#the thing is. she apparently didn't have enough with just doing that. she slowly started to rot my other friends' brains too?

[demon-at-peace]

DC + DP

Danny was supposed to be on the run from the GIW. Which he was, don't he didn't get him wrong, but he'd only had a few run ins with them, in Chicago, and NYC mainly. The foster care system was another issue. Somehow social workers were more competent than the GIW.

The first time he'd run in with them had been in Missuiri, accurate to the name it was miserable. He knew he had a baby face, he hadn't aged since he'd died after all. But was eighteen really such a stretch? he was sixteen after all!

Apparently it was, because they found the abandoned warehouse he was staying in and put him in foster care. He wasn't too happy about that. But he stayed, the Mathews were nice if a bit odd, but the GIW came to town and he ran.

They found him. So he ran again. Eventually he stopped staying stopped waiting for the ball to drop and just ran first chance he got. They started putting him in places for bad kids, places that had top notch security, still he ran. The foster system, infamously known as being terrible, kept finding him. They didn't put him in good homes, but they found him. He kept running.

Danny was done with it. Until he found Gotham, because their foster kid was practically nonexistent. It didn't really have other perks, but Danny didn't really have other options. So Gotham it was. The city was basically hell. Kinda, in reality it was just full of organized crime, violence, and death. A whole lot of death.

The dead roamed the streets, except they weren't ghosts. They were shades. Contrary to popular opinion they aren't the same.

Ghosts are their own being, an aspect of their past but not the full thing. Ghosts had moved on from their deaths. They were beings of the infinity realms. But shades are beings of the living realm. Because while they are dead, they linger, because they haven't accepted their deaths.

Danny knows he would have been a shade had he not been a halfa, he would have been watching waiting, for years. So he talks with them, to those who don't accept it, and they move on. Slowly losing the doubts from their life.

He talks and they help him in return. Shades after all understand humans, ghosts don't. They understand doubts and worries and pain. So they help him, they show him the cheapest stores. the crime free places. The best places to get free food, where to find shelter. The parts of the sewers where Grundy or Killer Croc don't roam.

So he learns, quick and fast, he knows Gotham in a way no one else does. The dead guide him. But the dead are not the only otherworldly inhabitants of Gotham. The city herself is ancient, a city spirit with so much power it's otherworldly. yet she smiles upon him.

He doesn't quite know why, he is young, weak in comparison, and yet when he asks she answers "You protect things, my city needs more defenders." He takes the duty with pride. He cannot be Phantom, but he's Danny. He's reckless perhaps, but he defends. He doesn't fail.

Ever.

Despite never failing, he gains attention. The protectors of Gotham notice him. The first time he meets them it's after a knife wound. He knows taking on the guy was dumb, but he wasn't about to let that girl get hurt. Or even worse r@ped,

He's taller, a red helmet and leather jacket. Just jazz's type. Danny meets his eyes evenly, he's dead. Partially, really it's been ages since he met someone who's contaminated. But he ignores it because they look at him with anger.

"What the fuck kid?" His tone is gruff, harsh grating, he clearly had a voice changer Danny notes. "Don't do that again, ever," the warning is ominous, Danny has no intention to listen.

so he vanishes, fleeing from Gotham's beloved knight and hiding. He feels guilty, that he's not listening. But he can't, because the shades are there. Begging him to help their home. So he does, he listens.

But he's not doing enough, he knows that. But he can't be phantom. he'll die. He doesn't want to die again. Not at the GIW's hands.

But Gotham needs him. So he fights harder. Night after night, he takes bullets, shuts down drug rings. He shuts down a trafficking ring and shows the meta kids how he can float. They giggle and laugh. It reminds him why it's worth it.

The second time he meets one of them it's a kid, Robin they call him, he's outnumbered, yet he's holding his own. Danny helps anyway. "Go away!" the kid demands, worry in his voice.

Danny doesn't care, he fights, and he takes them out. it's easy really, fighting. He's used to it, they don't even have guns tonight. The kid fights too, with worry in his eyes as he looks at Danny. Danny knows Robin doesn't want him in his city, but Danny can't leave. He won't.

Red Robin is next, blue eyes,and he moves like grace, Danny's hurt he knows, the shades muttering, scolding. He knows getting hurt makes stuff harder, he's such an idiot. And Red Robin reaches for him.

"Are you hurt?" he calls. He's judging him, Danny knows, telling him that he's weak. And he's right, so he runs. The shades guide him and he vanishes.

He meets Nightwing later that week, in the middle a taking down a drug ring, Danny fights, and he does too.

"Hey!" he calls. Danny runs, he's mad, Danny knows it's his fault for interfering, he didn't mean too. He did, he won't stop. He;s sorry.

Two days latter he is confronted by the bat, "Why are you here? Don't you have somewhere else?" he asks. Get out is what he's sayying, Danny can't there's no where else that's safe. Nowhere where he'll be okay.

So he runs.

---------

In case you didn't notice Danny's unreliable in this. So ha ha yeah the bats are trying to help and he's freaking out. So the bats perspective is coming up soon!

so kinda freaking out, so yesterday I felt bad, like puked and then just fainted, my roommate dragged me to bed, she thought I just fell asleep on the floor cause I've done that before. Am fine but thought I'd share?

also love ya'll! and I'm working on my Danny/Dick thing fingers crossed I'll be finished with part 4 soon!

Bye!

[lylianrae]

A list of all the things I have manifested ⋆˚⟡˖ ࣪

We manifest everything in our lives btw - the good and the bad which is why I will be including both to prove that the law does not discriminate. If you can successfully become poor, you can most definately become rich with the same ease because everything is just a state.

Long hair

AHH this is one of my favourite manifestations. Ever since I was young I had a weird bob with a fringe (often crooked) and I wanted long hair like all the other girls (lmaoo) but my mum was strict so she didn't let me grow it out. Although I didn't know about manifestation back then, every new year and birthday I would wish for long hair and I would pretend I was a princess with butt long hair. Guess what, somewhere along the line, my mum let me grow it out and now I have butt length hair (don't really know what to do with it tho </3).

As all kids do, I went through an emo phase where I chopped off like half of my hair like 4 years ago. I literally grew back 7-8" of hair within a month because my parents got too mad. I knew about manifestation here so I just assumed my hair always grows unaturally fast. Same with when I cut bangs, they grew past my chin within a couple of weeks.

Manifesting my way into a private school

Honestly this just shows that you dont need 2430430 hours of working on your self concept to manifest. Literally so many celebs, including Marylin Monroe (the queen), manifested their fame with awful self concept. Likewise, here I was possibly going through the worst time of my life back then. I would wake up at 8 am and start studying and end at 11 pm despite being only 10 at the time. I was so freaking stressed and envious of all the other children and went into a depressive spiral where my two options were pass or die. I didn't even have enough practice and I cried my self to sleep on most nights. Anyways, when i did the exam I was deathly calm and even after the exam I was apparently so chill so my parents thought I failed.

I literally left 9 questions on one paper but throughout the summer, everytime I found a dandelion I would make a wish and imagine digging a tunnel to the examiners room where I secretly change my answers into the right ones (lmfao my tiny 10 yr old brain - idek how it worked). Anyways my results were sent back to me a month later on a random October evening and I got a really high mark. Even after 7 years of going to this school I havn't met anyone who has gotten a mark higher than mine.

Curly hair / straight hair

Sigh. We always want things we don't have. When I was younger I had really straight hair like 1A asian hair but when I was like 10, I really wanted curly hair and I would try to curl it often. After a few months, I manifested a curling iron and my hair literally became naturally curly like right after a wash it would curly af when before it was dead straight. Naturally I grew bored of it and I wanted my straight hair back and for ages I began overcomplicating the law and struggled to manifest it. It was only recently when I actually let go of the 3D that I manifested the silky, shiny straight hair.

Social life?

This is also a funny one, just shows how easily you can manifest. So back in 2021 after lockdown I felt so lonely and felt so left out of my friendship group so after a few months I began stressing myself out and spiraling for like 30 minutes, sobbing to myself about how I was so lonely and how nobody loved me (💀). Anyways it became reality, I found myself uncomfortable in many social situations and found myself becoming forgotten far more easily. I don't really remember the details but it was so bad that I think I accidently manifested social anxiety (oh well we still up tho).

However I am a loa girly so I found myself listening to popularity subliminals and slowly (but surely) my mindset change from having no friends to being the most popular girl in the year. Like no joke I became friends with like 3 people from different social circles so at lunchtime we had to join up like 3 different tables so we can all sit together. Overall I got myself 20+ close friends and even my ex friends began to admire me although it had ended badly. Even now, when someone says something thats untrue - for example saying that they are dumb when they are not, they would be like "ahaha so its like when Rae (me) says she has no friends, the whole school knows who Rae is".

Clear skin

This was sort of in the beginning of my loa (law of attraction back then) journey, I just randomly found out what subliminals were and was still quite new to everything. Now I don't even understand how it happened but I had busted some capillaries under my skin and it looked like small red viens under my skin and bro I was freaking out at the time. One night I was like just, I had enough, I'm going to get myself better skin and so I listened to a sub once for 3-4 days and on like the 4th day, my cheeks began to heat up which was odd and the next day it was 90% gone. Just like magikkkk.

Desired university?

Guys. Feeling is the secret. Don't you ever forgot that - not feeling as in emotions but rather the feeling of knowing. I had 2 entrance exams to do to apply for my universities and it was a stressful time where I wasn't getting enough sleep and wasn't eating enough simply because I didn't have the time. Like I come home from school and would have 3-4 hours of homework, then I need to revise for tests and then the remaining time would be spent on the entrance exams. Each past paper took 2 hours and I have around 13s per questions and I was already struggling on time. Anyways, I began to hate them and I would often complain to my mum saying things like "My score got even lower!!" or "I hate it so much" or "My head hurts / eyes hurt".

Guess what? Not only did I see my score decrease over time but I also made such a silly mistake on the most important entrance exam which I needed for 4/5 of my universities. I left a question and completely forgot to mark on the answer so when I finished the section I realised I had one more space on the sheet with like 10s to spare. I didn't have enough time to go back and fix it and lemme say that I did so badly in the test. Even while waiting for results I was just like "ah it would be a miracle if I scored above this bla bla".

I got the score back and it was so freaking bad like I did not stand a chance at my university at all. However, I started to affirm for a place and to my utter shock and surprise my desired university reached out and offered me an interview. I knew people who had like scores which were 50% better than mine and they still got rejected pre-interview. Anyways I began stressing about the interview and the results of the whole thing and boom. I got rejected 3 days after my birthday lmaoo. But its okay because I'm reapplying and I learnt so much more. I'm redoing the entrance exam and my score is a loooot better than it ever was last year.

A key take away would be thoughts are the result of the state you are in. Your dwelling state manifests and I was focusing on the unrealness and the difficultly of getting into this uni and thats what manifested. At the time I was heartbroken and literally went through the 7 stages of grief and spent so many months trying to revise it only for me to focus on the 3D. Just know that everything is done in imagination and it appears in the 3D as a result.

Photographic memory

So this is also something I had manifested before I actually knew about loa but the takeaway here is that manifestation is always instant. I was around 11 reading a random book on my tiny kindle and the book was on how to develop a good memory and I was like ah that'll be useful. Anyways later in the car, I asked my dad about photographic memory and he sort of explained it to me. I just assumed that I have that and I told him I do. He just laughed at me and said thats something that you have to train for and I was not impressed lmao. Inside my tiny brain, I was just like nope, I already have photographic memory and I dropped that thought. Let me tell you, my memory is actually photographic and has helped me out on so many occasions like my brain just takes pictures of things.

Learning fast

This is also something I did before I knew loa, I was just always wondering why the other kids couldn't grasp concepts as easily as I did. Literally in every lesson I would be like ah I learn so fast and now I am actually blessed with the ability to grasp complex subjects so fast. A favourite example of mine would be when I was obsessed with music but to take it to a higher level you need to be able to play an instrument. I couldn't at the time and my teacher told me the requirements a week before the actual deadline. I have never actually played piano with both hands but one day I sat down and worked through the entire song (fur elise by Beethoven) which is a grade 5 (I think) and it normally takes people months / weeks to learn. I learnt the whole thing in 3 days and from then on, I could play piano like I had been doing for ages. Again the memory thing was so helpful because I never actually used any sheet music, I learnt it off a youtube video and I remembered every single note I needed to play.

Hourglass body + 22" waist

This was a couple of years ago when I actually didn't understand loa. Anyways long story short, I would do a 3 minute workout and then flex infront of the mirror all day (💀) and be like omg I have abs. Overtime, I actually got so skinny everyone around me kept pointing it out to me and my mum got so concerned that she took me to the doctor like 4 times. It was so funny, I would loose like 2-3kg overnight and my parents would have to buy better fitting uniform.

Bigger boobs

This was also back in the day (2021?) when I didn't understand how to manifest things easily af. I had an A cup but I wanted better boobies and I listened to like 2 subs for a week and I went to a B cup. But I just assumed I have a bigger cup size recently and I just skipped C and went to D+ (haven't measured in a long time).

I'm not done but I'm tired now bye bye

[anonymous-existences]

DCxDP Prompt 17 :

Danny was very displeased, displeased at the fact that he had to be a quarter vampire.

Let him explain, Danny had been visiting Vlad for his annual Therapy session, Dan had told the boy that Vlad has been acting strange and isolating himself in his bedroom.

Danny speculated that maybe the man is... Doing evil things again to mess with Danny and so just as any other sane person would, He visited the man. He stepped into a dark and cold room, "Frootloop...?", he called out as he kept the door open Infront of him.

Without even giving the boy a second to process the darkness, Plasmius pounced on him and had dug his sharp teeth and fangs on his arm, Danny took only a few moments and threw Plasmius to the side, his eyes were glowing red.

Danny was cursing as Plasmius's Hair 'Horns' were actual horns now and he looked... Hungry.

Danny would not like to delve more into those new trauma memories but short to say but Plasmius had a more animalistic side to him due to his vampire shtick and it turns out he knows when it happens but simply forgot to tell Danny or Anyone about this situation.

Danny went home after having been bandaged by Dani, He felt weird ever since that day and for the past few days the sun had felt more hotter for him that he ended up using sunscreen often, he found Ectoplasm more... Delicious as well and when he happened to get injured and licked the blood off his arm due to something urging him, he slowly pieced everything together.

Danny started showcasing more vampiric features, his eyes had a red tint, his ears were pointier and his fangs sharper, slowly he's had more of an attraction to blood and Ectoplasm, being able to find or smell blood from afar.

Danny at some point tells jazz and she ofcourse accepts him wholeheartedly and protects him as much as she could, even going as far as intimidating the A-Listers enough that they'd leave Danny alone.

It... It didn't prove good for him though, The Sensors clocked him more as a ghost. It made Maddie and Jack extremely suspicious.

One morning Tucker and Sam had called him something about Maddie and Jack finding out, Danny was then caught especially at a time where Jazz was out of town.

We all know what happens in Bad Parents Maddie and Jack, They have him strapped to a table.

Jazz went home 3 days later and after finding out about what happened to Danny, she ran to the closest person she could get help from. Vlad.

The DC part ;

Danny had ran away with Jazz, Dan and Dani to Gotham, Apparently Vlad had bought them a Manor and Since Dan was the oldest he was the one who managed all the money and he was good at it.

Danny still had difficulty controlling the hunger, the Half Ghost Thing now along with having vampire stuff on him and still somehow being half human was the only thing keeping him sane and feel like he's in control of his body.

These instincts from 3 different species in one body fused to one causing him to get more confused and erratic with his behaviors, Dan resorts to taking Danny out at night and letting him ravage and feed on Criminals which Dan had specifically picked.

Meanwhilst the bats have been notified of Child and Human traffickers or anything of the same level crime that they don't feel bad about have been found dead with bite marks on their necks and their bodies drained of blood, It confused them ofcourse but no innocent bystanders or civilians was ever turned into a victim of this unknown assailant.

The public had nicknamed the supposed "Vampire Meta" As Apparition (Because Dracula was too cliché), One faithful night, a witness happens to see this strange person feed on a criminal.

A black haired teenage boy had their teeth sunken in the big man's neck, their eyes a red tint but it's obvious they were blue, said civilian immediately told the police which gave the bats a lead.

Witnesses starts to see more of him, Red Robin happens to encounter the younger boy on coincidence, his clothes were bloodied but he stared at the horizon of the city. The boy looked out of thought, his eyes hazed as Red Robin approached him, Danny turned his head at Red Robin almost immediately upon hearing his footsteps.

"Hello." He greets with a fanged but soft and innocent smile that made Red Robin's heart skip a beat. Just who is this boy? And why is Tim starting to have a crush for him.

You guys can take it from here, all my thoughts were, Halfa!Vamp!Danny and Dead Tired.

[mapis-putellas]

Jealousy jealousy

Pairing: Alexia x Reader

Words: 2817

Warnings: none

Summary: No one told Alexia that when you got a dog, she’d drop down to the second most important thing in your life. Based on this request.

Notes: this came our way longer than expected, and also way more angsty. Enjoy!

[prompts]

In retrospect, getting a dog may not have been Alexia’s best idea. Sure, it was cute little thing with brown fur, ocean blue eyes and tiny little legs. And sure, it kept you comply whilst she was at training. But she had no idea that somehow, she'd end up becoming second best to it.

It didn't quite click at first, honestly. The missed dinner dates and matches were all something she hoped would pass as soon as the novelty of having a new puppy wore off.

But that unfortunately that hadn't been the case.

It had been two weeks, and Alexia had probably spent an hour alone with you total. Any time she tries and gets you by yourself, that pesky puppy would appear and you'd do nothing but encourage him to stay. At first, it was just mild annoyance on Alexia's part. She knew you were excited and the last thing she wants was to discourage it.

But the dog was around all the damn time.

In the kitchen cooking dinner; you'd wonder in with him in your arms. You'd no longer wrap your arms around her waist and murmur sweet things into her ear.

In bed trying to sleep; you'd beg and plead with her to let the dog sleep with you too and if she said no -which more often than not she did because she did not want dog hair in the bed- you'd abandon her and go sleep on the couch despite her own pleads and protests for you to come back.

Alexia didn't sleep well without you. You knew that and having to call you back with that stupid crack in her voice was humiliating. Especially when you'd either ignore or not hear her. It had happened almost every single night since she’d brought you the puppy, and now she’s slowly given up hope in getting you to stay.

You didn't seem to notice the constant irritation or the bags beneath her eyes which was normally something you were smart enough to catch on to before she did.

All in all, just wanted you, but apparently all you wanted was the stupid damn dog. It was obvious that her annoyance would slowly transform into pure hurt and irritation. Not just at the dog now, but you too.

She didn't mean to be jealous. She didn't want to be jealous either, but it was hard not to be when it seemed as though you no longer cared about her.

"Good morning.” you greet cheerfully as you walk into the kitchen, kissing the dog tenderly before easing him down onto the floor to start preparing his breakfast.

Alexia simply grunts from where she was sat at the kitchen island, arms folded on the marble with her head resting on top of them. She'd been here since four after yet another sleepless night without you in the bed.

"Did you sleep well?" You don't even look at her as you ask, eyes diligently reading something on the of a box that held the dogs treats.

Alexia shrugs.

"Such a good boy! Eat up little man and then you can have a treat." Alexia feels her throat constrict and the tone of your voice, the softness and warmth of it normally reserved for just her. Feeling more pathetic than she's felt in a long time, she stands up with the intention of trying to find somewhere to hide until she has to leave for training.

"Ale? Where are you going?" She hears you call as she makes it to the kitchen threshold, and though she pauses, she doesn't turn around.

"Shower." She forces out, ignoring the way her voice unmistakably trembles as she tries and holds herself together.

You don't respond verbally, but she feels your loose grasp on the materiel of her shirt, lightly tugging to encourage her to turn round. She shakes her head, knowing deep down she wouldn't be able to do so without inevitably crying.

"Ale. Look at me." You place a hand on either of her hips to physically turn her when she yet again refuses to do so herself, immediately alarmed at the shiny eyes and trembling bottom lip that greets you.

"Baby? What- hey, it's okay." You loop an arm around her waist to tug her body into your arms. She immediately falls limp against you, her body shuddering almost violently as her hands desperately cling to the back of your shirt.

At this moment, you long to be the taller one between the two of you. You would love nothing more than to just scoop her up into your arms and hold her just like she did with you. But that was physically impossible.

Instead, you tighten your hold around her as much as you were physically capable of doing, tucking your face into her neck and pressing a gentle kiss to the warm skin.

"Shh, I've got you baby. You're okay." You murmur, lightly swaying her side to side.

Suddenly, a quiet yap fills the room, and both you and Alexia startle at the unexpected sound. The blonde immediately tenses in your hold, arms tightening around your shoulders to a point where it becomes slightly uncomfortable. Another yap from the puppy tightens it further, and you wince as you place a hand on each of her hips in a futile attempt at loosening it.

"Ale, let me just-" You try.

"No."

"Baby, the dog-"

"I said, no." Her voice breaks.

Your heart breaks at the sound, and you wish desperately she would let you go so you could let the puppy outside and focus all of your attention on her.

"Alexia, just give me a sec to let the puppy out."

No response.

"The dog needs-"

"I need you!" She cuts you off, the unmistakable sound of a sob slipping from her lips.

"What? Baby I-"

"I need you."

"Ale, please-”

"Fine!" She chokes out, ripping herself out of your arms and storming down the hall to your bedroom. You wince as the bathroom door slams loudly, echoing loudly throughout your shared apartment, and you take a few steps towards the door before retreating and turning back to the puppy.

"Okay, I need to go see mama so you need to go in here for a while." You place him into his play pen, ignoring his little barks as he jumps up and rests his front paws on the side. "I know. It's okay. I'll be right back."

You're reluctant to leave him by himself, but Alexia was your main concern right now.

Your shared bedroom was empty as you push against the partially open door and step inside, the sound of the shower water splattering against the tiled floor filling your ears. Knowing she'll be in there for a while due to the fact the shower was normally her escape from everyone and everything, you perch on the end of the bed and let out a quiet sigh.

You didn't quite know just what was wrong, if you were being honest. Sure, you'd been quite distracted with the puppy these past few days, but Alexia hadn't seemed to bothered. In fact, the numerous times you'd tried to check on her, she'd been busy with whatever was keeping her occupied.

Did something happen at training? You were doubtful she'd tell you if that was the case. What ever happens at training usually seems to stay there. Usually, if something does happen that you needed to know about, Mapi was the one who usually reaches out, and you'd not heard from her in days.

You were stumped.

Alexia felt much the same. Stood beneath the hot stream of water, she contemplates just how she was going to get out of this without having to talk. It wasn't that she didn't want to, but she was embarrassed. Embarrassed at herself for being so jealous. Embarrassed at herself for freaking out.

Embarrassed for being so needy.

In the end, eighty percent of her shower was spent stifling her sobs whilst the other twenty was spent actually getting clean. With no other option than to face the music, she stops the water and steps out onto the bath mat before bundling herself up in a towel.

With a soft sniffle, she roughly wipes the tears off of her cheeks and blows out a deep breath before unlocking the door and pushing it open. She see's you immediately on the edge of the bed and purposefully avoids eye contact as she passes you to get to the closet.

Once clad in her training gear, hair brushed and put up in its usual ponytail, she stops at the threshold of the closet door not quite sure what to do with herself. You end up deciding for her, sending her a smile as you hold out your hand.

"C'mere." You encourage, Alexia sighing softly as she complies and makes her way over to you, stopping just in front your legs. You pat your thighs to encourage her to sit, but Alexia shakes her head.

"No, amor. You are too sm-"

"Baby, please. Let me hold you." You plead, reaching forward and gently grasping her shirt before giving it gentle tug. Alexia visibly hesitates, and you tug again, this time a little harder. "Sit, ale. Let's talk."

Alexia hesitates before giving in and allowing you to pull her onto your lap. This position wasn't one you sat in often, or, ever, if Alexia really thinks about it. More often than not, she was the one to hold you, especially in this sort of circumstance. She'd always feared she'd be too big. But you take her weight with ease, looping your arms around her midsection and pulling her chest against your own.

She moves with you, arms settling around your shoulders as she lowers her head and rests her chin on your shoulder.

"What happened, mhh?"

Alexia couldn't help but scoff, but she couldn't find it in herself to pull away. This was the first piece of attention she's had in weeks and she'll be damned if she gives it up.

You hear her loud and clear, letting out a quiet sigh as you burrow your nose into her neck.

"Right. Stupid question. Can you tell me?" You plead.

Alexia shakes her head. "It does not matter." She murmurs, and you immediately frown.

"Yes, it does. Especially if you're this upset."

She pushes herself away from you, hands resting on your shoulders as she gives you a look of exasperation. "You seriously do not know?"

"No." You shake your head. "Is it something at training?"

"No, it is nothing at training. It is the dog." She grumbles, purposefully avoiding eye contact as the feeling of embarrassment creeps back in.

"What did the dog do?" You don't seem mad as you tenderly cup her cheek to encourage her to face you, just confused.

“What did the dog do? Are you kidding?” She gets off of your lap before turning to face you with a glare, your hand falling to your lap.

“Ale-”

“No! I am tired of this. I am tired, amor. I got you this dog to keep you company when I go away. But now he is all you care about. All of your attention is always on him! You do not even sleep in the same bed anymore because I won’t let him in the bed and you refuse to leave him alone. I know he is just a puppy, amor, and that is why I bought him a playpen!”

“Ale-”

“And I do not even know how many date nights you have missed because you cannot leave him alone for an hour. An hour, amor! I am not asking for much!”

“Baby-”

“I have not slept in weeks! Because I cannot sleep without you, and you know this! I am tired. I am angry, and I am frustrated because you do not care about me anymore!’ She finally finishes her rant, and you stare at her, mouth agape at eyes wide.

You had no idea she felt this way. Sure, as you’ve said before, you knew you’d being paying more attention to the dog, but you’d assumed Alexia was okay with that. She was the most stubborn and independent person you knew, often preferring to be by herself after spending the majority of her day surrounded by people at training. You occasionally sat with her, you would never talk or touch. It was simply just existing together in one another’s company. Perhaps that had made you naive enough to believe she’d be alright without you around because she hadn’t said otherwise. But then again, Alexia never willingly tells you anything so maybe assuming had been the wrong thing to do.

When you don’t say anything, Alexia seems to take that as her answer.

“But it does not matter. Go see the dog, I have training.” She murmurs, picking up her kitbag and hooking it over her shoulder before making her way out of the room.

“Hey, no! Come back!”

Nothing.

Feeling a little desperate now, you rise to your feet and rush after her, wrapping your arms around her waist and holding her in place just as she nears the front door.

“Amor, I need to-”

“No, you’ve had your turn to talk. Now it’s mine.”

“Amor-” she attempts to pry your hands away from her stomach.

“I’m so, so sorry that I haven’t been a good girlfriend ale. And I’m so sorry that I haven’t picked up on how upset you’ve been.” When she stills in your arms, you loosen your hold around her waist and slowly turn her to face you. Her eyes were shiny, and you pout softly as you yet again pull her into a hug. She falls into you for the third time this morning, and the only way you could tell she was crying was by the tears that drop onto your neck.

“Having a puppy, especially as young as ours, is a big commitment. I knew you didn’t want a dog, especially this far into the season so I was trying to do everything to save you a job. That’s no excuse, baby, and I’m so sorry I’ve pushed you away. It wasn’t on purpose, i swear to you. And I know you bought the play pen for him, and I fully intend to use it but he’s only a baby, ale, and I don’t want to leave him by himself.”

“But…but you are okay with leaving me by myself?” Alexia pulls away from you, her voice sounding absolutely miserable.

“What? No! Of course not.” You reach up and wipe her tears away, leaning up onto your tiptoes and kissing her forehead. “I absolutely did not want to leave you by yourself and neither am I okay with it, but you understand why I can’t be there and he can’t. It won’t be forever, just until he’s old enough to understand, and he will, because he’s been doing so good with his training. I know I didn’t talk to you about any of this and it was stupid of me to assume you’d be okay with it and I am so, so sorry, Alexia. I’m so sorry.”

“It is okay. I am sorry.”

“No, it’s not okay, and you don’t have to be sorry. All of this is on me and I promise to make it up to you, okay? This weekend, it’ll be just us. My mum can watch the puppy.”

“Just us?” Alexia looks so hopeful it only amplifies your guilt by a thousand.

“Yes, baby, just us. I promise.” You assure, blinking back your own tears as you pull her back into your chest. Alexia sighs deeply as she falls against you, hand rising to cup the back of your head.

It was a couple minutes later that Alexia speaks again.

“I am late to training.” She whispers, and you sigh softly as you reluctantly pull her away from you.

“Go to training ale, I’ll see you later yeah? I love you.”

Alexia tightens her grasp around you for a moment, before kissing your neck and pulling away. Her hands cup your face, and you melt into the gentle kiss she places to your lips.

“Te amo, bebé.” She murmurs as she pulls away, bending down to pick up her kitbag. She makes her way to the door, hand lingering on the handle as she turns her head to face you. “See you later.”

“See you later, baby.”

**

Tags:

@liloandstitchstan @simp4panos @goldenempyrean @codiemarin @girlgenius1111

[littlelovelunette]

Bossy Bitch

Contains smut, oral, mentions of fingering

It was you and Jinx hanging out in the hideout, playing tea parties with Isha from time to time and going back to trash talking people.

“Sheesh.” Jinx leaned back against the broken mirror. “Had I known—”

She was cut off by some dark-skinned tall woman who opened the door and paused at the sight of you.

Jinx reached over and toned down the music.

She's never seen you.

Oh, right, you knew her. She was Sevika. Silco's right hand man when he was still alive and now she was apparently stuck cleaning up behind his messes.

“Yo.” You briefly greeted, eyes surveying her from head to toe.

Sevika didn't know why your gaze over her made her feel so small and vulnerable. Usually, people didn't even dare look in her general direction and there you were checking her out so bluntly and so shamelessly.

“Are you just gonna stand there?” Jinx cut the both of you out from the slowly building depraved thoughts and the unspoken sexual tension.

“The hell’s this?” Sevika put her hand on her hip. Her gaze flicks between you and Jinx.

“You should know better than to bring anyone in here—”

Sevika began but then Jinx cut her out introducing you to her.

You'd been friends with Jinx since she was known as Powder and knew everything that's been going on.

You were morally quite grey and didn't really care for all the things Jinx did out of rage or other negative emotions. You knew her. You knew the child in her.

“Sevika? You're staring.” Jinx teased.

“Me? I'm not staring.” Sevika looked away, cheeks flushing a little in the dimmed light of the room.

Isha chimed in, “Then do you have makeup on? Your cheeks are so redddd!”

“Oh to heck with you all.” Sevika turned around and left the room, stomping off making you and Jinx giggle.

“Looks like she wants to get laid badly.” Jinx looked at you and wriggled her eyebrows.

“You won't think it's weird if I did… do her. Would you?” You asked, scratching the back of your head and pocketing your hands.

“Nah, I don't give a damn about that. But… Careful, she looks like a masochistic submissive to me.” Jinx laughed heartily, looking down at Isha’s confused face before quickly adding, “Maybe Sevika wants to get laid is all, go! Go!”

And with that, Jinx practically threw you out of her room and you could hear the blasting loud music starting back up in her room.

You sighed.

As you walked aimlessly around the hideout, you finally came across the now deceased Silco's office and peeked inside.

Sure enough, there Sevika was, doing something. It looked like she was trying to fix her mechanical arm.

That looked tough as hell given she only did have one hand to work with right then. “Want me to give you a hand?” You teased as you stepped inside.

“Oh, please, I can do it on my own.” Sevika started but then you walked up to her and took the screwdriver from her. Sevika watched as you helped her fix the gears of the detached metal arm with ease.

“You're good with this.” Sevika begrudgingly admitted, voice calculated and low.

“Y'know what else I'm good at with my hands?”

“What?”

You gave her a look making Sevika blush and look away quickly. “You should stop it with the dirty talk.”

“Why? Does it turn you on?” You smirked at her, leaning against the table with a little smirk.

“You've never submitted to someone, have you?” You crossed your arms and looked down at Sevika who was seated in the chair.

She looked up at you and shook her head, the gesture subtle but didn't go unnoticed.

“Let me be your first.” You whispered making Sevika shiver a little, your hands came down and rested on her muscular thighs.

Your grip was strong and not feather light like the girls at the brothel who were too scared of touching her inappropriately, even though the latter was already indulging in very inappropriate activities.

Sevika's breath hitched in her throat as she felt your mouth hover over her clothed heat, you could smell the arousal building in the crotch of her boxers underneath. It was a given, she wanted you. She needed you.

“May I?” You looked up, eyes gentle and Sevika nodded giving you her consent. Your grabbed the waistband of her pants and shorts underneath and pulled them down, both at once.

As Sevika settled her naked ass on the chair, the thought crossed her head that she was about to have sex in the office room. It felt taboo, but exciting.

You held her thighs open with both hands and took in the scent of her sex, probably never dominated before.

“You're beautiful.” You muttered before you let your tongue press flat against her swollen clit eliciting a small moan from Sevika.

Sevika quickly bit down on her lower lip.

She whimpered and let her head hang back as you sucked on her cunt like a starved woman.

Sevika's hand came down to hold your head in place as she tried to contain her moans.

Your tongue felt too good against her pussy and she couldn't deny it no matter how much she wanted to for the sake of her unshakeable ego.

Her eyes rolled back, the white parts only visible as sinful profanities left her mouth in a hushed whisper.

If anyone saw her like this, she'd rather die than face them ever again. Sevika never felt so vulnerable in her entire life and suddenly, it felt too good. Way too good. She wasn't supposed to let her guard down like that but there was only so much she could do because of the overwhelming pleasure.

Her mind was filling with foggy disgusting and absolutely filthy thoughts of you using her, tying her up and just ruining both her holes as she is forced to take whatever you gave her because she's just so helpless, at your mercy.

“Fuck, if you keep doing that—” Sevika started and just then you sucked even harder on her cunt than before, making her hips buck off the chair, grinding against your face, hand forcing your mouth deeper against her pussy.

Sevika came on your tongue and you gladly licked up her juices and discharge. “You're cute, ‘Vika.”

Eventually, you let Sevika come down from her high and helped her dress up. She was still so flushed from the entire act, and refused to look you in the eye.

By the time it was evening, you had help her fix the mechanical arm pretty much all the way, another few hours of work would be enough to ensure that she could use it properly again.

“Thanks.” Sevika said, voice low and grumbled as she checked the metal arm, turning it over in her flesh hand.

“Sure. I gotta get going though, thanks for the… meal.” You winked and walked out of the office with a smirk on your face.

Sevika was left being reminded of her shameless state, making your face grind against her cunt so desperately for her own release— she could feel the crotch of her shorts dampen again, fingers itching to just sink in and moan your name.

And she did.

[stvrnioloslvt]

Prompt 57 + 87

Boyfriend matt x girlfriend reader

(Perhaps gf reader getting shipped w Chris. Matt is upset about it and ready to risk it all and show everyone that she’s his)

57. “have you seen the things the fans write about you and *other celeb*?”

87. "how about we give them something to talk about?"

matt wasn't the jealous type. not as much as one would think, at least. it wasn't that he didn't care about you, he was just... secure. in himself, in you, in the relationship.

he wasn't the type of boyfriend your friends were used to, controlling and overbearing. you didn't have to ask permission to go out, to wear a short skirt or do something new with your hair. he was a normal guy, really. unfortunately, what should be the normality is actually an exception. a shame, really, considering people loose themselves in toxic dynamics.

anyways, matt was not like that.

however, there was something hitting a tender spot just right in all those ship edits of you and chris. and he couldn't even pinpoint what was actually bothering him. he knew chris wouldn't do him like that, and he knew you wouldn't either. most importantly, he knew that you loved him as much as he loved you.

so, what was it?

-matt, baby, you're going to break the phone in half if you keep gripping it like that-

-hm?-

the boy rose his eyes from his phone, taking in the appearance of you curled on the sofa in front of him like a cat, one hand holding a book, the other a fuming mug. your eyes caught his before dropping to the phone in his hand, silently pointing at it.

-oh,- murmured matt, quickly releasing the device from the death grip he had it trapped in. he didn't even realise how hard his hand was cramping until now.

-what's got you so worked up anyway?- you asked, sipping from the mug slowly as to not burn your tongue (it didn't work). matt groaned, throwing the phone at his side. he ran a hand on his face, almost trying to wipe away the discomfort that certain posts brought him. -have you seen the things the fans write about you and chris?- he blurted all of the sudden, peeking at you to see your reaction.

the scene in front of his eyes was almost comical with the way you completely froze on the spot, eyes wide, lips scorching red because of the heat emanating from the hot drink. -what did you just say?- you asked incredulous.

matt sighed, slouching against the couch. -I just... apparently there are many people who want to see you with chris and it's making me loose my mind-

-oh, baby,- you cooed, leaving everything on the coffee table before straddling matt's lap on the ground, hugging him to your chest. -my sweet baby, did you really think that what these people are saying would mean anything to us?-

-I don't know,- he replied, his voice coming muffled from where his face was buried in your chest. his arms wrapped around you tightly, almost like he was fearing you would dissipate in thin air.

-silly boy, I would never do anything like that to you, and your brother wouldn't either... how about we give them something to talk about?-

at that, matt's interest spiked. he lifted his head to look up at you, curiosity written all over his face. a mischievous smile appeared on your face, and you bent back to retrieve his abandoned phone not too far from you. you unblocked it, then opened the camera.

-just a few seconds, nothing obscene, enough to make a point. you in?-

matt's jaw hung open at that, not expecting such idea coming from you. yet, he couldn't deny that he was definitely intrigued by it... and turned on, too.

he took the phone from your hands, setting it up against the couch cushions. he made sure both of you were in focus, then set play.

you giggled, clearly satisfied by your small "victory", and immediately leaned in to kiss him. what started off as a casual kiss, soon turned into a makeout session, and the camera picked up the sloppy noises of your tongues dancing together and the soft moans and pants leaving your mouths. your hips ground down on his, and he reciprocated by thrusting his hips up in sync with yours, making you feel just how bad he needed you.

you moaned his name, whimpering softly when his thumb gently swiped against your clit. -baby the video,- you managed to choke out, grabbing his wrist before he managed to make you crumble under his touch.

matt hummed, leaning back as he took the phone in his hands and pausing the video.

-keep touching yourself, baby, I have a video to post.-

© stvrnioloslvt

I hope you enjoyed it! you can find other works under the tag #© stvrnioloslvt [pick&choose] or you can request in my asks following these instructions! thank you for reading ♡

taglist: @shadowthesim237 @sturnioloszn @marrykisskilled @x0x0bunny @izzylovesmatt @gabrielaperez11 @ivysturnss @watercolorskyy @bluestriips @sllutty-sturniolo @mattsturniolover @emely9274 @boomshakalaka12381238 @lovergirl4gracieabrams @sturnsrecord @strnilolover @wastelandzella @sturnslutz @harmonysturniolo @mommymomm @mattsbrowser @chrislova @courta13

divider credits to @saradika-graphics

[httpsghostie]

Three's a Crowd

bro I have no words for what I've just written it's pure filth I can't stop wont stop I need them internally

I'm not sorry for this

Summary: a situationship between your lieutenant and your colonel that leads to obscene measures.

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings: smut, Simon 'Ghost' Riley x female!reader x König, unprotected piv and dp sex, kinda cuckold (?, light spanking, dacryphilia, praising/humiliating, lots of pet names, breeding kink, choking, no use of y/n

masterlist

NSFW under the cut

You didn't know exactly how, but you ended up in a situationship between the colonel and your lieutenant, none of them knowing about each other.

Ghost was never the jealous type, at least that's what he said. But some things changed when he heard your voice when he was passing in front of König's room.

"Scheiße, baby." He moaned. It wasn't so loud, but since Ghost had keen senses and was practically merging his ear with the door, it was loud enough for him to hear. He was startled, how could you do this?

For a brief moment, he felt insecure. Was he not enough for you? That's why you had to find someone else to give you pleasure? But you've always told him how it was good, how he fucked you just the way you liked it.

Lieutenant 'not the jealous type' Ghost.

Ironical.

But that feeling changed when he was pinning your face to the mattress, ass up, his cock abusing your hole. He held his phone up, filming how your ass jiggled when he thrusted hard inside you. Your arms were tied behind your back with his belt, and he held them before pulling out and jerking himself off, coming on your ass, cum dripping down your big lips.

And, well, that video was 'accidentally' sent to König's e-mail. 

She lets me cum inside.

Ghost could not fucking believe the answer he read on the phone. He expected König to back off, but apparently König had the same expectations.

He couldn't confront you, and the idea of sharing you with his superior was slowly driving him nuts. You noticed he started fucking you rougher, he'd shoot videos of you two having sex saying he needed those to remind him of you. Of course it was weird at first, but you could trust him, or so you thought.

On the other side, König was also a bit different, the man was once calm, always taking his time with you, but he started to enjoy being meaner. He'd either deny or overstimulate you until you cried on his girthy and long dick hitting your cervix. 

One day, while gagging on König's dick, you noticed him eyeing the locked phone on the bed, beside him. Without stopping, you reached for it and opened the camera, placing it on his large palm. He looks down at you, confused, and you give him a cock drunk smile. He didn't want to ask to film you, so this was pretty much convenient for him.

That was the first video he sent to Ghost in response to him fucking you senseless.

He was speechless. His cocky demeanor vanished as he tried to come up with a snarky response. Nothing could've prepared him to see you drooling on another cock. Unintentionally, the sight of you sucking another guy's dick made him hard. He had to excuse himself out of the meeting because he had a boner. It was funny, he felt like a teen.

But you noticed how both of them were different towards you and each other. They weren't used to talking before, and now it seemed like they'd punch each other's faces whenever they met in common rooms. König assigned difficult tasks towards Ghost and the thought of them knowing about your situationship terrified you once it crossed your mind.

You thought about confronting them, explaining the whole situation. They were both excellent in bed and they provided you with different feelings. König was soft and caring and Ghost was… well, Ghost. But you knew you could lose them two, even though you didn't have an established relationship with them.

One day, the task force is all drinking together, playing truth or dare. Gaz is dared to do something obscene, and he playfully moans like a girl.

Aye, sounds like the lad in König's room.

You choke, spitting the whiskey coke out, the soda gets out from your nose and your eyes get teary from the gas. They all get quiet when they look at you and you fake a laugh, of course Soap had to say that. 

They soon forgot about the awkwardness and went back to the game, but Ghost was eyeing you like a prey. You purposefully avoided them since you all joined for the party, and he and König sat on opposite sides from each other. You sat in between Price and Gaz, you all in a weird circle.

Meeting room. Now.

Your phone buzzed as you received a message from your Lieutenant. You read it from the notifications and looked up, but he was already gone in the darkness. You come up with an excuse and get out of the common area.

When you walked in, the phantom was standing right across the table, you could only see a glimpse of his eyes. The lights were off, but the room was lit when he started typing the digits of his phone password. He slowly stands up and walks towards you, your legs already trembling with fear. The phone is left on the table right in front of you, displaying a video of your fucked out face while sucking a dick very different from his.

"Simon, I can expl-" you try to say, but you're cut off as he grabs a fistful of your hair and buries your face on the cold wooden surface of the table.

"Y'know why I brought you here?" He asks, holding your wrists behind your back. "So everyone can see who you belong to." You feel him restraining your hands with one of his hands, and the spare one unfastened his belt and pulled his pants down just enough to expose his already hard dick.

At this moment, you thank yourself for wearing sweatpants, because they were easily pulled down from your body. He lifted his mask and spat on your pussy, then entered you with his full length, not giving you time to get used to his size.

He fucked you desperately, grabbing your hair again, making you look at the looping video on the screen of his phone.

"You're such a fucking little slut." He groaned. "You're so desperate you need two fat cocks?" You felt ashamed, your face burning, not knowing if it was from the whiskey or the embarrassment. The door made a locking sound and you jolted, but Ghost's grip didn't let you give a look. "Like what you see here, Colonel?" He asks in between breaths, you squirm and try to move but he holds you in place. Soon there was a figure across from you, sitting on the empty chair and manspreading.

"If you fucked her good enough she wouldn't come to me." He said in that thick German accent.

"You're really petty for a second option." Ghost holds your throat from behind, choking you and forcing you to look at König. You can see König's dick getting hard, it wasn't easy for him to mask that due to his size. He got up and slowly walked around the table to get to you. 

"How does he feel, schatz?" König grabs you by the chin, blue orbits finding its way into your soul. You couldn't even babble an answer, Ghost was fucking you brainless. Your eyes could only look back to König and your head could only nod. He lifts a bit of his hood and gives you a kiss, his lips containing the warmth you needed to melt.

"Kneel." Ghost demands you as he pulls out. You do as you're told, but in order to comfortably be on your knees, you pull your pants back up. They don't seem to care. König takes his belt off and folds it, running it from your chest to your chin, lifting your head.

"Be a good girl, ya?" He says as he pushes his pants down, his dick bouncing up as he releases from the boxers. Without even noticing, your mouth was already open and your tongue was laying flat. König brushed his pinkish, leaking tip on your lips and tongue, the familiar salty taste of his precum invading your senses. He pushes it in your mouth, fucking it slowly. Your hand travels to Ghost's dick and jerks him off as he watches. "Like what you see, Lieutenant?" König chuckles.

Ghost was going to give him a sarcastic response, but his head fell back when you started to suck him off, your hand now on König. As you expected, Ghost wasn't so gentle, so his hand grabbed your hair and pushed your throat down his length. You soon became a drooling mess, taking turns on each throbbing cock in front of you.

Your jaw became sore, taking just one of them was already hard enough. You felt a pressure against your pussy and looked down, König's boot was grinding against you. You groan, sinking your weight on his foot. The more you gagged around them, the more he'd move.

"Didn't I tell you were just a fucking whore?" Ghost pulled from your mouth and tapped his cock on your tear stained cheeks. "Getting off his foot, huh? So desperate." As if it was possible for you to get any wetter, you felt another wave of arousal moisten your panties.

He got you up and almost dragged you to the sofa in the corner of the room. König followed just behind. Ghost sat down and made you kneel in front of him, and König positioned himself behind you, large palms roaming your small body and gently pulling your pants down again. He aligned his shaft with your soaked pussy and in one long thrust he pushed it deep inside you.

"Just so… fucking tight." You hear him whimper as he bottoms out. Your eyes are locked with the masked man in front of you, that's slowly jerking himself off at the sight of you being filled by someone else. "Gonna have to tear this pretty pussy apart." You clench around him and he starts fucking you. 

Ghost gently pulls your face closer and lifts his mask, planting a sloppy kiss on your lips. You could only moan, in hope no one else could hear it. Your lips were now connected on Ghost's member, eagerly sucking him off. Your moans sent vibrations down his skin and he groaned whenever you gagged.

König's cock was buried deep down your walls, he felt an incessant need to slam his hips into yours and make you a moaning mess, so he held your hips in place as he thrusted hard into you. One of his hands travelled down to your clit and started rubbing circles, easily making you orgasm around him. He felt his climax getting closer, but he didn't want this moment to end just as quick. When his pace became erratic, he pulled out, slapping your ass.

He got up and sat down beside Ghost, who got up and pulled you to his arms, holding you firmly in the air. Your legs were pushed to your chest, the back of your knees held by his veiny forearms. He entered your used hole and started slow, but it didn't last long and he was soon bouncing you up and down his length.

König watched as you took Ghost entirely, thinking about how tight you'd feel with another cock inside you. He gets up and walks behind you, brushing his tip on you.

"Do you think she can handle?" König asks with genuine concern.

"She'll take it and thank you for it, isn't that right, bunny?" Your arms are wrapped around his shoulders, your face buried in his neck. You manage a small nod before feeling another monstrous cock entering your abused hole.

How that fit was a story for another day, but your pussy was happy to be filled by two men. The pain started to go away and you moved a bit to signal them to go. They managed to keep the same pace for a while. König let you lay back on his chest as Ghost held your legs, they pushed deep down into your core.

"Look at you, taking both of us." Ghost mumbles. "Such an obedient little pet." 

"Such a good girl, liebe." König moans in your ear.

They kept fucking you until you felt empty again. Emptier than ever. Your pants were taken away from your body and König pulled you on top of him as he sat down on the couch, already making you sit on his shaft. Ghost came behind you and you felt a humid finger entering your tight little hole. 

"Simon-" you moan.

"Shut up." He puts another finger in.

"Too much."

"You've taken it before and you're gonna take it again like the good slut you are, understood?" You slowed down on König and felt another finger inside of you, stretching your butthole. You couldn't help but whimper at the way he was using you. "Don't stop fucking her." König holds your hips and starts thrusting harder.

Ghost replaced his fingers with his aching dick and you've never felt so good, so filled. He waited a minute before moving, giving you a bit to adjust. But goddamn it you were tight.

As soon as the pain went away, he started to move, gradually going faster. König was a whimpering mess below you, moaning german praises in your ear. In little to no time, you found yourself being railed once again.

"Can't take much more." König whimpered, digging his nails on your hips. Ghost landed a sharp slap to your ass and towered over you to reach for your clit, he stimulated you as he buried his face in the crook of your neck, trying to memorize your scent.

Your legs trembled as you felt your high approaching faster and faster, and you fall on König's chest, trying to muffle your loud moans. 

"That's right, baby, be a good girl and come for us." König holds you close, reaching a new spot. That's what it took for you to squirt all over their dicks. Crying at the non stopping thrusts.

"Always have to leave a mess, huh?" You're still squirming as you hear Ghost say. "Fuck, you're so pretty when you cry."

König also feels his orgasm approaching and with a few more thrusts he can't hold it anymore.

"Gonna fill your cunt with my cum." He moans, holding your chin to look at him. He comes inside of you, but he doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. He keeps on slamming his dick inside your cervix and pushing his cum inside you, making the tears fall out of your eyes. He becomes a whimpering mess as he overstimulates his dick in your pussy.

Ghost also can't stop thinking about how good you feel, and how bad he needs to cum inside you. He slips a hand in front of your body and squeezes your breasts. It was enough to electrify his body and sent shivers down his spine. With just a few more erratic thrusts, he spills his seeds in your hole. He pulls out, kissing your back through his mask. König finally pulls out too, his dick red from the overstimulation. You collapse on his chest, losing consciousness.

"Truce?" He asks Ghost, who's getting dressed.

"Truce."

[lee-laurent]

Juno - Nico Hischier

Summary: nico and aj hughes have a little bump in the road

content: pregnancy, angst, a tiny bit of fluffy

wc: 5.1k

notes: wellllll, first fic back! i don't think it's my best work, and i apologize for that, but i have to ease myself back in somehow. missed this... hope you guys like it :)

Was it possible for an inanimate object to mock you? Because that stupid, white stick definitely felt like it was mocking her.

AJ didn't move. She sat on the closed toilet lid, hoodie sleeves tugged over her hands, foot bouncing like it might help tap the panic out of her bloodstream. Her stomach had been unsettled for days--she'd chalked it up to stress, bad takeout, the air of New Jersey finally hitting her Michigan immune system.

But somewhere deep down, she'd known.

She'd known the second she stood in the drugstore, hand shaking as she reached for the most reliable looking test. The second the little screen blinked to life, then filled in the lines with cruel clarity.

Two months.

She did the math without meaning to. That first night at Nico's after the Devils' win. White wine, soft kisses, and the sound of his laugh in the quiet of her apartment. She'd thought she'd taken the pill that day. She always did--or, usually. But "usually" wasn't enough, apparently.

She pulled out her phone and stared at it. Her thumb hovered over his name in her messages for a few seconds before she actually typed anything.

AJ: can you come over? Nico: be there in 10

She blinked fast, trying to fight back the tears. It wasn't that she regretted it--not Nico. Not this. Not entirely.

But her life had just split into two timelines. Before. And now.

The knock at the door came much faster than she had expected. AJ opened it, and there he was--messy hair, hoodie pulled over his head, expression shifting to worry the second he saw her face.

He stepped in, closing the door behind him. "Hey, what's wrong?"

She didn't say anything. Just turned and walked to the bathrom, grabbed the test off the counter, walked back, and held it out like she was handing over something radioactive.

Nico took it without a word. Looked down. Looked up.

"You're--" he started, then stopped. "You're pregnant?"

She nodded once. Her throat felt too tight to speak.

He set the test down slowly, gently, like it could shatter into a million pieces. The he crossed the space between them and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest like it was the only thing that mattered.

AJ let herself sink into him. Her hands twisted in the fabric of his hoodie. Her face pressed against his shoulder.

"I don't know what I'm doing," she said into the silence. "I'm twenty-one, I just got here, I feel like I've barely figured out how to be an adult, and now--"

"You're not doing this alone," he said, quiet but firm. "You hear me? Whatever you want--whatever you need-- I'm here."

His hand slid up her back and into her hair, grounding her.

She swallowed hard. "I haven't told anyone. You're the first."

He pulled back just enough to look at her. "I'm glad you told me. I mean it."

AJ searched his face. "You're not... mad?"

Nico's expression softened--that Nico kind of soft, the rare kind, the one she only ever saw when they were alone. "No, AJ. I'm not mad. Scared, maybe. But not mad. I love you. That's not changing."

It hit her again--just how deeply she felt for him. And how complicated that love had become.

She gave a short laugh, a little watery. "Guess this means we have to tell people."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "You mean tell your brothers that I've been sneaking around with their sister and now she's pregnant with my baby?"

She smacked his chest lightly. "Don't say it like that."

"I'm just saying, might wanna let me wear my helmet for that conversation."

AJ rolled her eyes, but the tension in her chest eased a little. It always did around him. That's what scared her most, maybe--how quickly she'd fallen, how easily he made the rest of the world feel quiet.

She pulled herself closer again and closed her eyes.

"We'll figure it out," Nico said, his lips brushing her hairline.

"I know," she whispered. "I just... I didn't expect my life to look like this."

"Neither did I," he said. "But if it's with you, I'm good."

~~

AJ was once again staring at the contacts on her phone.

She'd already texted her mom. That had gone okay--better than she expected, actually. Ellen had taken a pause, sent back "we'll figure it out" in a way that AJ knew was in that steady, calm mom-tone that she didn't appreciate nearly enough growing up. They called for almost an hour after. AJ cried. Her mom didn't.

But this... this was different.

Telling Quinn meant telling a brother. And while he wasn't in the same post code as Jack and Luke, he was still protective. Still a Hughes boy. Still going to have feelings.

She hit the FaceTime button before she could talk herself out of it.

It rang twice.

"Hey," Quinn said, propped up against a headboard in a hotel room. His curls were messy, and he looked like he'd just gotten back from a morning skate. "What's up? You good?"

"Yeah," AJ said automatically, which was a lie. She tucked her legs underneath her on the sofa. "Kinda. Sorta. No."

Quinn sat up straighter. "What happened? Did something happen?"

She took a breath. "I need to tell you something, and you have to promise not to freak out."

"You know saying that just makes me want to freak out harder, right?"

"Quinn."

"Okay, okay." He held up his hands. "I'm chill... I'm chill."

AJ exhaled and rubbed her fingers along the seam of her hoodie sleeve.

"I'm pregnant."

Silence.

Quinn blinked. "Like... you're pregnant."

"No, Quinn, my imaginary friend is. Yes. Me."

He leaned back against the headboard, eyes wide, running a hand down his face. "Holy shit."

"I know."

"I mean--like, wow." He wasn't yelling. He wasn't even mad. Just surprised. "You're sure?"

"Two tests. Same answer."

"Okay," he said, nodding slowly, like he was still catching up. "Okay."

"I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Obviously."

"I'm not... I'm not freaking out exactly, but it's a lot. I didn't know who to tell after Mom, and you felt like the least terrifying option."

"I'm honoured," Quinn deadpanned, then softened. "No, seriously. Thanks for telling me."

She looked down at her lap. "I'm keeping it."

"Alright."

"That's all you're gonna say?"

He tilted his head at her. "Do you want me to scream or something?"

"I don't know. Maybe?"

He gave her a small smile. "AJ, if you want to do this, I've got your back. Full stop."

The tightness in her chest eased.

"But I gotta ask," Quinn continued. "Does the guy know?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I told him right away. He's... he's in it. He wants to be there."

"Good." A beat. "Are you gonna tell me who it is?"

AJ hesitated. The silence dragged.

"Oh my god, is it someone I know?"

Her face gave her away before she could even lie.

"Wait. Is it someone Jack and Luke know?"

Her silence deepened.

Quinn's eyes narrowed. "Jesus Christ. It is, isn't it?"

She tugged the sleeve over her hand again. "Don't say anything. Please. Not yet."

Quinn groaned and threw his head back. "AJ."

"I'm serious. I need a minute before the chaos starts. I'm barely holding it together as it is."

He looked back at the screen, more serious now. "Fine. I won't say anything."

"Thank you."

"But you have to tell them eventually. Jack's gonna lose his shit."

"I know."

"And Luke..." He trailed off.

"I know," she repeated, quieter this time. "It's gonna hurt him."

"You're like his other half," Quinn said simply. "He's gonna feel it."

AJ nodded. Her eyes stung a little, but she blinked it back.

"I didn't mean to keep this from them," she said. "It just... happened fast. And then I was in it. With him. And it felt too good to wreck by dragging my brothers into it."

"Yeah, well," Quinn sighed, "you kind of wrecked it anyway."

She smiled despite herself. "Thanks for the pep talk."

"Anytime."

~~

The first time she saw Nico Hischier in person outside of hockey, AJ was standing outside her new apartment holding a box of wine glasses and pretending she didn't want to throw up from nerves.

Not because of him--not just because of him--but because this was it. New city. New life. No roommates. No college safety net. Just her, a freshly printed finance degree, and six-month internship at a firm in downtown Newark.

"You're sure you don't want help unpacking?" Jack had asked when he dropped her off, eyes darting toward the building like he didn't trust it. "I could come up for a bit."

She'd rolled her eyes. "I'm not twelve, Jack."

"Okay, but if your place sucks ass, you can come crash with me and Moose."

"Appreciate the vote of confidence."

He'd ruffled her hair and left after swearing he and Luke would drag her to dinner sometime soon.

That was two hours ago. She'd only gotten one box up the stairs before someone knocked.

She opened the door expecting a neighbour or maybe a building manager.

Instead: Nico.

AJ blinked. "Oh."

He smiled, easy and lopsided. "Hey."

Her stomach did that fluttery thing it always does in those kind of situations.

"Jack said you were moving in today. Figured I'd say hi. Offer some help."

"Oh, so you're the welcoming committee?" she teased, stepping aside to let him in.

"I take my job as captain very seriously."

He walked in like he'd been there before--which made sense, she guessed, since the team had a couple players in the complex. Still, something about Nico made the space feel smaller. Or warmer. Or both.

AJ wasn't sure what she'd expected from him in person after weeks of casual DMs--little things like "you'll love this coffee place" or "this street sucks at 5pm"-- but the real thing was... different.

He was taller than she remembered. And quieter. And still standing there.

They unpacked a few boxes together. He found her coffee mugs and made a whole show of inspecting them like they were the most important part of the kitchen.

"You drink too much caffeine," he said with mock judgment.

"You sound like Luke."

"Well, maybe he's right for once."

That made her laugh--a real one. And he looked a little too pleased about it.

At one point, they reached for the same picture frame and their fingers touched.

Just for a second.

But the air shifted.

It felt like some sort of shitty rom-com moment.

AJ looked up at him. Nico looked at her. Neither moved.

She cleared her throat first. "So... I guess I owe you a coffee now?"

He smiled again, slower this time. "Guess so."

~~

They tried, for maybe two weeks, to keep it casual. Friendly.

They got coffee. They "ran into" each other more often than made sense. He helped her build a desk. She brough him cookies from a bakery she found. One night she came over to watch a movie and ended up asleep on his couch-- when she woke up, he'd covered her with a blanket and left a glass of water next to her.

By the time he kissed her--a soft, stupidly gentle kiss outside her building after walking her home--neither of them pretended it was still casual.

They didn't label it right away.

But AJ knew what it was. What it felt like.

Warm. Solid. A little terrifying.

She hadn't told anyone. Not because she was ashamed--but because it felt like the one thing in her life that was completely hers. No brothers. No media. No pressure.

Just her. And Nico.

And for a while, that was enough.

Until it wasn't.

~~

Jack had Quinn on speaker while making eggs--half-listening, half-focused on not burning his food.

"Tell me again why you voluntarily live in Canada in the dead of winter," Jack said, flipping on of the eggs with a little too much force. "It's like Antarctica."

"It builds character," Quinn replied dryly.

Jack snorted. "You need less character."

"Oh, I'll remember that next time you call crying about your power play minutes."

"Shut up," Jack grinned. "Anyway, how's the team?"

They talked hockey for a few minutes. Coaches, line changes, whatever. Just brothers being brothers. Jack tossed some toast in the toaster and leaned against the counter, phone still propped beside the stove.

Then Quinn said it. Casually. Mid-sentence. Like it wasn't a bomb.

"...and last time I talked to AJ she seemed good. She said the morning sickness was starting to ease up, so that's a win, I think."

Jack froze. "Wait. What?"

Quinn didn't even pause. "What?"

"What did you just say?"

There was a silence. Then a quiet, cautious: "... nothing?"

"Quinn."

"Shit."

Jack straightened up, heartbeat in his ears now. "Morning sickness? Are you kidding?"

Quinn swore under his breath. "Dude. I thought--"

"You thought what?"

"I thought you knew!"

Jack's hands clenched around the edge of the counter. "Knew what, Quinn?!"

There was a beat. Quinn's voice was lower now. "She's pregnant, Jack."

Jack stared at the stove like it had betrayed him. "She's what?"

"I thought she told you--"

"Well, she didn't!" Jack snapped, the volume of his voice bouncing off the walls of the kitchen. "Jesus Christ."

"Jack--"

"Who is it?" Jack's voice dropped to a growl. "Who got her pregnant?"

"I don't know if that's--"

"Quinn."

Another pause. Then Quinn said, carefully, "That's her story to tell. Not mine."

Jack's jaw tightened. "Unbelievable."

"Just take a second before you--"

"I've gotta go," he muttered, and hung up without waiting for Quinn to stop him.

~~

Jack slammed his bedroom door harder than necessary.

Luke looked up from the couch, startled, a protein bar half-open in his hand. "You good?"

Jack didn't answer, just pacing the room.

"Jack?"

"She's pregnant," he snapped.

Luke blinked. "Who is?"

Jack stopped. Turned. "AJ."

Luke's face went blank. "What?"

"She's pregnant, Luke."

Luke just stared at him, like the words hadn't landed yet.

Jack kept going, too fired up to stop now. "Quinn let it slip on the phone before you got home. Just-- casually. Like we were all in on it. Like we all knew."

Luke stood slowly. "Wait. She told Quinn?"

Jack's hands went to his head, gripping his hair like it might help him think. "Quinn. And probably Mom. And who the hell knows who else."

Luke's voice was quieter. "But not us."

Jack looked at him. "Not us."

A long beat passed between them. Jack's anger was hot, restless. Luke's was colder--the kind that sits heavy in your chest.

"She's my twin," Luke said, barely above a whisper. "She's supposed to tell me everything."

"I know."

"No, like-- everything. We've never not told each other something. Not like this."

Jack didn't say anything. There was nothing to say.

Luke sat down, slowly, like the news physically drained him. "She couldn't even text? Call?"

Jack leaned against the wall, breathing hard. "I'm going over there."

Luke looked up, surprised. "Now?"

"I need to know who the hell got her pregnant."

Luke didn't stop him. He just nodded, quiet and distant, eyes fixed on some invisible point on the floor.

"Let me know how it goes," he said, and unwrapped the rest of the protein bar with a kind of numbness that hurt more than any yelling ever could.

~~

Jack didn't knock.

He didn't even hesitate. Just buzzed into AJ's building, took the stairs two at a time, and slammed his fist against her apartment door like it had done something to someone he loved.

It wasn't AJ who opened it.

It was Nico.

Standing there barefoot, in a t-shirt and joggers, hair still damp from a shower.

Jack froze for maybe half a second.

Nico's eyes widened--just slightly--and then he stepped back like he knew exactly why Jack was there.

"Jack--"

"How long."

Nico sighed. "Come inside."

"No. How long."

Nico looked him in the eye. Calm. Controlled. Not trying to fight--but not backing down either.

"Three and a half months."

Jack let out a laugh that had no humour in it. "Are you serious?"

"I didn't plan for this to happen."

"Oh, that makes it fine then."

"Jack--"

"You got my sister pregnant."

AJ's voice came from the hallway before Nico could answer. "Jack--stop."

She was in an oversized Devils hoodie, eyes wide.

"You're dating him?" Jack pointed like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "You didn't think to mention that before this happened?"

"It wasn't just some hookup," she snapped, stepping between them. "You think I'd do that?"

"I don't know what to think, AJ," Jack fired back. "You're my little sister--"

"I'm twenty-one, not sixteen."

"Yeah? Still feels like you went behind my back."

"I did," she said without so much as flinching. "We both did. Because we knew you'd react like this."

Jack turned to Nico, furious now, there was practically steam coming out of his ears. "You're the captain. You couldn't have come to me? Said something?"

"And say what?" Nico said, his voice tight. "Hey, Jack, I'm in love with your sister, don't punch me? Come on."

Jack's breath caught. "Youre what?"

AJ went still.

Nico looked at her, then back at Jack. "Yeah. I'm in love with her. I didn't mean for it to happen, but I'm also not gonna apologize for it."

Jack didn't say anything. His jaw was tight, his fists tighter.

AJ stepped forward. "I get that you're mad. I do. But this isn't about you, Jack. This is my life."

"You lied."

"I protected something that mattered to me. Something I wanted to figure out on my own before the three of you tried to take it apart."

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then Jack shook his head, slow and hard. "You should've told me."

"I know," she said quietly.

Jack glanced at Nico one last time--something unreadable in his eyes--then turned and left without another word.

~~

AJ stared at the ceiling from her spot on the couch, curled under a blanket she wasn't really using. The apartment was dark except for the kitchen light. Nico had left to give her space--not because she asked him to, but because he knew she needed it.

She'd said she was fine. Lied straight to his face with a soft smile and a kiss on the cheek.

She wasn't fine.

Jack had barely been gone two hours, but it felt like her whole world had tilted sideways. The yelling still echoed in her ears. The hurt in his voice. The look on Nico's face when he told her brother he was in love with her.

She hadn't heard from Luke.

That was what ate at her most.

He always texted her. Always checked in. Even if they were under the same roof growing up, even if it was dumb meme or an "omg look what I saw". And now? Radio silence.

When she finally worked up the nerve to call him, it rang.

And rang.

She was just about to hang up when it clicked.

"Hey."

His voice was weird. Not cold. Just... tired.

AJ closed her eyes. "Hey."

A pause.

"Jack came home quiet," Luke said after a moment. "Didn't say anything at first. Then he sat down and told me everything."

AJ swallowed. "Yeah."

Another pause. Longer this time.

"You told everyone but me."

It wasn't accusatory. Just honest. And it cracked something in her chest.

"I didn't mean to," she said quietly. "I just... I didn't know how to tell you."

"I'm your twin."

"I know."

"You've never not told me something before."

"I know, Luke."

Her voice caught. She hated how small it sounded. "I wasn't trying to shut you out. I'm scared. And everything is happening so fast, and it felt like if I said it out loud to you, it'd make it feel more... real."

"It is real," he said. "You're pregnant, AJ."

"Yeah, I know that."

Luke was quiet again. She could picture him--sitting on his bed, phone pressed to his ear, hair messy, that look on his face like he was trying to solve a puzzle with pieces missing.

"I'm not mad," he finally said. "As stupidly cliché as it sounds, I'm... disappointed."

That word hit harder than all of Jack's yelling.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"I know."

"I should've told you."

"You should've."

Silence again. But not as tense this time. Just heavy.

Then Luke said, "Is he good to you?"

"Yeah... he really is."

"Then okay," Luke said. "That's all I need."

Tears slipped down her cheeks before she could stop them.

"I love you, you know," she sighed.

"I know," he said, voice a little thicker now. "I love you too, A."

~~

Practice was brutal.

Not because the drils were any harder than usual, or because they'd run extra conditioning, but because the tension on the ice was thick enough to skate through.

Passes from Jack came half a second too late. Luke missed a read he never missed. Nico's jaw was locked the entire time.

They weren't talking. Not really.

Not unless they had to.

Coaches noticed. A couple of teammates noticed. But no one said anything out loud.

Until the end.

Everyone was stretching, cooling down. Nico stood near the centre ice, stick resting against his shoulder, eyes locked on the Hughes brothers like he was deciding how far he could push before snapping.

Jack skated by, muttering something under his breath--something sharp, just loud enough for Nico to catch.

That was it.

Nico dropped his stick to the ice with a clean clack and turned.

"Enough."

Everyone froze. A few heads turned. But Nico didn't care.

He skated over to Jack, calm but ice-cold.

"I don't care what's going on between us off the ice. But here? This is my team. And if you've got a problem with me, you deal with it when we're not wearing the same logo.

Jack's jaw clenched, but he didn't answer.

Nico didn't let it go. He looked at Luke, too. "Same goes for you."

Luke met his eyes, didn't say anything--just gave a single nod.

Nico's voice dropped lower. "You think I don't get it? I do. But we've got a job to do. And I won't let this mess fuck it up for the rest of the guys in this room."

Jack finally spoke. "Hard to play with someone you don't trust."

"Then get over it," Nico said, deadly calm. "Because I'm not going anywhere. And neither is she."

Silence.

Then Nico turned and skated off the ice like the conversation was over.

Because it was.

~~

Nico knew it was coming.

The second he saw the text from Jack--"you home?"--he knew this wasn't going to be about hockey. Or anything that could pass as casual.

Still, he said yes.

So now he stood in his apartment, arms crossed, watching Jack and Luke walk in like they were there on official business. Not as teammates. Not even as friends.

Luke looked tense. Jack looked like he hadn't slept.

"Water? Coffee?" Nico offered out of habit.

Jack ignored it. Luke shook his head.

Cool.

Nico leaned back against the kitchen counter. "So... what do you want to say?"

Jack didn't waste time. "We want to know what your endgame is."

"My what?"

Luke shot Jack a look. "Dude."

"No," Jack said, eyes still locked on Nico. "Seriously. What is this, Nico? You're the captain. She's my sister. His twin. You really think this wasn't gonna blow up?"

"It wasn't about what I thought would happen. It was about how I felt about her."

Jack scoffed. "So what? You fall for her in secret and decide to roll with it?"

"She's not just your sister, Jack," Nico said evenly. "She's her own person. And she's not some mistake I made on a Friday night. I love her."

Luke flinched a little at the word. Nico noticed.

"Sure I didn't plan it, but I'm not walking away from it."

Jack shook his head. "You should've come to us."

"And said what?" Nico asked.

"You lied to us."

"No. I kept it private. There's a difference."

"Feels the same."

Luke finally spoke up, voice low. "You knew how close we are. You knew what she means to us. You could've told us. Trusted us."

Nico looked at him. "She asked me not to."

That landed.

Luke leaned back against the arm of the couch, expression unreadable now. "That sounds like her."

Jack didn't look as forgiving. "You don't get to stand there and pretend like this didn't break something."

Nico didn't flinch. "I'm not pretending anything. I know what this did. I know how it looks. And I still chose it. I chose her."

None of them moved.

Then Jack mumbled, "This doesn't change anything for me."

"I figured," Nico shrugged. "But it will eventually."

Luke stood up. Jack didn't.

"We're going to dinner with our parents this weekend," Luke said flatly. "They want you there."

Nico blinked. "They know?"

Luke nodded. "Didn't AJ tell you? They know everything."

Jack grabbed his jacket, "Doesn't mean we're cool."

Nico didn't stop him. "I wouldn't expect you to be."

And just like that, they left.

No shouting. No fists. Just the sound of a door shutting a little too hard.

~~

The restaurant was nicer than AJ had expected. Low lighting, white tablecloths, the kind of place where the menu didn't list prices and the waiter knew everyone's wine preferences before they even ordered.

She'd picked a black sweater that was just loose enough to hide the ever so slight bump but still nice enough to pretend she wasn't spiraling internally.

Nico looked good. Clean, simple. Button-down shirt, nervous smile. He kept checking in with her with little glances and thigh-squeezes under the table. She squeezed back every time.

Jack hadn't looked at either of them once.

Luke had, but barely.

Ellen and Jim, on the other hand, were warm as ever--acting like this was just another family dinner. AJ didn't know if that made things better or worse.

"So," Ellen said, smiling as she set her napkin on her lap. "How are you feeling, AJ?"

"Good. Tired. Hungry, like, all the time."

"Growing a human'll do that," Jim added, reaching for his water.

"And your internship?" Ellen asked. "Still liking it?"

"I love it. They've been super understanding. Said I could move into a full-time position after the baby comes if I want to."

"That's incredible, sweetheart."

AJ smiled softly. Nico planted his hand gently on her thigh again under the table. It grounded her. Always did.

Then Jack spoke.

"Wild how everything's just working out, huh?"

AJ stiffened.

Ellen turned her head, calm. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Jack muttered, stabbing a piece of asparagus to get out his frustration.

Nico stayed quiet. But the shift in his posture was subtle. Straighter. Steadier.

"So, Nico," Jim said. "You excited to be dad?"

Luke's fork paused halfway to his mouth. Jack set his down completely.

Nico didn't flinch. "Yeah. I am. I never saw this coming, but... I am."

"You sure about that?" Jack asked, too casually.

"Jack," AJ warned.

"No, I'm serious," he continued. "Because being a dad isn't just about showing up to ultrasounds and holding her hand when she's scared. It's real. It's hard. And it's not going away."

"I know," Nico said calmly.

"You think you know."

"Jack," Ellen said sharply.

He didn't stop. "He kept it from us. They both did. And now we're supposed to be cool with it?"

"We're not asking you to be cool," AJ said quietly. "We're asking you not to treat us like we're something that you have to fix."

That shut him up for a second.

Then Ellen stepped in. "Jack. Luke. I understand this was a shock. I understand you're upset. But I also see how much Nico cares about your sister. I see how calm she is around him. How safe."

Jim added, "You don't have to approve. But you do have to support her."

"She's not a child anymore," Ellen said. "You don't get to decide who she loves. You get to show up for her. That's your job now."

The silence at the table was thick. But different this time.

Jack didn't say anything else.

Luke looked at AJ and gave her a small, apologetic smile.

And Nico--Nico finally exhaled. Just a little.

~~

The lights were off in the exam room, just the glow of the monitor and the hum of machines filled the space.

AJ lay back on the table, shirt bunched up around her ribs, fingers curled around Nico's hand. His thumb traced slow circles over hers.

"You ready to see your baby again?" the tech asked, cheerful in that calm, practiced way.

AJ nodded, still stunned that they were there again.

The image flickered to life.

There it was. A blurry, perfect mess of movement. Tiny limbs. A strong heartbeat pulsing in the room.

AJ didn't cry. She thought she might, but she didn't. She just stared, wide-eyed, overwhelmed in the best way.

Nico was the one who squeezed her hand tighter. "Hi, little one," he whispered, like it was just for them.

Outside in the waiting room, Luke sat hunched in a chair, scrolling aimlessly through his phone. Jack was next to him, arms crossed, eyes on the floor.

Neither of them spoke.

When the door opened, AJ stepped out first. Her cheeks were pink, and she looked lighter somehow. Not nervous. Not afraid.

Nico followed behind her, one hand on her back, the other holding a small printed photo--the ultrasound.

AJ held it up. "Wanna see?"

Luke stood up first. He crossed the room and took the photo carefully, like it might crumble if he breathed too hard.

He stared at it. Long enough that AJ started to wonder if she'd misread everything.

Then he smiled--just a little--and handed it back.

"They've got your nose," he said quietly.

AJ laughed, "Our nose."

Luke nodded, eyes flicking to Nico for a second. He didn't say anything. Didn't need to.

Jack stood slower.

He didn't ask to see the photo. Didn't speak right away either.

But before they left, he reached out and clapped a hand on Nico's shoulder--quick, a little stiff. But real.

"We good?" Nico asked softly.

Jack's jaw ticked.

Then he nodded. "We're getting there."

[mrs-elsie-barnes]

First Date Field Trip | Joaquín Torres x Reader | Drabble 900 words

Sam sets you and Joaquín up after an embarrassing last encounter.

Warnings: None really, maybe language? F for FLUFF

A/N: Sam is mad about his wines. I don't make the rules. He had a bowl of corks in his apartment in CA:WS and it imprinted like a duckling.

Masterlist | Joaquín Torres

It didn't surprise you in the least to be sent on an ad hoc 'mission' into wine county for Sam. Stationed on the West Coast you offend found your work took you suspiciously close to Sam's favourite wineries, but this one was a little stranger.

"Just need you to keep an eye on things for me," he'd said on the phone the night before, "apparently there's some suspicious guy hanging around and, there's nothin' much else to be doing, go and keep an eye on my next vintage." He'd joked.

You'd rolled your eyes but agreed, a weekend at a vineyard was hardly a chore, even if the reason was especially spurious.

You pulled your bronco into the gravel parking lot next to a camaro. Your mind istantly raced to Joaquín. It was his preferred rental car when he wasn't forced to be subtle for mission reasons. And, since taking on the title of Falcon full time, he'd taken to choosing a range of obnoxious green shades, much like the acid green of the car beside you.

But he couldn't be here? Could he? It was far too romantic a setting for you to be able to stand being near the new Falcon. Your last meeting had been disastrous, you'd awkwardly kissed his cheek and left him with the perfect imprint of your lips on his skin, not even a polite peck, the perfect lipstick outline to mark your shameful crush. You'd moved across the country, gone as far as you could go, to put distance between you both.

But as you dragged your little suitcase towards the reception, you became more and more sure it was his car.

The receptionist was polite while she checked you in, handing you a room key and itinerary with a few suggestions circled.

Before you could escape to your room to hide, she turned and pointed towards the terrace behind her, framed by large arching glass doors and delicately trimmed potted olive trees.

"We'll have someone take your bag to your room, your friend is waiting for you outside." She smiled blandly and went back to clacking on your computer as if your heart was thundering in your chest.

As if your escape from DC wasn't enough, now Sam was sending his right hand man to keep an eye on you while you went on his silly field trips, doing his busy work. You started drafting your resignation , and CV cover letter, as you slowly approached the doors.

It was somehow hotter on this side of the building, facing into the sun and over fields of grape vines, a beautiful clear sky above. If only this was a romantic trip and not work.

There was no one else you could see yet, so you lent onto the stone balustrade and took in the view, closing your eyes as the wind blew warm across your bare skin.

Behind you, you heard a little cough and then, god, was that your name…and that voice…shit.

You turned, eyes down cast, it was Joaquín, you'd know him by just his shoes, by the way he said your name, hell you knew him from his cough you were so head over heels.

But…that wasn't his face, that was an enormous bouquet of red roses .

"Hey, angel, good to see you." He peeked around the flowers, eyes filled with mischief, curls caught in the wind.

"Joaquín —"

You took a step closer to him, drawn in by some invisible force, and he moved to, handing you the flowers with boyish joy.

"What are you —"

"After the party—"

You could feel heat rise in your cheeks and your palms went clammy, oh god, not the party, you were so embarrassed.

"— you never let me even say goodbye, but, if you did—-"

With your arms full of flowers you were helpless to stop him from tilting your chin up and pressing his lips against your cheek. Stunned you said nothing, flowers almost slipping from your hands.

"Joaquín!"

"If I misread something then tell me now," he looked at you earnestly, eyes almost copper in the bright afternoon sun.

"Oh god — no, you didn't but I — you came all the way here just to kiss me on my cheek?"

Joaquín bounced on his toes, a cheeky grin spreading across his face, "well if you slapped me and sent me packing, then, yeah I just came for a kiss. But if you wanted me to kiss you then, I'm on a mission to take you out. We've got a private villa and dinner reservations for eight this evening."

You were stunned, "what? But —"

"You thought you were babysitting wine for the weekend? I know, that was Sam's idea—" his smile faded into a more serious expression, "but the rest was my idea, been dying to take you out."

"You drove all the way here to take me out?" You allowed yourself another look at his handsome face, his smile was back, soft and warm and welcoming.

Joaquin took the flowers and placed them on a nearby table before taking your hand and drawing you to him. With one arm around your waist and his hand on your cheek he nodded seriously.

"Of course I did, I'd go anywhere for you. Now, I'm really excited to get some more of that lipstick on me ." He gave you one last smile before pressing his lips to yours.

[kyeomkuppie]

Me? Jealous? Pfft!

Pairing: Minghao x fem!reader

Genre: fluff, a tinge of angst

Synopsis: in which you were jealous but your boyfriend knew how to exactly comfort you.

Why has he standing with her for over 10 minutes?! It wasn't like it mattered to you. Pfft! of course not.

You've known your boyfriend to be very respectful, so it wasn't like you didn't trust him, I mean he clearly carried the Victoria's secret shopping bag that obviously belonged to you. It was as if 'I have a girlfriend' was written in his forehead. But it didn't help that some thoughts were starting to invade your mind.

She was refined. Her back straight, making you suddenly aware of your posture. Her voice quiet, making you too conscious about you naturally outgoing nature.

And most importantly, she embodied everything you wish you were. But this wasn't the time to go through internal monologue of how you think she's better than you! She has been talking to your boyfriend like she has known him for 30 years.

You were starting to go over 30 ways to commit murder without getting caught but your boyfriend finally made his way to you, after, in your opinion, a conversation that has been going on for too long.

"I'm sorry if I made you wait." He smiled guiltily.

"It's fine." Your sudden quietness caught him off-guard, and for someone as perceptive as Minghao, it wasn't hard to guess that something was off.

The store names in the mall were suddenly very interesting and it was painfully obvious that you were avoiding his gaze.

"Baobei, are you upset?" He knew you were weak for that nickname and it was apparent from the rosy tint of your cheeks, but you were giving one-word responses, which wasn't like you at all.

"No, Why would I be?" You manged to fake a smile which pretty much looked like a grimace.

You scoffed "Me?Jealous? Pfft!"

"Did anyone bother you while I was talking to [girl's name]?"

Oh, so he also knew her name?

Unfortunately for you, he noticed the furrow of your eyebrows when he said her name.

"Or is it me?...Are you jealous?"

He raised an eyebrow at how defensive you suddenly got. You two were back to his car and as soon as you closed the doors, you knew he had something to say.

"Baobei, talk to me. You know I don't like leaving things unresolved." His tone was serious but still gentle.

"No- No, It's not something to resolve. It's silly and I don't want to make a big deal out of nothing." You bit at your fingertip.

"It isn't nothing if it makes you upset, please tell me." He grabbed both your hands.

"She was just so...you. She is everything I want to be and that just made me a bit insecure and it really isn't your fault and the fact that I didn't know what had you so focused on what she said made me feel...I'm sorry I'm being childish." You look down at your hands.

He raised your chin with two fingers and slowly pulls you closer. "First of all, she is the choreographer of our new comeback. She wanted to ask about my input for the choreography. And what do you mean she's so me? You're a part of me that could well enough define who I am. No other person could ever replicate whatever you could do to make me feel how I do."

At this point these words were too much for you, and how he described you so romantically wasn't helping in how red your face was getting.

"Yes- I mean no and um you know-" You could no longer make sense of what you can say. You were too hyper-aware of the distance between you two.

He smiled knowing the buttons he pushed and decided to pull the final move.

He pulled you in and his lips landed on yours. You grabbed onto his shoulders and started kissing him like it was the last time. The slow yet desperate rhythm of both your lips was too much for you and when you suddenly pulled away a realization dawned upon you.

He could talk to a thousand girls and only you could get to devour his lips that way. You smiled to yourself at the thought but you instantly snapped out of it at your boyfriend's voice.

"Was it that good?"

Reblogs and comments are appreciated!

[daenysx]

using the safeword with aemond targaryen pls !!!!! 🤍

going back to my aemond era because apparently ewan mitchell will not stop bewitching the fandom! if you have any requests for aemond you can send them my way!! ♡

modern!aemond targaryen x fem!reader, nsfw

aemond presses his hips against yours for countless times. he stays behind you with your knees on bed and one of his hands on your lower back as the other one holds your wrists. he moves again, hits a deeply sweet spot and you make a crying sound.

your face is buried to the pillow with tear stains on your cheeks because everything feels too good. aemond keeps moving, you feel on edge every second like your body is on fire. you are desperate when you push yourself back to him, your legs are close to give up.

"please." you say against the pillow. "aemond, please."

his body is covered with a delicious layer of sweat, his naked torso on display. you can see him if you turn your head enough. he presses on your back as he moves his cock against you, wet noises fill the air. aemond groans, tilts his head back to reveal his pretty neck. if only you could give him a kiss right now. you moan his name again but he doesn't hear.

"so good." he says. "so good, do you hear that?"

the praise sends a warmth to your stomach, your legs are shaking but he keeps you still. you can feel a teardrop falling on the fabric of the pillow. your brain goes numb, there's only him and his sounds, his scent and his praises. "yes- yes, such a good girl. push yourself against me one more time."

you try to do as he says, it doesn't feel like you succeed though. "aemond-"

"one more- give me one more."

"yes, you can." he says, breathless. "my good girl never disappoints me, does she? of course you can."

"i can't." you whine, a sound mixed with moaning.

you feel your breath getting stuck in your throat and suddenly your legs give up. you can sense a liquid dripping down your thighs but it doesn't feel like a relief. the words get caught on your mouth, you panic as you try to hold aemond's hand. "red- red."

everything stops. you don't even realize it's because of the word you say. you can't even look at aemond, a spark of embarrassment flashes on your cheeks, your heartbeat goes insane. he leans in slowly, still deep inside you. he's careful as he fixes your hair on one side to see your face.

"it's okay." he says, gently. "i'm gonna pull out now, okay?"

you manage to give him a nod and a whimper when he pulls himself back. it's the feeling of emptiness you hate the most, he's still hard and he carefully leaves the bed to wear his boxers.

you tear up again, can't help yourself. it's a rush of emotions, you don't know how to deal with them all. you feel desperate, just laying on bed naked and speechless.

aemond comes to your side, sitting on bed. he puts a slow hand on your cheek to dry your tears. he has an understanding look on his face, his hair messed up and skin sweaty from sex. you can see the outline of his cock from the thin fabric, he doesn't wear anything else.

"i'm-" you start, your voice sounds scratchy. "i'm sorry, i just-"

"don't finish that sentence." he says, his thumb rubbing your cheek. "you did the right thing."

you force yourself to turn on bed, facing him properly. you are naked too, and a bit cold but it's okay. "i didn't want to disappoint you." you say with a low voice.

"you could never disappoint me." he says, even softer this time. "i'm so proud of you."

"you are?"

"of course i am, sweetheart." he leans in to kiss your forehead. "you did the right thing. if one of us doesn't feel good there's no point of having sex."

"i was feeling good." you say, holding his hand like an anchor. "it was a bit much and- it didn't feel right."

"it's okay." he says. "it's totally okay."

you try to sit, aemond helps you. he pulls you to his lap to give you the cuddles you want, his long arms holding your body still. you press your nose against his neck, feeling calm as he rubs your back and squeezes your body in his arms. the pressure makes you feel safe, it's not like the one you felt moments ago when he was on top of you. this time you sit on his lap, you have the control. aemond kisses the side of your head, keeps repeating that everything's fine.

"let's clean you up." he says. "i'll fill the tub, is that okay?"

he is panicked too, you realize, afraid he hurt you. he manages to fix the situation for both of you, though, offering any comfort he can provide.

"yes, but-" you say, holding him and keeping him closer than he already is. "you'll get in with me, right?"

he kisses your forehead. "i will."

[anachronismstellar]

I'm here again, this time to further the MQF/SQH agenda!

And I'm happy to help the MQF/SQH agenda fjshskdjsk :D

-----

Mu Qingfang had no idea how he got there, all he knew is that when he blinked he had walked all the way to An Ding Peak, hand up in the air, ready to knock on Shang Qinghua's private quarters.

In his defense, it had been one of those days... For the past weeks. And today it seemed that the Heavens decided to test all his skills, only to deem him unworthy.

He considered leaving, now that he had woken up from his haze, but the Heavens intervined once more, apparently. The door opened slowly, and a sleepy Shang Qinghua blinked at him looking like a dream, his outer robe open, revealing the silk of his inner shirt and pants.

"Mu-shidi?" He asked as he opened the door fully for the other get inside. Mu Qingfang hesitaded, considering his options, an excuse ready on his lips. But the final blow came in the form of a hug, strong arms picking him up, their bodies melting as two soft candles burned out by long nights.

"I head about the attack," Shang Qinghua said he walked them towards his room, gently laying the doctor on the unmade bed, kneeling next to him to help with his boots. "Here's what we are going to do. Are you with me?"

Mu Qingfang nodded, even though he might not being entirely truthful, focusing on Shang Qinghua's voice to ground himself.

"Good. I'm going to make us some tea, the good lavender blend you like," Shang Qinghua said as he got rid of the first two layers of Mu Qingfang clothing, pulling a heavy blanket over him, the weight making Mu Qingfang sigh with relief. "Then you're going to eat and sleep. Sounds like a good plan?"

Again Mu Qingfang nodded, blinking as his glasses were carefully taken from his face and left on the small table next to the low bed. After that came off the pins in his hair, Shang Qinghua's hands combing it until all the knots were gone, scratching Mu Qingfang's scalp here and there.

"Good. Take a nap, I won't be long," Shang Qinghua whispered and Mu Qingfang didn't need to hear it twice. He didn't actually sleep, body too wired to let go without anyone there to wake him in case of trouble, but he was able to lull himself into a meditation state, focusing on his breathing and heart beat.

His mind wandered, eyes closed, the smell of ink permeating the bed mixed with the scent of Shang Qinghua’s bitter tea. He made a mental note to pull his ear for drinking it too much, chuckling when the memory of his first time he had to scold Shang Qinghua came to his mind.

It had been just another afternoon, and technically it was supposed to be just another mission. But as a Head Disciple, Mu Qingfang was starting to learn that nothing was "just a" or "normal" when certain disciples were involved.

"So explain to me again," He held back a sigh, because sighing in front of a patient was unprofessional and made things harder for him in the long run. "You were responsible for a delivery of-"

"Two, one for Zui Xian Peak and-"

"Two deliveries, right." And this time was impossible for him to hold back his sigh. Honestly, this guy had his brain scattered all over the place, how he didn't end up in his office before was a miracle. "Two deliveries, one of Jasmine tea and another of- What's the name again?"

The An Ding disciple shuffled his feet as he looked everywhere but Mu Qingfang's face, a drop of sweat running down his cheek even though outside the winds of Autumn were already strong enough for him to force a ban on sword flying for the next weeks.

"Uh. Tiger Lilies?" the other said with a weak laugh, picking on his nails as he finally had the courage to look Mu Qingfang in the eye, warm brown almost vanishing under the size of his dilated pupils. "But then I ran into Qi Qingqi-shiji and she had to have tea delivered immediately because of a party and-"

"And between one delivery and the other you mixed the parcels and-"

"And I kinda gave the Jasmine tea to Qi Qingqi-shiji, the other tea to Zui Xian Peak and-"

"And you brew some Tiger Lilies tea for yourself."

It was Shang Qinghua's time to sigh as he pressed both hands against his eyes, his shoulders sagging under the embarrassment he must be feeling.

It happened to all of them at some point, no need to shame. But to be hit with an aphrodisiac for the first time because you mixed up the delivery order?

Yea it was a bit embarrassing.

"Here's what we are going to do," Mu Qingfang got up from his low chair to check his cabinet for all the things they would need, picking up some bottles. "I'm going to prepare the room, and I'm going to help you out. Then you're going to drink proper tea and eat, and rest for at least two days, got it?"

The fever must be picking up, because all that Shang Qinghua could do was nod, licking his dry lips as he stared at the bottles on Mu Qingfang table. For a second he seemed terrified, and it crossed Mu Qingfang's mind that- this might be his first time.

He felt bad, scratching his head as the considered if it was a good idea to ask. The poor guy already looked so stressed, Heavens, should he offer to call someone else?

"This one- This one appreciates Mu-shixiong offer, but I know you must be tired, you don't-!"

"Shang-shidi," he interruped the other with a wave of his hand, cutting off that nonsense by the root. "You don't need to worry about me, I'm here to help you, I won't stand here and watch you suffer-"

"No! No, I know, Mu-shixiong is a good person, and I know you care about us all, even when we make dumb mistakes I- Uh. I just-"

The compliment made Mu Qingfang pause, surprised that the other had such high esteem for him. He thought they had met just a few times?

"- so, I think, maybe I could take care of it by taking care of you?!"

The hushed sentence made no senses for a long while, Mu Qingfang trying to process what in the all realms was the other talking about. And his confusion as plain to see, because Shang Qinghua took a deep breath and started explaining again, blushing all the way up to his hair, picking on his nails again.

"I mean, Mu-shixiong is kind and I've seen how you treat everyone and- I also know this is your third night shift so you must be tired, so I was thinking, maybe, since I have all this energy and Shixiong- Not that you won't be able to handle your duties! I know you are a strong cultivator, I just thought-"

"Yes," Mu Qingfang answered half to spare them the embarrassment of the situation, half because-

Holy shit when was the last time someone wanted to take care of him? And what a sad truth, but a truth one nonetheless.

"I mean, if makes you more comfortable, o-of course." he quickly corrected himself, trying to ignore his own sweaty palms and the heat climbing up his neck.

Memory mixed up with reality as Shang Qinghua kissed him on the forehead like he did for the first time so many years ago, making Mu Qingfang smile as he forced himself to stay in the moment, humming as Shang Qinghua kisses went all the way down his face until he got a peck on the lips.

"Feeling better?" Qinghua asked, to which Mu Qingfang nodded, still not entirely ready to speak. "Good, come on, I've stolen some cake from Shen-shixiong, they're really good."

It took him a moment to be able to stand, but slowly and surely he walked, Shang Qinghua's arm a comforting presence on his waist, his blabling a soothing white noise.

And just like that Mu Qingfang let himself go, allowing someone to be there for him for some time.

[redflagshipwriter]

Hot Ghouls in your area 7

masterpost

Chapter 7 

…Jason slowly put down the book and turned it cover up, shell-shocked from that interaction. He lifted his phone and took a photo. He sent it to Roy. 

“What do you see?” He typed. Jason bit his lower lip and tried not to scowl while he waited for a response. 

It wasn’t that Jason was unused to conflict. Jason was great at conflict. He won every conflict! (Almost.) But what the hell had this shit been? Why had that guy been so pissy about the book? What the hell was wrong with the book that Jason didn’t see?

“Gibberish?” Roy texted back a few minutes later. “It gives the impression of wonky Cyrillic to me. But it's got a terrible energy to it. The hell is that?”

Jason looked at the cover. To his eyes, there was a serif font declaring it Sense and Sensibility Universe D version 5. 

“Thanks,” he sent, ignoring the question and then the barrage of heart emojis. Shit, okay. 

That answered one question. But it didn't answer enough. What the fuck had that college kid been seeing that was so offensive? 

‘And why'd he think we would meet again?’ 

Jason pushed deep, deep down any awareness that he hoped it was true. That had been weird enough that it would bother him forever if he didn’t get answers.

He sort of hated the idea of getting his nosy family involved, but they would ask different and in some ways, less annoying questions than other groups he could poll. They'd know not to lie to him, at least. So he sent the picture on to the family group chat with the same question and grimly finished his tea. 

The elderly proprietor came out then and noticed that her other customer was gone. She looked confused for a moment, scanning the seat to see if his book bag was still there. She picked up the cash he'd left on the table and then started stacking dishes.

‘He’s a regular,’ Jason guessed, honing in on the opportunity to learn more. He flipped the book open but held the apparently offensive cover down towards the table, out of her line of sight. He needed to know what had gone so wrong. Jason wasn’t normally the kind of person that cute college kids had beef with.

He'd never been in this café before, his intuition had just told him to duck inside.

“I think he forgot something,” Jason offered casually, pretending to just look up from his book. “Ran out real quick in a panic.” 

The lady let out a soft “Ahhh,” of comprehension. “Something for his afternoon class, perhaps,” she agreed, looking a little happier. 

“Yeah, it looked like he was getting ready to settle in for a long study session and then he bolted,” Jason lied, watching her underneath his lashes. He had been paying a little more attention than he ought to when the guy came in. He was Jason’s type, aside from the thing where he’d hated Jason’s face for no apparent reason-

‘No, actually, everyone I’ve ever been into hated me on sight.’

Ouch. As Jason digested that embarrassing truth, the owner continued talking.

“He does that,” she agreed, apparently not thinking it was odd at all for them to talk about the habits of another customer. “Tuesdays and Thursdays. He's a sharp cookie, did you know that?” She continued, and oh, she had halfway adopted this college kid, huh? There was warmth and a hint of pride in her tone.

Jason valiantly swallowed the snort. “He looks familiar, but I don't think we have classes together,” he fished. 

“Mm, he's doing some kind of math and engineering,” the lady helpfully supplied. She gave Jason her full attention as she stood up from the table. “And you?”

“Modern language and literature,” Jason said, and sort of wished it was true. He didn't really have the time. Did he? Spoiler was a full-time student, wasn't she? …Huh.

While he chewed that over, the lady had drifted a couple steps closer.

“...Those are two meaningfully different courses?” 

“Modern language is learning additional languages, I'm doing Russian and Greek right now,” Jason lied easily. He was fluent in both already. “Literature is mostly classics, for my purposes. I'm focusing on Regency Lit.” 

She looked very interested, but she detoured away to deposit the dirty dishes behind the counter. They kept up a light conversation about books as she wiped off the table and reset for the next customer. 

When she left, he finally had the chance to check his messages. There was a full-on fight in the group chat. The last message was from Stephanie. She had tagged him and asked, “Is this an optical illusion??? Like that dress?”

Ah, fuck. Jason felt a rock settle in his stomach at the confirmation that something hinky was going on.

‘I can’t read this in public if it’s saying something I can’t control or even know.’

Fucking hell. Jason scrolled back up and checked. Damian listed the correct title. Dick saw what, ‘I thought was Greek at first.’ Stephanie might have been joking but she argued vigorously that it was pictographs that started with a bird. Drake had sent “You rediscovered Minoan Linear A? Cool.” and then not participated in any follow-up discussions. Duke had sent only a stream of confused and tearful emojis.

Cass had marked it read.

“Fair enough, I guess,” Jason muttered to himself. Resentfully he put the book back in his bag. 

What had that guy seen? If he’d just seen something foreign but illegible he wouldn’t have gotten so pissy about it. And who the hell had he been, anyway? Why was he so special?

Well. That was something to do with his afternoon. Jason paid up his bill and gave Phyllis his well-wishes for her doctor’s appointment tomorrow on the way out. Phyllis was a good contact, he would definitely come back for more of her jasmine tea no matter how mad that guy got at him.

…Jason really needed a name.

And found…

He headed to Gotham University and used the student computers to look up departments and then hack into the registrar. Jason flipped through photos until he found his guy: Danny Fenton, 19, sophomore double-major in the Engineering department. Good grades, no notes on his account about academic dishonesty or conflict.

'Little weird to meet two Dannys in a 24 hour period.'

Jason searched the guy online and found…

He let his mouth drop open in disbelief at the batshit insane website design he had stumbled into. The Fenton family had a website, apparently, and they had maybe let a 7 year old design it in 2008. The colors… The lack of centering… The.. the neon choices.

His eyes watered. It took a while to fight down his aesthetic grief and actually start comprehending the text.

He had expected this to be like, an online family newsletter. And it was! The link he had followed detailed “Danno going to college in the big city!!!” The boy himself looked extremely resigned in the attached photo. Seriously, Jason had seen much less mortified mugshots. The thing was, that on the same page, alongside posts about other kids going college (Jazzypants!) and someone called Alicia recovering from “supergout!” with "her eight favorite toes remaining!!!", there was also a lot of mention of ghosts.

Like, a lot.

Jason scrolled in pained disbelief. There were photos that showed extremely weird and dismayed green people obviously flinching away from a camera. A beautiful green woman with her hair halfway over her face snarled through a flood of smoke under the title “Wishywish Ghostie Interviewed: Learn what drives her generous heart!” and an ugly robot motherfucker was seen fleeing under the caption, “Skalker indicates that spook is a GHOST SLUR!”

….Was it a shit post? Just one long shitpost? It had to be a joke site.

Well. No. Jason buried his face in his hands and came to terms with the horrible fact that not only were ghosts real, he was accidentally married to one and this bombastic midwestern family already knew about it. This was his best lead for getting that 'beyond death do you part' separation.

They had been blasting the existence of ghosts for all the world to read, and it hadn’t been news. The Justice League didn’t know about this whole society. The journalism done by– Jason lifted his head to check– Jack Fenton interviewing clearly very unwilling ghosts was the only primary source that he knew of. 

He took a few deep breaths. He came to terms with grief. He decided to block his family from any further involvement in this shitshow, for what remained of his dignity. And he grimly noted down Jack Fenton’s email.

Jason cleared this history and closed down his tabs, feeling a decade older than he had when he had entered the library. He ignored the sultry ‘come talk to me’ eye contact that the student worker was shooting him from behind the counter as he slouched out. 

He stopped for a moment on top of the stairs to watch campus move. He saw the theatre building and the modern language headquarters from his vantage point, along with about half of the student center. There was just a trickle of foot traffic between buildings along paved paths. A few people were hanging out on blankets in the grass. An old man in a suit was taking a phone call next to a crawling rose garden. 

‘Maybe I should go to school.’

Well. After this shit was sorted out. Obviously he could not go to school before he got divorced. It would be torturous to hang out with cute boys his age and be committed to some hot dead mermaid who didn’t even wanna make out with him sloppy. Loser shit on absolutely every level, goddamn.

Jason shoved his hands in his pockets and jogged down the stairs. He kept an eye out for Danny, but had no luck.  

Not that he cared. It was interesting that he had a lead: Danny clearly had some connection to ghosts, and he had been able to read… 

‘Maybe he realized it was a ghost’s property and he thought I stole it?’ Jason realized in a stroke of inspiration. That made more sense. If he knew enough to recognize it as ghost language or whatever, then he might have felt affronted about Jason having it.

He went through his mental checklist to pick out what he did and didn’t know. Once he felt he had a hang on his priorities, he beelined to his own laptop in his favorite safehouse and started looking into the Fentons in more depth.

It was a great lead. It was suspiciously good, in fact, he thought as he found Jack Fenton’s online family newsletter again. What were the odds that he would run into Danny Fenton in a cafe that Jason had never even been in before? It had been a total fluke that he’d entered. He’d been walking past to a favorite place and then just had the urge to try the dark little family cafe.

‘…Ah, fuck’, Jason sighed. More ghost shit. It had to be. Something about Danny Fenton’s ghost shit had registered to him now that he’d been exposed to ghost central.

[ceesimz]

Stand By Me

Two weeks.

That's all it had been since you last saw each other.

Considering it was only the start of the relationship, it felt like a life time. Work had kept the two of you apart; Alexia seemed to have to travel constantly at the moment, and the busyness of your own job had picked up too. Even when you were in the same city as each other, there still wasn't enough time, and it felt like torture knowing you were just miles away from each other.

But that's what made your relationship so sweet. When the pair of you got together, it was like the rest of the world went away. If it was just the two of you, you saw a different side to Alexia and she saw a different side to you. You felt invincible when you were together. You could never take for granted the soft, tender, shy, and tooth-rottingly sweet persona of Alexia Putellas off the pitch, and you thought maybe, just maybe, she felt the same way about you.

Apparently not.

Here you now were, sat alone at the restaurant that you were supposed to be meeting her at, slowly harbouring a glass of wine as you watched the time tick away on the clock opposite you. Despite the chatter, laughter, music, and general background noise of the restaurant, bustling as it was on this Friday evening, you swore you could hear the hands move on the clock.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Five minutes - fine! Not a problem.

Ten minutes - still alright.

Fifteen minutes - well... a text sent.

Twenty minutes - a bottle of wine ordered.

Thirty minutes? This was unfair. Not even a reply of warning. In fact, you hadn't gotten a single text all day.

Still, the clock, tick, tick, ticking away, mocking, teasing.

Where the hell was she?

"Perdónarme, señorita, if you are not going to order, we have a lot of people waiting for a table."

There we go. The last straw.

At the waiter's words, you stood abruptly from the table, gulped down the rest of your wine, before grabbing your coat and storming out. That was nothing short of utterly humiliating. You were in half a mind to take the bottle of wine with you and drown your sorrows on the walk home, but you'd already had enough embarrassment for one night. Walking out of a restaurant full of lovers on your own with nobody holding your hand, nobody carrying your coat for you, nobody guiding you out to a pre-booked taxi with their hand lingering on your lower back. You had yourself and yourself only, and being seen gaining comfort from a ridiculously expensive bottle of wine was not the impression you were trying to achieve.

Still, that didn't stop you from throwing your heels off in the corridor of your small Barcelona flat and heading straight to the fridge for one of the beers you kept in there. You could only fall asleep later that night after your best friend back in your home town in England called you up and criticised the woman you thought could do no wrong, having you belly laughing until you succumbed to your exhaustion, feeling significantly lighter.

Frustratingly, that was only a temporary thing. The first thing on your mind the following morning, was how badly you missed the feeling of a certain Catalonian's arms being wrapped around you. Again, it was just the start of the relationship (if that was even a thing anymore), so there had only been a few... sleepovers, but that didn't diminish the longing you had.

"Fuck sake." You grumbled, swinging your body to sit on the edge of the bed as you sighed heavily, head dropping back and eyes closing.

Waking up sad and alone in a foreign country, no matter how long you had lived there, never got any easier - especially when you had been so cruelly ghosted the previous night. The embarrassment lingered heavily in your chest, and you wanted to do nothing all day but sulk in your flat, then get drunk in one of Barcelona's many night clubs. Previously, you had rejected your friends' plans for tonight in the hopes of spending time with Alexia, but that had obviously flown out of the window after last night's events, or rather the lack of events.

So, you sent a text to the group chat containing your favourite friends you'd met so far in this beautiful city, informing them of your new decision, smiling when you instantly received an influx of messages conveying their joy. However, to your own annoyance, you found yourself pressing on Alexia's chat to see that she had left you on read.

Un-fucking-believable.

That night, you made sure to put on the little black dress you'd been keeping at the back of your wardrobe, hoping to one day wear it when you were going out with Alexia. But boy had she ruined that chance now.

When you got drunk whilst carrying a variety of angry emotions (especially when it came to relationships), you knew you had a habit of acting a little... petty, to say the least. That habit came in full force at 2am, when you decided to post a picture of yourself in your outfit, a smug and knowing grin on your face, hoping for Alexia to see it on your Instagram story.

Still drunk and awake at 6am, however now thankfully in the comfort of your own bed, you checked your Instagram story views, and there it was. Alexia had seen it. And... liked it? Was she serious right now? With a frustrated huff, you threw your phone down on the bed beside you and tossed onto your side angrily, refusing to let this get to you. Admittedly, that was a little hard to do in your drunk and emotional state.

You weren't entirely surprised to find your pillow coated with the after effects of tear-streaked mascara the next morning, but you were more worried about the pounding on your front door that caused your head to throb. Not quite jumping out of bed, it was more of a stumble really, you threw on your dressing gown and very quickly washed your face as to not scare off whoever was meer minutes away from bashing your door down.

"Fucking hell, it's early, who are-" You cut yourself off when you swung the door open, only to be met with the one person you were not expecting. "No."

Spiteful laughter bubbled out of you before you could control your reactions, and you slammed the door shut in her face.

...okay, maybe that was a little harsh, but in your hungover state, you didn't really have the sympathetic capacity to feel sorry about it.

"Please. I need to talk." Alexia pleads, a tired frown on her face as she held onto a bouquet of flowers.

"Why?" You leaned back against the door, bending over a little to rub stressfully at your face.

"I messed up, I know it. Please. I want to, to explain myself."

You would be lying if you said her English accent, sounding much sadder than you'd heard it before, didn't pull at your heart.

"I'm not in the mood right now, Alexia. It's early."

"It's two o'clock." Comes Alexia's confused voice.

Your eyes went wide as you looked at the digital clock on your coffee table, seeing it was indeed 2pm.

"Well... just not now, Ale!" You groan, rubbing your temple.

"Vale, vale." You just about hear her sigh exasperatedly on the other side of the door. "Soon, por favor. Tengo algo qué admitir." (I have something to admit.)

"What, that you're an arsehole?" You snort, before grimacing at yourself. "Sorry! Sorry, I'm sorry."

"No, it is okay." Alexia sounds a little humoured rather than offended. "I did not mean to... not show up to our date. There was a confusion with my schedule, and I did not mean to hurt you, guapa. I would really like to explain it. Please let me have a chance."

It falls silent between you both for a second as you consider your options. Your head was pounding, you were in a horrendous state appearance wise, and judging by your peculiar actions within the past few moments, you're pretty sure you're still a little drunk.

"How about we meet for coffee in an hour?" You suggest, because you really needed a shower and perhaps 1 or 2 or 10 glasses of water.

Sure, she'd already seen you in your current state, but you were not about to have an adult conversation with panda eyes and awful morning breath.

"Sí, I would like that." Alexia lets out a breath of relief. "At our bakery?"

You smile sadly at that - there was a bakery down the road from your apartment, a tiny but heavenly place with the best coffee and pastries that you had immediately claimed as your favourite breakfast spot within days of moving to Barcelona. When you introduced Alexia to it after your first night together, she had grown to love it just like you. From then on, most times you were together, you would go there.

"Yes, at our bakery." You confirm, closing your eyes as you picture her solemn face behind the door.

"Okay, I will be there. I... your flowers?" Alexia says, again with a hopeful lilt to to her voice.

You pause, before turning to open the door ever so slightly, half your face showing in the gap. This gave you the chance to take in Alexia's appearance, and it caused your defiance towards her to crack a bit. Her eyes were quite red, there seemed to be a frown permanently etched onto her face, and a pair of dull bags under her eyes seemed to drag her skin down. It was quite heartbreaking, to say the least. You're brave enough to think even you looked better than her right now in your current state of appearance.

"Gracias, Ale. Qué son hermosas." You take the bouquet from her, looking down at the abundance of stunningly colourful flowers organised perfectly.

"Tus favoritos." Alexia offers a semi-genuine smile as you meet eye to eye. You return the smile, seeing hers grow at the sight. "I swear I am so sorry for my actions, guapa."

"It was really humiliating on Friday, Ale." You admit. Alexia pinches the bridge of her nose as her frown somehow intensifies.

"Lo siento mucho, de verdad." Alexia mumbles, looking at the floor as she's too ashamed to look you in the eye. "It was not my, my... intentions?" She looks up at you briefly as you nod to confirm she's said the right word. "Sí, it was not my intentions to have you feel like that. I need to explain, please."

Alexia Putellas was not one to beg, you knew that.

"You can, later." You tell her. She nods and brushes her hair back with her hand.

"Gracias. Really, thank you."

"I'll see you soon."

"Vale. I will show up this time." She jokes light-heartedly, making you let out a huff of laughter and shake your head.

"If you don't, I'm never talking to you again." Her eyes widen at that and she nods nervously as you hold back a laugh.

"I will be there." She states firmly.

"Good." You offer a small smile. "Bye, Ale."

She nods once more and takes a few steps backwards, just gazing at you.

"Bye, amor." She murmurs, before turning around and walking away.

To your relief, Alexia stuck true to her word. An hour later, you saw her sat at one of the outdoor tables of the bakery, a hat and a hood allowing her to stay mostly incognito. But you knew her all too well and instantly recognise her despite her shoddy disguise. Her posture was slumped slightly, another sign that maybe mentally she wasn't doing that great.

"Hola." You greet her, making her raise her head immediately and look at you with a face of relief.

"You are here." She states simply, almost in disbelief.

"I could say the same about you." You hit back, wincing as the words leave your mouth.

"Mm." Alexia grimaces, trailing her eyes back down to where her hands rested on the table.

You take a seat across from her, noticing she'd already ordered your favourite pastry and hot drink for you.

"Thanks for these." You smile up at her.

"You want me to... get straight into it?" The English phrase sounds funny coming from her, it sitting unfamiliarly on her tongue.

"Please."

You watch as she shifts uncomfortably in her chair and sighs, folding her arms on the table and keeping her eyes cast down.

"Friday, I was with my family. Friday was... ten years of my Papí's death."

Well, shit.

"Oh my god." You freeze, eyes wide as you stare at her. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I-"

"You didn't know, amor, it is not your issue." Alexia reasurres you. You put your head in your hands and groan quietly.

"I could have been less petty and immature about it though. Fuck, I am so sorry, Alexia. I had no idea." You ramble, mentally kicking yourself and looking at her through your fingers. She responds silently with a soft smile as she gently pulls your hands from your face.

"No, I am sorry, guapa. I didn't talk to you, I left you... in the dark. Or, alone at a restaurant." She jokes, and you let out a breath of relief.

"A text would have been nice." You mumble after a few moments, eyes focused on your connected hands as Alexia brushes her thumbs over your knuckles.

"I know. That is another reason why I feel bad. I left you, and I didn't send you a text to tell you. Really, I am so sorry. It was just... a hard day." It's said in a quiet tone that's laced with emotion, and that paired with her appearance, you knew instantly she was telling you the absolute truth.

"I bet it was." You smile sadly at her.

"I know I should have been... should have told you the truth. But I am now. I did not mean to hurt you, no way. My head was... full. It did not stop running and running. I didn't look at my phone on Friday at all, I just noticed yesterday what I had done. When I knew, I was so angry with myself." Alexia explains. "Alba shouted at me too."

You giggle at that, and she chuckles along with you.

"I believe you. I'm not mad." You admit.

Alexia drops her head so that her chin is to her chest, her anxiety now almost entirely eased thanks to your understanding.

"Dios mío, muchas gracias. Lo aprecio más de lo qué crees, amor." She mumbles, shaking her head before looking back up at you with tears in her eyes. (I appreciate it more than you know.)

"Just please don't do it again. Let me in next time. If we want to have a relationship, we need to communicate better, we need to be clear and honest, okay?" You tell her.

"Sí, I know. I know. I will try." Alexia says affirmatively. "I am not perfect. But I will try. I want this, I do."

You stand up from your chair, and at first Alexia panics internally, but when you offer your arms out for a hug, she leaps up and embraces you tightly.

"Neither of us are perfect, pero tengo muchas ganas de qué funcione también." You whisper in her ear, rubbing your hands up and down her back. (But I want it to work too, so much.)

"Yo también, cariño." Alexia places a handful of light, apologetic kisses on your neck.

"I'm sorry for being rude and petty earlier. I think I was still drunk." You admit sheepishly, Alexia laughing into your skin.

"I think you were. That was not like you." You grimace and nod in agreement. She pulls her head away and clutches at the back of your neck, her eyes searching yours. "We are okay?"

"Sí, amor. Más qué bien." (More than okay.)

When your lips finally connect, all is forgiven.

It's three weeks before the next incident.

In that time, Alexia had done a lot of grovelling. You had reasurred her many times that, as long as it was a one off occasion and due to the event she had missed your date for, you weren't angry. Not only had she surprised you with weekly flowers, date nights, and a night away together, she'd also asked you to be her girlfriend. It was a no-brainer, of course you said yes. Both of you had never been happier.

However, as you lay on the sofa of your apartment, sick supplies and tissues surrounding you and a blanket borderline suffocating you despite your temperature, you could only focus on the pain you felt for your girlfriend as the whistle blew for the Champions League Final.

Barcelona 1 - 3 Lyon.

You felt tears brewing uncomfortably at the sight of the white-kitted team celebrating, but that was nothing compared to the sight of your girlfriend lay on the field, sobbing her heart out.

If you were heartbroken, you can't even begin to imagine her pain. This was her dream, every footballer's dream, and it had been brutally pulled away from her and her team at the very last stage. And it all felt worse because you couldn't be there for her. Instead, you were stuck on your sofa, your whole body hurting and your chest rattling with every breath, completely ruined by a nasty chest infection.

It wasn't meant to end like this for the Barça Femení team. You knew it.

But Alexia... she couldn't even begin to fathom what had occured.

The moment the whistle blew, she went into shock. When she awoke the next morning, she couldn't remember much. The whole evening was a blur. She vaguely remembers the utter disgust she felt when a silver medal was placed around her neck, the anger she felt giving the Lyon team a guard of honour, and the stab in the heart when golden confetti landed on her.

She remembers feeling her mother's arms wrapped around her along with the reasurring whispers of her sister, but she had no idea what was actually said. She doesn't remember picking up her phone once at all that evening. She doesn't remember the silent coach journey back to the hotel. She doesn't remember getting into bed, and she has no idea how she fell asleep. Most importantly, she doesn't remember just how ill her girlfriend was.

Fuck.

Her girlfriend, her sick girlfriend who was devastated to not be able to fly to Turin with Alexia and her family. Her sick girlfriend who was all alone back in Barcelona, feeling worse than she ever had in her life.

Alone.

Alexia was completely unaware of the fact that you had managed to get ahold of Alba to try and find out how your girlfriend was. And when Alba had cared for you more in the space of a twenty minute phone call than Alexia had in the past 24 hours, you knew just what kind of situation you were in now. Despite the pain your girlfriend was feeling, you were nothing short of furious. Not that you could do much about it though, considering everytime you moved, you would cough so hard your vision went fuzzy. But your closest friend, who had dropped whatever she was doing to come to your flat and stay with you, at the request (demand) of Alba, she took all of that fury on for you and held onto it until you could handle it.

Even still, Alexia went down to breakfast shortly after waking up like she hadn't just ignored your messages that she briefly glanced at, along with the flurry of other messages from family and friends. She ate on her own in silence, airpods in with nothing playing in hopes of some peace. That wasn't achieved though, it was a futile and pathetic attempt. Her mind wouldn't stop.

For the whole of yesterday evening and this morning, the defeat ate at Alexia more than any other mistake she'd made. But as she sat there, alone, staring at her empty plate, she knew she had royally fucked up again with you, and this realisation took over every other mistake she'd made. Not only that, but she had also left her phone in her hotel room, and right now that felt like adding fuel to the fire.

Her chair scraped against the floor as she pushed it back quickly, darting off to the elevator and spamming the button for it to pick her up. When it arrives, she almost runs straight into some other hotel guests, but she doesn't apologise. She steps to the side and waits for them to get out, before pressing the button for her floor and willing the doors to close before anyone else could get on. They did, thankfully, and she urged the lift to move quicker, watching the floors increase until finally she got to the right one. As she ran to her room, going past a few of her teammates who simply just stared at her, she stopped outside the door and checked her pockets for her keycard.

She'd left it in the room.

"¡Joder, no!" She shouts, banging her palms against her own door angrily. Her chest heaved as she rested her forehead against the door, finally feeling the tears she had resisted.

"Ale? ¿Qué paso?" Mapi approaches her cautiously, Ingrid standing back and watching on with concern.

"Dame tu teléfono." Alexia demands, holding her hand out. (Give me your phone.)

"Ale-"

"¡Dame tu teléfono ahora!" She shouts, Mapi glancing back worryingly at Ingrid before handing her phone over immediately. As quick as she could, Mapi unlocks the phone for her and Alexia types in your phone number.

"¿Hola?" It's not your voice.

"Where is she?" Alexia questions, hastily wiping away the tears dripping down her face.

"No, Alexia. Too late." Your friend replies angrily.

"Let me talk to her, ahora." Alexia requests weakly, her cold, strong demeanor cracking by the second.

"She is asleep. She cried herself to exhaustion after staying up all night worrying for you. No way am I letting her talk to you." Your friend spat out brutally, before hanging up.

Alexia drops the phone and slumps back against the wall, sliding down against it until she's on the floor.

"Who did you call?" Mapi asks softly, sitting beside her friend.

"Mi novia." Alexia sighs, resting her elbows on her knees and covering her face.

"You have a girlfriend?" Mapi couldn't stop the surprised answer from bursting out of her, and in turn she received a kick in the shin from Ingrid.

"Do you need a new key?" Ingrid questions. When Alexia nods behind her hands, Ingrid looks expectantly at Mapi.

"Why me?" Mapi responds but she gets up immediately when her girlfriend glares at her. She walks away with her hands in the air, going back to the elevator. Ingrid sits in her place.

"¿Qué paso?" Ingrid wonders softly, wrapping an arm around Alexia's shoulders.

"She is really sick. And I have pushed her away, again." Alexia reveals, grabbing her shirt by the collar and pulling it up to cover her face.

"Again?" Ingrid pushes gently.

"Sí, again. I am an idiot. I keep doing it and I do not know why." Alexia groans, angry at nobody but herself.

The two women talk for a while, Ingrid managing to help Alexia work through some of her emotions before Mapi comes back with a new keycard.

"Gracias, mis amigas." Alexia mumbles, being pulled into a hug by Ingrid, quickly joined by Mapi.

"Let us meet her." Ingrid requests with a smile, Mapi nodding in agreement with a grin.

"Who has tamed Alexia?" Mapi teases, earning a smack on the head by her girlfriend. "Ay, lo siento."

Alexia shakes her head at the pair of them, a tiny slither of a smile on her face as she turns to open her door. The couple walk away with a wave, before Alexia closes the door behind her and rushes over to her phone.

The influx of messages from you break her heart. You sent your last text at 04:17AM, and even though Alexia sensed you were angry at her, it was still filled with love and care.

Yes, she'd hugely messed up.

She was sat on the end of the bed, head in her hands, when her phone rang. Her heart hoped it was you, but her brain knew it wasn't. Instead, it was her sister, and she knew she was about to be in for a lecture and a half.

As expected, she answered and was immediately met with an overload of Spanish being bellowed at her down the line. There was no way she could get a word in as Alba went on and on, and with every word that came out of her sister's mouth, the guilt she felt increased tenfold.

How had she done it again?

"Sí, lo sé, Alba. Lo sé." Alexia mumbles when Alba finally pauses. (Yes, I know, Alba. I know.)

The younger woman goes to speak again, but she's interrupted by broken sobs that wreck through Alexia's body. That's when Alba realises her sister didn't need a lecture now, she had realised her mistake, and what she needed was advice. So, for an hour, that's what she gave. Until the cries of her older sister finally subsided, and there were only background sniffles to her solutions.

After they hung up on each other, Alexia went onto your contact and took her time typing out a message to you. She knew the likelihood of receiving a reply was very low, but it was the first step in making up for her idiocy.

Alexia: Amor, I have no words, no excuses for my actions. I have messed up and broken your trust again. I should not have let the defeat get to me as much as it did, and because of it, I neglected you. It is unforgivable but I know I really messed up and I will really try hard to win you back. I'm coming back to Barcelona tonight, I want to see you so bad but if you don't want me I understand. I hope you're feeling better, I'm so sorry I have been so selfish and I wish I was there to look after you. I hope to see you soon, amor. Feel better soon ❤️

Turning her phone off, she drops it beside her and lays back on the bed. Her forearms cover her eyes as she takes a few deep breaths, overwhelmed by everything that had happened.

"Venga, Ale, tenemos nuestra reunión de equipo ahora." Mapi knocks on her door and shouts through. (Come on, Ale, we have our team meeting now.)

With a heavy sigh, Alexia once again wipes her face on the inside of her t-shirt before getting up - taking her phone with her this time - and leaving her room, accompanied by her good friend.

Meanwhile, back at your flat, you had woken up to the sounds of clattering from your kitchen as your friend made you some grilled cheese toasties and tomato soup. You notice your phone wasn't anywhere around you, so you clamber out of bed, not without a cough, and head towards the kitchen.

"Bon día!" Your Catalonian friend smiles brightly at you from her place in front of the stove.

"Have you got my phone?" You croak out, rubbing your eyes tiredly.

"Sí. I'm not sure you want it." Your friend sighs angrily as she turns back to the food.

"Why?" You ask with a frown. "Has Alexia replied?"

"Yes."

"Well, let me see then." You reply flatly, walking over to take your phone from where you spotted it in her jacket pocket. She steps out of your reach and shakes her head.

"I'm so angry with her, chica, I'm not letting you just walk back into her arms." Your friend warns you.

"I'm not just gonna walk back into her arms, I'm not stupid." You argue, and your friend sighs again.

"I never said that. I didn't mean that. Sorry. I just mean... she always throws you to the side when she's going through a hard time. You are the most caring person I have met, I don't see why she acts like the way she does when she's upset. It makes no sense, chica, and you don't deserve that. Especially when you are so ill like you are." Your friend tells you softly, dishing up your food.

"I know and I am fucking angry about it." You mumble, moving to sit at the tiny dining table in your kitchen.

"Good. You better know your worth, because that woman doesn't." She mumbles, bringing your food over and placing it in front of you. "Te amo, amiga."

You smile as she sweetly kisses your forehead before going off and cleaning her mess. The two of you make small talk as you eat, until she sits down in front of you with a pointed look.

"Hm?" You hum, waiting for her to get out whatever she was about to say.

"I will give you your phone. I'm going to do a grocery shop for you, so I'll give you your phone, but please do not sit on it and just make yourself more upset. I will be quick as I can, sí?" You nod and smile at her as she slides her phone over to you. "Call if you need. See you soon."

She grabs her coat and walks out the door. When she's gone, you immediately go on your phone and look for Alexia's message. You read it, your heart being pulled in about a million different directions emotion-wise, and... as much as you hate to admit it, you believe her. Ultimately though, you choose not to reply to it. She doesn't deserve that yet.

Instead, you move over to the sofa and collapse onto it, a devastated frown on your face as your bottom lip quivers. Tears sneak their way out, soaking the pillow you rest your head on, tired of being ill and tired of being cast aside by your girlfriend.

A few hours later, as you sleep with your head on your friend's lap, there is a knock at your door. You don't hear it of course as you got some more much needed rest, so your friend gently slides out from underneath you and answers it.

"Are you fucking serious?" She growls when she opens the door to see Alexia on the other side. "Are you really here right now?"

"I know you have looked after her when I've been gone, but I am here now, and I need to see her, please. I am so sorry." Alexia pleads, her infamous frown seemingly etched permanently on her face nowadays.

"She is asleep, so I'm going to lower my voice but don't forget how angry I am with you." Your friend takes a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "She has been desperate to speak to you. She didn't stop crying for you and your loss all evening yesterday, and then all night too when she realised you had begun to ignore her again. Imagine how she feels, knowing you are in pain, but being shoved out? And then double her feelings, because she knows that you know she is so sick right now, yet you still choose to act how you have. Her head is all over the place: one part of her is so unbelievably angry at you, another part of her just wants you to hold her until she is better, her mental state seems to just take constant hits because of you. So no, while I am here, you will not see her. I'm taking care of her, giving her my love, doing chores for her since she can hardly breathe, all the things you as a girlfriend should be doing. You are childish and selfish and so fucking egotistical if you think you can march in here and say 'ooh, lo siento bebíta' and expect her to fall back into your arms. You do not deserve her, so go away."

Despite the supposedly calm voice your friend speaks with (it was not calm, it was brutal, spitting, and patronising, with each word hitting Alexia like a bullet), you were woken up by the commotion just a few metres away from you. Neither of the two at your door could see your face where you were on the couch, so you laid still and listened to them.

"I know I have done wrong. I'm a shit girlfriend, I fucking know it. But I still care for her, more than anything in my life. I forgot that for a few hours and I regret it more than anything in my life because I... I love her."

Your eyes widen at that - you and Alexia hadn't admitted that to each other yet. Was she saying it now just to get to you, or did she actually mean it?

"You better mean that, if you are saying that just for the sake of an argument, just to try to win her back, I swear... I can't even think about that. Are you being serious?"

"Sí, absolutely serious. I love her. So much." Alexia's voice cracks from emotion, and you lift your head up a little to see her wipe away a tear. "I can't even explain how much I love her. She... she is the best thing in my life, and I don't know why I keep messing it up but I hate it as much as you do. I cannot even stand myself."

She talks about herself with so much disgust in her voice, it's unsettling to hear.

"You..." Your friend sighs and shakes her head. "Why, Alexia? Why do you do it?"

"I don't know. My, my head gets so... so dark and... clouded. I don't even remember what happened after the game. Uh... mi hermana says I went into shock. I think that's true because I remember nothing. I didn't drink, I had no alcohol. But I don't recall anything. There are... hours that are empty for me. All night. Until I woke up this morning and it's like my life outside of football slowly came back to me and I felt terrible. It's never my intention to neglect her, never. I'm ashamed when it happens because I know she is perfect for me and doesn't deserve me when I am being selfish and stuck in my head. But I love her, I have loved her for a while and I'm sad and fucking disappointed of myself that she doesn't know that." Alexia explains, her hands constantly swiping at her face, determined to not let her tears fall.

"I do know that, Ale." You say quietly, coming to stand beside your friend at the door.

The woman next to you has to suppress an eye roll, but she'd be lying if she said her anger towards Alexia hadn't diminished a little at her seemingly honest words.

"Amor..." Alexia breathes out at the sight of you.

"You can go back to rest, I have this." Your friend reasurres you softly, but you shake your head.

"I want to talk to her." You say, not taking your eyes away from your glum looking girlfriend who gazes at you wordlessly.

"You are sure?" You nod, and your friend walks away to give you both some space.

Alexia watches you, unsure if she should be the first to say anything. But before she can ponder that any longer, you wrap your arms around her tightly. You hide your face in her chest, knowing your friend is watching from the sofa absolutely seething at the image in front of her, but right now you needed this. And judging by Alexia's reaction of crying quietly into your neck, she needed it too.

"I... I am so, so sorry." Alexia says shakily, pulling back and tenderly cupping your face. "How do you feel?"

"Like shit." You mumble, not meeting her eyes. "Do you mean everything you just said?"

"All of it, every word." She answers, and for now, that's all you need.

"We will talk another time because I'm so angry at you, Ale, but right now I think we need each other more than anything." You state in an exasperated voice. Alexia doesn't think she's ever heard a more relieving sentence.

"Sí, sí, amor. I understand you are angry, I really do. Anything you want." Alexia rambles, softly stroking over the skin of your cheekbones.

"Give me a second. Wait here." You tell her. She nods vigorously and doesn't move a muscle when you're away from her.

"Amiga, are you sure this is what you want? I will beat her puta ass right now." Your friend offers, standing up from the couch and placing her hands on your shoulders.

"You don't need to do that. Not right now, anyway." You reply, chuckling at the suggestion and the subsequent image in your head.

"Vale. You call if you need me, I will be here in seconds, you know it. Let me know how it goes. Eres como una hermana para mí, te amo mucho." (You are like a sister to me, I love you so much.)

You smile up at her and gladly accept the hug she offers.

"I love you too, chica. Thank you for everything you've done. I'll speak to you soon." You tell her, squeezing her arm before she walks away.

Silently, you laugh as she glares at Alexia and bumps into her shoulder on her way out of the door. That girl.

"May I come in?" Alexia questions in a shy voice. You nod, and she quietly closes the door behind her. "Is there anything you would like me to do? Anything you need?"

Now that you were alone with her, you were torn. Your brain told you that you should be cautious, that you shouldn't trust her, but your heart wanted you to dive right into her arms and never leave again.

"I, um... I think I need to take my tablets now. The doctors gave me some antibiotics." You answer, your cheeks flushed red as you spoke sheepishly.

"Get yourself comfy on the couch. I will get them for you, and anything else you need or want." Alexia takes a few steps closer until there was less than a metre between you both. "Tell me. It's my job to look after you."

You bit back a nasty response to that, it wasn't the right time. If you wanted to keep the atmosphere as civil and comfortable as possible, now was definitely not the right time to spill every insult and emotion pent up inside you.

"I... I just want my girlfriend, Ale." You admit tearfully.

Alexia didn't think it was possible for such a short sentence to completely crush her heart.

"I am here. Here now." Alexia tells you, pulling you tight against her as yet more tears fall. "I will never forgive myself, amor."

"Please, just..." You sigh frustratedly, moving back from her arms. "Don't talk. I need you, not your words."

Alexia nods affirmatively, and from then on, the evening was spent with no more than a handful of words shared between you both. She helped you take your tablets, held you tightly on the sofa as a movie played on the TV, rubbed your back comfortingly whenever you coughed, cleaned your apartment quickly when you went off to get ready for bed, and whispered the sweetest words imaginable in your ear until you drifted off to sleep.

She didn't sleep at all that night, instead simply just cradled you in a position to ensure your chest wouldn't bother you. It wasn't exactly comfortable for her, but she'd go through anything to you make you feel better. As it often did, her mind spiralled uncontrollably as she sat in silence, the only sounds being your wheezing breaths, and she couldn't stop the stupid tears that leaked from her eyes.

Alexia despised crying. That was only something she had discovered later in her adult life, but she loathed it more than anything. It wasn't something relieving for her, she didn't 'feel better' after it like everyone always says, if anything she felt worse. Frustrated, pathetic, weak, and fucking tired.

But what did she hate more than crying?

Crying because of her disgraceful actions. Crying because you were crying as a result of her.

Whatever it was that was so fucked up wrong with her, she had to deal with it because she couldn't live like this anymore, you couldn't live with her like this anymore. She knew if she got this time right and you forgave her, she had no more chances. One more time of acting like this, you were gone. You didn't even have to say it for her to know it.

Life had no guarantees, she knew her future wasn't going to be perfect and there will be occasions that will have her hating the world, so she must sort through her mind to figure out why she reacted this way and how to fix it, how to react better.

Barcelona had a team of trusted psychologists and psychiatrists, so after her next training session, she would pay them a visit and ask for help.

"What's on your mind, Ale?" You croak out, feeling her tense body underneath you and knowing she was awake. The sunlight was shining through the curtains of your room, signifying it was now the next morning.

"Nada, amor. Vuelve a dormir." She shushes you, lightly trailing her fingers up and down your back. (Nothing, love. Go back to sleep.)

"No." You reply, shifting off of her to sit up against the headboard beside her, mirroring the position she'd been in all night. "Talk to me."

"It's early, we don't have to right now." She brushes you off and feels the temperature of your forehead with the back of her hand. "How do you feel?"

"Better."

It was a lie, you still felt like crap, but you just wanted to talk. Alexia was probably right though, first thing in the morning wasn't likely the best time to talk, but you wanted it over and done with.

"Are you sure?" Alexia checks with a shaky sigh.

"I want to talk. I want you to talk." You demand gently, Alexia nodding. "Be honest with me, Ale. Really fucking honest."

"Sí, I will." Alexia tells you. "Where do you want me to start?" You just stare at her wordlessly. "Okay. Okay."

She clears her throat nervously before she begins.

"Everything I said to your amiga yesterday was absolutely the truth. I swear it. I really don't remember much from after the match, but that's never really happened to me before. It's... a bit scary."

She pauses, fiddling with the drawstrings of her shorts.

"I didn't want it to happen. And I already know I need to speak to somebody about it because it was so scary when I realised what happened, and I never want it to do it again. I was just so set on us winning, getting revenge, defending our trophy, I guess I... didn't even consider us losing. It wasn't an option. But then we did lose and I was..."

She shrugs her shoulders, her eyes glazed over and unfocused as she absentmindedly stared off into your room.

"I was hurt. I gave it my all and it wasn't good enough. I felt like I had no more to give. I must have been really tired, I think I was for a long time, because when I got to my hotel room I think I went straight to sleep. Which again, never happens. I can't really sleep after a game, so for that to happen was really unusual. But I know this isn't what you wanted to hear or expected to hear, you want to hear me talk about how I felt about you. About the situation I put you in again."

She takes a deep breath and turns to look at you.

"I told you all that because I want you to know it wasn't a... a con- conscious?" You nod. "It wasn't a conscious decision or a purpose to act like that. I wasn't even in my head to make my own decisions. But I'm not going to blame my actions on that, I still blame myself for it. I need to make sure that won't happen again, it's only my responsibility, nobody else. It's not fair for me to react that way and for it to affect the people around me. I promise I am going to talk to a mental health helper about it."

Your lips turn up into a tiny smile at her skewed English translation of a therapist.

"But sometimes, when bad things happen, my head gets so negative and it's not a nice place to be. It's dark, and I don't... I don't want you to see that, amor. Because I get really negative. Mamí told me I apparently said I don't even want to play football again after the loss yesterday. That's how bad my mindset was."

The look on Alexia's face is one of pain as she speaks, and you're quite shocked to hear what she's saying right now - you can't remember a time she's ever let you in to her headspace like this. So openly and honestly, telling you her most intense and personal thoughts.

"I think I automatically push people I love away from me when I'm like that because I really, really don't want to hurt anyone. I am going to talk to the mental health team at Barca and set up some sessions with them because I am so serious about you, amor. I want to have this relationship, I want it more than anything. And I would choose to quit football than choose to upset you on purpose. I should have checked on you, cared for you, and let you in. But I was in my own head too much and acted like a selfish... selfish brat."

You huff a breath of laughter at the description choice of herself, something that sparks a bit of hope in her chest.

"If you choose to forgive me, I'll never let you forget how grateful I am. If you want to take it slow, I will take it slow. If... you want me to leave, I will leave. The ball is in your box."

"The ball is in your court." You correct her humourously. She blushes and shakes her head.

"The ball is in your court." She repeats, looking at you with such sincerity and tenderness that it takes away your breath away slightly.

"I'm going to be honest now, okay?" Alexia nods, ready for whatever you're about to say. "I was so upset when I realised you had started to ignore me again. All I ever want to do is care for you, Ale, and when you need it most you push me away. It hurts, it makes me insecure, it makes me feel like I'm not good enough or I'm doing something wrong or-"

"No, no, no, you don't, you never have." She wants to carry on, but you stare at her, unimpressed, and that's enough to stop her in her tracks.

"I know it might be hard for you to open up, but when it comes to hard times like this, the relationship feels quite one-sided. I'm not doing that, Ale. Plain and simple. That's not how a relationship works, you have to let me in. You have to let me be there for you. No protecting your reputation, no shutting off, none of that. You let me do my job as your girlfriend because I care for you. You can rely on me, you're allowed to lay off some of your emotions onto me because that's the only way to survive healthily; accepting help from others when you need it. You can only survive on your own for so long, and this relationship can only survive for so long if you continue like this."

You warn her sternly, looking at her with a firm glare that strikes fear in Alexia.

"If anything like this happens again, Alexia, I'm out. I'm not doing it."

There you go, your last line delivered to perfectly finish off your explanation. To be honest, at such a time in the morning and when you're ill, you can't really believe how well-put together your argument is.

"I hear everything you say, amor. I hear it and I'm going to do better. You are an incredible person. You deserve better than I have given and I swear to you I'm going to be better from now on. I recognise my stupid mistakes and I know how I'm going to start fixing them. I cannot promise I will be perfect, but I do promise that I'm going to work on my flaws and be the best version of myself for you. All this, because I love you."

Is it a bit soon to forgive her? You hope not, because right now you don't think you've ever felt more admiration for someone. She's done everything you've asked for and more in terms of being honest and opening it. Perhaps it almost came too late for other people's standards, but you can't just forget the person she is when she's not being a stubborn mess. You just have to trust her now; trust that she's going to stick to her word, trust that she's going to be better for you. And if she doesn't, well... you'll be ruined.

"Am I... do you forgive me?" Comes Alexia's insecure, tired voice.

"Almost. You just need to stick to your word, please, Alexia." You sigh, returning back to your previous position on her chest. She freezes for a moment, before delicately wrapping her arms back around you and pressing a firm kiss to your warm forehead.

"I will. I promise. I promise." She rests her head atop yours, closing her exhausted eyes.

The room falls silent as you take in the feeling of each other, both relishing in it more comfortably than last night now that everything is mostly just water under the bridge.

"Ale?" You say, lifting your head up to look at her. She hums, smiling slightly deliriously down at you, completely sleep deprived. "I'm so sorry about your game. I know how much it meant to you."

She smiles sadly this time, shrugging her shoulders a little.

"Thank you. Let's not think about that now though, amor. I will be okay with it soon." She responds, leaning her head back against the headboard and closing her eyes.

"Ale?" You say again.

"Mhm?"

"I love you too."

Her eyes shoot open and her head jerks forward at that.

"¿Hablas en serio?" She asks immediately, moving a hand to rest on your cheek. (Are you serious?)

"Sí, absolutamente en serio." You tell her in a quiet giggle. "Te amo, Ale." (Yes, absolutely serious. I love you.)

Alexia gazes down at you, this time not loathing the tears in her eyes, before hugging you tighter than she ever has. It's a moment you'll both cherish forever - the absolute whirlwind of the past 24 hours were an important turning point in your relationship, for the better.

And when it gets to July, that turns out to be more true than you could have ever guessed. Your relationship was thriving, you didn't think it was possible to stay in the 'honeymoon phase' for so long and so intensely, but you were. Every moment possible was spent together, you introduced each other to your individual friends, and even went on holiday together to spend some important time together pre-tournament. That holiday was the best time of your life, being there with Alexia's family and closest friends outside of football, it was a special time that bonded you closer to each other and you'll never forget it.

Now though, you were back to being hundreds of miles apart. Alexia was in training camp in England for the Euros, whilst you were still in Barcelona for unmissable work events before you were due to fly out the night before Spain's first game.

However, you were in a terribly familiar predicament. It had been a few hours since Alexia had finished training that day, it being a morning session, but you hadn't heard a thing from her. That might not seem like something to worry about for others, but nowadays when you two were apart, you were both teased by your respective friends for constantly being on your phones texting each other. So now, you were beginning to worry.

Surely not.

Surely, it cannot be happening again. You had given her a clear warning last time, if she was to do it again then you were gone. Three strikes, and she was out.

But it was indeed radio silence from her for the past few hours. It was nearing 4pm now, signalling the end of your work day, and you had a bad feeling.

No, not anger, it was worry.

And as you reached the door of your apartment a short while later, your worries were confirmed.

Alexia: Hi guapa, sorry for not replying. I got injured in training and they sent me to hospital. Nothing serious but I had scans and they said I have broke my ACL. Not great but I'm okay🫶🏼

"Ale! ¿Eres estúpido?" Mapi scolds her friend after peeking at her phone to see the message she had pressured her to send for the past hour. (Are you stupid?)

"No quiero qué ella se preocupe." Alexia mumbles, sliding her phone back in her pocket and looking out the window of the van. (I don't want her to worry.)

"Ay ay ay." Mapi sighs. She knows what she has to do. "Mujer tonta." (Silly woman.)

Mapi: Chica do not listen to your girlfriend. She is stupid, she is not okay. She needs you, please ring her!!

You read the text from Mapi as soon as you get it. Quickly, you barge through your door and set your bag down before going to your room, flopping down on your bed, and ringing your girlfriend.

"Ni se te occura ignorarlo. Contestarlo." Mapi demands when your call comes through, slapping Alexia's shoulder lightly from her seat in the row behind. (Don't even think about ignoring it. Answer it.)

"Hola." Alexia answers your call quietly.

"Ale. How are you?" You ask in a concerned sigh.

"Um." Her eyes shift around uncomfortably at the question, struggling to answer. "I don't know."

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart. So sorry." You close your eyes and will the tears to leave; now was not the time.

"There is nothing to do now." Alexia states harshly, not really directed at you but just at the world in general.

"I know." You frown. "So many people are there to support you though, my love. So many people. Including me. I'll be with you every step of the way, okay?"

"There isn't anything you can do. I don't need you to do anything, this is obviously something I have to do on my own. I don't need you."

Alexia's response feels like a stab in your heart. You know in her current circumstance, with it being so fresh still, you shouldn't take it personally. But after everything you've been through together, everything she's put you through, it slips through the cracks of your insecurities. The only comfort you get is the background noise of Mapi swearing and shouting at Alexia in thick and fast Spanish.

"Don't be like that, Ale. I want to support you, do you not remember everything we've been through?" You hit back instantly.

Alexia feels a lump forming in her throat as she recognises herself slipping back into that mindset she had tried so hard to destroy. She hadn't planned for this to happen though. As naïve as it might be, she didn't think this would ever happen to her. But, it has. Now not only does she have to accept that, she has to accept that she has people around her to make the journey easier. And that starts with you.

"Sorry, amor. I didn't mean that. I need you. More than anyone, I am so sorry for saying that. I really, so wish you were here." Alexia admits brokenly, covering her eyes and clutching at the phone almost desperately.

"I wish I was there too." You whisper back, placing a hand over your heart. "Let me in, please."

"I will, I do need you. I just... never thought this could happen." Alexia cries silently as she hides her face in her jumper. "I don't know what to do."

"What you are going to do is take the necessary steps to ensure your health, Ale. It's going to be as much a mental journey as it will a physical one, so you need to take time to come to terms with this, however long that takes, before doing anything else. But we've got you. We're going to take care of you, and you will get through this."

"I don't know, amor. I... it's too soon to know." Alexia admits as much as it pains her. There's too many thoughts in her head, too many possible outcomes, setbacks, and challenges she could face along this long road before she even considers the end result.

"Okay, I understand." You get up from your bed and dart back to the main room to get your diary from your work bag. Checking it quickly, you make a key decision. "How about I pack my bags and get on a flight to you tonight?"

Immediately, Alexia's first instinct is to tell you no, tell you she doesn't need that, that you don't need to worry, it's not necessary. But that's muscle memory, not her true feelings.

"You would really do that?" Alexia mumbles hopefully.

"I absolutely would. I want to be with you, and you need me." You tell her truthfully.

"What about work?" Alexia wonders, looking down at her swollen knee that really hardly even hurt anymore.

"Forget work, amor. You are more important." You answer definitively.

"I would feel so much better if you were here."

That's all it took. By midnight, you were 36,000 feet in the air, on your way to your girlfriend.

When you arrived at the hotel in the early hours of the morning, she was awake and waiting for you in her room. You hug her immediately, and Alexia can't recall a time she had desperately needed to feel the warm embrace of another person outside of her family. It was tender, sensitive, and healing in its own way despite everything that was down the road.

The first and probably the most important challenge came a week later, back in Barcelona. You were sat in the pre-surgery waiting room with Alexia who had been prepped for her reconstruction surgery, gripping one of her large hands with both of yours as she lay, wracked with nerves.

Questions, worries, and insecurities bounced around her mind so intensely, she could hardly even land on a single thought. It was severely overwhelming, which she knew was not needed right now before such a crucial moment. Yet, she couldn't stop the barrage of questions that began to spill out of her.

"What if I never recover?" Alexia murmurs, an arm behind her head as she stared up at the ceiling. You frowned and squeezed her hand - this wasn't the first time you'd heard this question.

"We can't know that yet, Ale. Qué será, será." You remind her. (Whatever will be, will be.)

"Fútbol es mi vida." She states ever so quietly, it was hard to catch but of course you did.

"I know. I have no doubt you'll be back playing football, Alexia. But if for some reason you don't, there are so many options. You can do anything you put your mind to."

"What if... I am not Alexia again? On the pitch?"

You sigh and stand up to move towards the top of the bed where her head lay.

"Mírame." You request in a soft voice. She turns to look at you with glossy eyes and a quivering lower lip. "We have to get through this surgery first, vale? I hear all of your concerns, amor, they are normal and I understand each and every one. But the most important thing right now is ensuring you are in the right head space going into this operation. So, we're going to take some deep breaths together, wipe those irritating tears-"

She chuckles and at that and rubs her eyes; one time, she had voiced her distaste about crying to you. You found it so endearing that she felt that way, much to her annoyance, and spent the last couple months convincing her it was okay to cry. To your face, she still hated it. Behind your back? She loved that she now had a person to go to when she felt the inevitable tears coming. But of course she still despised doing it, it was just slightly more bearable around you.

"And we're going to replace this knotted, messy string of anxious thoughts with our favourite memories. Breathe with me now, sí?"

She nods and you breathe in sync together for a few minutes until Alexia's mind is back present in the room, in the current situation, and not stuck in a nasty cloud of anxiety.

"So, memory one: our holiday this Summer. It was the best holiday I have ever been on. Not because of the location, although it was beautiful, but because of the people I was with. I saw a new side of you, amor, you were so relaxed and it was so fun being with your family and friends. I can't wait for next time."

You're both wearing matching smiles as you reminisce the best few weeks you'd had in a while.

"It was amazing having you with us, guapa. The best guest."

"Gracias, bebé." You place a quick kiss on her cheek, followed by her lips. "Memory two: the first time I met Mapi and Ingrid on that double date at our favourite restaurant."

Alexia laughs before you've even finished telling the memory.

"When she put her wine all over herself and the waiter?" You nod and laugh with her, beyond relieved to see her with a genuine smile on her face. You hadn't seen too many of them recently.

"Yeah, when she spilt her wine. And then tried to blame it on the waiter- he looked so young! He's probably never had a drop of alcohol in his life!"

The two of you laugh and share memories for a little while longer, until the time arrives for Alexia to be taken into her surgery. You whisper a seemingly endless amount of reassuring words in her ear, before she's wheeled away out of your sight. For just under three hours, you sit nervously in the family waiting room, praying for probably the first time in your life, wishing that the operation went well.

Honestly, you could have been sick with relief when the surgeon came out and gave you every detail possible about it, ultimately saying it went off without a hitch. Then, you were being led to Alexia's room where she would stay for the night, excited to see your groggy but possibly loopy girlfriend.

"Hi Ale." You greet quietly, walking in.

"Hm, hola amor." Alexia rasps out, giving you an awkward wave that makes you giggle.

"How do you feel?" You take a seat in the chair next to her, placing a comforting hand on her forearm.

"As long as I still have two knees, bien." She gives you a dopey grin, one you don't think you've ever seen before, and you wish you could get your phone out to photograph it.

"The doctors tell me you do indeed have two knees, so I don't think you need to worry about that." You smile at her, seeing her nod and rest her head back.

"¿Estás bien?" She wonders with a light hum, shakily taking your hand and covering it with both of hers.

"Yes, I'm okay, don't worry about me though." You answer humourously.

"Sabes, te amo muchísimo." Alexia states, and from the sounds of it, it sounds like she's about to make some kind of speech. "I did some thinking waiting for you to come here. I just love you. You are perfect para mí. I did two bad things to you, but here you sit with me. Perfecta. Niña mía. I almost did another bad thing, when my knee broke for no reason, but Mapi stopped me and then you saved me. What's that song you like?"

The random question seems disjointed and out of place in the things she was saying - which had you completely melting - but regardless you answer.

"I like many songs, Ale, you'll have to be more specific."

"No. You know which one." You squint at her confusedly, causing her to give a dramatic sigh. "Ay. The old one. That you did not stop playing on holiday, from that night on the beach."

"Stand by me?" You ask in a laugh.

"Sí, that one. I never tell you, but I love it too." She smiles bashfully, then suddenly frowns. "Sing it, please. I can remember the words but not the song."

"There's no way I'm singing right now." You laugh at her, only resulting in her frown growing. So much so, she looks like an angry toddler.

"Por favor, guapa. That is how I feel about you, that song. 'I won't be afraid if you stand by me'. This stupid ACL can go fuck itself because I have you."

You've never heard her say that phrase in her life, but right now you couldn't even laugh. Your heart warmed at her words, completely falling in love with her all over again.

"You really want me to sing it right this second? In the middle of a hospital?" You respond, because at this moment in time there's not a thing you'd say no to, not when she was being so adorable and honest, even if it was partially due to her pain meds and the anesthetic.

"Sí. Come lay with me, here." She shuffles to one side of the bed, scaring you since she was a little shaky and not very coherent, but she managed to do it.

"I'm not sure I'm allowed." You say, unsure.

"I'm sick, my rules." She shrugs.

"You're not sick." You laugh, but nevertheless, you stand from your chair, slip your shoes off, and slot onto the bed beside her.

"Venga, canta." She orders sweetly as she looks up at you from her position slightly lower down on the bed with her beautiful, irresistible face. With a sigh, you clear your throat gently and do as she says.

"When the night has come." Your voice is soft and quiet, but it's enough for Alexia, who gazes up at you with more adoration than you thought ever to be possible. "And the land is dark. And the moon is the only light we'll see."

"Ay, I remember now." She says quietly as not to disturb you.

"No I won't be afraid. Oh, I won't be afraid. Just as long as you stand, stand by me."

Alexia simply smiles contently and rests her head on your shoulder, wrapping a hand around your upper arm and humming along with you.

"So darlin', darlin', stand by me. Oh, stand by me. Oh stand... stand by me, stand by me."

Her body grows heavier beside you and her breathing slows down, so you stop singing, thinking she was asleep. But...

"If you stand by me, I can do anything. Mi mundo no es nada sin ti, pero me siento invencible cuando estoy contigo." (My world is nothing without you, but I feel invincible when I'm with you.)

She mumbles her statement quietly, before she drifts off into a peaceful rest. Your eyes are burning with tears at her words - just two simple sentences, whispered quietly on the brink of sleep - but they have an impact larger than either of you could ever recognise.

And when she returns to the pitch ten months later, that song being the anthem of her recovery (only to yours and hers knowledge), three words are chanted in her head. Not 'I love you' - instead, the three words of a song which became your own love language for the rest of your relationship.

[fallingdownhell]

Could I request angst/comfort with Diluc, Ayato, Al-Haitham and Kaveh's s/o who is afraid of loud arguments, due to hearing her dad argue with her mom a lot (over dumb stuff that he gets mad about), hearing the boys angry at or arguing with someone and running to hide? And when the boys find her, she's shaking like a leaf and in tears even when they comfort her.

I really like scenarios like this. Hope I did this justice! Characters Included: Diluc; Kaveh; Ayato Content: gender neutral reader; established relationship; hurt/comfort; mentions of past trauma/abuse (not from the boys); mentions of shouting/arguing; the boys are apologizing to you Word count: 2,3k words Enjoy<3

Diluc

It's quite often that he's having arguments with Kaeya. Well, not so much arguments, but rather pesky little fights and petty quarrels. You, and everyone else, were used to it at this point. That's just how it was between those two now. Doesn't mean that you like it, but there's just not really much you can do about it, either.

However, this time, it was different.

Usually, when Kaeya and Diluc fight, it's snarky remarks and sarcastic comments thrown at each others heads. It never included any shouting, loud arguing or even physical altercations.

But apparently, there really is a first for everything.

Kaeya came by at the Winery today, which in itself isn't a problem, he does that from time to time, because even if he doesn't say it out loud, you know that he probably just misses his home.

When Diluc came back later that evening as well, they started to throw comments at each other again. You had no idea, how or why it escalated to this point, but somewhere along the way, they each began raising their voices at each other and for the past few minutes, they had been standing in the middle of the foyer, shouting at each other at the top of their lungs.

When it started getting louder, you were already trying to make yourself as small as possible on your spot on the couch, being reminded of your youth, when similar things regularly happened in your childhood home.

You were coiling yourself in, hands pressed to your ears in an effort to drown out the voices, but it just didn't work. Although you couldn't hear what they were arguing talking about, it didn't help to reduce the volume of their voices at all.

And then suddenly, your eyes snapped open in shock as you heard something break, shatter, on the ground. Suddenly, memories and flashbacks came crashing back to you, and your instincts took over.

You needed to hide. Now!

With newfound fervor, you got up and ran upstairs, dashing into the bedroom you shared with Diluc. You didn't even stop to consider your options, you just rounded the bed and sat down on the floor next to it, hoping that it would sufice in keeping you hidden from prying eyes..

You had no idea how long you were sitting there on the ground, legs pressed against your chest, your hands again pressing against your ears. Your whole body was shaking like a leaf in a storm, tears were running down your face, but you just couldn't bring yourself to care about that right now.

You were sure that you were in the middle of a panic attack right now, breathing becoming more and more difficult. It felt like you just couldn't get enough air into your lungs anymore, no matter how much you tried. The memories were just too much to handle.

The sheer panic, that he would come into your room any second now, hurting you again..

Then suddenly, you feel a gentle touch at your shoulder. Your eyes snap open and you look up to see Diluc, sitting in front of you, a worried and apologetic expression on his face. He quickly retracts his hand again, not wanting to make you uncomfortable in case you didn't want to be touched right now.

He begins talking to you, calm and collected, his voice slowly breaking through the fog that has clouded your mind. The more he talked, the more you seemed to come back into reality, out of the memories of much darker times you have been trapped in.

Diluc talks calmly to you, apologizing for his behaviour, even though he knew that right now wasn't the best time to do so, but he wanted to say it anyways. He would apologize properly again, later.

Right now, he needed to calm you down again. He waited and sat with you, until you calmed down enough to the point were you allowed him to touch you again. Immediately, he pulled you into his arms, holding you against his chest.

He continues to speak calming affirmations to you, gently brushing through your hair while you rest your head against his chest, listening to the sound of his beating heart.

"I'm sorry, (Name). I'm so sorry. I have no idea why I let things get this out of hand. I should have known better. I promise, I won't ever let this happen again. You're safe here, you're safe with me. Nothings going to happen to you. Not anymore. I won't allow anything or anyone to harm you again. I will always protect you."

Kaveh

Kaveh was well aware of the things you and your mother had to go through in your childhood. Living with an abusive father and husband can do things to someone, and he always tries his best to be understanding and supportive of you.

When you first told him about the things you went through and what you struggle with now, as a result of that, he vowed to you, and himself, to never put you in any type of situation where you could feel unsafe around him.

He wanted to be a safe space for you. Where you didn't have to fear anything bad coming your way, especially from him.

And for the most part, things were going fine. Kaveh helped you overcome a lot of things, and even when still struggling with some, he's always right by your side, never pushing you into anything, always the ever supporting boyfriend.

However, mistakes still tend to happen.

One such mistake on his part, was taking a client of his back to the house with him, to talk over some points of a new project. Kaveh had thought nothing of it, having done that a few times already.

You were home as well, offering to brew some tea for the two men so that they could discuss their work over something to drink. They agreed and while you disappeared into the kitchen, they began talking about the project.

However, talking soon turned into annoyed comments, which in turn became an argument over different view points. None of the men realised how loud they had raised their voices until they suddenly hear the sound of glass shattering on the ground, followed by a door being slammed shut soon after.

Kaveh instantly realised what had happened, knowing that he fucked up big time.

Without further explanation, he told the client to get out of the house, not paying any further attention to him. His only focus now was to find you and comfort you.

Kaveh went into the bedroom first, hoping to find you in there, curled up in the bed or something. When you were not to be found in there at all, he began to feel uneasy. He didn't want you to be alone right now. He needed to be there for you.

Frantically, he searched the entire house, until he found you in the bathroom, sitting in the corner, eyes blown wide with fear and shaking like you were standing barefoot in the middle of a snowstorm.

Quickly, he rushed to get you a blanket, knowing that you don't want to be touched directly, yet he didn't want to just leave you like this. He returned and gently tucked the blanket around your shoulders and on top of your head, creating some sort of shield from the outside world. He kept his arm around your shoulders, putting only very light pressure in it.

When that didn't seem to help, he began talking to you. He knew that telling you things to do wouldn't help you right now, so instead, he began to ramble. Telling you things about his day, what he had seen and done today, making sure that his voice was soft and calm, while he spoke in a slow manner, trying to convey to you that everything was okay, no danger anywhere near.

After a few minutes, it seemed to help, you began to calm down a bit. When he had the impression that you could properly hear him again, he nudged you to do some slow breathing excercises with him.

Slowly, you followed his lead, breathing in through your nose, and out through the mouth. He asked you to focus on certain things and slowly but surely, the panic began to subside and you could think clearly again.

When you turned and saw Kaveh sitting there in front of you, a relieved smile on his lips, you fell right into his arms, holding onto him like he was your lifeline and you couldn't afford to ever let go of him.

He returned the embrace, holding you in his arms, but making sure that his hold wasn't too tight.

Whatever it is you need of him right now, he's willing to do it. Anything, if it only makes you feel better again. He can't live with the thought that it was his fault this happened to you in the first place.

"(Name)... I'm so sorry. I have no idea what happened back there, I wasn't really thinking about it. I know that's no apology for anything, but I want you to know that this was not my intention. I promised to never make you feel uneasy with me, and yet, I broke that promise like the idiot I am. I will do anything to make it up to you again, I promise. I love you so much."

Ayato

When you had first told him about the events that happened in your childhood, Ayato was appalled by the actions of your "father". He may not know everything there is to know, but what you had told him was enough.

Enough for him to understand, why you had issues with certain things and may not be able to easily handle certain situations like others would. He didn't mind that at all. It's one of the ways that made you special. Not in a bad way, of course.

He always offered you his support, wether you want to work on your "issues" or not. He would support your decision, since it's not his place to judge or interviene. So long as you are happy with the way life goes for you, he can't complain about it, either.

However, due to this, he does tend to keep you out of matters with his work, especially when it involves meetings with people. He knows first hand that some of them can get a bit out of hand and he'd never willingly put you through that if he has anything to say about it. Which he does, luckily.

However, this time, you had told him that you wanted to be present at the next meeting he had. It was about an upcoming festival, and the organizer has asked to meet the both of you, regarding finances and other regulations.

Ayato, having worked with the man before, knew that he tended to have a short temper. So, he asked you if you were really sure about this, telling you what might come your way if you decide to participate.

You insisted, telling him that you wanted to work on yourself, not wanting to hide away from confrontations forever. Reluctantly, he agreed.

And so the next day, you were sitting next to Ayato, the organizer of the event in front of you. In the middle sat a small table with feshly brewed tea provided by Thoma. You had beed taking sip after sip while Ayato and the man discussed the finances of the project at hand.

Everything seemed to be going just fine, until it wasn't. The man disagreed with the budget provided to him, demanding more funds from the Yashiro commission.

While Ayato remained calm and collected, his usual smile on his face, the man grew more and more agitated. He began raising his voice and with every passing second, Ayato could feel you growing more uncomfortable next to him.

He tried to deescalate the situation, continuing to talk calmly to the man. However, his efforts proved to be in vain and when the man then slammed his hand on the table, that was when things got to much for you.

You flinched at the sudden banging sound, hiding your body behind Ayato in fear of this man in front of you. He reminded you so much of your father right now... He had done so terrible things to you, for much less..

Immediately as this happens, Ayato calls for his guards standing outside the room, ordering them to escort the man off the estate. He was quickly taken away and removed, leaving the two of you alone in the room.

Quickly, Ayato turned around to you, pulling you into a soft embrace, wrapping his arms around your head and letting your head rest against his chest.

He ignored the shaking of your body, ignored the tears that were staining his clothes and just focused on calming you down again. He spoke softly to you, his voice nothing more than a soothing whisper in one of your ears, while the other listened to his slow, calming heartbeat.

Taking a deep breath and closing your eyes, you try to focus on the present.

You kept telling yourself that you were safe, you're with Ayato now, not back then with your father...

Hearing Ayato talking to you through everything helped a lot, too. It grounded you and soon enough, the shaking and the tears stopped again

"Shh, it's alright, (Name). Everything's okay. You're safe here. He's gone. He's not gonna hurt you. I won't allow it. Here, take a deep breath with me, listen to my voice. It's okay. Nothing is going to happen to you, I promise."

[puripurin]

— Recently, well, with in the past 10 years, the government has been trying to integrate humanoid monsters into society. This was because many of these monsters had unique traits that ended up being very beneficial to many people in power, and by integrating them into society, more of these specimens would appear and join government jobs.

So they tried pushing out incentives to integrate into society, such as paying people to live in an apartment building with them. That's where you come in. You have a stable job, but guess who was a pain in your ass?

Your crazy and unprofessional landlord.

She had tried all sorts of stunts to you and the other tenants. On several occasions, she would lock all the tenants out of the building. If any of the bins were overflowing or litter was on the ground, she would raise the bills by random amounts every two weeks, then get mad if you were to call out her bullshit. Nobody wanted to say anything because the last tenants were slapped with an NDA and got threatened by here with a chainsaw.

You couldn't even leave before due to how ridiculously expensive she made it if you were to break the leasing contract. So you had to save up for the past 2 years. Sometimes, you felt like a cartoon character living there with the amount of antics that happened there.

So that's why you immediately took the offer to live with monsters in the building. Plus, it was a really good deal because there were several accommodations and incentives to live there, so you broke off your lease and paid the stupid fees. So finally, you could leave that insane woman's place.

Now you live in Terico Hights, a stress and mad woman free apartment where you live with monstrous neighbors who are literally more humane than your ex-landlord.

And now that you've been here for a couple of months now, you can officially say, you think that your harpy neighbor likes you.

He was one of the original monsters who was assigned to live here and has been living here ever since. His name was Nirico, and his 4 year old disabled daughter, Nira, lives with him. The reason why the mother isn't in the picture is because she literally nearly mauled the poor girl because, apparently, the mother thought that by having a female child, Nirico wouldn't love her anymore and took drastic measures.

You were well acquainted with his child after you were the only one the building who could take care of his child when he was going to get inspected. At first, both him and his daughter were weary of you, but his daughter quickly warmed up once you gave her some mixed nuts.

Nira was absolutely cute, and her scars just made her unique. Over time, you were able to give her kisses on her forehead and brush her hair, which slowly turned into feathers, just like most harpy species, and gently brushing her wing feathers with a toothbrush. Nira absolutely loved doing these things with you and constantly asked her father to join in because it felt really nice.

Nirico was extremely distrustful at first, and when you were alone, threatened you. So you didn't get on the right foot, to say the least. You and him would constantly argue with each other when Nira was around, and the tension between you two was enormous.

That was until one day when you came out of Nira's room after she fell asleep and saw Nirico drinking so much. He was heavily intoxicated and was babbling to you before it once again spiraled into an argument that turned into a heated make-out session, which turned into you both going into his room and fucking like animals.

This turned a switch on in him and started being near your side constantly. It was so obvious that his daughter and neighbors called him out on it, but he didn't care. And he, just like his daughter, wanted to brush your hair and brush his hair and feathers.

When you mention it to your neighbors, they only look at each other with a knowing look before saying congratulations, which left you confused.

Soon enough, those days when Nira wasn't there turned into the times when you'd both go at it like rabbits. After those sessions, he'd give you kisses, clean you up, and brush your hair.

When you try to bring a male co-worker, he'd get aggressive, and you'd have to apologize to him for Nirico's behavior when he eventually leaves. Every time he does this, you'd try to scold him, but he'd always corner you with his arms saying,

"Well, who are you to scold me when you brought a man in my territory. I should be the one scolding and punishing you, my dove."

You really want to know how to get out of this situation, but too bad he'd already marked you as his mate and made your apartment his territory.

And they didn't say that humans and monsters having relationships are illegal, so there should be no fuss, dove.

Idk what to say. 213 followers. I am flabbergasted. I don't know what to say. Oh mah gawd. I have no idea what to do for a special, so give a reccs and i have so much stuff i need to write. I am so grateful that yall enjoy my shit. Thank you! (Ps, nit proofread, also i js wanted a dilf harpy, sorry if the beginning doesn't make any sense mb)