#thoughts brought to you by yours truly also forgetting their own face

[emissary-of-the-moon]

cant sleep having thoughts, welcome back to my game show tonight we're back on the facial blindness Twilight train.

yes he can't remember Midna's face, yes he will forget everyone from chain's face as well but he also forgot what his own face looked like before turning into a wolf and regularly struggles to recognize his reflection. yes he knows its him, but he will forget his own features unless actively looking at them.

[navybrat817]

Mr. and Mrs. Barnes

Pairing: Husband!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Summary: Bucky suggests sneaking off at the gala. How can you resist?

Word Count: Over 3k

Warnings: Unprotected v. sex, sex in a closet, dirty talk, possessiveness, established relationship, slight insecurities, mention of breeding, slight feels (it's me), Bucky Barnes and he's a simp for you (he's a warning, okay?).

A/N: Sorry, lovelies. I just really wanted this. Not beta read and written on my phone, so any and all mistakes are my own. Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

Bucky didn’t bother to hide his discontent as he looked around at the ballroom. Was it a gala? Fundraiser? What cared? He hated functions like these. People were either there to kiss ass and move up the chain of command or gloat about how well off they were in life under the guise that they were doing good for others. He didn't attempt to converse with any of them, but still had to go as a way to support SHIELD in some capacity and show that he was no longer the Winter Soldier.

At least Steve and Sam were excused from the event due to a mission.

Leaning against one of the pillars and tugging at his bowtie, he spaced out momentarily. No one looked his way, but he still felt judged. Like he didn’t just belong at the event, but amongst anyone. He wanted to go home, get out of his tuxedo, and get the product out of his slicked back hair. He debated sneaking away from some air until he blinked and saw the reason he was truly there: you, the only real person in the crowd of liars and cheaters.

He never understood the expression of clothes clinging to someone like a second skin until you stepped into your floor-length black dress earlier this evening, the fabric enhancing every beautiful curve of your body. His eyes narrowed as you moved around the room and exchanged smiles and handshakes with people. Your aura drew people to you, men brushing against you and their stares lingering for far too long. It served as another reminder of why he didn’t want to go tonight, especially when a General gripped your arm.

If he had a glass in his hand it would’ve shattered.

Convincing you to stay in bed didn't work since you both had to make an appearance, but it didn't mean he wanted you apart from him. “Get over here,” he whispered, craving your attention, needing you close.

As if you sensed him seeking you out, likely feeling the weight of his stare, you turned to meet his gaze across the room. Your eyes sparkled with love that he never thought he’d receive in his lifetime. The kind of love he never wanted to be without again. “Would you please excuse me?” You asked loud enough for him to catch as you removed your arm from the man’s grip. “My husband is waiting for me.”

Your hips swayed as you worked your way toward Bucky, not stopping for any other man who tried to catch your eye. Hearing you call him your husband brought the first smile to his face since he arrived. He still couldn’t believe some days that you wanted forever with him. “I was wondering when my beautiful wife would remember I was here,” he said once you were close enough, reaching out for your hand.

The moment you took it, he stood tall and pulled you against him. He was certain no one else came close to the intimidating vibe he put out, his hold on you possessive as you smiled. “As if I could forget. Practically heard you growling when General Rando touched my arm,” you teased.

“Because he has no right to touch you,” he said, your lashes fluttering as you spun away. His hands guided you back to him. “I know you’re better with people than I am, which is why you’re the one who has to socialize and I’m sorry for that. But you also said I’m not allowed to break any fingers tonight and I won't be held responsible if he tries to touch you again.”

He swore he didn’t have a possessive bone in his body until you sauntered into his life, giving him hopes and dreams and longing.

You laughed at him, a seductive sound that had a few heads turning. “You do know I can break his fingers myself, right?”

He chuckled, leaning close to your ear and tickling your skin with his breath. “I know you're more than capable of kicking his ass. One of your many wonderful qualities,” he whispered. People underestimated you and that was always a mistake. “But I still don't like that he touched you like he wanted to own you.”

You rang a finger along his bowtie. “We all know who owns me and we know I own you, too,” you said, holding up your hand to show him your wedding ring. He tried to ignore how fast his heart pounded at the sight of his ring on your finger, the pledge you two made together. “In a very healthy, non-toxic sort of way, of course.”

He smirked, glancing around at the crowd before looking back at you. “Of course, but maybe we could give everyone a friendly reminder that we’re a happily married and loyal couple.” His voice dropped lower, teasingly. He wanted to make your heart race like his. “Or maybe we could sneak away for a bit. Make this night a little more interesting.”

“Sneak away?” You feigned innocence as you blinked at him. He was certain any innocence you had before he met you was gone thanks to him. “Whatever for?”

“You know what for. It’ll be like that expo we went to a few months ago.” Bucky tilted his head slightly, studying your face closely. He easily picked up your sharp inhale, the way your pupils dilated and lips parted. It was clear that sneaking off was something that very much interested you. “C’mon, baby. This gala is boring and neither of us want to be here. My idea is much more fun. You know it is.”

He touched your cheek, your skin warm under his hand. He wasn’t able to keep you in bed earlier like he wanted, but the thought of pulling you away and having you right here and now had his stomach fluttering with excitement. “This gala is boring,” you agreed carefully.

“Then let’s make it exciting.” His thumb brushed across your lips and it took everything in him not to push his thumb inside. “You made me come to this thing. Don’t I deserve something for showing up and behaving?”

“I haven't made you come yet.” His muscles went taut when you briefly sucked the digit into your mouth, electricity crackling under his skin. He admired your boldness, how you were unashamedly yourself in front of these people. You didn't and would never care what they thought. “And I didn't make you come to this event, but I can make it worth your while.”

He held your chin and moved close until only an inch separated your faces. Your eyes gleamed with a hunger that rivaled his. The air crackled between you, daring you both to give over to your obvious desires. “And how exactly do you plan to do that?” He rasped when you suddenly pulled back and helped move him across the floor in a dance.

“My plan? I thought sneaking away was your idea,” you smiled, guiding you both closer to the open doorway. “But if we can find a closet or dark corner, you can do whatever you want with me. And I’ll even let you fuck my throat first thing tomorrow morning for behaving.”

A rumbling, deep groan escaped his throat. His fingers dug in possessively when he gripped the nape of your neck and tilted your head so he could taste your skin. Your body molding against his, soft and yielding against his solid frame, wasn’t enough. There were too many clothes in the way and he wanted to bury himself deep inside you.

“You drive me crazy, Mrs. Barnes,” he whispered, lifting his head to look into your eyes.

“The feeling is mutual, Mr. Barnes.” You bit your lip once he waltzed you for enough away from prying eyes, the heat flaring between you. “I need you.”

Every nerve ending came to life when he claimed your mouth in a searing kiss. His tongue plunged past your lips, holding you steady as he devoured you. You melted against him, which only brought forth his primal hunger more. His intensity never scared you and he would be forever thankful for that.

You gasped as your back hit a wall, the sounds of chatter and music from the ballroom muffled. Your nails scraped the fabric of his jacket, both of you lost in sensations of lust and desire. As one of your hands continued its journey to his shoulder, the other wandered down his torso and didn’t stop until you gripped his thick erection through his pants.

He abruptly broke the kiss when you gave him a squeeze, his eyes wild. “Fuck,” he breathed, gripping your wrist and pushing more firmly against your hand. “You feel that? That’s what you do to me.”

With dizzying speed, he spun you so that your back pressed against his front. You panted as his hand ventured through the slit of your dress and brushed along your trembling thigh. “Wait until you feel how wet I am,” you whispered, grinding your hips back against his.

His mouth brushed the exposed column of your throat, alternating between small bites and open mouthed kisses. “Still get wet for me?” He asked, massaging your breast with his vibranium hand and drawing another gasp from you when he pinched your nipple. He marveled at how much he could feel with that hand and how he’d never harm you with it.

“Have you seen yourself? One look from you and I’m soaked.” Your back arched as he bit down again. He wished he saw himself the way you did. “And you’re my husband. That craving for you isn’t going away.”

He rocked his hips against yours, seeking out more contact and friction as his cock throbbed and heart swelled. Marriage wasn’t a constant honeymoon phase. It took work. Effort. Compromise. But you were worth every moment, every struggle, every up and down.

Laughter from a few feet away had him lifting his head, both of you looking toward where the noise was coming from. “Fuck,” he snarled, wanting to scream at whoever it was to go the fuck away.

“There’s a closet around the corner. We just need to pick the lock,” you told him, smiling over your shoulder. “I may have scoped out the place in case this happened.”

He chuckled, utterly in awe of you. “I fucking love you,” he exhaled.

Walking with an aching hard-on wasn’t easy, but he managed to get you both further away from the ballroom. He picked the lock with record speed once you got to the door and moved you both inside. He flipped on the light, wanting to see as much of you as he could. For a moment, you two stared at each other and waited for the other to make a move. He loved the anticipation.

“I’m disappointed in you, Mr. Barnes,” you said, reaching for the doorknob to lock it. He was about to ask what he possibly did to upset you when you smirked. “You didn’t mention anything about me not wearing any panties.”

His cock was ready to burst from his pants. “Because that fucking clown out there interupted me,” he rumbled, pinning you against the door and crowding your body. His nose touched yours as he hiked your dress up, desperate to kiss you again. Eager to feel your wetness. “You trust me?”

It was a question he always asked. You put all of yourself into his care, your body, mind, heart, and soul. It was only fair that he made sure you still wanted him to be the one for you today, tomorrow, and every day after that. Even then a single lifetime would never be enough for him. He wanted a thousand lives with you.

“Always,” you said, an ache in your voice that he couldn’t resist. He fused his lips with yours, building up the fire all over again when his hand found your damp heat. The most intimate part of you where you allowed him to make himself at home. Your hands shook as you went to undo his pants, wanting to free him. “And you trust me?”

It wasn’t just his heart that contracted. His very soul trembled, wanting to wrap itself up in your light and love. “With everything in me,” he promised, sighing when he pulled his cock free from his underwear. “I’ll worship you later. Those gorgeous tits of yours. Your sweet cunt.”

Once you were home, he’d slip off your dress and give every beautiful inch of your body the attention it deserved. He’d draw a bath for you, too, and hopefully join you so he could simply hold you. But he was desperate for you now. He thought he’d burn if he didn’t have you.

You hiked a leg around him, moving your hips enticingly. There was only so much he could take. And who wouldn’t fall under the tempting spell of your body? “I’m ready for you.” Your soft moan echoed in his ears as he trailed a finger along your slit to your clit, barely touching it. He knew it would shoot small sparks through your body until you begged for more. “I mean it, Barnes. Get. Your cock. In me.”

“My needy little wife,” he whispered against your lips as he gripped the base of his cock and probed your entrance. The breathy sound you made when he began to push in had his blood pulsing in euphoria. It was a wonder he fit some days with how tight you were, but your slick heat stretched and welcomed him every time.

“My needy husband,” you smiled as you enveloped him completely, your fingers curling in his hair.

“What kind of man isn’t needy for his wife?” He began to thrust in deep, deliberate strokes. It matched the rhythm of the music in the distant ballroom, the two of you creating your own sultry dance. Maybe he would go up in flames. At least he’d have you to burn with. “Fuck, your body was made for my cock.”

Each snap of his hips tore more moans and whimpers from your throat and sent shockwaves through his system. You clenched around him with a smile, looking like a debauched angel. “My pussy was made for you, so ruin it.”

He groaned, his pulse beating strongly as his grip tightened on your hips. He fucked you without restraint, just as greedy for you as you were for him. Allowing himself to feel you and what you did to him was everything he was denied for so long. His life had only been order. Pain. You let him lose control. You gave him pleasure. Even a home.

I love you.

“I love you, too, Bucky,” you panted, brushing a thumb over his cheekbone as his eyes closed against the emotions threatening to surface. “I love you, too.”

His pace picked up, urgent, frenzied. At this rate, he might explode into fragments from your declaration and how good you felt. “You love me?” He bit out, his eyes opening and breaths harsh as he felt you clench again.

You cried out, his hand flying up to brace your head before it hit the door. “So much,” you moaned as you gazed at him. You were the most beautiful person he had ever seen. Fierce in love and loyalty, patient and steadfast. He feared some days he’d need you more than you needed him, but you drove that thought from his mind. “I’m yours.”

“I’m not gonna last,” he warned. He couldn’t with the way you looked at him, the way your walls gripped him, knowing you were his.

“Neither am…” Your mouth fell open as your release hit you, your fluids drenching him. It was a wonder to watch you go over the edge in a blissful orgasm. He wanted to be right there with you.

“There you go. Good girl,” he encouraged, your body still tight around his cock. He erupted in one last thrust, his head falling back with an animalistic roar. “Fuck…”

Bucky braced a hand against the door, the other holding you like a lifeline. If only the two of you were at home so he could properly cuddle with you. His breathing remained ragged for a bit as he came down from his high, your breathing beginning to steady, too. He couldn't help but smile as he took in the sight of you thoroughly ravaged and satisfied. “Worth every second of being here,” he sighed, slowly pulling out of your twitching hole. You inhaled when he moved a hand down and swiped two fingers along the mess seeping out of you. “Clean them off for me, baby,” he ordered huskily, bringing them to your mouth.

Obediently, you parted your lips and allowed him to push his fingers in. You swirled your tongue around them to taste your combined essence, moaning at the tangy flavor. He tucked himself away once you finished up, afraid that he’d fuck you all over again if he didn’t get completely dressed. It didn’t stop him from gazing longingly at you as he fixed his jacket.

And it didn’t stop him from imagining your mouth around his cock the next morning.

“Now.” You grimmaced slightly as he helped you steady yourself and straighten out your dress. He knew that look. It was the look you got for a split second whenever the sticky remnants continued to trickle down your thighs. He loved having that claim on you. “How do you expect me to go back to the gala after that?”

“I don’t,” he smirked, his hands moving back to your hips as he snuck in a gentle kiss. “I think it’s time to get you home and back in our bed where you belong. I promised I’d worship you, remember?”

You nodded, your eyes still slightly dazed. “On one condition.”

He titled his head. “What’s that?”

A slow smile curved your mouth, his heart pounding and cock twitching back to life at your answer, “You put a baby in me tonight.”

So, lovelies, was it okay? I feel rusty. And who wants a future fic of Bucky breeding you? Just me? Love and thanks for reading! ❤️

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[miniimight]

❝ I LIKE YOU... / I KNOW. ❞ your confession doesn't shock 'em one bit

with mikey, ran, rindou + very nervous!reader (toman timeline)

notes just a wholesome confession scene lol mikey's just as much as a nervous idiot as you are, ran is ... ran, and rindou is also an idiot . also i promise im working on requests i have like seven to work through sobs

it's not like it was hard.

he always felt your eyes on him: passing you in a hallway, in class (which he barely attended, but found himself showing up just to watch you suffer), randomly bumping into each other while out with friends... at first, he didn't care. he had a lot of attention going for him and he thought of you as another drop in the bucket.

but then he found himself paying attention to you.

when you weren't not-so-secretly pining over him, you were looking out the classroom window, a peaceful expression on your face that told him that you were about to fall asleep. or maybe you were with your friends, smiling widely as you exchanged snacks. or maybe you were giggling, your face on fire as your friends helped you craft some kind of candygram.

whatever he caught you doing, he found it endearing. and he couldn't escape it. but for reputation's sake, he tried to hide his adoration and amusement underneath his tough guy exterior. that quickly broke when you finally approached him.

your friends peeking from the hallway behind you both, you gently tapped his arm and your heart almost stopped functioning from nerves.

he cast an uninterested look over his shoulder, eyebrows raised. it was you. "hm?" internally, he was intrigued; he never thought you'd actually come up to him.

"i, uh..." you bit your lip, trying to shock yourself into calming down, but your heart still echoed in your chest.

"did you need something?"

"i'm sorry!" you exclaim suddenly, squeezing your eyes shut as you thrust the snack into his hand. "i like you!"

MIKEY

mikey's heart skipped a beat. "i know."

"uhm..." you whined softly, your body on fire. this was so embarrassing. "okay, bye!" you quickly spun around, hoping that he'd forget it the moment you disappeared around the corridor. he knew?! he KNEW? the fuck did that mean?? WHY DID YOU LEAVE SO FAST?

"wait," mikey's hand gripped your wrist. you squeaked and tried to pull away, but that only caused you to drift closer to him. his own face was dusted pink. "thanks for the snack."

you cast your eyes to the ground. "yeah, i know you're always eating it, so..."

mikey smiled, his grip softening into a delicate hold. he would never dream of giving up a chance to be with the one he'd been yearning for ever since he noticed your starry eyes on him. "wanna ride around with me?"

your eyes lit up and you sent a excited look to your friends. turning back to him as you both walked to his bike, you nervously asked, "so, you said you knew?" you asked, dreading the answer.

mikey smirked, his eyes lidded as he teased you. "yeah, s'not like you were good at hiding it."

"ugh, seriously?" you cringed, hiding your face in your hands. mikey's chuckle brought your eyes to peek over your fingers.

"it's okay, it was... cute." his voice grew quieter, like he was a little embarrassed to admit it.

you blinked at him before you truly processed his words, your heart bursting. "what?!"

mikey looked everywhere except you. "you—you heard what i said! just—come on." he grabbed your hand and ran over to his bike. his hand gripped the top of your head and you were so confused until he pulled a helmet out and slotted it over you. he clasped the buckle under your chin.

he stared at you for a moment before smiling with adoration. your face felt warm as butterflies filled your stomach.

"heh." he giggled, holding the sides of the helmet so that you couldn't hide your face from him. "cute."

as time went on, mikey wasn't so bashful when expressing his love for you.

RAN

he grinned. "ohhhh, i know." he dragged out his triumphant proclamation. "i know."

your face burned and you didn't know what to say to that. so, you bailed. "uh... okay? see you around!" you quickly turned. he knew? why'd he have to say it like that?

it took a moment to realize he was following you.

"so, where are we going?" he asked, tossing the snack package up in the air and catching it. "s'okay if it's far, i got a ride."

you stopped dead in your tracks, bewildered. "what?"

he cocked his head to the side, a calm smile on his face. "aren't we going out?"

you nearly screamed at the suggestion, not expecting this from him at all. "i—no??" you shoved your face into your hands. "i don't know!"

he laughed, captivated by how flustered you were. ran was a guy who liked to sweet talk and see his effect on others, and your reactions were just too good. "come on, i know you've been wanting some time alone with me for a while. you're not so secretive."

you groan and shy away from him. peeking from behind your hands, you meekly asked "was it that obvious?"

he grinned. "yeah. but all the better for me, right?" he put an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close to his side and leading you out the school. "knowing i got a pretty thing like you thinking about me all day."

you rolled your eyes, finally starting to come down from the high of your confession. "it wasn't all day."

ran smiled, so tempted to respond with well, that was the case for me, but he figured you'd probably faint. he'd save that for the next time.

RINDOU

"i know." he blurted out before he could think of something better to say. for all the bones he broke, rindou's resolve was weak. but he was good at faking it.

he could tell you were confused, not expecting his response.

you fidgeted with your fingers before you finally spoke up, your face burning. "uh... okay..?" how the hell is anyone supposed to respond to that.

rindou panicked internally, rubbing the back of his neck as he sighed. "are you free right now, or what?"

your eyes lit up as your downcast gaze snapped to look at him. "i am."

a smile cracked on rindou's face as he chuckled with amusement. "then, let me take you out."

"really?!" sure, it wasn't the most glamorous thing to say, but you couldn't help it. you were excited.

"yeah. i mean, you did buy me a snack, so." he held up the package proudly. "gotta return the favor, right? come on, i got a ride."

you tried to hide how triumphant you felt as you followed him diligently. he was awkward, not possessing the same level of finesse his older brother did. like, what does he say to you??

"so..." you started, taking the lead.

oh, thank god. he let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"you said you knew?" you mumbled, making a point to avoid his stare. "was it obvious?"

he smirked. "yeah, it was very obvious." you winced, but he continued. "don't worry. it was interesting."

you twisted up your lips in a cringe. "interesting as in a good way, or...?"

rindou racked his brain. ran was always good at thinking on the spot—what would he say? his lips moved before he could stop them. "interesting as in i couldn't stop thinking about you."

you both stared at each other—rindou in absolute shock of what just left his lips and you, completely flustered. your heads whipped away from looking at each other, lips pressed in a tight line as a million different thoughts ran through them. rindou was sure he creeped you out, but then he heard you giggle.

he looked back at you, reading every inch of your expression. you smiled softly. "that was so cheesy."

you kept on laughing to yourself, somehow enamored by his stupid line and he knew he was flying off the deep end.

© miniimight ! thanks for reading <3

[sleepyconfusedpotato]

Honeybaby

The confession.

Set in New Years Eve 2023, after the events of Call of Duty Modern Warfare II. An immediate continuation of Catch My Breath.

Pairing : Simon “Ghost” Riley x Charlotte “Jade” Le Jardin (OC) Characters : Simon "Ghost" Riley, Charlotte "Jade" Le Jardin (OC), Word Count : ~ 5600 Warning : Fluff with a slight bit of angst, a touch of hurt/comfort, and good ol’ cursings.

December 31st, 2022

London, United Kingdom

1500

'Ghost.'

Fuck, he thought. It's been 7 days since the Christmas party in Price's house. That was seven days without contact, without any interactions whatsoever. It had been seven days since they kissed, thanks to that damned mistletoe, and Seven days since Jade pecked him on his cheek. 

He should admit, he still remembered the soft pressure on his cheek when she did that, and the fact that he’d been sneaking a hand to that part of his face to rub at it? It always brought him back to that night of December 24th. 

Jade had left early. After the dinner with the team, she’d immediately helped Price around the house to tidy up, washed the dishes, and then left without telling Ghost anything. 

Was he mad? Should he be mad? 

Let's state the facts. They kissed under the mistletoe. It was her first kiss, and she consented to him doing it. And THEN, she asked him to do it again. It seemed like she liked it. He definitely liked it. As much as he hated the fact that it was because of a fucking mistletoe, he couldn't lie about how much he wanted to do that to her.

After that kiss, everything seemed okay. It was okay, they declared to stay friends - until she sneaked an unprecedented peck to his cheek.

He liked it. No, he loved it. Because it wasn't because of anything external. It was because of her own will, and that could not mean nothing. 

What he didn't like though, was the reality that she left him hanging for 7 days. Seven days of uncertainty, Seven days of thinking of that little peck. Seven days of Johnny looking at him teasingly because he definitely knew something about that mistletoe and how he and Gaz absolutely had something to do with the location of that vegetation. Fucking hell. 

And now, she'd texted him. The first text she'd sent to him after they got each others' numbers.

His heart raced again. She texted him his name and his heart was racing. God dammit, he truly felt like a bloody high schooler, for fuck's sake.

He typed, 'Jade.'

Not long, the woman texted him back, 

'First off, I'm sorry for suddenly kissing you on the cheek. I broke your boundaries and it wasn't okay.'

She's apologising. 

She's apologising for something he's happy about. 

'And I'm sorry for not contacting you for a week. I kissed your cheek and then left without saying anything. It was unfair of me.'

Oh shit. She's continuing. 

'I know how private you are with your identity, especially your face. Though I wish that you'd forgive me, it's fine if you don't.'

Fuuuuck.

'I just want to say that I'm sorry for doing that to you.'

'And I wish you could forget about it.'

This fucking woman…

—

There, she finally contacted him.

Ghost's a fast responder. She could tell that his phone's always active as he might get a call for deployment any time. He'd also immediately replied when she only texted his name. 

Or had he been waiting for her to text him?

Bollocks. Anyway, she messed up. Leaving him hanging for a whole damn week. A WEEK. 

She felt like an arsehole the whole time. Night and day she thought about it and what she should say to him. 

It took her a long time to realise, but the days that they'd spent together in Las Almas, the days they worked together, it was one of the best missions she'd ever went on. If she could erase the bloody parts, she'd wish she could experience it again.

Jade cared for him more than she liked to admit. Jade wanted him to be happy. She wanted to see him smile more; she wanted to be close to him. She wanted to know him more. She felt safe with him, she felt like the world’s a better place beside him. 

Jade sighed out loud, sitting on her worktable. The Garden was so damn busy this time of year, varying from people celebrating their years together, people declaring their love, or people remembering the love that they had. It was beautiful when she thought about it. People usually buy flowers to give it to someone. It’s a sign of love, showing that I care. Sometimes people give it to other people, sometimes for themselves as well. They give it to family members and friends; alive, or those who've left them earlier.

New Years had always been a mixture of emotions for her because of this line of work; because of how emotional it is. 

But this one in particular, she couldn’t focus at all because of him. She’d been thinking about that kiss, and how she wanted to tell him that she meant it. Oh how bad she wanted to tell him that she cared for him. 

But then, what did he feel towards her? Was he disgusted that she pecked him without his permission? How stupid, how inconsiderate of her to do that! Thinking about it made her want to scream into the skies at how brainless, imbecilic that act was.

And so, after days of thinking, what she wanted was for him to forget about it. 

Because let’s be real. Why would he like her back? He’s a man who conceals his identity precisely so the people around him would stay away from him and not get too close. He must actively avoid people in his life to keep him away from danger and keep them away from danger. Ghost wouldn’t let himself slip like that easily, wouldn’t he? 

Ghost? Liking someone? 

-- INCOMING CALL --

- Beanpole 💀💢 -

Oh bollocks. He called her. He’s calling her!! Why was he calling her???

‘Answer the call.’ He texted her again, the calling line still active. 

Oh no.

‘Now.’ 

With that, Jade tapped and slid the green icon upwards, putting the phone to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Jade, what kind of fucking bullshit did you just text me.”

Oh shite. He’s livid.

“Ghost I– I didn’t mean that peck. It was just a–”

“Just what? An instinct? Your MI6 instinct?!”

“I was–”

“You're telling me that we just kissed, twice, you left a peck on my face, and you want me to act like it never happened?”

Jade couldn’t say anything to that.

“You’d better believe Price sleeps without his hat first to say that, because for fuck’s sake – what you just said has no logical thinking to it!” He rumbled with his deep voice, 

“You want me to forget about it?! Well I can’t!” 

Jade had never heard him with this tone before. Ghost’s voice had always been raspy and harsh, filled with a commanding quality necessary in battle. But this tone sounded like he was in absolute anguish. 

What he said was right. What she asked would be impossible. She’d been too selfish to think about what he’d want. 

Silence lingered on the line, save for Ghost's soft breath after he raised his voice. 

Who’s going to say anything at this point? Both of them were confused as to what they should say or what they should do.

“...You busy tonight?” Ghost finally started, making Jade flinch. His voice was back to calm.

“...We’re quite busy at New Years, but our shop closes at 10 PM.”

“Good. RV with me at this location after you’re done.” Right after he said that, Jade received a location ping.

“Ghost… This place is…”

“We need to talk, and not via phone call like this.” 

“...Okay.” 

“Good. See you there.” 

—

Whitehall Garden, London, UK

31.12.2022   2235

Sea of people had filled the edges of the Thames River. One and a half hours before the year changes, the people of London had gathered right across the infamous London Eye in order to witness the drones and fireworks show that the city prepared annually. Jade was a fan of fireworks shows. She adored the beautiful colours that filled the night sky, especially the New Year's, as it’s literally only done once a year.

And now, Ghost told her to meet him in front of the Ministry of Defence building. Standing in front of the General Charles Gordon Statue with tons of other people, she’d wondered of Ghost’s whereabouts. That man could only be seen if he wanted to be seen, there’s no doubt about that. 

Jade had texted him that she was at the RV point, 'I'm here.'  and he'd already read it. So it's probably not long until she meets him. 

"Jade." 

A deep, harsh voice that could only belong to Ghost called from right behind her. She turned around on reflex, and found the 6'3" man standing right behind her, just a few mere inches away from each other. 

Ghost's wearing a hoodie with his hood up and a pair of jeans with dark shoes. His face was not covered by the iconic skull-painted balaclava. Instead, he wore a black face mask in place of it. His black eye paint was not present around his eyes. She also noticed that he brought a backpack on his back.

Realising that he's far too close for her to think, Jade took a small step back. 

"Hey Ghost. So what's the plan?" She shrugged her shoulders, her breaths turning into clouds in the air. "Do you want us to talk here? In the sea of humans?"

"Absolutely not. Follow me and stay close." Ghost turned around and started walking towards the Ministry of Defense building's side entrance. Once they reached the door, Ghost opened the thick wooden door and allowed Jade to enter first before closing the door behind him. The inside of the building was a dark main hall, only a few lights were on.

"Beanpole, what are we doin' here? Are we even allowed to be here?" 

"Just follow me." The both of them then fast walked along the walls, until they reached the lift. The man pressed the up button and opened the lift door. 

Entering the lift, Jade saw that in order to press a floor, it required an authorised key card. "It needs a keycard. What, do you have it?"

Ghost pulled out a key card, swiped along the electronic key and pressed the button with the highest floor. The metal door closed shut, and the lift started to carry both people up. 

"Where did you get that card?" Jade asked out of curiosity, the whirr of the lift being their only company. 

"I've got contacts."

"...which was?"

"Guy who goes by the name Roach. He used to be my mate in SAS but now he works here."

"Oh." 

'Roach'? Peculiar name. Well, both of them had that 'unkillable' trait to their call signs so Jade could definitely see them being mates. 

Reaching the top floor, the metal door opened, revealing a dark hallway after which Ghost led her again to the emergency staircases, where an old, classic-looking staircase was leading up to another upper part of the building. They climbed the stairs again, where the room that could be interpreted as the building's attic was located.  

Ghost strolled to the furthest side of the attic, where they climbed another stair into a small balcony high up, closer to where the roof was. Ghost then pressed a chain of 5 numbers on the electronic key on the wall, which made the attic door above them open as they saw the night sky. 

As the ladder descended, Jade started. “When you sent me the location of the MOD main building, I thought we were gonna watch fireworks down there.”

He stayed silent, his hands still pulling down the ladder. 

“Well, you’ve told me you don’t fancy crowded places. I understand. But on the roofs of MOD? This is new.” Jade continued. 

Should he admit that he never really watched fireworks shows? Should he admit that he hated places with too much noise that sometimes his nerves could go into overdrive?

Ghost didn’t say anything until the ladder was down to the floor. “Hop up.” He said, before climbing up the high ladders, Jade followed him from behind. 

Once he’s up on the roof, Ghost popped his head to see her below, and unexpectedly, the masked man offered his hand down. 

“Take my hand.” 

Jade could admit that it still felt weird to see the skin on his bare hands, considering how often he used that skeleton painted gloves. That glove was so iconic Jade had seen it as his actual hand. Now that he was offering his hand, Jade immediately took his bigger palm, where he almost took her entire weight on his arm, making it easier to climb.

The last time he carried her was when she got shot during the prison break in Las Almas. She remembered how Ghost caught her fall and how he carried her to the van with the 141. Remembering that moment made her blush.

Once both of them stepped on the roofs, Jade looked to the other side of the Thames River, where the London Eye stood tall in bright, white lights that lit up the horizons. The Whitehall Garden below was covered with a sea of humans; families, friends, loved ones, together for the last moments of the year. 

And when she looked to her side, there stood Ghost, viewing the London Eye just the same. His dark eyes reflected the white lights just right. Jade would be lying if she didn’t find him looking good today. Black was made for him. Not that she’d ever seen him in any other colour before, but seeing him in civvies without the skull mask on sight – It always reminded her that beneath all the ‘Ghost’ facade, he was just another regular bloke underneath. Just a dude named Simon. 

The man looked down at his wrist, where his watch showed 22:58. “Good, we’re right on time. Sit down.”

Ghost sat down first, followed by Jade who sat down to his right. They were almost at the edge of the building and she must agree that this was the best spot to see the London Eye. 

For a while, they sat there, no words exchanged between them. The winter winds of London brought her – for once – undone hair into the air. Ghost sneaked a glance at her appearance; Long dark green coat, soft brown pants, knitted gloves, and an oversized plaid scarf that messily surrounded her neck and shoulders, plus her wavy hair free falling onto her shoulders and back. 

The woman sitting beside him was looking gorgeous in a way that he'd never seen before. She'd always been graceful in appearance, even in combat. It didn't even help him that he was basically asking her to spend New Year's Eve with him instead of with her family. Unlike him who had no family member left to spend his days with, Jade had her parents, she had her coworkers in her florist, and she volunteered for her old orphanage and for a local caring home. Unlike him, Jade was sociable and knew a lot of people. 

"Midget." He started, prompting the woman to look at him.

"Hm?"

"You don't celebrate New Year with your parents?" 

That question made her smile. "Yeah, I usually go to Piccadilly Circus with them. But when I told them I planned to spend New Year's with a ‘friend from work’, my parents dressed me up in… this, and pushed me out of the house."

Ghost scoffed, "Did you tell them who you're going to meet?"

"No, I didn't. Just 'a friend from work'." The smile on her face grew wider, "You can visit the shop sometime if you want. Probably have a tea or two–"

"No." Ghost cut her words almost immediately. That made Jade flinch. "It's better for them if they never met me."

That sentence caught her attention. 

"It will only endanger themselves." His words confirmed her thoughts. As she looked at him with her green eyes, Jade could sense the loneliness in him. 

Jade sighed, "Okay. I understand." Watching her breath turn into clouds in the air, she continued, "In this one particular mission… My work followed me home."

Now it's her turn to catch Ghost's attention. 

"This one guy wanted to take his revenge on me. I was on the other side of the world when it happened, and he told me that his men got my Pa and Ma on his hitmen's scopes." 

"I was fuming mad at him, but then… the hitmen were suddenly MIA. Lost communication." Ghost had decided that this was an interesting story.

"When he shouted to call for the hitmen… my Pa's voice sounded through the radio, saying, "Try again." I swear, my soul almost left my body at that time." The ginger lightly laughed at the memory. "I almost forgot that both of my parents were literal seasoned MI6 black agents."

'Ah, she's lucky.' Ghost thought to himself. Her family consisted of retired black agents, that must be relieving. Unfortunately, not all parents are kind, loving ex-MI6 agents who could take care of themselves. 

"Nevertheless, even though I know they were probably better agents than I was in their younger days, and they can definitely take care of themselves… I don't want them to go through that." She continued. 

"I love them. And I want them to be safe. Far from any danger that I might bring back from my work. So yes, I understand where you're coming from. But still," Jade tilted her head, “My offer still stands. You can come by anytime, any day.” 

Jade finished as her hands pulled out a metallic tumbler. She popped up the lid and started to drink from it. 

"What are you drinkin'?"

"Chamomile tea. And!" Jade's hands entered her bag again, and pulled out another black-coloured tumbler before handing it to him. "Here. For you."

Eyeing the bottle in suspicion, Ghost took the tumbler on his hands. "What is this?" He popped out the lid and lowered his mask to his upper lip, taking a sniff of the drink in question. It released steam that immediately disappeared into the winter wind. 

"It's something I think you'd like."

It didn't smell suspicious, so Ghost glanced at the woman, before finally lowering his mask to his chin, taking a sip from the tumbler. 

"...Black tea?" 

Jade smiled at that. "Yep! Your fave." Jade remembered exactly how he didn't like her chamomile tea back in Fuerzas Especiales base, so when she thought about going with tea, she decided to bring another one with black tea. "Is it good?"

"That's alright." He said before drinking again. Looking at him liking the tea, Jade celebrated inside her head. 

Putting down the black tumbler on the roof, it's time for Ghost to take his backpack. "Shame. I also brought something."

"Wait, what?"

"I'm the one who invited you, so I must bring somethin' right?" 

From inside his bag (which by the way, was FILLED with foam), he pulled out a green bottle with another light brown coloured one, along with two paper cups. 

"YOU BROUGHT GIN AND BOURBON IN YOUR BACKPACK?" Jade was absolutely astounded at this man's bag. What's even more surprising was what he pulled out next. "O–Oh my goodness me…" 

Ghost put down two double quarter pounders with cheeseburgers, along with fries in front of them. The utter shock was painted all over her face.

"I don't know what else you like."

Jade laughed out loud at this man's actions. He actually bought Micky D's before going to the RV point. And the fact that he said he didn’t know what else she’d like except Gin for alcohol and a double quarter pounder with cheese and fries, it’s probably the funniest thing she had ever seen him do.  

She couldn’t hold back her loud laugh that she tipped her body back, almost falling. Saying that Ghost didn’t like the sound of that would be an utter complete lie. 

“Oh my GOSH, Simon!” She clapped her hand together, still wheezing from laughter. "You are a top lad!"

Ghost grinned as he observed Jade's laugh. The only thing he did was listen to what she said was her favourite junk food meal back in Las Almas, and now he bought it for her. Nothing big at all, yet her smile was the widest he's seen her.

“Let me.” He poured each liquor to their respective paper cups a good amount. Giving the Gin one to her hand. 

For moments they filled their guts with the snacks Ghost brought. He took a glance at the woman beside him every once in a while, looking at how she ate the burger and fries, and how she cutely scrunched her face when the gin caught the back of her throat. He too was eating away at his own burger. To be honest, this was his first time eating junk food in a while. It's been years since he enjoyed a delicious, trashy fast food because of his constant deployments and, basic health, of course. But being with her, he felt like just letting go. He didn't feel like eating something hard-earned. Just an easy quick fucking burger with fries.

Licking her fingers from the fries flakes, Jade started. “Look at us. Eating a double quarter pounder with fries, with booze on the side, on the roof of the Ministry of Defence, waiting for the New Year countdown in front of London Eye. What. A. Scene.” 

Suddenly, Jade noticed that Ghost shivered a bit. He took another gulp of the bourbon before finishing his burger.

"Are you cold?" 

"...No." 

"You're shivering."

"I'm not."

"...Your cheeks are red."

"They are not."

"You always cover them with your mask but they're clearly blushing from the cold."

“You’re seeing things.”

“...Alright, then. That is it.” Out of nowhere, Jade scooted closer to him, pulled half of her scarf before tugging them around Ghost's neck, creating a connection between the both of them.

"Wh-What are you doin’?”

Still tidying the scarf, she answered, “How can I eat peacefully if you’re shivering beside me like this?” Patting the scarf softly in finality, Jade muttered, "There. If it's cold, the solution is to wear more layers. Not drink alcohol. Take this as a payback for lending me your jacket a week ago."

Ah, yes. The jacket she threw to his face after she pecked him on the cheek. He's not going to lie, he should’ve worn that jacket today. The cold was no joke at all. They both rubbed their hands together, and covered their mouths and nose with it, blowing more warm air towards their palms to keep the heat.

Just as they observed the London Eye, Ghost’s watch showed 23.56, signaling the start of the light shows that began commencing right in front of them. 

Jade stared at the holograms and dancing drones in the sky, captivated by the attraction, until Ghost called her name.

“Jade.”

“Hm?” She replied, her eyes kept looking at the light show.

“Listen… If you think it's okay, I'm about to say somethin', alright?” said Ghost, as the cold wind kept blowing gently. 

What was he about to say? How should she react? Those were the thoughts that crossed her mind. Her racing heart was beating so loud caused by all the questions inside her head. Looking at the direction of the conversation, he might tell her something really, really important. 

“ …Alright.” fingers crossed inside her head, Jade shifted her head to look at his eyes, and it was, for the first time, filled with such vulnerability and tenderness. The absence of the black paint left his brown eyes bare – nothing to hide, no front to put up.  

“After I say this, I think things will never be the same, though I hope otherwise.” Putting his fists on his knees, Ghost began.

“Ever since I delved into this occupation, I fully commit my life to the job; there's no room for compromise, and if my life ended, then at least I died fighting for my cause.”

His tone grew slightly sombre, probably from remembering the times he enlisted into the army, all the hardships, all the pain and suffering he endured inside and outside the army, it all had made him who he was right here and then.

“But recently, I felt something that I haven't felt in a long, long time, and I thought I must be out of my mind to allow myself to feel this way. “ Ghost continued, his eyes grew softer. It's almost like she saw a glint of light and hope in his eyes.

“I admit that I've been an arse to you; I hadn't been nice, and I don't think I deserve to feel this way for you."

"At first, I didn't know what I was feeling. You were too good at what you do, and you gained my trust all too quickly. But the more I know you, the more I spend my time with you, it became clearer – I admire you, I respect you, I revere you. Until it grows to something more than that.”

Ten! Nine! Eight!

“I thought if I let it be, my feelings would dissipate and go away, but it only became stronger. I can't get you out of my head."

Seven! Six! Five! 

“I'm not good with words, so I will say this once.”

Four! Three!

"You brought up a part of me that I didn't know I had. And I like myself more every time I'm with you."

Two!

"Lottie,"

One!

Hundreds and hundreds of little lights shot up into the sky, flying high into the infinite black above. Along with the loud cheers of the people below, the lights exploded and dispersed into beautiful colours of red and blue, filling the night sky with a kaleidoscope-like view. The great bell of Big Ben chimed over and over, bearing witness to the change of the year, the London Eye flashed into colours of blue and red and white.

Ghost never liked New Year's.

He never liked the noises and the sounds of explosions as his nerves and senses went into overdrive at the place where they weren't supposed to. In the battlefield, this bodily reaction would come in handy – it kept him alive. But right at that moment, when Ghost declared his honest feelings to Jade, this might be the worst – and at the same time – the best place to do it.

Jade loved New Year's.

For most of her life, those days were the reason she kept going, to at least survive, and live for another year – just to witness the fireworks. She never once missed a fireworks show, even if she was somewhere else around the world for an assignment, Jade would find a big city and witness the colours of New Year's. Even if she was somewhere where people didn’t celebrate, she’d quickly turn on the TV, however bad the quality was. 

Even if she had to camp in the middle of nowhere, she would bring a sparkler rod beforehand, lighting them up as a little firework right in front of her face. 

She had to witness them.

Yet as of this moment, she couldn’t be bothered to even look at the fireworks, as her green eyes were fixed only on the man beside her. 

If she were to be honest, Jade couldn’t quite hear what he said. The noises were very loud, almost deafening, coming from everywhere around them. The sounds of explosions, chimes of the big ben, loud cheers of the people below, and the music from the London Eye. 

But it didn’t take a heavily trained MI6 agent to read lips, especially when he’s speaking right in front of her. 

“I think I’ve fallen in love with you.” 

Her eyes widened at those words. No one had ever said that to her before in her life, not one that made her heart race, but also one that made a thousand butterflies fly inside of her. 

“But I don’t know if I’m ready.” 

And just like that, Ghost left her speechless. The butterflies flying inside her stomach had flown to God knows where. Lights from the fireworks had not stopped exploding, and the noise didn’t dissipate. It only grew louder and louder – a contrast to what was happening inside Jade’s mind right at that moment.

Ghost saw her entire expression. It was a mix of delight yet of confusion. A face of joy and love, yet of bewilderment. It’s like she’s still processing his words, and understandably so. He felt like an utter and complete arse at that moment. He just confessed his feelings to her, only to say that he cannot dedicate himself to it. 

For a moment, he kept looking at her face. The fireworks light reflecting on her skin, the cold winter wind combing through her wavy hair.

She’s so goddamn beautiful. Fucking hell. How can he not love her? It’s impossible for him not to fall for her. 

It took a really long time for her to finally change her expression. He thought he saw her breath hitched before closing her lips together tightly. It seemed that she’d finally regained her composure, so he continued.

Ghost balled his fist even tighter on his knees, “This job is essentially my whole life, and it’s full of uncertainty. You said you felt safe with me, Lottie, but it’s not true.” He swallowed, “Being with me is anything but safe.”

Jade only stared at him. 

“You deserve the whole world, Jade, and I’m afraid I cannot give it to you. I care for you more than I thought I did.” He admitted. “I want to make you happy, but I can’t. I don’t know how.”

Ghost kept on observing her reactions, but she gave none. The woman’s expression looked… empty. Was it her instinct to not give out any expressions during vulnerable times? It might be so, considering her background. Still, what did he expect? For her to be mad? Cry? Disappointed?

Instead, what Ghost saw before him a few seconds later was an expression of… relief? He didn’t know what to interpret them as, but Jade smiled. It was full of sincerity and at the same time, sadness. He was a little bit taken aback at that. Part of him thought that their relationship that they’d built through hard-earned trust would go down the drain from his words alone. However, it was not what happened, as she called his name.

“Simon.” 

He blinked, waiting for her next words.

“Can I hug you? Please?” 

Jade's plea sounded like a person's last wish. 

It saddened him so. He wanted her to be happy. God, he wanted to. But in the current state he is in right now, it's almost impossible. 

So he nodded softly, and she embraced him in a soft, warm hug. Jade's chin rested on his shoulder, his chin on hers. Their bodies pressed together, arms circling their figures so tight, yet so gently. His long arms could almost envelop her entire figure in a bear hug. 

Ghost closed his eyes, smelling the scent of her hair that touched his face from the blowing wind, pressing his palms on her back to feel her as close as possible.  

As the fireworks kept coming up, they hugged like a lifeline. Not wanting to let go, at least he didn't.

"You've told me what you wanted to say. Now I'll say what I want to say, alright?" Still pressing her cheek to her neck, she voiced softly.

"...alright," he replied. 

Jade grasped his jacket, took a deep breath, and started, "I've never met someone who's so similar to me. I've always lived alone, thrived alone, and survived alone, until I met you."

Ghost stayed still. 

"I said it before, I feel safe with you. I can be myself. I don't have to hide anything. And I care for you." 

"You said you want to make me happy, so I'll say this: I want to see you happy, more than anything. Nothing makes me happier than looking at your smile."

In the middle of the loud noise, she confessed.

"I love you too, Simon.” 

Hearing that sentence felt like a boulder had just been lifted up from his shoulder; his chest that felt tight for God knows how long released its tension. He tightened his hold on her ever so gently. God, she's so warm. 

For a while they hugged, not saying anything, until Jade rubbed his back up and down. Realizing that they need to part, Ghost let out a breath that dissipated into the air.

They stared at each other's eyes. Everything was different now. The person in front of them knew that they loved one another; recognizing that the person in front of them meant the whole world to each other. A moment of epiphany reflected in their eyes.

Ghost started. "Let's not change, yeah?"

Jade's mind interpreted that into two meaning, but she chose to believe the more hopeful and the certainly better one. From the way he looked at her, Jade was sure that she's right.

She nodded, "Yeah. Of course. But..."

That last word made Ghost flinch. Who said only he could say a 'but'?

"I'm not someone who will sit and wait, Simon."

Ghost widened his eyes.

"I love you, and I'm here for you. You're the only one for me." She continued. "But I'm not going to ask you 'what are we?' after too long."

Her eyes reflected a kind of conviction she'd always displayed in the battlefield. Jade might be a warm, kind-hearted, most uncomplaining woman he'd ever met, but she's not a fool either.

"I'm ready. I want us to be ready. So I will wait for you." Jade declared with finality. A smile formed in her lips.

Her words might be the ones entering his ears, but Ghost's mind registered one phrase.

'Don't play with my heart.'

Like he would. That's the last thing he wanted. Jade's heart was the last thing he wanted to play with and make wait. He must admit, he hadn't seen all sides of Jade yet. And Jade hadn't seen all sides of him. But he's willing to reveal them -- in time.

Ghost smiled back. "Yes Ma'am."

---

Journey back to The Garden was… normal. It wasn't awkward nor anything uncomfortable given that they just literally confessed their affection for each other, rather a pleasant walk and bus ride, thanks to Jade's conversational skills that were superior compared to his. She'd asked multiple questions about himself, and not the deep ones, but the very mundane, unimportant facts. 

"What's your favorite season?"

"Summer.”

"Do you watch Football?"

"Only on some occasions.'

"I find that hard to believe. Who do you support?"

"City."

"Oh. Is blue your favorite color?"

"Black is, but I just found out some time ago that black is a shade, not a color. So blue it is."

"I'd really love to see you in blue outfits." 

He made a mental note on that. 

It didn't feel like 1 hour of commute for them to find themselves in front of The Garden. It's 2 AM, but some lights were still shining since it's the first day of the year, casting a light on their faces.

Jade looked at Ghost, glancing at the pavements to avoid her gaze.

"Beanpole."

He looked at her.

Her gentle voice felt like a warm glow of the sun in the middle of winter, "Happy new year."

Ghost couldn't hold the grin on his face. Yep. It is a new year indeed. New beginnings, new journeys, new endings. "Another fuckin' trip around the sun."

They giggled together, the sound so pleasing to their ears. They couldn't wait to hear more of it.

"I should call it a night. We're opening the shop early this morning."

"Oh. Yeah, you should rest." He sounded disappointed.

Jade lifted her hand, held it into a fist, and lightly pushed it on Ghost's chest. "See you, Simon."

"See you, Lottie." Ghost raised his right hand to tap Jade's shoulder once.

What she didn't expect though, his hand ran slowly along her clothed arms, from her shoulder, her arm, down to her forearms, ending on her hand. His palm ran noticeably slower once he reached the back of her hand.

He subtly traced her knuckles and to the most end of her fingers, making the most out of that touch, before his legs shifted to walk away.

"Text me, yeah?" Ghost said with finality, their distance increasing.

"You text me." Jade said with a loud volume. She could tell he's laughing as he started to disappear from view.

Jade smiled, rubbing her hands together to keep the heat on her hand. Remembering all the things that happened tonight. Gosh, that was something else.

She started to giggle, squealing in a high pitch when she remembered the words he said. Her feet tapped side by side on the snowy pavement. Ghost? Saying those words?? Oh, she might fly away. He said he's bad with words, but that was not bad at all (not that she had any comparison. Still, he could be sweet when he wanted to.

"Lottie? Back already?" A man's voice muttered to her.

Jade looked to the side, recognising her father and mother, walking hand-in-hand, looking as romantic as ever. They clearly looked so happy together, spending another new year's eve with each other's company.

"Yeah. I just got back too." Jade nodded.

"Great! I cooked some chicken casserole after you left. Let's feast on that and maybe get some wine yeah?" Her mother chimed, while her father kissed her on the forehead.

Jade reflected on the life she'd lead, and the lives that both of her parents had lived as retired black agents who'd ben through hell and back. The gratefulness that they felt each year, to spend it with the most important person in their lives.

What a dream that was.

What a dream to live.

Fin.

---

Happy New Years 2025 everyone!! 🤩 May this year be cheerful and bright, bringing up hope and joy to us all.

Thank you for reading!

[inuyashaluver]

Please would you write a part two to my girls?

where Ellie calls maya mama for the first time in front of the united girls. They keep making her repeat it thinking she’s just mumbling and maya walks in.

Love the fics <3

my girls [ part 2 ] - maya le tissier

maya le tissier x reader

description: in which ellie calls maya ‘mama’ for the first time, everyone is extremely emotional

warnings: fluff, fluff, fluff i feel sick, does the time frame make sense? no not really but who cares

a/n: omg! first time writing a part two! hope you enjoy! ❤️ i’ve literally never written something so fast! also thank you for the love, baby!!

read part 1 first!!!

⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆

you and your girlfriend, maya are still very much infatuated with each other. you’d been dating for a little over 6 years and it had been nothing but genuine.

the mutual respect and love for each other was obvious to anyone, you two were very much in love and you couldn’t be happier.

and something maya loved additionally to everything about you is that you came with a bonus, a mini you in the form of ellie to share that love with.

ellie brought the two of you together even more, maya seeing ellie as her own daughter and ellie very much being obsessed with maya.

it wasn’t uncommon that the two of them would team up as partners in crime against you but you didn’t complain, their little giggles and cheesy grins warmed your heart more than anything.

—

maya had gone to the market in the morning with ellie, taking her secretly but making sure to leave you a note that she had her.

it was a warm day in manchester, the sun beaming down on the two girls as they treaded through the market, giggling and chatting as they went through all the stores.

and because it’s maya and ellie is ellie, everything ellie liked or thought was cute, maya got it without a question. you’d be sure to scold maya when they both got home but she couldn’t help it.

the way ellie was so grateful and actually chose things that she wanted made maya think it was a no brainer.

ellie would always make sure to thank maya with a hug and a kiss to the cheek and it would make her melt every time her little voice said, “thank you, may may”.

maya made sure to not forget about you, her other favourite girl. she picked out a bouquet of your favourite flowers and a few foods that were only available at this specific market.

ellie teased maya about the flowers and maya truly could see you shining through the little girl. “you love mummy” ellie giggles, holding onto maya’s hand.

“mhm, i do love mummy” maya smiles bashfully, “and i love you as well” maya grins at her, ellie turns shy suddenly, her hand twitching in maya’s before tightening her hold.

“i love you too” ellie says softly. maya smiles brightly, adding another small bouquet and giving it to ellie which she excitedly accepted.

when they both made it home, you’d been doing some reset jobs in the house when you heard the excited chatter and giggles from the door.

“elle belle, take this to mummy for me” maya whispers, taking ellie’s flowers and replacing them with your bouquet. ellie nods determinedly, padding over to the kitchen as you were wiping down the island.

“mummy!” ellie exclaims excitedly, placing her little hand on your thigh to make you look down at her. “my baby!” you smile, lifting her up to sit on the counter, “what pretty flowers” you grin, your eyes making their way to maya, she was leaning against the door frame while watching you with a shy smile.

“may may bought them for you” ellie teases, you laugh brightly, kissing the small girl on her cheek repeatedly and making her squeal.

“is that right?” you tickle her sides, ellie nods, “she bought me flowers too” ellie gives you a toothy grin, your eyes look up at maya again, your smile never leaving your face, your heart was soaring at the gesture.

“mummy, go thank may may” ellie scolds, you and maya both laugh, maya walks further into the kitchen to where you both were, her hand making its way to the small of your back.

“thank you, baby” you smile, giving her a sweet kiss, maya leans into you, pecking your lips a couple of times before handing you the food from the markets.

you gasp excitedly, kissing maya’s cheek before she stands behind you, her arms wrapping around your waist as her head rests on your shoulder.

ellie smiles at the both of you, she loved seeing you both so happy. “i’m going to play now,” ellie exclaims, you help her get off the counter and she runs away to put the flowers in her room.

you turn in maya’s hold, “you’re so sweet, I love you” you cheese out, maya pulls you into another kiss, your mouths moving together sweetly.

you hum against her and she smirks into the kiss, “i love you” maya pecks, ushering you to eat the foods she bought that you promptly shared with her, many little kisses shared between the two of you.

—

you still work as a physio for manchester united, you and maya grateful for the extra time you have together. ellie was now 5 years old and it had both you and maya in disbelief at how fast she was growing. and with the rapid age increase, came the time you were dreading. school.

you couldn’t help but cry some nights to maya about your little girl going to school.

“she’s growing too quickly, she was in my belly not that long ago” you sniffle, maya kisses your forehead tenderly, your legs over her thighs as you both sat on the couch, ellie sleeping in her bedroom, her first day of kindergarten was the next day.

“oh, baby,” maya coos, her hand caressing your side as you leant against her shoulder. “it’s exciting though, my love, she’s going to learn and make friends” maya says adoringly, kissing the top of your head as you sniffle against her.

“i’m so proud of her, but she needs to stop growing” you demand, maya giggles, “i’ll tell her to stop growing” you let out a wet laugh, grabbing maya’s hand with a gentle squeeze.

“good” you smile, looking up at her with a gentle grin, she smiles back at you, kissing your tears away, kissing the tip of your nose and finally landing on your lips.

“it’s okay, you’re okay, we’re okay” maya assured softly, kissing your lips once more as you nod. “we’re okay” you breathe out, pulling maya into a tight hug.

—

the next day, ellie woke up early and ran to you and maya’s bedroom. “wake up!” ellie squealed, jumping on the bed as both of you groan, you hide your face in maya’s neck.

“baby, it’s too early” you whine, ellie moves to sit on maya’s waist, “mummy is so grumpy in the morning” ellie huffs, maya lets out a little laugh, pulling ellie into a little hug when the girl flops on top of her.

“my big girl is going to school” maya grins, suddenly you gasp and sit up, grabbing ellie and tickling her while kissing all over her face.

ellie squeals in delight, “mummy, no!” ellie laughs brightly, “no!” you laugh, maya joins in, making ellie double in laughter as you both kiss and tickle her. when you both stop, ellie calms down, all of you in fits of giggles.

after a quick morning debrief about all of your dreams that night, ellie gets ready for school with the help of you and maya. you made her lunch while maya helped her get dressed. maya teared up a little at seeing ellie looking so cute in her little uniform.

“may may, why are you crying?” ellie asks worriedly, grabbing maya’s hand gently, maya smiles softly. her heart was exploding at how much love this little girl had in her, telling her everything about how much of an amazing mum you were.

“happy tears, elle belle” maya sniffles, bending down and straightening her little skirt and adjusting her jumper. “happy tears” ellie smiles, giving maya a little hug when she saw the tear roll down her face.

maya holds her hand and walks her to where you were waiting anxiously in the kitchen, a special breakfast awaiting your daughter’s arrival.

“mummy, may may won’t stop crying ��happy tears’” ellie says worriedly, looking up at maya, maya shakes her head amusingly, looking at you with a little smirk.

you gasp when you see them, “look at you” you coo, immediately tearing up.

“mummy, don’t cry!” ellie gasps, running towards you and hugging your legs. you lift her up quickly and hug her, cradling her head to her chin as you sway her gently.

“my baby girl” you coo, ellie wipes away your tears with her hand and you smile fondly at her. maya takes photos of the both of you, making quick work of setting it as her lockscreen.

“please stop crying, you two cry too much” ellie pleads, you and maya both let out a little wet laugh. “sorry, lovie” maya smiles, kissing your cheek and ellie’s before she moves to wash the dishes quickly.

ellie sits down and you both chat to her about school and her feelings towards it as she ate her breakfast. you and maya get her ready and get her in the car, maya drives with a hand on your thigh while you grip onto her arm nervously.

“breathe, baby” maya chuckles, you nod and let out a little breath, ellie in the back hums along to a song on the radio to the short drive to her school.

you and maya would both be heading to work/training after this.

you get out of the car with maya and help ellie out, putting her backpack on for her as she holds onto both of your hands tightly.

“I will pick you up later, okay?” you both kneel down to her level, ellie nods enthusiastically, kissing your cheek and giving you a hug.

“i love you, mummy” ellie grins, a tear rolling down your cheek in the process “i love you, my girl”, she moves over to maya, “have a good day, elle belle, i love you” maya smiles, hugging the girl tightly as ellie kisses her cheek.

“i love you, may may” ellie waves to both of you, saying hello to her teacher as she walked in.

you immediately pout and look at maya, she quickly pulls you into a tight embrace, “baby, it’s okay, we’ll see her soon” maya says softly in your ear, you hold her tighter, your face hiding in the crook of her neck.

she held you for a little while longer, whispering sweet nothings in your ear before she walked you to the car, driving you both to the manchester united facility.

—

when the time came to pick up ellie, you rushed a quick kiss to maya’s lips before you promptly left to pick up your little girl. maya giggled against your lips when you kissed her, knowing how excited you were.

she had media duties today so the day was a little longer than expected, but you promised ellie that you both could stay and wait for her when ellie begged to stay with maya.

ellie bounds over to you excitedly, a big hug coming your way when she saw you on the school gate. “oh, my girl!” you grin,

“mummy, i missed you” ellie kisses your cheek, you return the gesture, “me and may may missed you way more” you grin, walking her to the car and driving back to the training facility.

you both walk in and the girls gasp excitedly when they see ellie, a popular favourite amongst all the staff and the team. she bounds over to ella and millie, the first people she sees as maya currently wasn’t in the room.

“hi, princess” ella says excitedly, pulling her into a tight hug and making ellie giggle. “i’ll go find maya, baby!” you grin, running out of the room in attempts to find your girlfriend.

a couple of the girls gather around ellie, fangirling over her as she recounted her day. that’s when ellie said it, “mummy and mama took me to school, and then-” ellie says excitedly, interrupted by mary,

“who drove you to school?” everyone tensed, confused whether they heard what they thought they did, looking at each other in shock but excitement also.

“uh, mama drove me” ellie said confused, “you mean (y/n)?” ella buts in, “no, mama drove and then went to training” ellie was genuinely confused.

“who’s mama, baby?” mary smiles, “mama is may may” ellie grins, sitting cross legged as the girls fangirl again.

when mary hears yours and maya’s excited chatting approaching, mary asks ellie the same question. “mary, you’re so silly, mama is may may!” ellie laughs, you and maya pause at the door.

maya’s mouth was agape, her eyes wide with shock. you cover your mouth with your hands, looking between the two of them, tears were brimming in your eyes again.

ellie finally saw maya at the door, running towards her excitedly, “mama!” ellie exclaims, crashing into maya’s legs with a hug. she hugs her tightly and maya’s eyes go to you, a tearful expression evident on her face.

“hi, my lovely girl” maya grins, pulling her up into a big hug, “mama, mary didn’t know you were mama” ellie laughs, hugging her tightly again, “i didn’t know i was mama” maya giggles, her hand rubbing circles on ellie’s back.

ellie looks at her confused, holding her hand out to you and making you walk over to them.

“that’s mummy,” she starts, holding your hand, “you’re mama” ellie put a hand on maya’s cheek, maya nods, both of your eyes glossy with tears. the girls all busy themselves to let you have your private moment.

“tell me about your day!” maya smiles softly, holding ellie with one hand and yours in the other as she walked with you to the physio room.

when you both go home and go through your regular routines, as soon as ellie was asleep, maya broke down.

“she called me mama” maya pouts, laying on top of you as she cried in your neck, you coo, rubbing your hands on the skin of her back under her shirt.

“because you are her mama” you smile, maya pulls back, “i love you, and ellie so much, i hope you both know that” maya sniffles, you nod and pull her into a loving kiss, “i know, baby, we love you so much too” you whisper against her lips, kissing her sweetly before dragging her off to bed.

—

everytime ellie calls maya ‘mama’ her heart flutters, she feels so privileged ellie considers her a mother figure and she’s so grateful for the both of you.

so much so, about two months later, ellie and maya are back to their partner in crime activities for a very special surprise on your 6 year anniversary.

maya and ellie woke up extra early to go out to the markets on a sunday, getting you flowers, a cake and other little goodies that you enjoyed.

at the market, maya asked ellie what she thought about her marrying you and ellie gave her a simple answer. “i want you and mummy to get married so you can be together forever” and that was the green light.

maya messily writes the number 6 on the cake and lets ellie carry it to yours and her room. maya’s hand quickly falls to her back pocket to check if the little box she’d been hiding for a year was there still, extremely nervous.

“morning!” ellie yells in your ear, maya winced, smiling at you apologetically as you sat up and rubbed your eyes.

“good morning, happy anniversary” you pull maya in for a kiss, “happy anniversary” she grins against your lips, pecking it quickly before ellie shoves the cake in between you two. maya places the flowers on your bedside table and smiles at ellie showing you the cake excitedly.

“we got cake!” ellie grins, you kiss her cheek lovingly and nod, “mhm, we got cake” you look at maya and she shrugs, kissing you quickly before sitting in front of you.

“i wanted to ask you something” maya says nervously, you look at her surprised, sitting up slightly and holding one of her hands.

“go for it, baby” you smile, maya smiles back, her hand reaching into her back pocket and pulling out a small velvet box.

your breath hitched, ellie gasps, slapping your knee slightly. from all the movies she’s watched, she knew what this meant and she was extremely excited.

“the last 6 years with you have been the best of my life, i’m ready to start forever if you are,” she starts, her expression tearful as your own tears ran down your face, “will you marry me?” maya chokes out, you nod frantically, pulling her into a passionate kiss as she gripped your hips.

ellie watches you both with her own tear running down her cheek, she finally knew what happy tears meant, her two mums were getting married.

maya slipped the ring on your finger and you hug her tightly, ellie joins in, all three of you giggling and smiling with each other. it truly was the start of forever, for the three of you.

⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆

liked by millturner_ and 44,232 others

mayaletissier: an honour to be your future wife and our little girl’s mama officially, can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with both of you 🥂❤️

view all comments

yourname: it’s a forever kind of thing 🥂 xx

↳ mayaletissier: bonus, i get a permanent milf who’s really hot AND gives good massages

↳ yourname: maya.

↳ mayaletissier: sorry

1maryearps: i’m violently sobbing

↳ ellatoone: you and me both

↳ millturner_: me too

↳ manutdwomen: us too

↳ lionesses: don’t forget us

[peanutbubba]

Stuck On You

Ace x Gn!reader, praise, fire, confessions of love, established relationship, reader and Ace are so in love, Narcolepsy strikes, not beta read, 1k+ words

Black strands blow in the wind, flickering every which way like a flame, so beautifully entrancing that it has your eyes widening.

It wasn’t often that Ace would walk on the Moby Dick without a hat, but when those days came you made sure to savor every part of them.

Carefully watching him across from the deck, watching how the wind messes up his hair, or how the upper half of his face looks so so good finally open to the sun.

You sigh, wondering if Ace thought of the same when you would take off your hat. Did he enjoy it? Wish for it to happen more?

Though eventually the thought is lost when he spots you, his eyes perking up as he turns to face your direction, waving to you merrily. Heat raised up your cheeks, flushing as you waved back to him, tilting the brim of your hat slightly down to hide your red face.

You’re sure that Ace would be the death of you, your chest tightening almost painfully every time you place your eyes on him. He was an angel to you, one of the most perfect beings in your eyes.

Sometimes it makes you forget, that you’re actually dating him, because you’re always hiding behind that shroud that someone as ethereal as himself could never love someone so average. Every time you remember it’s like ice cold water on your face, he wanted you, hand picked you, cherished you, and you were forever grateful.

Acutely, you were also aware that Ace did not view himself the same way you did, a shock to you when you first heard it.

When he had confessed that he was the son of Gol D. Roger there were tears stopped by his lashes, lips trembling as he expected you to call him the devil or yell obscenities at him.

You only chuckled, making Ace’s eyes snap from your shared bed to you, confusion in his eyes. Gently reaching for his cheeks as you brought him closer, kissing over the freckles on his left cheek, thumbing softly on the ones of the right.

“Does it matter who your father is?” You ask across his skin, breath fanning on his cheek. “Even as a pirate, you’re so perfect I’m sure you’re the only treasure I’d ever need.”

Ace practically sobs at your words and actions, wrapping his arms tightly around you, burying his face in your shoulder as you soothed him, joyful that truly you didn’t care.

And it continued like that, days were Ace though he deserved nothing but to die, you would be right beside him, worshiping him so fervently he had no choice but to cave and admit he was perfect.

You were so lost in your own thoughts of appreciating Ace that you hadn’t even realized he came right next to you, the gentle hand on your shoulder jolting you awake like you’d been struck by lightning.

He looked at you worriedly, thick eyebrows furrowed in concern, plush lips opening as he spoke. “Are you okay?”

“No,” then you shake your head, going even a brighter red if possible, “I mean yes!”

His face only contorts more, looking at you absurdly, the sun casting a glow on his hair, imitating a halo that only proved your previous statements.

“Are you free?” You finally choke out, a fish out of water sounding less out of breath than you, and Ace chuckles.

Nodding his head he goes to ask you a question but is stopped by you, your hand immediately gripping his own as you turn around and lead him to your shared quarters.

Locking the door behind Ace, dragging him further until you reach the bed, sitting down first then pulling Ace on your lap second. His arms planting themselves on your shoulders, knees and thighs beside yours, trapping you in.

Taking off your hat your place it instead on Ace’s head, a soft happy gasp leaving him as he pushes it down on his head properly. “What is this about, babe?”

You look down, burying your face in the crook of his neck, kissing and nipping carefully on the skin there. “I love you Ace.”

“I love you so much,” reaching your hands up you touch and caress every bit of skin you can, and Ace smiles because you’re in one of your moods where nothing matters but him.

You sigh softly, lips colliding with his collarbone next, grazing the skin ever so slightly with your teeth, but it’s enough to make him whine softly. “So lovely, so sweet.”

Your right hand trails up to Ace’s bicep, tracing the letters of his tattoo with practiced precision, outlining it nicely then raking your fingers back down his back, Ace shivering on your lap.

Peppering kisses up, from his collar bone to his Adam’s apple, then to his cheeks. You’re favorite part making itself know as Ace quietly laughs, smile making his eyes crease in to beautiful crescents.

As you lean back you stare, forgetting to breath as Ace shifted shyly on your lap, adverting his eyes.

“Is there something on my face?” He questions, his cheeks flushing as your gaze burns into him.

“No,” you shake your head softly, closing the space between the two of you, “You’re just too handsome to not stare at.”

You watch as the blush on Ace’s cheeks spreads even further, even covering his freckled shoulders, a happy almost purr like noise leaving his chest.

You chuckle at this, Ace’s eyes flickering back to you, watching how your shoulders raise in fall in delight because of him.

It has his heart clenching so tightly in adoration, you genuinely loved him so much it was shocking, a couple times you even joked that if he wanted you’d kiss the very ground he walks on. Every time when you would get like this, especially when you would stare at him like he hung all the stars in the night sky, he wouldn’t doubt the truth behind those words.

He’s absolutely sure that you were made for him, made to love and appreciate him in a way no one else could, made to compliment his very existence, and fuck, did you make living truly worth it.

You’d follow him wherever, do anything asked of you so long if Ace was the one asking, and likewise, Ace was in the same boat for you.

The two of you so truly whipped with each other that nothing could rival it, because even if the world crashed and burn right now the both of you wouldn’t care so long as you had each other.

Slowly you rub your nose on Ace’s, humming to get the man out of his head. “What are you thinking about?”

“How I want to marry you,” Ace simply snickers back, finally catching you off guard, now his turn to watch has your cheeks heat up.

You lean in and give a quick peck on Ace’s lips, pulling away as Ace follows, wishing that the kiss lasted longer. “I’ll make sure to get a ring soon then.”

Now it was back to Ace being flustered, orange flames igniting on his shoulders, making him lean back away from you so you wouldn’t get burnt.

It took him a minute to calm down completely, the fire on his shoulders shifting back into his skin, and he huffs finally leaning back in, resting his forehead on your shoulder.

Closing his eyes he focuses on how you make shapes on his unclothed back, or on your finger nails gently scratching on his back.

Before he knows it he goes from wide awake to dead asleep, happily snoring away, hunched over on your shoulder, arms still wrapped around your neck.

You’re surprised when you hear his snores, giggling at how cute Ace was, slowly pushing yourself further on the bed, trying your best to not wake the man on your lap.

As you get at a comfortable spot you lay back, closing your eyes as well as Ace rests on top of you, his naturally warmer temperature lulling you into sleep as well.

—

Get the poppers out guys, I finally wrote more than 1,000 words. Literally wrote this so late so I don’t know if actually has a flow, but I hope it does.

Anyways, I hope y’all enjoyed, Pea’s out!

[lfcgirlie866]

The Girl Who Broke A Million Hearts ~ Jude Bellingham x oc

Ok so you guys really surprised me by voting for this fic the most in the poll! I was expecting this to be the least popular option tbh, and I feel like it's really badly written 😭 I apologise in advance if it is!

Summary: 'I know the baby in your belly isn't mine, but if you let me, then I'll love her like she is'

Tropes: Childhood friends, not realising their feelings until it's (maybe) too late, pregnancy, found family

Warnings: fmc mentions death of a parent, there may be smut eventually in the story but idk yet

Prologue

As I sit outside in the mild Spanish night air, looking out across the horizon, I simultaneously wish for the darkness to end and also for the day to never come. The light means I won't be left alone with my thoughts anymore, but it also means that I have to leave Madrid behind and book a flight back to England. It means I have to leave Jude and face up to what a disaster my life has become in the last week.

How could it have all gone so wrong so quickly?

Last week, I was engaged to the man I thought I would be with forever, six months pregnant with his baby, too. I thought I knew where my life was going.

Now I'm just pregnant and alone. I don't have a home to go back to. No family. Nothing. No one.

I'm slowly spiralling, worrying about what the hell I'm supposed to do next and regretting almost every decision I've ever made.

You're a failure, Sapphy. Your mum would be so disappointed in you, I think to myself, trying to hold back a sob. You're a loser. You're too weak to do what she did and raise a baby alone.

Maybe I should just suck it up and go back to my ex, Aiden. Give in and do what he wanted me to; Move halfway across the world with him. At least then I'd have a home again

But you wouldn't be happy, Saph. Not there, and not with him. Not after everything that's happened. After what he said...

'You'd do it for him, though. Wouldn't you?'

And the answer has been plaguing my thoughts ever since.

"Jeeze, Saph. It's almost 4AM. What 'er you doing out here?"

Jude's familiar voice startles me out of my thoughts, almost like I'd summoned him here with them. I turn around and drink him in. Lit only by the lights in the pool beside me, he looks just as beautiful as he always does as he walks over to where I'm sitting, and my stomach twists and turns at the mix of emotions he churns up.

Jude Bellingham. The boy I've known since he was eight, the one I grew up alongside of, the one who I watched become a world-class footballer right before my eyes. He is quite possibly the sweetest human on this planet, and I'll never, ever forget the truly heartfelt words he spoke at my mum's funeral. He means everything to me, but he's always just been a friend. Always. There was never a time when it could have been more. At least, it never crossed my mind at the time anyway.

But since Aiden said those words to me, I can't help looking at Jude differently. I wish I could stop, but now that I've seen the light, I don't think I can ever go back.

When his brother called me and asked if I wanted to fly out and watch Jude's game yesterday, I didn't hesitate. I jumped on that plane and then screamed my heart out watching him play. I forgot all the bad stuff for a while, but being in his home just brought it all back and I started drowning in my thoughts again.

"Jobe said he was worried about you yesterday. Now I am too, Saph." He says quietly, his fingers lightly stroking down my back, making me shiver.

I should tell him what's happened. I know I should, but at the same time, how can I?

He's THE Jude Bellingham. He's on top of the fucking world right now. I can't drag him down from that. I can't burden him with my own issues. These are my problems, I'm the one who has to deal with them. And, if I tell him I left my fiancé then he's going to want to know why. I'd have to tell him that I've become one of those girls, someone I never ever wanted to be; Just one of the millions who've fallen for him.

Some kind of dam shatters inside of me and as hard as I try, I can't hold it all back any longer. The story comes pouring out with a mixture of sobs and tears as he holds me tightly in his arms.

But there's one thing I don't mention: the fact that I might now have feelings for him, and maybe I always have done.

~~~~♡♡♡♡~~~~☆☆☆☆~~~~♡♡♡♡~~~~

A/n: Ahhh I'm so scared to see what you guys think of this 🫣 This is definitely just an introduction and the story will go back and explain how they met/ became friends etc etc.

If you're interested in reading more then please let me know ❤️

[eddiernunson]

Really Drives Me Mad | Older!Eddie x Reader | 18+

Previous Part | Master List | Next Part

Big thank you to @forget-you-morelike-fuck-you for editing, you really are the best!

Thank you to @bebe07011 for all your encouragement

Thank you to @names-were-taken ... you know what you did.

Word Count: 10.3k

Warnings: road head, breeding kink, daddy!kink, family awkwardness

Authors note: Guys I appreciate all your patience, truly I do. I was so damn busy these last two months, and I barely had the time or the motivation to write. It's more of a filler chapter, we get some good stuff next one. I'm still quite busy, but I got a fire in me to continue this story. Don't worry, I plan on continuing to the end. There's about two or three more chapters planned. As they say: life happens when you're busy making plans.

-

You sit on the couch cross legged, watching a movie under a big blanket with Eddie right next to you. He’s relaxed in the corner, arm sitting on the back cushion as he half pays attention to the movie. You’re telling him about work, some drama between two co-workers that has the entire workplace turned on its head.

Eddie wipes his hands of the butter from his popcorn, finishing a handful before he speaks. “Oh, yeah, one of my apprentices just quit, so I’m interviewing a few guys next week.”

For some reason, it doesn’t occur to you that because Eddie owns the shop, he’s also their boss, and therefore, has to hire and interview people. “Cool.”

Something in your tone forces Eddie’s head to tilt towards you. You see this out of the corner of your eye and break into a wide smile, giggling. “What’s…what’s this about?”

“It’s nothing.” You insist, way too fast for it to not be nothing.

“Ok, now you’ve gotta tell me.” Eddie insists, turning his entire body to face you.

“You’re gonna think it’s dumb.”

“What?” Eddie yelps out in surprise. “Of course I won’t think it’s dumb!”

“Promise you won’t laugh?” You pout.

Eddie sighs, you’re just hopelessly adorable to him. And he’s hopelessly in love. So of course, he says “I promise, I won’t laugh.”

“I just didn’t really think about you owning the shop, meaning that you’re their boss, and you have to do interviews.” You admit, aware of his brown eyes on you. “I never imagined you on the other side of a desk. But…” you stutter, clenching your thighs. “…then I did.” You laugh, embarrassed. “Then I became aware of how fast it took for me to picture it and I smiled.”

It’s a lot for Eddie to process at once. “Wait, so you thought of all of that in those two seconds?” Eddie asks, as an eyebrow rises in astonishment.

You nod, continuing  to munch on your popcorn. “Yeah…”

“…So what did you think of me behind that desk?”  He asks, biting his lip as his voice gets real low. One part of him wants to rile you up, but the other is genuinely curious.

You giggle, watching through half lidded eyes as his lips lean in to kiss you. Your tongues meet sweetly, his darkened stare making you feel drunk on love. “I—” The feeling of your phone buzzing underneath your thigh interrupts you, Eddie sighing as he reluctantly pulls back. “Wait!” you whine.

He chuckles. “Answer your phone. I promise, I’ll be just as curious after.”

Somehow it hasn’t gone to voicemail, yet. Your hand fishes it out from under your leg, the word Mom and her picture illuminating the screen. Fuck. You wince, wishing for three minutes ago when you were breathing in Eddie’s intoxicating scent. Your thumb hesitantly presses the answer button, “Hi, mom.”

“Oh, well you do answer!” There’s a sass in her voice right out the gate, and you instinctively cringe, understanding the type of phone call you’re about to have with her.

“I do work, mom. You happen to keep calling when I’m at work. Then, when I do call you back, you never answer!” You answer, watching Eddie’s brows furrow. It’s the first he’s hearing about this round about game you have with your mom when it comes to phone calls and you’ve never brought it up because the topic alone causes an abundance of stress for you.  “Please tell me why you called, or was it to just yell at me?”

“Oh I’m not yelling.” She dismisses you, not unusual for her, yet you still roll your eyes and grit your teeth in frustration. “I would, however, like to meet your boyfriend…looks like you two are getting serious…your aunts have found your page.”

“So they’ve seen…what? His ankle tattoo?” You ask, referring to the photo where Eddie is just stepping out of frame on purpose. Nothing about your Instagram account is a mistake for the moment, if anything just to spite his ex.

“The walk-in closet.” Your mom answers, and you gotta admit, that arch of a full body mirror in his (your) walk-in has become your favorite place to take a photo for the moment. “Even if I don’t approve, I just want to meet him. Bring him to supper. He can bring some family, if he wants. The more, the merrier!”

This sounds like your own personal version of hell. Judgemental aunties, drunk uncles, annoying cousins, and your mom all with Eddie? Throw him to the wolves, why don’t you? “Mom, why don’t we hold off your sisters for now? Let’s just introduce him to our family, and he can introduce you to his.” You suggest alternatively, barely holding in a laugh as Eddie’s shoulders relax, unashamedly eavesdropping on your conversation, not that you mind.

“You know, they’re not patient women.”

You laugh, nodding your head in full agreement. “Yeah, I know. Neither are you, and neither am I, neither is Viti. Runs in your family.” You roll your eyes.

Eddie nods in agreement, thinking of the initiative you took when he first met you and laughing silently to himself. Then his nose scrunches. Who’s Viti?

You turn to face Eddie as you talk on the phone, trying to make out what he’s mouthing to you. “Just send me a date and a time and I’ll try to get them over there.” What? You mouth back to him.

“Who’s Viti?” He whispers, still confused.

Wait, who’s Viti? You stare at him blankly, holding up a finger to finish the conversation with your mom as she responds. “Uh, I’m working Friday, and Eddie’s working Saturday…is middle of the week undoable?”

You hold the receiver, getting an answer that starts with “Well” is always going to be long-winded before getting to the point with your mom. “Viti is my little sister!” You whisper to Eddie. Upon seeing the genuine look of surprise you can tell he never knew about her.

You put the phone back to your ear, catching the end of “I suppose we could do Wednesday…”

You cover the phone receiver. “Can you get Steve in the state on Wednesday?” Eddie nods wordlessly, no doubt in his mind. “Wednesday works!” You cover the receiver again and remove the phone from your ear as she finishes with a long-winded goodbye. “How did you not know I had a sister?”

Eddie shrugs, also wondering. “Never came up, I guess?”

You consider this answer, recalling any acceptable times to bring it up. “That’s true, I suppose.” You put the phone back to your ear, “So, I’ll see you next Wednesday?”

“See you then! 7pm, don’t be late!”

You hang up your phone, falling backwards on the couch in frustration. “Ugh!”

“Would it be ludicrous to say that that did not kill my boner at all?” Eddie asks, slightly surprised himself.

You laugh, shaking your head as he makes his way back to where you sit on the couch. “Still wanna hear about it?”

He lays you down, nodding as he leans in for a kiss. “Tell me everything, baby.”

-

It’s Wednesday, unfortunately, and you make your way over to your parents’ house, a twenty minute drive down the highway. Yesterday it became evident how nervous Eddie is, dancing around the subject and being more lovey with you than usual, as if that were even possible. Now, he sits with his shoulders locked and face staring dead ahead as he gulps through his nerves. “Baby, are you okay?” You hesitate to ask, but can’t help it.

“Oh, just terrified.” Eddie admits, knowing just how much rides on this one supper. “Something just occurred to me…how…how old is your dad?”

“Oh…” you shift in the passenger seat into a more comfortable position. “I think he’s 53 or 54. I don’t remember which one he turns this year.”  

“Oh, thank god.” Eddie sighs, relieved, closing his eyes momentarily. “If your dad was younger I could only fucking imagine…what a shit show that would’ve been.”

“My mom is the same age as you, now that I think about it.” You say, wondering how that was a detail that hadn’t occurred to you before. “She graduated in 94’, which, correct me if I’m wrong, is the year you would’ve, too.”

“Well, shit.” Eddie mutters. He hasn’t done a meet the parents dinner where he was the one meeting the parent in fucking forever. So long ago, in fact, it was borderline humorous.

For some reason, Eddie seemed to look extra scrumptious, dressed to impress and smelling fantastic. Even as he looks nervous, he looks ten times better than any confident man. “You know what would help you feel better?” You ask, placing a hand on his knee.

You think you might have to be more upfront about it, but just from your tone alone Eddie is tenting his pants.  “What’s that sweetheart?” He asks anyway, playing dumb, wanting to hear you say it.

“If I sucked you off on the way?”

Eddie huffs his lips out, pretending to consider it. Honestly, he can’t even pretend. He breaks into a chuckle. “Put those pretty lips on my cock.”

You smile in satisfaction as you immediately move to unzip Eddie’s nice slacks and slip his cock out. “You’re already hard” You accuse him playfully. It’s such a damn compliment to you.

You’re in a lusted-out haze as you bend over to take him in your mouth, your shoulder awkwardly colliding with the steering wheel. The possibility of anyone passing in a car big enough to see you in Eddie’s clear windowed vehicle was too much of a turn on for you not to dissect it eventually. His cock reaches your throat, the sounds of you gagging on him repeatedly and your muscles twitching around him make him want to tilt his head back and close his eyes.

“Oh she’s just letting herself be fucked in the throat where anyone can see, huh?” Eddie mutters, his free hand moving through your hair. “Showing everyone how good of a slut you are.”

The words certainly help your ambition, and you start to bob up and down on him, sucking the life out of him with your wet slurps.

“Everyone gets a view but no one gets to know but me.” One of your hands start to play with his balls, moving them around as you lick and slobber all over him before pulling back, taking a breath break. Eddie lifts eyes up momentarily, smirking. “Oh you just gave that semi trucker a fucking hard on, baby I hope you know that.”

You glance sideways, your hand still wrapped on Eddie's cock, seeing the tail end of a white semi truck. You smile up at him and continue, the thought of some random dude being jealous of Eddie because of you was cool. You were only the cool girlfriend who likes to give road head because he’s a good boyfriend, anyhow. You hope he knows that.

“That turn you on?” You shake your head, the nuance too much to discuss while his cock still sits in your mouth. “Does him seeing it turn you on?” You smirk at him, taking a breath as your hand moves up and down his length. Now, for the big guns. You accept him to the back of your throat easily, the deep throating becoming one of your favorite past times with him. “Oh I’m gonna—"

You swallow every last drop that he has to offer when he spills into your mouth, almost too much as some dribbles down your chin. No, not too much. Never too much. You collect the dribble and put it in your mouth, licking your fingers clean. You hum in contentment over the salty taste, sitting back in your seat.

“Jesus christ.” Eddie mutters, still gripping the steering wheel with an iron fist. “That certainly made me feel a lot better.”

In hindsight, Eddie was right to feel anxious for it, just not for the reasons anybody could ever reasonably guess.

-

When you get there with five minutes to spare, Dylan and Steve are already in your parent’s driveway, both bearing smiles on their faces as they laugh about something.

Eddie finally finishes buckling himself up once the truck pulls up and you get out right away to distract (and to hug, of course), thanking Steve for making it on such short notice. Out of view, Steve’s SUV passenger door slams shut. “Dad, do you think her parents are as stuffy as she says they are or—” Arlo Harrington stops the moment he notices you’re there.

Eddie was hesitant to extend the offer to Arlo, but after he asked you with the disclaimer that Arlo is his god child and he considers family…it was hard to refuse. While you knew Arlo was going to be there, you just didn’t expect him to be a carbon copy of the version of Steve you saw in the photo on Eddie’s facebook.

Whatever genes are in those Harringtons, those curls run deep, every one of his kids had them from the photos. “Hi, Arlo. Nice to meet you.” You hold out a hand, diffusing the tension.

“Thanks for letting me tag along.” He pulls you in once he grabs your hand to shake it, muttering, “Couldn’t resist a show.”

You pull back, seeing a younger Steve in him. “Damn. This is your kid alright.” You confirm to Steve, letting go of Arlo’s hand.

Steve laughs, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, that’s my son.”

Eddie jogs up behind you, wrapping his arm around your shoulder as he carries a bottle of white wine. “Look who finally showed up.” Steve announces, wondering if he’s picturing the flush in Eddie’s face.

“Sorry, I needed a minute to gather my courage. We’re 3 minutes past 7, let’s go.” He mutters to you, causing you to roll your eyes.

“God, I’m not going to hear the end of those three minutes, she’ll hold them against me next time she needs something, I just fucking know it.”

Eddie chuckles as he holds your hand and you walk the stone path up to your front porch. Three knocks land on the door and you hear the small dogs barking and your mom brushing them away from the door. Your mom opens the door with your dad and your jaw hurts from the painful smile on your face as you watch the color in your mom’s face drain. “Mom…?” You ask, waiting for her to say something. “Hello?”

“Oh…sorry.” Your mom gulps, shaking her head. “Of course, come on in, everyone. There’s food on the table for snacks and supper is almost ready.”

Your parents’ tiny dogs yap and jump at you as you take your jacket off, watching as Eddie looks around your childhood home. “Quaint.” Eddie comments, noticing the frames on the wall and the little seasonal décor accents.

“Fuck off.” You tell him, a little self conscious.

“Good quaint.”

“You boys wanna watch the game?” Your dad asks, offering seemingly to anyone but Eddie. “Come on, let’s go sit.” He leans into Eddie as he turns to the living room, muttering, “My wife has got a bucket of questions, so don’t be scared by her inviting you to the kitchen.”

“Dave?” Your mom asks, still not having said much since you got there, which, frankly, is unlike her. “Can you meet me in the kitchen?”

Your dad’s eyes widen, the irony of his last statement not lost on him. “Shut up.” He tells you, his eyes kind behind his round glasses. A grin creeps up your face and you hug him tightly, wishing him luck as he opens the door  into the kitchen.

For the next five minutes, nothing suspicious seems to happen in the kitchen. Steve asks if there are any bottle openers for the beer as you sit next to Eddie on the couch, a dog landing on your lap as you direct him to said kitchen. Nothing too awful seemed to be happening, anyway.

Steve sighs as he just gets comfortable. Even with Eliza gone he can’t get fucking comfy. He trudges on to the door of the kitchen when he overhears the reason your parents were quietly bickering.

“—and Eddie fucking Munson!”

“Are you sure it’s the same men? Maybe they just look the same.”

Your mom hesitates, “I know Steve the Hair Harrington, Dave.”

“Yeah, I know you know him.” Your dad answers, Steve picks up on the bitterness in his voice.

You and Eddie are approaching the kitchen now, both going to grab a drink from the fridge when Steve stops you. “Listen.” He whispers.

“I don’t know how, but my daughter is shacked up with Eddie the Freak Munson!”

“And your high school crush is here as family…” Your dad adds, sounding tired.

High school whatnow?

“Oh, I could barely say two words to him! I went into Family Video once and ended up not getting anything because I was too flustered!”

“I’ve heard this story before, Cheryl, why exactly are you still flustered now?”

“Oh, don’t condescend me, don’t act like if Penny Rogers showed up at our doorstep you wouldn’t be tripping over yourself.”

“Penny has nothing to do with this!”

Once it starts getting heated, you look up at the two men and leave the door quietly to give them some time and hash it out. “Was that what I thought it was?” You ask Steve, afraid of a yes.

Steve nods, his eyes wide. “I think so.”

“Do you remember her?”

Steve shakes his head solemnly. “Sorry, can’t say that I do.”

Your little sister, Viti makes her way down the stairs, passing you without a second thought to the two men she has never met. “Hi, sis.” She greets, about to head into the kitchen.

“I wouldn’t go in there!” You warn her. Viti observes you, looking next to you as the two men shake their heads in tandem.

“What, they fighting? Not unusual, nowadays, sis.”  She answers, walking into the kitchen brazenly.

Eddie can’t resist. He really should. With you right there, he knew he’d get hit. He texts it to Steve, instead. Might not have missed your shot.

Steve pushes Eddie over, rolling his eyes. “You’re terrible!” Steve snaps, wishing the world would envelope him whole.

You hear your parents shooing Viti out and she returns, eyes wide and her pretty braids moving in tandem as she shakes her head. “Nope. I was wrong. They’re way worse. Whatever has them fighting has dad’s neck vein popping out, yeesh. Let’s go wait it out, it’s what I do, anyhow.”

Viti plays host and you sit by Eddie, listening to the boys talk about the game. You’re not particularly interested in stats and players but it’s fun cheering for the other team. Eventually you notice your sister has stopped talking altogether. She’s not even watching the tv screen.

You follow her line of sight to Arlo, and the irony of the situation hits you tenfold. “Nope. I can’t. I can’t.” You go upstairs to your told high school bedroom, Eddie following you inquisitively.

“Hey, what happened?” He asks, following you into the room that’s stuck in 2014.

“I noticed my sister paying a little too much attention to Arlo. That’s a little too fucking weird for me.”

Eddie chuckles, sitting with you on your bed. “We’ll get through this, don’t worry. Steve won’t even mention he doesn’t remember her.”

“He’d better not” You grumble, leaning onto his shoulder.

Eddie now observes his surroundings and how it’s so clearly a teenager’s bedroom. Your bedroom from high school. He adjusts as his hard on comes unexpectedly, yet fast. Something about the suggested innocence… Eddie shakes his head, kicking himself out of it. Your mom calls your name and you sigh, getting up from the teal bedspread. “C’mon. Let’s go face this shit show.”

-

Your mom has seemed to calm herself down, directing everyone to the extended dining table when it comes time. Your sister, 21 and in college, eagerly asks for the chair across from Arlo. By now, he’s caught on and he’s playing nice, much to Dylan’s teasing. However, neither of them have any idea how truly humorous it is.

“Sorry for the delay on supper.” Your mom says as you all sit down. “Some malfunctions with the food, all cleared up.”

Conversations carry on like normal, Eddie getting the interrogation treatment from your mom. Dylan feels defensive of his father’s honor but bites his tongue. She even asks Dylan if it was weird for him. “It’s my new normal.” Dylan answers easily, taking a basket of buns from Arlo next to him.

All conversations go politely, Eddie seemingly passing with flying colors. (Truth is, her mind was already made up before this dinner, and with her distraction, what Eddie said really doesn’t make a difference.) As the channels open up from getting to know Eddie and how he takes care of you and other points, your mom brazenly passes in favor of wanting to get it out there. “Uh, so I don’t know if you are aware, but I went to highschool with you two.”

Arlo, Dylan, and Viti are all thrown, of course. You, Steve, and Eddie all do your best to be surprised, Steve a much subtler actor than Eddie, but the smirk on his face is a dead giveaway. Eddie’s just dramatic.

“No shit, eh? Were we in any classes together?” Steve asks, making conversation.

“Yeah…chemistry and geometry. It was kind of hard to miss The King.” Dylan and Arlo pick up on it simultaneously, both sets of eyes jerking around in disbelief. Was this really happening?

You saw the kick in Steve’s confidence as he was called The King. You lean into Eddie. “The king of what?”

“You don’t wanna know.” Eddie lets you know, shaking his head.

“Don’t blame ya, I was loud.”

“I think I was louder, to be frank.” Eddie says, chuckling about his dramatic flair in the cafeteria.

“Oh my god, I remember that.” Your mom looks up, you envy, wanting to see young Eddie, too. From what you’ve seen of him, if you knew Eddie back then you couldn’t have been held responsible for pinning him down in a high school cafeteria. “The cheerleaders called basketball balls into laundry baskets because it pissed them off so much.”

Eddie chuckles, amused by this. “Cool.”

“I used to go to Steve’s ragers all the time.”

“Ragers? I’m sorry, this old man, father of four, dad joke extraordinaire, was a Rager Party thrower?”

Eddie nods, solemnly. “There’s a reason we didn’t get along. He was a douche.”

“Okay, I don’t think I was that bad.”

“Dad, when I was 17, you said you were glad you didn’t have a daughter because you were a raging dick in highschool. Actual quote.” Arlo speaks up, watching this shit show go down.

“If she was a cheerleader that answers why I don’t recognize her.” Eddie mutters to you, pretending to lean forward to speak low.

“Oh, fuck, yeah! You were Chrissy Cunningham’s friend, right?” Steve answers, tapping his brain.

“Yes! I was!” The relief that radiates off your mom after Steve remembers her is a little uncomfortable.

Steve makes eye contact and mouths the word No to Eddie, signaling he still doesn’t remember her, but if they were on the cheer squad, they definitely knew Chrissy.

An hour later, you’re washing dishes as Eddie comes up from behind you. He’s nervous as ever, for reasons he shall not share, but has something to do with the ring in his back pocket and a question for your parents.

“Hi, baby.” He mutters, thumbs slowly caressing the exposed skin on your hips. “Your mom asked to talk to me…should I be worried?”

“I wanna say no, but I don’t wanna give you false hope.” A sharp pain on your shoulder as he bites it causes you to jump, hitting your hips against his harshly. “I’m just being honest!”

Eddie chuckles softly, kissing where he bit you while rubbing your shoulder softly. You hum into him, your head leaning over in content. “Wish me luck, my love.”

As Eddie turns the corner towards the dining room he hears you mutter, “You’ll need it.” He rolls his eyes at you fondly, mentally reminding himself to get you back for that.

Truth be told, Eddie told a small fib. Your mom had gotten all her questions out during the dinner. Eddie was the one who had requested to talk to her and your father. The ring in his pocket has burned a hole in his back pocket all night, and he could finally get to the reason he was so eager to join your family for dinner.

If he was gonna propose, he’d at least do it right. (To be honest, if your parents don’t approve he’s gonna do it anyway, at least he’ll have made the attempt.)

Your parents are already ready and waiting, in the middle of an unimportant conversation. It dies as soon as he crosses the threshold to the dining room, the air in the room suddenly coarse. Has it really been nearly 30 years since he had to talk to a girlfriend’s parents? “Hi, thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”

“Sure, Eddie.” Your mom politely responds, her voice clearly uncomfortable despite her good manners.

“We were just curious as to why you asked us to have a conversation, is all.” Your dad admits, much more nicely, but still hesitant.

Not that Eddie blames them. If Dylan one day came to him with a much younger girlfriend he’d probably have some concerns, as well.

“I’m sure you are. Uh, to be honest, I was rather eager for a meet-the-family dinner…I have a question for you.” Eddie admits, rubbing his back pocket self consciously. “Listen…I love your daughter very deeply.”

He pauses and assesses their reaction, sitting as he twiddles his thumbs.

“We appreciate the sentiment. I can tell you really care about her.” Your dad admits, a soft smile on his face. He already feels a sense of affection for Eddie, despite only being a handful of years older than him. Anyone paying attention can see that your relationship was by no means superficial.

“However, you’ll have to forgive us if we’re a bit hesitant. Our daughter dating a man that’s literally old enough to be her father is a tad concerning for us.”

Eddie bites his lip, doing his best to stop himself from being defensive. It was his best intention to be on their good side. Flaring up seems like a bad idea.

“Totally understand where you guys are coming from.” He says, his hands anxiously rubbing against his jeans. “As I said, I love her. She’s the best person for me, and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier with anyone. I’m so happy… And considering I’m not getting any younger, I can’t wait any longer. I’m hoping you’ll give me your blessing to ask her to marry me.”

Any hope for a blessing dies as soon as your mom opens her mouth. For the record, it starts in abrupt laughter. “Yeah, no, that’s not going to happen.”

Eddie is unable to hold back the look of astonishment that lands on his face. He wasn’t expecting a blessing, but laughter certainly isn’t what he thought would happen. “Uh, care to explain the laughter?”

“Cheryl, while I was also going to refuse his blessing, laughing was a tad unnecessary.”

“Oh, Dave. If you knew Eddie Munson in highschool you would understand. It has nothing to do with the age difference and everything to do with the kid who made dramatic speeches on anarchy.” She laughs, placing one side of her hair behind her ear.

Eddie is stunned by her answer. How the hell was she still thinking like a high school cheerleader this many years later? “I…I have matured quite a bit since highschool.” Seems like you haven’t, bitch.

“While I’m sure you think that’s true, I just can’t see past the screw up. When she gets over how Attractive she finds you, she’ll find her way again.” She says absentmindedly, and even Dave seems to be astounded at her sheer audacity.

He chuckles deeply, arms crossed as he realizes he’s not going to win her over any time soon. An aura of confidence bursts through him, and it's almost refreshing to not be concerned with her opinion of him. “Okay. Got it. Your message is clear.” Eddie laughs.

“Good.” She stops and looks to her husband and says something clearly Eddie wasn’t supposed to hear. “Almost brought up the two years of highschool he repeated.”

That hit Eddie hard. She just went to a place that when Brooke shoved in his face he finally realized how shitty of a person she is. It hit a place that grabbed his heart and squeezed it harshly. “Okay, that’s too far. Don’t make me say it.” Eddie warns, jaw set hard.

She laughs. “Oops. Sorry. Didn’t mean for you to hear that. You gotta admit, it’s true.”

“Seriously. Don’t make me say it.” 

She rolls her eyes in a way he hasn’t seen since a bratty girlfriend Dylan had about ten years ago. “Say what, drug dealer?”

“Cheryl!”

“No, I warned her.” Eddie answers, unbothered at this point. If he has to marry you without your mom there, so be it. “Steve doesn’t remember you. Not the faintest idea who you are.” Eddie takes pride in her crestfallen face. “I respect your lack of blessing, but I’m gonna ask her, anyway. Then, when we get married and you’re not invited, don’t be surprised, Cheryl.”

Without another word, he walks into the living room where everyone is sitting watching a football game, including you. He comes in wearing a smirk, you almost fear the look on his face.

“C’mon, time to go home.” He holds his hand out, a tone in his voice informing you that you have no choice in the matter.

“Is…is everything okay?” you ask hesitantly, getting up from where Steve sits with his legs on your lap.

“If you consider your mom being stuck in high school good, then sure.” Eddie tells you, holding your hand. “Besides I think she’s about to get—”

Eddie is interrupted by your mom marching into the living room. “Alright, get out, family supper over.”

With that, you, Eddie, Dylan, Steve, and Arlo are out the door within the minute.

“Jeesh, what happened?” Steve asks, partially looking accusingly at Eddie.

“She insulted me a bunch, so I told her you had no idea who she is.”

Your hand slaps over your mouth, sharing a stunned look with Dylan and Arlo.  

“She insulted you?” You ask, anger swirling in your stomach as you turn on your heel. “I’ll be right back, baby.”

“Wait—!” Eddie can’t even finish his thought; you’ve already started your walk back into your house to give her a piece of your mind.

Your mom starts flying off the handle the minute the front door slams. “I thought I told you to leave my house!”

The look on her face tells you she’s only attempting to be intimidating with her stern expression, but all you can do is laugh at the absurdity of it. “That was before you decided to go and insult the shit out of my boyfriend.”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, you’re excused. Frankly, it’s embarrassing that I have to defend him from you because of whatever notion of him you’ve kept all these years. It’s also embarrassing for you to act like some moon eyed teenage girl with a crush when your husband of 30 years is literally right there!”

Your mom’s expression flares up defensively. “If you had heard what he said—”

“You realize how patient that man is right?”

She blinks confusedly. “Pardon?”

A huff of laughter escapes you before you continue. “Do you know how patient he is? Because for him to fire a shot back at you that severely means he must’ve endured far too much verbal assault before finally saying something to you. Which means you spent the better part of ten minutes insulting him for whatever reason until he snapped!” You look to your father who had come to witness the whole debacle. ”Am I correct in assuming that?”

He just nods solemnly, arms crossed as he looks on with furrowed eyebrows.

“Thought so. So here’s what’s gonna happen. Next time, you will not insult the man who has been nothing but nice to you and actually gave you no reason to hold a grudge this late in life other than being slightly alternative. If something like this happens again, I will not hesitate to cut contact with you.” A flick of worry crosses his face. “Oh, don’t worry, dad. I only mean her.” You allow your words to sink into her skin. “Am I making myself clear?” You don’t even wait for her response as her mouth gapes. “Good. Because I will be damned if I allow anyone, especially my mother, to mock the man I love. See you next time, where I expect you to act like my mom, and not this insecure and needy cheerleader I see before me.”

The silence is loud as you leave the front hallway entrance and slam the door shut behind you. The sight of Arlo, Steve, and Eddie standing near their vehicles greets you, their eyes synchronously moving to you as the sound of the door slam echoes in the neighborhood.

Eddie jogs over to you, his face concerned. “What was that about?” He asks, observing your mood.

“Yeah, like I’m ever gonna sit idly and watch when someone insults you. That’s unacceptable, I don’t care who it is.” You tell him, your mouth in a stern line, without a hint of humor in your voice.

“I—what?” He asks, his voice soft, his pupils jerkily assessing your face.

“I’m sorry you had to deal with that, that’s so unfair of her.”

“No, baby, I don’t care about that.” He dismisses it, the last thing on this mind. “Did you just stand up for me? To your own family?”

Suddenly the mist in his eyes becomes much clearer. “Of course! I can’t stomach that crap.”

A small “umph” leaves our throat as he tugs you into his chest with more force than you think he intended to. “I love you so fucking much.”

A sense of pride takes over you, smiling into his chest.

“So, we have a long drive back to Hawkins, so we’re gonna get going.” Steve mentions, suddenly realizing the two of you probably won’t be in the mood for any company tonight.

Eddie lifts his head to respond, you curl into his chest as one of his hands drop. “Of course, dude. If I’d known…”

“I don’t think any of us could’ve predicted that.” Steve laughs, letting the two of you off the hook.

“Oh shit,” Arlo stops himself from getting into his passenger side door. “You know your baby sister gave me her number, right?” He asks you, holding out a little folded piece of paper.

You wince in embarrassment. “Oh god. Don’t feel obligated. She’s just a girl with a crush.”

Arlo shrugs, not making a big deal out of it. “No, I know. Just making you aware.”

You watch him carefully. “…Hey Arlo?”

“Yep?”

“Why are you putting her number back in your wallet?”

He hesitates. “No reason...”

“Arlo?” You ask, your voice raising.

“What? No harm no foul.” He shrugs, putting the wallet back into his pants pocket.

You roll your eyes, shifting your attention to Steve. “Keep an eye on him?”

“I make no promises.” Steve laughs, holding his hands up in surrender.

“You laugh now, Steve, but just wait until Eliza is giving her numbers to men like Arlo.”

Steve stops laughing.

“That’s what I thought.”

Dylan can’t help himself from chiming in the thought that’s been eating at his brain. “Hey look at it this way.” He says, swinging an arm around your shoulder. “If they get married, your sister will have succeeded where your mom failed to.”

“Oh? And what’s that?” You ask, arms crossed with a skeptical smirk on your face.

“Becoming a Harrington.”

-

The bass beat echoes through the house as you dance around, mop in tow as you perform for no one. The Twilight soundtrack plays, specifically Super Massive Black Hole as your hips swing playfully, mopping the living room. Eddie is at work for the day until later in the evening, a rarity, but you plan on surprising him by earning your keep as a freeloader. As you continue to work 40 hours a week, the only thing you have to pay is your phone bill and car insurance, but you feel bad as Eddie continues to pay for everything else.

So, to make up for it, you’ve decided to clean his already clean house and do some laundry for him. Once the last of the living room has been mopped, you put it aside and return to the laundry room to switch the loads over. As everything is moved over, you lift the basket of hot clothes onto your hip like some sort of busy mom and make your way upstairs to the closet to put it away.

At the top of the stairs, you swear softly as you trip over a box Dylan has laid outside his bedroom door. He’s packing to leave, slowly moving his boxes over to his new place one trip at a time. Eddie had offered the same thing he had granted you: a moving truck with men to move it for him, but Dylan outright refused it. You know why, Dylan is a stubborn person, something you realize he got more from her than from Eddie. If Eddie acts stubborn, it’s usually for something he believes very strongly. Dylan is just plain ol’ stubborn.

You lightly kick at the box and walk through your room into your closet. The closet has certainly gotten messier since you moved in, most of the clothes are strung about when you’re done with them at the end of the day…much to Eddie’s dismay. One thing Eddie has learned about you after he moved you in was that you are not an organized person. His constant picking up behind you makes you smile, staring at him dead in the eye as you place the plate in the sink instead of the dishwasher. To Eddie, it’s like you want to watch the world burn.

Based on the look he gave you, you might be facing some repercussions for it, later.

Today is an attempt to make up for it, finally having the time to place your sweaters on the hangers and putting the pants back in their drawers. Eddie has a system, and you have to admit, it works. Your fingers brush the cooled off fabric as you fold each item, placing them in each perspective pile before starting to put them away. You hadn’t even realized the sheer volume of clothes you had put in the load. The detergent only vaguely smells like him, missing his essence, shampoo, and his cologne to top it all off. Still, the smell of it as you take a big inhale is intensely comforting.

Each pile is designated, so you move through them one at a time, the music blaring from the living room still used as a soundtrack. Pants, in the drawers. Shirts, hung up by type. Pajamas, put into a drawer. Your last pile is Eddie’s boxers, you fold them delicately by style and open the drawer to place them in, when a peak in the bottom of the already neat pile grabs your attention. Eddie is notorious for keeping piles meticulously organized so you grab the pile to start over when a soft thud hits the carpeted floor, grabbing your attention.

The object rolls out of sight, so you peer around the center console and the breath gets sucked out of your lungs when you see it. A small black velvet box sits upside down next to the white console, acting like it didn’t just bring tears to your eyes upon the very indication of what could be inside.

You pick the box up, Eddie’s underwear forgotten. You turn it over in your hands, thumb smoothing over the velvet as you contemplate opening it. Your hand itches for it, moving to open and backing out as soon as the seal is broken. Your teeth are grinding so hard as you place it on top of the center console and move to put Eddie’s underwear away, distracting yourself from doing something crazy.

The drawer closes, nothing else to do. The kitchen is done, living room is done, Dylan isn’t around for you to bother him and distract yourself. Mentally, you make a list of things you could be doing instead as you pace around the closet, the little box growing a big presence in the closed-in space. Your phone in your back pocket buzzes, you take it out, grateful for a distraction.

Shit, just someone you’ve spoken to once adding to their story. Your phone goes back into the pocket, and you stare at the box. It’s too tempting. It’s like Eddie staring at you with his dark brown eyes when he’s seducing you. How could you not give in to something when it tempts you so?

“Shit.” You whisper, walking slowly towards it. Finally, you let yourself open it, and your eyes well up as you see its silver and intricate design. It’s just what you envisioned for an engagement ring to be; you couldn’t have picked out a better ring even if you’d tried. How the hell did he find this? How did he know? Your hands are moving before you can even register. The music is still loud downstairs, but it’s muffled to you as your heartbeat takes over. The ring slides easily onto your left ring finger, and it fits perfectly. A tear falls down your cheek, an involuntary smile takes over your face.

Fuck, he does want to be with you forever, enough to go and get a ring. Your hands shakily move to remove it and it feels like torture as the ring lingers on the ridges of your fingerprint. Words can’t convey how hard it is to take it off. Who knows how long Eddie’s going to wait to propose? You don’t want to wait another day, let alone months. The idea of knowing but never knowing when he’s going to do it somehow feels worse than not knowing he has a ring to begin with.

No, you can’t even wait another hour. Your thumb hits the call button on Eddie’s name, top of your favorites, the recent calls, and your text messages. Doesn’t matter, if your thumb hits the top of your screen it’ll lead to him somehow.

He picks up on the second ring. “Hi, baby.” He greets you so warmly, a smile radiating in his voice.

You stare at the ring now sitting in your hand and nearly cry just from his tone alone. “Come home.”

“Wh-what, why?” Eddie asks, sounding alarmed. “Are you okay, did something happen, or--?” You can hear him moving around, he’s already getting ready to leave.

“I really need you right now.” You tell him, watching the silver band catch the fluorescent lighting of the closet. “Just come home.”

“Okay, sit tight, be right there. Love you.” Before you can respond, he hangs up, and you suddenly realize you have mere minutes to go and turn off the blaring music.

When Eddie bursts through the door, you greet him in the front entrance, the music turned off as you stand there with one hand behind your back, concealing the box in your hands. It lasts only a second. “Ask me.” You tell him, forgetting to show him the ring.

Eddie stops in his tracks; unsure he heard you correctly. He appears deeply concerned, his brow deeply furrowed and lips in a tight line. “I’m sorry?”

“Oh.” You let out, bringing the ring into his sight. Eddie’s eyes widen as he sees the box within your clenched grip. You shove it into his chest, eyes welling up as you tell him again. “Ask me. Get down on one knee and ask me.”

“A-a-are you sure? I had a plan, I was gonna make a whole romantic evening out of it—”

You interrupt him, happy tears shining in your eyes. “Edward Munson if you don’t ask me right now, I swear to god—”

“Okay, okay!” He chuckles, relieved his worry was all for nothing, yet his heart races as he shakily takes a breath and slowly lowers onto one of his knees. “Y/N L/N,” he starts, licking his lips as he smiles up at you. He holds out the tiny box you spent the last hour fidgeting with and opens it. “Will you marry me?” It couldn’t have looked any better…the shine in his eyes as he looks up at you, how the heavy breathing of his chest signals his nerves, his fingers fidgeting around the little black box.

You giggle through a teary yes, meeting him halfway as he rushes to his feet, grabby hands pawing at his face to yank him into a kiss. You’re both smiling too much to truly lock lips, feeling the top row of his teeth against your own gnash in the best of ways. “Put it on, put it on!” You mutter, your left hand tapping his chest impatiently.

His hands move quickly, stumbling as he slides it on. You can swear you see his eyes well up as he admires how it looks on your finger. “Back where it belongs.” You whisper to yourself, tapping your fingers on his chest.

The sentence takes a minute for Eddie to register as he smiles down at you, lovelorn. “Did you try the ring on?”

Your eyes widen, your face breaking into a wide smile. “I mean, with a ring as perfect as this one, how could I not?”

“Perfect, eh?” He asks, one hand moving up to caress your cheek. “I’ll take it.” He leans down to kiss you, all his emotions he fails to put into words conveying in the deep and lush kiss. It takes your breath away. “You sure? You wanna wear a pretty white dress and walk down the aisle to little old me?” Eddie ignored the subtle strain at his cock as he pictured you in a white dress at the opposite end of the aisle. Well, that’s new.

“Yes, I’m fucking sure!” You tell him, lightly bonking him as you continue to kiss him. “I wouldn’t have stared at the box for twenty minutes if I wasn’t sure.”

He separates from you, a smirk on his face. “Twenty minutes?”

“Yeah. If it wasn’t a ring, I think I would’ve died.” You confess easily, and the truth always comes so easy to you when it comes to Eddie. “Now kiss me some more.”

He laughs, leaning in for a slippery wet kiss. His breath is delicious, he tilts his head to deepen the kiss while his fingers trail along your side and rest on a patch of skin that’s exposed on your hip. It tugs the littlest of whimpers out of you, hands resting on his broad shoulders. His tongue licks along the bottom lip, asking for permission in a way he usually demands. You grant it, your foot taking an accidental step back on the hardwood.

Eddie’s hand that rests on your face moves down your neck, his rough fingers are tense as they seem to memorize every inch of your skin. Your neck tingles in its wake, a sigh of contentment leaves your lips. Eddie responds with a dirty exhale into your mouth and your jaw falls open in a sudden need for him. A sudden charge in you appears out of thin air, wanting more. “Ed.” You whimper out, clutching onto his jacket he’s still wearing.

He hums in response; you can feel his lips turn upward into a smirk as his hands continue their journey to your waistline. Your thighs clench together, craving friction on your heat that for whatever reason he hasn’t granted yet. You become impatient, moving the jacket off his shoulders and you’re happily greeted by the muscle shirt he’s wearing, his gorgeous arms on full display. His lips kiss down your neck, his hands spread out as if to touch every inch that they can, lifting your oversized t-shirt to expose the skin. You move to assist him, lifting your shirt above your head. It’s not going fast enough for you, there’s too much clothing on you.

Your feet unconsciously move toward somewhere you can lie down, the couch, the counter, the stairs, anywhere to prevent your knees from buckling embarrassingly. “Where you going?” He mutters, yet still allowing you to lead.

The back of your thighs meet the armrest of the couch. “The couch, apparently.” You answer, sighing as he continues to devour your neck.

Eddie inhales the perfume you spritzed that morning and lets out a chuckle. Before you can even ask, he pushes you by the shoulders, making you fall backwards onto the couch. “Fine by me.”

Your back hits the cushions, a rough landing as you bounce. Eddie crawls on top of you, tongue meeting your leg in a trail of wet kisses as he makes his way up to your pelvis. A whine leaves your throat, eyes closing in bliss as each kiss contributes to the blindingly hot need for him in your pussy.

Eddie reaches your crotch, and as he lifts his mouth from you, you expect him to take your shorts off. Instead, he puts his face in and inhales, moaning when your aroma hits his nose. Just from your smell he can tell how wet you are. “Baby you are soaked, aren’t you?” His brown eyes meet yours, lust overwhelming his eyes.

“Always.” You answer, not a hint of shame behind it. “Always ready for you.”

Eddie’s eyes roll into the back of his head at your answer, groaning. Fuck, doesn’t that deserve a reward. His hands easily hook around the elastic band of your grey shorts, moving them swiftly off your legs. His original plan to tease you through your panties goes to shit, your eagerness driving the need to devour you like an arrow into his chest. The glisten of your folds is a sight to see– as always–  as he makes himself comfortable on the couch, situating your legs over his shoulders. A squeal of giggles escapes your throat as he tugs your body to where he needs you. Your knees meet your torso, toes already curled at the anticipation as his hot and heavy breaths send jolts of pleasure and he hasn’t even touched your dripping cunt yet.

“Eddie.” Your voice comes out desperate.

Eddie smirks at it, it’s barely been a full minute since he tugged your shorts off. “I know.” One hand that rests on your thigh reaches forward for your left hand, toying with the ring that hasn’t been on your finger for more than five minutes. Your hand shakily grips his tightly and you clench your thighs around his head tightly in anticipation.

After what feels like ages, he finally leans in to devour you, using his tongue in one long stripe along your folds. The release it gives you is both not enough and everything you need. Your hips grind up to meet his mouth, heels digging in, and his deep chuckle vibrating against your pussy is too fucking good. Moans leave your mouth at your breathing rate, every breath being a whimper to let Eddie know how fucking good his mouth feels against you.

The hand still on your other thigh travels to play at your clit gently, and your moans go silent as your thighs fucking quake against him. Eddie can’t stop the satisfaction that purrs through him in the form of laughter. “Fuck, baby. Barely touched you.” He mutters, low enough he’s not even sure you hear him.

Halfway through a sigh, it turns into a laugh. “Mouth feels so good.”

Eddie hums in response, mouthing at your folds again before his tongue makes its way into you, his nose nuzzling your clit. He fucks you with his tongue and you grind against him, the grip on your left hand harsh and his nails now digging into your right thigh. “Cunt smells so fucking good.” He says, rutting his nose against your clit and knowing damn well what it was doing to you. “Tastes…” he pauses fucking you with his tongue again, “…tastes like fucking heaven, fuck, baby.”

Eddie is driving you to the edge quickly, your thighs tense against his head as your hips continue to grind up against him. Your free hand lands in his hair, pulling at the roots at every wave of pleasure he gives you. Eddie could swear the pulls feel like a heartbeat at his roots, not that he minds. As he continues and drives you faster to that high, he notices the tugs get faster and he moans when he realizes something you do not.

He slides two fingers in, moving them back and forth, listening to the sinful wet sounds your pussy makes as it weeps for him. As your slick makes a mess on his chin and hands as he smirks up at you, hooking his fingers against your g-spot. Your thighs clench even harder as the heat expands, radiating through your body and you barely have a second to think to warn him. “Ed, I, I—” He feels you flutter around his fingers as you cum, your legs shaking as you lose all control of your extremities. He saw it coming from a mile away, as the tugs on his hair became more frequent.

He continues to lick at the slick of your folds and finger you gently as you come down from your high, your entire body going limp. He gives one last kiss to your clit and kisses his way up your body, you watch as his wide smile comes closer and closer to you. “How’s my girl?”

A giggle leaves your mouth, smiling up at him gleefully. “I’m alright.” Eddie tickles your hip bone, and you squirm underneath him, giggling harder. “Okay, okay! Fuck!” Your legs wrap around his hips, and you tug his growing tent down to meet your exposed pussy. “Need you.”

“Need to feel that pussy wrapped around my cock, baby.” Eddie grinds himself into your heat, teasing himself, but admiring the way your eyes roll into the back of your head.

Your heat is throbbing at this point, begging for more. “Need your cock in me, Ed. Want you to fuck me open.”

Eddie’s eyes widen, as he’s the one that usually does the talking. “Yeah? Need this big cock in that tight little pussy?”

“So fucking bad, Ed. Please give it to me.”

“Oh I’m gonna give it to you.” He leans forward for a wet and slobbery kiss, one that you embrace at tenfold. Your hand goes to his jeans where they’re laying now on your pelvic bone to undo the button, shakily attempting to with only one hand, the other still in his grip.

“Ed…” You whimper, tugging on the waistband wordlessly. “Get these fucking jeans off.”

Eddie chuckles as he climbs off you to take his jeans off. You sit up to watch him as his gorgeous figure gets undressed. Your hands move to your back to get rid of the bra that still hides your chest. He walks up to you sitting on the couch, placing a finger to tilt your chin up. You peer up at him with wide doe eyes, his cock only inches away from your face.

His thumb gently swipes at your bottom lip, admiring the shade of them. “So pretty.” He mutters, about to ask you to lay down.

“Wanna fuck it?” You ask, his cock mere inches from your face, you’re suddenly craving his balls up against your cheek and the weight of his cock on your tongue.

“Weren’t you just begging me to fuck your pussy?” He asks, searching your eyes for the sudden change in you.

Your mouth opens obediently, pulling a gasp of disbelief from Eddie. His cock literally twitches, and he realizes there’s no reason not to let you if you’re so eager to. He slides his cock in your mouth, watching as he slowly moves to the back of your throat, your doe eyes still looking up at him.

“Oh, my good girl.” He rubs at your cheek, feeling the length of himself against it. “Such a good girl for daddy.”

As much as you resist, your eyelids flutter shut, moving your head up and down, your cheeks hollowing out as you suck on him. You hear a groan of contentment out of him, and it only encourages you. One of his hands weaves itself into your hair, using it to guide you. You take yourself off his cock, breathing heavily as you take a long lick at a vein along the side of the shaft. Your left hand wraps around the length, jerking him off as you lean forward to take one of his balls into your mouth.

“Oh fuck, that’s so pretty.” He mutters, causing you to stop.

“Hmm?”

“Look, baby. Your ring on my cock…wanna take a picture…fuck.”

You don’t answer, just continuing to jerk him off as your mouth resumes its journey to his balls. You take one in your mouth, the hair on them smelling like sweat. You take a big inhale of them, sighing happily as you suck at the flesh. Eddie’s knee almost buckles as he sees what you’re doing, the idea that you were inhaling his raw scent too much for him to comprehend.

“Oh Jesus, trying to kill me.”

“No.” You mutter, hand still jerking him as you move to give the other side the same treatment. “Just blow you stupid.”

Eddie moans at your nonchalance, and as you finish with the second ball you move back to his cock, spitting on it and taking it back into your mouth. You give no warning as you take in as much as you can, focusing on getting him to the back of your throat. Before he can instruct you, you relax your throat and allow your nose meet his pubic hair, taking in the damn whimper that leaves his mouth, relishing in it.

“Fuck, if you keep going like this I will fucking blow.”

At his insistence, your mouth leaves his cock with a pop, still on your knees, completely naked as your eyes stare up at him. Eddie nearly loses his mind as he looks down at you, hands combing through your hair. “Lie down, baby.”

You need no more instruction, lying on the couch, your legs open as you wait for him. He sits himself in between them, hands framing your head as he looks at your face. “I can’t believe I get to marry someone so fucking beautiful.” Your eyes well up at the sentence as it fucking sucks the air out of your lungs.  

Eddie barely gives you a chance to recover, sliding himself in you. Your jaw drops at it, eyelids growing heavy as you watch him carefully. “You can’t…you can’t just say something like that.” You whimper, gasping for breath. “It’s not fair.”

“I’ll say it because it’s the fucking truth.” Eddie states, watching for the signal when you’re ready for him to move. “God you in a fucking white dress, looking all sweet n’ shit…”

“Gonna be your wife.” Eddie’s hips buck into you in response, and a gasp falls from your lips in surprise. “Fuck!”

“Gonna be my fucking wife.” It comes out of him in a growl, a sense of pride runs through Eddie as he is elated he gets to share the discovery of his love of calling you his wife with you, finally. “Oh baby, pussy is so tight, just suckin’ me in.”

“Want that. Want you. Want us.” It babbles out, Eddie gaining speed as he watches your cocked out expression looking so adoringly up at him. You hold onto him, nails scratching down his back. He bucks harder, head buried in your neck as he attempts to calm himself down. “Want you to put a baby in me.”

A fucking growl leaves his throat and his head perks up to look at you. “Oh my god, I almost just came.” He says lowly.

“Really?” You ask him, eyes shining bright at his confession.

He nods, gulping. “Y-yeah.” Your legs tug him back down, lifting your hip to get him to fuck you more. A grunt of acknowledgement escapes his throat, back to business. “Gonna put a baby in you.”

“Oh fuck, Ed, just like that.”

“Gonna marry you and get you fucking pregnant, you’ll be my hot little housewife!”

“You’re in my fucking stomach Ed, fuck you’re so deep!”

Eddie cannot help the swell of pride he feels at this. “Gonna fill you up, baby.”

“Fuck…Ed,”

The moment your pussy flutters around him he cums into you, white sticky ropes filling you up. His weight collapses on you, your legs gripping on his torso tight, holding him in. Your eyelids feel heavy as you look up at him, holding his face. “You know, I really can’t wait to marry you.” Eddie tells you, his thumb toying with your ring, his hand resting on yours.

You gulp, the sentiment the same. He knows it by your expression and by your impatience, you can’t wait either. “How long—” you yawn, “how long have you had it?”

“Uh…since Harrington was here.” Eddie refuses to say Steve’s name while he’s inside you.

“What!?” Your eyes pop open in disbelief. “You’ve had this for weeks? And you haven’t asked me yet?”

“I knew I wasn’t fucking crazy.” Eddie mutters, and you peer up at him, eyebrow raised in a question. “I’ll tell you later.”

“Ok.” You yawn again, clutching onto his back. “We have all the time in the world for you to tell me, anyway.”

Eddie’s chest swells with emotion, clutching onto you like his lifeline. “I love you so much, sweetheart.”

You nuzzle your nose into his hair, letting yourself get into his tangled curls. “Love you too.”

You fall asleep within seconds, Eddie texts his employees he had an emergency and can’t return for the day. He had a full day, but that was before you decided to take over his proposal.

-

Thank you so much for reading! I love to read your comments, replies, and reblogs. As always, reblogging is the best way to support your fic writers on tumblr.

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[aheathen-conceivably]

Long before the last note Antoine had grown aware of Zelda’s presence; but as he finished, he looked up at her with a newfound vulnerability in his eyes. As she stared at him unmoving, he absentmindedly moved his hand along the strings to fill the quiet left by the watching stars, “Was it alright, you think? Writing lyrics, it’s new. Harder than assembling notes, if you ask me.”

She looked at him in amazed silence. His original piano pieces had been brilliant, and sometimes he had written ditties for her to sing, but never before had she heard him sing his own lyrics. She had always known how much he loved it - this place that he had left but that walked alongside him everywhere he went; but it was so much clearer this way, so full of both love and hate, loyalty and disdain, longing and relief, that it was difficult for anything other than music to encompass it. 

She brought her hands together in something that may have been a clap if she wasn’t so afraid to disrupt the stillness of the desert air. On silent footsteps, she left her reverie behind and moved to sit where he had made room for her on the worn wooden bench.

She looked at him earnestly, trying to ease his fear with even just the movement of her eyes, “It’s brilliant, Antoine, truly.” And she meant it, not just because she was under his spell and not her own now; the judgmental eyes of God and her sisters were shut out when she was in his orbit. Now there was only him and his memories for her to get lost in. 

He left his hands on the strings, still playing the familiar notes as though they helped make the admittance easier to utter, “You were right, you know? When I play it’s like I can see it all laid out in front of me. Or better yet, under me. Like I’m above it, observing it all like a story. Makes me realize I loved it more than I thought I did. That house. That place. Her. I wrote it because I know it’s gone now, probably nothing but rubble under a cheap government build. I just don’t want to forget. Or maybe I don’t want the world to forget.”

The stars looked down on them as his smile widened with every inch she drew closer to him. They reflected brightly in her eyes as she leveled them to his, “Would you sing it again? So I can hear it better?”

He let out a small laugh, just as much in relief as in humor. “Surely you would prefer to sing it? With a voice like yours I would hate to imagine what mine must sound like.”

She brought her knee up on the bench with them, curling as close as she could without dislodging the guitar from his arms. “Hush and sing. You don’t need me now.”

“I always will, Mrs. Duplanchier. No matter what. But as you wish….” 🎶

Part 3/3

(As Antoine is meant to have written House of the Rising Son in this universe, I’m going to leave a little disclaimer about this song and its origins under the cut, in case you are interested!)

The origins of the song House of the Rising Sun are much older and more complicated than I have presented here. Folklorist Alan Lomax has written more on it if you are interested, but it is commonly thought to have originated as an English folk song, morphing into the version we know today amongst various groups of American immigrants.

Perhaps best known for its 1964 version by The Animals, it has long formed a staple of American folk, blues, rock, and country recordings, with recorded versions by everyone from Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Doc Watson, Nina Simone, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Alt-J (amongst so many others). However, I have taken inspiration from the earliest known recorded version, which was done in Appalachia in 1933.

Of course, in having Antoine write this song I have compressed much of this history into a single figure, as well as slightly twisted the meaning of the song to fit the story line. The latter is mostly based on personal interpretation of the lyrics and is purposefully meant to draw a line from this family’s musical heritage through the 1960s and beyond. It also gives a face to the very real figures behind many of the staples of American music that have come to us from the early part of the 20th century, many of which were written or played by black men and women whose songs have continued onward while many of their names and stories may have been forgotten.

[kunikukitty]

☆ Always An Artist, Never The Muse

Scaramouche/Wanderer x Fem!reader

ix. beauty of art

Since when did it started?

You've always been complimented to be a beauty, always been given praises, and you too are confident when it comes to your appearance.

Not to mention, you are also surrounded by good-looking girls such as Mona, Hutao, and Faruzan.

When did it started, when you began to question your own vision and the mirror? Since when were you became so sensitive about your appearance?

Being an artist who desired to be a muse was your ultimate struggle before. And perhaps, even until today.

You never made a portrait of yourself, having more interest in other scenery you see — and never did you became anyone's art inspiration.

To the non-artists, this might not be a thought worth being sad about. You too, you tell yourself it isn't a big deal, yet it persists. There is an ache, a longing to be admired just as how much you used to admire those whom you painted.

You used to be saddened over the fact that no artist chose you— maybe because you are an artist yourself?

However, even after your candle of passion became unlit— even after the spark that used to shine so brightly began to lose its light, you didn't became anyone's object of admiration.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you company."

You heaved a sigh as you heard Capitano utter those words in a reassuring manner, resting your head to the backrest of the bus seat you're sitting on.

He must've sensed your nervousness, also with the fact that he knows what you've been through.

That's the reason why you rejected those other fine art students anyway, since you didn't want to be just become a muse because you're a part of the options.

They were tasked to ask exchange students to be their model for their project. None of them would ask you if you weren't one, and you hated that. Could it be your pride as an artist hovering over your mind, that you wished to be somebody's muse because they specifically chose you and not just because you happened to be there as an option?

And now you were asked again yet for the same situation— you weren't the first choice.

Is this petty? You honestly don't care.

How silly these emotions of yours, hindering you from enjoying being a muse for the first time.

The bus stopped and the two of you exits the ride. You walked with Capitano as he led the way, coming to a halt some minutes later in front of a black gate. He looked at you before hitting the doorbell.

You brought a hand to caress your own face. Your skin isn't exactly clear, though you do not have many blemishes either.

You've always been confident of your appearance, and you didn't know why. Is it because you truly are indeed beautiful, or where you just blinded because of the praises you've heard?

Yet whenever you look in the mirror, you can't help but to see your image turning uglier each second. Is what you see in the mirror what you actually looked like?

You breathed in and out, wanting to mask the nervousness you're feeling. Faruzan is pretty, would the artist be disappointed upon seeing a face inferior to hers—

Forget about that, because you are the one disappointed right now...!

You regretted getting swayed with Faruzan's words. You even asked Mona for an advice to strengthen your decision, and she also said some motivating words similar to Faruzan.

What a load of bullshit, you shouldn't had listened!

Because it's fine, yes, it would be fine.

This trip could've turn out good just as your friends say— if not for the man standing before you! This... is he the artist?

The moment he opened the gate, you glared at him from head to toe, in which he responded with a roll of his eyes, turning his attention to Capitano instead.

The same shade of indigo that ruined your mood at the time you first entered the university, the blind-hater man!

Honestly, you could brush that off as just bad day for both of you which led to a stupid argument, but the bad impression lasted!

Whenever you see him around the campus, there's just this underlying vibes around him that ruins your mood. So even if you both ain't having a conversation, it's as if you are being brought back to that argument and you can't help but to feel the annoyance all over again.

And therefore strengthening the bad impression.

You followed after them as they entered his... kind of a huge house.

Of course, of course. Students at that goddamn university are rich, it's no wonder.

You eyed the interior, a minimalist design yet it looks extravagant due to the high-end materials. High ceilings, big chandeliers— his living room is grand and sophisticated space. The walls are in neutral colors, decorated with many paintings...

Oh.

Are these his works? They are... beautiful.

Not just beautiful, but breathtakingly beautiful.

Every pieces are paintings of abstracts and places, and there are no single painting of an image of a human.

The scenery looks realistic though, are portraits just not his forte? Or maybe he just didn't displayed them.

You got too absorbed at staring at them that Capitano had to tug you forward. His gentle hold brought you out of your reverie, continuing to follow after his friend.

"What even is his name?" You asked in a whisper.

"Oh right, you didn't get to be introduced properly." He nodded at himself, "Scaramouche is his name," then he called his friend's attention, "And she is [Name]."

...That turned awkward, just for you maybe. 'Scaramouche' just nodded his head and so did you.

When he opened another door, you almost drooled at the sight. Because why wouldn't you— it is his very own art studio inside his home! It's huge and definitely pleasing to look at. There are many paintings on the floor and some are hanging over the wall, all of the pieces are masterpiece! There are an unfinished sculpture of a head on one of the tables, charcoal drawings on paper, sketches of anatomy, movable wooden figure, and more.

Despite not liking him, you hold a respect to every artists. Not to mention, one look at his studio and you could tell he is talented...

You had to contain your excitement.

It's not like you're hiding that you are an (ex) artist, but you also do not want to show hints or tell that you are one, especially that you have nothing to show.

You would rather keep it that way, people not having an answer whether you are or not an artist— except for those who already know, of course.

"Pardon me, [Name]." You looked over to Capitano who has an apologetic expression on his face. "There happen to be an emergency, I'll leave you to Scaramouche's care."

You just nodded, Capitano had always been a busy man. You watched as he converse with the said man before he gave you a small wave, walking away.

"Stay here."

'Scaramouche' said, and you were left alone in his very own art studio.

You sat down on a stool, probably the seat he prepared for Faruzan. With a frown, you looked around.

Your heart raced as your eyes met your own pair of eyes, the full length mirror in front of you glinted in an ugly way.

You felt frozen in time. Is it because you would be exposed to an artist's eyes who would look at every detail of your appearance so he could draw it, the reason why you felt so bare in your own vision?

It was as if suddenly, you appear naked in front of everyone— drowning in their uncomfortable stares that ran through your insides.Your skin is getting ripped the more you stare at your own reflection, and you feel so exposed to the point that every nook of your face became visible in your eyes.

Since when this started, really? Where you no longer feel beautiful at every angle, as if your features are becoming distorted.

Ah, right. The people who compliments you are non-artists. You used to be one and yet you never drew yourself, and now you feel so imperfect and full of flaws. Maybe because you're aware of the truth.

Maybe this is why you've only became a muse now of an artist who had no choice but to draw you— you are indeed pretty, just not pretty enough that people wants to keep looking at you.

An art is supposed to be beautiful in every way, a masterpiece people enjoy looking at.

You, are not a piece worth staring at.

You are not designed to be a muse in the first place— and you no longer had the skills to paint.

Everyone is either an artist or the art, so now, where do you stand?

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note. im back yippiiieeee hello yall ^^

taglist. @veekoko @aeongiies @featuredtofu @kodzusmiles @magica-ren @feiherp @beriiov @hiraethhv @kleej @eutopiastar @keiiqq @bananasquash @kuniisvt (i cant tag those in bold ;(()

[clockwork-ashes]

Unbowed (one-shot)

Summary: The Lady of Autumn decides it’s time to murder her husband. Read also on Ao3.

Note: this was inspired by one of my favourite plays <3 i LOVED reading agamemnon, and could not help writing this one shot using clytemnestra as a base for the lady of autumn!!! thank you for reading :)

The Lady of Autumn stood by the window, watching as the leaves drifted lazily towards the ground. The gentle breeze had them dancing in pretty swirls, like an elegant script, as they fell from the almost bare branches of the trees. 

The moon was bright, its scarlet hue casting everything in an eerie glow. When she squinted, the pale stones leading to the garden resembled a river of blood, frozen in place. 

If she ignored the winding path, the world outside seemed to be entirely at peace, a striking contrast to the constantly shifting pattern of her thoughts. She fought to maintain her composure, shoulders back as if she were a puppet with the strings pulled taut. She clutched at the emerald fabric of her skirts when the door creaked open, the temperature in the large space shifting as her husband entered. 

"You're back so late," she said, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions raging beneath her calm exterior. 

Beron’s boots echoed against the stone floor, each step deliberate as he made his way towards her. She could feel his presence, a looming shadow behind her. It was nearly instinct to turn and face him, to watch him with a careful eye in case he moved without warning. 

“And yet, Callista, I knew you’d be awake.” Her name rolled off his tongue, familiar to her ears. When he spoke softly, voice low and lovely, she could nearly forget how much she hated him. 

Callista kept her gaze fixed on the scene outside, although her attention remained on the sounds her husband made as he removed his jacket. She caught the elegant clatter his dagger made as he placed it on one of the low tables, and she wondered if he was rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. 

When she had been younger, Callista had always liked the careful way he would untie the laces at his throat, each movement sharp as broken glass. It was an effort not to turn and look, to be reminded of a time when things between them had not been good, but had at least been better. 

Beron remained silent for a long moment, and she knew he was studying her. She could practically feel the burn of his dark stare, like the most gentle press of fingers around her throat. The world continued to spin, and Callista remained unmoving, unbowed. 

The feeling of his large hand on the small of her back made her heart skip a beat, a response born of uncertainty. She felt the way he bent down towards her, his chest pressed against her as he wrapped an arm around her thin waist. His breath fanned along her neck, sending shivers up her spine. She leaned into him, the action involuntary, expected. 

Callista twisted her neck, tilting her chin up so that she could meet his lips with her own. The kiss was rough, Beron’s hand tightening around her waist in a possessive claim. With her eyes closed, the scent of him was overwhelming, raging fires and the wind before a storm broke. She wanted to bite down on the full lower lip so close to her teeth, to taste the copper of his blood inside her mouth. 

When Beron pulled away first, she kept her eyes shut a moment longer, letting the darkness wash over her. 

“You won’t ask me about your son?” He murmured, the words an angry catch in his throat.  

Eris. 

Cruelty brought forth cruelty, she thought bitterly, and Eris had never truly been hers. She had been too young, had not known how to raise a child, and had been too angry at the world to try. Even in her memories, she could not picture a boy who smiled. 

Callista would still have burned the whole of Prythian to ash if something had happened to him. 

She took a sharp breath, looking up at her husband. “Does he live?” 

The question hung between them like an axe. Eris had moved against his father in an unexpected turn of fate’s wheel. He had betrayed them all, and had run to the Night Court, to fight alongside Lucien in a battle that had been brewing for months. 

Callista had never been more proud. 

Beron frowned, his lips tugging downwards in a convincing display of concern. If she had not known him better, she would have assumed he was grieving. “Who could say? The emerald fields of Spring are stained ruby dark.” 

Callista grabbed the High Lord’s hand, feeling the cool metal of his rings beneath her fingers. She shrugged out of his embrace, and he let her. Leaning against the window sill, she looked at the stars that cut through the darkness of the night sky. 

“You’re not afraid the others will follow him?” She whispered, biting her lip. 

Their home was an echoing womb of guilt, and had in turn raised sons with warring hearts. They fought amongst themselves like rabid wolves, but had only ever been loyal to one another, an inseparable pack. 

Beron growled deep within his chest, his footsteps thunderous as he created a well of distance from her. “No,” he spat, and Callista whirled around to watch him. 

He grabbed the bottle of cognac she had left on the ancient dresser by their shared bed. The crystal glass she had set next to it sparkled like ice as he took it in his hands, pouring with a flourish before drinking deeply. Callista kept her gaze on him, tracking each of his movements. 

“Don't drink so much,” she said softly, a loving wife’s quiet warning. 

“Speak less, Callista, I prefer your silence.” Beron poured another glass for himself, the amber liquid nearly spilling over the edge. He ignored her, draining the contents of the glass. His throat worked, the pale column of his neck white as bone. “I’m going to run a bath.” 

Callista looked at the broad width of his back, noticing the way his muscles pulled at the expensive fabric of his shirt. She could barely hold back her smile, a vicious promise as the balance scales of justice turned in her favour. Callista straightened her skirts, smoothing out the wrinkles. 

The water swirls red.  

A caged bird sings. 

Roses bloom in winter. 

Elain Archeron’s prophecy echoed in the Lady of Autumn’s mind, the never ending toll of a bell. She liked having a daughter who could see what others could not. 

Callista waited until she was certain that her husband’s heart was beating slowly in his chest, and then she waited even longer just to be sure. She had been afraid, had thought despite her understanding of hemlock that it would not have been enough. She nearly laughed at how easily she had gotten him to drink another glass of cognac. 

Her slippers made no sound as she walked towards the bath, her fingers shaking as she pushed the oak door open. Callista felt a cruel sort of delight grip her by the throat at seeing the High Lord so powerless, chained like a hound by her hands. 

The only torch that he had lit flickered sharply, and she paused, holding her breath. The fire’s glow lit her face as she approached the bath more carefully, her gaze falling on Beron’s sleeping form. His chest, peaking just above the water, rose and fell with a steady rhythm. His eyes were shut, but even then, he looked annoyed, on the breaking edge of a scowl. 

Callista could not help but run her fingers through the chestnut coloured strands of Beron’s hair, a gesture she had done countless times over the centuries they had been married. It was soft as silk against her skin, nearly gold, she knew, when he sat in the sun. 

She brooded on this trial, this ancient blood feud year by year. At last, her hour came.

Callista felt the rage build within her like a wave, waiting for the right moment to crash against the shore. The knife in her hand was weightless, silver and ancient. She wondered if it hungered for blood like she did. 

Lioness. 

The thought filled her with strength, and was all the push she needed to strike. Callista reared on her hind legs, the instinct primal and sharp. Her claws were out, her fangs bared, the flickering fire her only witness. 

The Lady of Autumn did not allow herself a moment’s worth of doubt as she dragged the dagger’s sharpened blade across her husband’s throat. 

[imaginestuffs]

Someday- Fred Weasley x Reader

Word Count:975

Warnings: this is my first time writing for our dearest Fred so please keep that in mind! just fluff, ooc, reader is 5'2

Summary: You're at the Burrow for the holidays and Fred makes you a promise that you'll never forget.

(gif not mine!)

You were at the burrow for the holiday season seeing as you felt more welcome there than you did in your own home. It also helped that Molly was more like a mother to you than your own, and she adored having you stay with them. Ginny also got something out of it, she saw you as a sister and would steal you away from your boyfriend for hours at a time just to talk with you. You enjoyed giving her advice and hearing the gossip she gave to you. It was truly like having a little sister and that was something you always wanted. 

“Hey y/n, would you stay in my room tonight?” you heard Ginny ask and you smiled. Before you could give your answer Fred spoke up. “Nope sorry Gin, but she’s with me tonight,” he smiled and tossed his arm around your shoulder. Ginny looked at him with a soft glare. “Maybe tomorrow night ok? We can do whatever you want, alright?” you asked and she smiled softly at you and nodded. 

You felt Fred place a kiss on the crown of your head and you chuckled slightly. Ginny walked away after hearing her mother call for her from the kitchen, and you turned around to face him. “Jealous of your little sister getting time with me?” you raised your brow and smiled. He smiled down at you, “Not jealous, just missing you that’s all,” he said and your gaze grew fonder. You placed your hands on his cheeks and brought him down to nuzzle your nose against his before placing a kiss on his lips. You could feel his smile against your lips and you pulled away. 

Before you could say anything he whisked you away and up the stairs to his room. You chuckled as he took the stairs two at a time with his long strides. “You do know that I’m 5’2 and can’t exactly take these two at a time without tumbling down the stairs right?” you questioned as you tried to keep up. He stopped at the top and looked back at you with a bright smile. “I am quite aware of your height Darling, and you know I’d never let you tumble,” he grinned and you huffed out a laugh. “Sure, alright, I absolutely believe you Love,” you said and shook your head. You grabbed his hand as he dragged you inside the room, you giggled as he placed his hands on your hips and guided you to his bed. You grabbed his hands to lace your fingers with his. He placed a kiss on the back of your head and you smiled. “C’mon, come lay with me,” he said as he flopped down onto his bed. He opened his arms to you and you instantly settled yourself by his side. You felt yourself relax in his hold and let out a content sigh. 

“Do you remember the first words you said to me?” he asked and your eyes widened. You did in fact remember those embarrassing words.  “Don’t even say it,” you said and hid your face in his neck. “Clear as day I remember it,” he said and held you tighter. “Please Freddie, don’t remind me,” you tried to get him to stop. 

He cleared his throat and sat up a bit straighter. “It was our very first year, we hadn’t even set foot on the train yet. You were looking very lost and so George and I decided that it would only be right that we helped you. We waved you over, and you made your way over. You were incredibly shy but of course, we had to talk to you. And the first thing you said was,” he paused. 

“You’re really pretty,” he tried to imitate you and you cringed before once again hiding your face in his neck. He laughed loudly and your cheeks heated up. “It was the cutest thing that I’d ever witnessed. The blush that you had after you realized what you said to complete strangers, I knew we’d be best friends. You said we were pretty, and I thought you were pretty too,” he said and you huffed. He chuckled and pulled back so he could look at you. You turned your head away from him, “I didn’t mean to say it out loud!” you whined and he laughed. “Aw, I’m sorry Love, it was so cute though,” he said and placed a hand on your cheek to turn your head to face him. “It was embarrassing,” you said and pouted as you looked at him. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on your pout. “Well as I said, I thought you were pretty too,” he said and your lips curled up. He caught sight of your grin and his grew. 

“Can I tell you something?” you asked as you laced your fingers with his. He looked down at you and nodded his head. “Anything,” he said. “I’ve been in love with you since I met you,” you told him honestly. His gaze softened, and his grip on your hand grew tighter. “You know, let’s just say I’ve been in love with you since I met you too, that day on the train platform, I knew I loved you,” he said and he leaned down just enough to press his lips to yours. You kissed him back softly, and let go of his hand just so you could bring it up and place it on your cheek. You ran your hand through his hair and he pulled you closer. He pulled away just barely, your lips barely touching. “I’m gonna marry you someday,” he spoke softly and you smiled against his lips. “You promise?” you asked and he chuckled. “I swear,” he affirmed and you placed one last kiss on his lips

[jacespookiebear]

ೃ࿐ 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡: 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 6

summary : you are the youngest daughter of Viserys I Targaryen and Aemma Arryn. Outlived your mother and your older twin brother, Baelon, in childbirth. You were titled as (Y/n) “The Undying” Targaryen.

pairing : jacaerys velaryon x targaryen!reader

warnings : incest, tension, sexual content, age gap (reader is about 2-3 years older), jace is about a year older in this fic, misogyny, self-harm, violence, angst, teen pregnancy, birth, meraxes is alive and thriving with vhagar :D

Masterlist

Alicent paced across the celebration hall with such eagerness. Organizing many celebrations to be held in the future. Such as your return to King’s Landing— but you weren’t returning for her. You were only returning to celebrate your betrothed’s nameday along arriving with the rest of your family. Usually, she wouldn’t give a damn to make preparations but you were also to be married under the same week as your future husband’s nameday. Alicent wanted it all to be set perfectly, just for you.

“That is not right! I had ask for lilac orchids. If you cannot fulfill your duties, I shall have you removed at once!” Alicent bitterly shouted to the tradesmen, feeling disappointed and stressed to see they had brought white peonies— flowers she clearly did not request.

Talya, The Queen’s handmaiden, arrived quietly in the hall to give her the urgent news she had just received. “My Queen, they have arrived.” Talya muttered closely to Alicent’s ear. Immediately she had stopped ordering the servants and turned her attention to her handmaiden.

“Already!?” She gasped, “I had thought they would arrive on the morrow.” Talya shook her head and within minutes, Alicent left the hall to greet the family. To greet you, specifically.

To her surprise, you all have already been greeted by the King. Although it has only been two years, he was weakening day by day, though still being able to stand on his own.

“My sweet daughters,” the King welcomes you and Rhaenyra in his remaining arm. “I have missed you both.” Alicent watched as tears streamed down your cheeks, smiling towards your father with happiness. She felt immense nostalgia from the way you dressed— you certainly did look the part as the Realm’s Beauty, wearing a dark blue velvety dress with sleeves falling off your shoulders and separate straps connecting from your dress wrapped around your neck. In her early years, she had also wore the proud colors of her husband’s house, but had only done so to appease others around her. But, she couldn’t help to feel that you only done it solely for yourself and to prove you would always state your loyalty to Jacaerys.

“It is a lovely sight to see you all back in King’s Landing,” Alicent interrupted the sweet moment and took the time to hug you. Seconds had passed, you had placed your arms around her. Alicent breathed in your existence, she missed you dearly and now you’re here, at last, just like you said you would.

She desperately wanted whatever had happened between you both two years ago to be pushed away and forget it had ever existed. She wanted you both to savor the relationship, with Rhaenyra— she couldn’t help but feel that your elder sister had probably put a seed in your mind to look at your step-mother differently.

I have missed you, my dearest, that was all Alicent thought about. Finally having you in her arms, where you truly belong.

After what felt like hours, she let go of you and cupped your face to look at you, warmly. Though, you gave her a friendly smile, you pulled away and remained standing right by Lysanna and Daemon’s side, whom looked smug right after you done so. “Forgive the King and I, we had thought you would be arriving later. If I had know you would have arrived much more early, I would have properly prepared the Red Keep.” Alicent maintained a calm composer, ignoring the sly glares that were being given from Rhaenyra and your betrothed. She had motioned for them all to head inside, the Red Keep was still being renovated, she had made sure to have some of her faith hung across the halls.

“You must rest,” she suggested, “we have much to celebrate. But tonight, we shall have a feast to celebrate upon your arrival.” The King nodding happily at the thought. He ordered the knights to lead you all to your temporary chambers.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“She certainly was happy to see you,” you spoke to Lysanna as you unpacked from your luggages, placing gowns and capes back into your old drawers. “I could’ve sworn I saw a tear streaming down her cheek when you told her you missed her.”

Lysanna scoffed and let out a laugh as well. “She is my cousin, afterall.” that you can agree to, your step-mother was family whether you want to disagree or not. Even if she held dislike towards your sister, she held adoration for you and Lysanna.

“If only we could be in the North as we are speaking,” you spoke up, Lysanna turned to you, “your brother is lucky to live far away from the South..”

Before Lysanna could have answer back, your chamber doors were knocked and opened without even announcing themselves. You saw your youngest brother, Daeron, who was smiling ear to ear to see you. The scowl you wore for being interrupted immediately replaced with a bright smile and you ran to leap into your brother’s arms.

“Daeron!”

“Sister!”

Your brother wrapped his arms around you tightly, afraid to let go. You had not seen your brother since he was about nine, went off to be the squire of the Lord Hightower in Oldtown. You had only heard from him whenever he written to his mother, he became very strong with the sword and had the chance to bond with a dragon, Tessarion, before he left. He was always gentle and caring, more sweeter than his other brothers but still held no liking to your elder sister and her family.

“I had him return to King’s Landing to attend your wedding,” Alicent spoke, with her hands clasped, she was arrived in your chambers behind Daeron, whom was only ten-and-third but still loomed over you and your step-mother. He was getting much taller. “I wanted the whole family to be here to watch you marry under the seven.”

Oh. You felt yourself clench your hand in anger from what she had said. You wanted to scream and yell at her face. It is my marriage, not yours!

“It seems we need to discuss more of my wedding.” you coldly stated, bringing your attention on Daeron once more who continued to smile. He had no clue on your underlying bitterness towards Alicent.

“I have missed you, dear brother.” Both of you beaming with happiness to finally be reunited with one another. With swiftness, you brought Daeron towards Lysanna, “I shall speak with the Queen, you must catch up with your relative, it has been quite a long time since you both had seen each other as well.” Lysanna quickly hugged Daeron with tight grip, the two were always so rough with each other when they were younger.

“It is good to see you, cousin!” Lysanna happily chirped. You excused them to find Helaena as you stayed behind with your step-mother.

“My dearest-“

“I want all of us to meet. Now.” you resisted her touches and walked out to find Rhaenyra and Daemon. Your father was already ill but still insisted to attend the continued preparations. As you arrived in their chambers, you apologized to interrupt their resting, considering Rhaenyra is heavily pregnant but she was quick to come to your rescue, they were both very serious about your worries and did not hesitate.

You all sat in the council room, you were sitting with Rhaenyra and Daemon across from Alicent with the King sitting in his seat that was always placed in the middle end of the table. You had not planned to have Jace attend— noting he wouldn’t have arrived anyways but in moments, you were surprised when he barged in the room,

“Excuse my tardiness,” Jace announced and sat next to you, happy to see that he arrived even without being called to attend. “I had not been told to attend but I will make the effort for my betrothed.”

Alicent grimaced when he called you his betrothed but none the less, she cleared her throat and joined her hands together to begin the meeting.

You leaned to whisper in Jace’s ear, “how did you know we were meeting?”

“I’m here now. That’s all that matters.” Jace answered. You didn’t mind his explanation, his existence already reassured your feelings and helped you relax a little.

“I believe I have said this before. I shall have it repeated. They will be married under the Seven,” your step-mother stated, her joined hands planted on the table. She clearly wanted no negotiation on how your wedding would be customized. 

Rhaenyra sighed, Daemon let out a scoff at her audacity, “This is a Targaryen marriage, let you be reminded, my Queen. My sister is not a believer of the Seven, she puts her faith in the Valyrian Gods.”

Alicent did not budge, relaxing into her seat a little, “My eldest daughter deserve a wedding that will have many witnesses. Her siblings were married under the faith as well. She should not have to hide in Dragonstone to wed and I have not yet accepted her marrying Jacaerys-“

“My niece does not share blood with you, let it be known once more,” Daemon seethed, his words dripping with venom, “You did not birth her, the Late Queen Aemma whom suffered long hours in labor, only to be cut open like a helpless pig. She would have wanted her daughter to have this.” That immediately shut your step-mother up. You saw how she took a big gulp after being reminded that you were not her trueborn daughter. But not only those words reached over to Alicent, it put you, Rhaenyra, and Viserys in a emotional and awkward state. You brought your hand over to your face to avoid any quivering to be seen from the mention of how your mother died.

Alicent cleared her throat— trying to recover from the sadden reality check she was given by Daemon. “I suppose it is only right for the King to make the decision…” your father slightly lit up at how Alicent let him have the right to make the decision for you all. He turned to make eye contact with you and saw how visibly upset you looked.

You were surprised on how she gave in so easily. Your step-mother had only been insufferable about your wedding for years before she gave it up to have your father finally have a choice in the matter. “If my daughter wishes for an Old Valyrian wedding then I don’t see why not.” Viserys calmly stated, coughing into his handkerchief once more. At his words, your spirits were lifted and smiled at your father. But your step-mother did not seem to be too happy, her frown was noticed from you and your sister.

Rhaenyra seeming to not be so pleased of your step-mother being upset, “I am sure we can come to some sort of agreement,” your sister offered, turning to you for your approval and you let her continue to hear what she had to say, “It would not be official but we can have another wedding under the seven— no one should be allowed to attend except our family, of course. I will only propose it if my son and sister is willing to allow it.”

It did not make you upset at the proposal but having to negotiation on your own wedding did. But from the delighted smile on your step-mother’s face from the offer, you couldn’t help but nod your head once more to agree, as you gave your answer, you felt angry at yourself for letting your step-mother have her way like always. But yet, she just looked so happy as well as your father who seemed delighted to hear you and your sister wanted to consider Alicent’s feelings even with what happened two years ago, but Daemon and Jace seemed to not be so onboard with the idea.

Your step-mother looked surprised, a grateful smile danced on her face, “I am grateful for your proposal. Thank you, Princess.” she graciously thanked and Rhaenyra gave a slight smile.

“A sweet proposition!” Viserys praised.

Jacaerys looked helpless, he’d never been reduced to a simple watcher before. You wanted to comfort him while your father began speaking about Jace’s wedding robes and which colors he should wear. It was his wedding as well and yet no one had asked him what he wanted.

“I’ll accompany the Princess on her fitting with the Seamstress.”

“My grandson should have the robes that I wore in my wedding.”

“I’m sure they wouldn’t fit him, brother.”

“I shall have my cousin, Lord Stark, to prepare Winterfell for the newlyweds quickly.”

“Will he be attending my grandson’s nameday?”

At last, they all seemed to be in a agreement with each other. It all left a neutral look on everyone’s face besides Jace. He did not look happy like everyone else. Even if he wished to speak up on his wishes for his weddings, he did not know what to say. He did not like how you or his mother had negotiated or how they continue to let the woman who used her position and power to ruin his family’s lives, to say he was angry was an understatement.

As you pardoned yourself and head to your chambers to retire, he followed you with the intention of talking with you.

You turned, continuing to walk, “You should be heading to your chambers. Are you alright?” As you finished speaking, you arrived in your chambers and allowed him to come in. You only expected him to wish you well night rest.

“You’re allowing her to have what she wants. Once again.”

You whipped your head around quickly from his words. Jace looked back with annoyance as you looked with confusion. You both seemed to be feeling alright in the council, now you felt that there was tension between you both.

“If you disagreed with the idea then you should have said your piece,” you reminded Jace, he scoffed in return. “you had only disregarded this wedding many times and now you seem to care?!”

He sighed, “Of course I had cared! I wanted you— only you to prepare our wedding. You had the chance to finally have full control of,” his words made you bite your lip, he was right. “That woman had humiliated us for years..you are letting her remain in power even in our marriage!”

You turned, facing him completely, you stepped closer to him, face now only inches apart, “What else can I do, Jacaerys?! She is close that I have to a mother. Let it be reminded that she is still the Queen.”

“Not only days ago, you held distaste for her!” He shouted, “You do not defend yourself, me, or our family when it comes to her.”

You resisted the urge to slap him, “I had done so much for us! This wedding..I thought this is what you wanted!”

For a moment, Jace was taken aback from what you had said. Utterly shocked was his emotions.

“I wanted nothing but your love.”

Your face softened from his words. Within moments, his arms sneak around your waist and hold you affectionately. “For years, Ñuha hūra qēlossās, I yearned for your love and now I was given the chance by the Old Gods to relish in it.” The memory of younger Jace wishing to confess to you in the future was running in your mind, remembering his words: “I will tell you when I am of age, so please wait until then.” Hot tears finally streaming down your face from his words. He gently wiped them off your cheeks, “You and I were meant to burn together.”

You sobbed, stepping away from him, it wounded him deeply once you left his arms but you had no choice. “Please do speak no more..” creating space between you both, it felt wrong to be apart from each other this long.

His face fell and the sight made you want to bury yourself alive for the way you were beginners to hurt him, wounding his heart all because you were not sure. “You share the same feelings as do I, do you not?”

The silence from you was furthering his heart to shatter, to break into two. The heart that belonged to you and only you. Why were you not saying anything?

“Please, my love,” Jace begged, closing the space between you both, holding onto your hands so desperately— almost falling to his knees, “please tell me that you feel the same.”

Jace’s mind was racing. He had always thought you shared love for him as well. Why else would you spur his name towards the Queen on a suitor, or how you would always call him your sun, or how you would allow him to show his affections nearly everywhere, and even when Meraxes allowed Vermax to show his love for her so loudly around Dragonstone that it became clear to Jace that they were the sign of your love for one another. Was he wrong? This whole time, he was wrong?

“Does it not bother you?” you finally asked him, “I had helped raise you..”

Is that why you are in such denial of your feelings towards Jace? No matter how much you might love him, you would still see him as the young boy you had watched over all your life and called him your nephew. But he will no longer be your sweet nephew after four days.

Your words appear to sting Jace and wound him so deeply, from the betrayed look on his face. What was the difference? His mother married her uncle, they’re happily together and inlove.

“Does it really matter?”

“Of course it matters!”

From the tone of your voice, he nodded, only bringing you closer to him. For a moment you had tried to lean away but failed once he placed his hands on your cheeks, continued to wipe your tears away. “Not once have I ever been ashamed of my love for you.” 

His touch was a touch you had yearned for years. The gentleness and sweetness that it came with was reassuring, you were not used to it. From what you were used to was harsh and rough, usually received by your brother, Aegon, whom never held any sort of respect towards you but viewed you as his potential maiden he can abuse whenever he wanted. Everything you wanted in a man was standing right in front of you and yet you pulled away.

Why were you so afraid? This is what you had always wanted right? To be married to the right man and to have sweet children who will turn out right. To be married by your choice and not by duty.

“We shall continue to talk on the morrow.” With that you said nothing else. You stood your place and refused to shed more tears. You watched as Jace was hit with realization. Realizing that you weren’t going to speak anymore or return your feelings. He stepped back and his face was clearly written with hurt all over.

Jace turned to leave your chambers and once he had left, you broke down in continued tears. You broke down into messy sobs, feeling so alone and hurt. Your glassy violet eyes watching the door— thinking about chasing after him. Your eyes begin to dry, rimmed with redness and puffy, you were so conflicted and hated yourself for being so confusing, you wished you had the courage to declare how much you do care for him. But you could not, you were too late, he now thinks you do not love him.

As you continued to cry in your chambers, unknowingly to you— Jace remained behind your doors and hearing it all, salty tears swelling in his eyes. You both cried for each other, yearning for each other’s warmth with the door separating you two.

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“The design…” Alicent eyed your wedding gown, the seamstress was still needling the gown while you were dressed in it, stepping on the high stool as you were studied by your step-mother and sister, they both shared slight distaste for the gown. Lysanna was behind you with your wedding robe to be tried on.

“It is not quite finished yet, my Queen,” the seamstress announced, she placed more needles around the bottom of your gown. You were mesmerized by the gown, it was your step-mother who prepared this gown for you, you had to admit how she perfectly knew what you preferred and what not you preferred. The red lining on the white dress and golden accents were beautiful, the designs of Meraxes on your gown made you beam with excitement. You hate to admit how much step-mother knows about you even though you are still upset with her, she was the reason why you and Jace are having a rough patch.

“Let’s have you try on the robes, hm?” Rhaenyra asked as you quickly nodded, excited to see how they looked while Alicent spoke with the seamstress to have a cape sewn in on your sleeves. Lysanna helped you out of your gown before helping you into the robes. It looked gorgeous, the robes had blue and black as the main colors to represent House Velaryon and Targaryen.

You turned to face your family and they only had given you a smile. It was surprising to see Alicent cooperate and be less vicious to Rhaenyra but perhaps they put their differences aside for your weddings. “You look beautiful, my dearest,” Alicent complimented to which Rhaenyra wholeheartedly agreed. “And what of the headpiece? When will it be finished? Her wedding is in days, let you be reminded!” the seamstress moved quickly across the room to fetch the matching headpieces she had made for you and Jace, handing Alicent yours and she quickly placed it on your head.

It was perfect. Everything was perfect. Except you could not shake away the guilt that was burning inside you from what had happened last night. You and Jace have not spoken to each other since, he was off preparing for his celebration feast that was happening tonight, with Daemon and your father, Viserys. Nobody knew what had happened between the both of you but everyone in the Keep could all feel the tension.

Alicent soon became concerned and remembered, “The gown will be finished before the wedding, I hope?”

“For the heir and his future Queen’s wedding? I will have it finished before the evening,” the seamstress insisted.

You stepped down from the stool after having the robes be taken off of you. You watched as your step-mother place a bag of coins in the seamstress’ hands for her time and hardwork. While your sister graciously thanked her, you all said your farewell before leaving the room. You planned to meet Lysanna in your chambers to help each other with the gowns for tonight.

“Would you like for me to help you pick a gown for the feast?” Alicent placed a cold hand on your shoulder but you shook your head and gave her a friendly smile,

“Liz is helping me,” you answered, “she is helping with my hair as well.”

Rhaenyra nodded from your answer and placed a sweet kiss on your forehead. “I shall see you at the feast, sweet sister.”

“Thank you, Nyra.” you smiled while she scurried off to her chambers, you were standing alone with your step-mother, awkwardly. “Then I shall depart as well-“

With swiftness, you stopped your step-mother from leaving and she gave you a confused look but quickly was replaced with surprise once you shoved yourself into her embrace. Hugging her so tightly, you were scared she would be crushed. But quickly enough, she held onto you as well, possibly her grip was more tighter than yours. “I’ve missed you, my dearest love,” she voiced gently, genuinely terrified to let go of you.

“I have missed you,” you admitted, cried softly. Not caring with what Ladies or Lords around the halls are witnessing.

She didn’t waste a second to kiss your head gingerly and hush you like you were still a baby. “My sweet, miracle girl. What is wrong?”

You couldn’t answer her, instead you buried yourself deeper into your step-mother’s shoulder, the tears continued falling from your eyes, as you breathed in the scent of the Keep. You had not understand why you were suddenly missing your step-mother. In seconds, your step-mother brought you back inside your chambers, pleading to Lysanna to be excused and come back later. She sat you on your bed, helping you loosen your gown to feel more comfortable.

“We had a fight”, you confessed, you saw how she wanted you to continue about why, “about you.”

Alicent looked at you— confused, soon realizing what you had meant. Now understanding why you had looked so gloomy this morning, eye bags and a grim frown danced on your face. “Oh,” she muttered, “I am sorry.” you shook your head, not believing her apology, “No..really, my dearest, I am.”

“He is rather angry with me to know that I have gave you an opportunity to have a part in our wedding.” Her face seeming to hold some sort of guilt, “He’s seething with envious to know that no matter how much I hold hatred, fear, and disgust towards you..I will always find my way back to you, to please you, and to make you part of my life.”

To know that even if you hate her, you would always keep her in your heart. Why? Because she was there for you since you were born, had raised you like her own. You were always her little girl and will forever be her little girl. As much as Alicent despises Rhaenyra and her family, she had learned to accept that you were always apart of her family, she chooses to understand Jace’s anger.

At that you sat on the large bed with your mother, placing your head onto her lap as she soothed you to comfort, humming. You let yourself breathe in and breathe out to calm your nerves, silently sobbing while she whispered sweet nothings into your head, rocking you back and forth. You are ten-and-seventh, and yet you still loved being babied by your step-mother. Moments like this had you wishing that your mother was alive, you only relied on memories and stories told by your father and sister, sometimes your step-mother would tell you how much of a mother she saw in her when she was younger. It was sure by day that she would’ve loved you so much— you and your twin brother, you grieved for them everyday. You could only meet your mother in your dreams but that was more than enough, or that was you just lying to yourself for hope it’ll help ease your curiosity of your mother.

But it was okay, you knew you still had your step-mother, “Sweetest,” she cooed, kissing your forehead lightly, her kisses made you melt with warmth, you had missed this so dearly. “He will come to his senses soon. He won’t hold anger over you forever. He adores you.”

“That is what’s wrong, mama,” you whispered, you pinched yourself to calm your growing anxiety but it was not working, instead you twiddled with your rings, “I have led him to believe that I do not love him. He is rightfully hurt and I do not know what to say..”

Closing your eyes, breathing in the air before you spoke your truth. “My marriage has already ended before it even started.”

Alicent held your face, squishing your cheeks, your sad and heartbreaking eyes left her feeling more sorrow for you. “My dearest, you are no fool. It can be savored, tell me, truthfully, do you carry such love and devotion for Jacaerys as he has for you?”

Her question made you begin to wonder. You had always tried convincing yourself this betrothal was good for the family, for the House. It saved you from marrying your brother, loveless marriage or an abusive one with a high Lord who only wanted you for your Valyrian blood. But really, you knew deep down it was otherwise, no matter how much you wanted to convince yourself and others around you that you and Jace were always just family, it pained you tremendously. You weren’t as confident as he was when admitting his love for you— you didn’t know what to say or do. But you knew your heart belonged to him and only him, it was only right for you to make it up to your lover and it was only right to do it quick.

“I do,” you sighed, exhaustedly, leaning into your step-mother’s hold on your cheeks, “I love him with my whole heart. But I fear he may not want to hear it after what I done.” You had finally admit your love for Jacaerys.

Alicent let out a soft chuckle, getting up from her seat on your bed and straightening her gown, “Believe my words when I speak them, my sweet girl. He will be contented.” slightly smiling at the reassurance she tried giving you. You heard a knock on your chamber doors and it was Liz. To help you with your gown and hair for tonight, of course you let her in and dismissed with your step-mother.

You sat down at your vanity, quietly. Trying to think what to do tonight to apologize to Jace and express your true feelings for him. Waiting for Lysanna to start helping you, she noticed your dreary mood.

“Your eyes are swollen,” Lysanna pointed out and rubbed her cold hands over your face, it startled you which made her laugh. “I won’t ask what happened.”

Feeling a little better while she worked to braid your hair and wrap behind your head, leaving most of your hair down that were stylishly curled. “Have you ever been inlove, Liz?” you whispered, your eyes trained on her from the mirror, she looked rather stunned from your question. Worried you touched a sensitive topic but you wished for some sort of help from her, she was the closest companion you had and probably could relate to your troubles.

“Once.” Lysanna answered, truthfully. She brought over a bright red gown with gold trimming on the front of the gown and around the breast area, the sleeves reached mid arm and had fabric cascading from behind the ending of the sleeves. Though it looked magnificent and appeared to be the dress your step-mother picked out for you, you were not in love with how simple it was…or the color for that matter.

“He was my father’s squire. Much more older than I was at the time,” she helped you out of your pink gown and carefully put you into the red and gold one before starting to tie the laces for tightening. “The lad had dismissed my existence while he stayed in Winterfell, it broke my little heart. All of my hopes and dreams of marrying him disappeared when he left to arrive back to his home. My brother told me he left because his father had betrothed him to a lady from House Baratheon. That was the only time I had ever seen myself marrying for love, not for duty.”

At the newfound information, you frowned. Liz had only arrived to King’s Landing at the age of ten to be your lady-in-waiting. She has been your companion for so long and yet has never thought of marriage ever again. In a way, she was like you, the comfortable atmosphere around you both certainly helped you become more closer to the Stark girl.

“Do you long for home, Liz?”

“Most days I do. Why do you ask?”

“I long for home too.”

Your answer reached Liz’s understanding on what you truly meant. You knew she would understand. You both meant the exact same thing— not the home you grew up in, the home you had known all your lives. The home you desired for, a dream that you hoped to come true, a home that was far away from this place, a home where you could stay for the rest of your days and do whatever you wished. Where you were truly happy and safe.

You were finishing getting ready but you decided to take a few more minutes to help Lysanna with her gown, sure you both would have been late to the celebration but you wanted more time with her. Usually, Lysanna wore grey gowns with sigils stitched of House Stark but she started wearing appropriate gowns for the spring time, dark purples and flowery gowns looked amazing on her. You had her wear a pink patterned gown with much yellow accents and put her hair in a similar hairstyle to what she placed you in, but you wrapped the braids around the crown of her head to make a braid crown.

“Beautiful.” You complimented, Lysanna happily giggling at your words. You both left the chambers and made your way to the Hall where all celebrations and feasts are held. Tonight, not only they would be celebrating the nameday of your betrothed, but the celebration of your betrothal.

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Rhaenyra sat on the other end of the long table with Daemon, Lucerys, and Rhaena while waiting for Rhaenys who had came with Baela right by her side as well as her brother-in-law and her House since Lord Corlys was still at sea, in battle. Alicent and her family occupied the other end of the table while you and Jacaerys were supposed to be seated in the middle with the King, he was there but you were nowhere to be found. Nor was Lysanna.

“Where is my sister?” Rhaenyra whispered to Daemon, as if he would know where you were. He turned to look around the Hall, where many Houses with their Lords and Ladies were crowding. He did not find you but Lysanna was rushing through the crowd to be seated at the table. Rhaenyra had wanted to ask Lysanna where you were but Alicent got to her first. She whispered into her ear and after gaining a response from Lysanna, she looked relieved.

Lysanna made her way to sit next to Lucerys, the young boy quickly became flustered after receiving a smile from her. “Liz, where is the Princess?” Rhaenyra lightly whispered across, not wanting Jacaerys to hear so he wouldn’t panic, but he certainly would not react at the mention of you.

“She’s arriving soon. She had asked me to not wait on her, and went back to her chambers for something.” Lysanna answered truthfully. Rhaenyra was worried, Viserys was about to start his speech right about now.

Everyone had finally seated, once they had all sat, Viserys weakly got up and began his speech. But before he could even speak a word, you came in through the doors in a much different dress than the one you were previously wearing. A lavishing off-shouldered blue gown with ruffles lining across your collarbone, a lighter blue cape connecting around your sleeves, the patterns on the dress seemed to be in favor of House Velaryon and as well as the pearl jewelry that were around your neck and pinned between your ears. You wore the rings given by your father.

“Princess Y/n of House Targaryen, The Realm’s Beauty and the future Queen Consort.”

The knight announced your presence loudly, while everyone had got up from their seat once more to honor you. You had received the most happiest grin from the King and Rhaenyra’s family while you received a surprised look from your step-mother. Your betrothed’s eyes lit up for a moment once you had entered the hall, surely they all expected you to show up in your house colors but tonight you were here for Jace and only Jace. But he wasn’t the only one who seemed to be contented, the Queen who never was certainly pleased to see you show support to her and her husband’s House.

You climbed up the stairs and as you made your way to sit next to Jace, you placed a sweet kiss on his cheek while they all clapped. The King declared for everyone to be seated once again.

“As we all join together for another celebration. Tonight, we celebrate my grandson, the future heir to the Iron Throne, ten-and-fourth nameday.” Viserys announces loudly, to that, they all clapped once more. You gave Jace a warm smile—received nothing but a firm nod. Taking a sip from your glass, you almost felt all of your confidence drain out of you when he barely acknowledged you. “Not only we celebrate his nameday, we celebrate yet another betrothal between House Targaryen and House Velaryon, united once more. With my grandson, your future Queen’s heir— whom to be your future King, and with my second eldest daughter, your future Queen Consort. Let us celebrate!”

You gently clapped your hands and smiled towards your father who remained his eyes on you and Jace. As everyone all clapped again, music began to play, guests beginning to dig in their meals while you sat there, looking throughout the Hall until you were interrupted by a noise and saw Jace held his hand out for you.

Oh. The first dance of the evening.

Quickly you took his hand and was lead to the floor. Hesitating to take the lead, from your lover’s stance, he was much more confident to lead. As the music danced around you both, you cleared your throat and whispered towards him:

“We must talk.” you muttered as he circled you before you both appeared behind each other with your arms out.

“There’s no reason for us to talk, Auntie.” His words seethed with venom, you grimaced at the way he called you his aunt— not what you were used to. You both continued to dance away from each other and reuniting once more in the middle.

“I understand your anger, Jace,” you pleaded, you were desperate to make amends but it was not looking so good. “I realized my mistakes and I want to apologize.”

The dance was coming to an end and he harshly grabbed you, “You’re not forgiven.” He whispered down into your ear, lifting you in the air as you dropped on the floor before everyone clapped for you and Jace. He left you on the dancefloor by yourself until Lords and their Ladies crowded you. Watching him walk back to his seat without a care, you never felt so rejected and afraid until now. It shattered your heart as he changed his demeanor when he started talking with Baela. This was your fault, you must fix it. You were feeling defeated but snapped out of your thoughts when you felt a nudge on your shoulder,

“May I have a dance with the Princess?”

You wanted to politely refuse the young Lord but soon you realized it was not a young Lord, when you turned around you were facing the Lord of the North, Cregan Stark. Lysanna was watching with excitement to see you with her brother, she was so happy to hear from him that he would be attending. In a matter of seconds you begun dancing with him. Stealing glances over to him, you noticed how handsome he looked (though you could never admit that out loud.) He towered over you so easily— feeling rather short when next to him. His defined and mature looks, his furs that were draped over his shoulders made him look more masculine than any of the men that were in the Hall. The confidence in his stance was just the icing on the cake, everything about this man made you weak in the knees.

Recovering very soon from your ogling to the Lord of Winterfell, “It is a pleasant surprise to see you here tonight, my Lord,” you muttered, lifting your head after giving him a small nod out of respect, the older man gave you a light laugh from how you forgot your position. Grasping his hands around your waist, you let out a surprised gasp from how gentle he held you as he lifted you up in the air.

“It was my sister who asked of me.” He stated his reasoning, he helped you from the air to land you on the floor. That’s right, Lysanna had wrote many letters each month to her brother on any events happening and what was happening in her life, currently. It was a big surprise to see House Stark show up to any celebration that was held in King’s Landing due to them being in the North, it takes over a month to just travel here.

“Liz has always mentioned you, you are admirable, Lord Stark.” you were soon to be growing your confidence back, you were happy to be able to find comfort with a new friend you had made with the Lord Stark. Hoping he was enjoying your company as well.

Unknowing to you or the Lord of Winterfell, you were being watched not just by Lysanna but by your betrothed. Jace clenching his jaw as watched you enjoy the newfound company as you continued to dance with Cregan and laugh with him even though the dance floor was changing partners. Jace didn’t want to admit it, you looked like a divine goddess, he was mesmerized by your beauty that he almost forgot he was unhappy with you. But his grumpy mood soon came back after watching you dance with the Warden of the North while knowing he was an old potential suitor of yours.

It appeared that partners were changing soon, truthfully, you did not want to split up. You liked the friendly atmosphere you were able to make with him. “You honor me, my Princess. Please refer me as Cregan.” In awe at how he already wanted to be on first name basis. Before you could split apart, he gave your hand a kiss out of respect, “Congratulations, your betrothed appears to already be a strapping lad. Winterfell awaits for your arrival.” His manners made you shamelessly stare while being split up from the change of partners, grumbling once you realized Lord Baratheon became your partner, excusing yourself to return to your table. Happily eating the lemon cakes and toffee puddings that were offered.

“Sister! You must see the gift me and Daeron had prepared for your wedding.” Helaena quickly came up to you with Daeron by her side, holding a neatly rolled art piece that was collected specifically for you. You laid your eyes upon it with content, they knew how much you were into collecting art pieces, especially ones that were historical and ancient. You couldn’t wait to hang it up on your chamber walls with the rest of your collected art pieces.

You placed the art piece by your side and gave a genuine smile to your siblings for their sweet and thoughtful gift. “It is an amazing gift, my sweets. Thank you..”

“We had it exported from Essos,” Daeron explained, you assumed so since the paper was more softer than any art from Westeros. Your brother was explaining more in-depth with where the art piece came from. Helaena was telling you how happy she was when she got her hands on it as Rhaena asked to look at the art, handing her the paper, she looked so mesmerized by the colors.

You bid them off with a tight hug and a sweet kiss on their cheeks. Watching them sit back down at their seat, conversing with one another. Your gaze was soon locked with your young brother, Aemond. While Aegon, had run off to drink away and stare hungrily at the servant maids, making a complete utter fool out of himself. Your brother watched you from the side of the long table, your eyes began to sadden as you realized this was the first interaction you ever had with Aemond since two years ago, after the scary incident. He finally tore his gaze away from you and quickly your mood was ruined, once more. This is was a different kind of rejection, rejected by your betrothed and now rejected by your sweet brother, whom was the closest brother to you since children.

How could this night be so cruel to you? This was supposed to be a feast of celebration for Jace’s nameday but you could not hold your happiness anymore. As you’re drowning in your sorrow, Jace was drowning in his as well. He gave you a quick look before turning away once you noticed, you opened your mouth to say something but immediately closed it. Let him celebrate his nameday in peace, you thought, let him have no more worries for the rest of the night.

Your gaze was shifted to Lysanna, who was dancing with her brother and Luke, they all looked so jolly and contented.

Oh how you wished you were feeling those emotions right now.

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I made this chapter longer than the others because I felt bad for taking so long to update😔 I’m sorry! But omg we get sm angst, muahahahahaha😈 yes I love angst, it’s amazing and horrible at the same time. Anyways shoutout to Cregan writers, YALL ARE SAVING ME IN THE CREGAN X READER TAG!!🙏‼️

taglist (woohoo!): @sigynxlokiwifelover @l-3-e @audigay @urmomsgirlfriend1 @cold-v0dka @cookielovesbook-akie @theoriginalwife000 @xoxovenusquinn(would not let me tag u:( @ghalakgx (would not let me tag:( @neenieweenie @classysassynabitsmartassy @generousbearwolflight @gariben @si1versamurai @deltamoon666 @aemondssiut (would not let me tag u:( @thelastemzy @ryantryan6969 @topazy @starogeorgina @infinitleyethereal @speedypeter @dramaroomrat @potatolady189 (would not let me tag u:( @zzz000eee @parkchaeyoung1997 @jaehyunyah

[baekgufiles]

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pairing: p.sunghoon x fem!reader genre: high school!au | fluff w. count: 1.06k warnings: mentions of past bullying, mentions of food sypnosis: sunghoon has a crush on you and tries to pick up your interests to approach you.

book lovers !

— Are you… reading?

It was a new sight, for sure.

— Like actually reading that whole thing?— Jake carried the previous question.

— You know, I’m not that stupid. I can read a damn book once in a while— Sunghoon answered, putting down the novel.

— Don’t wanna let you down, but it’s the first time I’ve seen you reading by your own will in the last three years— Jay commented.

— Well, there’s a first time for everything, don’t you think?— he burried his face into the pages.

The truth is, Park Sunghoon didn’t enjoy reading. He was much more of an active person; his hobbies always had something to do with sports. Even on his laziest days, he would go out for a coffee or, worst case scenario, watch an action movie.

And the truth also is that Park Sunghoon always thought he would never be caught dead with a book on him. That was until he met you.

There hadn’t been a day on the whole year where you hadn’t brought a novel with you. Getting immersed in some passionate story and forgetting about the world around you was an everyday activity. A fire could be burning the whole school to the bedrock unbeknownst to you.

On the other hand, you could never go unnoticed. At least not by him. Sunghoon loved to watch your little unintentional reactions, your eyes quickly skipping words through the pages. He loved how your slightly too long hair got in the way, falling in front of your vision. And he loved how every time you’d blowed it, annoyed; yet the next day you would never had cut it.

Sunghoon didn’t like reading, but he couldn’t go a day without reading you. So, when he eavesdropped you recommending some book to one of your classmates with the tagline of ‘your favorite’ he knew that was his one chance.

— Hey, y/n!— his grip on the book cover became heavier at Jake’s voice—. You’ve got yourself a bookworm friend now!

— Yeah, Sunghoon suddenly has decided to pick up reading— Jay added, palming his seatmate’s back, as he added with sarcastic tone—, I wonder why.

— Guys, I’m tired of explaining that I’m not becoming besties with anyone just because they’re reading a b- Wait, you’re reading Little Women?— she interrupted herself.

Sunghoon slowly lowered the volume, finally facing you— Y-yes. It’s a nice book— his voice trembled a bit, but he managed to make himself understandable. Jay looked away, hiding a teasing smile; whereas Jake straight up caughed to hide his laughter.

— Yeah, it really is. Just… quite unexpected choice coming from you, I think— she talked, picking her words carefully.

— Well, it’s not my usual choice, but I truly like it. Also, Jo is such a good written character— his eyes caught the shimmer growing into your gaze.

— I know, right? She knew what she wanted all along, I kinda envy her. I’ve always related the most to Amy— a smile out of excitement crawled into her face.

Sunghoon was about to carry the conversation, but the teacher walked through the classroom door, announcing the end of the recess. He had never hated school more. You walked to your seat and he was left alone with Jay, Jake and their mockery.

Just when he was about to ignore everything and just sleep through the lecture, a neatly folded paper reached his desk. Kind of confused, he opened it, facing a hurried handwriting which readed “we can continue our chat after classes if you want to :)”

He raised his head in a rush, meeting your eyes in an instant before nodding enthusiastically.

— I can’t believed you really just got a date. By picking up a book? How did you do that?— Jake protested on your way out of high school.

— He has been whipped for long enough— Jay stated—. You just straight up flirt with the first girl that crossed your way.

— I’m sorry mister “I have a girlfriend”, not everyone’s got your luck— Jake bickered back.

— Can you guys calm down? I’m already plenty of nervous— Sunghoon interfered.

— You got this, don’t panic— Jay tranquilized him—. It’s just a girl, what could possibly happened?

Flash forward, Sunghoon and you just ordered coffee and two pieces of tiramisu at a little and quiet cafe near by.

The silence wasn’t totally uncomfortable, but you truly wanted to know more about your classmate, so you broke it— I didn’t know you were into reading?— you showed how you weren’t totally sure about the statement.

— Yeah, well… This was more of a first time for me— he instantly panicked, realizing what he just announced—. I mean, obviously this isn’t the first book I’ve ever read. I’ve read plenty of books before, you know? At least, plenty in my opinion; surely for you it wouldn’t be that much since you are always reading something but-

— Sunghoon— you giggled at his lowkey scared face— it’s okay, I get it. Not everyone has a book under their nose 24/7, in any case I’m the one who’d be the odd one.

You looked away, fearing about his reaction a little. He frowned— It’s not weird at all?— your attention was brought to him again, a curious expression stamped on your face—. You know, no one calls weird the football guys, and they always have a ball on them. Also for lots of them, that’s like their one and only interest and again, no one’s ever weirded out about it.

— I guess you are right— you hummed, quickly agreeing with him. You never before had the chance to chat alone with Sunghoon, but for some reason he just emanate comfort. You stirred your drink, absently—. I guess this doesn’t come as a surprise, but I used to get laughed out for just read all the time instead of actually speaking with other kids.

He lightly smiled— Believe it or not, I went through a similar phase too. Just omitting the reading thingy— he clarified, making you chuckled—. What I mean is, now I have really good friends, but it wasn’t always like that.

— We might have more in common that what I expected— you spoke, sipping your coffee—. Turns out you didn’t have to fake your interests for us to get along.

He felt the blood rushing up to his ears, face reddening on the way, as you happily chuckled.

@ baekgufiles 2024

[bethelighthalazia]

Gone too far

Summary:  What if San notices his sasaengs in the crowd near you at Coachella and suddenly you are nowhere to be seen anymore?

Genre: angst, hurt/NO comfort

Pairing: bf!San X fem!reader

Additional Characters: ATEEZ - members

Word Count:  1601

Warnings: kidnapping, sasaengs, death threats, reader getting hurt, blood, panicked San, angry San, angry ateez, possibly weapons mentioned, major character death

networks: @mirohs-aurora-society

notes: I apologize in advance for any tears and heartbreaks <3

other links: n/a

© by bethelighthalazia. Do not repost, copy or translate. Unless stated otherwise, those works are mine and born from my own ideas. I don't have any claim on the mentioned real existing Idols whatsoever.

Only a week ago, San had introduced you to ATINY as his girlfriend after a bit over a year of dating now. None of the boys would have thought that this would start a chain of actions that end up with what happened today and the following days.

It's the soundcheck for Coachella. You were settled near the stage, watching and cheering for San and the boys, while they made sure that their big performance would go perfectly fine. You knew that they're nervous, but you always believed in them. Every now and then, San glanced over to you, just like the other seven boys do, they all grew close to you, since you made San happy. 

Unbeknownst to you, there had been some of San's fans, mainly one specific sasaeng and her friends, but San had spotted them already. He had looked worried, but you thought it would only be because he's nervous about the performance, after all, they're the first korean boy group to perform here. This thought is quickly discarded when you feel something pointy being held against your side, a hand quickly wrapped around your face to cover your mouth while you're dragged into a little crowd, out of San's view.

You could hear his voice falter through the microphone, him whispering your name first before shouting it, the panic in his voice evident. Hushed voices told you to stay quiet while you were dragged away, the sharp object by now cutting into your flesh, since you only wore one of San's crop tops he brought with him. The last thing you heard before someone knocked you out, was San's broken voice calling your name again and again, followed by the sound of his microphone dropping and some faint sobs.

— San pov —

“Where is she?” Hongjoong asked, he's fuming with anger and his voice merely an angry hiss. After San broke down on stage during the sound check, they had looked everywhere, but no one had seen y/n anywhere. Now, San was sitting on the sofa, Wooyoung trying to console him while San's eyes seemed void of any life. His hyungs were discussing the search with the bodyguards and managers, but they haven't found any lead to you yet.

While Wooyoung quietly talked to San, the door to the backstage room burst open and Jongho arrived with Yeosang, some paper in his hands. “Hyung! We found this at the spot where y/nnie was watching us from…” The maknae said quietly, handing the paper to Hongjoong. It was a collection of cut out letters, blood splatters on it. The letter said that San should forget you, or the blood wouldn't be the only thing you'd lose. With a quick glance at San, Hongjoong clenched his fists, feeling angry, but also helpless. What if these people truly hurt you? What if searching for a way to get you back to his younger member would endanger your life?

“Hyung…what's that?” San's croaked voice rang through the room, his eyes focused on the paper in Hongjoong's hand. The older one already wants to put it into his pockets, yet San was quicker, snatching the paper from the captain's hand, Wooyoung and Jongho trying to stop him but failing. When San finally reads the letter, he feels tears clouding his vision, squeezing them shut to try and refocus his eyes on the cut out letters. It doesn't take too long and his legs give out under him, causing San to drop on his knees, his breath shallow and his heart feeling as if an icy hand grips around it. “It- this…this can be a coincidence…right? We don- don´t know if this really is-” He stutters, hyperventilating while speaking. Wooyoung quickly gets down next to his best friend, trying to calm him down, but it doesn't help at all. The final blow is Jongho, who holds out his hand and then opens it, your necklace, a locket with a photo of you and san inside, dangling from his fingers, the silver of the chain and pendant covered in a crimson red.

San ́s eyes widen at this sight, frozen in shock for a few moments before he just falls against Wooyoung´s chest, sobbing uncontrollably and muttering out your name between the sobs. Hongjoong watches this for a few more moments, thinking about a solution. The letter said not to include police, but it did not say anything about getting help in other ways. The captain and Seonghwa exchange a short glance before Seonghwa gets out his phone to start a livestream from backstage, Hongjoong speaking, while the eldest makes sure to get San into the view of the camera as well.

“Hello Atiny. We know our stage should begin in a few hours, but we felt the need to come live to ask you for help. As you guys can see, San is devastated, and not only him, but all of us. Y/n, San´s girlfriend has vanished and we know that she had been taken by someone. They have sent a letter, telling San to not think about her, but his fans,” Hongjoong says calmly, but his voice is shaky as he holds up the letter they got, followed by a picture of San and you. “If any of you have seen her in the last hour, please let us or our staff know, so we can get our y/n back.”

Most comments were useless, only talking about how unfair it is that you got to be his girl, not even showing concern for you at all. However, one comment got Seonghwa´s attention, his eyes wide. ‘I saw her with friends, she seemed passed out drunk tho’. He immediately sent a private message to the person through the group´s account, asking if they could explain more. The commenter explained that you seemed somewhat out of it, one of your assumed friends holding you up but when they had asked the group if they needed help, the friends seemed to have run away. Seonghwa tried to get some more answers from the commenter, but they couldn't tell him much more. A knock on the door did pull the attention away from Seonghwa´s phone and towards the door. 

Hongjoong was the one who answered the door, everyone holding their breath when they stared into the face of San ́s manager who only shook their head. “What-” The captain asked, but got cut by the manager´s words. “They´ve found her…But i don't think you should go.” He says quietly, but it's loud enough that all the boys look at him now. San tries to get up and walk towards the door, but wooyoung is quick to catch him, because his legs just give up halfway when a police officer appears behind the manager. “We need one of you to confirm that it's her.” The officer said and with a quick nod, Yunho already walked up, gesturing to the others to take care of San. Exchanging looks, the members nod, but then Wooyoung looks up at the others and waves Seonghwa over to take over holding San, so he could accompany Yunho.

The walk to where they found you felt like hours for them, neither Yunho, nor Wooyoung talking the whole time, both lost in their own thoughts. When the police officer stops, he looks at both with a concerned look, frowning. “It's not a very nice sight. But we need to know if it's her. Please step away if the sight makes you nauseous.” He says, then leads the two men to the spot they found you.

You laid there, your empty eyes staring up to the sky, at least the one that's not covered by the blood coming from a big hole that was smashed into your temple. Wooyoung grabs Yunho´s arm tightly to hold himself up at the sight, Yunho only nods and then has to avert his gaze, looking away from your destroyed body. “It- It´s y/n…” Wooyoung mumbles before stumbling away from the scene, barely holding onto his hyung before crouching down to empty his stomach outside of the police barricades. Yunho just supports his younger member before they both slowly make their way back to the backstage area where they had left San with the others, but they freeze in their tracks when they hear the blood curdling scream from the spot where the police had found your body. 

Somehow, San had convinced the others to bring him here and before anyone could manage to hold him back, he had fought his way through and stumbled through the barricades. Now, he's just kneeling there, staring at your body that quickly gets covered with a white sheet, which turns red fast. His head dropped forwards on his chest, his eyes looking empty, as if all life had drained from them. Yunho and Seonghwa hurried to grab him, pulling him up and away from the scene by his upper body and San doesn't even resist, his legs dragging over the grass. The only sounds that can be heard from San are whispered words, or rather, one word; repeating your name over and over. Without hesitation, Hongjoong cancels the second Coachella performance and all concerts and anything for the next few months, even making a video statement that because of what happened, they won't be doing any live performances or anything for the time being. Then, he returns to taking care of his members, tears in his eyes because you were loved by all of them, they all were grateful for the love you gave San all the time.

taglist: @mingis-mizu, @tinyelfperson, @hotteokkay, @minkilicious, @bunnliix,

@gong-fourz, @yeosangiess, @dinossaurz, @scuzmunkie, @h3arteyes4mingi,

@vnessalau

(if you want to be added to a taglist, follow the taglist-link in my pinned post)

[gadriezmannsgirl]

Nine days a little too late💀 but here's Pedri's birthday fic!🎉 also not me inspiring this fic with the quesillo and torta de auyama I helped my mom do last week🤭 also I'm sorry if this is a bit shitty I need to get back into writing ASAP😭😭 Please let me know your thoughts on this one😭😌

Warnings: Spanish swearing, lots of mentions of sweets (?), Pepi is whipped for reader, I didn't revise this so bare with me😭 let me know if there's any grammar mistake pls also it's a bit shitty, sorry😭😭😭

A New Diet - P.G8

Summary: Your love for sweets eventually brings you to the guy of your dreams

You didn't remembered when you started loving sweets so much, maybe you had it in you since you were little or maybe it was when you first got your period, only a big amount of chocolate could calm down your anxiety; maybe it was after watching bake-off TV shows, you didn't knew when but you did knew that you loved sweets and you also loved making them.

You tried your grandma's recipes, your aunt's, your mom's, the ones you find in internet, the ones you find in magazines and eventually you started adding your own "sparkle" into them, mixing random ingredients, taking off some while adding other ones.

It was that much that your parents got you into a course on baking and pastry-making. You loved it and got a certificate for it, one you felt truly proud of and even marked it to put it on your small living room of your new house.

You had recently moved to Barcelona to finish your degree in veterinary medicine and also to achieve your baking dream, you only had some months in your new house but you loved it, even through the rough patches of not knowing anyone in here.

Well... you did met some people and weren't so lonely now and those people were your mates from Uni and your neighbours which were mostly older people but two lovely and funny brothers who you often talk to when the three of you get out of your houses at the same time.

"¡Bienvenida al vecindario!" (welcome to the neighborhood) They had said once you opened your door making you smile

"Soy Fernando, puedes llamarme Fer and he's my brother Pedro but you can call him Pedri" (I'm Fernando but you can call me Fer) The guy next to him smiled and waved at you lightly

"Hola y muchas gracias. I'm Y/N" You replied softly with a smile on

"Un placer, Y/N. We brought this little gift as a welcome. Hope you like it" (It's a pleasure) Pedri extended a small food container with a smile on

"Thanks! What it is?"

"They're croquetas. Family recipe" Fer explained "I made them and I hope you like them"

"Well, they smell incredible so..." Both brothers laughed lightly and you joined them "I'm pretty sure I'll love them"

"Let us know!" You nodded with a smile

"Pues nada, bienvenida, somos tus vecinos, aquella casa de la esquina es la nuestra y nada... Si necesitas algo, estaremos encantados en ayudarte" (And well, welcome; we're your neighbours, the house at the corner is ours and yeah... If you need something, we'll be happy to help you) Pedri said. He's so pretty, you thought.

You smiled nodding "Muchas gracias e igualmente. Si necesitan algo y está a mi alcance pues estaré encantada en ayudarles" (Thank you so much and likewise. If you need something and it's within my reach then I'll be happy to help)

"Thanks" Fer smiled and they started walking away

"Let us know if you like the croquettes!" Pedri yelled and you laughed softly

You remembered your first meeting when you saw both brothers walk towards their house joking around as you were taking out the trash and suddenly realized that was already four months ago.

They waved at you and you waved back with a smile on your face.

You returned inside your house and settled everything up to do your quesillo, you had your period and everything you wanted was something sweet to ease your anxiety and pain.

Turning up your music, you blasted Rosalía, Karol G and some Taylor Swift while you happily made your quesillo, forgetting about everything. However being too into your own world, you didn't realized you did for more people than you were supposed to do.

"Oh fuck" You cursed lightly "What do I do now?" You asked yourself.

As much as you loved sweets, this was a big portion since you basically duplicated the recipe that originally is for 6-7 people, you didn't wanted for it to go to waste.

Your parents weren't in Barcelona and neither was your brother to give them some quesillo. You could give some to your friends and still a big portion will be left.

You closed your eyes groaning and your mind went to the González brothers.

Would they even like it? Would they accept it? You groaned again and your body acted before you could even think straight.

You went around and looked for a food container to give them some quesillo to them when you suddenly saw their food container. The one you forgot to give back because of your Uni and work.

Now you, at least, had a good excuse to give them the sweet.

Preparing yourself mentally you walked over to their house and knocked on their door only for a few minutes later, Pedri to open the door with a pretty smile on his face.

"Y/N! How are you?" You nodded a bit nervous. You were truly hoping for Fernando, to open the door like he always does.

"I'm good, what about you?" He nods

"I'm great! Tell me, what can I do for you?"

"I-mm... I'm actually here because I did this quesillo and I had some problems calculating the ingredients, turns out I did more than usual and I don't want it to go to waste so I was just wondering if you guys would like some?"

Pedri spent a few seconds in silence and those were the worst seconds for you.

"Sure, yes!"

"Perfect!" You pull the food container towards him "And also, sorry I didn't give it back right away. I'm pretty busy with my finals and with work too" He laughs softly grabbing it

"No te preocupes" (No worries) He winked and you felt like instantly dying right there.

"I hope you guys like it. Let me know how is it!"

"Will do! Thank you so much!" Pedri smiled and you waved walking away, he got inside his house and exhaled looking at the sweet in his hands.

It smells divine. He thought softly.

"Was it Y/N?" Fer yelled from the living room

"Yes!"

"Did you ask her out?"

"No"

"And what did you do then?" Fer asked impressed

"She came by to give us a quesillo"

"Joder, increíble" (Fuck, amazing) Fer inmediately said standing up and taking then food container out of Pedri's hands "All for me" He sang quietly

Pedri lamented not being able to eat it, as soon as he saw the quesillo his mouth watered "Puta madre" Pedri cursed as Fer laughed watching his younger brother leave the room.

One month and half later, Pedri was tired of watching the amount of sweets in his refrigerator and not being able to eat a single piece of them. Thanks to Fernando, you have been doing random pastries, cakes, muffins for you and for them, it made you happy knowing people liked your baking and felt on Cloud 9 once Fer exclaimed you could have your own succeful bakery.

Pedri didn't know how much he has resisted to it but he's sure it won't last long and even more when you were once again stood in front of the González brothers house, with a pumpkin cake in your hands.

"I swear this wasn't suppossed to happen. My aunt asked my help for my cousin's birthday but I overdid the recipe once again and I have this small pumpkin cake-"

"I'm pretty sure it's delicious, thank you Y/N" He smiled grabbing the cake from your hands. Pedri shakily opened his mouth to speak "So... How's-" Your phone ringed

"Shoot. I'm sorry I need to leave, I had these muffins on the oven but let me know if you like them!"

"Do you need help?"

"I-uh... I kinda do but no worries I can do it on my own! You might be busy as well and I don't want to interrupt anything"

"Nonsense" Pedri said "Gimme just a quick second to put this in the kitchen and I'll be right back"

True to his word, Pedri was back to you in mere seconds. You both walked to your house

"Make yourself at home" You had said smiling. "Are you a good kitchen assistant?"

"Bueno, que se me ha pasado decirte que soy un poco lento pero que soy un asistente de cocina decente" (Well, I kinda forgot to tell you I'm a bit slow but I'm a decent cooking assistant) You laughed softly at his words

"That's okay. Esos son los mejores" (Those are the best) You replied "I used to be like that and even worse" You giggled softly

"Practice makes a master" You nod agreeing with him "So... What's my job?" You smile starting to explain him what you need help with.

°°° °°°

"I hope your aunt is paying you for this" You laugh at Pedri's words before you looked over at him and found him with his face (and some of his hair) dirty with flour, you couldn't help but laugh harder. "¿Qué?" (What?) He asks with a small smile

"You have some flour in your face" You clean your hands with a towel ", you look funny" you admit softly

"Ah but that's normal. You do as well" You share a laugh

"You want something to drink? I'm about to make me some coffee"

"No bebo café" (I don't drink coffee)

"Really?" You asked impressed "Maybe some tea?" Pedri shook his head "Juice? Water?"

"Those two can do" You smile nodding starting to work on your coffee and on his drink.

"I also have some cheesecake from Monday. You want a bit?"

Pedri's body froze, he hasn't broke his diet, it takes a lot of willpower for him to quietly leave the room his brother's eating in to your baking.

And he also didn't wanted to make you feel bad for saying no.

"I'm not that hungry actually" He hated the fact, his heart hurt him when he saw how your face fell a bit. And without knowing, yours did too a little bit "I'm sorry, I-"

"No worries, that's okay!" You said smiling softly

"No, you know what? I'll accept it"

"If you don't want it, it's okay" You giggled softly to not make him feel pressured

"I want to" He smiled at you "Now... I'm waiting for my slice of cheesecake"

This time, both of your hearts beat strongly at the sight of each others smile.

°°° °°°

"Joder, you're whipped" Fer said shaking his head

"I'm not!"

"You fell so easily into it!"

"I don't think she realized it but she gave me this pout and her eyes dropped, I couldn't watch her like that!"

"Si, hermano. You're whipped"

"Puta madre" Pedri cursed "Now I have to do double session" He said getting ready for his morning training

"Don't overwork yourself, Pedrito"

"Don't call me that!"

"Ask her out already!" Fer laughed watching his brother get out of their house

"¡Cállate" (Shut up!)

Pedri did wanted to ask you out but he was afraid of your answer, he just didn't knew if you liked him in that way and he didn't wanted to make things awkward between you two.

But as if it was something of destiny you were going out of your house with a backpack. You were going to Uni.

Pedri quickly got into his car and started it, to stop in front of your house. "Need a ride, señorita?" (Miss)

"Yes, please. I'm way too late" You smiled and he laughed nodding his head for you to get inside. "Buenos dias" (Good morning) You said leaning forward to hug him "¿Qué tal todo?" (How's everything?) He nods smiling

"¿Tu que tal? ¿Acaso se te han pegado las sábanas el día de hoy?" (How about you? Didn't wanted to get out of the bed?) He joked and you lightly groaned

"I was up all night studying for this exam, it's worth about the 35% of the whole grade and I'm freaking nervous" You admited ", plus, I kinda forgot to set up my alarm so that's the reason I'm looking like a mad woman and I didn't had time to revise my notes" You huff "But let's say I'm good"

"Don't stress so much about it, I know you'll do fine and you'll smash this exam" Pedri reasured you with a smile

"You have a lot of faith in me"

"Que eres muy inteligente, guapa. A veces te subestimas demasiado" (You're very smart, beautiful. Sometimes you underestimate yourself so much)

"I just get really nervous, I've never failed any of my classes and I have this scholarship so I have to be the best of the best"

"And you are. Stop stressing so much, you'll get wrinkles" You blush and laugh shaking your head

The rest of the drive was spent with you talking of random things and listening to the whole "Un Verano Sin Ti" album by Bad Bunny

"Thanks for the ride, Pedrito. You just saved my life" You both hugged each other over the console

"Anytime, Y/N" He smiled watching you pick your things and leave his car. Before you got inside the building, three car honks stopped you. As you turned around you saw Pedri still there and looking at you

You went back to him "What's up?" You said leaning into the drivers window

"Are you free this weekend?"

You nod lightly "I am... why?"

"Wanna go out with me?" You were shocked hearing those words came out of his mouth but at the same time, you were so happy

"Sure, I'd love that" You smiled and he smiled back

"Perfect, I'll text you so we can talk about it" You nod once more

"Good, nos vemos Pepi" (See you)

"Nos vemos, guapa" (See you, beautiful) You blushed once again and separated yourself from his car, turning around you went inside the building

You were walking to your exam when you felt your phone vibrate and saw a text from Pedri

Pedro G: Por cierto, estás muy mona cuando te sonrojas (By the way, you're pretty cute when you blush)

You smile and giggle shaking your head at your phone, replying with a small Sush🙈

And with that you entered with confidence into the classroom

°°° °°°

Two months later

"Estás muy guapa el día de hoy" (You're looking gorgeous today) Your now, boyfriend of one month said looking at you with a smile

"You're exaggerating. I'm covered in eggs and onions"

"Still very guapa" He gave you a small kiss to your lips before entering inside your house "Need help with something?"

"I've got it covered, lindo. Thanks tho" You smiled washing your hands before getting into what you were doing "What are we watching today?"

"Creed?" You think of it for a few seconds and then nod lightly

"Only because we saw Me Before You last week" He laughs softly

"What are you doing?" His arms wrapped themselves around your waist and Pedri brought you into him

"I'm cooking for my brother's date tomorrow night"

"You sure you don't need help?" He kissed your cheek and you smiled resting against him

"I'm almost done, give me just a few minutes and then I'm yours"

"Can I at least do the popcorns?" You smile nodding

"Top left shelf"

A few minutes passed and you finished what you were doing. You wrapped the food and pulled it in a food container into the refrigerator as Pedri was munching on some popcorn

"You will not leave for the movie"

"There are a lot" He brushed off your comment while putting some in front of your mouth

"They're good, baby" Pedri nodded

"I know, I'm the best"

"Oh shut up, come on"

"Amor, do you like football?" He asked out of nowhere as you got the movie ready

"I'm not much into it, to be honest. Why?"

"Would you like to come with me and Fer to a match?"

"Will you teach me every single thing of football so I don't look like a foreign?" He laughs nodding

"Of course" You smiled at each other

"Then sounds good" You nod happy "What are you doing tomorrow, amor?" You ask him

"Nothing important, why?"

"Can you accompany me tomorrow to get some copies I need to get done for Uni?"

"Sure. What time, amor?"

"Maybe around 2pm?"

"I'll be here" Pedri nodded "Shall we start?" You don't say anything but click on the start bottom before you cuddled up to him

°°° °°°

"Hey Fer"

"Y/N!" He said excited hugging you "How are you? My brother has kidnapped you" You blush lightly

"I'm doing well, dear. How about you?"

"Good, good!" He smiled "How can I help you?"

"Is Pedri here? He's supposed to accompany me to do something right now" He shakes his head

"He's in training right now"

"He's training?" Fer nods "For what?"

"This weekend's match"

"What match?"

"Football match?" He asked back confused

"He's playing?" He nods

"He's a football player, Y/N/N" You were confused

"Right, yes, of course!" You said "Well, thanks Fer and sorry the bother!" You jogged back to your house

You instantly went to your phone and searched for Pedri González, to your surprise a photo of your boyfriend came up along with the name of FC Barcelona. Your boyfriend is a FC Barcelona player.

Copies can wait, you decided, Pedri had somethings to explain. And that he did, as soon as he got to your house. You let him know that the door was unlocked and that you'll be waiting for him.

"Amor, I'm sorry, I got caught up on-"

"Pedro "Pedri" González López, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for La Liga FC Barcelona and the Spain NT" You read from your phone as soon as you see him coming to the living room "And then there's a picture of a guy who looks just like you" You look at him serious "Why didn't you told me that?"

" I can explain that to you"

"Please do"

Pedri sighed "I didn't tell you because I wanted you to like me for me, for Pedri not because of Pedri the football player from Club Barcelona" He sighs "It's not often when I don't have people trying to get my attention just because of fame or money. I'm just a simple guy living his dream and I want for everyone to treat me like that. I liked you from the moment I knew you and when I saw you didn't even recognized me for being Pedri the football player and cared for just Pedri, I wanted to keep that going and protect you from that world. You're my safe space"

"Pedri, I don't really care if you're famous or not and you know that"

"I know and I was eventually going to tell you this weekend after you see me playing" He winces now thinking of his idea "It might not be my best idea but I truly wanted to tell you because I like to think that we can have a long road together ahead of us"

"You're trying to get your way out of this with sweet words" He laughs softly

"I don't. That's what I truly think" you stayed silent for a few minutes

"You have some other secret I should know about?"

"No" He said shaking his head. You smiled and went to him kissing his lips

"Don't lie or hide things from me again, please. I think the same way but I want us to be honest with each other" Pedri nods

"Will do" Pedri smiles leaning down to kiss your lips

"Would you teach me some football right now?" Pedri nods smiling wide

"Let's go, bonita"

"But before that... Wanna have some chocolate muffins?"

Pedri secretly winced before nodding "Not one, not two... give me three of those"

He couldn't break his diet but for you he would.

°°° °°°

"So..." You begin "How do I look?" You turn around with your boyfriend's name on your back

"Gorgeous" That's what he said smiling "The eight looks really good on you" You smile turning to face him with blush covering your cheeks "In fact, everything looks good on you"

"Well, wish I could say the same" He opens his mouth in disbelief.

"I can't believe it" You laugh kissing his cheeks

"Vamos, amor. You are needed" You grab his hand and led him through the door "Hopefully you win tonight 'cus I made a winning cake for you" He laughs

"We will win" Pedri says "But we also know that winning or not, I will eat it" You smile nodding "Let's go to Montjuic!"

You both got into the car and Pedri drove off, it's your first time in a stadium, so you were pretty nervous.

"Call me or Fer. He told me he's already here" You nod taking in Pedri's words. "If you need anything let him know"

"I will" You said smiling "Go ahead and score some goals"

"They'll be for you" You blush and push him lightly for him to start walking

"Go. I'll be fine" with doubts Pedri started walking away only for him to walk back to you and kiss you softly before out of nowhere, leaving you in the hall.

You followed his intructions and soon you were in the yards along with the fans. Your eyes scanned the crowd and quickly divised Fer.

"Hey" You say getting closer to him

"Hey! Happy to see you here!"

"Happy to be here!" You hug

"You know what this match means?"

"Pedri told me something among the lines of El Clásico?" Fer nods

"Our worst rival RMA" You nod lightly

"Yeah, he told me those small things as well"

"Did he told you a fight could break out?" Your eyes widen and you cough

"No! Will he be-?"

"He'll be fine as long as the problem isn't with him. A small fact? It never is"

The tension could be felt in the air, you didn't have any idea what could happen. But you did knew the ones with the blue and red shirt were the ones your boyfriend played for and you were going to yell at everything they do.

Match started and it was already rough some players fouling you guys and the ref said nothing. You were complaining the whole 1st time about that while Fer laughed and maybe even recorded you.

You were stressing out, it was minute 88, four fights already displayed in the spam of the 2nd time and no score. Until he did it. De Jong stole the ball from one of the oponents, you still don't know who it was; when De Jong passed it to Gundo and Gundo to Ferran to start dribbling around players and once he was starting to get close to the net, he shot it to Pedri who scored.

He did his natural signature + a wink to your direction

"That was to me" Fer said

"Sure it was" You laughed and joked around with Fer until the game ended

You receive Pedri by his car with a piece of cake, he hissed when he saw the chocolate and it didn't helped that Ferran made fun of him.

"As I have just the recovery session, you have to take a double one to forget about the calories that cake has, good luck on that, Pepi"

"You're just jealous you don't have a girlfriend who bakes for you" Pedri said hitting the back of Ferran's head while the shark laughed "See you, tiburón"

"See you, Pepi" Ferran waved at you lightly as you waved back with a small smile on your face

"Hola guapa" Pedri said wrapping his arms around your shoulders to bring you close to him. You smile taking in the scent of his soap and shampoo

"Hola guapo" You kissed his cheek before leaning up to kiss his lips "Congrats on the win, you did great"

"I felt motivated tonight" He winks at you and you laugh, blushing "However, I'm starving and this cake looks so good to me right now"

"Ah ah ah!" You push the cake back when he tried to reach it "I found out a little something and I just confirmed it"

"What did you find out?"

"You guys have a very strict diet as I could see" Pedri's heart stopped working for a while "And your friend isn't the most quiet when it comes to talk so... Have you really ate all of the sweets I have made for you this past months?"

Pedri got quiet for a while and before he opened his mouth you beat him to it "Honestly, Pedro"

"I didn't..." He said guilty and he watched how your face fell lightly "But I eventually did that time when I was at yours! And I didn't say any kind of lies when I said that they were the best ones!" You sighed softly

"But you could have told me that before!" You said "Now, I feel guilty"

"Why?"

"I was there making and bringing you guys the most sweet stuffs I could ever made for you to try and you had to suffer seeing your brother eat them without a single regret!" Pedri felt his heart grow warm "If you could have told me I have this strict diet, I could have done something different for you because everything I did was mostly for you, Pepi" You admit and he smiles before kissing you softly

"Now you know, amor. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, you were just really excited for me trying your baking out and I didn't wanted to make you feel bad by saying no"

"You have to do double sessions, I still feel bad" He sent you an apologetic smile as you groaned lightly "That's why this cake is for both of us now" You said

"Hey, it was mine!"

"It was" You agree "That was before I learned about your diet. So I made this one" You said "Half it's especially made for you and the other one is for me, like I usually do"

"Did you seriously just made me a piece of healthy cake for myself?" You nod

"And be prepared because now that I'll try more fitness stuff, you'll be the first one to try them out"

"I can't wait for it" He smiled before grabbing a piece of cake with his fingers and eating it, he groaned in delight "So far, try to make the pumpkin cake for me so I can eat it. That was the best one" He munched the cake once again

"Stop eating it"

"This is so delicious, I just can't!" He shook his head "In fact" He pulled out his car keys out and handed them to you "You drive tonight while I eat this masterpiece my girlfriend made for me, thank you"

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