#tommy waiting in the truck: are you CRYING

[mariatesstruther]

okay i work at a preschool and we’ve been dealing with figuring out separation (helping the littles say goodbye to their loved ones at the beginning of the day at drop off) and i have SO many thoughts about how baby sarah would’ve handled preschool for the first time

we know sarah is definitely a NUMBER ONE daddys girl, so i imagine goin g to preschool for the first time and realizing shes not spending her day with either daddy or uncle tommy like always would be a BIG stressor for her. i dont think shed cry or have any big tantrums necessarily, but she’d definitely be clinging to joel as he approaches the preschool dropoff point and letting out these precious lil whines whenever he tries to put her down. joel, of course, is tortured by this and is obviously super conflicted in terms of wanting to encourage sarah versus pushing her a little too far. the preschool teacher would notice them struggling and probably have to spend a little extra time/attention with sarah and joel, getting sarah comfortable and excited about the day (“your daddy tells me you like to sing, sarah. you do? yeah? did you know we do singing class, after snack? yeah! its so fun! what songs do you like to sing?”), and would probably let joel stay an extra few minutes just sitting and holding sarah at the drop off point, watching the rest of the kiddos and their families say goodbye so that sarah can get an idea of how it all works. once a majority of the kids start playing and getting into the toys and stuff, sarah is definitely interested—she’s practically standing up in joel’s lap trying to lean over and see what the rest of her peers are playing with. at one point a couple little girls find a bouncy ball and start kicking/hitting/throwing it around, and sarah is immediately turning to joel like “im weady now daddy can i have kisses” and hes like OF COURSE BABYGIRL IM SO PROUD OF U MWAH MWAH MWAH HAVE FUN. after through kisses and hugs, she shoots out of his lap and towards the kiddos playing soccer without so much as a wave. he gets up and goes towards the car, proud but sad that his little girl is growing up, and waves goodbye to the teacher. right before he gets past the drop off point, he hears sarah shrieking “WAIT DADDY WAIT WAIT DADDY ONE MORE HUG. ONE MORE HUG” and he turns immediately to see her running as fast as hes ever seen her back to him. he picks her up and spins her round like a princess, gives her kisses until shes giggling and pushing his face away with her precious little hands. he puts her down and watches her run back to the girls he hopes will be her friends with an excited cry of “bye daddy have a good day!!!!!”

joel makes sure to hold in his tears until he gets back to the truck

[gutsby]

Cry, Baby

Pairing: Joel Miller x Reader

Summary: Joel fucks you to the point of tears. That’s all.

Warnings: 18+. Dacryphilia (kinda). Unprotected p-in-v. Girthy, unspecified age gap. Daddy kink. Jealous Joel.

Notes: Sorry for using pussy pronouns. It will happen again.

Joel Miller was a man of few words in most every place except the one where he found himself about to beat the brakes off your pussy. Then he never shut the fuck up.

“Uh-huh…just a little more…I know, sweet girl, I know.”

You had your hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel of his ‘71 Ford F-100, but rather than driving anywhere, your ass was comfortably parked on the front of his jeans—straddling his lap backwards while you rubbed your half-clad cunt over stonewashed denim. It was hell.

You’d been grinding against the bulge beneath those jeans so hard, and for so long, your white cotton undies had parted to the side, and your pleasure was nearly stretched commensurate with just how pathetic you felt.

Your head dropped between your two hands on the black molded plastic of the wheel, and you let out a whine.

“Joel—”

“Keep goin’.”

“This ain’t fair!”

Without hesitation, the hands that were holding your hips tightened their grip, and now Joel was raking your lower half over his. Rutting your core back and forth.

“You wanna know what ain’t fair?” he seethed.

He didn’t wait for you to answer.

“How much she’s been droolin’ over me all night.”

‘She’ meaning your unfucked cunt, of course.

Joel then punctuated his sentence with a particularly hard press of his palm—forcing you to lay flat on the steering wheel, hips tilted back to him. With just one callused finger of his other hand, he found you soaked between your folds. He dragged it from your clit to your aching hole, and you heard him sigh, as though sad.

“It’s a cryin’ shame,” Joel said. Lamenting.

You were almost lost to the sensation of his finger rubbing you up and down, but somehow, you managed, ‘W-W-What is, Joel?’ in between soft, plaintive sounds.

Sometimes you forgot how much older he was than you. Sometimes you said he was just like the boys your age. Other times he had you pinned like this, breaths calm and cruelly measured while you damn near came apart beneath his hand, and then you remembered everything.

“You just couldn’t wait ‘til we got home,” he grumbled.

Using the same hand he’d been stroking you with, Joel laid a quick slap to your cunt, and you jumped. Your head narrowly missed the roof of his truck; still, you groaned.

“‘M’sorry, Joel,” you keened.

You weren’t. The old man knew you weren’t.

The hand that had been splayed over your back sank in. The force of that push pressed your belly to the chipped Ford logo at the center of the steering wheel, and with the added pressure went the blare of the car’s horn.

The sound might’ve lasted two seconds before you scrambled back, desperate, into Joel’s broad chest. A couple old-timers making their way from the bar to their cars in the parking lot cocked their heads curiously in your direction a couple yards away. Seeing nothing of note, they lost interest just as quick and kept walking.

“Sorry for what?” Joel said.

At the moment, he didn’t seem to notice, or care, that his truck was parked a mere stone’s throw away from the Tipsy Bison, and bar-goers were milling freely between the building and the cars all around you. His belt unbuckled all the same, zip came down in a blink, and his thick, veiny, throbbing, and angry cock came to rest between your cheeks. He started to push you forward.

“Sorry for— for flirtin’ with Tommy,” you stammered, sucking in a breath when you felt him run the head of his cock between your lips. You could hear a soft squelch.

“And Lucien?”

“And Lucien.”

“And—”

“And Dieter, and Frankie, and Javi, and Marcus.”

Rattling off the names of all the men you’d been flirting with at the bar to make Joel jealous and take you back home to fuck you became an embarrassing chant.

“And?”

“…and Mayor Garcia,” you completed, sheepishly.

Back in there, you hadn’t been too proud to stoop to a politician’s level, even. That was how needy you’d been to get attention, and now Joel was giving it to you.

As hard as he could—he didn’t wait for the ‘OK’ before seating you on his cock. You were simply pulled back from the wheel and into his lap, onto his stiff erection, and before you could steady yourself, he started drilling.

“Even through these panties—” Joel tugged at the cream-colored cotton he’d easily slipped past, “—even through that slutty little skirt, I could feel how wet she was.”

Your eyes squeezed shut, and your hands found purchase in the torn-up leather of the seat, fisting strings and patches of fabric in a helpless sort of plea as Joel took over. With the buttons of his dark green flannel searing a stripe down your spine and his grey-speckled chin coming to nudge between your neck and your shoulder as he fucked you, you felt content. Secure.

Spilling more for him, then. Seeping rivers down the length of his shaft as he breached your walls and made you his all over again. And again. Leaving trails of arousal with every thrust, and rolling your head, limply, into his.

“She cryin’ for me?” Joel breathed, “Or somebody else?”

As if on cue, his cock hit the most sensitive ridge inside you, and you felt yourself gush even more. Dripping now.

“You.” Your voice was raw.

“Me?” Joel’s degradingly sweet.

Before you could answer ‘you’ once more, the driver’s door cracked open beside you both. For one panicked, terrifying second, you thought someone from the bar might’ve caught you two—then you were stunned to look over and see it was Joel’s own tough, steel-toed boot that had propped the door open to the cool night air.

The truck was facing the bar’s front door, shielded only by some foliage and a hatchback car about half its size. Other than that, you were exposed to whoever happened to pass by the big, bay window and take a look inside.

Joel felt you tense, and he pressed a kiss to you neck. Then he slid you carefully, almost tenderly, to the left until you were perched over the side of the seat with your legs dangling out of the truck—still filled to the hilt with his cock and pressed tight to the front of his chest.

“Cry a little more,” he urged.

Then, when your pussy gave an involuntary clench and drenched him some more, he slipped a hand around your front and started toying with your clit. Your gaze was wide, almost frightened as you stared ahead at the bar and saw patrons making rounds about the tiny place, fearing one might see you and Joel, but it felt so good. And wrong. And reckless, having this man who was easily decades your senior bouncing you up and down on his cock and letting you soil the front of his Wranglers.

“Pussy’s fuckin’ soakin’ me, pretty girl,” Joel let out a chuckle and gave your shoulder a playful bite when you pulsed around him again, “Squeezin’ me real tight, too.”

It was like your body was beyond your own control. You scarcely even realized your cunt had him gripped with such force, much less made a mess of his old denim. He just held you to him and kept pressing rough, stubbled kisses to your shoulder, reminding you over and over how sweet you were, how well you were taking him, how nice and tight and goddamn pretty that pussy must’ve looked gushing around daddy’s cock—maybe we can fuck in front’a the mirror so we can see it later, huh, baby?

You would’ve said yes to anything he said, you reckoned.

Especially when his arms moved over your front and you felt him grin, and he hugged you while he fucked you—nobody made you feel quite as special while they were splitting you open. Nobody’s balls felt quite as heavy and firm and full while hitting your ass by turns, and certainly no one but Joel could make you cum just as quick when he leaned into your ear and said, ‘Let go for me, darlin’.’

You did, and you felt his warmth follow inside you with the friction of just two more thrusts. Your head fell back on his shoulder, a moan clawed out of your throat, and the warm, euphoric feeling of release washed over your senses in waves, one trembling sensation after the next. Joel’s groans were quick to spill into your own, and, likewise emptying himself, he held your hips to his and made sure every drop stayed right where he wanted it.

His spend was always heavy, but this load felt larger than usual—like he’d been aching to fuck you full of his cum. Just as you both were coming down from your highs, you couldn’t help but key in on that soft, sticky warmth, likely to come oozing as soon as Joel pulled out of you.

In fact, you got to be so focused that you jumped when you felt something press to your cheek a second later.

It took another moment to register it as a kiss from Joel.

Then his tongue, dragging softly up the side of your face.

You started to laugh, about to ask him what the hell he was doing, when you felt a tear slip out of your other eye. With the sudden, sharp influx of pleasure, the moisture had leaked out without you even feeling it. Joel grinned.

He gave your cheek a light squeeze, wiped the other tear with the pad of his thumb, and kissed you again before mumbling in your ear, almost teasing as he said it:

“Crybaby.”

[pedge-page]

does tommy ever feel the wrath of joel’s pregnant wife or does she reserve that specifically for joel? I feel like tommy would get on her nerves a little bit 😂

I was waiting for someone to ask this! Tbh I think preggo wife saves her wrath for Joel simply because shes comfortable with him and can relax and let her guard down. With Tommy alone....

Tommy Dealing with Preggo Wife

Warnings: just language and Joel and Wife being insecure in their own (slightly toxic) ways

- - - -

You were super pregnant at this point. A couple weeks away from making Joel a doting husband to a doting father, and he was probably more on edge than you were. Your anxious little poor husband Joel, freaking out that he needed to take a weekend trip away, and the only person he can rely to watch over you--

"I don't need to be fucking baby sat--!"

-- his sweet, helpless, innocent little pregnant wife, is unfortunately, Tommy.

"Ok listen very carefully," Joel starts, now having Tommy's full attention like he's about to ask him to do his first heart transplant. "She doesn't go anywhere unless you decide. She eats what you put in front of her, and you don't take her shit. She's gonna be bitchy and whiny and crying. She needs to rest. Rub her shoulder, put her feet up, whatever. But you gotta tough through and just make sure she understands that you're in charge. And what you say, goes. Got it?"

He knows Joel is relying on him to take care of his most precious belonging...who also is the devil. "Ok...ok. I mean it's like a... like watching a toddler, right?" Tommy asks, unsure about the whole thing.

"Yeah... a pregnant one that weighs more than ya and swears and probably will slap you a lot."

Joel smacks Tommy's shoulder lovingly with an encouraging smile.

Tommy feels even more hesitant. but he knows that he just needs to channel his inner Joel this weekend: stern, unmoving, and commanding, and he'll do just fine navigating you.

Joel hugs you real tight and kisses your forehead, inhaling your hair deeply as if to etch it into his brain. "I love you, baby, I'm gonna miss you so--"

"Later fucker." you pat his bum and wave him off as you waddle away in his large T shirt towards the freezer drawer, pulling out a Ben and Jerry's fudge pint with wet lips and a grin.

Tommy shrugs and helps Joel out to the truck with his bag. he waves goodbye as his brother backs out the driveway, shouting "YOU'RE IN CHARGE!"

I'm in charge, I'm in charge, he chants to himself, taking a deep breath before entering your house again.

"Alright!" he claps his hands together awkwardly but with a tone leadership. "We are going to stay in bed today,"

"Mall," you grump though a big scoop of ice cream.

"W-what?"

"M'goin ta mall. Yur takin mee," you nod towards him casually, gulping another spoon.

"uhh-h." Tommy looks around anxiously. Was this part of the test? He should put his foot down, yeah, Joel said you go no where unless Tommy explicitly said so. "N-no."

you swallow. "'Scuse me?"

"N-no? I mean... no! I said, we are putting you in bed, and what i say, go--"

"Thomas Miller," you say, and an eerie sense of fear swallows Tommy, sending shivers all over his body. Despite the 90 degree forecast, its like someone just tossed his insides into a freezer, and you were locking him in.

"Y-yes...maam," he whispers, feeling small.

"We can either do this... the hard way," you tilt your head with a sinister gaze towards him, as if referencing that bit of "Joel" he's trying to channel inside. "Or, we can do this... my way." The way you smile at the end is somehow even more threatening than the chilled tone you're having with him.

It was like when he and Joel broke his grandma's vase, and rather than yelling at them, she had the exact same terrifyingly threatening voice, and it made Tommy sleep with one eye open for a week.

"What will it be, Thomas."

He remembers to breathe shakily through his nose, licking his parched lower lip.

He doesn't want to be known as the guy who got beat up by his pregnant sister in law.

-

"Do you want a pretzel?" you ask kindly.

"Ah... no--no that's okay--"

"I'm getting you one, honey, just say Thank you."

"Okay. T-thank you."

Tommy bites into the cinnamon sugar one with the extra glaze you had ordered, and he had never felt such sweet heaven.

"Joel used to yell at me for my sweet tooth," he admits as the two of you stuff your faces and waltz slowly down the mall halls.

"Me too!" you bump his shoulder heartily.

Tommy lets out a relaxed sigh. From the moment he agreed to do whatever it was you wanted, the weekend had been fantastic. Turns out, you're not only super fun to blast kareoke to the worst songs in the car, but also all full of warmth, laughter, and even more suprisingly, extremely generous at offering to spoil him rotten like a mother with her favorite child.

"What can I make you for dinner?"

"Wha--no I'm supposed to cook for you--"

"Tommy stop please. I want to make you something. You have to be stuck with me all day walking like a slow penguin. I want to do something for you. You deserve it. "

You hadn't noticed Tommy pausing along your walk, watching you in awe as you waddled about, gently caressing your tummy absentmindedly as you window shopped.

This was the demon that Joel complained about every hour of the day???

And even more concerning was: how did someone like JOEL manage to score a girl like YOU???

You were so peaceful, generous, kind, loving, all smiles and willing to take care of him.

Was he doing everything right or everything wrong?

The two of you return home, with Tommy hauling more gifts that you had bought him. He really wasn't able to protest, with you somehow disappearing from sight conveniently, to his horror that he somehow lost you like a puppy in the park, and then finding you suddenly swiping your card at a register.

He should feel bad, truly, but you were just in such a good mood, he didn't want to seem ungrateful. And he also.... really liked all of it.

"Oh these are so fuckin nice!" He cheers, pulling out the new sneakers you had just bought in it's wrapping paper. "Mine are--"

"Old and ratty, yes I know that's why I bought them. Sick of your nasty shoes trailing my house--"

"S-sorry--"

"Bought you some fuzzy slippers too so you can switch out when you come in."

"Im not really a slippers guy..."

"You are now."

You ended up making a quick spaghetti, slapping him away every time he tried to hover in the kitchen. "I wanna stand! good exercise!" you nod with a smile.

And it seemed like you meant it. Despite babyzilla cooking and ready to burst out, you were light on your feet in the kitchen. Like a ballerina dancing and swaying, you hummed to a tune in your head as you tasted the sauce on the spatula. You were in the zone, in your world. and it was genuinely... beautiful. He understood it now, when people say pregnant women glow. the entire time, Joel always said you did, but he only ever saw how tired the pregnancy made the both of you.

Was... Joel the problem?

After a hearty dinner, Tommy washed up the dishes. You said your goodnights and headed to your master bedroom, tucked in, and lights off just as Tommy gathered his pillows down the hall in the guest bedroom.

He sighs, laying on his belly and inhaling the fresh linen before closing his eyes.

Not more than a few moments pass before he hears some sniffles down the hall. Then again, a cough and whine.

He sits up and heads down to your room, the door cracked and dark. he flips the light switch on to see you sitting upright in your bed, rubbing your eyes.

"You okay?" he asks softly.

"M'good!" you give him two thumbs up. "Night!"

He nods and flips the switch off again, turning away. he doesn't make it two steps before he hears your unmistakable crying.

He turns the lights back on to see you wiping fat tears from your cheeks, sobbing into your shirt--Joel's shirt.

"Hey...what's wrong? Are you okay? ya in pain? What can I--"

You pull your face up, lips trembling and all tear soaken. He sees your clutching one of Joel's jackets in your hands, wrapped tightly like you don't want it to leave you. A completely emotional mess as you huff and puff.

He puts the pieces together. "Ya miss Joel, don't you--"

"I MISS HIMMMMMM!!!!!!!!" you wail, erupting into a long cry into the air with slunked shoulders and larger tears strolling down from the creases of your closed eyes.

He tightens his lips awkwardly, not wanting to let out a chuckles. Turns out big scary pregnant "later fucker" wife really did love that dumbass. Its also probably the first time he sees bags under your eyes, like you were hiding your exhaustion. When Joel is around, you almost never looked tired. Just pouty and groutchy like a spoiled senior cat.

Maybe Joel wasnt the problem, but the solution. He knew how to take care of you, knew what you needed when you needed it, knew when to put his foot down, and even when hed watch you two bicker and bitch, joel knew exactly how to get you in bed wrapped around him like gumby. Every. Single. Night.

He rubs your arm soothingly.

"Why"-hiccup--"did he"--sniffle--"leave me!"

"He aint leave ya, just had some work."

"HE HATES ME!!!!!!!!!"

He shakes his head, knowing you're inconsolable. rather than trying to reason, he brings you to his shoulder so you can cry your heart out on him as he hugs you. "There there," he hums, swaying you two side to side.

like a crying toddler indeed.

"M'sorry," you whimper, rubbing your eyes with your balled fists. "Wakin' you up, me crying like this. I can't--I can't help it some times..." your voice waivers, face warm in embarrassment that you're burdening Tommy so much.

"Don't sweat it. You did a lot today. Can I get you anything to cheer you up?" he suggests, expecting a trip down to the freezer for a nice tub of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cr--

"Can you get the jar of pickles?"

That...is fine too.

He brings up the largest jar of dill pickles he's ever seen in his life, sets them in your lap. He pops open the sturdy lid for your eager fingers to pull a long dill out and slink it into your lips. the satisfying crunch echoes in the room as you munch.

You start crying again. "I Fucking HATE Pickles!" you groan angrily before taking another generous crunch with a confusingly delightful hum. "Like--I hate it, but they're good?"

He chuckles, taking a piece. He pauses, eying you fearfully as if he made a wrong move not asking your permissions to take one of your hated yet coveted pickles. You nod, and the two of you crunch down on the peculiar snack.

"It's probably from the baby..."

"Fuckin' weirdo." you pat the rounded hump of your tummy and swallow the rest of your slice. Though, the way you stroke along the skin so delicately with a little smirk, he knows you're already in love with your "fuckin weirdo" baby more than anyone could love anything in this world.

Tommy never really thought about the word "uncle" until this moment, and the first emotion he has to associate it with, is excitement.

"Mkay. I'm done now." You hold the jar out to him so he can close it. "Thank you, Tommy," you say sweetly with the gentlest, sleepiest smile. "I really appreciate it."

THIS IS THE ANGEL JOEL HAS THE NERVES TO COMPLAIN ABOUT????

He swears, if Joel comes back and calls him up later saying how insufferable you are, he may just have to size up and smack his big brother.

Tommy pats your head, tucks you in again and turns of the lights.

-

The next day you make Tommy take you to breakfast and get him as many pancakes and French toast he can stuff his face with. A spoiled little brother indeed, and as he swallows another lump of the best breakfast eggs he's ever had, he wonders how sweet life would have been with a big sister like you spoiling him every day instead of Joel making him do chores and shit.

Its not until Joel is meeting the two of you at a lunch spot that Tommy remembers exactly what Joel always groans about.

"Hi baby!" He grins, rushing to give you a big hug for the first time in two days.

And despite your crying for him last night, you only retort with "sup fucker" casually and near bored, as if you weren't sniffing his jacket and Wagging your imaginary tail in disguise.

Joel purses his lips sarcastically, knowing you mean well, and Tommy laughs. You two definitely understood each other way better than he thought.

"Im gonna wash my hands, you two get a table," Joel says, and disappears down the back entrance.

Your waitress greets you just as Tommy is helping you slide down into the booth, big baby belly and all.

"Just three waters, please,"

"And a pepsi! Lots of ice. Two pepsis actually. And bread. And maybe like uh milkshake to start off?--"

The waitress glances at Tommy with a raised brow, wondering if you're genuine or not. He shrugs and nods, noting "she's pretty far along if ya can tell."

"My older sister was the same way. I'll get that in. You two...sorry I shouldn't say it but you two make a cute couple--" she says kindly.

Unfortunately, its exactly at the same Joel returns and hears that last bit, directed towards you and Tommy.

She walks away just as you catch Joels bewildered expression, conveniently with Tommy's hand on your bump and another around your lower back (supporting you into the booth of course but JOEL doesn't see it that way with this new context).

You and Tommy open your mouths to dismiss the claim and misunderstanding, but ever defensive Joel just shoves Tommy aside, slides into your booth next to you and slams your hand into his lap, his bear paws enclosed around yours. Tommy quietly slides into the opposite end, met with Joels flaring nostrils and billowing steam coming out of them.

The younger Miller realizes that slapping some sense into Joel and "sizing him up" was a total pipe dream. He'd be lucky to live long enough to an uncle at this point.

You gotta defend your poor brother in law. "The waitress just saw--"

"Cute couple, huh," he seethe with gritted teeth his entire seething focus at Tommy rather than paying any mind to you.

"Joel stop, Tommy was REALLY great to me this weekend--"

"Oh I BET he was," he grunts, turning towards you with a scowl. "S'that why he got new shoes on?" Joel damn well knows Tommy didn't just pony up and buy new shit for himself this weekend, given he refuses to buy himself anything new for years past it's expiration.

Tommy knows he's never allowed to baby sit you alone again at this rate.

"She was crying last night saying how much she missed ya," Tommy blurts.

You kick his shin under the table, not wanting to let Joel know what a pathetic groveling mess--

"Wait really!?" he nuzzles closer to your, as if all the anger in his body dissipated at the notion his poor little wife was calling out for her hubby.

Tommy chuckles and nods. "We shared some pickles in bed, ain't that right?"

You slap your face just as Joel rears his once again flaring red face towards Tommy. "You did WHAT in WHERE????"

- - - -

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[30somethingautisticteacher]

It had been the week from hell. Tommy had been a firefighter for a long time, but he'd never experienced this many losses in such a short span of time. He felt drained, both mentally and physically.

Tommy had never been one to show vulnerability. It was ingrained in him from a young age that showing emotion was showing weakness. Men were meant to be strong and stoic. "Boys don't cry, Thomas," his father's voice echoed in his memory. For years, he'd buried his feelings deep, presenting a facade of unwavering strength to the world.

It wasn't until Evan that he truly let himself feel the depths of his emotions. Evan was his safe space, and honestly, Tommy wasn't sure he'd ever had one of those before. With Evan, he could finally let his guard down.

His fingers hovered over his phone before he typed:

T: Hey baby. Another rough day.

E: Oh babe, I'm so sorry. How are you holding up?

T: Barely. Be home soon. I love you.

E: Love you too, T. I'll be here waiting.

The simple exchange brought a lump to Tommy's throat. The only silver lining to this hellish week was knowing he had Evan to come home to – someone who understood him, someone he could be vulnerable with. For the first time in his life, Tommy felt like he could face his emotions head-on, knowing he had a soft place to land.

When Tommy arrived home, he didn't go in right away. He just sat in the truck with his head down, the weight of the week pressing heavily on his shoulders. Time seemed to stand still until a gentle tapping on the window broke through his haze. He looked up to see Evan's concerned face peering in at him.

Tommy opened the door, his movements slow and weary. Evan's voice was soft, understanding. "Hey, let's get you inside, ok?"

Tommy just nodded, lacking the energy for words. He allowed Evan to take some of his weight as they walked inside, grateful for the support both physical and emotional. Evan guided him to the couch, easing him down onto the soft cushions.

With tender care, Evan began to undress Tommy, his touch gentle and comforting. There was an intimacy to the act that went beyond the physical - it was Evan silently communicating his love and support. Once Tommy was undressed, Evan helped him up and walked him to the shower.

The warm water began to fall, and Evan stepped in with Tommy. He reached for the soap and began to gently lather Tommy's body. There was nothing sexual about it; this was pure care and comfort. Evan's hands moved with purpose, washing away not just the grime of the day but also trying to soothe the emotional toll it had taken.

Throughout it all, Tommy remained quiet, allowing himself to be cared for in a way he'd never experienced before Evan. He felt a profound sense of safety and acceptance. It was unfamiliar territory for Tommy, but here, with Evan, he could finally let his guard down completely. The simple act of being washed, of being tended to without expectation, spoke volumes. It said, "I'm here, I see you, and it's okay to not be okay." For Tommy, who had spent a lifetime holding himself together, this silent understanding meant everything.

Evan gently toweled Tommy off, his movements careful and considerate. He helped Tommy get dressed in a pair of soft, well-worn sweatpants and an old t-shirt. The familiar comfort of the clothes seemed to ease some of the tension in Tommy's shoulders.

They walked to their bedroom together, Evan's hand a steady presence on Tommy's lower back. Evan turned to Tommy, his voice soft and understanding. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Tommy shook his head, not quite ready to put words to the weight he was carrying.

"Ok, love. I'm here if you do though," Evan reassured him, not pushing but making sure Tommy knew the option was there.

For a moment, Tommy was quiet. Then, his voice barely above a whisper, he asked, "Will you just hold me? Please?"

Without hesitation, Evan pulled his big, strong boyfriend into his arms. Tommy, who had always been the one who stayed strong for others, allowed himself to fall apart in Evan's embrace. Evan continued to hold Tommy close, his fingers gently carding through Tommy's hair. As the minutes passed, Tommy's body began to shake with silent sobs. Tears he had been holding back all week finally broke free, soaking into Evan's shirt.

Evan didn't try to shush him or tell him it would be okay. He simply held Tommy tighter, providing a place for Tommy to release all the overwhelming emotion. His steady presence was a silent promise: "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

Gradually, Tommy's sobs subsided, replaced by deep, shuddering breaths. The rhythmic motion of Evan's hand in his hair and the warmth of his embrace lulled Tommy into a state of exhausted calm. Before long, his breathing evened out and his body relaxed completely against Evan's.

He had cried himself to sleep, finding solace in the arms of the man who had taught him it was okay to be vulnerable. Evan pressed a gentle kiss to Tommy's forehead, then settled in for the night, ready to be there when Tommy woke, just as he always would be.

[kiss-theggoat]

Homesick

Thomas Sawyer x F!Reader

Word Count: 1.7k

Summary: After being dragged away from your home at the Sawyer house, you finally make your way back home with some especially exciting news.

TW: Mentions of violence, some blood

The way you ended up here, nauseous, sweaty, and exhausted on the side of a familiar highway was an extremely long story. Your long walk gave you time to reminisce.

The group came into town just like the rest. Hoyt on their tail and Thomas acting as an evil henchman, the only thing on his mind was you, waiting for him with a kind smile and warm hug. He begrudgingly loaded two girls into the car and slammed the door shut, splattering some blood from a previous victim. One of the girls was unconscious and bloodied, the other screaming and kicking at the door. Thomas was tired, and he just wanted to get home to you.

Lately he’d been letting his mind wander. Allowing himself to daydream and realizing that there’s nothing wrong with the little universe he’s created in his mind. He closes his eyes and transports himself to that world. You and him own a small house, cozy and filled with little trinkets he makes or collects for you, on a small plot of farmland where a wildflower garden that you planted thrives. He walks into the homely kitchen and sees you in front of a window, curtains billowing around your glowing skin, sunlight illuminating every part of your face Thomas loved most.

You were hard at work on a meal for the two of you. His heart swelled with the thought of indulging in something that you put your love into. He walks towards you and places his hands around your waist, feeling the soft baby bump there. Pride blooms within him and he-

“Dammit, boy, pay attention!” A thump to the side of the head yanks him away from you like a fish being pulled from the depths of the ocean. He hadn’t even noticed that the window had started to crack from the girl's struggle.

Meanwhile, you sat at home, cleaning yours and Thomas’ room while listening to the crackly radio that he’d found for you in town. You loved music so having it was a must, even if it was only a couple crappy radio stations. The only thing that distracted you from your task was the sound of a car pulling up to the house, crunchy gravel revealing its location. Tommy was home. You beamed, even though you knew to stay downstairs for a little while, until he sorted everything out. So, that’s exactly what you did. You say anxiously in waiting, staring at the door like a hawk and waiting for your love to hulk down those stairs like he always did.

But instead, the door slammed against the side wall, making you gasp and jump from your seat. You saw a man and a woman, both bloodied and panting, the man leaning against the woman and he definitely looked more damaged than she did. She hobbled downstairs, whimpering and crying. “We have to get out of here!”

You stuttered, but no words would leave you. She thought you were a survivor. A prisoner kept by the Sawyer’s. She reached forward and grabbed your hand, yanking you surprisingly hard for someone who seemed to have lost half of her blood. Next thing you knew, you were in a sputtering truck, tears streaming down your face and worry suffocating you. If they got away, where was everyone else? Was Thomas okay? What about Luda Mae?

As you walked under the relentless Texas sun, you realized, you still didn’t know if they were okay or not. You hoped with everything inside you that Thomas was safe. At least from your damage control, you knew the cops would never be a problem for him.

When you arrived in north Texas, you were questioned over and over and over again. Everyone was, but the only advantage you had over them was that you knew everything about the Sawyer household. The rest of the kids didn’t even seem to remember what Highway they were on when they got pulled over. The only detail they could give police was that the town they were in was near Austin. Which, in Texas, meant nothing.

You, on the other hand, slowly and carefully revealed a new piece of evidence each time, effectively leading the investigation towards the opposite side of the city. After the intense questioning, you were finally free.

The options you had were horrible. The cops were offering transportation. But, accepting their transportation meant leading them to Thomas. You had no money, no car, and had no idea where you were. But, through a few illicit activities, you gained access to a really, really shitty car that barely got you halfway home.

Which led you to where you are now. Sweating through all of your clothes, sunburnt, and one second away from blowing chunks all over the highway. That really shitty car had blown out on you, probably something with the radiator being baked in the hottest Texas summer in years. You felt like sobbing. You didn’t know if Thomas was okay, and if he wasn’t, what would you do with the rest of your life? Thomas had become your life. Especially now.

You flashed back to the first stop in your new shitty car was an equally shitty gas station, where you gathered some food and water through flirting with the geriatric cashier, and also stole a pregnancy test from the shelf as you left the station. You had suspicions of being pregnant after the third day of waking up with intense nausea, feeling like you were going to start sobbing if you opened your eyes too wide. Thomas had mentioned having a baby a few times, but you’d never actually put a lot of effort into trying.

As you sat on the dingy toilet, you watched the second pink line slowly materialize. You were a huge mixture of emotion, happiness that you had created life. A shared life with the man that you loved more than anything else in the world. But, you wished for nothing more than to run to Thomas and tell him, which you couldn’t do. You didn’t even know if he was even alive.

The walk along the side of the highway had started to look familiar, the highway getting smaller and the area getting more and more rural. You felt like collapsing, but needed to get home. The heat of the sun beat down on your poor cheeks and you could tell that you were sunburnt. Sweat dripped into your eyes, obscuring your view of the upcoming road sign. The fabric of your shirt grated against your sunburnt face as you wiped your eyes, but you saw the light.

Gas

N xt Ex

The rundown, faded red sign was like a sign from the heavens. You knew that the Sawyer’s station was at the next exit.

The little bell above the door jingled, kissing your ear drums as you entered your sanctuary.

“We’re outta gas.” Luda grumbled, flipping her magazine without even looking up at you.

You smiled, missing her so much you felt like tackling her over the counter. “Luda…” you said, tears welling in your eyes. You walked towards the counter as her head shot up.

“Oh my god, we thought we’d never see you again, dear!” She stands and walks around the counter, holding her arms out to you in a motherly embrace.

You cried into her chest, unable to hold it in any longer. You were so upset and exhausted, needing one thing right now. “Where’s Thomas?”

“Oh he’ll be so happy to see you…” she smiled, lovingly stroking your hair. “He’s been so upset this last week. He’s at the house with Hoyt, let me give him a call.”

You watched her dial the phone, waiting in excitement for your Thomas.

Thomas was in the basement as usual, sewing himself a new mask. His body felt numb, like it had this entire week. Without you, he realized he was empty. Nothing mattered. Life was worthless without you in it.

“Tommy!” The door slammed open, Hoyt standing at the top of the stairs. “Luda needs us at the station.”

Thomas stood, head down as he climbed the stairs. The entire drive to the station was silent and melancholy, Thomas staring out the window. Gravel crunched under the wheels as they approached the station, and even though Thomas was still in the car, he watched as the front door to the station opened. His heart nearly leapt from his chest, and he shoved the car door open before Hoyt even stopped the car.

You watched Thomas rush out of the car, moving the fastest you’ve ever seen in your entire relationship. The smile on your face made your cheeks ache, and when Thomas reached you, his strong arms wrapped around your waist and lifted you off the ground.

“Tommy! I’m so glad you’re okay! I was so scared, I’m so sorry that it took me so long to get to you!” Again, you couldn’t help but cry. The tears streamed from your face at the feeling of being embraced by Thomas. He was your home. He made you feel safe.

He shook his head and set you back down on the ground, holding the sides of your face to wipe your tears away, but his eyebrows furrowed in concern when he noticed how sunburnt you were.

“I’m okay, Tommy. I promise.” You whispered, leaning forward and resting your forehead against his. “And I have something to tell you.”

Thomas stared into your eyes and nodded slowly, letting you know he’s ready for you to speak.

“I’m pregnant.” You said, smile widening again.

You thought that Thomas’ heart might burst. His eyes went wide as saucers and he perked up, staring at you in shock for a moment. Once the shock passed, he pulled you into the tightest hug you’d ever received. Thomas moved a step back, staring down at your stomach with eyes full of admiration, his large hands gently touching the sides of your stomach.

You knew that Thomas would be the best partner you could ever ask for, and the best father your baby could ever ask for.

[hyperfixiation-station]

Phone Calls (to be renamed)

Trying something new with a dialogue-only fic so let me know what you think :)

Summary: you passed out and your daughter finds you, so of course she calls her daddy to let him know. But first she calls 911, cause you trained her to always call them first

It's all from Laylas pov btw

I wrote this instead of slepeing so forgive any errors

"911 what's your emergency?"

"My M-mommy won't wa-wake up!"

"Oh dear. Take a deep breath for me,okay darlin? Can you tell me your address?"

"M-mommy made my memoize it. [redacted]."

"Okay, thank you so much baby, what can you tell me about your mommy? Did she fall, was she taking anything, maybe something that looks like candy or sugar?"

"I no know! She was sleeping when I came home!"

"Okay baby, that's okay. Take a deep breath. Does your mommy have an owiesz or anything wrong with her?"

"She threw up. She threw up and she's bleeding!"

"Okay, good girl, the paramedics are on the way, you just sit tight and they'll be there soon."

"And my daddy? Is he coming too?"

"Oh I'm afraid I don't know your daddy sweetie, but when the paramedics get there they'll be able to help you find him, okay?"

"No I going to call him!"

"Oh no baby please don-"

"Please pick up daddy, please please please."

"Love now is no' a-"

"DADDY!"

"Layla?"

"Daddy, mommy's hurt!"

"She's what?"

"She's hurt! She was on th' ground when the bus dropped me off and Tommy was sitting next to her and daddy please come home!"

"Okay baby, I'm on my way. Take some deep breaths for me okay? I need you to find mommy's other phone and call 911 okay? Can you do that for me sweetheart?"

"I alrea'y did. The lady said she was coming."

"Oh good job sweetheart, 'm very proud. Do you-"

"Daddy they're here! The man wants to talk to you."

"Give him the phone sweetheart."

"Okay! This is my daddy, he wants to talk to you mister firefighterman."

"Okay thank you little one, why don't you go wait with your brother? He's over by my friend in the living room."

"Sissy."

"Oh don't cry Tommy daddy's coming home!"

"Da-da?"

"Yeah. Daddy's coming home and then eve'ythings gonna...gonna be okay."

"You're a very brave little girl, you know that? Whats your name?"

"My names Lay-la."

"Nice to meet you Layla, my names Jonathan, you'll be hanging out with me till your daddy gets here, is that-oh dear you look like you need a hug. Hey, hey its okay, your okay, you've been so, so brave, you did everything you were supposed to. Shhh, it's okay, you're okay."

"Is my-my m-mommy go-gonna be-gonna be okay?"

"I'm sure your mommy will be fine, and she'll give you lots of hugs and tell you how good you did. Now why don't we get in my truck and I'll take you and, uh, Tommy, to the hospital where we'll wait for your dad, yeah?"

Part 2?

[mermaidgirl30]

✨Enchant Me Chapter 1: I Was Enchanted to Meet You✨

Series Masterlist

A/N: I want to thank that purple house for giving me this whole idea in the first place, but reader and Joel are so soft in this series I’m crying 🥹 Thank you to @mountainsandmayhem for listen to me babble my ideas and rant about how cute these two are in this series! We don’t have enough witchy, nature reader Joel fics, so thought I should make one ☺️✨🌙 Comments and reblogs are always appreciated, I always love hearing your feedback! 💜

Summary: Joel delivers a custom built table to a little house out in the middle of the woods, but he doesn’t realize he’s going to fall for the girl behind the doors of that small purple house. He falls head over heels for her special herbal tea, tarot card readings, and talks of nature and plants as he keeps going back to see her.

Pairing: Joel x fem! reader (Fic is in both reader and Joel’s POV)

Word Count: 7.7k

Rating: Explicit (18+ Only MDNI)

Tags: Soft Joel, lots of fluff, Joel falling in love, witchy reader, eventual smut in later chapters, plant and animal lover reader, lots of cute nicknames for reader

Dividers by @saradika-graphics

“My thoughts will echo your name, until I see you again. These are the words I held back, as I was leaving too soon. I was enchanted to meet you. Please don't be in love with someone else. Please don't have somebody waiting on you. Please don't be in love with someone else. Please don't have somebody waiting on you.”

- Taylor Swift “Enchanted”

The spring breeze of April rustles through Austin as green leaves blow gently down the street, light streaks of sunlight glistening in the open shop as Joel finishes the final touches on a lilac handmade wooden side table. Tiny, intricate white flowers he’d hand painted cover the lilac material. Joel had no idea who he was making it for, he only saw the order request in the computer on his list of custom orders. Tommy must’ve talked to that particular customer when Joel was in the back crafting something.

As Joel finishes the final touches on polishing the little table, he yells for Tommy to come over. “Hey, Tommy. Who’s this order for? I just got finished, guess I can go ahead and deliver it today since we aren’t too busy,” he says as he stands up with a huff, placing a hand on his lower back as he gets up from the rough ground.

“Ahh, that one is for this sweet girl that came in a couple weeks ago. Kinda shy, quiet, but sweet as pie. Pretty thing, too. She sure talked a lot about nature,” Tommy laughs as he grabs the thick white notebook and gets your contact information out, handing Joel the address and name of the customer who had bought it.

Joel looks at it carefully as his eyes scan the address. “She lives out in the middle of nowhere,” Joel says as his eyebrows knit together.

“Yeah, all the way in Cedar Lake. Not too far, but that’s definitely not in the city. It’s only twenty minutes from here though. So, you want me to take it? I don’t mind,” Tommy replies as he leans to grab the notebook. Joel brings it out of his reach and clutches it to his chest.

“Nah, I’m the one that made it so I’ll be the one delivering it.”

“Suit yourself,” Tommy scoffs as he holds his hands up. “Tell her I said hello, will ya?”

“Sure,” Joel says as he grabs the paper with your name and address on it and shoves it down in the denim pocket of his dark jeans. He rolls his blue flannel sleeves up to his elbows and exposes tanned skin as he grabs up the table and loads it in the back of his white Chevy truck.

Once he’s inside and has the engine revved up, he pulls away from Miller’s Woodshop Creations and heads down the street, toward the direction of a long, gravel road that will take him to your place.

Cedar and oak trees fill the last half of the drive while deer scurry off from grazing in the grass as soon as they see Joel’s truck. The houses get thinner in this area, only one or two spread out with acres of land behind them. Joel keeps driving through the thick of the green, eyes trained on the narrow road ahead of him.

“Now who lives all the way out here?” Joel asks himself as his GPS stops him right as he pulls up to a single house that’s surrounded entirely by the woods.

He puts his truck into park and turns off the engine, grabbing his keys and shoving them in his pocket. Just as he steps outside into the grass, a wild rabbit runs off into the opposite direction of him and a black raven caws and flies off into a tall cedar tree.

Whoever lives here must like animals a lot.

Joel carefully retrieves the furniture from the bed of his truck and grunts his way to the front door, making his way up the few wooden steps that lead him to the front door. When he sets the side table on the wooden porch, he takes in the outside of the house.

The house is painted a deep purple color with yellow wooden rails outlining the edge of the porch. All types of different floral plants of names he doesn’t know lines each side of the cobbled stone path that leads to the front of the house. Colorful stained glass windows are sprawled on the top windows as the bottom windows sit wide open for the warm breeze to seep into. It’s unique, a house like he’s never quite seen before. Now he needs to know who lives way out here in the middle of nowhere in a little purple house that’s stacked with plants.

He knocks on the sturdy purple door three times and stands back while he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans, fidgeting with his fingers as he patiently waits. Before long, he hears the creak of the door opening and looks up to say his greeting.

“Hi, I’m from Miller’s Woodshop Creations and I came to…”

He stops when he takes in the sights of you as you open the door wide, stepping out onto the porch in a lilac colored sundress that goes down to the middle of your thighs, exposing long legs as the bodice hugs your hips perfectly. He gasps at the beautiful shades of your eyes. He’s never seen such beautiful eyes before, a color that reminds him of warm summer days and clover covered fields. Your hair is in soft curls, held back by a pink ribbon as you flash him a smile that can knock him down to his knees. He thinks you’re absolutely breathtaking. The most gorgeous thing he’s ever laid eyes on.

“Oh! My little table I ordered. I had no idea it was finished! Let me see it,” you say excitedly as he steps out of the way and lets you bend over to analyze the table.

You rake your fingers over the smooth, polished wood and carefully trace the edges of the hand painted white flowers that cover the surface of the table. It’s so beautiful, exactly what you were looking for when you placed the order. You were afraid they wouldn’t see the vision you were going for, but this was exactly what you wanted. It was perfect.

“This is incredible! Exactly what I pictured it to be. Who made this?” you ask incredibly as you hover over the top of the smooth wood.

“I did,” he says nervously behind you.

You drop your hands and push yourself off the porch, turning to take in the man who made this himself. “You made this?” you ask quietly.

“Mhm. Just finished it up today,” he answers, his eyes locking on yours as he nods his head up and down slowly.

“Oh, well it’s exactly what I wanted! It’s gorgeous, thank you.”

“No problem, sweetheart,” he says with a Southern accent that stops you in your tracks.

Sweetheart. You like the sound of that a lot.

“And you are?” you ask with a raised eyebrow, curiosity swirling in your eyes at the handsome gentleman who stands in front of you.

“Oh, sorry. My name’s Joel. Joel Miller.” He holds his arm out, waiting for you to take his hand patiently, his eyes flicking over yours carefully. You slowly place your hand in his and shake.

You almost gasp when you feel his calloused fingers close over yours. He feels like magic, like shooting sparks are flying in his soft brown eyes as he holds your hand in his. You’ve never had this reaction shaking a man’s hand before. This feels… different. The magic dies as soon as he drops his hand, and you almost reach for his hand again just to feel that buzzing sensation through your body that was there when his hand was in yours.

“Miller. Is Tommy Miller your brother?” you ask with a curious smile.

“Yes, ma’am. He helps me run the shop.”

“Oh, I see. Well, Joel, I’m glad it was you that brought this by for me today,” you smile gently, fluttering your long eyelashes up at him as he blushes and pushes a hand through his tousled curls nervously. You think he’s absolutely beautiful.

“It was no trouble. And your name? I didn’t catch your name, darlin’.”

Darlin’. There he goes again with the little nicknames. You wish he’d never stop. He could just keep going. He could call you anything he wanted to, and you’d let him. As long as he came back here again.

You tell him your name, and he repeats it like honey dripping off the tip of his tongue. It sounds beautiful the way he says it. Like sweet tea that simmers in your soul. It sounds all lilty and dreamy, and you decide then that you do want to see him again.

“That’s a pretty name,” he says softly as his lips curl up into a dreamy smile that almost takes your breath away.

“Oh, uh - thank you,” you smile in return.

You take in his full features now. See the way his eyes shine like caramel in the warm sun that glazes over them, see the dark brown flecks mix with warmer colors to make the prettiest soft brown eyes you’ve ever seen in your life. His skin is tan like gold, his broad shoulders filling out the blue button-up flannel shirt that presses firmly to his strong chest. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows as they expose thick veins that cascade down his arms to end in big, thick hands. Hands you’d like to hold on more than one occasion.

And his smile. God, his smile sends your insides spiraling. He’s so fucking beautiful, and you hope he’ll stay for tea. Maybe, just maybe he’ll want to try your famous hibiscus herbal tea.

Please, stay.

“Here, let me put this inside for you. It’s a little heavy, so don’t want you to try to lift it,” he says adamantly as he bends over and scoops up the little side table in his arms.

You open the door wide for him and watch him walk through the entrance as you point to your cream colored couch that sits up against the soft pastel purple colored walls. “Just right next to the couch will be fine, thank you,” you say as you watch his biceps cling to his flannel shirt, watching the way his back muscles pull against his shirt to expose thick muscles that you’d kill to run your fingers down.

He’s so gorgeous.

When he sets down the table on the dark wooden floor, he takes in your little living space. He examines your white shelf that holds purple orchids, different colored carnations, and potted hanging plants whose vines spill over the edges fluidly.

Next, he notices the windowsill that has amethyst and pink quartz crystals lined against the edge as a stack of flower tarot cards lay against the crystals. He takes in the bright colors of your kitchen as the sunlight beams through the open windows as robins chirp their melodious songs outside the window. Lavender and white tulips encase the edges of the light colored wooden countertop as it overflows with various herbs that stack neatly together.

The air smells dewy-fresh as the aroma of flowers and tea fill the air. You watch Joel take in his surroundings carefully and see his lips part open just slightly as he spins in a slow circle. You lean against the wooden countertop and rest your chin in the palm of your hand as you watch him dreamily. He’s just so handsome, so intriguing, so curious.

As he turns back your direction, you straighten up and try to act normal, but it’s so hard around him. So very hard. “You uh, you sure like flowers don’t ya?” he asks as you blush from the question.

“Is that a bad thing?” you ask nervously as he comes over and leans against the opposite side of the counter, staring up into your eyes as he gently smiles.

“No, s’not a bad thing. Just I haven’t seen a house quite like yours before. It’s very… unique what you’ve done to the place,” he says as his eyes skate across your lit up kitchen.

“Well, I’m a unique person,” you giggle out, letting the single pearl necklace bounce along your tan chest.

“I can see that,” he smiles as his eyes skate down your lilac sundress, gulping when you see him rake his eyes over your full breasts and down your curvy hips and smooth thighs. You suck in a breath when his warm eyes land back on yours as you watch the sunlight trickle warm golden colors against his gentle brown eyes.

He’s so fucking beautiful.

“Purple your favorite color?” he asks as he examines the soft colored walls in your kitchen.

“How could you tell?” you ask as a soft giggle echoes around the small living space.

“I’m good at observations,” he says with a smirk that pulls at the corners of his mouth.

Oh, this one is gonna be a tease. You just know it.

“You live out here alone?” he asks as he walks around the counter, dragging his finger along the wooden edges as he stares at the purple orchids that lay across your wide open kitchen window.

“Yeah, it’s just me and my flowers. Also, my cat, Oliver. He’s probably outside hunting mice or something,” you laugh.

“Ahh. I see.”

You watch the way he furrows his eyebrows at the flowers, looking at them as if he’s trying to figure out what they are. Somehow you think he doesn’t know a lot about plants. Maybe you could teach him.

“Orchids,” you say as you walk up next to him, laying your hand on the wooden counter as you place your eyes on the vibrant deep purple colors of the flowers.

“Huh?” he asks as turns around and faces you.

“These are orchids.” You nod your head to the lush flowers, and an understanding grunt comes from deep within his chest.

“Oh, I see. They’re pretty,” he says as he drops his hand back to the counter. His pinky finger drags along the side of yours, and you feel hot fire run through your fingertips.

You drop your hand and watch him take a step back, eyes melding into yours as the sunlight bursts through his brown irises. You can’t help but to fall for him right then. This man was going to make you pull out the tarot cards, see if love was in your near future. With him.

He shifts his weight and leans into the edge of the counter, contemplating his next actions. “Well, I guess I shouldn’t take up anymore of your time. It was nice to meet you,” he says as he starts to walk toward the front door.

You freeze, almost choke up as the words run dry in your throat. “Wait!” It comes off desperate, loud, and you think you just ruined your chances with him. He turns back around with his eyebrows raised, maybe even alarmed that you almost screamed at him.

“Tea? Do you like tea?” you ask, desperate for him to stay a little longer. You want him, need him to stay just a few more minutes. You want to get to know this man, maybe want to give him a tarot reading, if he wanted one.

“Tea? ‘Course I do. Why do you ask?” He knits his eyebrows together as if he’s concentrating a little too hard on you, and you gulp at the sight of those gorgeous flecks of brown staring back at you.

“Will you stay for tea? I just picked some fresh herbs from the garden, and it’s the least I can do for having you deliver my furniture for me. Please,” you say as you nod to your cream colored couch, asking him to sit while you prepare the tea.

He flicks his eyes over the smooth material of the couch and back at you as his eyes blaze into yours. “Sure, darlin’. I’d love to,” he says as he moves to the couch and sits down gently as his body presses against the soft material. You have to avert your eyes from his large thighs that pull against the dark material of his jeans.

He’s so fucking broad and muscular. He was going to get you into trouble if you were already practically drooling at his Southern charm and good looks.

You smile and get to work chopping up lavender and rosemary herbs as you mix them together with elderberries and hibiscus flowers while you pour almond milk and a dash of water together. Everyone loves your herbal teas, you just hoped Joel would, too.

“So, is this one of your specialities or somethin’? You sure do have a lot of herbs and teacups around,” he says as he assesses your china cabinet full of floral tea cups and fine china that you’ve been collecting for years. Call it a hobby or an addiction, but you’ve been making tea for as long as you can remember. That’s why you have your own tea shop just a few miles down the road. A business you’ve loved every since you got to open your little shop a few years ago.

“Something like that,” you giggle as you continue mixing the various ingredients together in a large glass pitcher. “I actually own my own little tea shop a few miles down the road. It’s called Starlight’s Corner.”

“Starlight’s Corner, huh? Strange, I’ve never heard of it. Where is it located?” he asks as he leans his elbows against his knees and places his hands under his chin, eyes focused on you. You try not to blush as he watches you mix together the tea, but you fail to no avail.

“It’s just off Fourth Street, right next to a little boutique. You can’t miss it.”

“Wait, that’s not too far from my shop. I guess I’ll have to come check it out sometime,” he says with a smile pulling at the corners of his lips. You can’t help but smile back at him.

“Yeah, guess you should.”

After mixing the ingredients together and throwing a dash of sugar in there, you pour two glasses of the floral sweet smelling tea and walk over to him slowly. You hand him a glass and when he takes it your fingers brush up against his, causing you to jolt your hand back as purple liquid splashes over the side of the cup and lands on top of Joel’s denim covered thigh.

You gasp and set your own drink down on the glass coffee table as you run to grab a towel from the kitchen. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that, really I’m so sorry,” you apologize hurriedly as you go back over and hand him the dark hand towel, your face beat red with embarrassment as you say sorry another five times.

“Darlin’, relax. It’s alright. It’s just a little spill. Nothing I can’t handle,” he says as he hushes you, circling his hand over your wrist as all worries seem to vanish at his soft touch.

Your breathing calms as you relax your shoulders, his fingers still pressed firmly around your wrist as you feel every single callous that covers his thick fingers. It’s soothing, relaxing, mind numbing as he stares up at you with those warm brown eyes of his, his chest rising and falling calmly as his other hand presses the towel to his damp thigh. And suddenly it’s like you’re in the middle of your lush garden outside, smelling the sweet scents of wildflowers and fresh air as you breathe in his mahogany scent. He smells like fresh wood and pine trees, a scent you could get completely lost in, drown in.

He suddenly drops his fingers from your skin, and it’s like you wake up from a trance. You want him to touch you again, you want to feel the flames that ignite your skin every time he traces his calloused fingers along your soft, silky skin. You want to know what he tastes like, what he sounds like if your lips ever pressed up against his soft, plush lips.

You shake your head out of your lovesick daze and grab your glass of tea as you go around to the other side of the couch and sit down next to him, just inches from your thigh meeting his. You watch him towel off the damp spot on his thigh, rubbing the material harshly as he calls it good and sits the now damp towel on the coffee table.

“Joel, again, I’m so sorry. Let me…”

He holds his large hand out and silences you as your voice stops cold. “Sweetheart, ya gotta stop aplogizin’. Really, it’s fine,” he presses as he goes to grab the half filled glass of tea. He grips it in his large hand and brings it close to his plush lips.

“I hope you like sweet tea,” you say before he takes a sip, hopeful that he won’t hate it.

“If it’s as sweet as you, I’m sure I’ll love it,” he smiles.

Your cheeks flush crimson as you take in the compliment and watch him bring the rim of his glass up to his lips, throwing back his head as you watch the hibiscus tea run slowly down his throat. You watch the way the liquid pulls at his lips, watch the way the veins in his neck bulge and flex as he drinks it down. You can’t help but lick your parched lips as you watch him gulp the liquid down. You wonder what it’d feel like to hang on his lips like that, wonder how it’d taste to run your tongue along his soft, inviting lips.

He tilts his head back up and sets the now almost empty glass back on the table as he licks his lips and smiles sweetly over at you. “Darlin’, how did I not know you had a tea shop so close to my store? This is the best tea I’ve ever had in my entire life,” he muses as you smile over at him in wonder.

“Really? You really liked it that much?” you ask with wide eyes glazing over his big brown eyes that you want to get lost in.

“Mhm. I mean it when I say that was the best glass of tea I’ve ever had,” he says as he nods his head. “Especially when it’s from a gorgeous girl like yourself,” he blushes.

Gorgeous? Oh. He called you gorgeous.

“Oh, stop,” you laugh as you stand and grab his glass up. “You want some more? I have plenty.”

“Absolutely,” he nods.

You pad your bare feet into the kitchen and find Oliver sitting at the edge of the window. His large green eyes hover over at Joel and his calico markings dance in the sunlight as he creeps into the kitchen and slowly makes his way over to Joel, inspecting the newcomer in his house.

“This must be Oliver?” Joel asks as he bends over and pets Oliver as he rubs against Joel’s leg. You giggle to yourself as that’s a sign Oliver likes someone. Looks like Joel is now welcome in his humble abode after all.

“Yep, that’s sweet Oliver. I think he likes you,” you giggle as you watch him scratch the clean fur on his back, hearing Oliver’s loud purrs echo into the open kitchen.

“Looks like it,” he chuckles out. The sound is so warm, inviting as it reverberates through his chest. It’s a sound you’d like to hear around here more often, a sound you could get used to fast.

“You have any pets, Joel?” you ask as you pour more delicious liquid into his glass and saunter back over to him, setting it on the table as to not spill anymore tea on him.

“Can’t say that I do. Never really was a cat person, but for some reason this one seems to like me,” he says as Oliver rubs up against his leg and jumps up into your lap the moment you sit down.

“Hmm, guess he has a good sense of judgement,” you wink at him, watching him nervously run a hand through his tousled dark curls. You want to run your hands through his curls, down his patchy beard that’s sprinkled with salt and pepper grey. He looks to be in his mid forties, an older man who you’d love to get to know better.

“How ummm, how old are you, sweetheart?” he asks as he drags his thick fingers through his patchy scruff, ending at his chin as he drops his hand gently back to his lap.

“Twenty-nine. And yourself?” you ask as you cock an eyebrow up at him.

“Forty-three,” he answers nervously as if to await a harsh judgement his way. You have no issue with an older man though. You wouldn’t even mind if he was your same age, you just wanted to know him. You were intrigued by his charm and creative hands.

“Forty-three, huh?” you ask as your eyes flick up and down him, memorizing his lean jaw and the way his fingers lightly flex in his lap when he has his eyes fixed on you. You were starting to read him well. He was nervous, maybe a little shy around the edges, but you definitely saw that he was nervous about his age. He shouldn’t be.

“Yeah, I’m an old man,” he jokes as his cheeks turn slightly pink from nerves.

“Nah, you’re definitely not old,” you confirm. “If you were old, you wouldn’t have been able to carry that table in for me,” you smile.

“Forty-three ain’t too old for ya?” he teases, but his eyes focus intently on you, needing to know he had a chance. And he definitely had a chance.

“No, it’s the perfect age,” you smile shyly.

He laughs and shakes his head, making a stray curl fall against his forehead. Without even thinking, you take your hand and push it back out of his eyes and feel just how silky smooth his hair really is.

His lips part open as you realize just how close to his face you are now, just a couple inches from his plush lips that probably taste of velvet. Your heart speeds up as you stare into his beautiful eyes, seeing every single golden brown fleck that glistens like galaxies in his eyes. You feel your hand drop to his chest, feel him lean forward as you inhale that woodsy scent that draws you to him. You’re so close, so close to a taste of heaven you so desperately want to reach.

When you realize just what you’re doing, you push back from him and put some distance in between the two of you as you catch your breath and come back down to reality. You almost kissed him. Why the fuck did you stop? You take a large drink of your tea and let the floral flavors float down your throat, hoping it’ll cool off your flushed cheeks as you feel fire burn through your core.

Get a hold of yourself. You just met this man.

Joel clears his throat and shifts his weight on the couch, grabbing his glass as he takes another generous gulp of the purple tea. Oliver sits across the room now and stares in between the two of you, meowing as even he feels the connection in the quiet room.

Joel clears the air as the heated moment disappears for the time being. “So, you’re a flower girl, huh?” he asks as his eyes gaze around the room at all your colorful hanging pots of flowers and plants that line the walls.

“How could you tell?” you ask with a flirtatious gleam in your smile.

“Oh, you know. Lucky guess,” he smirks as you feel your insides coat with warmth.

“Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret,” you giggle. “I have an entire garden out in the backyard, too. Actually, more like an enchanted forest, but you know. You’d have to see it to believe it.”

“Oh, yeah? You gonna show it to me?” he asks as a smile curls against his lips, making a dimple appear that nearly brings you to your knees. He’s so pretty that it hurts.

“If you want me to,” you say through long lashes that fan out for him.

He chuckles lightly and nods. “C’mon then. Show me,” he says as he stands and reaches for your hand. You’re hesitant at first, but he keeps it extended and nods down at his hand. “C’mon, sweetheart. I know you want to show me.” That’s all the encouragement you need.

You take his hand as he helps you up, feeling his calloused fingers close around yours as he pulls you off the velvety surface. He keeps his hand latched around yours until you make it to the back door, feeling a sigh escape your lips as his warmth leaves your hand the moment he drops his fingers from yours. His hand in yours felt so good, it felt right.

You slide on a pair or sandals and lead him down your back porch, past the flowing stone fountain where birds are sitting getting drinks and ruffling their feathers as they bathe in the cool water. You lead him down a winding stone path and watch as he follows close behind.

You trail your fingers on some tall standing cedar trees and push past a small field of sunflowers, watching as the golden finches hang on the flower stems and feed on the seeds. You look behind you and see Joel looking all around him as he takes in the sights of crowded red rose bushes and white tulips that sit side by side as their colors paint each other crimson and white.

“Where are you taking me?” he laughs as he follows close behind.

“You’ll see,” you smile back at him as you grab ahold of his wrist and whisk him to the left, nearing your favorite spot in the place you call your enchanted forest.

As you round a small corner and go through a vine wrapped awning, you pull him into the middle of a large circular field that has rows and rows of different colored wildflowers that scatter across the entire field. Beds of strawberries, grape vines, and all types of various herbs have their own raised beds. Lavender, white lilies, purple irises, and different types of carnations display every which was as the sound of the rushing stream that sits behind a forest of trees carries through the wind. This is home to you.

You spin around and find Joel looking dazed as he takes in his surroundings. He runs his large hands across the growing lavender as he lets his fingers dwindle on the green stems, looking carefully over everything that sits in front of him. He looks to be in awe.

“Welcome to my little place I call my enchanted forest,” you say as you continue staring at him as he slowly turns your direction, releasing his fingers from the lavender that sways slowly in the spring air.

“Did you grow all this?” he asks with wide eyes as you see a Monarch butterfly land softly on the side of his sleeve.

“I did. Took me a little over a year to get everything going, but I think it turned out nicely.”

You walk over in front of him and hold your finger out to the butterfly, watching it come to you as it crawls over your index finger, letting you hold it carefully in your hand as you smile and say hello to the beautiful butterfly.

“Beautiful creatures, aren’t they?” you smile, watching it flap its bright orange wings as it flies off in the direction of some pink wildflowers.

You turn slowly to Joel, and he’s just standing there staring at you as if he’s stuck in a trance. His golden brown eyes gaze into yours as his lips part just the slightest. “Yeah, they are,” he says quietly. But he’s not looking at the butterfly anymore, he’s looking at you. You feel your cheeks burn hot at the way he’s looking at you. He makes you feel so nervous yet so beautiful at the same time. It’s strange, really. Nothing you’ve experienced before.

“Did you know they’re the state insect of Texas?” you say proudly as you pick up a fallen lavender rose off the ground.

“No, I didn’t know that. Fascinating,” he says awestruck, his voice quiet again as his eyes never waver from yours.

You twirl the purple rose in your hand and smile down at it as your fingers brush over the soft, velvety petals. Lavender roses mean enchantment, wonder, and love at first sight. You can’t help but giggle to yourself as you walk over to Joel and slip the rose inside the pocket on his blue flannel shirt, accentuating his look as he looks down and runs his finger over the flower.

“You know, all roses have different meanings, depending on their color,” you say as you rock on your heels, your hands behind your back as you play with your fingers nervously.

“Oh, what’s this color mean?” he asks as he runs another finger over the soft petals.

“It means enchantment, wonder, and admiration,” you smile, leaving the love at first sight out as you feel the sun warm your rosy cheeks.

His eyes look up into yours as a small smile curls against his lips, his eyes lighting up like warm honey that you want to drown in. “Enchantment, is that right?” he asks as he takes a step closer to you, his leather boots meeting the edge of your open sandals as you suck in a breath.

“That’s right,” you say quietly, eyes never leaving his warm colored irises.

“Well, you sure enchanted me, sweetheart,” he smiles, his eyes staring straight into yours as you feel warmth overwhelm all your senses.

You enchanted him.

You break his gaze and look down shyly, unable to say anything to that sentence except just to blush and turn around so he doesn’t see the ridiculous smile that’s covering your face. Turns out he enchanted you, too.

“Come here, I want to show you something else,” you say as you lead him over to the large white trellis walls where blackberry vines trail along the ladder. You fill your hands with the deep colored blackberries and tell Joel to follow your lead.

He looks at you with knitted eyebrows as you tell him to be quiet and watch his step. You take him to the edge of the woods where the trees are thick and tall, a sea of green sprawled out in front of you as you click your tongue against the roof of your mouth, calling to the family of deer that usually greet you every evening.

“What are you doin’, darlin’?” he asks quietly as he leans up against the smooth bark of a tall cedar tree.

“Why don’t you take a look?” you smile as you nod your head in the direction of the woods. He straightens up as he watches the pack of deer walk cautiously out into the open as they gather around and greet you.

“Hey there, guys. You hungry?” you ask as you hold your hand out for them to come up to. They come all at once, their reddish-brown coats glistening in the sun as their long legs patter lightly against the green grass. Their wet noses kiss your skin as they eat the berries slowly out of the palm of your hand. You giggle as their wet noses tickle your skin.

Joel stares in wonder, his eyes focused on you as you laugh and smile as each of the deer take berries from your hand. He watches how happy you are as you reach out your open palm and stroke gently over their backs, amazed that wild deer allow you to touch them.

He watches how your eyes light up each time one of the females rub their head gently against the middle of your arm, watches the way you interact and speak to them as if they’re human themselves.

He’s smitten with your smile. That damn beautiful smile that takes the breath from his lungs. And God, he thinks he’s falling in love. He’s never seen someone quite like you before. You’re so soft, so gentle. Almost as if you’re a delicate rose yourself.

You catch him watching you with the daze of his warm eyes, a soft smile etching the corner of his mouth as he stares at you. It’s like he’s in a trance, and it makes you tingle with pure delight inside.

“Joel, come here,” you instruct as you nod your head and call him over.

“Oh, no I couldn’t,” he says timidly as he leans harder against the tree. You’re not letting him get off that easily.

“Joel, please. Just give me your hand.” You reach for him and take his hand in yours, leading him over carefully to the family of deer. He doesn’t pull his hand away, he just keeps his fingers tightly closed over yours.

“Here, wanna feed them?” you ask as you scatter some blackberries in his calloused hands. He slightly hesitates at first, but then he eases up as he holds his hand out and lets one of the females eat out of the palm of his hand. You watch him carefully as his face relaxes, his shoulders lowering as his hand lays flat with the berries inside them. Another deer comes over and starts grazing out of his hand, and you swear you see a little twinkle in his brown eyes.

“I think they like you,” you giggle, watching the way they crowd around him just like they do with you.

“I’ve never fed wild deer before. It’s… well, it’s…”

“Amazing.” You finish his sentence for him as he nods his head up and down.

“Exactly that,” he replies.

When the blackberries are gone, you gently take his hand in yours and reach his arm out, showing him how to pet them the right way so they’ll remember him and want to come back later. You keep your hand on top of his and guide it along the soft fur as one of the females lets you stroke the top of her head. You drop your hand from Joel’s and watch him still trail his hand up and down the deer’s side, seeing the way a soft smile spreads across his face.

“There you go. You’re a natural,” you beam as his honey eyes meet yours, sending a wave of bliss down your entire body.

He just shakes his head and chuckles out a deep laugh. “I swear, it’s like you’re Snow White. You’re really somethin’ special, aren’t ya?” he asks as his eyes sink into the pits of your soul.

Special. He thinks you’re special.

“Thank you for thinking that,” you giggle shyly. “I just know how to get in touch with nature. It’s one of my favorite places to be,” you say with a sing-song voice as you tilt your head and take in the splashes of warm sun against your skin.

Joel just watches dreamily as you close your eyes and take in the sun. He thinks you’re the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen, knows just how special you are. He thinks he knew the moment he laid his eyes on you.

When all the deer have left, you give him a tour of your grand garden, telling him all about your favorite flowers and take him down to the edge of the stream as little minnows swim around the middle of the clear water. When you start to lead him back to the house, he starts up light conversation again.

“You really are an expert on nature, aren’t ya? Anything from flowers to planting herbs to animals. You’re really quite somethin’,” he says mesmerized as he stops on the edge of the porch and lingers his hand next to yours, grazing his thumb lightly against the back of your hand as you feel the sparks light up like a million fireworks going off at once. It’s warm, feels safe, makes you feel alive as you trail your pinky finger against his. You want to dance in the flames, let the orange sparks ignite your soul as they take you down to devour you whole.

“You think so?” you smile, watching his honey glazed eyes trail over yours.

“Mhm. Just like a little garden fairy,” he teases as he traces his calloused fingers down your jawline slowly. “Gonna have to teach me more, enchantress,” he whispers as his fingers drop from your jawline, your face burning with desire as you beg to be touched by him again.

Enchantress. The word echoes through your mind as his Southern drawl crashes through your ears. Enchantress, you repeat back to yourself. He’s so sweet, just like the honey that swims in his captivating eyes.

“I’d like that,” you swallow as nerves build in your chest.

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and opens up a blank contact page on the lit up screen, handing it to you so you can type in your phone number. You take the phone from his hands and dance your fingers over the keyboard, putting a fairy emoji next to your name as you push save. You hand it back over to him as he slides it back into the pocket of his jeans.

The sun starts to set as colors of deep purple, bright orange, and dark pink paint the sky red as the sun slowly slips beneath the fluffy clouds. He rakes a hand through his tousled curls and nods your direction as he steps down the porch steps. You wish he’d stay for dinner, but you should probably let him get back home.

“It was nice meeting you, darlin’.” He says your name slowly as it drips off his tongue like sweet molasses, sending butterflies flitting through your stomach. “You gonna save some of that sweet tea for me next time?”

Next time. That means there will be a next time. Another day with Joel Miller sipping on your herbal tea as you teach him all about your favorite things. It sounds absolutely magical.

You smile gently at him and shake your head. “I’ll have a pitcher waiting for you,” you promise.

He chuckles as a smile splays against his gorgeous face, painting his eyes the color of hazelnut coffee. So fucking beautiful. “Alright, sweetheart. I’ll hold you to it.”

He turns and walks back to his Chevy truck, but before he makes it he turns around and gives you one more long, waning glance. His eyes full of admiration. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Goodnight,” you whisper back to him, letting the soft wind carry your voice over to him. He gives you one more lingering smile and then walks away. You watch him start the engine and watch as the his headlights disappear through the trees, down the gravel road that’ll lead him back home.

You turn and slide down your porch, leaning your elbows against the edge of your lilac dress as you let out the longest sigh you’ve ever breathed out of your mouth. Oliver comes up and brushes up against your hip, meowing as he stares up at the lingering dirt in the air from Joel’s truck.

“Yeah, Oliver, I think I like this one, too,” you sigh, daydreaming about the next time you’ll see those dreamy brown eyes of his again.

Joel lays in his bed that night, twirling the lavender colored rose between his fingers, inhaling the scent of fresh gardens, sweet smelling flowers, and you. He’s already memorized your exact smell. You smell like rose petals, lilacs, and sweet tea. It’s intoxicating, a fragrance he can’t seem to get out of his head.

And your smile. God, that sweet smile you give him makes him a weak man. He could never say no to you as long as you fluttered those long, dark eyelashes up at him as you flash him that beautiful smile. The one that makes his heart swell in his chest. He can’t wait to see you again. Just the thought of him pulling you in his arms with that form fitting lilac sundress sends chills down his spine. Joel Miller is not one to fall easily, but for you it might be as easy as putting one foot in front of the other.

He places the soft purple rose on his mahogany bedside table and takes a picture as his camera flashes over the rose. He pulls up your name and attaches the picture with a cute little message.

Please, don’t mess this up, Joel. She’s too perfect.

Your phone chimes on your cream painted nightstand, and you roll over in your queen sized bed, taking the lilac sheets with you as you reach for your iPhone. You see a number you don’t recognize on the lit up screen and slide the lock open. Your heart jolts as soon as you see the picture of the lavender rose on his nightstand, the words take your breath away. It’s him, Joel.

Joel: Thanks again for the rose, little enchantress.

You melt as you read the text over and over and over again. Little enchantress. The nickname nearly makes you fall out of bed with how sweet it is. You text him back a couple minutes later.

You: You’re so very welcome. You’re always welcome to come get some more. My garden is always open.

You end the text with a smiley face and a rose emoji, setting your phone back on the nightstand after pushing send and then hug the silky purple pillow to your chest.

He kept the rose you gave him. He kept the rose. He was thinking about you just like you were thinking about him.

You turn again in your silky lilac sheets and inhale the soft vanilla candles that burn in the corner of your room. The gentle breeze of night slips through your cracked window and blows the sheer white curtains to the side. Shadows dance across your lilac covered walls, and it almost looks like two people slow dancing in the moonlight. You pretend it’s you and Joel, dancing under the moonlight as he pulls you close and grazes his lips against yours, pretend his hands envelop yours as his calloused fingers graze the edges of your face.

You turn back around and close your eyes, wishing for dreams of dark eyes and tousled curls. Joel, Joel Joel. You were all his, all for the taking. He just needed to come sweep you off your feet, and you’d be his. You already knew, he was the one you wanted, the one you’d been wishing for for your entire life. He was the one.

Joel was the one.

Tags: (Please let me know if you do not want to be tagged. I figured you guys would want to read!) @joelalorian @joelmillersblog @vividispunk @tuquoquebrute @mountainsandmayhem @princesatracionera @blueseastorm @janaispunk @amyispxnk @bambisweethearts @vivian-pascal @strawberri-blonde @dugiioh @akah565 @ka-x-in @orcasoul @lotusbxtch @reddedmiller @r3dheadedwitch @pedrostories @jasminedragoon @msjarvis @littlevenicebitch69 @ezrasbirdie-main @cherrybombsxxx @thischarmingmandalorian @prettytulips @burntheedges @sweetercalypso @keylimebeag @casa-boiardi @vvitchesh3x @laurrrra

[pascal-princess]

[ playing dangerous ]

a/n: this is my first ever fic so pls be kind!! also not proofread so any mistakes i apologise.

— warnings : dark fic (18+), joel isn’t what you think in this, domestic abuse! (not joel), drugging, dom!joel, big!joel/small!reader, age gap (not mentioned but it’s there, around 26 years), kidnap if you squint ig. + plus tommy.

“Joel it’s all kickin’ off next door man”

Tommy’s voice filled his ears through the phone as he sighed… not again… surely.

“What this time?”

“It’s that dude, I ain’t gotta clue what his problem is but she’s gettin’ the brunt of it yet again” Tommy’s eyes scanned through the blinds that were peeled apart by his fingers, peering into your window trying to get a good visual of what was going on.

This had been going on for the past few months, your boyfriend Rick had a bad gambling addiction… and based on his results you’d either get pounded brutally into the bed as his victory celebration, despite your cries. Or… like today; a hissy fit which every time without fail, resulted in bruises and tears, as his anger at his loss seemed to be all your fault.

This time; tommy could hear the heavy thuds of furniture being thrown across rooms, and twinkles of glass that smashed beneath your feet. He could hear the soft whimpers and sobs that left your body as Rick practically screamed at you.

“it’s all your fault you fuckin’ bitch, you make me do this”

“Joel what do i do, man? I can’t jus’ leave er’”

“Stay where you are, I’m comin’ home”

Joel hung up the phone and got into his pick-up truck and began the short drive home; he knew you were a sweetheart, a soft innocent angel who wouldn’t hurt a fly. You always smiled at him and even once baked him cookies, which he admired for a good few days before throwing his diet out the window, consuming the gooey chocolate chip delights you made. He couldn’t understand why you stayed, why you let Rick treat you the way he did. He also couldn’t understand how Rick could treat you such a way.

Maybe you were secretly an awful person, he thought… or hoped. Because the thought of someone as kind and caring as you receiving the exact opposite just because of the fact that you won’t fight back killed him inside. He refused to admit the feeling of jealousy that ached inside of him; but he often thought of what it’d be like to hold you at night, to be the man to make you smile, to wipe away your tears instead of being the dick that caused them.

His anger grew more and more as he approached his driveway, speeding up a bit as he swerved in and pulled to a halt, the tires screeching against the concrete. He threw open his door and made the short walk to your front porch, knuckles thumping against the wood as he waited for a response… that was when he realised… silence.

He banged again and called your name this time, willing you for a response. You could’ve heard a pin drop, and it was scaring him.

He was just about to kick the door down when he heard the lock of the door flick, and watched as it slowly peeled open, too slow.

“Joel?” your cracking voice called his name and he could’ve burst into tears himself.

“Sweetheart, ya’ alright?” he pushed open the door a little more to get a view of your face, and god he wished he hadn’t.

“Honey” He sighed, eyeing the swelling bruise that imprinted itself onto your cheek, the redness of your face from crying just intensifying it.

“Joel, please just go” you kept yourself hidden, yes, Rick was gone. He walked out as soon as he was finished releasing his stress, with the words “i’ll be back later” but you still felt the quivers of fear make their way through your body.

“I can’t do that, you know i can’t” His hands were placed on his hips as he scanned everywhere he could for more marks, and all he could see was bruises, old and new, littered across your arms. Even the softness of your feet covered in dried blood from stepping on the glass.

When that caught his eye he knew you needed attention.

“Right, you’re comin’ over so i can get ya cleaned up” He reached for your hand but you pulled back abruptly.

“I can’t, Joel. I can’t leave”

“Then i’ll carry you”

“You don’t get it!” you raised your voice a little louder to get the message across.

“You’re right, I don’t get it. But I ain’t gonna leave you alone right now so you either move, or I move ya myself”

You sighed, knowing he wasn’t gonna let up, so you made the brave decision to step outside… wincing as your feet made contact with the hard stone below you. Joel was there right away, scooping you up into his arms and hoisting you on one side of his hip as his other hand closed your front door. He eyed you for a moment, making sure he wasn’t hurting you before making his way over to his house.

All the fear coursing through your veins dulled as you felt joel’s touch, he was much bigger than you which at the start intimidated you, but now all you wanted to do was crawl into his embrace and let him take care of your problems.

Joel was one of your favourite people; when you moved in you two immediately hit it off, becoming very quick friends. From what you heard from Tommy, Joel wasn’t the type of person to be overly nice to everyone he meets, but you were different. He would always help you out when you had issues with the plumbing or gas, as Rick was never interested in doing any of that. He would bring over leftovers for you as he knew you struggled to eat after a particularly bad fight. Basically anytime Rick wasn’t there, Joel was. Insisting on taking care of you when things went wrong. Helping you get out of bed, and brushing your hair for you on the worst days.

Tommy was already waiting with the front door open, allowing Joel inside as he carried you through the threshold.

“She alright?” Tommy asked and Joel nodded slightly, taking you through to the kitchen and perching you up on the counter, picking up your leg and inspecting your foot for the first time.

“You gotta’ start wearing shoes, sweetheart”

You gave a slightly amused breath at his words but he wasn’t laughing in the slightest. He was angry.

Angry at me? you thought

He moved to one of the cupboards, pulling out a first aid kit and making his way back to you, pulling a stool over and sitting in front of your legs, pulling your feet into his lap and getting to work with the antiseptic.

“ouch!” you winced as the stinging made its way through your body.

“I know babygirl, m’sorry. i’ll just be a little minute more and then you’re done, m’kay?”

That was another thing that was unusual with Joel, his affection towards you. It was clear that he cared about your feelings, maybe it was just because he knew that you didn’t get much at home… or maybe… just maybe…

“All done, sweet girl” you were pulled from your thoughts as he placed the bloodied cotton pads onto the counter beside you and you winced internally at how much blood there actually was. He picked up a thin bandage and began to wrap each of your feet. making sure the cuts were covered.

“Thank you” you spoke quietly, even when he was finished he still held your feet in his lap, the warmness and softness of his jeans bringing you comfort. It made you yawn and made your limbs stretch slightly.

“You tired?” he asked. You shook your head, you knew he’d have you sleep here if you asked but you didn’t want an excuse to stay any longer, on the off chance that Rick was already on his way home.

“I better get going” Joel’s hands held onto your hips as you slid down off the counter, your feet feeling way better touching the floor than before.

“She ain’t leavin’” Tommy’s voice interrupted the both of you, you turned to face the younger brother who was standing in the door way, essentially blocking your exit.

“I-I have to”

“No frickin’ way!” Tommy protested, raising his voice a bit.

“Tommy” Joel warned.

“No, absolutely not! You think we’re gonna let you go back there after everything that sick son of a bitch has done? You’re fuckin’ crazy”

“You don’t understand” You spoke softly, a whimper caught in the back of your throat.

“No you don’t understand! You wanna fuckin’ die huh? You got some sorta death wish?” Tommy was stepping closer to you, not with the intention of intimidating you but out of pure frustration with you.

“Tommy! Back the fuck off” Joel stepped forward now too, both brothers exchanging looks that told you this had been more than a one time conversation. You couldn’t help the tears that burned your eyes, begging to be released, your lip wobbling with every breath.

Tommy was an incredible friend to you, but he was the harsher one out of the two brothers when it came down to you. Joel was better at hiding his true feelings but Tommy, wouldn’t let you hear the end of it.

“What if one day we ain’t there huh? what’s she gonna do? who’s she gonna run to? If she ain’t already dead by that point” his words were harsh and brought all your emotions to light.

“Stop it! please!” you burst into tears, chest tightening as your sobs began to wrack your body.

Joel was immediately at your side pulling you into his embrace tightly and running his hand through your hair, whispering sweet words.

“M’sorry, honey. But you ain’t leaving tonight and that’s final” Tommy spoke before disappearing into the hallway.

“He ain’t tryna be mean sweetheart” Joel whispered as you clung to him.

“I-I know” you spoke hiccuping through your words.

“He’s just worried about you, and so am I”

You pulled away from Joel’s embrace, wiping your eyes. Of course you knew it was wrong, Of course you knew you could get seriously hurt or end up dead. But if it was that straightforward you would’ve been gone a long time ago.

“Can you at least stay until i get some painkillers in ya’?” Joel asked, and it wasn’t a big ask at all… but to you it felt like a hefty question. But it wouldn’t hurt right? You could take the painkillers then head straight back home as if nothing happened.

You nodded and Joel gave a soft smile, and took your hand, leading you through the house and up the stairs.

“I keep everythin’ in my bathroom cabinet, jus’ better that way” he seemingly answered every question you had without you even having to ask.

He led you to sit on his bed as he went into the bathroom, rummaging for a few moments before returning with little white capsules in his hand, he reached into his night stand and grabbed an unopened bottle of water, twisting the cap and handing you both items.

He watched you carefully as you took the pills, swallowing them with water and taking a few more chugs of the water as you didn’t realise how thirsty you were. You handed the bottle back to him and he placed it back on his nightstand.

His room was so cozy, you had never been up here before. Shades of grey and black accented the room, lights dim and sheets soft, his bed big enough for 4 people never mind just him. You could tell this room probably wasn’t his idea as Joel wasn’t one to prioritise his own comfort. It was so cozy that your eyes began to droop, and your head began to sway.

“Lay down, babygirl” Joel instructed and even came to your side to aid you but you pushed him off.

“Nuh-uh I can’t, have to go home”

“Just lay down for 5 minutes, c’mon i don’t want you passing out” he insisted.

“M’kay, 5 minutes” He helped you lay down as you got comfortable on his plushy sheets, it was almost unusual how sleepy you were. You felt your eyes begin to shut against your will and felt your breathing begin to slow. You were falling asleep, but no matter what you did you couldn’t stop it from overcoming you. Your body drifting into a deep slumber before Joel’s eyes.

If only you’d of seen the bottle of sleeping pills sat out on his bathroom counter.

-

When you woke, it was way darker outside, an ambient light flashing through, you squinted for a minute until you realised it was police lights. You searched your surroundings realising you were wearing a t-shirt and bottoms that did not belong to you, and you were also laying on joel’s pillows, the covers atop of you. You threw the covers off and began to stand up, your sleepiness still coursing through your body. how long did i sleep?

You padded towards the window, looking out and gasping at the sight of Rick being pushed into the back of a police car, his protests actively ignored by the officers, you began to start panicking but something caught your eye, or someone.

Tommy stood on the front porch, a cigarette hanging from his lips as he watched the car drive down the street, the officer driving giving him a wave as they passed… they know each other?

“You’re awake” your body jolted as you spun round to face Joel, who stood in the middle of the room holding a mug of what looked and smelled like tea. He motioned for you to take the mug but you ignored him, eyeing him with a look of betrayal.

“I know you didn’t want this sweet girl but i-”

“Didn’t want this? Joel do you have any fucking idea what you’ve just done? He’s gonna get out and he’s gonna come straight for me, do you understand that?” you ran your hands through your hair, pacing back and forth and contemplating all of your options.

“Hey, hey, hey” Joel sat the mug down and walked over grabbing a hold of your shoulders and pulling you to him. “He ain’t gonna hurt you no more, understand”

You looked into his eyes and saw nothing but pure sureness in his eyes.

“He comes anywhere near ya i’ll kill m’ myself”… again, the sureness… but something else lurked in his irises, something dark.

“You’re not killing anyone Joel” you pulled out of his grip and began to walk away, searching for your lost clothes, rummaging through his wardrobe and under his bed.

“Where’s all my stuff?”

Joel sighed and walked over to you again.

“It’s in the laundry, why are you so desperate to leave? He’s not here anymore” You heard the frustration in his voice but why was he angry at you, it meant you could go home peacefully.

“Because it’s my home, Joel”

“This is your home” He said plainly, which in any other circumstance would’ve been sweet but you couldn’t shake the feeling of something being wrong.

“That’s kind Joel but I really gotta-”

“You think now that i’ve got you i’m just gonna let you go?” He chuckled.

The air shifted as you looked into Joel’s eyes that seemed to have nothing but pure lust for you, he had been drinking.

But it wasn’t until your eyes caught the little orange pill bottle sat open on the counter that it finally clicked. And he noticed when it clicked. His eyes followed yours and he sighed at his mistake, before giving a slight scoff.

“Sorry, probably shoulda’ put that away before”

“Joel?” You grew more and more frightened as the seconds grew by, this wasn’t your Joel. This Joel had something dark and malicious about him.

“Hey, it’s alright sweetheart” he came up and held your face in his hands…

“I’m gonna take care of you now”

-

a/n: please let me know if you want a part two i’d be happy to write one! any comments and reblogs are so greatly appreciated thank you so much for reading.

love, mila🎀

[vivwritescrappythings]

good morning

no outbreak!joel miller x fem!afab!reader

Mornings with Joel are wonderful.

can be read as a stand alone fic, but also has a part 1

tw: smut!, fingering, p in v sex, unprotected sex, crying, sex with feelings, not proofread, soft Joel.

word count: 4.7k

masterlist

MDNI!

–

Mornings with Joel were quickly becoming your favorite despite their rarity.

After the night of your mother’s wedding you’d never expected to actually have anything come from it. Maybe another hookup for either one of you to blow off steam, but nothing that actually was meaningful. So when Joel had called you and sounded so nervous to ask you on a date six months ago, your heart melted and you excitedly agreed.

The date was precious, Joel had chosen a place that was fancy enough to make him put on a navy blue sport coat and use gel to style the wonderful mess of his curls. He had been awkward in all the cutest ways, blushing and bashful as though the two of you hadn’t already slept together

He was so crestfallen when you’d suggested that you get the check instead of ordering one of the flouncy, expensive desserts, his dark eyes had dropped to the tablecloth as he quietly mumbled his agreement. Of course, you’d suggested that you have the delicious and, more importantly, free pint of cookie dough ice cream that you kept in your freezer, some part of you intent on the fact that you knew you were taking Joel home at the end of the date.

Six months later, you were waking up luxuriously in his bed. 

He only shared the morning with you when Sarah was gone, sleeping over at a friend’s house or staying with his brother, Tommy, for the night. You’d only stayed over a handful of times, each time feeling just as giddy and special as the first. More than once you had imagined getting to stay longer than just one night, the night turning into the weekend and the weekend turning into the week and the week turning into you just making a home with Joel and the teenager you’d seen photos of all over his house.

In time, you hoped. 

But this morning, waking up was a wonderful thing. It was still relatively cool in the mornings in Austin, the sunlight painting your eyelids orange as you stretched. His mattress was so soft, your body sinking into the fluffed topper. The sun-warmed sheets were wrapped around you, keeping off the chill of the morning as you finally opened your eyes.

You could see the dust motes floating in the shaft of light through the parted curtains, the brightness of it making you blink slowly as you rolled onto your back. Joel’s room was surprisingly cozy, the walls painted a deep blue with a few paintings of southwestern landscapes hung up. There were framed posters from concerts he’d been to as well, mostly acoustic guitar gigs in open-air parks. He’d taken you to one as your second date, the poster proudly framed and hung up next to the large window.

Joel was still asleep, snoring softly as he lay partially sprawled on his stomach. You’d forced Joel to see a musical with you the night before, plying him with drinks and a steak dinner that he begrudgingly let you buy for him. The musical was fine, Joel distracting you through most of it by just having his thick arm curled around your shoulders as it rested on top of the seatback.

The night ended in your favorite way: the two of you tangled up in Joel’s truck because you just couldn’t wait until you made it back to his house. He practically begged you to stay the night, his huge hands pulling you over the threshold and sweet kisses stamped to your lips and cheeks.

How could you say no to this man?

He mumbled something in his sleep, reaching out and curling an arm around your waist. You were yanked close to him, his skin hot even through the stolen Pearl Jam shirt you were wearing. A quiet hum echoed from your throat as you snuggled into him. It was a sign for you to relax, to attempt to reverse your early bird ways as you burrowed into his warmth.

You drifted in and out of a light sleep, his snores just barely quiet enough that they felt more like background noise. Every time you opened your eyes another thirty minutes had passed, Joel’s hand slowly creeping from your hip to rest against your stomach beneath the tee shirt. He held you close, spooning with his right arm acting as your pillow.

It was the feeling of Joel’s aquiline nose pressed against the side of your neck and a loose, open-mouthed kiss against your skin that finally woke you up fully. His wide hand clutched at your waist beneath your shirt, pressing your back close to his chest.

“Good morning,” you mumbled, reaching up to comb your fingers through his dark curls as you blinked in the bright sunlight. You rolled back toward him, your shoulder blade pressed against his chest as you laid partially on your back. As soon as Joel heard your voice he chuckled, grinding his clothed cock against your ass as you came to.

“Mornin’ baby,” Joel murmured against your cheek, his voice raspy from sleep. The feeling of his lips on your skin sent a shiver down your spine. His hand left your waist, the shirt you wore bunching up on his forearm as he cupped the swell of your left breast in his palm. 

Your head turned toward his, you hand in his hair tightening as you arched into his touch. “Joel.” You already sound wrecked just from him thumbing at your nipple, rolling it beneath the calloused pad of his finger before squeezing your entire breast under the stretch of his grip. It was always the best way to get your plush thighs squeezing together.

The press of his smile felt intimate as his beard tickled the curve of your jaw. His right arm bent, the scoop of his palm cradling your left shoulder in the loose form of a headlock. You loved when he held you like this, the column of your neck in the curve of his elbow as your bodies pressed closer and closer.

Joel’s hand moved from your breast to trace down the soft skin of your stomach, snapping the waistband of your panties playfully. You giggled, your hand wrapping around the forearm pressed against your collarbone as he groped a handful of your ass. 

“This is nice,” you whispered as you lifted your top leg and curled it back around his hip, giving Joel better access to your already wet cunt. He grabbed at your parted inner thighs, making you whimper.

“Thought I deserved a morning treat for going to that musical last night,” Joel said, making you huff and roll your eyes.

You turned your head just enough to catch his mouth in a needy kiss, whining against him as he continued to grope at you. The curve of his hand from the tip of his thumb to the pad of his forefinger slotted into the crease where your thigh met your hip. His fingertips just barely brushed under the lace trim of your panties, just enough contact to tease you.

Joel loved to take his time in the mornings. Every touch was slow and calculated despite your hips impatiently rolling in the grip of his hand. He was so stubborn, smiling as he squeezed and kept you steady. You locked your lips with his, noisily smacking together as your noses pressed into each other’s cheeks. 

Ever the benevolent god, he finally inched his fingers beneath the soaked gusset of your panties. A stuttered whimper pulled from your throat just to be absorbed by Joel’s mouth. 

There was a sightless exploration under your fingertips, your hand leaving the thick curls of his hair to snake beneath his arm. You could feel the practical, working-man muscles beneath his tanned skin as you traced the cap of his shoulder. 

He already looked smug as you pulled away, your lips parted and shiny with his saliva. You let out a soft, punched moan as his fingers smeared wetness up and down the slick seam of your sex, your head spinning. Your fingers dug into his shoulder, your other hand tightening around his forearm. Joel was smirking at your reaction, his dark eyes watching you fall apart at the simplest of touches.

“You are sensitive this morning,” Joel murmured, the deep rasp of his voice wrapping around you like a warm coat. You didn’t bother denying it, just nodding with another whimper as he trapped your clit between the pads of his pointer and middle fingers, rubbing tight circles against it.

You nodded dizzily, not quite trusting yourself to form a response as you spread your knees further apart. Joel chuckled against the hinge of your jaw, his hips still languidly pressing his erection against the side of your ass. 

Your hand slid from his shoulder in a path that snaked down Joel’s side, feeling every ridge of his ribcage and the softness of the pudge on his belly. The smattering of wiry hair beneath his navel served as a guide as you reached behind your back, your thumb hooking into the boxers he wore to sleep and pulling them down just enough that one half of the waistband caught around his wide, hairy thigh.

Joel was already hard when you wrapped your hand around the base of him, a choked groan resonating from him against your hairline as your pointer finger fit into the valley on the underside of his already leaking head. 

With a clumsiness from your hopelessly tangled limbs, you brought your hand to your mouth and spat in the scoop of your fingers before returning them to slick his cock with your warm saliva. “Baby, you’re gonna be the death of me,” Joel sighed, his bicep flexing against your neck and his hand tightening on your shoulder. 

The two of you were a panting mess as you touched one another, the slick sounds of his dick in your hand and his fingers on your cunt filling the room. The pace he set was a lazy one, his thick fingers circling your clit before dipping down to your dripping cunt to gather more slick. You followed his lead, slowly pumping your closed fist from base to tip. You could feel the thick veins bulging beneath your fingers.

His brown eyes were so warm, half-lidded and staring at you with an affection that knew no bounds. The intimacy of his gaze made you lurch forward to kiss him, your nose bumping against his as lips met teeth.

Joel pressed two fingers into you, the stretch was divine as you moaned against his mouth. You matched each thrust of his fingers with a roll of your wrist, the two of you leaning into one another as you shared your breaths. 

You knew you were leaking like a faucet, soaking Joel’s hand down to his wrist. His slow pace was getting you worked up beyond the point of still having dignity. You were whimpering pathetically, your hips rocking against the motion of his hand with desperation. The squelch of your cunt was loud, overshadowing your moans and Joel’s grunts and the soft rustling of sheets.

The movement of your hand started to get clumsy and uncoordinated, your focus splintering between jerking Joel off and the way he was making you feel. He chuckled, turning his head to whisper in your ear. “That’s it baby,” Joel mumbled in his deep gravel tone. “Can feel you squeezing my fucking fingers.”

His thumb moved forward to press against your swollen clit, your spine arching off the bed as the pleasure ricocheted up your body. You couldn’t help the way your eyes squeezed shut, your deep, syrupy breaths turning into shallow gasps. The gasp of your voice came out too loud and shrill, your free hand clenching in the pillows about your head. “Joel, oh my–!”

A groan left him, the pad of his thumb firmly strumming over your clit as his fingers crooked inside you.

Everything was becoming too much. You were merely holding the base of his cock, too overwhelmed by the euphoria coming from Joel’s hand to divide your attention. Solace was sought in the curve of his neck and shoulder, your body canting to one side so you could bury your face against him. Your muscles braced around him, everything becoming tighter and tighter as you huffed small whimpers against the delicate skin of his clavicle.

“Joel!” The tension became too much, your muscles convulsing and your back breaking on you repeating his name like a broken record. You rode the jolts of your orgasm snugly against Joel’s fingers, intimately grinding your clit against the joint where his thumb met his palm.

You sank down from your high, bonelessness seeping into your limbs from head to toe. It was still hard to breathe properly, Joel’s fingers smearing messily up and down your cunt in an effort to soothe the aftershocks as he pressed kisses against your jaw. Clarity returned with slow breaths, attentive eyes met over your shoulder. 

He looked pleased.

“Love making you scream like that, baby,” Joel murmured as your hand resumed jerking him off. Your own wetness smeared against your thigh as he manipulated your legs so he could take your panties off, tossing them over the side of his bed. “You always sound so desperate.”

You rolled your eyes, a tired smile stretching across your lips. “I think you’re getting too cocky for your own good, old man,” you said with a grin, gently kissing him. He pulled your leg back to where it was, spreading you apart so your calf was pressed against the small of his back while the outside of your other thigh was snug against the sheets.

Joel chuckled good naturedly, his free hand pushing his briefs down enough to kick them off with his feet. The whole motion was uncoordinated, jostling the two of you together as he settled back next to you. Another set of kisses were stamped against your cheek and throat.

“So now I’m an old man?” Joel asked, a dark eyebrow arching as he waited for your response. He moved your hand away from his cock, stroking himself from base to tip as his forearm squished into the fat of your thigh.  

“Definitely,” you said with a soft smirk, your nose bumping against his as you placed a sweet kiss on the corner of his mouth.

He snorted softly, shaking his head. “I’ll show you just what this old man can do,” Joel said, his southern drawl low as he threatened you. His other hand moved from your shoulder to palm at your breast through the worn fabric of the shirt you wore, kneading it in the wide stretch of his fingers.

Your bratty response died in your throat, killed by the drag of the blunt head of Joel’s cock against your cunt. He snickered, mercilessly nudging your oversensitive clit with it. 

“Please,” you gasped, the plea slipping from your mouth before you even realized it had gathered there. The hot slide of his cock between your thighs almost made your eyes roll back, your cunt fluttering around nothing as he teased you. His hand pressed just below your belly button, making it hard for you to angle your hips just right.

“Please what, baby?” Joel asked, the wiry hair of his mustache tickling the shell of your ear. He was driving you nuts, your nerves starting to fray as you struggled against the iron hold of his hand. You knew he wanted you to beg.

You tried to be stubborn, whining pathetically as he continued to fuck your thighs. Arousal was pouring out of you like you’d sprung a leak, making your inner thighs slick as his thick cock sawed in the hinge between your thigh and your sex. You were all kinds of worked up before, but the almost stimulation combined with Joel’s grunts in your ear felt like sick torture.

It only takes you a few more thrusts for your resolve to crack. “Joel, fuck, please fuck me,” you gasped, too blinded by your horniness to keep your composure as you strained your hips against the prison of his hand. 

The laugh he let out was condescending. “There she is,” he purred against you, the smile clear in his tone. His hand moved from below your navel to adjust his cock so the blunt head pressed against your cunt. “You want this?” he asked, still not pressing his hips to yours hard enough to actually push inside.

“Yeah, yes,” you sighed plaintively, your eyelashes fluttering as you almost started to cry. It was humiliating how desperate you were, but you were too far gone to care.

Joel rooted himself deep in you with a solid thrust, the stretch and the sudden feeling of finally being full making your chin drop to your sternum. The sound that ripped from you was animal, your hips shoving back against Joel’s as his chest curved around your shoulders. 

He fell into rhythm immediately, making your bedhead even worse as you rocked against the mattress and his pillows. The arm curled beneath your throat pinned your shoulder blades to his chest, the two of you plastered together like sardines despite the size of the bed. His other hand reached forward to curl around your belly, fingertips pressing into your skin.

It felt like his cock was in your sternum has he steadily fucked into you, coaxing gasps from your throat as you clutched desperately at his strong arms. His nose nudged beneath the hinge of your jaw, his breath cooling the sweat accumulating there.

It was only when he was inside of you that you realized how badly you needed it. Fucking Joel made you feel complete, the aching emptiness being chased away as he gathered up all the loose and ragged pieces of you and put you back together with every drag of his cock against each slippery ridge inside of you.

You didn’t know if it was gratitude or reverence that made your breath nearly stop. 

“Feels like this pussy of yours was fucking made for me,” Joel groaned into your ear, drawing back and rolling his pelvis against you. The clap of his hips and your ass was getting impossibly louder, accompanied by the wet squelch of his cock pushing deeper and deeper into you.

He dug his teeth into your neck, sucking a sloppy hickey against the delicate skin as you started to fuck your hips back onto him. The head of his cock kept smashing into that spot that made you feel like mush, satisfied groans muffled in the back of your neck as your toes curled. You were seeing stars, one of your hands bracing against the headboard in a pathetic attempt to get some stability to anchor yourself to.

Joel’s big hand left your belly, dipping down to spread the messy lips of your sex. The firm roll of your clit between his fingers made tension knit in your abdomen again. Your lungs expanded, the breath stuck in your throat on instinct, sharp gasps pushing out of you. The spiral of heat forming in your stomach tightened, almost so tight you could hardly see.

Your cunt fluttered and tightened around him desperately, your body preparing for a crash. Joel moaned in anticipation, his thrusts took on an eager purpose as he kissed sloppily at your neck. 

“Love you,” you gasped, your nails digging into the thick muscle of his forearms as you tried to stay afloat.

The fat, tight plunge of Joel’s cock in you was maddening. Dizzying. You could feel yourself almost start to drool against the sheets. You were hazy and out of your mind as he rut into you again and again and again. 

“I love you too,” he muttered in your ear, raspy and deep. You felt his forehead press against your clothed shoulder, sweat absorbing into the fabric. A loud moan echoed from him, making your pussy clench as he watched your ass ripple with each slam of his hips. He always told you it was one of his favorite parts of you, stretchmarks and dimples and all. 

He mercilessly ground into your g-spot as he circled your clit with the pads of his middle and pointer fingers, making the ache in your abdomen more pronounced. You were clenched so tight around his cock, the need to orgasm almost making you feel like you were going to cry. The tightness in your core foretold you that it would be a big one, one of the orgasms that you needed Joel to talk you through as you came back down to earth.

You tipped your head back, fitting it neatly between Joel’s ear and the mattress as you whined through clenched teeth. The coarse, wiry hair of his beard scratched your cheek with each thrust, but you couldn’t bring yourself to worry about it. It was like you were a bow drawn too tight, ready to snap at any moment.

There was a startling moment of clarity as your toes curled, a deep part of you realizing how safe you felt like this. Pinned to the length of Joel’s sturdy frame, sweat pooling in the few areas where your skin connected. You were wanted and protected and needed and craved, it was the same feeling you had on the first night when you and Joel had hooked up at the wedding. You felt it every time since.

Your throat was tightening with a feeling deeper than pleasure as your field of focus narrowed down to solely Joel. His thrusts were calculated and methodical, you could feel the cords of muscle bunching in his abdomen with every deep press of his huge cock. 

It was almost too much, leaving you teetering on the edge of a precipice as Joel refused to leave you an inch of space. Your hips twitched against his forearm, part of you trying to get away from the blinding feeling of his cock. It was impossible, the length of him staggering as he stretched you over it. You’d think that you’d get more used to it, but it still felt like the first time every time.

Something in your mind broke, tears starting to leak out of your eyes as he bullied your swollen clit and relentlessly pounded into you. “Joel, oh, oh… Joel, please–” you gasped on an exhale, your voice catching on the edge of a sob. “Ohmygod, Joel. Love you, I love you, Joel–” 

Joel responded by doubling his efforts, pulling your hips back to meet his frantic thrusts. You clung to whatever parts of him you could hold, one hand reaching back to squeeze his hip as you dug your nails into the forearm pressed into your collarbone. 

“That’s it. That’s my fucking good, perfect girl,” he hissed into your ear, the praise making your head spin. There was a hitch to his tone that told you he was just as close as you, running his mouth like a madman. “Christ, don’t know how I ever went without this sweet little pussy in my life. She’s sucking me in and fucking creaming all over me.”

It’s the nonsense that finally pushes you over the edge, a cry that sounded more wounded than pleasured rocking out of you. You rocked your hips back against his, your cunt seizing around his cock as tears leaked out of the corners of your eyes and soaked into the sheets. Joel held you tighter, abandoning your clit to curl an arm around your waist and keep you steady as your legs shook against him.

“So fucking good for me,” Joel said through grit teeth, voice like honey. You could hardly hear him over the pounding of your heart, listening to him like you were both underwater. He kept talking, mumbling things against your skin that you couldn’t understand as he kept going.

He was taking what he needed from you now, your body going mostly limp as he bounced you up and down his cock and grunted in your ear. Your nerves were frayed beyond belief, your breaths shallow as the remnants of your orgasm fizzed in your peripheral vision. His fingers dug into your flesh, probably leaving bruises beneath them as he fucked into you like an animal.

It was too much, your hands weakly reaching back to push at Joel’s thick torso as you protested. “S’too much, fuck–” you sobbed, your voice hoarse and breathless and broken. He fucked you stupid, the weight of thinking all the time finally leaving you as every thought left your head.

Joel shattered, the rhythmic pulse of your drooling pussy finally enough to coax him over the edge as his cock jerked inside of you. He groaned, pressing his open mouth against your throat and scraping his blunt teeth against it as you felt him inside you. The cage of his arms was tight around you through it, his hips slowing down without ever stopping as he leisurely ground into you.

You were still wrapped in your own pleasure, your body tightening and shivering with the aftershocks. He shivered behind you, panting as he came down with you. The ringing in your ears was loud, color slowly bleeding back into the room as Joel finally stopped moving.

He stayed there for some time, holding you to his chest as his other hand ran up and down the long line of the thigh that was still slung over his hip. 

“Good morning,” he mumbled as though you hadn’t already gone through the song and dance, pressing sweet kisses to your throat and shoulder as you caught your breath. 

You sighed, feeling red hot come ooze around Joel’s cock and down his balls as you started to relax. It took you a moment to formulate a thought, your mind having gone slack with the rest of you. “M’leaking,” you blurted stupidly, your voice a slur as your grip on Joel started to loosen.

Joel snorted, the sound feeling loud and harsh compared to everything that just happened. He made no move to pull out, nuzzling at your shoulder lovingly. You made no effort to move away, twisting your shoulders so you could look at Joel better.

He was smiley, his dimples showing just over his patchy beard as his eyes met yours. They were half-lidded and so warm, making you reach out to stroke your thumb over his cheek. 

“I wish we could do this every morning,” you said without thinking, not considering the implications.

Before you could close up and apologize, Joel nodded. “We’d never get anything done, though,” he said playfully, slipping out of you so he could mash you against him. You felt a little sorry for the loss, come and slick dripping down your thighs. “But it would be worth it to stay like this.”

Joel’s sappy, soppy moments were rare. You tried to cover the hitch of your breath by squirming your way closer to him, pressing idle kisses to his sternum as you did. 

“Maybe you could meet her,” he mumbled against the crown of your head after a little while. Your eyes widened as you pulled back to properly look at him, assessing the sincerity in his expression. He meant it, a soft smile curling his lips upward as he waited for your reaction.

“Yeah, I’d love to,” you breathed, your own grin breaking out on your face. “I can’t wait to meet Sarah.”

He pulled you against him, not moving fast enough for you to miss the spark of pure joy in his expression. “She’s gonna love you.” He squeezed you lovingly, stamping another kiss to your head as he took a deep breath against your hair.

You nodded, curling impossibly closer to Joel as you let the rest of the morning soaked around you. “M’gonna love her,” you sighed, the words sounding muffled as your cheek squished against his chest.

Someone’s stomach rumbled, you couldn’t tell whether it was yours or Joel’s. With your other needs sated, hunger began to crop up in the two of you. 

Joel spoke first, his deep voice thick. “How about we discuss it over breakfast?”

It only took you a second to agree, yanking him out of bed with you and dragging him to the attached bathroom to clean up. He laughed at your eagerness, bracing a hand against the wall before leaning down to capture you in a kiss. It was passionate, his tongue licking between your parted lips. Your shoulder blades pressed against the tiled wall of the bathroom, your hands finding his cheeks and holding him closer.

“Only if we get pancakes,” you countered as you parted, your breaths heavy.

“You’ve got a deal, baby.”

[louiseolivier]

Late Night Confessions

Read below or on AO3

fix-it fic. hurt Tommy. Very PG-13 rated. nothing crazy. Edited because I forgot a v brief sex description. 😬

Buck didn’t hear his phone ringing the first or second time it happened. He was deep enough in sleep that it may have filtered into his dreams, but any memory of those dissipated when his phone began ringing a third time. This time, the sound pulled him from sleep, but it probably had more to do with the fact that someone was also banging on his door. 

Because the phone was closest and he was still groggy, he answered it first, pushing himself into a seated position. “Hello?”

“Buck? I’m outside, man. You need to let me in.” 

Eddie. The feeling of disappointment was automatic. 10 weeks on, and he still had hope for another voice. Buck swung his feet over the side of the bed, eyes still closed, still half asleep. Awareness was slow going, but eventually, the questions started coming. Why was Eddie calling him? Why was he at the front door? What time was it anyway? Buck cracked an eye open. The loft was dark sans the ambient light coming from the buildings outside. It was the middle of the night, and Eddie was at his front door. Fear and nausea bubbled up in his chest, afraid of what he was about to ask. “Christopher?”

“Tommy,” Eddie corrected a waver in his voice. 

Buck was out of bed and tripping down the stairs. He slipped halfway down, caught himself on the banister, and slid on his ass the last few steps. Adrenaline was pumping, so he didn’t notice how hard he hit his tailbone or the scrape on his forearm that was pooling pinpricks of blood.

He opened the door, and Eddie walked in. Eddie pulled Buck’s hoodie off the coat rack Tommy hung for him and tossed it to Buck. “I forgot your key. I don’t suppose you have any of his clothes or the key to his place?” Eddie asked. 

Buck put on the hoodie and sat in a kitchen chair to put on the shoes Eddie tossed him. “I don’t,” Buck lied. He didn’t have a key, but he did have one of Tommy’s flannels, and the pajama pants Buck was wearing were Tommy’s, too. Those, along with a bottle of body wash that Buck sniffed to masturbate or cry to (sometimes it happened at the same time), never made it into the box back to Tommy. 

“That’s okay. I’m sure there’s a key with his possessions. We can get it from the hospital when we get there. Where’s your wallet and keys?”

“Dresser upstairs.” Buck shoved his foot into his shoe and called after Eddie. “He’s going to be okay?” He hated how much his voice cracked.

“He’ll live.” Eddie jogged down the stairs and opened the door, waiting for Buck to finish dressing. “He was conscious when they brought him in. The woman I talked to didn’t have a lot of details. He was in a car accident and was still in imaging when she called. Ready?”

Buck nodded, walked to the door, and pocketed the wallet and his phone that Eddie handed him. He called the elevator while Eddie locked the door behind him and asked, “How’d you find out?”

The elevator door dinged open. They got on, and Eddie said, “I’m his emergency contact.”

“Oh,” Buck said and blinked back the tears that started to sting. 

&&&&&&&&&

A teenager ran a red light and t-boned Tommy’s truck. Against the odds, the kid wasn’t drunk, just not paying attention. The driver’s side door crumpled into Tommy’s thigh, and a malfunctioning airbag meant Tommy’s head knocked against the side window before it was deployed. The glass cracked and embedded into his right temple. He had a concussion, and they were keeping an eye out for swelling. No fractures to his femur, but he had moderate bruising to his thigh and was being monitored in case they needed to drain the hematoma. All of it together meant Tommy was going to be grounded and on crutches for a month or two.  

Buck listened to the doctor and Eddie discuss how lucky Tommy was, and how it could have been so much worse. He bounced on his soles, wanting to escape into Tommy’s room. He was less than 50 feet away, but he was terrified of being stopped, of being told he was no longer on the list and, therefore, must be excluded. 

Eddie caught his eye and nodded towards the room and that was all the permission Buck needed. He slinked behind the doctor, avoided eye contact with the nurses, and slipped inside Tommy’s room to find that Tommy wasn’t alone. 

The man sitting next to Tommy’s bed was lean, with a long face and tan skin. He was probably around Tommy’s age and had soft brown eyes that watched Tommy worriedly. That was until Buck interrupted his vigil. The man looked up in surprise, but then a resigned understanding crossed his face. “You’re Buck,” he said quietly.

Buck nodded. “And you're...”

A sad grin crossed his face. “A placeholder.”

“Sorry?” Buck said with a shake of his head. 

“Don’t mind me, I'm being maudlin. I’m Mateo. Or Matt. He’s called me both. Although, I doubt he’s mentioned me at all.”

The name did ring a bell, and Buck quickly flipped through the rolodex of information he collected about Tommy—a sadly thin collection. One of the things he realized during their time apart was Buck barely knew anything about Tommy’s past. The person he was before he met Buck. He’d give an anecdote about the army or his childhood, hints of who he was under Gerrard, but never enough to tell the whole story. Buck hit a crisis point on whether he knew Tommy at all. The cool and confident guy he fell for crumbled when Buck suggested they move in together. Was it all a facade? What depths of trauma was Tommy hiding? 

10 weeks was a long time, and the conclusion Buck settled on was that the kind, tender man who showed up for him was real. That his surface cynicism was real, but so was the covert romantic. In the end, Tommy loved him. Or at least he was close. Close enough that Buck scared him so bad he bolted. And in that time, instead of being soured by the arms-length Tommy held him at, Buck had only become even more certain that Tommy was his best chance for happiness. Maddie promised the universe would send him someone, but the fact was, it already happened, and Buck wasn’t giving up. 

He had thought the ball was in Tommy’s court. He made the mess, and as soon as Tommy pulled his head from his ass, he’d be back at Buck’s door ready to explain. But standing there, after a close call, and with a man who seemed half in love with his ex, Buck realized he would have to take the reins and lead them back to each other. There was no other ending he’d accept. 

Mateo blinked at him expectantly, and Buck suddenly remembered a scorching day in July. It was after the 4th, and they were staying at Tommy’s because, despite the blackout curtains and the building's A/C, his one-story bungalow consistently stayed five degrees cooler than Buck’s loft. They sat on either end of Tommy’s couch, legs tangled, while a Dodgers game played, volume low on the TV, and Buck was giving Tommy an internet quiz on where to vacation based on his favorite desserts. 

Tommy picked a lemon tart over a chocolate gateau, and Buck was questioning whether he should ever let that man inside his body ever again when Tommy’s phone pinged with a text message. Tommy picked up his phone, and his face morphed from mild interest into a scrunchy smile of pleasure. He chuckled and started to type. Another message came through because Tommy’s eyes widened, and a high “Hello!” popped out. 

“What?” Buck asked with a hesitant smile. 

“I just got a dick pic.” Tommy chuckled, shook his head, and continued to type. 

“What?! Let me see.” Buck was on his knees, shuffling between Tommy’s legs. He still had a smile plastered on, but it was more strained than amused. 

“No,” Tommy said and looked a little shocked that Buck even asked. 

“Seriously?” Buck reached out, but Tommy moved his phone away.

“This isn’t a random dick, Evan. I know this guy. Look, I get it if you’re weirded out. I’m deleting the picture.” Buck sat back on his heels and watched Tommy tap his phone. “There. Gone.” Tommy flashed Buck the screen long enough to show only text bubbles, but not long enough for him to read them.  

“Who is he? Ex-boyfriend?”

“Mateo? No. K, I told him I’m off the market, so no more surprise penises.” Tommy tossed the phone onto the coffee table and wrapped his massive hands around Buck’s waist. “There’s only one dick I’m interested in.” He pulled Buck flush against him and proceeded to kiss him into oblivion. 

Even back then, there was a part of Buck that knew he was being distracted, a tactic to keep him from digging deeper, but the larger implication wasn’t something that even crossed his mind until after Tommy was gone. It infuriated him.

“You texted him,” Buck told the other man. He moved to Tommy’s other side, desperate to touch but not wanting to overstep while this new wrinkle blinked sad eyes up at him. “Back in July,” he added. The lighting was dim, but Buck was pretty sure he saw pink creep into Mateo’s cheeks and neck. “He didn’t show me if-if that’s what you were wondering.”

“It crossed my mind,” Mateo said, his eyes not quite meeting Buck’s.

“Were you with him?” Buck asked. 

“I was,” Mateo answered and lifted his right hand to show his pinky and ring finger splinted and taped together. “I got lucky.”

“Are you two fucking?” Buck hated how thin his voice sounded. He knew the answer, but he craved the pain of confirmation. 

“Yes, but it’s not what you’re thinking. I’m his designated rebound.”

“10 weeks is pretty long for a rebound,” Buck bit out. His rebound was a pretty, petite redhead who bounced on his dick and moaned like a porn star. It was fun in the moment, but when she left, Buck wanted to scour himself with a Brillo pad. His next hook-up was a man who had a passing resemblance to Tommy. Buck had thought he’d be able to purge whatever residual feelings he had left and come out on the other side with a clean slate. It didn’t work out. Again, the sex was fun, but after, Buck locked himself in his bathroom until the guy left. After that, he went back to baking and since picked up cake decorating. He was getting pretty damn good at that too.

“It’s only been three, actually. I was seeing someone up ‘til then. Like back in July, he was seeing you when I called.” Still gazing at Tommy, Mateo said, “He loves you, but there came a point where protecting himself overrode that. Funny, since usually he’s the one who gets left.” His head snapped up to look at Buck, and he pointedly asked, “Do you love him? I’m assuming you do since you’re here, but I need to know.”

Buck nodded, unwilling to say those words to anyone until Tommy heard them first. 

“Good. Tommy and I have been doing this dance for five years, and his walking away from you tore him to ribbons in a way no one else has. And I was around for the Chester debacle. He’s stubborn, more broken than he lets on, and he’s VERY good at compartmentalizing. But I can promise you, you won’t regret giving him a second chance. You’re going to have to be willing to fight for it, though. Like I said, he’s stubborn.”

“I’m ready,” Buck promised. “I’m so fucking angry at him for putting us in this situation, but I get it. I do. I just want him back.”    

Mateo stood. He bent over Tommy, the fingers of his good hand carding through Tommy’s curls, and he bumped their noses together. Softly, he said, “I hope to god I never see you again.” He chuckled deep in his chest and kissed the corner of Tommy’s mouth. Mateo moved to the door but paused long enough to squeeze Buck’s forearm. “If he asks, tell him I left because he’s better off in your hands, and he knows that.” Mateo gave Tommy one last look and then exited the room. 

Surreal was how Buck felt, but he buried it and sat in the chair next to Tommy. He took Tommy’s hand in his and let himself fully feel for the first time since Eddie came banging at his door. He let the tears form and fall and pressed Tommy’s slack hand against his cheek. His anger still simmered somewhere low in his belly, but relief won out. Even the idea of a second chance could have been snuffed out in an instant if the accident had gone differently, and Buck cried tears of joy that was not the case. 

“You get 24 hours,” he told Tommy. “Once they release you, you get 24 hours of me doting on you, deferring to you, but after that? Holy shit, are we going to have it out. Because, seriously, how dare you make unilateral decisions for me. Especially since we both know they’re bullshit. After that, we should give ourselves a month to just be. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed waking up with you and watching all the dumb movies you think I need to watch, and just how easy it used to be. I think we deserve that reprieve because it’s going to get real hard after that. I’m going to tell you about Daniel and my parents and my exes, and you’re going to do the same even though I know you’re going to fight me on it. We need to talk about all the hard shit we avoided the first six months of our relationship. Like how much I hate basketball,” Buck ended with a chuckle. 

The door swished open, and Eddie stepped inside. “Any change?”

“No, he’s still asleep.”

Eddie stepped up to the bed and held Tommy’s ankle. “The doctor said he was acting agitated, so they gave him a sedative. Said it should wear off in another hour. I talked to the night duty nurse. She said you can stay as long as you're quiet and your presence doesn’t upset him, but you need to be gone by shift change.”

Buck nodded and gave Eddie a watery thin, “Thank you.” He cleared his throat and added, “I’m glad you let him depend on you.”

“That man is his own worst enemy, but he needed someone to be in his corner, and, well, I needed someone to care for. Even if that only meant drinking beer, eating fast food, and watching whatever sport was on TV.”

“Did you know about Mateo?”

Eddie looked behind him at the closed door, then back at Buck. “Is that who left?” Buck nodded, and Eddie said, “I have no idea who he is or what he means to Tommy. Is he going to be a problem?”

“No.”

Eddie nodded and patted Tommy’s ankle. “I should probably go. I’ll be back sometime tomorrow, but text me if anything changes. Okay?”

“Yeah. Hey, Eddie? Thank you. Thank you for including me.”

“You know, I almost didn’t. I don’t know what the answer is, Buck. I’ve watched the two of you act like smitten kittens that look at each other like the other hangs the moon. On the flip side, he crushed your heart and his own because...he loves you? Because your relationship falling apart was inevitable? Just as a warning, I don’t think he’s ready. But I also know your powers of persuasion and your need to at least confront him since he left. And to be fair, I cheated on my girlfriend and traumatized my son because I wanted to live the fantasy with a clone of my wife, so I have no room to judge.”

Buck kissed the back of Tommy’s hand before placing it on the bed. He got up and embraced Eddie tightly, thanking his friend again for giving him the opportunity for another chance, even if Eddie was dubious of their reconciliation.

Eddie chuckled and said, “Honestly, at this point, good luck. Either you guys figure it out, or you don’t. Just know, if it falls apart again, you’re getting me in the divorce.” 

Buck grinned, gave Eddie one last squeeze, and pushed him away. “Go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With Eddie gone, Buck flipped the chair around to watch Tommy’s face head-on. He brushed the curls on Tommy’s head before sitting down and clasping their hands together. “I love you,” Buck told him. “I’ll tell you again when you wake up, and every morning we’re together. I’ll keep telling you even after you finally accept it to be true because you’re not just my last, Tommy. You’re my only.” 

[unknownperson246]

Today's Nikki sixx smut with female reader

Meets her Wyoming they like each other and end up getting busy in the back of his truck and Nikki accidentally butt calls Tommy and Tommy hears it all

Modern Nikki Sixx: Truck Fuck

Words: 808

warnings: *smut* *fluff* *cum play* *p in v* *cum eating* *exhibition*

.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ

You were walking down your great uncle's neighborhood in Wyoming. He was rich and he was surrounded by billionaires. There was a house in the corner that caught your eye. It was dark and gloomy. You were told the owner was a rockstar from the 80s. He was from a band called “Motley Crue”. His name was Nikki SIxx. You were told the 65 year old rockstar was not retired. Someone showed you clips of him at his concerts. The next day you were walking again and you dropped your phone in front of Nikkis' house. Nikki was taking a stroll down his yard and saw you. He came up to you to say hi.

“Hi, where are you from?” His question was random, especially since you guys just met.

“Hi i'm from Kentucky” You say while reaching for his hand so you could shake it. 

He reaches for your hand after he sees it and he shakes it with a firm grip. His touch felt cold and separated.

“So what are you doing here?” He asks with a smile. He was like a cop interrogating you.

“My great uncle invited my family to stay at his place for a couple of weeks. He says he was feeling lonely and wanted company so he called and now I'm here” You say.

“I see how do you like Wyoming so far?” He asks you.

“It's fine. I mean it isn't like California or New York but I guess that's because we aren't in the city” You chuckle.

“Oh trust me I used to live in California, it was all chaos even in the non city areas.” Nikki says.

“Hey maybe we should go talk about this over lunch if you want to go out one day.” You chuckle.

“Oh yeah definitely.” He smiles. “Do you want to go right now? I am not doing anything at the moment” He says with a hopeful expression.

“Oh yeah sure” You smile.

You both get in his truck. 

“This is a nice truck you have” You smile.

“Why thank you!” He laughs.

His hand can’t help but rest on your bare thigh.

You don't wait any longer and you get on top of Nikki and you straddle him in the driver's seat. Your lips make their way to his lips. You both are now making out as Nikki has a gentle hold on your body that was sitting on him. Nikki pulls the seat back so the wheel isn't in your back's way.

“Mmm, Nikki your lips taste so fucking amazing,” You say.

Nikki throws you to the back of his car and gets on top of you. His phone was in his back pocket and he didn't realize he accidentally called Tommy Lee the drummer of his band. Nikki feels his phone getting in the way so he throws it to the front passenger seat. Tommy heard you say that Nikki's lips taste amazing. Nikki pulls his huge cock out and sticks it at your entrance. His hips start to roll on yours. Tommy decides to stay on the call and listen to every movement you guys are making. Tommy is smirking listening to you guys make love in the back of his truck.

“Oh fuck Y/N You feel so fucking good. I love holding your body in my arms” Nikki groans as he rolls his hips on yours faster and faster.

“Nikki I’m almost there” You cry and your legs start to shake. Your eyes go to the back of your head.

“Baby let me taste you for lunch” Nikki groans.

He keeps pumping your pussy faster. You orgasm around his cock and he dumps his wet load in you. 

Your slick gets all over his car seats and he pulls his cock out of you and starts to lick the car seats. 

“Oh fuck this is good” Nikki chuckles.

“This is getting juicy,” Tommy says to himself. Nikki hearts mumbling from the front seat. 

“Tommy?” Nikki says surprised 

“Fuck who the fuck-” Nikki says realizing Tommy is not here.

You both quickly put your clothes on because you thought you were being spied on. You both go to the front and you see Nikki's phone. It says it's on call with Tommy.

“Fuck do you think you accidentally called him while we were kissing?” You ask frantically 

“Nikki, I heard everything,” Tommy laughs.

“Fuck you son of a bitch why didnt you cut the call?” Nikki says embarrassed.

“Y/N i’m so sorry that was my drummer being a creep,” Nikki says upset. 

“Alright, i’m going to go now” You say awkwardly after fucking a rockstar.

“Wait, let me give you my phone number,” Nikki says.

“Don't accidentally dial me while you're having sex” You chuckle. Both of you laugh it off and go get something for lunch.

[mazzystar24]

…… i can’t wait until these people are gone

This is in fact the ask that the draft didn’t save for so if my answer is worse than the original I will cry

My eye is legit twitching

So we all know this is bs but let’s go through point by point for why this is bs

“Eddie hasn’t done anything like that for him” (dropped everything and helped him) - this is honestly down to how they act with their emotions, Eddie bottles things until they turn into an emergency drop everything and deal with it situation but buck will have ongoing issues that he’ll need help with and he’ll seek it as it happens (e.g his parents or his injuries etc) and when he does Eddie IS there and shows up for him and helps him but we haven’t had him be in sort of a drop everything scenario (except the Buckley family dinner scene and we don’t know where he went after but the scene we see after that is buck talking to who? Eddie)

“Constantly makes jokes about bucks trauma” - as someone with ptsd and my own fair share of trauma and with traumatised friends I feel like once a certain level of rapport is reached you can joke with eachother about traumas 1. They both do it (e.g bucks “didn’t you just have one of those?”) 2. It’s never in emotional or vulnerable moments 3. It never crosses a line 4. Bold criticism considering Tommy made a daddy kink joke and a comment abt how bucks dad is still alive when buck was opening up abt why Bobby matters sm to him 5. It’s received and delivered well 6. It’s not actually constantly it’s a handful at most and the most outright one is abt the tsunami and that was HIS trauma too dont y’all forget my dude thought his son was dead for a hot minute

Told his team buck needed to get over being crushed by a fire truck- in that scene the writers did everything but flat out say he was projecting, when he’s talking abt bottling things up and his dads advice and all that stuff and the audience KNOWS that he’s just been through a bunch of traumas that he’s bottling up and “getting over” for the sake of Chris, they’re basically flat out telling you he’s projecting, now the minute that hen and bobby point out that buck feels alone what does Eddie do? He drags him out of bed and attempts to motivate him launching “operation buck up buck” in chimneys words, now mind the fact that he doesn’t do this for himself or give himself the same kindness because he genuinely believes you deal with things by ignoring them (reminder this is untherapised Eddie two eps away from fight club) but despite believing that he knows it’s what buck needs so he does it for him

He’s never once apologised for buck and made buck apologise to him- I’m assuming this is abt lawsuit era, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again no one in the lawsuit era was perfect that’s the whole point, either they’re all in the wrong or they’re all excused because they all had their reasons, Bobby kept buck behind and lied but he was scared to lose him, Buck sued and didn’t tell anyone and went no contact and shared personal shit but he’s just been through a bunch of trauma and his father figure and the man who was by his side the whole time through rehab basically said it isn’t good enough (in bucks brain) and that all that work still means he can’t get back to doing his life’s purpose, Eddie has had hit after hit trauma after trauma with no time to breathe in between AND THEN HIS BEST FRIEND GOES NO CONTACT BECAUSE OF WHAT BOBBY DID AND HE SUES BOBBY AND THE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT TALKING IT OUT WITH ANYONE AND SHARES PERSONAL INFO THAT HIS LAWYER THROWS IN HIS FACE, and while dealing with all the aforementioned trauma Eddie has to deal with Chris’ trauma and Chris missing buck and Eddie not being able to do anything abt it, so yeah honestly he WAS owed an apology (but again imo all sides have justification) and it’s not like he was a dick to buck for an extended period of time, he lasted one shift being bitchy and giving silent treatment and then buck had one emotional talk with puppy eyes and an apology and Eddie instantly was like ofc I forgive you🙄just don’t do it again☝️🤨 and again bold criticism when buck apologised to Tommy for what? Not being ready to come out to his friend in public after exactly one queer kiss and mid first queer date?? And then got ditched on the side of the road by Tommy???

He never once acted like a good friend outside of the will and the hospitals- “you don’t have to be anything for anyone, no one is the same from one day to the next and things like this change us so what changed in you?” “Did you say anything that wasn’t true? Well look maybe you could’ve come at it a little differently but if that’s how you feel, how they made you feel you have every right to say so” “that’s not your fault”“I had to do it- I know you did” “and what you think you failed? I failed that kid more times than I care to count and I’m his father but I love him enough to keep trying and I know that you do too” “there is no one in this world I trust with my son more than you”“you saved him, that’s how he remembers it and now its his turn to do the same to you” “now am I allowed to ask how you are?” “ you died buck you’re gonna feel a lot of different ways about that…I found the best way is to let yourself feel it” - and that’s not even all of them just a few favourites but my thumbs are sore

Eddie has left buck out from so many things and never realised it was wrong- 7x04 is literally the only time we’ve seen that and remember Tim said the whole episode is bucks perspective and I said this before the ep even aired in this ask but it’s still true that for Eddie I think he just genuinely is so secure in their friendship that he didn’t think buck would be insecure abt it and when he does he is actually the one who puts it together and sends Tommy to buck - I go a little more in depth in this post that turned out to be a draft that I freed from my drafts just for this ask also what did we see him exclude buck from? Basketball that he doesn’t like and that he’s asked him to join in multiple times? Watching a fight that he had no previous interest in? Muay Thai that he doesn’t know how to do and again showed no previous interest in? Like when buck and Eddie are close y’all say they’re codependent and unhealthy and when Eddie has other friends y’all say he’s a bad friend?

Tommy was the one who apologised to him - at EDDIES URGING BECAUSE BRO WAS LAID UP AFTER BUCK SPRAINED HIS ANKLE???😭😭

“Tommy has been doing all the things Eddie hasn’t” - youre so right actually like putting a damper on bucks mood or having a racist past or having like 10 lines and the majority of them being sardonic and kinda insensitive, making an emotional moment into a sexual one and having like 5 minutes of screentime 🤩🎀

Wow babe I have a degree in yappology and a minor in ranting for real sorry for the long response 😭😭😭

[lowkeyrobin]

hiiii can you maybe do a 5 + 1 tommyinnit x reader where its like 5 times they act like couple and one time they make it official and get together?

(also can i be 🦢?)

yes oh my GAWDDD YESSS ; and yeah of course! welcome to the hotel 🦢 anon! enjoy your stay! ; thanks for requesting and I hope you enjoy! ; this isn't that great tbh but I'm proud (this took way too long to do)

TOMMYINNIT ; five, cinco, funf, cincq, 'elima

summary ; five scenarios that lead up to you and Tommy becoming a thing

warnings ; language

disclaimers ; yes I know it said 5+1, I did the five thing because I wanted it to be a repeating number lol. they all say five in different languages, english, spanish, german, french and hawaiian for anyone who didn't get it

word count ; 2k

masterlist

Five.

"I'm gonna cry, this show sucks," you speak, throwing your head back on the back of the couch.

"What is with this CGI..." The blonde mutters. "What's the budget on this show?"

You shrug. "Let me enjoy my show, Tommy"

"Wait, that Jeffery guy got out?"

"Yeah," you frown, watching as Athena runs across the screen and outside to look for the monster who was supposed to be on trial.

He pulls you into a hug as you both watch the show, being the first episode of season four. The city is collapsing, and a fangroup of a dangerous predator were sending glares to the victims.

You knew it was just a show. You couldn't help but feel bad because people did treat victims like that in real life, plus this show just made you emotional as all hell.

The blonde pulls you a little closer, having seen your eyes well up with tears.

"He's right there!"

"Athena run!"

"Oh fuck!"

"This show stresses me out too much, Y/n/n"

"How do you think I feel?"

Cinco.

"Liking sherbert ice cream is such a red flag"

"What? Says you! Strawberry just isn't that good"

You playfully scoff, holding your strawberry waffle cone in your hand as Tommy passes up a ten pound bill up to the lady in the food truck. He holds his plastic bowl of sherbert ice cream in his other hand, a spoon tied between his index and middle fingers, holding on for dear life so as not to be dropped onto the concrete below.

"Why do I ever take you to do fun things?"

"You love me," He grins, stuffing the change in his pocket before walking away with you. "I just hold a special place in your heart."

"Sure you do, pal," you reply with a smile, taking a bite out of your ice cream. "Where do you wanna sit? I can't eat and walk, not a multi-tasker."

He scans the area, landing his eyes on a bench across the little road. Thank God these fairgrounds had benches, unlike the ones near Tubbo. Eugh.

He leads you toward the bench, taking a bite from his multicolored sweet with the white plastic spoon. You sit down with him, enjoying the scenery of a million fair rides and colorful lights against the dark night sky. Screams of terror and amusement fill your ears as you watch one of the mini coasters go down the large drop again.

You feel a shiver run down your spine, the chilly wind freezing you up for a moment. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to eat ice cream with no sun around to keep you warm. The blonde notices, though, and nearly makes a joke to rip on you for not bringing a jacket. But, he doesn't.

He slips off his plaid jacket and wraps it around your shoulders. He took into consideration that you would've just gone back and forth if he tried handing it to you.

You look at him, an eyebrow raised in clear confusion.

"I saw you shivering." He chuckles, taking another bite out of his sorbet. "Just take it, I'm sweating in it anyways"

You quietly nod and lean into the jacket more, considering you didn't have free hands to put it on at the moment. You could feel his body heat from the jacket rub off on you, warming you up as it was a heater.

"You wanna go on the ferris wheel after this?" He asks, looking up at the big, circular wheel a couple hundred yards away. Lights glimmer and flicker across the sides, shining all colors of the rainbow. "The line doesn't look too bad at the moment"

You shrug, "Yeah, sure. I'll slip the guy a five to hold us at the top to scare you." You joke with a snicker.

"Y/n!"

Funf.

"I'm not jealous. Why would I be jealous?" You deadpan to your blonde friend, arms crossed.

"Cause I'm going on a date" He answers, again.

"With someone who's an asshole," you clarify once again, "Dude, I'm serious. There's a million other people you could go out with. Just skip them before they actually hurt you"

"Physically or mentally?"

"Tommy! I'm serious"

He sighs, pulling at the tie around his neck. He sighs, nearly a groan. "Why did I agree to take them somewhere fancy?"

You roll your eyes and quickly rush to his aid, turning him to face you. You loop your fingers around the tie and begin properly tying it around his collared shirt for him. He quickly feels his face heat up, making sure to keep his chin up, eyes still down to watch you work. He notices you bite at the inside of your cheek a bit, showing that you were in deep concentration.

He didn't know whether or not you actually knew how to tie a tie, or if you did it to make him shut the hell up, but he appreciated it either way.

"There," you speak, pulling your hands away from his neck after adjusting the tie a bit so it wasn't asymmetrical. "Tie is tied, Simons"

He turns to the mirror, looking at himself again. He smiles lightly, his eyes softening as he looks back at you.

"Thanks"

"Go have fun on that date of yours"

"I'll try"

Cinq.

"Just hold my hand, you'll be okay"

"What are you talking about? I'm gonna die!"

"You'll live"

"Nuh uh!"

You sigh, dragging Tommy to the slingshot. You walk behind Tubbo and Freddie, who are a few feet ahead, as they hadn't heard any of Tommy's whining. Who knew the poor boy was so scared of heights.

"Please, I don't wanna get on it!"

"I need a partner, Simons"

He groans, catching up to your speed, your hand still wrapped around his wrist. You catch up to your friends, now walking through the empty line area.

"See? No one's here because they know they're gonna die!"

"No one's here because it's lunch time, Tommy"

"Damnit"

The overhead straps click as they lock around your bodies. Tommy's already white-knuckling the handles, clear desperation and fear in his eyes. You reach your left hand out to him, looking at him the best you can past the safety harness, which is practically against your face.

He quickly grabs onto your hand, squeezing it tightly.

"You'll be fine, it's fun!"

"I'm scared!"

Freddie and Tubbo laugh, reassuring the blonde that he'll live. Something in you is still a little surprised that Tubbo was actually excited about this.

The automated "keep your hands and feet inside the ride" speech plays while the platform sinks into the ground a bit, preparing to fling you into space. The blonde leans his head back, mentally preparing himself to scream his voice away. A split second after it ended, you were shot in the air, screams filling your ears, including your own.

"Y/n/n! Help! I hate this!" The blonde screams, squeezing onto your hand even tighter.

"Look at the view!" You yell back with a smile, taking in the view of the whole park from that height. You couldn't wait to see Tommy's face on the gopro footage later, his face was probably as red as cherries. "You're okay! Just don't throw up!"

"No, no, I don't wanna go down!" His voice echoes through the air, then his screams again as the ride plummets down.

Tubbo and Freddie laugh and scream, having the time of their life, which you share with them as the blonde in between you all is freaking out. However, on the next fling up, he seems calmer and now trusts that he's safe. His grip on your hand loosens a bit, and you smile as you can hear his screams of terror turn into screams of a happy thrill.

"Okay, this is cool!" He yells over the machine and screams of other passengers.

"You think so?" Tubbo yells, "Look, there's the others!" He points out in the distance, apparently seeing the group of your other friends across the park.

"Where are you even pointing?" Freddie questions, the end of his sentence turning into a yell as you plummet down again.

"Grow up, Freddie, you're fine!" Tommy yells jokingly, trying to keep air in his lungs.

"Shut up!"

'Elima.

"What the hell is this?" You ask, furrowing your eyebrows.

"Lunch!" Tommy answers, looking back down at the whole picnic setup in his backyard. "You said you were hungry"

"I meant like, we could go get food." You clarify, "I was just gonna come pick you up, and we could go somewhere."

He shrugs, "It's food" He smiles and jumps onto the blanket, waiting for you.

You lightly smile at his dorky grin and sit down with him, throwing some Jolly Ranchers at him, which you had stuffed in your pockets.

You eat in peace, sitting in his backyard underneath a tree. You end up full while he's still munching on some fruit and decide to make a little flower crown out of the yellow flowers that were scattered around the yard. You get to work on tying them together, wanting to give it to Tommy and take a picture. You wanted to post said picture on Twitter and caption it "2020 vibes" but we'll see how far that got.

He watches you as you work, having seen you walk about the yard and gather a large bouquet of the little yellow weeds. He spits out another cherry pit onto the grass behind him, munching on the rest of the juicy fruit.

"What're you doing?" He asks

"Flower crown. I'm gonna put it on you. The 2020 era is revisiting," You answer, weaving another flower into the rope. "It's gonna be amazing, I'm gonna trend on Twitter after this"

"Oh God, no."

"Last time I asked what something was, it was lunch in your backyard, but I don't think this is the same" You speak, an eyebrow slightly raised as you look at the drenched Tommy on your doorstep.

He holds a bouquet of flowers, which are being watered by the rain dripping from his flattened hair. He's completely soaked by the thunderstorm outside, making you wonder if he really walked all the way to your house in the middle of a storm. You internally pray that he took a bus.

"Yeah, uh, it's not" He nervously smiles. "I wanted to ask you out on a date, maybe"

You blink, still a little confused and now bewildered. You look down the street, seeing Molly, your mutual friend, sitting in her car, watching.

"Is this a prank or?.." You ask, glancing back to the car, letting Tommy know that you're aware that Molly drove him here.

"No, no, no! I- This is genuine. Seriously. It's fine if not, I just, like, have had a crush on you for a while, and it's making me all confused, and I just want it to go away." The blonde answers, watching you take the flowers from his hands.

"Well, what if I don't want it to go away?" You softly ask, looking back up at him.

His desperate look for rejection had turned to one of happiness, near disbelief even.

"What?"

"You heard me"

He glances at your lips for a moment before quickly kissing you, hands on your cheeks, before scurrying away. He sprints back towards the car, where you can see Molly cheering through the front windshield.

Tommy looks back, face red as ever, "Meet me at the pier tomorrow at three!"

You smile and shout back. "Okay!"

You lean against the door, watching him jump into the passengers seat and happily smile with Molly. You're unable to figure out what they're talking about, but you use your context clues to figure it was probably you.

Tommy realizes you're watching him, eyes slightly widened, lips shut like you could hear him. You wave goodbye and retrieve to the warmth of your home inside.

"I'm going on a date with Y/n!"

[lillaydee]

One More Try Part 3

Landlord Joel Miller / Reader

They say a woman is tested when her man has nothing. But a man is tested when he has everything. What happens if you both passed the test, but your partners did not?

WARNINGS:

Unplanned Pregnancy, Soft Joel (The Last of Us), SO MUCH FLUFF, Joel Needs a Hug (The Last of Us), Alternate Universe - No Cordyceps Outbreak (The Last of Us), Protective Joel (The Last of Us), Joel is Bad at Feelings (The Last of Us), Hurt Joel (The Last of Us), Reader was pregnant before meeting Joel, Slow Burn, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Mentions of Miscarriage (Not OC), Landlord Joel, No Outbreak AU

SERIES MASTERLIST

Part 2

---

Warning - Miscarriage Scare. I am not a medical or law expert in any way, so there might be some medical and law related inaccuracies in this chapter. Please take any inaccuracies in the spirit of story telling. I also have no idea how long hand-making furniture would normally take, so for the sake of this chapter let's just pretend Joel is Joel the SuperCarpenter ok?

For the first time since you had known him, you called Joel for help, telling him you needed to go the hospital. He was at your door within seconds, Anita hobbling along the two of you. Joel refused to let you walk, carrying you to his truck, laying you down in the back seat, your head in Anita’s lap. Your stomach was cramping, and you had never been more scared in your life. Anita held your head and hand throughout the journey, her voice comforting you. You couldn’t help yourself from crying, Joel giving you worried looks in the rearview mirror every chance he got.

When you got to the ER, Anita accompanied you inside while Joel parked the truck. You couldn’t help but notice his driving was much more aggressive once you had gotten out. The nurses wheeled you in, Anita walking as fast as she could, telling them what had happened. By the time Joel got there, out of breath from running, Anita was waiting outside, they had asked her to wait outside while they checked you out. Joel sat beside his mother, his head in his hands, his heart beating uncomfortably fast, his stomach churning. Anita had called Tommy, and he, Maria and Frank got there in no time at all.

Joel was so noticeably quiet, which was saying something, given how quiet he had always been, his eyes red from unshed tears. Tommy and Anita kept a hand on him at all times. When Tess walked out, Joel stood up, and she told the group that you were alright, but had lost a bit of blood. Your baby was doing okay, but it was a close call, and Joel had done the right thing taking her to the ER so quickly. Joel lost it at that, sobbing into his mother’s shoulders, calming himself only when Tess said he could come in and sit with you if he so wished.

---

You were laying on the small bed in the ER, feeling so alone your fear of losing the baby quadrupled. The monitors were beeping too loudly. You could hear your heartbeat in your throat, your mouth, your ears, and the monitors were making it worse. Your head was pounding. Your throat was dry. Your face was wet from the tears you kept shedding without even noticing. They put in syringes upon syringes of medication in your IV, Tess’s steady voice telling you will be alright, your baby will be alright. When the beeping on the monitors calmed, you found yourself alone, still crying, still terrified of losing the baby. Your body shook from your crying, your fear, the low temperature in the ER, or whatever else. You didn’t even know anymore.

The curtain opened behind you, and even if you didn’t see him at first, you knew it was Joel. Your heart calmed immediately. You turned, and he was instantly on you. He hugged you with such gentleness and firmness all at once, and you breathed in the smell of him. He held your hands, and when you looked at him, his eyes were red. You sat up, trying to hold his face, wanting to do to him what he was doing to you, but he gently held you down, saying he’s alright. Let’s worry about you now.

There was no chair, but he stood there, next to your bed, one hand holding yours, the other stroking your hair. You would even go as far to say his strokes were loving. You felt as if things will be fine, as long as Joel was there. He repeated Tess’s words to you, telling you that all will be well, but you have to stay for a few nights, they want to make sure you were really alright before letting you go home. Your eyes were locked on his, and his on yours, and he was smiling at you despite his red eyes. You kept thanking him, and he kept shaking his head no, and that he was just very relieved you were doing alright.

The curtain was pulled open again, Tess coming in to tell you two that they were just preparing a room for you upstairs. You were stable for now, so was the baby. She told the both of you what medically happened, her theory of what led to the bleeding, what she had done to stop it, and what her plan of action was. She told Joel to go home, pack for you for a few days. His immediate response was to ask if he could keep you company, and she happily responded, yes, of course Dad.

You didn’t know why he didn’t correct her. You didn’t know why you didn’t correct her either. But deep down you knew you didn’t want to be alone, and Joel was more than willing to keep you company. And if you were being honest, you couldn’t imagine anyone else keeping you company but him.

After Tess left, Joel told you he would be right back, he was just going to go outside to the waiting room and update the score of people waiting there for you – people who were not at all related to you but had come to be your family these couple of months. He will send Maria and Tommy to get your stuff, as well as his, and he will be right back. He kissed you on the temple, a long, lingering kiss, and you closed your eyes, breathing his scent in, for stock, until he could be back by your side, certain that he was doing the same. When he let go of your hand, you missed him immediately, wishing he didn’t have to go.

Not even five seconds after he left, the curtain was pulled open again, this time from your other side, and you were greeted by the stunned face of your ex.

He looked rough. There was a bandage on his forehead, bruises all over his face, his left arm in a sling, although there was no cast. Strangely, you didn’t even feel the need to ask him what had happened to him. The you who were his girlfriend would have fussed over him, but the you that was post-Max didn’t really care. He was no longer your problem, just the way you were no longer his, as he had unthoughtfully ensured with the packing of your suitcases, throwing you out, and the hiring of lawyers and writing the cheque to ensure you never bother him again.

“Jules,” he said, almost softly. “What happened to you? Is the baby okay?”

You just took a deep breath, turned your back on him, and closed your eyes. Joel being there for a little while had calmed you down enough to rest, and you were not going to let this man’s presence take that calmness away from you.

You heard him shuffle about for a moment, as if unsure what to do next, but then he left, closing the curtain behind him.

You opened your eyes maybe an hour later, woken by the activity bustling around you, Joel’s hand back on yours, the nurses and orderlies moving you to take you to your room, He didn’t let go of your hand, quietly walking next to your bed, his eyes never leaving yours, a smile on his face.

When you were settled in your room, he took the recliner that was to be his bed for the next few nights and pushed it closer to your bed. He sat down, putting his hand through the barrier on your bedside to take your hand again. Instead of taking it, you pushed your body to one side of the bed and patted the empty space next to you. He looked deep in thought for a bit, his lips curled up in a smile, and got into bed with you. His arm immediately went under your head, and you cuddled up to him. Both of you took a deep breath and closed your eyes contentedly.

Maria, Anita and Tommy came into your room to be greeted by the sight of you two curled up together sleeping. The smiles on their faces were infectious. Maria and Anita quietly moved about, unpacking the stuff they had brought with them. Tommy shook Joel awake gently, and when Joel opened his eyes, he made a sign for everyone to keep quiet, and Tommy quietly told him they were going to come back in the evening after work. Joel nodded, mouthing thanks, before settling his arms back around you, falling back asleep.

He didn’t even blush this time.

---

The two of you didn’t talk about your newfound closeness. It just went on, as if it had always been the case. It just felt… normal. He helped you out whenever you needed it, seeing as you were on strict bedrest for the next few days. You tried to draw the line when you needed the bathroom, getting the remote to call the nurse, but he just lifted you up and plopped you beside the toilet before going back out, waiting for you outside the bathroom while you took care of yourself. Once the door opened, he went straight back into courier duty and placed you back on the bed. He was always careful to avert his eyes when needed, and you found yourself enjoying his company so much.

You were both still cuddled up in bed when your visitors came that evening. Joel stayed in bed with you throughout, and no one batted an eye, even though Frank was obviously trying very hard not to, his eyes twinkling at you, seeming so happy at your relaxed state.

Frank told you that you will be working from home until further notice. He will send you your work via email or send them to you personally. But you needn’t worry about losing your job. You heaved a sigh of relief at that. Anita said she will stay with Joel as long as she needed to, so she could cook for you. You tried to protest, but seriously, her warning looks were starting to scare you. They hung out with the two of you for a bit, laughing and joking, everyone generally just relieved you and the baby will be alright. Joel got out of the bed to walk his mama out, and as Maria was hugging you, she whispered that you look much happier than she had ever seen you. Please let him be there for you. You never know. And with a wink and a cheeky smile, she left.

After they had gone, Joel went downstairs to get himself some dinner. You were absentmindedly scrolling through your Netflix choices trying to decide what to watch when your dinner got sent to the room. When the door opened, you looked at it excitedly, thinking it was Joel.

It was Max.

He looked a bit more put together than this morning, but still very much injured.

You switched the TV off and gave him a resigned look. What the fuck does he want now?

“I asked you if you were okay this morning. You didn’t answer me.”

You just shrugged. You were seriously done with this man. Not only did he cheat on you, but he also kicked you out without so much as a second thought, let his new girlfriend slap you across your face in broad daylight and call you so many names that should’ve been her own, and paid you off to get out of being the father of your child. You hadn’t bothered him at all since you signed those papers. Not one peep. And here he was, returning to the hospital after you had decidedly ignored him this morning.

“What, do I not even exist to you anymore? You’re gonna ignore me? That’s my child in there. I have the right to know.”

Your eyes snapped back at him. So hard, he actually looked shocked at the aggression of such a little act.

“Your baby, Max? I thought I was whoring around? How do you know this baby is yours? And even if they were, you made it quite clear you didn’t want to have anything to do with them didn’t you? Paid me off like I’m some cheap hooker you slept with once. You got your wish didn’t you? I signed the damned papers. This baby is not your responsibility. I am no longer your responsibility. So, please get the fuck out.”

“Jules, we were together for ten years. Are you really saying you were capable of throwing me out of your life in a split second? Come on…”

You were seething. You wanted to say everything that came to your head to him. How HE was the one to throw you out like you didn’t matter, all for some young, vapid bimbo who brought his morning coffee for him. But the monitor started beeping, your heart rate and blood pressure were climbing. Your stomach began cramping again, and you decided to stay quiet.

Joel came back in at that moment, carrying takeout bags in his hands. Max scoffed.

“Ah… I see why you don’t need me anymore now. You have him now huh? We’ve only been broken up for like two months, and you’ve already moved on? Gimme a break!”

Joel took a step towards Max, his face rigid with anger.

“Get out, before I add to your face décor there Max.”

Joel was a lot bigger than Max. You could see the fear in his eyes at the prospect of the man putting his much larger hands on him. He pulled himself together and looked at you.

“This uncivilized neanderthal is who you’re moving on with? Good luck babe. You’ll be lucky if you get out alive.”

He moved towards the door, Joel keeping the door open for him to leave. Max looked at Joel one last time before spitting out,

“And you, Miller. Have you no shame? How many men’s leftovers and spawns were you going to go after? I know all about you and Laura, Joel. Have some dignity for fuck’s sake.”

Joel shut the door in his face.

The monitors wouldn’t stop beeping. Joel came to you, placing the takeout bags on the chair before holding you close. He kept asking if you were alright. You were hyperventilating a little bit, your hand on your belly. You kept your face in his chest, taking deep breaths at his instructions, matching your breathing to his. He pressed the call button so many times it was in danger of popping off.

Tess and the nurses came in. Joel told them what happened, and Tess immediately administered some more drugs into your IV. You didn’t feel the cramping anymore, your eyes got heavier and heavier.

---

You woke up a couple of hours later, the room dim, only one light illuminating it. You were drowsy, but oh so hungry. Joel was slumped next to you, sat on the recliner, his head on the bed, his hand holding yours. He was awake, just looking at you with soft eyes.

“Hello.”

You giggled like a schoolgirl. He kissed your hand and asked if you’re thirsty. You nodded. He got you some water, lifting the bed up so you can sit up to drink. Then, he sat next to your hips, and spoon fed you your dinner, cold now, but you were so hungry you would take anything. After he cleaned up, he sat on the chair, crossed his arms on the bed, placed his chin on his hands, and took a deep breath.

“You want to talk to me about him?”

You turned your body around to face him. You took a deep breath yourself and told him everything.

How you two had met, how you thought you were so in love, how you two built a life together, how much you supported him and how much he, in turn, supported you, or so you thought. How he used your ambitions against you, how he threw you out with little regard, how he had cheated on you, gaslit you, and refused the responsibility of being your child’s father.

Joel knew all this. Tommy and Maria had told him, heck, he was even witness to the gaslighting when you went to tell Max you were pregnant, but he listened anyway. He liked listening to you.

But that was not what you wanted to tell him. You told him how you really felt after the breakup. How at first, you were shocked, how you didn’t see this coming. You had never even suspected he had been having an affair. You didn’t know if he was really that good at hiding the affair, or if you didn’t care enough to pay attention to it. Or did you care but were too busy?

You were shocked that he said he wanted a wife material. This was the man who supported your hopes and dreams of having a PhD. Did he think you were just going to work your ass off to get one, and then stay at home and serve him? If so, he was not the man you thought you were in love with. But when you thought about it further, you now saw the red flags that you had previously just attributed to Max being Max.

You worked three jobs to make ends meet at one point, while he worked one. No discussion. But that’s alright, he was also going to school, you thought.

But when he wanted to focus, he just told you he wanted to quit the job. No discussion. All the expenses would now fall on you, but that’s alright. He needed that to happen to finish school.

When he couldn’t get a job, he just told you that you two needed to move. No discussion. You had to quit your job, and start again from scratch, but that’s alright. He needed to move to get a good job.

When his job wasn’t paying as much as he thought it would, he just told you that you needed to get another job again, this time while doing your masters degree. No discussion. But that’s alright. You will reap the benefits later once you got a better paying job.

When the company went under, he just told you that he needed the seed money. No discussion. You wiped out your savings for that seed money, but he will pay you back when his company grows.

When his company got successful, and you were doing your PhD, he suggested you quit your job. At the time, you were happy, thinking that he was just helping you out now, since you had helped him out back then, but now that you thought about it, it was never so that you could focus. It was so that you would have more time for him.

How many times had he made plans for the both of you without consulting you? Where you had to just pack up and leave for a vacation where he didn’t spend a single second with you, but networking instead? How many times had he just come home with guests and asked you to cook dinner as if you had been sitting around doing nothing all day? How many times had he complained about the messy house when you had been too busy at school to clean daily, but then refused to hire help?

Every time you would fight about these things, he would buy you nice things. When you told him all you wanted was his time and attention, he kept promising it would come to that, just a little bit longer, but then every time a target was achieved, he would set a higher target. You were never a priority. It was just not how you saw your life would be with him. But there you were. His little housewife, there to serve him whenever the need arose. You just didn’t see it. You became a reluctant rich man’s girlfriend, one that didn’t suit his needs, apparently. And all those times before that, you were in a one-sided relationship that greatly benefited him, but often a sacrifice to you.

You told Joel that despite the mess you had found yourself in after the breakup, you were thankful. You had time for yourself, you were doing what you had always wanted, and you felt as if you were getting to know yourself again.

But seeing Max today made you feel as if all the time you had spent working on yourself these past few months were wasted. What was the point of him coming at you like that? He won. He got what he wanted, why come back and gaslight you further?

You took a deep breath and looked at Joel. He was still listening, attentively looking at you, but not interrupting or offering anything to add. He took your hand in his, and stroked it gently, telling you how sorry he was that Max had come by to see you and making you feel like this.

You felt better. Lighter. Happier. Like a load had been lifted. Just by telling him all this.

But you needed to know.

It’s now or never.

“Joel?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Who’s Laura?”

---

You expected him to snap at you, recoil from you, ignore you, stand up and leave. Anything that said it was none of your business. Instead, he took a deep breath, nudged your knees up, took the side barrier down, his shoes off, and sat cross legged across from you on the bed.

He met Laura on his first job after taking over the company from his late father. She had been a client, but they had kept in touch after. She asked him out after less than a year, and he was smitten. He had never been in love before, and Laura was beautiful, funny and sexy as hell. He was in his early twenties, and so was she. She was working at the call centre in town and was absolutely head over heels for him.

He and Tommy were making a very steady income. At the age of 24, he had managed to buy his first house, a nice one, too. He was going to ask her to move in with him, when she told him she was pregnant. She expressed her desire to be a stay-at-home mom. He quickly agreed, even going so far as proposing to her, blindly in love and excited at the prospect of becoming a father. She said yes, moved in, and their life as an expecting, betrothed couple began.

A few days later, they lost the baby.

They were devastated, but picked themselves up, and decided to move on, try again another day. But Joel could tell Laura was down. So, he spoiled her, taking her on nice vacations, buying her nice things, all the branded stuff her little heart desired. She was happy again. Before he even realized what was going on, she went crazy with her spending. Shopping every single week, taking trips to big cities just for that purpose. But Joel was in love, and she had just lost their baby, so he let her do whatever she wanted.

Tommy and his mama though, were wary. She was spending way too much money. They advised Joel to invest, a way to make side income should anything happen. So, he purchased the apartment building with Tommy for cheap. It was a great deal, repossessed by the bank for lack of payment by the previous owner. The brothers used their knowledge and expertise to fix it and turned it into smaller apartments to maximize profits. Joel had to use a huge chunk of his savings, a move Laura didn’t appreciate, especially since Joel had gently reminded her that they had to cut down, he wanted to build up his savings again. Perhaps she could tone the shopping down? Laura began to change. Staying out for longer, partying every night, coming home drunk in the wee hours. She refused to talk to him, and the sex was dwindling. Joel thought that if he worked harder, take on bigger projects, maybe she would be happy again. Be back to the way they were.

So, when they took on that project with the housing development, things were looking up. The money they would have made would have meant their finances would be great for a while. At the promise of bigger and greater things, Laura began to tone down on her partying and shopping ways. Joel genuinely thought they were days away from being the happy couple that they were.

But the developer ran off. And Miller Construction, a small company to begin with, was out a ton of money. They had no choice but to close shop. But they had some savings, and the apartment building they had wisely bought brought in some steady income, it being at a prime location. There was one catch though. With his income being a lot smaller than it used to be and less prospect of good money coming in as it once did, Joel had to sell the house. They had to move into the renovated apartment in the complex.

Laura was not happy with the downsize. The first six months living there, she acted out. She was spending more and more money, putting Joel in debt every month from excessive credit card charges. She was back to her partying ways. She was hardly ever home. The bedroom was dead. Every time Joel brought up marriage, she scoffed. She made fun of him, telling him he could hardly afford to feed her, how could he talk about marriage? And yet, she continued her spending spree. Tommy and Anita suggested she go back to work to help Joel out. She laughed in their faces. Joel was at his wits end. He didn’t know what to do.

One day, she just stopped partying. She was home more. She initiated sex with Joel again, and announced she was pregnant a month later. Joel was ecstatic. He had always wanted to be a father, thankful for a second chance. He opened a small workshop, taking in orders for custom made furniture, which quickly became popular among the locals. He needed to make more money. He’s having a baby.

But Laura was different. After her pregnancy announcement, the bedroom was dead again. She made him sleep in a different room. She wouldn’t let him touch her at all. She wouldn’t share anything about her pregnancy with him. He was working day and night trying to make money for them, and she blamed the fact that she had never invited him to her doctor’s appointments on his absence. He wasn’t allowed to even touch her fast-growing belly. He was kept completely out of the loop.

As her pregnancy progressed, he asked her about marriage again, dismissing her coldness towards him as hormonal changes. He had heard that pregnant women react differently, their bodies were changing. Not everyone was the same. But he still hoped that all will be alright once the baby was born. Again, she laughed at him, asking him why he thought that was a good idea. He was never around. Too busy working to be a good husband, she said. And for what? Not like he was bringing home the money he used to. When that happened, they could talk marriage again. Joel made a basinet for the baby, and when he presented it to her, she stormed out, telling him her baby was not going to sleep in a cheap handmade basinet. She didn’t come home for a full two weeks, telling him she was spending the nights at her friend’s place. She needed space.

Ever the patient man, Joel relented.

When she went into labour, the hospital called him, but she kicked him out of the delivery room after spending the entire labour process screaming at him. The baby was almost a full month early, and Joel was terrified for the safety of his fiancé and baby. When the baby was born, Joel, smiling, with a huge bouquet of flowers and balloons, walked into her room, only to find her holding a full-term baby who was very obviously not his, a man he had never met smiling next to his fiancé, taking pictures of the baby.

She didn’t even answer his questions. She kicked him out, telling him she will send someone to get her stuff. He had to hear from Tommy that she had been sleeping with the owner of the night club she frequented, and that when she found out she was pregnant, he had dumped her, sending her running back to Joel. But the guy changed his mind when the due date was near. She had been using Joel as a backup plan, and tossed him aside as soon as the child’s father had taken her back in.

To add salt to his wound, Laura later confessed to him that she had been sleeping around since the beginning of their relationship, the initial pregnancy that led him to propose may not even had been his. But she agreed to move in with him, accepting his proposal because he was the good guy, the one whom ladies were supposed to choose, and not the bad boys with no prospect she had been fooling around with. She had played him from the start.

Joel spiraled after that. Drinking his sorrows away every night, hardly able to function. It took some very serious intervention from Tommy, Anita and Maria to get him back on his feet. He had kept to himself after that, spending his time with family only. Tommy had tried to set him up with ladies since, but apart from a few one-night stands, Joel found that he had no interest in starting anything up with anyone ever again.

That was, until you moved in.

When he looked up at you, your face was wet with tears, as was his. The sudden realisation as to why he had been acting the way he had with you had your heart melting and feeling heavy at the same time.

The way he was so guarded with you, never sharing or talking much, but made himself available to you in case he was needed.

How reluctant he was to take your money.

The way he kept an eye on you, but from a distance, never wanting to smother you.

How emotional he got when you shared the ultrasound session with him.

How upset he was at the prospect of you losing the baby.

How happy he was when you let him in.

You asked him one question. “Why me?”

There was something in you that he recognized. Maybe it was your vulnerability, or the fact that you were unceremoniously tossed aside without much thought like he was, but he knew that the way you got back up after such a sudden fall spurred something in him. The fact that you tried so hard not to rely on anyone else. That you were strong enough not to wallow after all that had been done to you. That you were carving a way to better yourself despite your circumstances.

“Also, you are hotttttttt……” he said, exaggerating his facial expression.

That last bit had you bent double with laughter. When you finally caught your breath again, he was still smiling at you, fondness in his eyes. You laid back down, gesturing for him to join you. You both laid there, face to face, and you asked him.

“Why are you so nice to me, Joel?”

“Don’t you know?” he asked softly, his eyes studying your face, flickering to your lips.

“I’m so scared. I don’t want to get hurt again. It’s not just me this time. There’s a baby involved.”

“Me too. But I think, I’m ready to give it one more try. And when you are too, if you are interested in me like that, whenever that may be, I will be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

And with that, you closed your eyes, and snuggled up into his neck, and promptly fell asleep.

---

Both of you woke up to someone clearing their throat loudly. You opened your eyes to find some nurses at the foot of your bed, one in particular looking amused and disgruntled at the same time.

“The bed is for patients, Mr Miller. Not clingy fathers to be,” the elderly nurse said, eyes glinting.

You both laughed, Joel giving you a quick kiss on the forehead before getting off the bed and going to the bathroom. After the preliminary checks from the nurses, he helped you get ready for the day, eating breakfast together; him the breakfast he bought from downstairs, and you, the meal the hospital provided.

By the time Tess and her band of interns came in, you both were bright eyed and ready for whatever news she had for you. When the image of your baby appeared on the ultrasound, you felt Joel’s lips on your temple again and again, this time with his hand stroking your hair, his other one squeezing yours so tightly. Tess wanted to keep you in the hospital for a few more days, but she wanted you to know in advance that you would be required to limit your movements for a while. So, walking the miles to work and climbing five flights of stairs to your study were strictly prohibited, earning you a pointed look from Joel. You foresaw this, and so did Frank. It’s a good job he had already arranged for you to work from home. It looked like working on your coffee table would have to do.

Oh, Tess added, also, sex is off the table for a while.

You and Joel pretended to be busy looking at the monitor, ears red and face flushed.

The next morning, after your check up, Anita came in, Joel telling you he had to go to the workshop to get some work done, only leaving after giving you a good long hug, his lips pressed firmly into your hairline the whole time. He would be back in the evening, he said. Anita brought some crocheting with her, teaching you how to crochet while chit chatting with you easily throughout the day. Joel came back after office hours with Tommy and dinner, before Tommy took Anita home. Maria and Anita took turns keeping you company the next few days, Joel leaving strict instructions that you were not to be left alone, fearing Max will return, not wanting to risk you having another stressful episode while you were on your own. Even Frank and Bill took a shift or two, both fearing that you will lose the baby if the man Bill had come to know as the madman should make an appearance.

When Joel returned every evening, he looked so tired, but so happy at the same time. He told you about a special order at the workshop. He didn’t want to leave you, but this order was rushed, and he couldn’t afford to wait to complete it. You told him not to worry. There’s a whole village of people keeping an eye on you right there. You told him he didn’t even need to spend the nights with you, but he shushed you at that, hugging you tight, telling you that THAT, was not an option. You giggled and hugged him right back, letting him rest, knowing that he will have to get up earlier than usual to avoid another lecture from Nurse Grumpy Pants.

By Saturday, you were allowed to go home. Joel carried you from his truck into the apartment building. You protested the whole time, telling him ONE flight of stairs is fine Joel!! You can walk!! Nope. You are on house arrest missy, he said.

You and Joel hadn’t talked about what you two were to each other since the night he talked about Laura. All you knew was that you missed him when he was not around you, and it seemed that he did too. He had spent every night holding you close in the hospital bed, despite the protests of the nurses, refusing to let you go, making up for the fact that he was gone during the day working. Despite this, he had been rather refrained. His hands always around you or on your waist, but never wandered elsewhere, not even your belly. His eyes were always averted when you might be less than decently dressed, but you knew he was interested… you could feel his… very generous interest pressed up against you sometimes. But he would always take the interest away from you as soon as he was awake to realize what was happening, apologising for it having a dirty mind of its own.

You want him, you really do. But it’s only been two months since the man you’d spent the last ten years with dumped you. The fear of you going into this too fast while pregnant and hormonal was real. What if you were only feeling this way because you were terrified of being alone again after so long? What if you were only feeling like this because he was the first man who paid attention to you after Max? What if you’re only feeling this way because the prospect of being a single mother was too terrifying to think of? And to add salt to the wound, you were pregnant with someone else’s baby, and with Joel’s history with Laura, you feared that he would wake up one day and change his mind about you. What if he left when the reality of the whole situation dawned on him? That he was, once again, with a woman who was carrying a baby that was not his? What if he thought you were using him too? The last thing you wanted was for him to see you as a mistake. So, you held your tongue, and let things fall where they may.

That night, after dinner, everyone helped clean up and one by one, said good night. Joel made sure you were ready for bed, tucked you in and kissed you good night. After he left, you tossed and turned for what felt like hours. Sleep evaded you. Maybe you had slept too much during your hospital stay? You laid in the dark blinking up at the ceiling, counting sheep and whatever else you could think of, trying hard to fall asleep, but to no avail. You looked at your phone, the clock showing that it was almost 1 am. You decided to test your luck, and texted Joel.

“You up?”

Almost immediately, he replied “yes”.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Me neither.”

“Want to come up for a movie?”

He went offline. Within seconds you heard his door open and close, his heavy footsteps running up the stairs, keys jingling, and your door opening. He shut the door and took the three steps to your bed. You opened your duvet up for him, and he joined you, arms immediately going around your body, lips kissing your hairline. Both of you laid there, just breathing in one another, movie be darned.

“Couldn’t sleep without you. You spoiled me,” he murmured.

“I spoiled you? I’m the one lying awake cause my human heater is not there.”

He chuckled. “Is this weird? We can stop if it is.”

“Then I’d be awake all night every night. I need rest you know. Tess said so.”

“Well, we can’t have that.”

The two of you fell into a comfortable and familiar silence, before dozing off in almost no time at all.

---

When you woke up Sunday morning, Joel wasn’t there. But somehow, you didn’t feel panicked or disappointed, apart from the fact that you were no longer in his arms. You just knew he wouldn’t just leave for no reason. You felt it in your bones. This was a good man.

You were contemplating what to have for breakfast after getting ready for your day, being careful to take it slow, when you hear a soft knock on your door. Joel was standing there, a smile on his face.

“Special delivery!” he said, motioning for you to move out of the way.

He and Tommy came in, carrying a heavy looking work desk into your room, placing it against the window, before going back out, and coming back in with a bookshelf between the two of them.

“What do you think?” Joel asked, rather nervously, while Tommy went back out to the truck, quickly coming back up with a sturdy looking study chair on wheels.

You didn’t speak for a good five minutes. You stared at your new study corner, looking at the three pieces of furniture in front of you. They were definitely not from Ikea. They looked sturdy, of good quality, and… handmade.

You looked at Joel. He was just looking at you, that nervous look still on his face. Tommy was smiling, looking between you and his brother, before giving him a pat on his back and turning to leave. You were still speechless, only remembering to say thank you to Tommy after he had disappeared behind the door.

The special order at his workshop. The rushed one. The one he worked on every single day this week.

“Frank said you needed to work from home for a while. I don’t want you hunching over the low coffee table. Can’t be good for your back,” he said, one hand fidgeting with his other, eyes not looking at you. “This way, you can do both your job and your schoolwork right here, no need to climb five flights of stairs. And maybe, if you feel comfortable, since you shouldn’t be going up to the study anyway, we can move your stuff here, and you don’t have to pay for the rent anymore. Save you some money.”

This man was doing all this for you, thought about your well-being, wanting you to be safe, and all while being supportive of your work, your studies.

“Joel…” was all you could say.

“Is this okay? Did I go overboard?”

You took the two steps needed to get to him, took his face in your hands, got onto your tippy toes, and slanted your lips against his.

He was stunned for a while, lips not moving against yours.

Oh shit. Did he not want this? Did you read him wrong? You took a step back, panic starting to fill your face.

Before you could say anything else, he took a step forward, took your face gently in his hands, and brought your face to his, resuming the kiss. Your lips moved together, his lips soft, so soft against yours. You sighed against them. He placed his hands on your waist, slanted his head a little more, taking your top and bottom lips between his own, letting them get to know each other well. He ran his tongue tentatively against one of them, and you whimpered helplessly, hoping he would deepen the kiss. But he didn’t, keeping the slow, delicate exploration to just your lips, before pulling back, a little breathless.

You felt lightheaded. You didn’t know if it was the fact that you just got out of the hospital, or because you had been standing up for longer than you had in a week, or if it was traces of nausea, but either way, your knees were weak, and when you opened your eyes, you found your hands clutching onto his shirt with white knuckles, holding onto him for dear life.

When he kissed you again, you got your answer.

You had never been kissed like this. Even without deepening the kiss, Joel kissed you with more passion than you had ever experienced from any man. The way he held you, his hands not wandering, but firm and sturdy on your waist. You felt his sincerity, his patience, his respect. He held true to his promise at the hospital. When YOU were ready.

After that kiss, he held you against him, his forehead on yours, his eyes closed.

“I take it you like them?”

Huh? Oh… the furniture.

“I love them. Thank you, Joel.” You took a closer look at them. You can understand why his workshop was doing well. The craftsmanship was excellent, even you can tell. Not a line out of place, not a wobble. They were expertly finished, even if the designs were simple.

“I didn’t know what your personal style might be, and I had a time limit, so I kept it simple. But if you want something different, we could make changes later on,” he said. “I just wanted you to have a place to work as soon as possible. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Joel… this seems expensive… I don’t know if I can…” but your words were interrupted by his stern eyebrow lift, eerily like Anita’s, so you stopped talking. “Thank you. Thank you so much, Joel. I love them. I really appreciate this.”

You hugged him, breaking the hug only to kiss him chastely on his lips, just as another knock graced your door. Anita, Tommy and Maria came in, breakfast in their hands. The four of you ate breakfast together. Anita told you that you were not to cook for at least another two weeks. She will take care of it. You opened your mouth to argue that she was working on a recently healed broken foot but thought better of it when her eyes snapped towards you. The other three couldn’t help but laugh, saying that you are one of them now, you have received the death stare.

You laid down after breakfast, your body not quite 100% after Monday’s incident. Joel laid down with you, wanting to be close to you. As you laid there chit chatting, your hand unconsciously wandered to your small bump, stroking it slightly. You didn’t miss Joel’s eyes following your hand movements. You took his hand and placed it on your bump. He broke into a smile, looking at you for permission, before rubbing his hand over it, looking so happy your heart expanded as his smile got wider and wider.

“Hi Baby Bean, this is Joel. He has been taking care of me,” you said, your hand over his. “You want to say hi, Joel?”

He looked at you disbelievingly. “You’d be okay with that?”

You nodded. He moved his body lower so that his face is nearer to your bump, hand never leaving it.

“Hi Baby Bean,” he said softly, his voice slightly cracking. “I’m Joel. I’m a friend of your mommy’s.”

You listened to him talk to your bump, your one hand staying on his, the other stroking his hair, his voice lulling you to sleep.

Joel spent the next hour talking to your Baby Bean before falling asleep himself, his hand never leaving your bump, the widest smile on his face.

---

Part 4

[whatyadrawin]

The Fruit After the Flesh 18+ - Chapter 6-

Minors DNI!

Masterlist

Approximately 3,177 words

Pairing: Thomas Hewitt(HeadCanon) x AFAB reader

This chapters Warnings:  Life threatening event, mild sexually suggestive language, swear words

A/n: Sorry for there not being a whole lot of art in this chapter, I am trying to streamline my work so that I can get these chapters out as quick as possible. I have really grown so accustomed to Luda Mae, I admit I am a bit attached to her, same goes for that pervy old man Charlie. As always, reblogs, likes and comments are extremely appreciated, and I hope you enjoy the chapter and art!

Tag-List: @fan-goddess

Chapter 6

The sound of crackling and smell of campfire wafted into your dream, you were so drained from the heat exhaustion you experienced that you could barely wake up. You feel really hot and as you open your eyes you see fire, raging ember flames were licking at the walls and dancing across the ceiling as smoke flooded the air. You immediately jump out of bed and scream as you scramble to get out of the room, the thick poisonous smog was choking your lungs and stinging your eyes. You run to the door but it is blocked by fire and heat, you try to get to the window to open it but a large plank from the ceiling falls in front of it trapping you inside.

 You sprint towards the bathroom and see the window is too tiny to get out of so you decide to get the shower head and spray the entire bathroom with water to prevent the fire from coming in, this futile attempt was modestly effective but the smoke was promising to take your life. You scream for help, in the hopes that maybe Dover could hear you and be a decent enough person to come to your aid, but the more you screamed the more smoke you inhaled. You spray yourself with water and hold a towel to your nose to filter out some of the fumes and begin to cry, realizing that this home is now your grave.

A sudden crash instills even more fear and defeat, the house is now collapsing from the flames eating its structure, but as soon as doom overwhelms you, the door to the bathroom starts pounding with heavy thuds. It takes you a second to process what the sound is -the ceiling is probably collapsing now- you feel yourself begin to slip away as the polluted air chokes you. In a blink, the bathroom door explodes off its hinges, a plume of black smoke furls into the room and from that smoke emerges a beast, Tommy.

He scoops you up and pulls you out of the house and away from the flames to safety, gently placing you down on the ground, he began helping Charlie with spraying the house down with what looks like an old water truck. In a quick half hour, the flames were extinguished and your beautiful home was now sitting there horribly damaged from what you were able to see. You suck in clean air to help get the toxins out of your lungs and clear your blood, Charlie comes up to where you lay with Tommy right beside him and says,

“You’re lucky we were here girly, this would’a been the end of you and your damn house.” He then looks at Tommy and tells him, “Boy, pick her up and get her into the truck, she’s comin’ home with us.”

Tommy nods and picks you up delicately as if you were made of glass. When he got to the truck, he placed you on his lap and held you tightly, you were coughing furiously, trying to get out the toxins that infiltrated your lung tissue. The drive was extremely short, your eyes were closed the entire ride from the stinging you felt. Once you reached the Hewitt house, Tommy quickly brought you inside where Luda Mae was waiting for you.

“Bring her up to my room and set her on the bed, quickly now” Luda Mae spoke with a wavering voice full of worry.

She followed Tommy up the stairs with a bucket full of clean, cool water and a washcloth. You opened your eyes a little to be able to look at Tommy, you wanted to thank him so badly but you could barely speak. The upstairs of their home was a new space for you as you had only ever needed to be on the main floor for visits; Wallpaper colored the walls in an old Dijon yellow, marked with whispers of mysterious stains form years ago; There was a dark walnut trim wrapping around the ceiling and floors matching in a same walnut brown shade, the lighting from dated wall sconces dimly lit the hallway and made you feel uneasy.

Luda Mae guided him to her bedroom door, “Carefully now Tommy, we don’t want to do anymore damage that the fire hadn’t already caused.”

Luda Mae had a bedroom you would expect for a household matriarch, the floors were impeccably clean and reflected the soft lamp light that shone from the corner of the room; The walls were a soft eggshell white and the bed you were placed on was large with soft cotton sheets in a cheery canary yellow color. You start coughing more from the movement,

“Thank you, son, now clear outta here, she ain’t dressed for male company.” Luda Mae pushes Tommy out and he reluctantly obeys, his head was swiveling to keep his sight on you as much as he could before the door closed behind him.

You realize you were wearing the least amount of clothing tonight because of the Texan heat that plagued you the entire time you had been in Fuller. You had nothing much on but some old short-shorts and a slinky little tank top that could barely hang on to your breasts. You almost felt shame but you could barely think of anything at the moment, your lovely new home is now severely damaged, possibly even burnt to the ground for all you knew.

“You poor thing, you just can’t catch a break huh? You must be so scared and tired.” Luda Mae had such a soothing voice; she was so much like a mother you never had.

You try to speak, “Luda *cough* I’m so sorry to be such a burden on your family, I owe my life to you all.” Your barely audible  voice was gravelly from all the smoke and irritation.

She gives you a stern look, “Don’t you dare think you owe us hun, your life was in danger and there was no way we were gonna let you die in that fire.” She began washing the soot from your face and body, then handed you a glass of water to drink, which you promptly guzzled down immediately. You begin to feel a wave of emotion come over you, tears start welling up in your eyes and you start sobbing, Luda Mae holds you close to her chest and pets your head gently, she says,

“It’s gonna be ok sweetheart, don’t you worry none, we ain’t gonna let nothing happen to you anymore. You’re family.”

You sob into her; you haven’t had a strong cry in years and the stress of recent events was enough to break you,

“I don’t know what I’m gonna do now, my home is gone! I have nowhere to live, everything I had, all my memories from home are probably all burnt up now!”

Luda Mae lets out a sympathetic laugh, “Oh hun! You’re gonna live here with us until you want to leave.” She lifts your chin up to have you face her and she wipes your tears with a dainty little handkerchief, she adds,

“Tonight, you’re gonna get some well needed rest, and tomorrow we can go look and see what the damage is together, and we’ll talk some more.”

Luda Mae goes into the joining bathroom and grabs a box of tissues; she sets them down next to you and puts a jug of fresh water next to your cup on the night stand. She looks at you with worry in her eyes, you can feel the motherly concern she has for you just by her expression, she says,

“I need you to get some sleep tonight hun, you might cough a lot and that’s to be expected after a fire, but if you need anything you just holler. I know my boy is going to be right outside all night and I’ll be in Charlies room -God help me- which is right next to this one.”

Through bleary eyes and sniffles, you give her a nod, she gently shuts the door behind her as she exits and you hear her mumble something to someone before walking away. You do your best to get some sleep, the crying puffed up your eyes and made you sleepy enough to pass out.

-

You woke up to the sound of farm animals milling about outside, the gentle clucks of chickens pecking the ground and the calls of cows mooing in the field. You can hear Charlie speaking to Tommy outside in the barn but it’s too far away to make out the words. You slowly get up and pour yourself some water, muffled coughs still plague you but they are lessened in strength. You hear a knock at the bedroom door and Luda Mae speaks softly,

“You awake hun? Can I come in?”

You call out to let her in and she opens the door, she picks up something off the table next to her outside and walks towards you with an in-bed breakfast tray holding a glass of orange juice and some eggs and toast.

“I have some food here for you dear, you don’t have to eat it if you don’t feel hungry so don’t push yourself.” She sets the tray on your lap and puts some pillows behind your back to help you sit up, she follows,

“How are you feeling today? You slept far into the day which is good, you needed it.”

You smile at her and reply,

“I’m doing better today; I didn’t mean to cry on you last night… I’m a bit embarrassed. What time is it?”

She looks at you with an annoyed look and says,

“Now that’s enough of that nonsense, you better not feel embarrassed at all; why, you had every right to cry with all of what happened to you, I’m surprised you weren’t hollerin’ all night.” She looks at a watch on her wrist, “Oh, and it’s past 1pm dear, you got a good healthy amount of rest, that makes me happy.”

She gets up and walks towards the closet, she slides open the doors and stares at the clothes hanging on the rack, she places her hands on her hips ad says,

“Now let’s find you something to put on so we can go check on your house.”

You start eating the food on the tray as she sifts through the clothing in the closet, the eggs were perfectly cooked, sunny side up with a soft yolk for you to dip your toast into. You thank Luda Mae for the food and she smiles back at you, she turns back and spots something; she pulls out a large pastel blue shirt and brings it over to you,

“This was worn by Thomas when he was growin’ up, he grew out of it real quick and now it’s just a big pretty shirt. I think it would be like a nice little dress on you, it’s at least something to put on so we can get you to your home without the men lookin’ at you like hungry dogs to a steak.”

You blush in embarrassment and say,

“I’m so-“

Luda Mae cuts you off immediately and says,

“The next words outta your mouth better not be ‘sorry’ hun. You ain’t got nothin’ to be sorry about, it doesn’t matter how you were dressed for bed, that’s your business, I just don’t want you to feel uncomfortable is all, it ain’t a judgment on your character or nothin’…I’m not that kind of Christian.”

She takes the empty tray away from you and starts heading out the door,

“Now you get yourself ready and I’ll take you back up to the house. No need to rush none sweetheart, you take your time.” And with that she closes the door behind her.

You head into the bathroom which is very old fashioned, the walls were painted a pale teal blue, white tiles with flower patterns scaled around the tub and the fixtures were a weathered gold color. You wash your face and gargle some tap water; you clean your body off in the tub which makes the water run grey from the soot still stuck to your skin. You let out a sigh -I smell like a goddamn chimney- the shower made you feel amazing, it was nice to get so clean after a traumatic event.

Once you were done in the shower, you got changed into the shirt Luda Mae left for you, the color was very pretty, it was a powder blue, button down made entirely of cotton; you slipped it over your body and it really was like a dress on you, the sleeves were very long and the bottom of the shirt reached your knees -Fucking hell, this was his when he was growing?- you felt a little scandalous wearing the old shirt of a man you didn’t know very well, you didn’t have that kind of relationship with him but it was fun to imagine that you did which got your mind off the stress of last night.

You make your way downstairs, your bare feet slapping on the cool hardwood floor, each step made a gentle creak which reminded you of the old home you grew up in back in Manitoba. The sepia tone of the afternoon sun washed into the home and a cool breeze flowed in through the open windows making the curtains sway gently. The house was very quiet inside, the muted sounds of the animals and nature outside floated off the walls like a comforting hug, you felt very at home in the Hewitt house as if you were never a stranger to them.

Luda Mae rounds a corner and brings you an old pair of flip flops which looked strangely modern and out of place for an old Texan farm. You ask,

“Oh, who’s are these?”

Luda Mae pauses for a second and purses her lips in thought,

“Uh, they were from a family friend who visited and forgot them. Put them on dear.”

You couldn’t help but feel her response was a little suspicious, but you struggled to place what it was. You shrug it off and thank her for the shoes. You both head out towards your home, you pass by the barn and see Tommy heaving planks of wood from inside the barn, he was shirtless.

You immediately widen your eyes and blush heavily, his sweaty body was shimmering in the sun, most of his torso was disappointingly hidden by his overalls but you were able to see some hair surrounding a small pink nipple. Immediately you had sinful thoughts running through your head, you wondered so desperately what the rest of him looked like and how low the hair went down. Luda Mae called out to him,

“Thomas! Me n’ Y/N are going to head back to her property for a bit, some foods on the kitchen table for you!”

Tommy did a double take to look at you when he saw you were wearing an old favorite of his. He was frozen where he was, his eyes followed as you made your way down the driveway to the main road. Luda Mae laughed noticing this, she said,

“He hasn’t seen that shirt in so long, he used to love wearing it. I bet he’s happy it’s bein’ worn again”

Both you and Luda Mae reach your home, you are feeling anxious to see what you are going to find left after the fire and you feel a knot in your stomach forming. Before you could get up the driveway enough to see the house, Luda Mae turns to you and asks,

“Are you gonna be alright dear?”

You nod and continue up the driveway, you can already smell the burnt wood and you start to get scared; you make it over the hill revealing the house to be in better shape than you initially thought; most of it is still standing and undamaged, your heart lifts a little seeing that you still have well over half a home left to work with. Charlie comes out from behind the house and walks towards you both,

“This ain’t so bad. Looks to me like the bedroom took the brunt of the flames, most of this house ain’t damaged at all.”

Luda Mae smiles and holds your hand,

“Oh, praise lord Jesus. Looks like this can be fixed up, you can live with us while repairs get done, or…forever if you like.” She giggles after adding that in.

You laugh, “I really appreciate your offer, and I will have to take you up on it. I’ll pay my way and help out until my home is ready to move back into of course.”

Charlie puts his hands on his hips and turns to you,

“I tried lookin’ for that shithead Dover but, he’s nowhere to be found. I didn’t see a corpse in the house or nothin’ so he ain’t dead far as I can tell.”

You had completely forgotten about Dover, it was strange that he was missing but you didn’t really care at this moment, you were just happy to know that you still had a home. You make your way inside the house to see the damage in the bedroom, it looks like the fire was most damaging by the window which you thought strange. You see the closet is covered in soot, you open it and check the clothes, they needed a wash but remained undamaged. You take a suitcase from out of another closet in the foyer, you fill it up with clothes and essential items, if you needed anything more, you could just get into the storage container which still had so many things in it.

Once the suitcase was full, you head towards Luda Mae who asks,

“Got everything you need? You can slowly bring more stuff everyday if you like, you’ll be stayin’ with us a while.” She puts her arm around you and squeezes reassuringly.

Charlie walks alongside you and Luda Mae, he asks,

“Y/N, did you leave somethin’ electric plugged in near the window? Maybe some woman contraption for hair or what not?”

You squint your eyes at the ignorant statement but reply,

“No, I didn’t have anything plugged into the wall, not even a lamp. Anything that could have caught fire like that would be in the bathroom but there wasn’t a fire in there.”

Charlie rubs his chin,

“I think we need to keep an eye out for Dover, wherever that backwoods fuck is.”

You furl your eyebrows in thought -Does he think that Dover lit the fire? Why would he do that? It would risk his job and the orchard…- You were perplexed with the thought but it was always a possibility, he did say many times how much he wanted the full property all to himself. He needs to be found, and he needs to be found quickly.

Next chapter-

[justagalwhowrites]

Lavender - Ch. 33

You face a fight with the resistance in Kansas City. A continuation of Lavender Ch. 1-32 found on Tumblr here.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: Canon typical violence, child death, suicide. No use of Y/N. Minors DNI 18+ only

Length: 3.5k

“We have to go,” Henry sounded panicked. You held Ellie close to your side. 

Joel’s scream had sent a chill down your spine, the thrill of fear gnawing at your stomach. 

You were about to agree when you heard it, the rumble of a truck. You felt the blood leave your face. 

“Where’s that coming from?” Ellie looked up at you, her eyes wide. You stayed crouched low and ran to another car, peering over the hood just in time to see the lights of the oncoming truck slamming into a car that was sitting broadside across the road. 

“Shit,” you swore, moving quickly back to the car where everyone was hidden. “We have to move, they’re going to crush us!” 

You grabbed Ellie and stayed low, trying to get out of the path of the caravan. A gunshot rang out - from where Joel had gone, you thought - and you flinched in spite of yourself. The four of you scrambled to shelter behind another car and you were pretty sure they hadn’t seen you. 

The crack of another gunshot made your stomach twist. There was a crash and you flinched, an explosion that made you flinch again. 

“Stay low,” you said, voice shaky. There was another gunshot and the trucks all stopped. “Stay low, stay quiet…” 

“Up there!” 

It was a woman’s voice. Kathleen, you were willing to guess. 

“Go, where Anthony was!” 

“Fuck,” Henry looked at you, his chest heaving, eyes wide. 

“We’re going to get out of this,” you said, more confidently than you felt. He looked uncertain. “We are.” 

Henry pulled Sam against his side and you held onto Ellie. There was another gunshot, from the same place. A sign that Joel was still alive. You closed your eyes and took a shaky breath. 

“We’ve got you pinned down, Henry!” The woman yelled. “Why don’t you just come out here? Save us all the trouble, get this over with?” 

She was silent for a moment. 

“No?” She yelled. “Alright…” 

You peered around the car, watching as her militia started flitting from car to car. You weren’t going to have much time. 

“Let the kids go!” Henry yelled. You flinched. 

“Can’t do that,” she yelled back. “The girl’s with the people who killed Bryan. Sam’s with you…” 

“You don’t understand!” He yelled back. He looked like he was about to cry. Your fingers curled into Ellie’s tied back hair, holding her head against you. 

“Oh I understand, Henry,” she said. “But did you ever stop to think about anyone but yourself? But him? That maybe he was supposed to die?” 

“He’s a kid!” 

“Kids die, Henry,” she said simply. “They die all the time. Do you think you just get to destroy the world for everyone else because of them?” 

“Ellie,” you whispered, releasing her head. She looked up at you, frowning. “Stick with Henry and Sam. Joel will find you. If… if he doesn’t, head west. To Wyoming. Find Tommy Miller, OK? He’ll get you where you need to go.” 

“No,” she shook her head. “No, Doc…” 

You ignored her, looking to Henry. 

“Find Joel,” you said. “If you can’t, look out for her. I’m going to buy you time, fucking take it.” 

Her fingers clung to your jacket but you broke away from her, staying low, moving from car to car until you were just a few away from the woman. 

“It’s over, Henry!” 

You took a deep breath and stood, hands up. 

“I understand you’re hurting,” you said. You flinched, feeling their eyes all travel to you, waiting for the gunshot. It didn’t come. 

It took you a moment to find the woman who had been talking but you did. She had a hand up, stalling her gunmen. You’d take that. 

“You’ve been wronged,” you stepped forward again. “I understand that…” 

“I don’t think you do,” she said, stepping closer to you. One of her men moved with her, in her shadow. “I don’t think you understand what Henry took from me, from us. He took hope. The person with a vision for something better after living in hell with FEDRA. Henry made sure he was destroyed before he had a chance to see that vision come true. He took that from him, he took that from me, he took that from all of us. And your friend? That man? He took a boy from his family….”  

“I know,” you said, your hands still up. “And I understand why you’re hurting, why you’re angry. Why you’re doing what you’re doing but… would someone who wanted better than FEDRA want what you’re doing right now?” 

Before she had a chance to argue, you kept going. 

“Take me instead,” your eyes were wide, earnest. “I’ll come and work for you, I’m a doctor, you’re going to need doctors, right? If you want Kansas City to be better with you than it was with FEDRA you need doctors. I can help you, you can do whatever you want with me and I’ll still help your people. You hate FEDRA? Fine, I used to work for them, back in Boston, take it out on me. Hate the man who killed your friend? I’m with him, that will hurt him. Want Henry to feel some of how you’re feeling? Don’t kill him. That’s too merciful, just… Keep me, OK? I can help you, I’ll do whatever you ask no matter what you do, just let them go, OK?” 

“You think one person, one life can make up for all of that?” She asked, shaking her head. 

“No,” you replied, hoping to whatever god there was that Ellie, Henry and Sam were on the move. “But I think you want to lead people and lead people well, I think you want more than revenge. Don’t you?” 

She pointed her pistol at your chest. 

“You have no idea what I want,” she all but snarled it. “No idea what the people here want or need or deserve…” 

There was a metallic, wrenching sound from behind her and you couldn’t help but look to find the source of it. A truck next to the burning building shifted, rocking forward, the earth swallowing it. You frowned and Kathleen turned to watch the truck disappear. She stepped back which, when your mind bothered to process any of it, seemed smart. But you couldn’t make yourself move. 

Not until the inhuman shrieking began. 

“Fuck!” 

***

If you all made it out of here alive, Joel wasn’t sure if he was going to kiss you or kill you. 

He’d done everything he possibly could to give you cover. Not that there was much of anywhere to go but he’d hoped you’d figure something out, something besides staying in danger when the trucks came to a stop. But you stayed where you were. 

“Fuck,” he muttered, ducking back from the window, trying to keep from being a target himself while he could manage it. He couldn’t cover you if he was dead… 

And then he heard your voice, loud and clear and confident, offering yourself up like a sacrifice upon the altar built by FEDRA’s cruelty and the suffering wrought by the cordyceps. As if that were your place. He got ready to shoot your way out of there when it happened. 

The infected poured out of the hole in the earth, like the place where FEDRA had driven them was suddenly emptying them back onto the surface, every one of them hungry and reaching for retribution. 

The only blessing was that, for a moment, the resistance’s attention wasn’t focused on you. You froze for a moment before you walked backwards a few steps and then turned and ran, trying to get back to the car where Ellie, Henry and Sam were hidden. He did his best to give you cover, taking down the infected as they broke through the line, until you reached the car. 

“Move,” he muttered to himself, watching your hiding place. “Come on Baby, fucking move…” 

“Run them down!” The resistance woman yelled. 

“Fuck,” Joel muttered, looking to her and her men for a moment. Most of them were focused on killing infected and the enemy of my enemy… 

He went back to you and thank fuck you listened to him, moving with Ellie and Henry and Sam, just looking to get away from there. You looked toward him at the house and he wasn’t sure if you could see him but he gave you a nod. He saw you, he would find you, he would protect you. He hoped you knew it, even if you couldn’t see it. He hoped you’d sense it somehow, like he’d sense it with you. 

The infected were fast and overwhelming, swarming the resistance troops. Sam and Henry broke off and Joel cursed, sticking with you and the girl. The pair of you cowered behind a car for a moment and Joel saw you point and Ellie nod. He followed where you were looking - an SUV with an open window. 

He could clear your path. He shot an infected that was getting closer to you, one that would be in the way. You looked to him again, for just a second, before running with Ellie. 

Your pistol was drawn this time, at least, and you managed to shoot an infected twice before it dropped. Joel took care of three more. 

At the SUV, you boosted Ellie through the window but the girl had almost gotten stuck. You weren’t going to fit. Fuck, you weren’t going to fit… 

You figured it out quickly, running again. Joel covered you, taking out the infected trailing you as you ran. 

He noticed the resistance woman and her guard then, both of them more interested in finding you and Ellie and Henry and Sam until a giant fucking bloater rushed them. 

To the man’s credit, he threw the woman behind him and stood his ground, shooting the infected with a caliber of bullet that wouldn’t do a goddamn thing. 

For half a second, Joel considered shooting the fucking thing. It was a threat to you and the girl, after all. It was hardly a waste of bullets. But the resistance woman immediately turned and started following you, like she was on a fucking mission, like her men weren’t dying around her. 

He left the bloater to finish off her right hand man. 

Joel looked back to where Ellie was and realized an infected in the body of a child had managed to climb in the car with her. He could only watch as she scrambled for a door and made it out into the chaos of the scene again, slamming the door shut behind her. He got ready to cover her, hoping she’d be smart enough to go for you as you closed in on the tree line, no idea that she’d been in trouble. 

Ellie wasn’t smart. Instead, she ran for Henry and Sam, the pair of them pinned down below a car as a cluster of infected stretched and clawed to reach them. 

“Fuck,” Joel muttered, trying to take out the ones he could. Ellie was small but vicious, jumping on infected and thrusting her knife into its neck until it fell. 

She was able to pull Henry and Sam free just as you seemed to realize what was going on. You went to help but the resistance woman was in your path, her gun pointed at you. You froze, your hands up. He went to shoot her but an infected was coming for her first, the small one that had been in the car with the girl. You spotted it, too, and you pointed, like you were warning the woman who had you at gunpoint. 

The child infected leapt for her and started ripping and tearing. Ellie, Henry and Sam were near you but there weren’t many infected that had reached where you were yet. If he was going to move, now was the time. 

He slung the gun over his shoulder and ran, taking the steps two at a time and tearing through the night to find you. 

There were no infected or soldiers on his path and he reached you quickly, the four of you clambering up the hillside as the screams of infected and militia melted together behind you. 

You looked up at him, your eyes wide. There was blood by your ear and his stomach dropped. 

“Let’s go!” He stepped to the side, Henry in the lead with Sam close behind, followed by Ellie and then you. 

The second you were close enough, he grabbed you, holding you to him for a moment. 

“Never fucking do that again,” he was panting for breath. You hesitantly wrapped your arms around him, holding him for a moment, before he let you go and you followed the others up the hill. 

***

There was a small motel that you reached just as Joel thought you were far enough away from the hellish chaos of the scene to stop and the four of you hurried inside, locking the doors and drawing the curtains, hoping that you wouldn’t need any of the precautions. 

“Holy shit, I can’t believe we’re alive,” Henry laughed as soon as you were safely inside. “Holy fucking shit, I can’t believe we survived that!” 

“Does anyone need medical attention?” You asked, dropping your bag down. “I’m assuming no one got bitten but if anyone’s scraped up otherwise… I got a scratch I know I need to patch up, anyone else?” 

Ellie just shook her head. Henry signed at Sam who signed back. 

“Think we made it out unscathed,” Henry smiled. Sam signed and Henry signed back. The boy smiled broadly, taking Ellie by the hand and leading her to the adjacent bedroom, writing frantically on his small erasable pad as he went. Joel went and set a lantern up in the room and came back out to where you’d settled on the floor, your head leaned back against the wall, Henry sitting at the table. 

“Still can’t believe we lived through that,” he laughed, almost giddy. You smiled a little. 

“Yeah, me either,” you closed your eyes, taking a deep breath. 

“We’re talkin’ about you doin’ shit like handing yourself over to anyone who asks,” Joel grumbled. You opened your eyes long enough to watch him settle at the table beside Henry. You shrugged. 

“Figured I’d find a way out eventually,” you said. “And out of all of us, I made the most sense. They had the most reason to keep me alive, Henry has Sam and you need to get Ellie to Wyoming. I couldn’t get her there on my own. I’m pretty disposable - minus my very convenient skill as a human blood bag.” 

Joel ground his teeth and you closed your eyes again.

“What’s in Wyoming, anyway?” Henry asked. 

“My brother,” Joel said after a moment. “Think he might know a good place to go. Hopefully a lot fuckin’ better than here, especially when it comes to raisin’ kids…” 

“Do you think they’ll be OK?” Henry asked. You opened your eyes again to look at him and he jerked his head toward the door. Ellie was leaning over a comic book they’d taken from the settlement in the tunnels, making dramatic hand gestures. 

“Yeah,” you said after a moment of watching them. “Kids are like rubber. Shit just bounces off of them sometimes. Not to say don’t keep an eye on him, pay attention to him, ask if he needs to talk or wants help but… I think he’ll be OK.” 

“And Wyoming can be a new start for him,” Henry said. “For both of us. It’ll be good for us, I think.” 

“New start’s not a bad thing,” Joel said, looking at you, his eyes serious. “Sometimes it’s just what you need.” 

You smiled a bit at him. 

The three of you let the kids play for a while longer before Joel and Henry went in to collect the lantern and tell them that it was time to go to sleep. You weren’t too far behind, stretching your sleeping bag out on the floor. 

Henry put his on the opposite side of the room and Joel set his up close to yours. You frowned. 

“You don’t have to worry about me, whatever you’re doing,” you said. He shrugged. 

“Wanted to stay close,” he said. “Make sure you don’t go and try to offer yourself up as a sacrifice to whatever fucker happens to come by…” 

You rolled your eyes. 

“Don’t be mad at me because my logic made the most sense,” you scoffed. He stretched out on his sleeping bag. 

“It didn’t make sense,” he said. “Not to me.” 

“You’ll need to get over that hangup,” you muttered as you stretched out, too. He just grunted back at you but put his arm over you again, his elbow settling comfortably into the area between your hipbones and your ribs. 

You knew you should fight him on this. On him touching you. You knew it would be bad for you, in the end. When he got bored, when he worked through whatever he was working through, when he put you down again. Like an old toy that he knew would still be sitting there when he returned, he’d leave you behind and you would stay right where he left you, waiting for him to take an interest again. 

But it couldn’t be good for him, either. To be working himself closer to you knowing what would come next. It couldn’t be painless, could it? He had to feel something, right? 

Maybe he didn’t. Maybe his indifference had grown to the point where you were just a warm body now, something of such little consequence he could wrap around you one night and break away from you the next. 

You could deal with the fallout of it when it came, you figured. When you went with the Fireflies, it was going to feel a bit like the end of all things. You were going to be alone, more alone than you’d been since the night of the outbreak. Now was not the time to be picky if he was giving you something that you could live with losing. Now was the time to cling to his touch, memorize it, see if you could fall into it when you were alone, too. You fell asleep feeling his breath on your neck. 

You woke up to screaming. 

Joel jumped up, tearing to his feet as Ellie scrambled out of the bedroom, Sam snarling viciously behind her. 

It took you a moment to start to understand what was happening, your sleep-addled brain not able to catch up as you clambered out to your feet. You’d asked everyone, when you got here last night. Henry had asked Sam, you’d watched him do it. It didn’t make sense, he couldn’t have turned, it didn’t make sense, how could he have turned? 

“Ellie!” Joel screamed, going for her but Henry pulled his gun, shooting the floor at his feet where you’d been just seconds before. Joel threw you behind him. Ellie screamed and you tried to go for her but Henry kept the gun on you, his eyes wide. 

“There’s nothing you can do!” You yelled at him. “He’s gone, you can’t help him, there’s nothing…” 

He turned the gun to Sam and fired. A horrible, wracking sound tore from Ellie and you pressed your face into Joel’s back. His whole body was stiff. You clung to him, not wanting to look at the small body you knew was just feet away. 

“Ellie,” Joel said. “You OK?” 

She made a noise that sounded like a yes. 

“Oh my God,” Henry breathed. You opened your eyes and stepped around Joel. The gun was still in Henry’s hand. It was pointed at nothing. “What… what did I do?” 

He was staring at the place you couldn’t look. 

“You had to,” you said quietly. “He was already gone, you saved Ellie…” 

“Henry,” Joel said, stepping toward him cautiously. “Just give me the gun. It’s OK, just…” 

He turned the gun toward himself. 

“No,” Joel said, reaching for him, trying to be calm, trying to maintain control. “No, don’t…” 

He pulled the trigger before the sentence had left Joel’s mouth. You jumped and flinched and pressed your face into Joel’s back again as Ellie screamed, the sound ripping through you. 

You forced yourself to open your eyes, to look where you’d been dreading to look, your stomach twisting at the sight of the tiny body on the floor. Ellie sat there, her eyes wide and watery, mouth open in shock, staring at where Henry’s body lay on the ground. 

You went for her, stepping over Sam’s small frame to gather her in your arms. She let you, her limbs limp and pliant. 

“It’s OK sweetheart,” you said softly, kissing the crown of her head as she pressed her face into your chest. “I’m so sorry. It’s going to be OK. I’m so sorry…” 

You just held her as she sobbed, surrounded by the bodies of the people who you’d thought you could save. 

Taglist: @paleidiot@ayamenimthiriel@ginger-swag-rapunzel@drewharrisonwriter@flugazi@pedropascalsbbg @taoyuji@starstruckmusiciansartghost@splendsay@bigboiseason123 @jpbplvr@ashleyandring @mrsyixingunicorn10@sloanexx@ninaminaromina@lady-bellyn @hufflepuffriver@sarap-77 @storyarcscribe@mellymbee @jasminedragoon@lemonmeli@reds-ramblings@arizonadaydreamer@mumma-moonchild@blackroseguzzi@candypeaches16@kittenlittle24@wrappedinfiction@oatmeaiboy@pedritosdarling@winchestergypsy90 @imnotdatboii@lalalalemonade11@maknimuk1 @mrsdarcyinlovewithbuckybarnes@pedrosaidsheispunk @commanderawkward @n7cje@elliesgirlll@tsunamistorm123 @spookyxsam @leeeesahhh

A/N: A sad goodbye to Sam and Henry wraps up this chunk of canon overlap. Next up, we're going to see a lot more of the trip to Jackson with our little trio - including some stuff that I think people have been really looking forward to *wink wink*

So I did something different with my taglist today. A writer buddy told me you have to like... do something to each handle to make it a tag and not just copy/paste? Yeah I'm still fumbling around with this site guys lol I've only been here like 2 months so I apologize! Hopefully the tagging worked better this time! Let me know in the comments if you want to be added to the tag list :)

Thank you so much for reading! It's been so fun to write the story with all of you reading along. I so love reading all of your thoughts and knowing that you're invested in these characters. Thanks for hanging out with my work. Love you all!