

Niall and Tara begin walking towards the ocean, pulling their wet suits on completely and Harry glances at you once they are out of earshot.  “So now that they’re gone, wanna make this another date?” he asks shyly.

You set down your book and balance your body on your elbows, “Okay, you have my attention.”

“So, I’m thinking, we get food before they come back and have a picnic on the beach and once they go next time we can do something fun,” he wiggles his eyebrows. 

You look at him, eyes wide in shock, “Harry,” you gasp, “Not here! Maybe next time we’re left at the hotel, but not here!” 

“Fine,” he dramatically sighs, “We can just cuddle if that's what you’re comfortable with.”

“Yeah, that’s what i'm comfortable with, dumbass,” you playfully push him and he dramatically falls over. 

“Jesus, woman!” 

Harry stood up and held a hand out for you, “Let’s go find food m’lady.” He pulled you up and you both started walking towards the pier where there seemed to be a few restaurants. 

You found a restaurant without a line fairly quickly and ordered a few entrees you thought Niall and Tara would like, along with a wrap for Harry and a falafel sandwich for yourself. 

Sitting down with your stuff again, indulging in the food while staring at the ocean. The sun was beginning to set and there was a nice breeze in tow, causing you to shiver. Harry noticed and immediately handed you a sweatshirt he had brought along just in case. He scooted closer to you and circled his arm around your waist as you grasped onto the outerwear.

“Hey, is this the one you gave me on our first date?” you asked once you had pulled the black material over your body.

Harry squinted, turning his head to study the sweatshirt, “Yeah, I think it was.”

“That was so awkward,” you laugh, resting your head on his shoulder, “We tried so hard to not mess anything up, it just ended up silent, like, most the time.”

“Hey!” Harry whined, “That’s because we cared. We wanted this to work,” he shrugged, looking back at the ocean. “I think that’s Tara,” he said, untangling his arm from your body and scooting a few feet away from you. 

You whimper softly at the loss of warmth, wrapping your arms around your body to make up for Harry’s body. You see him exhale deeply and hide a smile as Tara approaches. 

“Oh thank goodness, I’m starving,” she says once she sees the food, “Think Niall’s coming in a few minutes, he’s talking to the lifeguard,” Tara points behind her carelessly. 

“Of course he is, always a flirt,” you glance at Niall who’s helping a girl in a red bathing suit down from the post. 

Harry laughs loudly, “She looks so confused, I think he’s trying to speak Spanish.” 

Tara snorts, “He knows, like, six words. He needs a lotta luck if he’s going to do… that.”

Niall arrives a few minutes later, laughing as he tells everyone about the girl and his limited Spanish vocabulary. You all share a few laughs and retell some old stories as the sun goes down and the temperature drops even more. 

Tara and Niall are shivering viciously because they were still wet from the ocean and they head back to the hotel, claiming they will let you and Harry in whenever you come back. You both bid them a goodbye and are left alone again. 

“Finally,” Harry says, sliding in behind you so your back is to his chest, and wrapping his arms around your front, “We can cuddle.”

“I’d hardly call this cuddling,” you glance back at him, “If this is what you consider cuddling, we’re gonna have a problem.”

“We’re spooning, no?” He smiles at you cheekily and you shake your head. 

“No,” you reply, and with a light push on Harry’s chest to speeden the process you carefully lower yourselves onto the towel beneath you, your toes tickled by a cool breeze as sand gets into your hair, “Now we’re spooning.” 

Harry flips you over in his arms so he is looking into your eyes. His left hand slowly caresses your face as his right traces your lips softly. “You’re so pretty,” he says softly. 

Your smile widens as you bring your hand up to his hair, “You’re prettier,” you counter. 

Harry’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he leans back slightly. You tug on his hair and push him back into you as he mumbles, “I think you’re blind. You’re out of my league.” 

“Are you joking? There’s no way you’re being serious.”

“I’m serious! You’re out of my league it’s just a fact.”

“No,” you look at him pointedly, “We are in the same league. Don’t get it twisted,” you crack a smile. 

Harry bursts out into laughter and you follow, falling into a fit of giggles. “Okay, same league,” he agrees. 

The two of you lay there in relative silence for the next twenty minutes, just relishing in each other and cherishing the time you have before the cold air becomes unbearable. 

Once it becomes too cold to think, Harry stands up slowly, wrapping himself in a towel and he holds out his arm for you before helping you up. You both gather all the towels and bags left over and head back to your hotel. 

//

The following day the four of you spent some time sight seeing and learning about Spanish culture. That night you ended up on the beach again, the four of you sitting around a bonfire. 

You weren’t doing much, just eating and talking whilst wrapped up in blankets. Harry found himself staring at your lips as you spoke about a party you went to your freshman year. Safe to say he had no idea what happened at the party. 

You wore a black dress with cherries on that you tied over your yellow bathing suit and Harry thought you couldn’t look better if you tried. A slight tan had made its way onto your body, your hair dry from the ocean water, and an effortless smile lying on your lips as you wrap yourself tighter in a towel you borrowed from the hotel. 

You looked up and made eye contact with Harry, smiling widely before looking down at your hands to not raise any suspicion. Harry frowned slightly and focused on Niall, asking him what he was going to do later that night. 

“Probably go to the pool,” he shrugs, “The ocean is way too cold now.”

Harry nodded, “I’m gonna go to bed in like an hour so I won’t join,” he looked up at you. You nodded slightly as Tara replied. 

“I’m gonna go to the gym, maybe I’ll meet up with you after.”

You looked up, “I’m going to go to bed. All the walking really got to me,” you informed. 

Everyone murmured their ‘okay’s and a few minutes later you had all packed up and headed back to your hotel rooms. 

You and Harry walked slightly behind everyone, Harry’s lips on your ear as they tell you how he’s going to have you tonight. 

Tara and Niall changed and headed back down to the shared lobby and you rushed to knock on the shared door between the two rooms. Harry hastily helped you inside and within seconds his lips were on yours and his shirt was thrown across the room and his shorts were directly beneath him. 

Clad in only his briefs allowed for the outline of his cock to show through the thin, black fabric and you glanced down at it when your lips parted, losing your train of thought for a moment. 

Your eyes widen slightly and your head rolls back as Harry begins kissing along your jawline and down to your neck. He leads you onto his bed, that he had laid a towel on, and helps you get rid of your shirt and shorts. 

He groans at the sight of the white lace set you had put on for him and you smile up at him, laying down on the bed, as he steps out of his briefs. 

“We gotta be quick, babe,” He reminds you, “God you look so beautiful. Quick won’t be a problem.”

You chuckle and lean up and grasp his arms, pulling him down onto you, “Thank you,” you whisper. He giggles lightly as his lips find yours. You pull him closer into your body as he deepens the kiss, immediately asserting his dominance. 

You moan lightly into the kiss as Harry’s hand finds its way down to your panties, pressing light pressure onto your core and moving his hand slightly as you arch your back urging for more. 

Harry’s lips detach from yours and find their way to your chest, his free hand skillfully unclasping your bra and you lean up slightly to help take it off your body. Your bra is thrown across the room and one of Harry’s hands finds your right breast, massaging it, as his mouth attaches itself with your left nipple. 

His tongue works skillfully, circling your nipple and flicking it harshly, hardening it instantly. He playfully nips at it, making you groan in pleasure, before he switches breasts and does a similar routine on the other. 

He kisses his way down to your body and to your core, placing a kiss directly on the wet patch that has formed on your panties. You groan at the feeling and he looks up at you, “You good?” You nod quickly, unable to speak, “I need to hear you say it,” he reminds you. 

“Yes, fuck, yes. Keep going, please,” you chant, closing your eyes and pushing your body towards Harry’s mouth. 

He groans at the contact and moves your panties to the side, attaching his tongue to your clit. He gently bites on it, teasing you further, and you grab his hair pulling lightly. 

He moans into your core, making you arch your back in ecstasy. “Harry, please,” you beg for his attention, causing him to smirk at your desperation. 

He sucks harshly on your clit making you practically scream in anticipation. In a rhythmic motion, you move your hips as he laps his tongue along your lips, making your legs shake with pleasure. He adds a finger unexpectedly and you moan loudly, pulling at his hair aggressively, this time. Your eyes close and your head rolls back, hitting the mattress, as you come unexpectedly onto Harry’s tongue. 

He smiles slightly and stands after cleaning you up quickly. Rolling on a condom, he watches as you rid your panties, sitting up to throw them where your bra lays on the floor. Making eye contact with you, he gets the sudden urge to kiss you. “You look so flawless,” he mutters. 

“You look perfect,” you reply, giving into his gaze. 

He smiles at you and kisses you softly, assaulting your lips, making sure you know you are loved by the man before you. 

He stands and regains his full height again, allowing you to adjust your body as you wish before lining up his cock with your entrance. 

Harry slides halfway into you with a wrangled moan, looking at you to make sure you’re okay. He lets out an exaggerated “Fuck,” seeing your innocent eyes looking up at him through your eyelashes before bottoming out, his hips coming in contact with your feet as you push him back slightly, nonverbally signaling him to move. 

He thrusts into you at a slow pace, making you whimper for more. You look at him with pleading eyes, in which he responds by slightly increasing his pace. “Please,” you whine, looking into Harry’s eyes. 

He smiles at you and pulls out before sliding back in with more force and speed then before. You moan with delight as he groans with pleasure and you allow him to continue his pattern of strokes before he comes, you following slightly after. 

He pulls out, heading to the bathroom to dispose of his condom before coming back and helping you off the bed so you could use the restroom and clean up while he puts the towel under a table in the room so nobody uses it. 

Walking back into the bedroom, you take in the sight before you of Harry putting his shorts back on. His eyes meet yours and he smiles as you continue to stare at him as he gathers your clothes for you. He hands them to you with a kiss and you change quickly into them before sitting back down on the bed to cuddle for a few minutes. 

You face each other and your legs intertwine as you admire each other and whisper sweet nothings at each other. “I love you,” He tells you. 

“I love you,” you reply.

[nebula-jazz]

Your World part 2

Alpha Bakugou x reader

Rewind to when you first moved into the apartments. The owners had let you park your moving van in front of the building since you were an omega and you had no alpha.

The fact that most people were kinder to alphaless omegas in this time made both you and the dragon a little happier. speaking of the dragon he kept telling you that you should have probably asked the movers to have stayed and helped instead of sending them away. You had insisted that you could move most of the heavy boxes and the little bit of furniture by yourself. But you had felt bad because you had already made them miss their lunch to help bring up the bigger pieces like your table set and couch.

You simply brushed the overprotective dragon off. You didn’t want those foul smelling alphas to rub their scent off on your water bed or any of your nesting things. However you did agree that you did decide to carry one to many boxes as you struggled to balance them. Not only did you carry one to many they were also heavy. Most of them filled to the brim with crafting supplies and one of them carried your alphas very heavy cloak.

You remembered when you could carry all of this with ease. But as the years rolled by you let yourself to grow soft because were you used to to doing everything by yourself but after Bakugou died you had two alphas that mostly refused to let you to do heavy lifting.

Now here you were, struggling with heavy boxes, with no alphas. You felt like you kinda fucked yourself. What irked you more is that people were just watching you struggle.

You guessed you zoned out at the elevator as you tried to regain your balance so you could open it but you were brought back by it dinging. You sighed in relief as to the fact that you didn’t need to open them yourself.

You head a very familiar unnecessarily grouchy voice.

“Do you need help?” You didn't answer thinking that it was a) just your imagination and b) you were more focused on trying not to fall. You were so zoned in on not tipping that you didn’t realize that you let out a distressed scent and a panicked chirp when they started to lean too far back for your liking. Suddenly you didn’t have as many boxes and most of the weight was gone. You both rushed to get into the elevator as it had started to close. Once inside you looked up to properly thank the person who had helped you.

Your words caught in your throat as you saw a familiar face and eyes. Spiky blonde hair and glowing ruby red eyes greeted you in a resting scowl. You saw your alpha in all his jagged edges and soft line. His scent hit you like a truck and you had to take a deep breath and let out your shaky starter.

“Hi.”

The more you looked you noticed that he was obviously in a partial hero costume. You now realize that he was the Pro Ground Zero. You had never seen him before as you didn’t own a tv and your phone was strictly for calling Mina, Kirishima and business partners. But now as you stared at the duplicate of your alpha you felt your heart stopping all over again.

His scowl softened into a soft but cocky smile that had your heart doing flips.

“Hey Angel” he said flirtatiously.

“I don’t think we have met... I’m Y/N.” You said trying to calm your nerves and your howling omega. Strangely, the dragon was quiet.

“I am Katsuki Bakugou or Ground Zero. Whichever you prefer.” He said confidently.

You laughed.

“I think I will say with Bakugou.” His lips twitched in irritation. You smiled at him and shifted the box in your hand. “Thank you for helping me. what floor are you on?”

The playful glint returned to his eyes as he responded.

“6th floor. what about you?” You smiled brightly

“Same!” You tried to calmly talk to him for the rest of the ride and he helped you  take boxes to your apartment.

Bakugou absolutely refused to let you take up all of your boxes by yourself. He decided to help for the rest of the time. He had explained that he was moving himself. You tried to offer to help him as he helped you but he said that done and he was free.

He also helped you unpack and asked why you were by yourself.

“I would normally have help!” you said while you brought another box into the kitchen as he unpacked plates. “But Mina is picking up an extra patrol downtown and Kiri is covering a shift for a friend as they move!”

He stared at you for a moment.

“You know Mina and Kirishima?” You looked up from the box you were rummaging through confused.

“Yeah? Mina helps me pay for the shop I run and Kiri is my best friend.”

He snorts.

“That’s why he put up such a fight to cover my shift.”

“OH! So you are the person he is covering for?” Bakugou nods as he placed a mixer closer to the bottom than the top shelf where you had it. “Hey!” you protested.

“You could fall and break your neck.” He said in a no argument tone. A puff of frustrated steam came through your nose.

He nearly completely unpacked most of the boxes, except for your nesting items. As much as your omega was glad to see their alpha again they didn’t completely know this alpha.

Bakugou ended up dragging you to his apartment which was ironically right next to yours and fed you spicy curry. When you took the first bite you nearly cried.

Your mind was pushed back to centuries ago on the day after your marriage. you smelled something new and spicy when you woke up around noon. You remember your body being sore and you had your alpha sit behind you as you ate your fill. He had said he had refused to eat until you finished as it was tradition. You remember the warmth and the feeling of safety. You remember his asking if all human omegas were able to get pregnant. You remember replying yes. You remember his happy purrs lulling you to sleep as you felt full and content in the cave where his horde and your new nest laid.

You were brought back to a very panicked Bakugou. You waved him off.

“It’s not too spicy! I just haven’t had it in awhile.” You said in a choked voice and you proceeded to inhale the bowl and tried to wait for Bakugou to finish before asking for more. That didn’t end up happening as he refilled your bowl every time he noticed you staring at his pot of curry.

It was very late by the time you two had finished chatting and eating. Sometime you got a text from Mina and Kiri saying that they got home safe. They also sent a text saying they were both off and were able to help restock the store tomorrow. Bakugou had walked you to your apartment and made sure that you locked your doors. You fell asleep not needing to wrap yourself up in his cape. And for the first time in a long time. You didn’t have nightmares.

Bakugou was pissed that he hadn’t met this sweet omega earlier in his life. Normally omegas sweet scents gave him headaches but your honey coated earthy scent made his head spin. He gently took the soft blanket that you had wrapped yourself in as you two played chess. He might or might not have purposely turned down the thermostat so that you would need it. He was tempted to just put the blanket it the wash but when he got hit with another wave of your scent you closed your apartment door he decided to take it to his bed.

He tried to curl into his blankets without it, the blanket sitting at the end of his bed. But he ended up kicking off all of the blankets and curling into it in his sleep. He didn’t know why but he felt like you were hurt and he was the reason why. He also had the feeling that he knew you, but you two had never met before... Right?

Note

Did not expect to write as much as I did but here you go! if i had forgot to tag you please let me know! also if you enjoyed it please comment! You have no idea how much joy it brings me when I have comments galore to read and respond to! Thank you for reading and get ready for the next chapter! Side note i have no idea how many chapters this is going to be but when I do I will let you guys know.

[myhockeyworld87]

Ruined - Jamie Benn - Part 4

Word Count: 8,133

POV: Jamie and then switches to reader

Warnings: Language, small amount of smut so we will say NSFW

Notes: This is hell long, I’m sorry. I don’t normally write chapter/parts this long, so don’t get used to it, because I’m sure it won’t last...haha! At any rate here we go with Part 4. As always I love your feedback, both good and bad, so hit me with it. Happy Reading! Also (Y/NN) = Your Nickname (Y/LN) = Your Last Name

Ruined Masterlist

 JAMIE POV

 Five days, that's how long it was until you saw (Y/N) again. Well, it was four days, sixteen hours, twenty-two minutes, and forty-two seconds, give or take a second or two. And why did you know the exact time, only because you'd been counting the hours since she left Jordie and Jessi's house. The dinner party had gone great, at least you thought it had, but then you hadn't seen her since then; not even a glimpse of her outside in the backyard or pulling into the driveway. It was maddening or maybe it was just you slowly going insane as every little noise outside had you wandering over to the window to check and see if it was her. It hadn't taken much to convince your brother to throw a dinner party on short notice, in an excuse so you could see (Y/N), but now that you had, there was just this overwhelming need to see more and more of her.

 Now, here you were, just four days, sixteen hours, twenty-four minutes, and sixteen seconds from seeing her again. She was to be at the practice center at four-thirty today, so that someone, that someone being you, of course, could show her around the facility. You stood back a bit, staring at the entrance doors just waiting for her to walk in. And then she did. She looked radiant. Dressed in a simple navy pantsuit with a pair of high heels that clicked across the floor, she made her way to the front desk. Instead of rushing out to greet her, you headed back to the locker room, where you knew the receptionist would usher her back to you.

 Your palms were sweating and suddenly you felt unsure of yourself. What if she was only playing nice at Jordie's and really didn't want to be around you? But that didn't explain how she'd laughed and reminisced with you about different things. That laugh, you knew it was a genuine one, for you heard it so many times in your dreams you had it memorized. God, you hoped you could make her laugh like that again today.

 You could hear her heels on the floor, so you busied yourself with one of your sticks retaping the blade, even though it didn't need it. "The team captain is in there, Miss. If you need anything just let me know." You heard the door open and then turned around.

 "Jamie?"

 "Oh hey (Y/NN)," you tried to sound casual as if her simply being in the same room as you didn't send your heart beating into overdrive.

 "I guess I didn't realize you were the team's captain."

 "Yeah, have been for a few years now." Your heart sank a bit in the knowledge that she hadn't really followed your career except to know where you were, so she could avoid you.

 "Well that's…," she stumbled on her words which was unusual for her and you wondered if she was as affected by you as you were by her, or if it was just her disdain for you, and that she hated to give you any amount of praise. "That's really amazing. Your coaches and team must really hold you in high regard."

 "I'd like to think so." You finally abandoned the stick that didn't need taping, leaning it against the wall before turning your attention back to (Y/N). "Anyhow, I guess I'm your tour guide today." She gave a weak smile and a simple head nod, which was not encouraging to say the least. "So, how about we get started? If you want you can leave your stuff in here, no one will bother it." She'd been carrying her medical bag and a few other things, but she handed them over to you and you set them in your stall. "Well, as you can see this is our practice locker room, pretty basic. I thought we'd start with a tour of the entire place before I show you the training room."

 The two of you headed down the hallway and back out to the lobby. "Obviously, you came in this way, but I'll show you the entrance you can use in the future. We're pretty much contained to this side of the building as you can see, but when practices are open, people can come and watch." You showed her the rink, from seat level, then headed back out. "This is the club lounge, if there's ever an event here where we aren't skating we use one of the boxes up there. You're more than welcome to as well."

 "I have to say this is kind of elaborate for a practice rink."

 "A bit."

 "I was expecting metal bleachers and…well, I don't know. I feel like this is more like the arena and then a practice rink."

 You chuckled, for you kind of thought the same thing, the first time you came here. Now you barely even noticed it. "Well, the boards are the same as the AAC, but other than that it's very different."

 "AAC?"

 "American Airlines Center," you hadn't realized you shortened the name. "Sorry about that. I think we're scheduled to tour that on Wednesday." It gave you another opportunity to be with her.

 "Yes, I have that on my calendar, but was going to see if we could change that." You supposed there was your answer about her wanting to be in the same room as you. "Dr. Ellis has a patient that needs a knee arthroplasty and he asked if I'd show him the technique I've been using. Less evasive and I'm having great success with cutting the healing time by half." Oh, so it was a medical thing, whatever an arthroplasty was. "If we could push it back a bit that would be great, if not maybe we could look at another time."

 "I'll work around your schedule, it's not a problem." If it meant spending more time with her you'd go to any lengths that you had to.

 "Thanks, if we could maybe make for like three in the afternoon instead of noon that will give me plenty of time because I have a feeling, he'll want me to sit in on his other two surgeries he has scheduled that day."

 "Not a problem." You took out your phone and made the change in your calendar. Thankfully, you didn't really have anything after practice that day but giving her the tour. "Shall we continue then?" She smiled, and it made your heart feel light. You took her to the offices next. "Down this hallway is pretty much everyone that works for the Stars; PR, accounting, our GM, our owner. You'll pretty much find them here." You stopped in front of a door and then opened it up. "This office is for you." It had a great view, well as much of a view as any of them had, but it really was a nice place for her to work.

 "Umm…this won't do."

 You blinked at her a couple times, there was really nothing wrong with the room. Everything in there was modern with state-of-the-art equipment. "What's wrong with it?" The words came out a little harsher than you intended but you really couldn't see her problem.

 "Well for starters, we're on the what, the third floor? And I believe the locker room and training room are on the first." You gave a confused look as this was Dr. Lundin's old office and he never been concerned about it being where it was. "It's just if I'm going to be working on you…well not you, but any of you. I need to be near you. I can be at ice level during practices, but if I'm treating you, my office should be closer to the ice." Well, you couldn't really argue with that. "Also, there's no exam table in here. I get that I'll be doing most things in your training room, but there may be times when I'll need you to stop in to look over something, or what if one of you need to see me about something private."

 She had a point, though none of you had ever really gone to Dr. Lundin like that. Come to think of it, he wasn't really around that much. He more or less made recommendations on where you should go if you had a problem. He wasn't necessarily the doctor to fix you. Seems like (Y/N) planned on being more hands-on, and you were ok with that. "You make a good point. Give me a second." You stepped out of the room and called the Jim Nill, the general manager. You weren't sure he was the man to go to, but you knew he'd be there in the building at least and could possibly offer a solution. It was a short phone call, as you expressed (Y/N)'s concerns. Jim was happy to help and said that he'd get someone on moving her downstairs to one of the spare rooms that housed equipment at the moment. "All set. They're going to move you down next to the training room. It might take a few days to get in the stuff you want, but if you make a list, we'll leave it at the front desk and make sure it gets taken care of."

 "Thank you, Jamie. I really appreciate you doing that."

 Her praise was like music to your ears, you could remember the days when you'd have a good game and she would go on and on about how well you played and you'd literally soak up every word that came out of her mouth. "No problem, guess we should head down there then." You showed her the room, which she seemed pleased with, then took her over to the training room. A couple of the trainers were still in there from practice, so you introduced her to them.

 "I hate to be a pain in the ass but would any of you mind if I changed the set up here. I don't want to step on anyone's toes. I just see a few things that could make this more efficient."

 "Sure, go ahead," Dave, the head trainer told her.

 "So, see these units right here. They would work so much better if you had them in between the training tables. That way two guys can be on the machine at the same time."

 "Oh, I see what you're saying." They went to move the equipment, it looked heavy so you helped as well. (Y/N) was opening up cabinets and taking things out, then moving them to other ones.

 "Is the AAC," she looked over as you to confirm she'd said that right. "Setup like this as well."

 "Pretty much," Dave told her.

 "Could we make these changes there as well?" They seemed to be a bit annoyed, but she wasn't deterred. "Bear with me for a moment. Say Jamie has a cut to his eye that needs to be stitched." She looked at you to play the part.

 "Ow my eye," your acting was horrible and they all laughed.

 "When he comes into the room, we take him right to the nearest table, which is here." You sat down where she gestured. "It's obvious, he needs stitches, but the medical cabinet is all the way over on the other side of the room, and by the time we get there, look for what we need then come back we've waist two minutes of playing time and we don't even have a single stitch that we need in." She was making a lot of sense. "If we had our sterile supplies here, and then individually marked and put in like this." She rearranged the cabinet as she talked. "Then when Jame comes in with the cut. We can assess it and stitch him up in no time."

 "Makes sense," Dave agreed. "I'll get to work on changing the AAC as well." He and the other trainer were done for the day and said their goodbyes before heading out.

 "Hey Jame," you noticed she'd started using your nickname and you weren't upset about it. "Could you move this table over to here?"

 "No problem."

 "Is something wrong?"

 Quite the opposite actually, you thought today was going pretty well. "Um, no why?"

 "You're favoring your right shoulder. I saw you do it earlier."

 "Oh, I think I just slept wrong on it or something." Well tossed and turned on it was more like it, as thoughts of her pervaded your mind.

 "Sit." It was a command and one that you were not to argue with. She came up behind you then, her hands going on your shoulders, kneading and massaging your shoulders and for a moment it felt like heaven, just having her hands on you again. Then she pushed down hard on a particular spot and you winced. "Tender?"

 "A bit."

 She came around in front of you and stepped in between your legs. "This might hurt a little." Hurt? God, she was killing you at the moment, as her body was almost pressed intimately up against yours. You willed your growing erection to calmed down, but apparently, it had a mind of its own. She moved your arm in a weird position, then pressed down almost under your armpit but not quite. (Y/N) was right, it did hurt a tiny bit, and you grunted at the pain. "Sorry." She went back to kneading your muscles, while you caught the scent of her perfume, or maybe it was just her, either way, it intoxicated you. You closed your eyes inhaling deeply, willing your body under control. You'd give anything at that moment to just wrap her in your arms and press her lips to yours. Would her lips be as sweet as they once were? Would she kiss you back with the same abandonment as she had that first time so long ago? There were so many questions swirling in your head, and you wanted to know the answers, but it was too soon. If you attempted any of this now, you'd take the chance of losing her for good and it was not a risk you were willing to make. All too soon for your liking, she stepped back. "Does that feel any better?"

 You rotated your shoulder and neck a few times. "Yeah, it actually feels amazing."

 "Excellent," a huge satisfied grin on her face, which only made you smile back. You felt it then, a shift in the air, almost as if her heart was giving way to you in some small manner. Maybe it was just you, but there was something in the way that her eyes held yours, the way they softened as she gazed at you. You remembered that look, had only dreamt of seeing it in her eyes again but now here you were, afraid to blink for if you did it would break the spell. Her watch chimed then, like the clock striking midnight in a fairytale. "I really should be going," she told you, and just like Cinderella, she was running away only this time you knew she wouldn't get far. "So, Wednesday, then right?"

 "Yeah, three o'clock."

 "Ok, I'll see you then."

 "Hey (Y/NN)," she turned back around. "Since we're heading downtown, why don't I just drive us both down. I'll show you the shortcut." She seemed to mull that over a bit.

 "Sounds good." She made a move to leave again, only this time, she stopped herself. "Thank you for today Jame. I really appreciate you showing me around."

 She called you Jame again, another step in the right direction. "Anytime, (Y/NN)." You sighed happily as she walked out of the training room. You were one step closer to winning the girl of your dreams back.

  READER'S POV

 What was wrong with you? You seriously needed to get ahold of yourself. That moment in the training room could not happen again. For god's sake, your watch had to chime to tell you to breathe, because you were pretty sure you'd stopped. There had been something in Jamie's eyes. Those big beautiful brown ones of his, that you could spend hours looking into. People always said the eyes were like windows into your soul, and if that were true you saw your own reflected in Jamie's. The shocking thing was, it didn't frighten you like it should. There was this small part of you that wanted to fall headfirst straight into him, but you couldn't. This time it wasn't just your reputation as being easy riding on the line. It would be your reputation as a doctor and a professional as well, and that was something you would not let him ruin.

 You turned over yet again in what felt like the most enormous bed at the moment. You couldn't seem to get comfortable and sleep was evading you, as thoughts of Jamie filled your head. Every time you closed your eyes there he was, smiling as he took another bite of cake in his mouth, laughing when you least expected it. It was all quite maddening and thrilling at the same time. This time you sat up in bed. Grabbing your iPad, you opened your one guilty pleasure and started reading the romance novel you'd started on the plane here. You hadn't picked it up, since the day you saw Jamie. It would provide the perfect distraction from him.

 You were about three chapters in when things started to turn a bit steamy, and as you read each line you found your hands wandering over your body. Your hands snuck up your shirt, wishing that it was our hero's gliding over your breasts the way he caressed the main characters. As the dialogue went on, you got more and more turned on, until you abandon the book for your own pleasure. Closing your eyes, you pictured the protagonist with his dark locks, kissing his way down your body. Your hands would thread into his hair, as he kissed above your panty line, before slowly shimming them down your legs. It was almost as if you could feel his warm breath against your thigh making you shiver. You let your fingers mimic his, as they slid between your folds, your pussy already wet with desire for him. He softly kisses you there then, his beard somewhat scratchy against your sensitive skin, but it was a feeling you yearned for. His long fingers would slip inside, moving in and out of you slowly at first driving you mad. Your hips flexed up, as you gave over to the fantasy, craving the faceless man's touch. You could see the muscles of his back stretch across his skin and you longed to rake your nailed down them as he thrust his cock inside you, though it was his torturous fingers driving you wild at the moment. You were close now, just teetering on the edge with the need to cum.  Rubbing your clit with your other hand, you thrust your fingers in out of you in a motion that you knew would take you to the heights you sought. Only your mind told you it was his fingers, his tattooed arm, his wicked tongue that was taking you there. Eyes closing tighter, as you fully emersed yourself in the fantasy, you felt the orgasm begin to build. Your legs started to tremble and your breathing was erratic, and then it hit and you were screaming out his name. "YES…JAMIE…YES!" Your eyes flew open, at the sound of his name echoing off the bedroom walls. It was Jamie you were picturing the entire time. He was the man giving you such exquisite pleasure. The realization had you spinning and throwing the covers over your head, too bad you couldn't hide from yourself. How were you ever going to face him in a couple days?

 Sleep was something that evaded you that night and the next, well not entirely you did get a few hours here and there. The only problem was Jamie seemed to creep into your dreams as well. There were ones where the two of you were laughing and joking and having the most amazing time, and ones that had you calling out his name in pleasure again as well. But the ones that got to you the most, were where he was with Caitlyn. They would be holding hands or kissing right in front of you. You'd wake up so angry that you wanted to punch something or someone, namely Caitlyn. It had you questioning why though. If you didn't have feelings for Jamie, then why were you so angry at some college girl who threw herself at him. The deeper you dug into that, the more you didn't like the answer, for it meant there was still something there between you.

 Thankfully, Wednesday came and so did your teaching surgeries, which meant you had something else to think about other than Jamie Benn. It was an early morning as most days in the operating room were, so at five, you grabbed a coffee and headed to the hospital. As you suspected, Dr. Ellis had you tag along on his other three knee arthroplasties, which meant you were walking out of the OR just before noon. If you timed it right, you could grab a quick bite to eat before going over charts and then be at Jamie's before three to tour the AAC.

 "I've got to say your method in that replacement was impeccable," Dr. Ellis told you as you headed down the hallway to the doctor's lounge.

 "Thanks, it took a little time for me to get things right, but as I said when you take that ligament…"

 "Dr. Ellis, you're needed in the ER for a consult; car versus pedestrian," the nurse told him, and immediately your heart sank. You always hated seeing these kinds of accidents come through the hospital. "It's a twelve-year-old, his leg is in bad shape. I'm not sure it can be saved."

 "Dr. (Y/LN), would you join me?"

 "Of course." The two of you quickened your pace as you rushed to the wounded child. "I thought you said this wasn't a trauma hospital?"

 "It's not. I'm not sure how this case got here."

 The moment you got to the ER, you didn't have to be directed as to where to go. Doctors and nurses rushed in and out of the room at a frenzied pace. It had honestly been a good year since you'd done any extensive trauma work, but the adrenaline came rushing back through your veins with a force of a good slap shot. When you entered the room, it was worse than you expected, you'd only seen one other case that was this bad. You rattled off a flurry of questions, to those around you, trying to assess the damage. "I think we're going to have to amputate," the chief emergency physician said.

 "Only as a last resort." You looked at Dr. Ellis. "If you're willing, I'd like to try and save this child's leg, but we need to get him in the OR now."

 Not even a second ticked by, before he said, "You heard her people, let's move." Everyone started rushing to get him prepped for surgery.

 "I'll need your assistance," you told him as the two of you made your way back, nurses following close behind.

 "Of course, anything you need."

 "Oh, I need someone to call Jamie Benn." Dr. Ellis gave you a funny expression. "He was to show me around the arena today in a couple hours. I need to push that back." He nodded to the nurse who jotted down the information before the two of you went to scrub up.

 The surgery was grueling, your feet hurt and your back ached from standing in the OR for over twelve hours, but it was worth it. You were able to save young Noah's leg. And while most of those that had joined you in the operating room were headed out for drinks, which they wanted you to join, you were putting back on the dress that you'd chosen this morning to wear for your tour with Jamie. Admittedly, you may have decided on it because it showed a little more cleavage than usual and that it was Jamie's favorite color, but right now you'd give anything to not have to wear it for another couple of hours as you walked around an arena trying to remember where the entrance and exit were. Though still you, glided it over your body and headed out the door.

 You thought about pulling into your driveway, but decide to go straight to Jamie's instead. Your feet already hurt from standing all day, and the heels that you'd brought earlier now felt like they were twenty inches high instead of the three that they were. No point in walking extra steps from your place to his. You rang the doorbell and almost immediately Jamie answered. "You look…"

 "Like hell." You finished for him as he stepped aside you let you inside his house and even through your exhaustion you realized this was the first time you were seeing the inside of his home.

 "I wasn't going to say that."

 "Oh, well I feel like it," you added. "But anyhow, are you ready to go?" You were standing in the entranceway taking everything in, the vaulted ceilings, the winding staircase, even the glass doors were things that you'd talked about with him when you were younger. It was almost a carbon copy of your dream home that you two talked about.

 "Um…well, I kind of didn't think you'd be up for it tonight."

 "Oh, thank god."

 He chuckled as you sagged in relief of knowing that you wouldn't have to put another ten thousand steps in. "I have an alternative if that's alright." You had no idea what he could be thinking, but anything other than a thirty to forty-minute drive downtown would be better. Just then your stomach growled, the sound seemed to fill the room and Jamie's eyebrow shot up.

 "Sorry, I haven't eaten since six this morning."

 "Well, then I think you're going to like my idea. Follow me." He headed into the open concept, kitchen, and living room, which was decorated all in white. "I kind of figured you'd be hungry, so I cooked us dinner. You still like salmon, right?"

 "Love it." You couldn't believe that he went to all this trouble. You could see the table set perfectly, and that he had a couple pots on the stove, which smelled divine. "This is so much better than the drive-thru I was going to beg you to go to."

 "Fast food, really? Come on (Y/NN) I would've sworn you'd go for pizza at least."

 "I mean well, obviously, but when you're crunched on time."

 "So, does this mean you're staying for dinner?" It wasn't in your original plans, but he'd gone to all this trouble, and well, you did have to eat.

 "I'd love to."

 "Great, I just need to get the grill going. How about a glass of wine while we wait?" You nodded, after the day you had, wine sounded perfect. "Red or white."

 "A dry white since we're having fish." His walk-in wine cellar was to die for and filled from head to toe, you couldn't help sneaking a peek behind him. "I didn't realize you were a wine drinker."

 He shrugged, the movement careless and carefree. "From time to time, I enjoy a glass. It's always better to share it with someone though." God, you'd said the exact words almost a hundred times. You loved your wine, but it was almost self-indulgent to just open a bottle and drink it yourself, so you rarely did it. He chose one, then came back out to the kitchen to uncork it. "I almost hate to ask, but how did the surgery go?"

 "It was long, but we ended up saving Noah's leg."

 "Oh my god, that's amazing."

 "Well, I don't know…"

 He didn't let you finish, just scooped you up in a hug. One that literally lifted you off the ground. It took your breath away not only from the shock of it but because of the way it made you feel. There were so many times you'd completed something successful in the OR only to come home to an empty house and no one to share it with, sure you had your family to call, who were always thrilled, but this, this was different. It was someone sharing in your joy and happiness, and you could feel it in the way that he held you that he was just as excited as you were. All too soon he put you down as if he realized he'd overstepped his bounds. "Sorry," Jamie told you taking a step back, yet still wearing a huge grin. "But you freaking saved a kid's leg. Like who does that." Again, he didn't give you time to answer. "You're truly amazing, (Y/N)."

 A blush rose to your cheeks at his compliments or maybe it was from the way he held you and you longed to feel his arms back around you. Either way, the room suddenly got a bit warm. "Thank you."

 He poured you both a glass of wine, then lifted his. "To the most amazing doctor. Dallas is lucky to have you." You clinked your glass with his then took a sip of the crisp chardonnay.

 "This is good," you sighed as you took another drink. "Would it be terribly rude of me, if I took these shoes off? My feet are killing me."

 "God no, make yourself at home," he chuckled.

 "What I should really do is run home and change into some sweats. If only my feet didn't hurt so bad."

 "You can wear mine."

 "Oh no, I couldn't." Because really, you couldn't wear his sweats, that would just be going too far.

 "Please, you used to do it all the time." Ok well, he had you there. "I think you had more of my sweatshirts than I did at one point."

 "Hey, I couldn't help it, they were just so….cozy." He laughed again and you found yourself joining in.

 "Well, you're more than welcome to steal some. It's not like I don't have a ton from the organization. Which reminds me, I'll make sure they send you over some stuff."

 "Oh, that would be nice."

 "Until then just go put mine on. You know you'll be more comfortable." He was right, but it felt a little awkward and you hoped he wouldn't read into it.

 "You're sure?" He gave you that look, the one that told you if you didn't get your ass into his sweats, he might kick it, and you had to laugh. "Ok, ok." It kind of felt like old times, only without all the bad stuff that happened, and god help you; you liked it.

 "Upstairs go to the left. They are in my closet on the right-hand side. Bottoms are in the third drawer and the sweatshirts are hanging up. I'm going to go throw the salmon on."

 He headed out to the grill, and you made your way upstairs. The bedroom had pristine white walls, like the majority of the house. A massive four-poster king-size bed was done in shades of gray; it reminded of you the bed you shared long ago once. You shook yourself, as memories of that first time with Jamie came flooding back. There was no point in dwelling on that; you told yourself as you made your way into the huge walk-in closet. It was neatly arranged and you had to wonder if it was Jamie being meticulous or if he had a housekeeper that did all this for him. A shelf on the left side caught your eye. There were photos there nestled with his colognes. A picture of when he was drafted sat there, along with one from when he won his gold medal playing for Team Canada. At that moment, you realized you'd missed so much of his life. All these major life-changing events, that had things gone differently, you would've been part of, or at least you told yourself you would've. You sighed, feeling a heaviness in your chest that you didn't want to explore at the moment.

 Turning to the right, you went to grab the sweats like you were supposed to instead of digging around in Jamie's closet. You found them easily then moved down to grab a sweatshirt off the rack. You didn't really pay too much attention, just grabbed a Stars hoodie then started to head toward the bathroom to change. Again, photos caught your eye. These more personal. There was one of him with his mom and dad, that brought a smile to your face. You'd always loved his parents. Another was him with Jordie and Jenny, and still another with just him and Jenny's daughter. It was the one next to that, that made your breath hitch and your heart beat faster. It was a picture of the two of you, one of your favorites from Canada Day. You'd been out at the lake house with his family, and someone had candidly captured the two of you just staring happily into each other's eyes, a smile playing across both your faces. You remembered the moment like it was yesterday. That he would still have this picture was just….well, it was a lot to digest. You'd burned yours in a moment of anger weeks after what had happened, but Jamie, well apparently he kept his and still had it on display. What did this mean? Did he still have feelings for you? Did he still love you? Moreover, how did you feel about him now, after all this time? There were so many questions in your head, it was making you dizzy.

 You rushed into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on your face. Part of you wanted to run the two houses down to your home and lock the door behind you, but that would solve nothing. So instead, you inhaled deeply, getting control of your emotions just as you would before you entered the operating room. There was nothing between you and Jamie anymore, the two of you were just…well, you were trying to be friends, that's all this was. You quickly changed into his clothes, throwing your dress across the huge soaking tub, then you plopped your hair on top of your head in a messy bun. It was only then that you looked at yourself in the mirror. It was a reflection of your teenage self, the one that loved Jamie with her whole heart, but you weren't that girl. You were older and wiser, and you were not about to let your heart get trampled on by one Jamie Benn again. Squaring your shoulders, you headed back downstairs, where you'd pretend as if you hadn't seen the picture of the two of you that set your heart aflutter.

 When you entered the kitchen, Jamie's jaw dropped and you knew he was seeing that same version of your teenage self that you saw moments ago, though he recovered quickly. "You look more…comfortable."

 "I am. Thanks again for letting me borrow these." You decided to not mention, how they made you look, or feel for that matter. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

 "I've got it pretty much under control. Just prop up your feet, it'll be ready in a few."

 "It smells delicious."

 "Thanks."

 "When did you learn how to cook? Because from what I remember, you could barely boil water." It was true, he was never that great in the kitchen, but from the aroma, his skills had definitely improved.

 "Well, when you're on your own as long as I've been, you learn quick." He finished mixing, what looked like some sort of sauce before drizzling it over the asparagus that he'd broiled. "Besides, I can't burn off a large pizza the way I used. If I indulged in that every night, I'd have even more of a dad bod than I do now."

 "Oh stop, you do not have a dad bod. Trust me I've seen plenty of those and you're not it." With his toned arms and legs, he seemed more in shape than when he was sixteen years old. Well at least more defined. In fact, just looking at his thighs brought all sorts of wild fantasies to your mind. Oh my god, you needed to stop thinking of Jamie like this or there was going to be another sleepless night in your future.

 "Thanks," he answered back to your compliment. "Though I will never live down the nickname Chubbs."

 You laughed, like full-on belly laugh. "Oh my god, tell me that did not follow you around."

 "With Jordie on the same team," he said while rolling his eyes and joining in your laughter. "Of course, it did. It's fine though, actually, it'd be weird if people didn't call me that."

 "I'll have to remember that, Chubbs." He raised his eyebrow at you before stepping out to grab the salmon. This really was nice, the two of you just laughing and joking, maybe you could be friends after all.

 "Your dinner, madam," he said as he placed what looked like something out of a five-star restaurant in front of you, before sitting down in the chair beside you.

 "Wow, this looks amazing."

 "Well, it's not the celebration dinner you deserve for saving a kid's leg, but it will have to do." He raised his glass again towards you. "To an amazing doctor." He needed to stop making these toasts to you, as they made you blush every time.

 The conversation at dinner flowed easily, like two old friends who hadn't seen each other in ages, instead of two exes. You reminisced about old times and caught up on gossip from back home. It was all really refreshing, and you realized that you'd worried about moving to Dallas for no reason at all. You helped him clean up the dishes, then you both moved into the living room to finish up the bottle of wine. "I was thinking," Jamie told you. "I drew out the AAC a bit, that way if you're schedule gets too packed, you'd have somewhat of a map to get you around."

 There he went again, being all kind and sweet. A complete contrast to the man that you'd hated for the past fourteen years. "That's really nice of you. Let's have a look." He laid it out on the table and started to explain what parking garage to use and where that entrance would put you once you were inside. He was about midway through when the knot in your neck from surgery today, decided to stiffen a bit. You tilted your head to the right, then to the left; in an attempt to work it out.

 "Little stiff?"

 "Yeah, sometimes long hours in the OR, make my neck not want to hold my head up anymore."

 He chuckled then moved back against the side of the couch so that he could rub your shoulders. "Here let me."

 "You know, I'm supposed to be the one helping you out, not the other way around."

 "Yeah, well humor me." You turned, giving him your back. His hands were gentle as they kneaded the muscles there and you had to admit it felt really good. You could feel yourself relaxing back against him. "Scoot up for a second." You did as he asked and then he swung his one leg up so that you were now seated in between his legs, then he went back to working on your muscles. "Better?"

 "Mmm," you sighed out and let your eyes drift shut. It had been a long time since anyone had taken care of you the way that Jamie had tonight; cooking you dinner first and now this. He gently nudged you back against him, as your body grew heavy. Slowly, you drifted off to sleep. What you didn't know, was how Jamie settled you fully against his body, then grabbed the blanket that was strewn across the back of the couch to cover you up. Nor did you know how he pressed a kiss to your head, as his arms slid around your waist. He knew that he should probably wake you up, but he couldn't resist the opportunity to hold you in his arms even if it was for just a little bit. Jamie told himself that he'd just lay with you here for a little bit, let you rest for just a few minutes, but what he didn't plan on was falling asleep with you.

 You weren't sure what woke you, maybe it was the light snoring in your ear, but you found it hard to rouse yourself out of slumber. You were just too comfortable, too cozy, too content, to want to wake up. There was just this safe and secure feeling that you had that just kept lulling you back to sleep. But slowly, you came alive. You blinked a few times, trying to figure out where you were. This wasn't anything new, when you were an intern, you'd wake up all over the hospital depending upon where you fell asleep, and moving to Dallas you still weren't used to your new home, but nothing here looked at all familiar. It was then that you noticed, someone's arms around your midsection, and that you were sleeping on said person's chest. A light bulb went off in your head, and you realized that person was Jamie. Obviously, you'd fallen asleep at some point, you just didn't know why Jamie hadn't woken you up. Instead, he chose to fall asleep as well.

 You should be in a panic, but for some reason, your not. It just all feels so…right. Only it shouldn't feel that way at all. You shouldn't want his arms wrapped around you like they are, and you shouldn't like the gentle rise and fall of his chest as you lay against him, and you definitely shouldn't have your fingers interlaced with his, but you do. You actually could stay like this…well if you're being honest…forever, and that scares the living hell out of you. It's then you decide you have to get out there and you start to untangle your limbs from him. The movement waking Jamie. "Mmhmm," he hums sleepily and for some reason, your heart flutters at the sound. His hands tighten around your waist and you don't cringe like you should, but if you stay here any longer, you don't know what will happen.

 "Jamie," you whisper. "Jame."

 His eyes peek open as you turn and look at him. There's a slow smile that comes to his lips, that just sends heat to your core. Fuck, you need to get out of here. Then realization dawns on him, "Oh shit, I must have fallen asleep." He's scrambling now and so are you. "I'm sorry….I only meant to let you sleep for a bit." Oh, so he didn't mean to hold you all night and make you feel cherished? Why does your heart sink at that knowledge?

 "It's ok, but I should really be going." You're a little stiff as you get up off the couch and look around the kitchen for your purse, noticing that it's five in the morning. "I need to get ready for rounds at the hospital."

 His hands go to the back of his neck, then comes around the rake down the front of his face. "I'm really sorry…"

 "Jamie, it's fine. I'm the one who's sorry. I shouldn't have fallen asleep on you like that." You slip back into your heels then head towards the front door. "Thank you again for dinner."

 "Anytime," he mumbles and there's this look of confusion on his face. You can't decide if it's about waking up with you in his arms or if he's still not fully awake yet, but you're not going to ask, as you open the door and slip out. "Hey (Y/NN)." You turn back around the minute you hear his voice. "I'll call you," he tells you, and damnit if your heart isn't beating faster again, like your fifteen and the prospect of this hot hockey player calling you is just doing weird things to your insides that medical science can't explain. "About rescheduling the tour."

 "Right, the tour," you muttered and suddenly, it's not as romantic as it all seemed a moment ago. "Yeah, we definitely need to do that. Thanks again." You shut the car door so fast and drive the two houses down, which looks completely stupid, as Jamie stands on his front porch watching you, making sure you get inside ok.

 What the hell just happened? It's the only question you can think of as you drag yourself up to the ensuite in your bedroom, so you can wash your face. You grab a cloth and turn the water on, your mind trying to digest the last ten minutes. You just spent the night with Jamie Benn, and you're not mad about it. You're not mad about it at all and that's frightening. A week ago, you didn't want to be in the same room with him for five minutes. Now, you were laughing over dinner and falling asleep in his arms. Jesus, what were you thinking? You look up at yourself in the mirror and all you can see is his damn hoodie and sweats on you. You take a deep breath, trying to calm yourself, but instead, all you can do is smell him. He's on your clothes, well of course he is, they're his, you idiot. You swear when you pull your hair all the way down from its even messier bun that your hair smells of him too. And when you close your eyes you can feel him; his arms wrapped around you holding you close, and damn if you don't want that again.

 "NO," you yell out to yourself in the mirror. "No, no, no." He's not good for you. He'll break your heart. Your mind knows all these things and still, your heart is trying to open the door and let him in. This can't happen, you need a plan. No, what you need is someone to remind you how he broke your heart.

 You pick up your phone and dial your best friend, Emma. She'd been with you through the whole breakup with Jamie and remained by your side through every dumb mistake you made afterward. Emma had even moved to the east coast, when you went to John Hopkins, though she'd met the love of her life there and was now engaged. You knew it was early, but you also knew that your best friend would answer the phone if it was you who was calling. "Hello, sunshine," she answered all cheerful and it only put you in a fouler mood.

 "Really? How are you this happy in the morning?"

 "You know I've always been a morning person. Now, please tell me what happened with Jamie."

 "How do you know something happened with him?" It was truly baffling how she could just read you like an open book.

 "Why else would you call me at six-thirty in the morning? Tell me he's not breaking your heart already?"

 "It's worse." You pause trying to figure out the best way to tell her. "I think I'm falling for him again."

 "Get out!" She shouted at you through the telephone. "It's been like what ten days?"

 "God, when you put it like that, it sounds insane."

 "It's not insane (Y/N)." At least Emma didn't think you were crazy for possibly falling back in love with Jamie. "You two have history, like big-time history, and that just doesn't go away overnight. The question is what do you want to do about it?"

 "I don't know, Em." It was true, you were so conflicted about whether you should just shut Jamie out completely, or open your heart just one more time. You were hoping your best friend could shed some light on the situation.

 "Well, then I think I have your solution." You waited patiently for her to tell you what it was. "You know what they say, in order to get over someone, you need to get under someone." Had you heard her right, did she really just tell you to go out and have sex with someone random?  

.

[ichorizaki]

02. just one glance

warnings    obscene language, child abuse

word count    3.8k

It was one of those rare days that Tadāo felt weirdly generous. When you woke up, he was still asleep in his half of the bed. When you were making breakfast, he was still in bed. When you were done and waking Tarō up, he was awake and trudged to the kitchen with a somewhat fresh face. Your son was walking on eggshells as he crept to the breakfast table, eyes watching his father carefully like the façade could drop any second. It was a Monday, so that meant that Tadāo was bound to be back in the office, which was why it was a surprise to everyone at the table when he asked what time Tarõ’s daycare ended. You fought back the urge to bite back, to reprimand him that he should know as his father, so you gave him a practiced smile instead.

“He usually ends at noon sharp,” you looked at your husband, trying to look out for even the slightest twitch on his face that told you he was just asking out of curiosity and nothing more. “Why do you ask?”

“I just wanted to take him out for a couple of hours and spend time with him, is that so wrong?” There was an edge in the tone of his words, sharp and jagged to shield what may be the guilt of being absent in Tarō’s life catching up to him. You almost couldn’t believe it. Your eyes quickly flit to your son who was already staring nervously back at you from his seat next to his father. You felt the weight of your heart sinking down to your stomach. His earthy eyes that were once filled with the flames of mirth and mischief were now dampened with trepidation. “What, I can’t take my son out to spend time with him?”

Tadāo’s voice snapped your focus back to the table as a whole. Of course there was nothing wrong, you just didn’t trust him around your son without you around. He called for your attention once more but the way his twisted words somehow sounded like you and Tarō should be thankful that he even suggested it at all.

“Tarō, is that okay with you?” Stuck at a crossroads, you asked your son what he thought about it. You knew he wouldn’t be okay with it—why would he be?—but he and you had a system to protect each other when the other isn’t around. He despises his father with a burning passion but you couldn’t exactly fault him. His brows furrowed, very clearly against the idea of being alone with your husband.

“Give your mother a break. Lord knows she needs it. Right, Y/N?” Tadāo’s eyes found their way to yours and you swallowed thickly. What the hell were you even supposed to say? “Right?”

“Yes,” you quickly responded, your heart tripping over its own feet.

That was how you found yourself sitting in the exact same mall Tadāo had brought your son to with your two best friends by your side. The three of you were cosied up in a 4-star Michelin restaurant for afternoon tea and a lunch buffet. You were supposed to be relaxing but it stressed you out when you tried to. The table was empty, with you occupying one seat as the other three were temporarily homing personal purses and shopping bags.

Mai and Kame had gone ahead to grab some drinks and light starters. Your phone screen was facing you, placed by your plate where you could easily reach it in case Tarō called you. You didn’t even notice that the both of your friends had returned until you realised that you had a strawberry cheesecake parfait set on your plate. Your e/c eyes slowly drifted up to meet Kame’s piercing gaze. Behind the icy grey you knew she meant well, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she sat down across you.

“We know you’re worried for Tarō, Y/N.” Mai’s voice was gentle and soothing as she took your hand in hers. She cupped them both and your eyes trailed from your hands to her face, where a smile akin to a spring flower greeted you. “We can’t do much, but we’re in the same mall as they are, which means if Tarō ever needs help, we’re all here able to rush to him immediately.”

“She’s right,” Kame chimed in. She had already started eating her gyōza and chawanmushi with shrimp. “Plus, did you forget that I’m a taekwondo teacher or something? I can knock your bitch of a husband out, just say when.” While her intentions were nothing but pure, her violent comment did not go unnoticed by the table of pompous middle-aged women behind her.

“Kame, we’re in public!” Mai took the opportunity to kick her in the shin underneath the table upon releasing your hands. The auburn-haired woman scowled childishly and you couldn’t help but smile. Even when you’re all so different, your personalities complement each other well. They were right—there’s nothing much you could do. If you wanted to worry, you could, but you were just putting yourself in a state of pure unbridled worrying. The three of you were finally meeting up after three weeks, with Mia being busy with grad studies and Kame with running her classes.

So you tried your best to ignore the unsettling sensation brewing in the pit of your stomach like a hexing potion. You paid attention to the food, to the conversation, to the atmosphere, and soon you found yourself relaxing. The tension in your shoulders disappeared as you laughed for the nth time that afternoon. The three of you were reminiscing about your college days, making jokes, recalling old classmates and even joking about said classmates. While it had been hell for you as a public relations and business major, the experiences outside of classes made it worthwhile.

Then your mind couldn’t help but wander to Futakuchi Kenji and the incident that happened sometime last week. Your relationship with him extended a little further than just in-laws. He was a business major attending the same university both you and your husband did. Thanks to that, most of your classes happened to overlap and you just happened to be around him a lot. You nearly fainted on the day you found out that they were cousins—they were nothing alike, until you realised how similar they were in terms of their appearances.

Being classmates with Futakuchi was by no means a walk in the park. For some reason, during discourse sessions, it always ended up the both of you being at each other’s throats. Actually, it wasn’t just discourse sessions. If there was no discourse session, he would create one. Discussion panels would turn into debates and the both of you would end up being the last ones standing, too stubborn to stand down until it was just a battle of wits and personal attacks. Oh, how he loves attacking Tadāo. 

“Your strategy is great, but what happens if the media suddenly turns it into something else completely? You know how they can get when they want something newsworthy. They’ll try to shove words down your throat like that crummy boyfriend of yours.” You couldn’t help but scoff and roll your eyes. Of course Futakuchi Kenji had brought up his cousin. You were beginning to wonder whether he had forgotten about him altogether.

The scoffs, snickers, and snide comments made by your classmates fell on deaf ears. While they were used to it and obviously desensitised, it got annoying when Futakuchi drags out the lesson even by just a minute.

“First of all, thank you for acknowledging my strategy’s worth. Second of all, you’re making up situations entirely based off of biases about the media. You know damn well the journalists in our uni are trained to be professional specialists. Lastly, that’s my fiancé, you sick son of a bitch.”

You couldn’t help but miss those classes. As much as he slandered your husband, he was actually a decent person. He helped out when you struggled, offered you notes, and he always arrived in class early with your favourite drink. The both of you were close, but at the same time barely knew anything about each other. Kame had mentioned something about one of the parties that all three of you went to and had to go streaking but managed to weasel her way out of it, which made your whole table erupt with laughter. However, your happiness was cut short by a loud ringing from your phone.

The caller ID on your phone was enough to send your heart racing against your chest. Tarō would never call you for no reason. The phone that you gave him—a model a whole decade older than he—was for emergency purposes and that only. Your thumb swiped the green icon across the screen and the second you put your phone to your ear, you could hear his laboured breaths.

“K-Kāsan,” his voice came out in choked sobs. “Tōsan is . . he tried to hit me. Please- Please come get me, Okāsan.”

“Where are you, baby?”

“Kiddy Palace in the mall nearby. Please hurry–” The last that you heard before an empty line were angry shouts in the distance. By the end of it, you had already gathered your items and you noticed that so had Mai and Kame, the latter digging into her purse for her wallet as she marched over to the counter to cover the payment.

“Where’s Tarō?” Mai asked, taking your hand in hers.

“Kiddy Palace. That’s the fourth level, right?” She gave you a nod of confirmation and that was all that it took for the both of you to speed out of the restaurant. Kame managed to catch up when you found the lift lobby. The adrenaline coursed through your system like a wave of flood; you could barely keep up with the way your brain was going off on tangents and trying to focus on the steps ahead of you. The worst had come true, and you didn’t want to think that it was just your brain blowing out of proportion.

Kame’s hand was on your back, rubbing soothing circles while Mai held onto your other hand. They were telling you that everything was going to be alright, that Kame was beyond capable of putting your husband back in line. They were trying their best to ease your worries but it could only do so much.

The second the doors began to slide open, you had to squirm past and your feet began to carry you to Kiddy Palace. Blood thumped in your ears, the fear sitting on your face like a pillow suffocating. It didn’t take you long to find Tarō, huddled among plush toys similar to a fortress. The second he saw you, he flung himself over to you, throwing himself in your arms. He was babbling and sobbing; you could barely make out any coherent words when you hoisted him up, holding him close against your body.

“You fucking dog!”

“Kenji, don’t get in between my and my son.”

You froze. Kenji? Futakuchi Kenji? Mai had appeared at your side, her gentle words and cooing to calm Tarō down. She offered to carry him so that “Okāsan’s going to fight Otōsan.” He had no problem shifting from you to her before you ran up to where Kame was, separating the two men from biting off each others’ throats. She stood right in front of him, looking him in the eye and ready to shove him back should he step out of line.

You didn’t even know where to go. To Kenji, or to your husband? Between the both of them, it was your husband who looked more beaten up. Kenji looked spotless while your husband suffered a busted lip and a bruised eye. What were you even going to say to your husband?

“What the fuck are you staring at me for?” You flinched at the harsh words. Mumbles and murmurs came from the onlooking crowd who were unsure on what to do or were too afraid to step in. “Come and help me, you useless bitch.” No sooner had the last syllable left his lips had Kame and Keiji both flung themselves at him, profanities running a mile a minute. Within the blink of an eye, Tadāo was tackled to the ground with both your best friend and his cousin on him.

It took you a heartbeat to realise what was happening. Your head was spinning, your body lurching forward until you were begging for Kame and Kenji both to get off of him. Your pleas and cries finally got through to the two. Weakly, you pulled them off of Tadāo’s body. You couldn’t even bear to look at your husband. With this many people watching– shit. You’ve caused a ruckus in the middle of a mall. 

You spun on the heel of your feet and began to bow at a ninety-degree angle in all directions where there was a visible crowd, voicing out your apologies with a tremble in your voice and a shaking heart. Then, you turned to your husband with tears in your eyes and the choke of a sob in your throat. Your heart hammered threateningly against your chest, watching him carefully as he got onto his two feet.

“Don’t come home tonight.”

“Who the fu–”

“You wanna get fucking beaten up, you punk?!” Kame stomped a foot forward and that was enough to make him flinch the slightest. She grabbed Kenji by his arm and you by your hand, leading you away from the scene. You didn’t know why she dragged him, but it would be nice to know what had gone down and why he was even in the mall in the first place. Mai joined you three with a sniffling Tarō whose cheeks were wet with tears. She suggested that you headed out of the mall and to the McDonald’s across the street for some ice cream to cheer everyone up and everyone unanimously agreed.

So there you sat on a public bench, balancing Tarō on your thighs with a handheld fan in his direction while he happily ate his vanilla ice cream. Mai and Kame sat on either side of you, the former enjoying the seasonal yuzu ice cream and Kame a chocolate cone. Kenji sat quietly next to Mai, the only other person he’s familiar with having known each other since they were in high school.

You learned that Tadāo had been rather passive aggressive in his behaviour towards your son. He was impatient to Tarō’s needs and completely forgot—he probably never even knew about it in the first place—about Tarō’s love for wearing dresses and tiaras. He called his son a slur that is now ingrained in the poor child’s brain for the rest of his natural life and threatened to hit him over and over when Tarō was overwhelmed and threw a tantrum. Tadāo would have struck your child if it hadn’t been for Kenji who happened to be nearby. To your dismay, a fight broke out between them right before you turned up.

Perhaps it was time for you to pull up your socks and talk to Tadāo about his behaviour. Guilt found its way around your heart, wrapping its thick tendrils around it and squeezing it tightly like it was trying to milk an apology out of you. But who was that apology for? You? Or was it for your husband? It should go to Tarō, right? Thoughts raced through your mind, fogging up your vision and before you knew it, your mind was but an incoherent blur of emotions and thoughts.

“Uh, I think I’ll take my leave first.” Turning to your left, Kenji was getting up from his spot next to Mai. “Take care, okay? You need to do something about him.” His warm eyes then landed on Tarō and you couldn’t help but notice a certain glint of curiosity in them. Your son squirmed uncomfortably in your laps. You knew how he got around any adult male but it was a surprise altogether to see him hiss at Kenji.

“Oya, I didn’t know my favourite boy was a cat!” Mai immediately stole his attention. Tarō lets out a tiny humph, nose upturned before his lower lip jutted out into a pout. The five-year-old frowned at Mai, who teased him as she picked him up to settle him next to her. “You’re a big boy now and you still wanna sit on your mommy’s lap?”

“I’m gonna sit on Okāsan’s laps even when I’m bigger!”

“Even when she’s old and wrinkly like a grandma?” Tarō was left speechless as his baby browns darted between you and Mai who was laughing her ass off. You rolled your eyes, smacking her in the back of her head before getting up to talk to Kenji.

He had his hands in his pockets, kicking at the rocks that found their way from the asphalt and it reminded you of a small child feeling sheepish. You noticed how his muscles flexed and relaxed underneath the fabric of his fitted black shirt before noticing how he was so casually dressed for a Monday afternoon. Was he unemployed? Or maybe retired, even? You knew he owned his company and he’s earning himself an empire of gold but you didn’t know just how much gold he had in his tavern.

“Kenji,” you called out cautiously, staying a safe distance from him. He turned around, eyebrows raised in surprise. Did he not expect you to approach him? “Thank you for saving Tarō. Lord knows what would’ve happened without you there.” He didn’t make any move to close the distance between the both of you. The corners of his lips twitched upwards into a lazy smile.

“Guess it’s gotta be pure luck for you, huh?” You scoffed at that. Or at least, tried. You were relieved and you weren’t going to lie about that. You would thank him in some other way, a gift maybe, but you knew your husband would blow it out of proportion and that would be a whole other issue altogether.

“Luck, fate, whatever it is, I’m just glad that you were there, okay? I know what kind of person Tadāo is and what kind of person he can be. The last thing I’d ever let him do is lay his hand on my son.” He must have heard how earnest you were because when he took a deep breath, you saw how his features softened as he looked back into your (e/c) eyes. You didn’t know if he was searching for the right words to say, a delicate response to express that he didn’t mind at all, until you noticed a sleek black car pull up by the curbside. What was it with him being interrupted all the time?

“You know I’d do anything to make sure that that bastard’s out of your life. Hell, that’s probably the only agenda in my book right now,” he chuckled. Kenji lifted his hand to give you a gentle pat on your head. “I’ll get going now. You know I’m just a phone call away.”

You watched as he turned his back on you, waiting patiently as the car door slid open automatically to reveal an all-black leather interior. He ducked his head and entered the vehicle but not before giving you one last wave goodbye, the door sliding over and securing him safely in the car.

That was the longest interaction that he had with you yet ever since he had gotten home from Yokohama. Kenji leaned back in his seat, head rocking back against the headrest. He closed his eyes and the picture of Tarō formed in his head. There was just . . . there was just something about that kid that unsettled him. It was probably the way that he suddenly hissed when he was trying to find the courage to ask if he was okay. The kid didn’t really look like you.

Oh, you. All these years and he thought you’d have left the sick bastard of a human being that he had as a cousin that you have as a husband. Yet again he was proven wrong with the silver band on your ring finger. What bothered him was the lack of a ring on Tadāo’s ring finger.

The entire ride home, his mind was plagued with thoughts of you and Tarō. The dynamic that you both had made him miss his own mother. You were so caring, so gentle and so soft but in that kindness of you was a strength hardened by all of the shit that Tadāo had forced you into. You didn’t let your hardships define you, and that was something that he’s always admired you for.

Kenji fiddled with his phone as he alighted the car, thanking the driver as he made his leave. Maybe he should call his mother. But he already called her two days ago. He knew that she would tease him to no end should he call her any sooner. He only called once a week, but even then, his mother is usually the one calling in a mere day after he had done so.

His butler greeted him as he entered the threshold of his large and lonely household, a friendly greeting returned along with a smile. He immediately found himself headed into the direction of his library, where not only had he stashed archives of literature works but also archives of his own past. He wasn’t one to keep photo albums in his room, choosing to keep them safely and neatly tucked away in the library with the other books that he had. 

Nostalgia in waves as he settled down in his chair, opening up the album to be greeted with his baby pictures. His phone was set on the table before him, the line ringing on speaker as he waited for his mother to pick up. He flipped through the pages slowly, a fond smile on his face as he watched himself grow. He was such an adorable baby. Cheeks red, full and always stuffed with rice or some of his favourite candy.

Then, he came across a picture that struck a chord through his chest. He couldn’t have been any older than seven years old in the picture, perhaps six. He was at the beach, sporting a gigantic toothy grin. His hair was wet and stuck to his skin, yellow goggles hanging loosely around his neck and the bulge of his tummy ever so visible through the navy blue of the swimming suit he was wearing. He would have been mistaken to be extremely elated to be at the beach if it weren’t for how red his eyes were. Wait a minute . . . this looked all too familiar. Where had he seen this before; this very expression of a young boy grinning with tear-stained cheeks and reddened eyes? Ah. Then it had hit him.

Masayūki Tarō looks exactly like him when he was younger.

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[shinyatiny]

Flower Crown - yungi

Chapter five: Exchange glances

_____________________________

The entire village was busy as the townsfolk prepared for the festival. People had decorated the numerous streetlights with glorious-looking red lanterns, and as it was already noon, the lanterns illuminated a noble path all the way to the arena. It was like a personal red carpet for anyone who was headed there. The children were throwing flower petals on the streets to welcome the honorable guests to the village, making both Jongho and Mingi smile with adoration.

Some of the villagers greeted Mingi as the pair waltzed through the crowd of people. He tried giving them a polite nod back but failed miserably, awkwardly smiling as he gave up being polished. Jongho laughed at Mingi's stiffness, gaining a grumpy huff from him as a response. "The town's very lively today." He muttered, subconsciously gripping Mingi's hand tighter as he lead him through the thick crowds of people. It usually didn't take much time to reach the huge fighting arena but considering the streets were filled with people from all over the continent, it was harder to get there. "I've never seen so many people in one place. Where I come from, houses are scattered everywhere on the mountains."

Mingi stared at Jongho's (rather muscular) back for a hot second before answering. "Oh yeah! I forgot the whole berserker clan lives on the mountains." He pondered as the corners of his mouth quirked up a little. "Isn't it cold up there?" He cocked his head to the side, eyes shining in fascination towards the other's race.

The berserker hummed, thinking of a fitting answer, his other hand in his pocket. "No, not really. I guess we're built to withstand cold weather. But hot weather, that's something I dislike quite a bit." He admitted, a sweet smile on his lips. "It makes my skin dry."

"Oh? I've never read about that." Mingi mumbled, kicking a small rock on the ground. "As I said, I've never seen a berserker before so this is a big deal for me. I've only read about your kind from my books." He mentioned with an adorable pout as if he was embarrassed he didn't have much knowledge about Jongho's people.

"You've read about berserkers?" The other quirked up an eyebrow as if Mingi could see it. He slowed down because of their heated conversation, figuring out talking with Mingi wasn't bad. "I'm intrigued now. What have you learned?" He grinned, looking over his shoulder.

The elf let out a breathy chuckle, covering his mouth with the palm of his hand like a fine lady of sorts. "Well for starters, berserkers have horns on their head and it's their most distinctive feature after their huge size. Although it seems you aren't really the model berserker out there. Even my father didn't realize." He added. Jongho nodded nonchalantly, anticipation written on his features as if he was waiting for something to happen. And when Mingi finally asked the burning question, Jongho got silent immediately.

"Why don't you have horns, by the way?"

Like a deer caught in headlights, Jongho froze in his steps, staring right ahead at the huge shadow of an arena. Mingi's eyes widened as he realized he had asked a question he never should have. His eyes found the gravel path under his feet and he gently took his hand out of the tight grip Jongho had it in. "I — I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked! I-"

"It's fine, Mingi. Don't worry about it." Jongho assured, turning around to look at the taller elf behind him. He noticed how uncomfortable Mingi looked at the moment, guilt filling his stomach, making him feel worse. His eyes found the hand he had been holding onto just a minute ago. Mingi was keeping his fist close to his chest as if he was afraid to move. "I'd rather not talk about it here. It's a lengthy and saddening story and I believe it'd be better if I were to leave it for next time." He lowered his gaze towards the ground. "Sorry."

"It's fine! I'm okay with that..." Mingi bit his lower lip, guilt washing over him like an enormous wave, getting rid of the happy thoughts in his mind instantly. "I apologize for making you feel uneasy, Jongho. That was never my intention." He mumbled, taking in a sharp breath. "I can see this topic brings you bad memories, so let's change it, shall we?" He faked a smile, rubbing his markings through the silky shirt. "I believe I was talking about what I had learned about berserkers from my books."

"Y — yeah."

"I know berserkers are known for not expressing their emotions too often. They rely on their own strength more than their emotions and I guess that's understandable in some aspects." He explained as if Jongho wasn't a berserker himself, a small but excited smile on his features. "Although I must admit, you seem quite different from what the books have described." He muttered to himself quietly, wishing Jongho didn't hear him, but he did. "Anyway, those are some of the things I've read about your kind. I don't want to keep the other contestants waiting, so maybe we should resume our walk there."

"You aren't wrong about the whole 'known for not using their emotions' thing. I guess we use our brains less than others and use our heads instead." Jongho added, slowly turning around and taking his first step towards the arena, again. "It's harder for some. For example, I don't have a hard time with it most of the time, but there have been days when I have shut down entirely and haven't talked to anyone. No one really knows what causes this but I guess it's the class. Berserkers are like that, and no one really questions it."

Mingi lingered behind Jongho as he took some more steps, lips pursed into a thin line as he carefully listened to every single word. Some of the townspeople made way for them when they realized it was the prince and waved at him. Mingi looked down in embarrassment, almost halting in his steps when a hand grabbed his. He looked up to see Jongho holding his hand once again in a tight grip, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Can we hurry up?" Mingi said shyly, accepting the warm hand. "I dislike crowds."

"Of course," Jongho said, gently showing his gummy smile to the taller elf. He decided to ignore the bad memories and focus on Mingi's mood which had decreased tremendously when he had mentioned Jongho's missing horns. Of course, he felt bad for making Mingi feel that way, but how could he have known Mingi was going to ask something like that. "I'll take a detour so we can get there faster, okay?" He glanced at the other over his shoulder, his smile wavering as he saw Mingi's crestfallen expression.

"You don't need to do that. Just get me out of here, please." Mingi pleaded with a whimper, begged which made Jongho's heart drop instantly. Even if they've known each other for less than a day, the berserker didn't like seeing someone get uncomfortable because of him.

"I know, but I figured you'd want to see the other fighters. You'd see what you're going against in a few hours." Jongho explained while cocking his head to the side a little. "It would be the perfect opportunity to gain some information about the contestants in my opinion." He said nonchalantly, giving Mingi a stiff nod before grabbing his hand again. "Come on, we gotta hurry."

"Okay, fine."

°❀°

And there it was, the fighting arena, big and majestic in size. People were lined up by the huge metal gate, two guards with sharp, long spears standing on both sides, preventing the people from barging in. Mingi and Jongho wandered closer to the gates but kept their distance from the group of people since they weren't attending as spectators. The berserker glanced at Mingi and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "It's grander than I remembered." He hummed, gazing up at the huge arena up ahead. "I wish there was something like this on the mountains. The only entertaining thing I can recollect regarding my childhood was a playground I visited as a kid." He laughed, a warm smile plastered on his lips.

Mingi cocked his head to the side, a frown engulfing his peaceful expression. Every time Jongho has talked about his time on the mountains, there's been this melancholic feeling in the air, like something was completely missing. Although the way the guard talked about it didn't seem too concerning, it rang some bells in Mingi's head. "Oh please, I'm sure there's something you cherish about that place." He smiled, trying not to show his inner thoughts to the other. He didn't want to worry Jongho, after all. "I mean, this village isn't interesting either. There's only this large arena in the heart of the town and that's about it. Some petite workshops here and there and the rest are residences."

As if something triggered a memory in Jongho's mind, he went quiet for a minute. Mingi noticed the way he almost withdrew from the conversation, looking for an answer on his expression. The berserker seemed to be in a completely different world for a second. After a couple more minutes Jongho had seemed to gather his thoughts and smiled which resembled a fake smile to Mingi. "I wish I could tell you." He finally stated, turning his gaze away from Mingi and glancing at their surroundings in thought. "Could you stay here while I question the guards?"

"O- of course," Mingi said, stuttering as he was still processing Jongho's answer in his mind. That just proved he had no idea what kind of person he was. He was completely in the dark about the other's past and if he was being completely honest, it made him slightly afraid. The fact that he had been so comfortable around Jongho frightened him quite a bit, it felt like they had known each other for a long time, like he had known Seonghwa. But in reality, they've known for less than a day. "I'll wait here until you return, go ahead, yeah." He smiled awkwardly, still held by his thoughts.

Mingi watched as Jongho made a beeline to the guards, his fluffy red hair bouncing as he walked. The people in the line yelled at him, furious that Jongho had casually walked past them and was now the first in line. Mingi could only watch and observe from the distance as the guard and Jongho conversed.

"Mingi!" An awfully familiar voice boomed from behind him. Seonghwa had come to see him.

Mingi beamed when he realized it had been his dear friend who had approached him. The pressure in his chest calmed down even if it was temporary, Seonghwa's presence affected him and he couldn't deny it. Even if it was for a few minutes, the world around him seemed to calm down and all he could focus on was his friend who was warmly smiling and patiently waiting for an answer. "You came!" Mingi grinned, waiting for Seonghwa to initiate something, a reaction, something. And when Seonghwa simply smiled brighter at his tall friend and he wrapped his arms around Mingi's torso, he grew worried. "Seonghwa?"

The older elf hummed next to Mingi's ear, causing goosebumps all over his skin. "I'm sorry you have to do this, Mingi." He mumbled, arms tightening around Mingi's waist. The said elf sighed and leaned into the hug, giving Seonghwa time to collect his thoughts in peace. The topic sure wasn't anything cheerful. "Your father's in the wrong here, for making you go through this. Fuck, I should've prevented this from occurring." He hissed, fists gripping onto Mingi's silky shirt.

"Hey, you're not the cause of this, Hwa," Mingi mumbled, running his hand up and down Seonghwa's back in a calming manner. The other only sighed in contentment as he relaxed more into the hug. They didn't care about the stares they got anymore, the situation was too intimate for anyone to stop it. "Please, don't condemn yourself because of my shitty life. It's not your fault, not in a million years."

A dry chuckle left Seonghwa's lips at Mingi's remark. He pulled away, hands still on Mingi's hips, just for good measure. "I know, dear. I know." He sighed, closing his eyes with a pout. "I just — I don't want you to get injured. I'm aware there are healers there when the competition starts but what if something happens and even they cannot heal you? What if you lose an arm o-or a leg or something? I could never forgive myself..."

And when Seonghwa was done with his rant, Mingi giggled, he fucking giggled. When Seonghwa was worrying his ass off, his friend brushed all of the thoughts away as if he was some kind of a god. "I'm not going to get hurt, Hwa-"

"Promise me. Promise me you won't get hurt, please." Seonghwa whimpered, looking straight into Mingi's brown eyes. "I'd rather not dwell in guilt... Mingi, I've known you for years and years, you getting hurt would — it would break me. I don't know if I'd survive with the guilt, knowing I could've prevented this all from happening. So please, tell me it's going to be alright and promise me you won't get hurt out there."

Seonghwa was desperate, that was clear. To be honest, Mingi was a little moved because Seonghwa clearly cared dearly for him and treasured him as a friend. It made him happy. But this was something he couldn't promise even if he wanted to, the opponent is always unpredictable whether he liked it or not. There's no way he could know their next move, he wasn't a mind-reader. "Seonghwa... you know I can't promise you that..." He murmured, looking down at the gravel path under his feet. "The opponent is unpredictable, I don't know what they're capable of doing. And you know I'm not an expert in combat, I suck, to be honest. I don't even know what I have to do out there! How the hell am I supposed to fight in front of everyone; in front of my father when I have no idea what I'm doing?"

"I'm sorry you have to go through this," Seonghwa pursed his lips together, taking Mingi's hand and pressing his lips on the soft skin. Mingi widened his eyes in surprise but didn't comment on it. Seonghwa must be distressed about the whole competition. "Just know I'll be watching you in the audience among the others. I'll stop the fight if I see you getting hurt, with force if I have to." He smiled sadly, letting go of Mingi's hand. A thousand words were said without speaking with that simple gesture and Mingi understood every single one. "Were you waiting for someone?" Seonghwa asked, letting the heavy topic finally go.

"I — yeah. I was waiting for my guard to come back." Mingi smiled awkwardly, glancing at Jongho who was still chatting with the other guard. "He went to talk with the other guards. I guess he had something to ask from them." He hummed, keeping his eyes fixed on Jongho's figure. "You know, he's an interesting guy, I must say."

Seonghwa tilted his head to the side, waiting for Mingi to continue. "How so?"

"He's not from our village; he's not an elf, Hwa," Mingi stated nonchalantly, a sigh leaving his lips. He didn't expect the awestruck expression in Seonghwa's features when he turned to look at him. "What? As if there aren't any other species walking around town right now. He's just someone I never thought could join my father's forces, that's all."

As if he had just heard a huge secret, the silver-haired widened his eyes in disbelief, eyeing Mingi as if he was asking if what he had said was true or not. "You're kidding." He murmured. "How the hell is he a guard if he's not an elf? You know very well your father doesn't allow anybody to join his ranks, don't you?"

"I'm aware of that, yeah." Mingi sighed. "But I know what he is; he's a berserker-"

"He's a what now?!" Seonghwa interrupted with a restrained yell, eyes wide as plates. A member of the berserker clan living among elves wasn't what he was expecting at all. It was unheard of. "Mingi, that's extremely dangerous, you know that right? And how do you even know he's one of them? He doesn't even have horns and he's shorter than you." He questioned, a confused expression on his features as he observed Mingi's look.

"He told me," Mingi answered quietly, glancing away from his friend. "And how do you even know of this stuff? Have you met him before?" He countered, a similar expression to Seonghwa's on his features now. "You seem to know a lot about berserkers, Hwa." Seonghwa was about to reply but Mingi beat him to it, ignoring the irritated look on his friend's face as he continued to speak louder. "In any case, I don't think Jongho's dangerous. He's proved himself to be calm and collected, so in my opinion, there's nothing to be worried about."

"Mingi, a berserker in an elf village is unheard of! It's a long way to this village from the mountains, you know that. He would've had to walk for months to reach this village. Do you think he'd be that desperate to join your father's forces? Because I don't, there's no way that's the only motivation behind his leave." Seonghwa said with his jaw clenched. "I don't think you understand how grave this situation is, Mingi."

"I-"

"What're you guys talking about?" A familiar voice called out. Mingi sighed and turned to look at Jongho who was running toward his with a wide grin, waving his hand like a child. "Mingi, I know where we have to go now! The guard said the waiting room is there, in that big building next to the arena." He stated, pointing at a semi-worn-out building in the distance. The building's grey, moss-covered walls created a haunting picture in Mingi's mind and he sure wished the building would look better on the inside. The furniture better be nice. "And who's this? Is he your friend?" Jongho cocked his head to the side, an innocent pout on his lips.

Seonghwa huffed and looked away from the red-haired, sticking close to the taller elf. "I'm Seonghwa, Park Seonghwa." He said sternly, gripping onto Mingi's left arm. "I own a local jewelry shop here." He added, ending the conversation right there. Jongho blinked in confusion, slowly nodding with pursed lips. It seems Jongho hadn't realized Seonghwa's annoyed mood yet, and that's what Mingi was fearing.

"Oh! I don't think we've met yet." Jongho smiled brightly, his gums showing. Seonghwa hummed, looking at the hand in front of him, contemplating whether to shake it or not, but he didn't necessarily fancy being impolite. "Uh, Choi Jongho. That's my name if you didn't know it already. I don't know if Mingi mentioned me when I was talking with the other guards." He explained, a blush dancing on his cheeks out of pure embarrassment.

"No, he mentioned you, just not your name," Seonghwa said calmly, nibbling with his dangling earring. The piece of jewelry was one of his own creations; a silver crow with a blue jewel as its eye. A few years back, Mingi had mentioned it looked pretty on him and since then he's been wearing it almost every day, hoping to get some kind of a reaction out of the younger elf. "I heard you're not from around here, Jongho," Seonghwa raised an eyebrow, eyeing the berserker up and down.

Jongho's lip twitched, a look of horror replacing his features for a split second before it was replaced with a worried look. "I-" He started, worriedly glancing at Mingi's direction as if asking for help. "Yeah you — you could say that." He stuttered, scratching his nape out of awkwardness. "Did — have you heard anything else about me?"

Seonghwa snickered, finally letting go of Mingi's arm, a serious expression replacing his previous one. "Just the fact that you aren't an elf." He said. Mingi opened his mouth to say something but decided against it, grabbing Seonghwa's hand, feeling the several rings around his fingers. Seonghwa glanced over his shoulder at Mingi, his full attention on him and him only. "Mingi?" He asked, voice turning soft as if a switch was flicked just now. "Is something wrong?"

"Please, don't force the topic on him..." Mingi mumbled, some extra incoherent words leaving his lips in a rush. Seonghwa nodded gently, shifting his glare to Jongho. "Hwa, the festival should be beginning shortly, I have to go."

"I understand," Seonghwa mumbled, wrapping his arms around Mingi's waist one more time to hug him. The hug was swift, but it warmed his heart and calmed him down. Mingi smiled at the older's touchiness, accepting every little hug and kiss that was presented to him. "Be careful, Gigi. I'll be watching you." Seonghwa said, a smile decorating his lips wonderfully.

" I will," Mingi giggled at the cute nickname, unwrapping his arms around Seonghwa's torso. He looked at Jongho who was awkwardly watching the two interact with pursed lips. "Come on Jongho, let's go. You said you know the way to the waiting room, didn't you?" Mingi chuckled.

"Of course," Jongho said hastily, sprinting to his side immediately. "This way."

"Alright," Mingi smiled. "Bye, Hwa. We'll be seeing each other after the festival."

"Yeah, see you."

°❀°

Jongho pushed the heavy door open, a creak following it. It lead them to a hallway that was lit by the same red lanterns which were hanging from the streetlights. It wasn't anything special, just an ordinary hallway, a long one. But compared to the moss-ridden walls, the inside was much nicer. "Well then, shall we go?" Jongho raised an eyebrow, nudging the other playfully on his shoulder. A small yelp left Mingi's lips at the nudge but he brushed the thought away with a roll of his eyes.

As Jongho closed the wooden door behind him, Mingi observed the hallway, seeing a few people talking up ahead. The closer they got to them, the more Mingi began to realize they weren't from his village, the more he began to realize they weren't elves, to begin with. He halted in his steps, frozen in place as he watched the group interact with each other. What gained his attention was the unusual color of their hair; bright, royal blue. He had never seen anyone with blue hair before, at least not in his village and it intrigued him. It also made him fearful.

"What's he staring at us?"

"I don't know, ignore him. He's a weirdo."

Mingi hadn't even noticed that he had been staring at the group. What made him realize was the sudden silence in the hallway and the countless whispers sent his way. With a blink, he looked away from the group and turned to Jongho who was watching with narrowed eyes, observing the unknown people. He glanced at Mingi who seemed to be unsure of the situation himself and pushed the said elf behind him. "Are you guys going to compete in the festival?" He called for them, gaining their attention. Mingi widened his eyes and was ready to silence him but Jongho kept going. "If not, I have to kindly ask you to leave, this place is for competitors only."

This was one of the moments Mingi would like to bury himself in a hole and disappear from sight. He didn't want to cause any problems and Jongho had seemed to notice his distress as well, placing a hand on his shoulder for reassurance. "Maybe it's not a good idea to pick a fight with those guys, Jongho..." Mingi whispered behind the berserker, gripping onto his shirt for comfort even though he was towering over him because of the height difference. "Jongho-"

"Who are you to tell us that? Are you a competitor yourself Mr. muscle man?" One of the men laughed slyly, leaning against the wooden wall. "You look lost yourselves. Do you need help finding your way out? Out of this village perhaps?" He said with a lazy smirk. This made Jongho's lip twitch in annoyance and he sure hoped it wasn't visible because he was boiling with anger inside.

"Oh, I'm not the one who's fighting, prince Mingi is," Jongho said with a smooth grin, pointing at Mingi who was standing behind him, nervously biting his lip, almost drawing blood from it. If he could've, he would've loved to show them their reaction when he had mentioned Mingi's title, but oh well. "It's his first time being here, so obviously, seeing new people makes him nervous."

The man who had laughed shut up quickly, pursing his lips together and spewing something that seemed to be countless curse words. "Sure." He rolled his eyes in irritation, glaring at Mingi before ignoring the pair completely. Jongho laughed silently, taking Mingi's hand and leading him to the right room on the left. The elf followed put behind him and looked around the building in awe.

When they reached the main building Mingi was breath-taken by the interior of the waiting room. For starters, it was gloriously decorated with wine-red wallpapers with golden flowers embedded into it. Two huge pillars that were at least 4 meters tall stood before him, looking grand as ever. The room was bustling with life, people everywhere. It didn't tone down his anxiety at all and even Jongho seemed to pick up on this, leading him towards a less-crowded corner. Although the festival was only beginning, everyone was already seated at the long tables, glasses full of what looked (and smelled) like their finest grape wine.

Their attires were something Mingi was blown by, majestic and noble-like. He felt rather small in everyone's presence but ignored the gut-twisting feeling in his stomach and focused on the scent of wine and food in the air. Some of the guests had noticed the elf prince and his guard, eyeing the pair from afar like they were something unknown to them. The hall got fairly quiet when they settled down on some benches next to the wall, everyone's attention thoroughly on Mingi and his companion.

The elf gulped down the lump in his throat, looking down at his shiny black shoes for comfort (of course this didn't really help). Cocking his head to the side, he whispered something to Jongho so quietly even the berserker didn't hear him. With a silent curse, he spoke a little louder. "Why's everyone staring at us?" He whisper-yelled, a bead of sweat forming on his neck. "This definitely isn't what I had expected. I hope it won't be like this when we get to the main arena."

"Ever considered they might be staring because of how you look, Mingi?" Jongho countered, whispering back. Mingi widened his eyes looking down at his outfit in confusion as if there was something wrong with his attire. "You look excellent, don't worry. I think everyone's staring at you because you look too fancy for this event. They're jealous." He grinned lazily.

"Me? Too fancy?" Mingi said, a crease forming between his brows. He switched his gaze from his pants to Jongho only to see him smiling widely at him, small crescents forming in his eyes. It almost, almost melted the iceberg of nervousness in his heart, but not entirely. Despite the warm aura Jongho radiated, Mingi couldn't help but feel a little on edge about the whole situation. He never wanted this in the first place as he was forced to compete by his father's orders. Seonghwa's words made him even more nervous. "They can stare all they want, I don't care. It's not like I look terrible." He grinned back, trying to contain the disappointment in his heart.

"Right, of course-"

"I will not let you fight with that outfit! You look hideous, disgusting!" A sudden, loud voice resounded in the hall. Everyone turned their heads towards the abrupt noise at the door, Mingi and Jongho included. "Your piercings are a disgrace here, I won't tolerate something this sickening here, get out of here before I'll throw you out myself!"

"Come on, this?" Another voice, a deeper one responded, a hint of playfulness in it. "You're saying this is hideous? Do you not have an eye for good clothing?"

"I'm saying this outfit of yours isn't pleasing to look at. As I said, it looks terrible on you." The previous man yelled impatiently. Mingi had spotted the yelling man at the doorway, shouting at someone tall, very tall. "Yunho, please go change your outfit into something more traditional, I beg of you." He pleaded, stiff shoulders slumping down in defeat when the other only shook his head. "You're going to compete in that?"

"Why of course I will. Why wouldn't I? I want to fight with style, Mr. Daesung. I'm sure you understand." The man named Yunho declared, quirking up an eyebrow as the corners of his lips lifted upwards. "Also, who are you to boss me around? I don't live in our village anymore so why would I need to follow those silly rules?" He said, leaning against the doorway. "I'm here to have a little fun since the chief sent me an invitation letter, that's all. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go sit somewhere more peaceful." He added with a wide, warm grin.

Everyone's eyes were glued on Yunho's figure as he stepped into the awkwardly silent hall, looking around for an empty seat someplace quiet. Mingi, too, was watching the unknown man, but something more interesting piqued interest in him; his outfit.

This man named Yunho was drop-dead gorgeous. Mingi could've sworn he saw something shimmering under the see-through shirt he was wearing. Yunho's outfit seemed to gain attention from the other guests as well considering what he was wearing was nothing like the traditional outfits everyone else had on. It was closer to Mingi's outfit which made him glad he wasn't the only one with taste. Jongho seemed to ignore the commotion as he was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed.

And when Yunho seated himself on a wooden chair situated on the opposite wall, his silky shirt shifted with his movements. Mingi's eyes went wide when he saw the other. Yunho's gorgeous markings reached from his back all the way to his toned stomach. The dark tattoos gracefully complimented the golden piercing on his belly which made Mingi's heart race for some reason or another.

Then it happened. A smirk, a simple smirk from him was able to set Mingi's cheeks aflame and he wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. It probably wasn't since the stares he got from Yunho were more intense than the ones his father gave him this morning.

For the first time in a while, Mingi was completely flustered because of someone, and that someone was Yunho whom he didn't even know.

[bobathirstaccount]

Lolita

Boba x fem!reader, young!reader, slowish burn to smut/ romance, 2 chapters

TW: description of near-assault, unprotected sex, age of consent dubious

You’re just trying to make your way in the galaxy, until you run into trouble. Will a mysterious stranger help you?

Translations (Mando’a)

Nehutyc - feisty/gutsy

Cyar’ika - darling/sweetheart

Mirdala - clever

***

CHAPTER 2

The rain continued into the evening. It fell just as heavily as when you first landed. You stood in Slave 1, watching it from the cargo bay. You hoped it would never end. Then you wouldn’t have to leave. You thought back on your and Boba’s session. You hadn’t seen him since; it was like he had disappeared into the ship’s walls. You sighed and sat in the corner on your duffel bag.

“Are you ready to go?” the question pulled you from sleep. You sat up and looked around groggily. You instantly noticed it was much quieter. The ran had paused. You could make it to town on the muddy path. You stood up, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes.

You looked at him, the moment finally arrived. You were leaving Boba. You tried not to, but it was useless. You cried. He took two large steps and enveloped you in an embrace. He held you until you quieted. Finally you let it slip out, “I don’t want to leave you.” You noticed he had stopped breathing. You squeezed him. He inhaled. “You don’t really want to live out in the desert with an old man.”

“Please don’t tell me what I want.” You looked up at him, fresh tears springing to your eyes. He closed his mouth and looked at you. You tried another approach, “What do you want?”

“I can always leave if I wanted to, right? Same thing as me leaving now.”

He exhaled a small laugh. “I’m not really a nice man, you know. You haven’t seen all there is to me.”

“I’ve seen your weapons; I know.” A tear slid down your face. You crushed yourself to him.

”Lolita, you’re going to be okay. Don’t be scared.”

You cried a little again. “I’m obviously scared. But that’s not why I don’t want to leave. Don’t deny it.”

“Fine,” he breathed, closing his eyes briefly. When he opened them, you were kissing him lightly. He kissed back, but pulled away after a moment. “You can’t stay.”

“So we just never see each other again?” You blurted out, bursting into tears again.

He looked down and squeezed you momentarily. “One year.”

“What?”

“I’ll come back in one year. You’ll see that you will have your own life by then.”

You glowered at him, but didn’t object. It was the best you were going to get, and it was a lot shorter than the rest of your life. Finally you said, “Where do I meet you?”

”Right here.”

You rested your head under his chin. “Fine. But you have to promise that you’ll take me with you then.”

He hmmd, “If that’s want you want.” With that he grabbed your shoulders and gently pushed you away from him. “Now get your things.” You grabbed your bag, sniffling quietly. You walked over to him and with one hand grabbed his chin. You kissed him on the mouth and turned to walk down the gangway. You felt your foot hit muddy ground and sink in, squelching. For some reason it triggered more tears. You kept putting one foot in front of the other and didn’t turn around. You wanted to show you were strong. When you were halfway to town, you heard engines. You turned around just in time to see Slave 1 exit the atmosphere. You kept walking, crying to yourself.

***

You woke up and rolled over, bumping into Noon’s body. You slammed the alarm off, annoyed it had woken you. Then you remembered why you’d set it in the first place. Today was one year from when Boba dropped you off. You laid there, considering your plans for the day. You would show up midday. Not too early or too eager. If this last year had taught you anything, it was how to play games with people. You looked at your current companion. He was older, liked it when you called him daddy, and reminded you faintly of Boba. That was why you tolerated him.

You slipped out of bed quietly, not wanting to wake him. You didn’t want to answer his questions about where you were going or why you were getting done up so nicely. He was a little jealous.

***

You skipped down the street, having gotten ready and out the door without waking Noon. You were pleased with yourself, and happy because the day of reckoning was finally here. You hugged your small bag to yourself. It held the only possessions you really wanted to take with you. You killed time in town, eating breakfast and stopping to look at some clothing. When you felt like it, you walked to the edge of town and found the path you’d taken exactly one year before. You walked through the lush jungle, happy it wasn’t yet raining today. The chirp of insects and bird calls overwhelmed your senses. You arrived at the location. There was no ship. You stared at the open field, in shock. You walked out into it slowly, turning in a large circle as if that would reveal the ship, hidden in some corner.

You stood in the center of the field. Colorful flowers bloomed nearby. The air was thick with moisture and pressure. You sat down in a little depressed puddle, trying to not become upset. Had he already come and gone? Was he running late? Did he even remember the significance of the date? A quiet voice in the back of your mind said, “no.” You felt tears hitting your collarbones and wiped your face with your hands. You were stuck here. You decided to sit in the field for awhile, not ready yet to fully accept the truth. You held the thought lightly in your mind that he could still be coming. You laid back and looked up at the sky, bordered by green from the flora around you.

You opened your eyes. The sun had moved significantly. You blinked yourself awake. The chirp of insects was loud in the air. You brushed one off yourself and sat up. A ship came into your vision. You stared at it, unsure what it meant. It was not Slave 1. It was about the same size, but was a converted Imperial ship with the markings scratched off. You looked around the field, scanning for anyone. Nothing. You noticed the bay door of the ship was open. You stood, trying to peer inside, but you were too far. You walked towards it, hugging your belongings to yourself.

Suddenly you saw movement — a woman. You stopped walking, realizing this could be dangerous. The woman walked down the ramp out of the ship, into the daylight. She looked like a fighter, hair pulled out of her face and braided down her back. She seemed to smile at you, and motioned you over. You carefully approached, being sure to not get too close.

“Sorry I don’t have Slave 1, but Boba needed it at the last minute,” she said.

You were stunned. Who was she and how did she know about Slave 1 and Boba? Had you heard correctly? Were you still asleep? She smiled genuinely. “Don’t worry, Boba sent me to wait for you. A lot has changed for him.”

“Like what?” You asked, mouth dry.

“Well for starters, I am now in his service. And I could tell you the rest, but I think we should leave that as a discussion between you two.”

You shrugged, “Where is he?”

“Tattooine is where we live. But he’s off world right now. On Mandalore.”

“Mandalore?”

”His friend needed his help.”

You smiled. Despite his talking of being a bad person, he was always helping someone. “I assume since you’re here, you’re leaving with me?” She broke into your thoughts. You refocused on her, “Yes. I’m ready. Can we go?”

She smiled. “And he thought you might not be here.”

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes and walked up the ramp into the cargo bay. “Follow me to the cockpit,” your new companion said. When you were both seated, she turned to you, “I’m Fennec, by the way.” You nodded your understanding. She turned back to the controls and the ship left the planet.

You smiled as the sands of Tatooine came into view. You would miss the lushness of your erstwhile home. But the return to the sands meant the return to Boba, and so you were happy. A large building came into view. You looked at it curiously. Fennec turned to you. “Here’s home,” she commented. You raised your eyebrows. It was huge. The ship came to rest. You jumped out of your seat, excited to see and learn everything about your new home. Fennec showed you around the palace, explaining that Boba was now the master of the house. “How?” You had asked. “By killing the previous one,” she had responded nonchalantly.

***

You ended up in Boba’s rooms, which were massive, being Jabba’s old rooms. They were extravagant, and had several large decks from which you could stare out over the desert from. You found the one that was in the shade and sat outside. You were waiting to see Slave 1 return.

You woke up, annoyed at your ability to fall asleep almost anywhere. It was dusk out. The purples and blues stretched out over the sand. You sighed and stood up, wondering how you could find Fennec again. You got a weird feeling and turned around. You appeared to be alone. You narrowed your eyes and stood, turning slowly. You were alone. You shook your head and went inside. The lights were on now. You wondered about that, but continued further inside. You got a funny feeling again and turned around. An armored figure stood before you. You gasped and took a step back. The figure’s arms raised to remove the helmet. When it lowered, your eyes met Boba’s.

There was a moment of confusion as you processed what you were seeing, then you rushed towards him. You grabbed his cuirass and pressed a kiss against his lips. His arms closed around you as he returned the kiss hungrily. You felt his helmet bump against your back. When you came up for air, you looked up into his eyes. “So you didn’t think I’d be there, huh?”

He blinked, surprise on his face. “Fennec told me,” you confessed. He gave you a gentle smile, “I didn’t think you would want an old man after you got away from me for awhile.”

“You know what I did. I just found an old man to keep me company until you came back.” He gave you a skeptical look. ”I did. He wanted me to call him daddy all the time, and wouldn’t stop calling me baby. I put up with it because he reminded me of you.”

”Glad I sound so annoying.”

You laughed, “I mean, he was older. Dark and handsome.” You drew a line down Boba’s jaw to his chin. He swallowed hard. The two of you looked at each other. Heat started to pool in your nether regions. “You made me wait a whole year for this, make it good,” you said. He pursed his lips, smiling, “No pressure.”

You nipped at his chin and demanded, “Take me to bed.” He nodded, then turned, pulling you with him. He took you two rooms over, past a deck where the suns were finally set. This room was different from the others. It had clearly been given an overhaul from Jabba’s decor. It was sparse, clean. Staffs and other weapons hung on the wall, on display or ready for use you weren’t sure.

You pulled your dress over your head and let it pool next to you on the floor. He turned from removing his armor. You stood naked, hands on your hips, waiting. “My lolita...” he said, trailing off. You walked towards him and hopped into his arms. He held you, just looking at you. You smiled and kissed him softly. He carried you to the bed and sat you down on the edge. You helped him disrobe, slowly pulling the fabric from his body.

When he was naked before you, you started at his stomach, kissing a line down to his cock. You took his semi-hard cock in your mouth. He moaned and his hands went to you head. He grabbed you lightly but didn’t urge you to take more of him. You were used to being gagged on a smaller cock, and so were surprised by his gentleness. You took it upon yourself and choked yourself on him repeatedly. You felt him grow hard and continued, wanting to drive him crazy. He groaned and pulled your hair, starting to thrust into your mouth. You sniffled and took him.

He abruptly pulled out and pushed you down. Growling he crawled on top of you, pulling you further up the bed. He spread your legs with a knee and you felt him at your entrance. You called out, full of anticipation. He rubbed his cock against your wet pussy, slipping in and out as he did. You cooed at him, begging him to enter you fully.

He kissed you, pushing himself into you. You felt him stretch your walls and fill you up. “I missed your cock,” you whispered. “I always thought about you when I was with him.” He grunted and came to a stop as he bottomed out in you. You grabbed his face in your hands, “Fuck me, baby. I wanna feel you.” He looked into your eyes for a moment, then kissed you lightly. As he did, he pulled out and slammed back into you. You wrapped your legs around him and called out his name as he started to rail into you. You scratched his back, moaning and luxuriating in his touch. You felt your orgasm building. “You’re gonna make me cum, daddy.”

He shook his head, ”Don’t call me that.” You trilled his name into his ear. His strokes became uneven and he tried to stop. “No, keep going. I’m safe.” He looked at you. “Daddy made me get an implant.” He snorted, glaring for a moment. You urged him with your hips. He started to move again, slower than before. “Don’t slow down,” you demanded. He picked up the pace and wrapped his arms around you. You placed your hands on his chest and looked into his eyes. He was strained, trying not to cum. You smiled and licked your lips, “Cum in me, I want you to cum in me.” You bucked your hips again. He groaned and crushed you to him, his cock spasming in you. You moaned, so close to your own release. He stilled and laid over you, breathing hard. You kissed his head and hummed softy, satisfied. He pulled out of you and trailed kisses down your body, stopping at the v of your legs. He bit your thigh and licked your pussy. You spread your legs, inhaling in anticipation.

He gripped your ass cheeks and pulled you to his face. He nuzzled into you and licked into your entrance. You squirmed as he inserted two fingers. He licked his way up to your clit and started to suck, intermittently twirling his tongue. Meanwhile he had found your g spot and was stroking you with his fingers. You came abruptly, his name coming out of your mouth in sighs as your pussy fluttered around his fingers. He kept going until you went limp, then crawled up to lie next to you. You two laid there, enjoying each other’s company. You grabbed his hand and entertwined your fingers, squeezing. He squeezed back. You sighed, content.

“How old are you really, Lolita?” He turned to you.

“I’ll never tell,” you smiled naughtily.

[bowl-of-shortness]

Ozqrow week, day 3

Sick day/Playing hooky

@ozqrowweek

“Fucking finally.” Qrow grumbled as he threw open the door to his house. Work had been miserable today, nothing of the fun variety like usual, just stupid meetings and talking with people. “I took this job because I didn’t want to talk to people. Not the other way around.” Although being a bounty hunter was as unpredictable in relations with people as it was handling grimm. He had gotten off work way earlier than he anticipated, normally he would’ve stayed out the entire day, but today it wasn’t even close to noon yet.

He stayed in a 2 hour meeting and then was allowed to leave, probably the only good thing about going to work today. As he flopped down onto the couch he started to contemplate what to do today, as much as he wanted to visit Oz he was probably busy, same with Glynda. Qrow sat up and looked around his small house, it was dimly lit, and there were clothes and trash laying around.

Heh, Ozzy would have a fit if he ever saw this. Maybe that’s what he could do, clean the house for once.

Qrow’s scroll rang, snapping him out of his thoughts. Picking up the small blue brick, he looked to see who was calling. Qrow arched an eyebrow, “Speaking of Ozzy...”. The noirett shrugged and answered “Hey Ozzy.” The voice he was expecting didn’t answer, rather a different familiar voice. Glynda sighed “Hello Qrow, it’s not Oz but it involves him.” Qrow’s original expression of confusion morphed into one of concern. “What happened?” He questioned, “Seems Oz pushed himself too hard again and got himself sick. Unfortunately I can’t take today off to take care of him, hence why I’m calling you.” Qrow could practically hear her frustrated expression, “No problem, what’s he sick with?” “Some respiratory illness, I’m not quite sure but he’s coughing violently.”

Almost on queue, Qrow heard violent coughing in the background. Seems cleaning the house is gonna have to wait. “Aight, give me a little bit and I’ll be there.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, “Thank you.”

Qrow opened the wooden door to the decently sized house and stepped inside, instantly he heard the coughing he heard over the phone and the familiar scoldings of Glynda. Turning the corner he found Ozpin laying on the couch, ouch, he looks worse than he normally does.

Ozpin looked over at him with exhausted eyes, Glynda turning around at the action, “Oh good, you’re here. I wrote a list of things he needs, just to make your life a little easier.” Qrow skimmed the list before turning back to her “Thanks. Now go to work before you get in trouble with anyone.”. Glynda thanked him again before exiting the house, leaving the two men alone.

Ozpin coughed again, huffing in irritation before collapsing back down on the couch. Qrow cocked an eyebrow and smirked, “And this,” he walked over and crouched down to Oz’s couch bound level “Is why I keep telling you to take breaks. You look like hell.”

Ozpin rolled his eyes, “Thanks.” Oz always was a bit sassier and grumpy when he was sick, ever since he was a kid. Qrow shook his head before standing up and picking Ozpin up. “H-huh?” Ozpin questioned, confused at the action, Qrow explained nonchalantly “I’m moving you to bed, it’s more comfortable that way.”

Once Ozpin had been secured in bed he almost instantly fell asleep, almost. He shook himself awake at the last minute, an action Qrow took notice to. “Y’know, it’s ok to sleep.” “No, it really isn’t. Not for me.” Ozpin choked out, in the process of losing his voice from all the violent coughing, The noirett was on the opposite side of the room getting some cough syrup for him. “For starters, you’re trying to give me medicine. It is quite difficult to do that if I were sleeping. Secondly, the nightmares get worse.” Fucking hell. This conversation again.

Qrow turned and looked to him, “Oz—“ “I don’t want to hear it.” He snapped. Seems this was a discussion he wasn’t in the mood to have, fine. “We’re talking about this later whether you like it or not.” The shorter man internally grumbled. After giving Ozpin his cough syrup, and him promptly chugging it down, Qrow joined Ozpin on the opposite side of the bed.

The silverett immediately latched onto Qrow in a hug, “Clingy, that’s new.” He thought curiously. Of course, he didn’t mind, why would anyone turn down a hug from this man? The shorter Necromancer started rubbing circles into the taller ones back, and soon, he heard gently snoring. Qrow internally breathed a sigh of relief, “Fucking finally, I wish he wouldn’t argue with me about this stuff.”

The noirett decided that it was best to make his partner something to eat for when he woke up. There’s just one problem with that, “Holy shit he’s got an iron grip on me.” Qrow couldn’t move. So there’s a few decisions the noirett contemplated, get up and risk waking Oz out of well deserved sleep, stay there and fall asleep with, or try to maneuver his way out of Ozpin’s iron grip. “Eh, it’s a nice thought to do it before he wakes up but it’s not necessary. Plus I’m comfortable so I guess I’m succumbing to my fate.” Qrow internally chuckled.

The noirett was woken up by Ozpin moving some time later, looking up at the taller mans expression Qrow noticed how he seemed to still be asleep. Something was off though, Ozpin looked, panicked, despite being asleep. It dawned on the shorter man “Nightmares.” He gently shook the silver haired man awake, Ozpin jolting upright once he was awake, breathing hard. His heavy breathing was interrupted by a harsh coughing fit as Ozpin attempted to stumble over to the bathroom.

Qrow watched him cautiously, it seemed like Ozpin had forgotten that Qrow was even there. He stayed silent for a while until Ozpin looked up at the mirror and stumbled back, nearly hitting his head. The noirett was quick to jump out of bed, “Oz!” Ozpin’s head snapped in the direction to the sound. “Q-Qrow, I—“ “Are you alright?! What was that?” The shorter necromancer hugged Ozpin tightly.

“I—, I thought I saw something. Heh, seems I was wrong.” Ozpin made a sound at the second part of that sentence that sounded similar to a chuckle while also a wheeze. Qrow, thoroughly concerned, helped Ozpin back into bed. Where Ozpin proceeded to latch right back onto him.

They laid there for a while, Qrow whispering reassurance to Ozpin and Ozpin staying silent. The silverett didn’t want to move, if he could, he’d stay here forever. Holding Qrow, feeling safe from all those nightmares, but life is cruel and they both have lives to live. But for now, even just for a day, he’d like to stay here. Ozpin snuggled in further, Qrow laughing at the reaction.

“If you get me sick with all this cuddling I’m gonna be so pissed at you.” “Mmm” Ozpin replied, not truly caring. Mumbling into Qrow’s charcoal colored hair, Ozpin spoke “Maybe then you would finally take a day off from work like I’ve been asking you to.” “Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever Ozzy, keep dreaming.”

The rest of the day was spent in bed, one occasionally getting up to grab something, then falling back to sleep, repeat cycle until the next morning.

Ozpin woke up, feeling much better than the day before, before he could turn to look at Qrow, the sound of violent coughing came from right next to him. Qrow collapsed back down on the bed from his coughing fit.

“Seems Someone is sick.” Ozpin smirked

“No thanks to you.” The shorter man glared up at Ozpin.

Ozpin feigned confusion while tapping a finger to his chin, “Hmmm, What was that you said? “Keep dreaming” about having you take a day off?”

Qrow rolled his eyes and turned over, facing away from Ozpin “Shut up.”

“I am not sure why you’re complaining~” the silverett replied in a singsong voice.

Qrow looked over his shoulder and glared, Ozpin smiled “You’ll be taken care of by me all day, so I truly am not sure why you’re complaining. I thought you liked me taking care of you and spoiling you~”

The noirett’s face flushed. Ok, he had a point.

Maybe being sick wasn’t going to suck as much as he originally thought.

[bloodsrush]

starter for: @devilwomcn​. verse: lomk 2.0. location: reina and jason’s home.

Being together was simple, their situation wasn’t. Somewhere inside that truth held some sick metaphor, something about how they were doomed from the start and they should have just stopped. If only they listened to the little voice inside both of them that begged for a safer alternative. Take up a hobby, it might say, don’t fuck your in law. But when has Rick ever listened?

Jason was somewhere. Who knows. Probably doing something similar, sneaking around with a young siren who doesn’t know any better. And yet that doesn’t quite matter. Nothing that man ever did was filled with any kind substance. No, it was all sickeningly hollow, just as the organ inside his chest. A part of Rick deeply pities him. If only he had it in him to truly know his wife, to know Reina. Rick constantly beats himself up for not knowing her sooner, for not asking her questions or speaking with her sincerely instead of in passing, even when they were much younger. But now he’s spent the last nine or so years making up for lost time, knowing her. And even that wasn’t enough. Which is a prominent reason as to why he was still playing this game of caged secrecy. He would have spent forever in darkness just to be with her, to know her. Maybe, in hindsight, that’s what love was, futile and sacrificial. Rick was okay with that, as long as she was there. 

“You sure he’s not comin’ home?” Rick asks quietly, eyes narrowing, all while basking in Reina’s glory. They were lying together and have been since early morning. It must have been past noon now but Rick didn’t feel the need to check. Time moved differently when he was with Reina. His smile returns, Rick moving over to scoop Reina into his arms again, resting his head on the pillow just beside her head. The pads of his fingers drag up and down her back, the tip of his nose bumping with hers. “I planted the lemon tree, you know.” He says, his tone still lowered. “You can come by whenever you want to pick ‘em once they come in.” That’s when Rick finally looks at the time, his eyes averting over to the small clock located on Reina’s side table. He had to meet with a potential prospect soon, earning in a groan to sound from his throat. When his eyes drift to Reina again, his smile returns, pressing his forehead to hers as he moves to hover over her now. “You know, we’ve still got...half an hour until I have to go...”