#wait-writing? was that what my point was?

[jeonginsleftcheek]

Dolly VI

~ part 6 of the Dolly series

pairing: changbin x afab!reader

genre: smut, fluff, sci-fi

synopsis: Being the CEO of a big company meant you were always buried with work, staying late at the office, never having time to yourself. Your employees have a habit of giving you funny gifts to make you get out and live your life a little, as they say. Even though you expect crazy gifts from them, you never expected to get something that would change your life forever.

wc: 8.0k

warnings: unprotected sex, creampies, oral (m)

~ divider by @bunnysrph

Another sigh passed your lips as you rubbed your temples, the screen in front of you blurring for a moment and making you close your eyes tightly. You leaned back in your chair to stretch, you've been sitting in the same position for hours.

"Wow." you muttered, realizing your legs were actually numb. It was time to get up, at least for a moment, you thought and stood up. You made your way to the big glass windows behind your chair and stared at the view of the city.

Here, on the top of it all stands your dream. You've worked hard to get to where you are, dedicating your entire life only to your career. You knew nothing else but work, yet sometimes it felt as if everything was about to crumble underneath your feet.

A knock on your door snapped you out of your thoughts.

"Come in." you said after clearing your throat.

"Miss, I brought you the papers you asked for." it was your assistant, Maxine. The poor girl had to stay behind with you every time and you made sure to pay her those extra hours well, feeling bad that you had to make her stay here on a Friday night.

You turned and smiled slightly at her, nodding towards your desk.

"You can leave them there. Thank you, Maxine." you said and she nodded, putting the big stack of papers on top of the other, smaller stack you were almost done with.

"You can go home, Maxine. There's no point in you being here plus it's Friday, you must have somewhere better to be than at work." you added and her eyes widened slightly.

"Are you sure miss?" she asked and you nodded.

"Of course, have a good weekend!" you said with a smile.

"Thanks, you too boss!" she smiled back and exited the office, leaving you alone with your thoughts and papers.

You glanced at the table, calculating how long you'll be here but then you noticed a light pink envelope sticking between the papers. With furrowed brows you came closer to the table, pulling the envelope out.

'From your faithful employees, consider this an early birthday gift to the best boss ever!'

You chuckled when you read the writing on it, your fingertips running over the various signatures of your employees. What did they have up their sleeve now?

You opened up the envelope and pulled out the little card inside, reading it quietly.

Hello,

my name is Changbin and I am your strong dolly.

I love going on gym dates and after that eating some good food! I enjoy watching movies so I hope you'll share your favorites with me.

Please be tender with me, even though I seem tough, I need someone to lean on too so don't forget to give me a hug.

Hope you will come to love me as much as I love you.

"What?" you chuckled then saw someone added something on the card.

'We got him delivered to your house, enjoy!'

No way. Did your employees buy you a sex doll?

Your face warmed up instantly. Those bastards, you chuckled to yourself, the nickname more of an endearment than an insult.

Maybe the papers could wait until tomorrow.

-

It was raining hard when you finally parked in front of your building, rushing inside with your bag shielding your head. You almost tripped over your legs, your heels making it hard to run.

The building was completely quiet as you stepped into the elevator, pressing the button 12. You looked down at your watch, it was almost 2am. You shook your head, impatient to see what the gift looked like.

There was a huge box in front of your apartment door and you made your way there quickly.

After unlocking your door, you dragged the box inside, almost falling over a few times. After quickly closing the door and throwing your heels off of your feet, you decided to open the box immediately, no more waiting.

"Oh. Look at that." your heart skipped a beat.

This Changbin doll definitely looked like a man you'd turn your head after if you saw him in the street. At least your employees seemed to know your taste.

At the same time, you were curious, you've never seen a doll that is so humanlike. Gulping, you kneeled down next to the box and reached out to touch his face.

"Tell me your skincare routine." you chuckled, playing with his hair a little.

You noticed a piece of paper stuck between his fingers so you grabbed it gently and looked at it.

My honey!

I chose a comfy outfit for us to enjoy a movie together!

Hope you'll love our first night together as much as I will!

Honey. You blushed profusely at the nickname.

Have I been single for so long that this got me going?, you asked yourself, feeling embarrassed.

Yet, you couldn't even remember the last time someone flirted with you. And if they did, it probably went over your head because you were only thinking about work 24/7. Even now, you had brought the papers home so you can finish everything during the weekend.

Your stomach growled and you stood up, holding the manual for the dolly as you heated up some dinner. You needed to eat healthier food, you knew that. But who has time for cooking when you're working 24/7?

You read the manual carefully, flipping the pages as you ate your dinner; leftovers from yesterday. Not ideal, but you had no other options at this moment. Your face started burning suddenly when you got to the section about what the doll was made for and what it can do.

"Oh my god." you quickly closed the manual with a little giggle. You glanced at the box, deciding to take a shower and get rid of your suit first.

When you were finally refreshed, feeling like a new person, you made your way back to your new doll.

"How do I get you out?" you pursed your lips. Yes, you did some yoga but you had no idea if you could lift up an entire human sized doll.

You pushed the box to your room, putting it next to your bed. With all the strength you could gather you managed to pull Changbin out of the box and place him on top of your covers with your body giving out and plopping down on top of him.

"Oh." you were surprised by the warmth of his body. You didn't really follow the latest technology developments, only using what you needed for work and daily life, but this must be some new and advanced technology you've never come across.

You crawled under the covers, putting them over Changbin too as you grabbed your phone and checked out the site with the dolls. Their primary function was to be used for pleasure but you felt like Changbin could be more than that. Maybe a cuddle buddy? You chuckled and pressed your cheek against his chest as you laid half of your body on top of him. You could feel the muscles underneath the clothes he was dressed in and it made your heart skip a beat.

You continued scrolling through the site, seeing the other doll models, some of them sold out. They were all charming in their own way, but you were sure you'd choose Changbin if you were buying one by yourself.

"Wow, only one of each?"

You scrolled all the way to the end and in the left-hand corner you saw very small letters saying: property of BIMT.

"BIMT?" it sounded so familiar, and you couldn't remember where you had heard that before.

You shrugged, too tired to think or look at your phone anymore so you put it aside and hugged your Changbin dolly, happy to have a warm body to hold during a usually lonely night.

You had never slept this well in your life, so well that you didn't even hear your alarm clock trying to wake you up.

"Fuck!" you exclaimed once your eyes opened and you noticed it was past 10am.

Usually, during the weekend you'd still wake up earlier, around 7am so you could go for a run and do your stretching or yoga session. Plus, the weekend was the only time you could clean up your apartment thoroughly.

What surprised you even more, was that you were turned on for some reason. You must've had some interesting dreams to wake up like this.

Embarrassment seeped into you as you looked at Changbin's face. You scanned around your room as if someone was watching you, which of course no one was. But you felt so awkward using the doll.

You propped yourself on your elbow and hovered over Changbin's face.

"Hello. Good morning." you waved in front of his face but of course he didn't even blink.

"How do I do this?" you chewed on your lip. You observed him for another moment before placing your palm on his chest and tentatively sliding it down. Your hand explored slowly and gently, working yourself up as you touched his defined muscles.

"Huge..." you gasped a little when you gripped at his bicep. Your body was heating up and so was his, the doll was getting excited. You read it in the manual but seeing it happen was something else. Licking your lips, your hand slid down more as you threw your leg over him, your knee brushing against his bulge.

"Oh." your eyes widened and you stopped for a moment to catch your breath, before sliding your hand down to touch him. Your doll was definitely big.

Something inside you snapped and you forgot about being embarrassed quickly as you started moving against his thigh. You whined, finding a good position to where you could straddle his thigh and continued your ministrations. The dolly seemed somehow... happy. Your cheeks warmed up suddenly, it felt like his attention was on you, like his eyes were actually looking at you. Your knee kept brushing against his erection, making him twitch in his pants.

"It's like you're alive." you whispered, mesmerized.

You bit on your lip and decided to rid him of his pants and underwear.

"Oh my." you slapped your hand against your mouth. "Changbin." you giggled after saying his name, it felt good to feel it rolling off of your tongue.

Taken by the moment, you got rid off your clothes and his shirt too, admiring his beautiful body. You wanted to take your time with him and kiss him everywhere, explore him with your hands but that would have to wait for another time when you're not this desperate to get off.

You hovered over him before sitting down, your wet pussy pressed against his hard cock.

"Ah." a little moan escaped your lips as you started grinding on him with slow and languid movements, enjoying the way Changbin's cock kept twitching against you like he wanted in.

Your embarrassment completely disappeared, turning into pure pleasure as your clit kept dragging against him, your pussy clenching to be filled up. You lifted your hips just a little to grab his cock and slowly push it in, even though he was bigger, you took him well like he was made just for you.

You put in the work as you bounced on top of him, your hands roaming on his belly and chest, across his perky nipples as you grabbed at him. He was heating up even more, matching the heat of your body and the hot atmosphere created inside your room. You looked at Changbin's face and gasped, it seemed as if he was smirking ever so slightly. Your pussy clenched at the thought of him being alive and touching you too so you sped up, the sound of skin slapping skin echoing loudly in the otherwise quiet room.

"Binnie." you whimpered and he twitched hard. It was right there in the manual, just keep saying his name.

"Binnie." you said again, your movements becoming sloppier as you got more tired and closer to your high. "Changbin!" you groaned loudly once you exploded, riding your high on top of him as you gyrated your hips. Tears gathered in your eyes from the overstimulation you brought to yourself as you kept repeating his name until he exploded inside you, filling you up with ropes of warm cum.

"Fuck." you cursed, lifting off of him, feeling all sticky and embarrassed again.

"I must be crazy." you shook your head and ran to your bathroom to get cleaned up. Of course, you cleaned your dolly too and then looked at his face more closely, biting on your lip and trying to see if there were any changes in his expression.

"You need a hug, right?" you said before putting your arms around Changbin. It felt so comforting to be wrapped around him.

Your weekend was mostly uneventful as always, but this time you had Changbin watching over you as you cleaned around your apartment. You managed to take him everywhere by putting him on your office chair with wheels.

"You could help, you know?" you grunted before continuing to vacuum the living room.

Changbin's eyes followed you while you cleaned and while you did your yoga. He watched as you sat hunched over your computer in your home office and worked, typing quickly and going over all the papers you brought home. He watched you struggling with the groceries and cursing quietly.

He wished he could help.

~

Monday came around too quickly and you rolled out of bed reluctantly, not wanting to separate from Changbin's warm body.

Spring was around the corner, but it was still cold in the mornings and you wanted nothing more than to stay in bed all day. But, you had a really important meeting today and you couldn't afford to be late. You were in a frenzy, getting dressed quickly as you had almost overslept through all your alarms.

"You're making it hard for me to leave my bed." you smirked at Changbin, shaking your head slightly as you grabbed your bag.

"I'll see you later, cutie." you kissed his lips and practically skipped all the way to your car.

Was it pathetic that a doll made you feel this happy?, you thought. Maybe it did, but who cares, you weren't harming anyone plus it was a gift and you should be thankful for it.

As soon as you arrived to your office, one of your employees, Tina, smirked at you.

"Good morning, boss! Did you like our gift?" she asked and you blushed profusely immediately.

"I really did. Thank you." you said and she chuckled.

"If we land this deal, you promised to take some time off. I hope you still mean that." she said, walking with you. Everyone knew you barely took time off, they'd have to pry you off of your desk and force you to finally rest.

"When we land this deal. Not if." you smirked at her, saying hello to a few more other employees as you passed them by.

"Good morning!" Maxine greeted you cheerfully. "All the reports for the meeting are ready on your desk and I prepared the presentation room for you."

"Oh, always so fast." you chuckled.

"Just keeping up with you, boss." she winked, following you into the office. You left all your stuff there and quickly looked through the reports, having already studied them, this was going to be a piece of cake for you.

Where you were shy in your personal life, at work you were the complete opposite, your ambition and drive brought you to high places and you had no problem with biting hard and showing off your skills and knowledge.

There were at least twelve people in the room and you took a deep breath in as you stood in front of them. Maxine nodded at you with a thumbs up.

The presentation went smoothly and the partners were satisfied with your results and conclusions, the deal has been made.

"Congratulations, boss! Now you can take your vacation!" Maxine said and you laughed.

"Well, maybe I should stay a little bit more to-"

"No, no. You need some wildness in your life away from all the seriousness, suits and papers, hm?"

"Maxine is right. If anyone deserves this vacay, it's you." Tina agreed and you smiled.

"I hope you two know that I will be checking in all the time." you waved your finger and both of them laughed.

"Of course." Tina nodded and you took her to the office since she'd be taking your place while you're away. The rest of the day passed by fairly quickly, even with you staying longer as always. A zap of electricity ran through your body when you remembered someone was home, waiting for you and your undivided attention.

Changbin.

"Maxine, tell Tina I got all the reports ready for our new partners and if she needs anything she can call me any time. Same goes for you." you rushed out and she looked at you with her brows lifted.

"Of course. Have a good time on your vacay!" she said, chuckling because this was the first time you were leaving before her.

~

It was raining again when you ran into your building, forgetting to bring an umbrella so you used your bag as a shield from the water once more. The first thing you did after shucking your shoes off and throwing your bag aside was run to Changbin.

He was in the same position you left him, leaned on your headboard in your bed, tucked in with a blanket.

"Hey there." you smiled and grabbed his face, kissing his lips. You had missed him all day.

"We are going on a vacation." you nodded to him with a smile. You had to admit, you felt kinda excited to finally be away from work and your repetitive routine. You just wished Changbin would come to life and enjoy the break from every day stress with you.

The next day, everything was prepared, the bag you packed was in the trunk, the tank was filled up and most importantly Changbin was in the passenger seat, strapped in and ready. You were going to drive over to your old house, where your parents used to take you for vacation when you were a kid. It was a bit out of town, a little house close to the lake. It used to be different before, there were more things to do there but you heard that some rich guy bought off most of the people who lived there so he could own the land.

Your little house was away from that area, perfectly in the middle of nowhere. Just what you needed to get your mind off of work. You got into the car and put on your favorite playlist before you started driving.

The tall city buildings soon turned into seemingly never-ending fields. You felt better instantly upon seeing the nature all around you. The sun was beating down on your car and you decided to open up the windows and let the air in as you drove and sang. Your eyes kept flitting towards Changbin, his pretty face and the way the wind kept playing with his hair. He looked so soft and sweet in those moments, making your good mood become even better.

Maybe someone would call you crazy for taking your sex doll to a vacation with you but he was more than that. You had a feeling he would be.

You drove for hours, it was almost dark when you finally parked in front of the old house. It was a little worn out since no one came out here anymore, especially after your father died due to illness and your mother had moved back to her hometown, taking care of your grandma. You visited them whenever you could but you were always swamped with work, you barely had time for yourself.

You put your bag inside first but getting Changbin in was a challenge that you somehow managed to conquer with all the strength you gathered.

"Oh my god." you huffed when you finally placed him on the sofa. "Ugh." you scrunched up your nose, realizing you have to do some cleaning up before anything else.

You got to work, cleaning up the place as you listened to some music and danced around, making the annoying chore more fun. Changbin watched you from the couch, a shadow passing over his eyes before they sparkled just for a moment. Of course, you didn't see it being too into your performance.

After cleaning up and filling up the fridge with some groceries you brought in a portable one, you decided to take a shower and change.

"Binnie, are you hungry?" you asked your sweet dolly and you could swear his eyes moved for a moment.

You tilted your head and stared him for a while, finally deciding you just imagined it.

"I guess you are." you chuckled and moved to the kitchen to prepare some dinner.

It was weird spending the afternoon cooking and sipping on wine, listening to music without a care in the world, knowing you don't have to go into work tomorrow. Or bring work to your house. Which reminded you to call Tina.

"You barely even left and you're worried already?" she chuckled.

"Just making sure everything is okay."

"Of course! I got everything under control." she assured you but you still wanted a recap, the perfectionist inside you craving to know that everything was indeed going well.

"Are you having fun though?" she asked after the report and you looked around the sparkly clean house, your eyes then landing on Changbin.

"Definitely." you said.

"Well, take care boss. We need you refreshed once you come back!"

"Of course. Have a good day, Tina."

"You too!"

You hung up and sat down to eat, looking up at Changbin a few times. After your meal you made your way to the couch, you couldn't wait to cuddle up to him.

"Let's see if there's any signal here." you muttered, turning the tv on. Luckily, the signal was good, even better than it used to be before, surprising you a little. You shrugged it off and put your legs in Changbin's lap, your head on his chest. Your own personal teddy bear.

The heat of his body and the relaxed state you were in slowly brought warmness in your navel, spreading throughout you and dripping on your panties. You bit on your lip and nuzzled into his neck, kissing his skin. Your hands started roaming his chest, the muscles you admired and liked so much. Your lips traveled on his skin and you stripped his shirt so you could continue leaving gentle kisses all over him. You unbuttoned his pants, pulling the zipper down and then sliding them off of him with his underwear.

The sight of Changbin's cock all hard and leaking for you made you salivate, your heart beating hard against your chest. You wanted to taste him, feel the weight of him on your tongue so you kneeled down between his legs, sticking your tongue out and licking a stripe along his length.

"Oh." you were deliciously shocked when you realized he tasted sweet. It spurred you on to continue and you wrapped your lips around him, sucking on his tip and tasting more of his pre-cum. You struggled taking all of him in as you slid down, wrapping your hand around the base.

You knew Changbin probably wouldn't cum this way, since your dolly loved hearing his name moaned out before climaxing so you were doing this more for your own fun and enjoyment, revelling in the way he twitched inside your hot mouth.

You bobbed your head up and down for a while, making yourself gag a few times when you pushed in too far, your panties getting progressively more soaked. You released him with a pop and leaned back to look at him.

"Need you, Binnie." you whimpered before stripping and sitting on his lap. You wished he would reciprocate, you yearned to be touched by him. Closing your eyes, you adjusted and grabbed his length, slowly pushing it in and sitting down on him until he bottomed out inside you.

You wrapped your arms around Changbin so you could be as close to him as you can before you started moving on him slowly, feeling every inch of him filling you up and stretching your pussy perfectly.

"Binnie." you moaned out as you fucked on him slowly, feeling him twitch inside you immediately.

"Whoops." you giggled and sped up, chasing your high that has been building up ever since the moment you tasted him. The tip of Changbin's cock kept brushing against your spot every time you smacked your hips down, making you whimper and clench around him.

"Changbin!" with a loud whimper of his name you came all around him, making him finish inside you as you rode your high and held onto him, your sensitive nipples brushing against him deliciously.

"I'll be right back." you said as you stood up.

You cleaned yourself and your doll before getting dressed. You only had him for a few days but you already felt like you couldn't live without him. He was giving you some sort of comfort that you haven't felt in a long time.

"I wish you could go on a walk with me now." you sighed after calming down a little and drinking some water. It was dark out and you weren't really comfortable with walking around the lake and in the forest completely alone so you decided it would be smarter to do that in the morning.

That night you cuddled up with Changbin again, feeling happy that you brought him with you.

~

Early in the morning, you already had your coffee and quick breakfast before checking in on Tina and Maxine. You couldn't help it even though you knew that all your employees were more than capable, it was you who hired them after all.

"I'll be back soon, Binnie." you kissed your dolly, tucking him in with a blanket and leaving the tv on for him.

You walked the familiar path from your house to the lake, knowing it like the back of your hand. It almost stayed the same as it was, the only difference is that it seemed more quiet, abandoned. A few of the nearby houses were almost completely fallen apart, the wood ruined by the rain and the wind. It made you a little sad to see a place once so lively devoid of everything.

That's when you noticed something peculiar, right as you started on your way towards the forest. It was all too quiet. It seemed like there was no insect, bird or any kind of animal nearby. Usually, there were ducks in the lake, you remembered feeding them with your parents and you also remember running away screaming from all sorts of insects when you were a kid.

"Hm." you mused out loud as you continued walking. It felt a little eerie, the hairs on the back of your neck standing.

Then you heard it, a humming sound. Your brows furrowed as you followed the sound cautiously.

You didn't expect to run into a huge fence built around a building you were sure wasn't there before, because there used to be multiple houses and a children's park there. You squinted your eyes, trying to see if there was someone there but all you saw were windows with bars on them and darkness on the inside.

Then you noticed a familiar logo on the side of the building.

"Where have I seen that?" you wondered out loud.

The humming stopped suddenly, making your eyes ring as you swallowed. Fear clawed up from your stomach to your throat and you turned on your heel, something inside you telling you to run.

You didn't stop running until you got to the house, bursting in loudly, closing and locking the door quickly. Your heart hammered wildly in your chest and your eyes landed on Changbin instantly.

Making your way to him fast, you crumbled into his arms. You tried to even out your breath and calm down, all the while asking yourself who bought all the land, why was there a fence, what was the humming sound, why was that logo familiar to you?

You decided to take a relaxing bath and make some yummy lunch to forget about the weirdness of your morning.

"Oh, Binnie I am so glad you're here. Without you I'd feel so lonely." you told your dolly while you cooked. His eyes moved until they were looking directly at you, his fingers twitching against the couch, but you didn't notice, concentrated on making the food.

You spent the rest of the day inside the house and cuddled up to Changbin again that night.

You slept well until your dreams were invaded by the humming sound from earlier and it seemed as if it was louder, closer, vibrating against your body. You were confused, still on the verge of sleep, eyes still closed as your body shook.

"W-what?" you croaked out, it was as if something was shaking you. Your eyes snapped open and you realized it was Changbin, he was... vibrating?

You reached for the lamp quickly, panic rushing through your veins when suddenly he took a desperate breath in, his head turning towards you.

You shrieked, backing away and falling off the bed.

"W-what the fuck?!" you backed away until you hit the wall.

"W-water. P-please." his voice sounded raspy and you gasped, standing up and staring at him. Was this supposed to happen? There was nothing about the dolls talking and needing water in the manual.

"Please." Changbin looked at you desperately and you nodded, running downstairs before coming back up with a water bottle.

"I'm sorry." he apologized as soon as he chugged the bottle down.

"F-for what?" you asked, standing on a distance.

"Scaring you. This humming noise. It makes me tickle on the inside. It itches, it woke me up." he explained.

"You can hear that?" you asked, coming a little closer to him.

"No, I can feel it." he said. "Don't be scared of me."

"I'm- I'm not, just confused." you let out a chuckle at the absurd situation. "The manual never said anything about you coming to life."

"The manual." Changbin scoffed.

"What?" you asked and he shook his head.

"I wish I could remember who made me and who wrote the manual." he answered as you sat on the bed.

"Do you remember anything?" you asked.

"My friends? They were with me before. I don't know where they are now, all I know is I miss them." he sighed.

"Are these your friends?" you asked as you pulled up the dolly site on your phone.

"Yes! That's them." Changbin leaned in to look at the pictures. "This one." he pointed to a doll named 'Chan'. "He was the first. He took care of us after something happened. I- I can't remember what happened, but I know it was painful."

"Ugh, the humming again!" Changbin jolted, hugging himself.

"Hey, hey, calm down. We can leave right away if it's bothering you this much, don't worry." you placed your hand on his arm, trying to calm him down.

"Really?" he looked at you with sweet pitiful eyes, making your heart melt.

"Of course." you nodded and stood up, grabbing your bag and packing up immediately.

"You took all of this with a very calm attitude." Changbin scratched his head.

"I'm used to crisis, it happens at work." you said, packing up quickly. "I wouldn't be where I am if I let my emotions interfere in situations like this."

"That's what I admire, you're so dedicated to your work." Changbin said, slowly standing up, his legs wobbling a little. You paused your movements and looked up at him.

"You were aware of everything happening since you came to me?" you asked and he nodded sheepishly.

"Oh." you gulped, your face warming up. Now, that was a situation that threw you off just a little.

"I, um, I'm hungry." Changbin said and you chuckled.

"There's food downstairs, you can heat it up and eat all of it while I get everything ready for us to leave."

"Thank you." he smiled.

"No need." you answered, still feeling a little embarrassed about the fact that he was aware of everything you did to him during the last few days.

You managed to grab all your things and pack them up, turning off everything right as Changbin finished eating.

"Let's go." you said and he stopped you before you opened the door.

"Are you sure it's safe to go out? It's the middle of the night." he noted.

"I think we'd be safer in the car than staying in here?" you said and he sighed.

"Okay then, let's leave."

As soon as you walked out, you could hear the humming noise more clearly as if it had gotten louder during the night.

"I can't take it." Changbin started scratching at his body again.

"Get in the car quickly."

Luckily, you had enough gas to last to the first gas station so you buckled up and hit the pedal, getting the hell away from that creepy place.

Changbin felt better the more distance you put between the car and the lake.

A few days later, since you were still on your vacation, you were enjoying getting to know Changbin.

It was as if he was human and lived an entire life, even though he couldn't remember it at all. He could only put together bits and pieces, talking mostly about his friends and some disaster that happened, an awful feeling filling him up as he tried to remember more of it. All he could think of was Chan who tried to protect him and the other dolls. They were all alive then.

"Do you think they came to life too?" you asked that afternoon as the two of you cuddled, some movie playing in the background but you weren't paying attention to it.

"I would hope so. I wish we could find them." he sighed.

"Maybe we can. I could pull some connections."

"Really? You'd do that?" he smiled instantly, sitting up excitedly.

"Of course. Look, you probably heard me..." you grimaced but continued. "When I said I'm happy to have you, I was really lonely before and I was actually hoping you'd come to life."

"Does that mean I'm your boyfriend now?" Changbin giggled and you melted on the spot.

"Yes." you nodded and he pulled you into a bone crushing hug, making you squeal and chuckle.

You were sure he was made just for you.

~

Making your way from a refreshing shower, you didn't expect to be pinned to the wall by Changbin as soon as you walked into your room.

"B-Binnie!" you eyes widened, a zap of electricity running through your body instantly, making you feel aroused in the matter of milliseconds.

"I've wanted to do this from the moment I saw you." he said lowly, making you gulp as you stared into his darkened eyes. He was silently asking for your permission and you nodded ever so slightly, your heartbeart speeding up.

Changbin's lips quirked up in that cute smirk you adored on him, his hands sliding down your arms to the towel wrapped around your body. He undid the knot and let it fall to the floor, his eyes raking all over your exposed body.

You felt like your breath got caught in your throat when Changbin leaned in and pressed his lips on yours. Time stopped for a moment before he brought you back to earth with his hands on your chest, squeezing your breasts as he started moving his lips against yours. You parted your lips to let him in, he was sweet and hot at the same time, making your body yearn for his so you arched into him.

Smirking against your lips, Changbin let his hands travel lower, until they touched your thighs. You shivered as he kept kissing you, his fingertips ghosting on your inner thigh. Your moans were muffled against his lips and he kissed you harder before leaning back, letting his hand rest between your thighs as he touched your pussy.

"So wet for me." he smirked.

"B-Binnie, please." you whimpered.

"Please what, honey?" he kept smirking as you whined.

"I need to feel you." you whispered, your cheeks heating up.

"I need to feel you too." he couldn't really tease you for too long, the more he slid his fingers against your pussy, bringing the wetness up to your clit, the more it made him twitch in his pants.

You were overpowered by want and your hands flew to his shirt. It didn't take long for him to be as naked as you were. He was already hard and dripping, eager to bring you pleasure.

Changbin's arms gripped at the back of your thighs. "Jump." he smirked and you gasped, jumping up while he helped you, wrapping your legs around him. The tip of his cock rubbed against you, making you clench.

"H-here?" you whispered and he smiled.

"Why not?" Changbin whispered back and you held onto him tightly, your arms wrapped around his neck, fingertips grazing at his upper back.

"Okay." you whined as he pressed into you, his tip slipping between your folds.

"Mm, so good." he groaned, pushing in and you welcomed him, shaping around him perfectly as he bottomed out.

"Binnie." you moaned out, your nails digging into his skin.

"D-don't say my name yet." he gripped at your hips and you bit on your lip, trying to hold in your desperation. Changbin slowly started to move, his cock spreading your pussy apart deliciously.

"A-ah!" you whimpered as his tip brushed against your spot with each languid thrust. His lips found yours in a passionate kiss as you held onto him, trying to bring your hips closer to him.

"M-more." you whined.

"More?" he breathed out, his voice shaky. He was holding back.

"Please Binnie, fuck me harder, please!" you begged desperately, your pussy clenching around him and making him inhale sharply.

"As you wish, honey." he smirked a little before all hell broke loose when his hips started snapping into yours with vigor. He knocked the breath out of your lungs as you scratched at his skin, your entire body shaking from the force he fucked you with.

You couldn't help it, you were moaning so loudly, not even caring if your neighbors could hear you as Changbin kept fucking into you hard, the tip of his cock brushing against your spot every time he pushed in deep. You held onto him for dear life, you couldn't even feel your legs in that moment.

His little desperate moans filled up your ears, making you even more wet than before, adding to the high that was building up inside you.

"Are you gonna cum, honey?" he gripped your ass hard as he kept fucking you.

"Y-yes, gonna cum for you, Binnie!" you felt him twitch inside you and that was all you needed before you exploded, squirting on him and making him whine. His name kept spilling from your lips and his hips stuttered as he came, exploding inside you and filling you up.

"Wow." he breathed as he finally released you and you shook, holding onto him. Changbin lifted you up in his strong arms and placed your shivering body on the bed.

"I'll be right back, honey." he said and you nodded, still speechless.

Changbin came back to clean you up, bringing you a bottle of water.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked as you were silent.

"No, no, you were perfect Binnie." you smiled, reaching out to touch his face. "So good, that I'm just ready to sleep now." you added and he chuckled, puffing his chest out with pride.

You rolled your eyes playfully as your head hit the pillow and Changbin tucked you in much like you did to him, before he laid down next to you.

"Hey, y/n?" he whispered after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, Binnie?"

"I love you." he said and your heart skipped a beat. It was unbelieveable how quickly you came to love him too.

"I love you." you whispered back, kissing him before the two of you fell asleep in each other's arms.

Your days with Changbin were passing by like a breeze, and pretty soon you were already back to work. All your employees noted that you're glowing and that you've never looked happier, thinking it was the break that did that when in fact it was love.

Changbin had also managed to pull you out of the house more, the two of you going to the gym and enjoying active dates and you couldn't remember the last time you had so much fun with someone, let alone a boyfriend. It's like he knew exactly what you needed, sometimes even before you knew it.

He loved watching you cook, a lovesick look in his eyes as he propped his face up on his palm and just observed you.

"It'd be nice if you helped." you smirked, breaking him out of his trance.

"Yes, in a moment." he smiled then, grabbing your hand and stopping whatever you were doing as he gently pulled it towards him, pressing his lips on the top of your hand. You chuckled, goosebumps littering your skin as he stood up. Changbin stood behind you, enveloping his arms around you, his hands covering yours.

"This is not helping." you giggled when his breath tickled your neck.

"No?" he smirked, pressing himself into you.

You knew you weren't going to cook that dinner any time soon.

You felt lucky to have him, but there was one problem. You had tried getting some information through your workplace, about all the other dolls but whoever had sent them to the buyers, erased every trace of where the dolls have been sent. You couldn't track any of them and Changbin couldn't remember anything, no matter how hard he tried.

You kept thinking about the lake house, the humming noise and the weird building, the eerie quietness of the entire forest. It made the hair on the back of you neck stand, shivers running down your spine.

You tried researching it on the internet but came up with nothing.

Then one day, there was a call.

"Hello?" you answered with an unsure voice, the unknown number throwing you off. Especially because the call was on your private phone and not many people had that number. If it was business or anything of that sort they'd call you on your work cell.

Changbin looked up from the clothes he was folding and you shrugged.

"Is this miss L/n?" a monotone male voice asked.

"Yes, this is she." you answered.

"I understand you have Changbin dolly."

"Ugh. Yes." you looked at Changbin with a frown, and he came closer to listen.

"Well, we're sorry to inform you but the dolls have all malfunctioned and will need to be taken back. The money will be returned." you wondered how they knew the doll was gifted to you and how they had your number.

"What do you mean by 'malfunctioned'?" you asked suspiciously as Changbin eyed you nervously.

"We cannot discuss such matters unless you are part of the staff." the monotone voice answered.

"The staff?" your brows furrowed in confusion.

"Please, don't defy our command. We will come pick up the doll. Goodbye."

Click.

"Hello?" you stood there confused as Changbin's eyes filled with fear.

"I- I don't wanna go back there!" he panicked suddenly, grabbing at you.

"Hey, it's okay! We will find a way for you to stay. I don't want them to take you away either." you pulled Changbin into a hug and he wrapped his arms around you, squeezing you a little.

"I feel this fear inside me, I don't know why. That voice-"

"Do you recognize it?" you asked and Changbin nodded.

"I do. But I can't remember who it is. There is like... different faces in my head all coming up at the same time." he pursed his lips in thought.

"Okay, we could drive up to my mother and grandma tomorrow?" you suggested.

"How are you going to explain me to them?"

"I'll just say you're my boyfriend, none of the doll talk, okay? We met at a gym or something." you said and Changbin chuckled, caressing your face.

"How convenient." he joked.

"Hey, it's believeable!" you defended and he giggled.

"Fine, fine, it is." he agreed as the cogs inside your brain already started turning.

You had to plan out how to avoid work because you haven't told your coworkers anything about the doll they gifted you coming to life.

You just hoped you could get Changbin safely out of here.

Early in the morning you were already packing together with Changbin but a ring on your doorbell stopped you dead in your tracks.

"Who's here at 6:30am?" you frowned, walking towards the door.

After opening it and unlocking the door, Changbin trailing behind you, you gasped in shock. There were six men in suits standing on your doorway.

"We came to collect the doll." one of them said.

"You can't!" you yelled.

"Why?" the man asked.

"He is alive, he has free will and he doesn't want to go with you! Now leave, before I sue your entire company!" you tried threatening them but they just exchanged silent looks.

"Step aside. We are going to collect the doll."

"Over my dead body." you got angry but Changbin quickly interfered.

"Y/n, please be careful." he begged as the men stepped inside and you launched your body aside, grabbing the baseball bat you kept near the door.

Changbin gasped as they grabbed him, no matter how strong he was they somehow seemed stronger. He looked up and saw you swinging the bat at one of them men, his eyes wide.

The bat collided with one of the suited men's face, fear rushing through your veins when a piece of his skin came flying off, revealing wires beneath the facade of a human face.

You shrieked, stepping back and the man looked at you before pulling out a huge syringe and walking towards Changbin.

"Stop it! No!" you screamed but the other men grabbed you, throwing the bat aside and holding you back as you thrashed around, trying to escape their hold.

The syringe was plunged into Changbin's neck and he immediately slumped down. You kept yelling at them but they dragged him away, slamming your own door in your face.

You had no idea what to do in that moment. Your body slid down on the floor as you sobbed. They took away Changbin from you, the man who loves you. Anger bubbled up inside you and then you remembered.

Property of BIMT.

You scrambled to stand up and ran to your laptop, quickly typing it in.

"The logo!" you gasped, remembering the building near the house lake. You knew the exact location they'd take Changbin.

"Bang Institute of Modern Technology? Ugh, as in Helena Bang the famous scientist?" you clicked on the page.

You skimmed through the article, finding out that Helena had died five years ago from a mysterious illness, all her research and work falling into the hands of a rich man whose name was doctor Park.

"I'm coming to get you Binnie, don't you worry."

~

In his room, Felix heard commotion outside of the door. He rushed to it, his palms pressed against the cold metal as he peeped through the slit.

A few of the suited men were carrying Changbin towards another room, opposite of Felix's.

"Changbin! Changbin, can you hear me?!" Felix yelled desperately and one of them turned towards the sound, lifting his fist and pounding loudly against Felix's door, scaring him.

"Be quiet, number six!" the man yelled. Felix backed away with tears gathering in his eyes.

What will they do to them now?

taglist: @moonchild9350 @janepg @velvetmoonlght @hwanghyunjinismybae @jehhskz @porangporangmeong @laylasbunbunny @laughatdanger @jeonginslefthand @sapphirewaves @s3ungm1nxxl0ve @painterhyunjin @moon-ttokki-x @saintcosette @ooshyana @frehyun @scarlet789 @skzdust @schniti-is-in-the-house @eastjonowhere @sona1800 @channiesrightasscheek @justwonder113 @yvettemint @inaribu00 @httpdwaekki @possum-playground @ria-april @yn-x-them @mariahxrrera @0omillo0 @halfwinterhalfuniverse @cooldeermagazine @delulkpopstan143 @todorokiskitten @compersian @azxulskz @stayp1eceposts @minniesverse @skzdreamer13 @0325ale @j-ji-jia @shannthewriter @mhluvie @juskz @quokkacidal @chuuyaobsessed @whatdoyouwanttocallmefor @lixies-favorite-cookie @thelostprincessofasgard @linocvp1d @stayjinnie @portgasdbru @lilgothhishhh @selinia86 @felixsbabe @staytinyluva @sadroses98 @katexstay @gnabnahcsworld @hazelbazil @iwannahugchangbin @imperfectlyperfectprincess1 @skzfelixlove @skzjen @syedazarintasnim @geektacularmommom-blog @cookiesnmilfx @kayleefriedchicken @stxt-bby @strykdsstanot8 @hyunjinhwang2018 @binniesbabygirl @hyunjiniretti @linavc @julciaqwerty @salemluvsmusic @diipsy

[illbegottenfaith]

stutter (a puzzle pieces by saint motel inspired fic)

something about you and your features reawakens theo's stutter (theo nott x reader)

a/n - LOVE how I usually naturally write in British English (for the most part) but the title of this fic is apparently the American English variant?? sorry but stammar just doesn't have the same sound as stutter and it rlly messes with the flow of my sentences lmao

tropes/warnings - fluff, theo has a stutter, tw alcohol, slightlyy mean reader? very mild tho lmao

word count - 3.2k

taglist - @allie-sturns @hzdhrtss @friedfreyfries @bushnellswife @rose-of-the-grave @thaliashifts @pariahsparadise @babene-e @fratbrochrisgf

Theo’s stutter had never been bad exactly - just bad enough to be noticed. Bad enough to make him hesitate before speaking, bad enough to make his father sigh whenever he tripped over a word at the dinner table.

"Think before you speak," his father would say, voice clipped, disapproving. "There's no point in opening your mouth if you don't know what you're going to say."

As if Theo didn’t already try.

So he adapted. He learned to pick his words carefully, to stay quiet unless absolutely necessary, to keep his voice even and deliberate. The less he spoke, the less he had to risk tripping over his own tongue. He stopped rushing and started living his life at a careful, highly controlled pace.

Over time, with extensive help from the best speech therapists his father could find, he grew out of his stutter. By the time he was old enough to be surrounded by classmates who would’ve torn him apart for it, it was already buried beneath layers of indifference. He built himself a reputation on cool control - on quiet, dry wit and the ability to cut someone down with a single unimpressed look. He spoke when he wanted to, not when people expected him to, and that was enough to keep it from ever being a problem.

Until you.

Because for some infuriating reason, with you, it found a way to slip through the cracks.

You and Theo were like two puzzle pieces that never quite fit right.

You didn’t hate each other - not really - but it seemed like a stretch to call yourselves friends. Try as you might, your personalities seemed fundamentally disconnected. He had little patience for your sense of humour, or lack thereof in his opinion. On the bad days, you had a snarky quip ready for even his most innocent comments. It was the most maddening thing for your friends - just as seemed that the two of you had finally learned to get along, Theo would take the mickey out of you, or you would turn your nose up at his boorish antics, and the cycle would repeat.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), all of that changed two weeks ago. It had happened on a brisk Wednesday night. His dorm was fresh out of bottled water and it was too late and too cold to sneak down to the Kitchens to get some. Mattheo was keeping everyone up fretting about what-if-someone-gets-extra-thirsty-in-the-middle-of-the-night-then-what and no one could get him to shut up. Naturally, Theo had been rather unceremoniously evicted from his cosy, dry bed to fetch water from the girls’ dormitory, after a unanimous (and unfair) vote.

So there he had stood outside the girls’ dormitory, shivering, waiting for one of your friends to bring out some water. He had glared at the distorted view of the moon through the common room walls, fuming about how it already was the middle of the night and none of his roommates seemed the least bit thirsty, not that Mattheo would listen to reason.

Finally, the door had swung open, and out of the shadows peered your wan, tired face.

Maybe it was something in the way your lips twisted in displeasure as your droopy eyes struggled to stay open. For some odd, inexplicable reason, he felt a pang of regret over having woken you.

If you were slightly more awake, you might have noticed the glazed look in his eyes. But as it were, all you had done was shove a small jug into his lax hands, manually curling his fingers around the handle when his grip refused to tighten. Of course, you and your roommates were too environmentally conscious to be entertaining single-use plastic.

“Hold still,” you had muttered as you tipped your room’s jug into the smaller one, filling it up. In the pale moonlight, it had been as though he was seeing you in a completely different light for the first time, both figuratively and otherwise. You hair looked unbearably soft from the way it cascaded down your shoulders. Almost as soft as your pillowy lips, which were now parting to release a sigh. And did your skin always smell this sweet, he wondered, as you stepped closer?

“You want a cookie?” you had asked waspishly when he had kept staring at you once his jug was full. That had snapped him out of his trance. After bidding you a hasty, clipped goodnight, he had crept back down to the boy’s dormitories, head reeling, heart thudding. Before finally nodding off in the wee hours of the morning, he had put the whole thing down to sleep deprivation.

But when you looked just as adorable in your 9 am Charms lesson the next day, bags under your eyes as you poorly stifled your yawns, he knew he was well and truly fucked.

That had been two weeks ago. Now, he’d be hard pressed to muster up any real sort of annoyance over the reactions you elicited from him, knowingly or otherwise.

You were all in the Great Hall, having breakfast. Your friends were talking about some book they had read recently. Mattheo and Draco were having an arm wrestling match right over their eggs. Enzo was yammering in Theo’s ear, not that he was listening. Theo had long since learned to tune out Enzo’s chatter until lunch, when he was sufficiently awake to actually process it.

No, what he was doing was watching you - watching the way you chewed on your bottom lip instead of your breakfast, a faint crease between your eyebrows as your eyes flitted across the parchment. He cast his eyes around the table listlessly, desperately wishing for a change in topic, preferably one that had to do with you.

His prayers were soon answered. Ivy turned away from her conversation to look at you.

“How’s the essay coming along, Y/N?”

You finally peeled your eyes away from the essay you were proofreading, sliding your gaze disinterestedly to Theo and the rest of your friends. He watched your sleepy, downturned eyes momentarily rest on his, a familiar electric jolt twinging in his chest. There was no denying it - what had previously seemed uninteresting or unimaginative was now hopelessly irresistible to him.

You scowled, flipping back to the first page. “Terrible. Awful. I don’t know what possessed McGonagall to let me take N.E.W.T level Transfiguration.”

Because you’re brilliant at it, Theo wanted to say, just like how you’re brilliant at everything else.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad,” Ivy said reasonably as you haphazardly started gathering your things.

“It is, it really is. Even worse, my guinea pig escaped so now everyone has something to practice on except me.”

“I can be your Guinea pig,” Theo murmured. Mattheo gave him a hard shove in the shoulder blade.

“What?” You distractedly pushed a lock of hair out of your face.

He grimaced, a throbbing pain now settling in his upper back. “I said,” he forced out, “serves you right. Losing your guinea pig.”

You rolled your eyes. “Charming as ever, Nott.”

You hurriedly placed a kiss on Ivy’s cheek, glowering at Theo as you walked off. Just as he opened his mouth to ask (yell) where his kiss was, Mattheo shoved a bun into his mouth.

"Real subtle, mate," he said sarcastically.

Theo shot him a glare, but the delicate flush dusting his face betrayed him. "Shut up."

Mattheo only smirked, taking a bite of his own toast. "Whatever you say."

Some nights, trouble had a face. Tonight, it was yours.

He saw you before you saw him - tucked inside an alcove at the far end of the corridor, bathed in the flickering glow of a lone torch. It was the late kind of hour when nothing good was bound to happen. A half-empty bottle of firewhiskey dangled loosely from your fingers, the deep amber liquid catching the dim light as you swirled it absentmindedly.

It wasn’t the first time he’d seen you like this - pushing limits just for the sake of it. It wasn't immediately apparent, but anyone who paid close enough attention would see you had a habit of toeing the line between reckless and untouchable.

He should have walked away. Should’ve let you self-destruct in peace.

But Theo was never that smart when it came to you.

"You’re not exactly being subtle," he said, stepping out of the shadows.

You didn’t jump, didn’t startle. Instead, you turned to face him with a slow, deliberate ease, like you’d been expecting him all along.

"Wasn’t trying to be."

He raised his eyebrows.

"Could’ve fooled me."

You smirked, raising the bottle in a lazy toast before taking another sip.

"What, you gonna tell on me?"

Theo scoffed. "If I wanted to get you in trouble, you'd know."

"Mm. So you’re just here to nag, then?"

"Not nagging," Theo said. "Just pointing out that if you’re going to break the rules, you should at least be smart about it."

You hummed, swaying the bottle between your fingers, humming poorly. You were definitely well past tipsy. "Smart’s overrated."

"Yeah? So’s liver failure."

That made you laugh, short and sharp, like you hadn’t expected him to be funny.

He shouldn’t have cared about that. Shouldn’t have cared that his words - his stupid, judgemental, throwaway words - had gotten a laugh out of you.

But he did. And that was the problem.

You studied him for a moment before holding out the bottle. "Want some?"

He looked at it disdainfully. "Generous."

"Hardly," you said. "Figured it might loosen you up a bit. You’re wound tight, Nott."

Theo exhaled, crossing his arms. He knew all about being tightly wound when it came to you. "Right. Because getting pissed in a dark corridor is the key to inner peace."

"You should try it sometime."

"Hard pass."

You shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Then, just to be a menace, you took another slow swill, letting your lips linger at the rim of the bottle before licking a stray drop off the corner of your mouth.

Theo didn’t react. Wouldn’t react. You weren’t doing anything special. Just drinking. Just looking at him with that same lazy amusement, like you had him all figured out.

And maybe you did. Maybe that was what rattled him.

"You’re - " He started, but his tongue tripped over the word, catching slightly before he forced it out. "You’re d-drunk."

Your drooping eyes widened fractionally. Your lips parted in your efforts to concentrate as a slight frown creased your forehead, not all that different from the one at breakfast a few days ago,

Theo felt the heat crawl up his neck before he could stop it. His mind scrambled for damage control, but the way you were watching him - head tilted, intrigued, like you were piecing something together - made it worse.

"You good?" you asked, something teasing yet concerned in your tone.

Theo cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to regain control of his rogue tongue. "Obviously," he muttered, shifting his weight.

You let the silence stretch a beat too long before raising an eyebrow.

"You sure? ‘Cause for a second there, you almost sounded - "

"Drop it," he cut in, swiping the bottle from your hands before you could protest. He took a slow sip, letting the firewhiskey burn its way down, using it as an excuse to steady himself.

You watched him succumb to the buzz of the drink. "You’re changing the subject," you noted, smirking.

"Yeah?" He felt less wired, less sober. "You’re still an idiot for doing this in the open."

You watched him lean against the wall opposite yours, eyes gleaming in the dim alcove. You let him have that one. But just as he thought you were letting it go, your gaze flicked up, sharp and knowing.

"Don’t act like you’re any better," you mused.

Theo frowned. "What?"

You nodded toward his pocket, where a cigarette pack was sticking out slightly. "Don’t you go through, like, three packs a day?"

He pressed his lips into a thin line. You had him there. "That’s not the same."

You widened your eyes mockingly. "No, you’re right. I might get liver failure in thirty years. You’re aiming for lung failure by, what - next week?"

Theo clicked his tongue, tucking the pack deeper into his pocket. "Cute."

"Not as cute as you stuttering over your words a minute ago."

Theo groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "I hate you."

"Sure you do," you murmured, grinning as you took back the firewhiskey.

The Slytherin common room was empty when you both stepped inside, drenched from head to toe. The fire crackled in the hearth, but the warmth did nothing to dry the water you trailed in as you stalked toward it.

Theo watched you try to wring out your sleeves with an air of great suffering, muttering something about "bloody weather conspiracies" under your breath as you peeled off some of your outer layers.

"This is all your fault," you grumbled.

Theo exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his wet hair. "Yeah? How’s that?"

"You control everything else," you shot back, flicking a few stray drops of water at him. "Figured you had a deal with the bloody sky, too."

He smirked. "Don't give me ideas."

You rolled your eyes, crouching slightly to warm your frozen hands by the fire. Your clothes clung to your frame, and Theo forced himself to look away before his thoughts could wander into dangerous territory. Instead, he shrugged off his soaked sweater and tossed it over the back of the nearest couch.

"Relax. You’ll live," he said idly.

"You better hope so," you threatened. "If I don’t, I’m haunting you forever."

Theo snorted, undoing the cuffs of his shirt.

"I don't think you have the attention span for that."

You shot him a look. "I'd find a way," you said darkly.

"Sure," he agreed sarcastically.

You huffed, standing up straight again.

"And here I was, thinking you actually liked me."

The words were meant to be teasing, flippant, meaningless. But something about them made his pulse stutter.

Maybe it was the way you said it, light and careless, like the idea was so ridiculous it wasn’t even worth entertaining. Maybe it was the way the firelight flickered against your golden skin. Maybe it was the way a stray droplet trickled down your throat, inch by agonising inch, before disappearing beneath the collar of your shirt.

Maybe it was the fact that he did actually like you.

Theo didn’t know what made him say it - either the warmth from the fire or the cold still clinging to his skin or the fact that he could feel the exhaustion of restraint pressing against his ribs. But before he could stop himself, he was opening his mouth, lips forming words he had barely formulated.

"You look - " he started, then faltered.

Shit.

His tongue tripped, his brain suddenly too slow to catch up. He could feel the syllable stuck in his throat, unable to escape, the word stuttering into nothing.

"Y-you l - l -"

Silence.

"Oh, my god," you murmured, slow and smug, realisation dawning on your face.

Theo exhaled sharply, his stomach twisting as he tried to force his expression into something impassive, something cool, something...unaffected. In short, he tried attempting what was an impossible feat when your very features were enough to leave him dizzy.

A wicked smile unfurled across your face. He wasn’t getting out of this alive, was he?

"Do you not know how to talk?" you demanded, eyes glittering with suppressed mirth. "Is this your first day on planet Earth?"

Theo clenched his jaw, crossing his arms in a futile attempt to feign indifference. "Shut up."

You refused to let up. "No, really. What was that? You looked - what? What do I look like, Theo? Enlighten me."

He forced himself to roll his eyes as his fingers curled into his sleeves. "You’re insufferable."

"J-j-j-j - " You stuttered mockingly, eyes alight with mischief. "What are you, an idiot? Does your tongue need rewiring?"

Theo should’ve turned away, should’ve thrown himself onto the couch and forced himself to think about literally anything else. But he couldn’t help it.

He watched you - watched the way you grinned to yourself, watched the way your fingers twisted in the fabric of your damp clothes, watched the way you were so completely and utterly oblivious to the way you made his mind unravel.

It wasn’t just attraction. It wasn’t just the heat in his chest or the feeling in his bones or the fact that his name sounded so damn good dripping off your honeyed lips while you teased him.

It was everything.

It was the way you filled every empty space like you belonged there, like you’d always belonged there. It was the way your laughter lived in his head rent-free, the way you made even the most infuriating drivel you spouted feel like something he couldn't bear to go without. It was the fact that no matter how much you poked and prodded, no matter how ruthlessly or relentlessly you mocked him - he still wanted you. Desperately.

He should be embarrassed. The Theo of a few years ago would have been - would’ve burned with the humiliation, would’ve clenched his fists at the reminder of all the times he’d stood in front of his father, struggling to string together a coherent sentence under the weight of that unimpressed gaze.

But you were different. He could hear it in your voice, buried beneath the teasing - the unmistakable warmth, the absolute delight you took in making fun of him. Not because you wanted to humiliate him, but because it amused you. It endeared him to you. Because you liked getting under his skin.

And, Merlin help him, he liked that you liked it.

"Go on," you continued mockingly, roughly drying your hair with a towel, still oblivious to Theo watching you like you hung the stars and moon. "Careful with the big words, now."

Theo just stood there, staring at you, utterly gone. He wasn’t even trying to school his expression anymore.

When you finally looked up from drying yourself, your teasing faltered ever so slightly at the look in his eyes.

You blinked. “What?”

Theo shook his head, leaning against the wall thoughtfully.

“Nothing.”

You stilled. Because for the first time, you actually noticed. Theo wasn’t scowling. He wasn’t enduring your teasing with quiet exasperation.

He was watching you with something softer - something warmer, something dangerously close to adoration. It lingered in the lines of his face, in the almost-smile playing at his lips, in the flicker of fondness he couldn’t quite suppress fast enough before your eyes met his.

You stared back, speechless. Theo swallowed, tearing his gaze away, turning sharply as if shaking himself out of it.

"You should dry off before you actually get sick," he muttered, forcing his voice into something steady.

You stared at him for half a second longer, something unreadable in your expression.

"Right," you finally said, clearing your throat.

Neither of you acknowledged the moment for what it was. But the resurgence of Theo's stutter remained a secret kept only between the two of you.

[suguboos]

USED TO BE MY GIRL

getting stuck baby catsitting a high maintenance ball of fur wasn't how you planned on spending your saturday. and then your ex shows up for the same thing. yay!

FEATURING: ex boyfriend! gojo satoru x fem reader

CONTENTS: 18+ content, MDNI. non canon compliant/au (he’s a ceo), kinda angsty at first but gets pretty silly :p, he’s kind of an idiot sorry, ex sex, unprotected p in v, kinda pathetic gojo, body worship, nipple play, panty-sniffing + panty taking (?), cunnilingus + fingering, missionary, hair pulling (m receiving), belly bulge mention, some aftercare

WORD COUNT: 6.4k

AUTHOR’S NOTE: over two months later here it is ^.^ anyways, forst time (solely) writing for this white haired freak so lmk ur thots 🥸

@aquasoftware here it isss, hope you enjoy bae :3

“we should break up.”

when you’d spent nearly an hour and half in the shower prior to this date and another hour getting ready, the last thing that you would’ve imagined was that you were getting dumped. publicly.

fairy lights illuminated the dark sky, soft jazz playing throughout the restaurant’s speakers out into the balcony—a simple quiet evening where you and satoru had been having a pleasant dinner date.

you could practically hear your tiktok swirling down the drain—is he going to propose or he just…?

setting down the the glass of water you had in hand, you turned to look over at him just to make sure you’d heard him right, “you want to break up.”

the entirety of your relationship came flashing to the forefront of your mind along with questions that you weren’t even sure you wanted the answer to. how long had he been thinking about this breakup?

and just what was so unforgivable that he didn’t deem this relationship worth it anymore? you began relaying all the little things the two of you bickered about—like dirty dishes in the sink, socks scattered in the hallway, or picking out where to go eat.

all the little arguments that somehow seemed all too big at the moment. but surely those didn’t warrant a breakup of all things, right?

“well no, i don’t want to break up,” he stared at anything and everything but you, paying more attention to the flower bed situated beside you, “but we don’t have enough time to put into this relationship.”

“you mean you don’t want to put enough time into this relationship,” you stated plainly, folding your arms across your chest.

case in point, the two of you had finally come out to dinner after multiple ‘i can’t make it, sweet cheeks’ or ‘can we reschedule? i’ll make it up to you, princess, i promise.’

“to-satoru,” you were quick to correct yourself and fuck, that stung more than it was probably supposed to—he couldn’t even begin to remember the last time he wasn’t your toru—“we’ve been making it work so far, we can keep trying to make it work.”

the moment that satoru looked up at you, you already knew. it was practically engraved all over his face—he didn’t want to make it work, all that he was doing was simply announcing the break up to you.

“i love you,” he spoke up after a couple seconds, like that had the answer to everything, “and i don’t want you to end up hating me because this relationship will never be a priority to me. not as much as my family’s business.”

you sat there in complete silence, barely registering when the waitstaff had placed your food in front of you. food that you didn’t even have an appetite for anymore—despite wanting to try out the restaurant for a few months now. “so if this relationship wasn’t a priority to you, what was it?”

satoru tried to find the words to speak but before he could get a word in, you continued, “and if you knew, if you fucking knew—” your voice cracked, “—then why even bother in the first place? why even bother making me fall in love with you?”

each moment of silence that lingered in the air gnawed at your mind, each second that you waited for some explanation to come. “i’m sorry,” gojo reached over to take your hand, an action that you quickly rejected. you pulled your hand away, hastily getting out of your chair.

“you’re not giving me an answer, just half assed responses,” a bitter laugh left your lips, “just answer me one question, please. when did you decide this relationship just.. wasn’t worth it? that i wasn’t worth it anymore?”

“you will always be worth it to me, but—” gojo spoke up, avoiding your gaze all the while. an action that made your eye twitch—wanting to shake him by his shoulders and make him give you an answer. instead, you settled for tightening your grip around your purse.

“—but sukuna co.’s basically starting a war between the two companies, stealing away our biggest clients and investors alike. i don’t have the time to be with you. like i said, i don’t want you to hate me.”

a scoff threatened to leave your lips, tears threatening to spill with each blink you took. when he finally looked at you is that you finally spoke, “it’s a little too late for that. but fine, since you���re adamant on throwing away our relationship—we’re done. have ijichi take the stuff i left at your place to my apartment sometime in the week. i never want to see you again.”

the unfinished piece of steak you’d ordered a few minutes prior sat on the table, the only reminder that you’d ever been here in the first place. well that and the aching feeling of regret settling deep within his very bones with each step you took further away from him.

gojo satoru was a truly hopeless man.

every single thing about you consumed his every thought like an unrelenting parasite every single day, every single hour, and every single minute. he’d resorted to having one of your shirts next to him, the scent of the perfume he loved so much lulling him to sleep at late hours of the night.

and it worked for the most part. but the fantasy dissipated the moment his fingertips reached out to grab you, to hold you, only to find nothing but cold sheets and the sheer feeling of utter regret.

waking up to find your coffee mug sitting on the counter where you’d usually be leaning up against, finding himself torn between wanting to store it away in the depths of his cabinet or keep it there just in case. just in case, in the odd chance, that you’d come back to him. that he’d wake up and his stupidity was just a dream.

and usually, the latter ended up winning. the coffee mug remained in its rightful spot, stuck in time. stuck in memories of simple morning bliss.

then he found himself thinking what even was the point of having all this ‘extra’ time to himself when he couldn’t bring himself to focus in on any meetings? when all that came to mind when he filled out another report from the heavy paper stack was the look on your face.

and so, here he was begging shoko for just an opportunity to talk to you again.

after countless attempts of trying to send you extravagant bouquets of roses and cashapp requests in the thousands just begging to be unblocked. you usually accepted the money, leaving him blocked regardless.

satoru would take that as a good thing, at the very least.

“sho, pleaseee,” a loud whine left his lips, attracting some attention from those passing by. not that it necessarily mattered; he would get on his knees if deemed necessary.

“weren’t you the one who dumped her? in public, too?” shoko raised a brow, taking an obnoxious sip from her coffee.

gojo let out an offended scoff, “sho, you’re missing the point. yeah, i made a tiny little mistake but i’m trying to fix it.”

shoko simply took another sip of the black coffee in hand, giving him a quizzical look, “disregarding everything i just said, somehow you think my cat’s the answer to your problems.”

“well duh, that’s what i’ve been trying to tell you. all we need is like five minutes together and it’ll be like the breakup didn’t happen,” satoru responded, taking his own obnoxious sip of the overly sweet concoction he called an ice coffee.

(a drink rumored by baristas to have the capacity to put a victorian child in the hospital)

she set her cup down, folding her arms across her chest as she faced him. a clear sign that she was about to go on a spiel about how utterly ridiculous this whole idea was. so, naturally, gojo took out his wallet, handing her a couple hundred bills as if he were handing out flyers, “please.”

shoko took the money in hand, flipping over through the bills before letting out a reluctant sigh. “you’re forgetting to include the lying and deception fee. she’s my friend, y’know.”

“fine, i’ll message her. it’s not on me if it doesn’t work out, though.”

satoru let out a quiet hum, adding in as an afterthought, “hey, silly question, haha, but you don’t happen to know if she maybe kept the flowers?”

shoko didn’t find the same amusement, staring at him blankly, “she gave them all away.”

he nearly choked on a sip from his coffee, nearly knocking his drink off the table, “all of them?! she didn’t keep a singular rose? a petal? anything!?”

passersby looked over at the table upon his little outburst yet again, having shoko hide her face behind the menu. “keep. it. down. and no, i think she mentioned smacking the vase over your head if you kept sending them actually.”

gojo quickly came to realize that maybe, just maybe, there was the odd chance that he’d need more than five minutes.

but at least step one of his plan was complete.

now to see if you’d actually show up.

“hey, sorry i’m late,” you gave shoko an apologetic smile when she opened the door,

“it’s fine, you’re not that late. i have something to tell you, though.”

you stepped foot into her apartment, leaving your shoes at the door before dropping your bag off at the kitchen counter. “yeah, what’s up?”

“so, you’re not actually babysitting her alo-” shoko barely managed to get that out without grimacing before you heard a grating voice behind you, a voice you were hoping to never hear again, “pooks, what a silly coincidence.”

you simply looked at shoko with a pleading expression, begging for this to be a joke. all you received in response was a slight grimace, her own version of an apologetic look on her face, “i wasn’t actually expecting him to show up, i’m sorry.”

gojo came up behind you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders for a split second before you pushed it off. and he had the audacity to look at you with his arms raised in defense, “okay, okay, jeez. but at least we’ll both be babysitting the little maniac.” like that was supposed to be any reassurance.

“more like i’ll be stuck babysitting two maniacs,” your response came out immediately, and much to your annoyance, it only made satoru’s grin spread even further.

“always so charming, princess.”

“i’ll be right back. try not to kill each other,” shoko called out, disappearing up the stairs and leaving you alone with gojo. exactly how you planned on spending your saturday off.

“so you didn’t have enough time for a relationship but you have enough time to catsit,” you finally turned to look around at him with a glare on your face, and damn. he’d even made time to hit the gym more often, biceps straining against the tight material of his black compression shirt.

it would’ve made you practically drool if you hadn’t gotten pissed all over again—he had the time for everything else but you, clearly. you quickly averted your gaze, staring at shoko’s home decor with a newfound curiosity.

“how could i give up the opportunity to catsit this little cutie? she loves me,” satoru had a cocky grin when he spoke, walking over to the cat and patting her head. a cocky grin that quickly morphed into an overexaggerated frown.

if the cat loved him—she certainly didn’t show it now. purrsephone hissed in retaliation, flicking her fluffy white tail against his arm when she turned to face the wall. “can really feel the love,” you deadpanned, making yourself at home on the couch.

satoru took that as an opportunity, plopping his bony ass next to you and wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “you’ll see, she’ll get used to me,” he remarked, making a point to flex his arm against you.

you shoved his arm away, inching away from gojo until you reached the end of the couch. “just because we’re stuck in the confines of these four walls for the next night doesn’t mean we have to get along.”

gojo wasn’t exactly sure if it was the disgust on your face or the fact that you were acknowledging him for once—but he found himself getting turned on regardless.

“so let’s just focus on keeping the cat alive for—blah blah blah proper name place name backstory stuff,” satoru found himself nodding along, staring mindlessly at your pretty face, “i’m so pretty, i like you. but im angry with you for some reason.”

you snapped your fingers in front of his face when you saw a bit of drool start to leak out from the corner of his lip, letting out an annoyed grunt, “you didn’t listen to anything i said, did you?”

“absolutely not, princess.”

shoko walked over to the extensive cat tree, picking up the white ball of fluff from her resting spot and placing her against her chest. “if the two idiots don’t feed you, i give you full consent to scratch their eyes out,” she cooed, letting the cat rub up against her shamelessly.

somehow, you didn’t doubt that she was being 100% serious either.

the second shoko dropped purrsephone back onto the cat tree to get her suitcase, the cat was already glaring at the two of you again. definitely loathing this idea more than yourself.

“alright, have fun. there’s a to-do list of sorts on my nightstand and if there’s anything else, just call me,” shoko called out, leaving for her medical convention. (ie: a bunch of show offs grouped together with an open bar)

purrsephone looked over at shoko with each step she took, letting out a pitiful meow before making her way down the cat tree. she hopped onto the couch, walking over satoru’s lap in circles before laying down in a ball.

"see? told you the cat just had to warm up to me," gojo began stroking through her fur, sticking his tongue out to you. the moment hadn't lasted for more than a minute—purrsephone had chosen to use his designer pants as her scratch post, digging her tiny razor sharp claws into his thighs.

“ow-ow-OW! let go, you little gremlin!” satoru let out a loud hiss, moving to pull the cat’s claws off his pants. she remained unmoving, practically attached to him now. purrsephone simply looked over at him like he was the inconvenience.

“meow.”

“please?”

“meow.”

a low huff left your lips, standing up from your spot on the couch. “alright, while you go deal with that situation, i’m gonna go see where the list is,” you approached the stairs, hastily stopping in your steps to look back at the two, “don’t mess this place up, please.”

picking up the scribbled note when you approached the nightstand, you began skimming through the contents—

shoko’s 101 guide to taking care of purrsephone

1) only eats 1/2 of a cup between 2pm-5pm

2) she only falls asleep after a warm glass of milk and singing her a lullaby (she’s really into twinkle twinkle little star)

before you could continue reading the list of demands, you heard a loud CRASH echoing through the living room up until it met your ears. “ah fuck,” you could barely pick up gojo’s complaint, taking a deep breath to brace yourself. it couldn’t be that bad, right? you’d only left for a minute or two.

wrong.

you walked downstairs to find the living room a complete mess, from cat litter sticking to the floors up to the couch and somehow even the walls to cat droplets trailing a little path around the expanse of the coffee table. you walked closer to gojo, practically in his face and digging a finger against his chest,

"you just can't do anything right, can you? i swear, it's like it goes in one ear and ou-" your complaints were quickly shut down, his lips pressing against your own before you could even muster what was happening. 

every single atom in your body was screaming to push him away, not to do this. again. but instead of doing just that, your fingers dug into his shirt and pulled him all that much closer.

kissing him felt all too familiar—a practiced dance you hadn’t quite managed to forget all the moves to. “be mad at me later, just.. let me have this please,” he pleaded, pressing his forehead against your own.

and you were certain that the man had done witchcraft, gotten some spell from a witch on etsy that’d been activated with the kiss, because somehow, someway, you found yourself nodding.

satoru hooked his fingers underneath your thighs, squeezing the supple flesh once while he made his way up the stairs. “mmph, fuck, i missed you baby,” he let out a quiet moan against your lips.

“shut it,” was your response, nibbling down on his bottom lip. your nails raked through his hair, tugging at the strands when you pulled him closer.

“yes ma’am,” satoru breathed out, lightly opening up the guest door on the far edge of the hallway. closing the door behind him, he walked over to the queen sized bed in the middle of the room before gently placing you down.

every second was savored—not willing himself to stay away from you for too long. he was hovering above you in a matter of seconds, holding your chin in between your fingers, “can i?”

once again, every thought in your mind was telling you to push him away. to remember how little he made you feel. “yes,” your mouth had a mind of its own, answering him before you thought better of it.

satoru let out a sigh, tilting your head to meet his gaze. “are you sure? i want you to want me. to want this as much as i do.”

you shook your head, reaching up and pressing your palm against his cheek. he was like a pathetic puppy, rubbing against your touch. “i do want it, toru. i want you.”

his touch was careful, almost like unraveling an expensive gift he didn’t quite want to ruin the wrapping of. a strangled breath left him upon seeing your lingerie, cerulean and lace framing your body in the best damn present he’d opened.

a cerulean blue that was too similar to his eye color—too much for him to deem as a coincidence.

looking over at you in disbelief, he asked, “when’d you make the switch to agent provocateur?”

you raised a brow at how quickly he recognized the material—deciding to leave it be though, “ever since i had seven grand to blow from a veryyy generous donor last week.”

satoru let out a quiet scoff, tracing the outline of the lace on your bra with the tip of his finger. his thumb barely circled against your clothed nipple, a featherlight touch, “and just who were you planning on showing this pretty set to?”

“wouldn’t you like to know weather boy?” a scoff of your own left your lips, rolling your eyes. but he was already in his own little world by now.

satoru had been deprived of the taste of you for months now—the very feeling of your skin underneath his fingertips nearly having him break out in a moan.

every nerve in his brain seemed to go haywire when he pressed his lips against your neck, the lingering scent of your perfume intoxicating whatever brain cells remained in that big noggin.

"did you just moan?" you raised your head as you looked down at him. never mind, not almost.

“you taste and smell good, what did you expect?” he licked a stripe down your neck, reaching your collarbone. gojo gently pulled the skin in between his teeth, sucking at the flesh. determined to leave a mark—even if you’d just have him for today.

each kiss trailed lower and lower down until he got to your shoulder, unable to resist the urge of snapping your bra strap. before you had the chance to glare at him, he reached for your back—unclasping the hooks and tossing your $300 bra to the floor.

you nearly winced.

“there’s my girls,” satoru took one of your breasts in his mouth, swirling his tongue around your nipple, “my favorite girls. missed them too, missed everything about you, baby.”

one of his large hands engulfed your other breast, rolling his thumb against your areola while he mindlessly sucked on the one in his mouth. “there you go. arch your back for me, sweetheart,” a groan left his lips, slipping his knee in between your legs to keep them open.

satoru alternated between each breast, giving each equal attention. leaving your nipples hard and covered in his spit. “so pretty,” he whispered in awe, giving each a farewell kiss.

he made his way down to your navel, pressing chaste kisses to whatever skin he had access to. kissing everywhere but where you needed him most—where he was rubbing his knee against.

you almost expected him to pounce up at the first opportunity, but instead, he settled by the foot of the bed. his touch featherlight as he dragged his fingers from your ankle to your calf, eliciting goosebumps down your spine in his wake.

“i’m sorry,” satoru started off, pressing his lips against your right calf before moving on to the left. “never wanted to make you cry, baby,” he continued, kissing his way up your leg.

not a single inch of your body went untouched by his lips before he moved up, hooking his fingers into the waistband of your panties. you raised your hips, letting him slide them down your legs.

he looked up at you with puppy eyes, holding the slick-covered panties you in his hand. a silent request.

your eyes narrowed, “no. you’re not keeping those.”

satoru let out a whine, bringing your panties up to his nose. taking an audible whiff and closing his eyes, practically relishing in the lace. “oh come on, i’m the one who got you these, technically.”

“generous donor, since we’re getting technical,” you shrugged, “put the merchandise down on the floor.”

“i’ll get you ten more. twenty, if that’s what you want. just let me keep these,” he spoke quickly, watching the way your eyes practically turned into money signs. “and maybe if you just show them off to me.”

he’d already spent over seven grand, what was a couple more thousand?

you looked at the pair in his hand, before shrugging, “i’ll be generous and only ask for fifteen.”

satoru quickly pocketed your panties, kissing up your thigh. “the most generous,” he mused, nibbling on your inner thigh. his hands spread your legs out, presenting to him like one of the finest meals.

and he was more than ready to feast.

he leaned forward, swiping his tongue in between your folds. your fingers ran through his hair again, gripping his hair tightly. or at least.. you thought your grip was tight. it was hard to tell when satoru moaned regardless, sucking on your folds.

“so good, so good, use me, i’m all yours, always been,” just one taste of you again was enough to have him pussy drunk, babbling against your cunt. you pushed his head further into your cunt, swiveling your hips against his eager tongue, “yeah, yeah, just like that, don’t stop.”

you looked over to see satoru laying down on his stomach, completely at bliss slurping and sucking at your cunt with his feet swinging back and forth. if his mouth and hands weren’t busy, you had no doubt that he’d be twirling his hair and giggling.

“come onnn, let me know how i’m good i’m making you feel,” he pouted as he looked up at you with half-lidded eyes, his lips glossed over with your slick.

"fuck you," you bit down on your lip, gritting the words out in an attempt to keep any moans at bay.

"aht, aht, that's my job, cutie. and first, you gotta tell me what you want," satoru gave your thigh a loud smooch, his fingertips tracing your folds and barely dipping inside of your dripping cunt before he’d pull away. only to repeat it again.

in a moment of weakness, you found yourself relenting, “your fingers, toru. please,” it came out low, barely enough for his ears to register. and almost like clockwork, he took that opportunity to tease you further.

“what was that, baby? couldn’t really hear you,” he retorted, clicking his tongue. when you went to open your mouth, he pushed his fingers inside of your cunt. the loud squelch cutting you off completely.

“your. fingers,” you gritted out, your request coming out louder, “please.”

he pushed his fingers inside of you yet again, bringing them to his lips and swirling his tongue around them, “please what?” another tease.

“please, toru. i want your fingers,” a low whine was evident in your voice.

“there we go, baby. that wasn’t so hard, hm?” his fingers thrusted inside of you once more, curling in a come hither motion.

satoru closed his lips around your puffy clit, sucking on it before swirling his tongue. he started with drawing small circles on your nub, before your brows furrowed.

he was using your damn clit as a writing board.

the tip of his tongue carefully spelled each letter,

‘I. LOVE. YOU.’

“seriously?” it came out shakier than you would’ve liked, little gasps and unsteady breaths leaving your lips.

“mhm,” he didn’t bother on elaborating further, covering your clit in his spit as he sucked. the curl of his fingers hit that spot inside of you with each thrust, his fingers thrusting deeper than even some of your toys.

“ah ah, fuck!” you let out a moan, hips bucking into his face to meet his tongue frantically. “don’t stop, don’t stop, just like that,” each swipe and thrust brought you closer and closer, your back nearly off the mattress.

satoru simply shook his head, swiping his tongue back and forth. the idea was simply absurd—that he was even capable of thinking to stop. “not gonna stop, baby. just wanna keep tasting you,” he responded, swinging his feet back and forth again in sync with his thrusts.

you weren’t sure if you hated him or you wanted to fuck him even more. maybe a little of both.

that familiar coil tightened in your lower stomach, your nails practically digging into his scalp in response. “ah fuck, yeah, dig them in there, i can take it, i can take it,” satoru was reduced to a babbling mess yet again, each whine vibrating against your clit.

“i’m close, i’m close, gonna cum,” your moans had him pushing his hips into the mattress, seeking anything to relief his aching cock. but—this wasn’t about him. it was about you first. “come for me, baby, take what you need.”

the coil inside of you snapped, your orgasm hitting you at once. your hips stilled, your release coating his fingers and spilling out onto the bedsheets underneath. he sucked his fingers, cleaning up every. single. last. dribble.

gojo wasted no time in unzipping his pants, sliding them down along with his boxers. freed from its confines, his cock sprung up against his stomach. pink tip twitching and all—dripping drop after drop of precum.

wrapping a hand around the base, he swiped the tip against your folds. much like he’d be swiping his card later. up and down, letting your slick coat the head before he slowly pushed it inside. pushing against that initial resistance.

“biggg stretch, there we go,” a hiss escaped from his lips, feeling your walls squeeze against him tightly. he had to close his eyes, refusing to look down at you. he knew that if he did, that would be all it would take for him to bust.

satoru placed your legs on his shoulders, slowly starting to move his hips forward. pushing inch by inch inside with each thrust, up until he could see his tip bulging in your lower tummy.

“toru?” your voice broke him out of the trance, hazy blues meeting your own glazed over gaze.

“yes, baby?”

“you think maybe, just maybe, you could go a little faster?”

satoru broke out into a cheshire like grin, making you instantly regret your ask, “anything for you, my princess.”

*PLAP* *PLAP* *PLAP*

the sound of your skin slapping against his own, the sound of your moans and his shaky breaths filled the room, mixing in with the heavy stench of sex. satoru’s grip on your thighs tightened, his fingers digging into you while he used your cunt how he pleased.

“that fast enough for you, baby?” satoru taunted, a smirk on his face. the sight in front of him was nothing short of perfect—from the way your jaw fell taut, drool leaking out from the corner of your lips with each punishing thrust. all the way down to the way your tits bounced, each bounce nearly putting him in a hypnosis.

“yes yes, fuck!” your hands dug into the bedsheets underneath as a lifeline, something to cling onto. you could even feel the slight curve to the left, each vein grazing your walls.

“y-yeah? finally good enough for you?” you could only nod in response, his cock drilling out every thought. your walls squeezed around him, toes curling against his back. you didn’t have to give him any warning this time—he simply knew.

“so good, so good,” you babbled like a broken record, his dick hitting your g-spot with such ease it had you wondering why you’d ever accepted the breakup.

“suck for me,” satoru prodded his thumb against your bottom lip. you instinctively parted your lips, swirling your tongue around it and sucking on it. all while keeping your eyes on him. he could’ve sworn you were trying to kill him now.

you released with a pop, his thumb glistening with your saliva. “ah fuck! keep going, keep going!” satoru rubbed quick circles against your clit, his own thrusts starting to grow sloppier and sloppier. heavy balls smacked against your ass with each push of his hips, one of his feet propped up against the mattress for an angle that had your eyes rolling back.

“t-toru! make me cum, please, please!” you whined, nails scraping against the cotton bedsheets. your walls clenched against him tightly, milking his cock, before your orgasm washed over you like a wave.

your release coated his shaft, your cunt squelching as he fucked you towards his own orgasm. he was close, so so close, but the man needed one more push. “tell me you love me, please,” his voice came out ragged, “i need you to tell me.”

“i love you, toru,” his name had never sounded so good, so sweet before. the quiet whisper of your admission was all it took to push him from the edge. a low groan left his lips, spurt after spurt of cum dripping inside of you. painting your walls white, pooling where he and you were still connected.

satoru pulled out carefully, the mixture of fluids dripping from his softening shaft onto the cotton bedsheets underneath. at least he’d been smart enough to use the guest room. “stay here, i’ll be right back with something to clean you off.”

he came back into the room with a wet hand towel from the guest bathroom, gently cleaning in between your legs. wiping away at the cum dripping down your legs, staining your thighs. “there we go, how are you feeling? you need water?” satoru tossed the towel to the side, pulling his pants back up.

“no, thank you. but you’re cleaning up the cat shit downstairs by the way,” you pulled the covers over your nude body, turning your back over to him. satoru let out a whine, kneeling over on the bed, “you’re not serious.”

kiss. kiss. he pressed his lips gently from your exposed shoulder blade up to your neck, his mouth ghosting over your ear when he finished. “please, baby?” he whispered, the proximity of it all making a shiver run down your spine.

a shiver that you concealed by pulling the cover tighter around your body, turning your head away from him. “no. you made the mess.”

gojo reluctantly made his way downstairs, picking up a broom for what seemed to be the first time in his life before he started to awkwardly sweep the floor. trying and failing to scoop it up in the dust pan. trying to mimic what he’d seen from one of the maids.

even the cat had woken up from her nap, staring daggers into him with beady emerald eyes. despite him feeding her just a couple minutes beforehand and trying to appease her with extra treats (the cat was not appeased). like she knew what had just taken place upstairs.

“don’t look at me like that, i’ll give you more,” satoru pouted when the cat continued to glare holes into him, possibly definitely plotting out his murder when he went to sleep tonight, “please.”

eventually, after 9 minutes of trying (and failing) to mop up the place, he broke down. he dialed shoko’s number like second nature, hoping to every entity she wasn’t completely drunk off her ass. or passed out. or both.

“heyyyyy, how you doing?” shoko slurred into the phone. at least she was coherent enough to respond. phew.

“things are fine. but…” satoru took a deep breath, bracing himself for the inevitable teasing he’d get, “—how do you use a broom?” the words left him in a whisper, akin to a deeply guarded shame. maybe it was.

“come again?”

he had to take another deep breath, letting out a quiet groan before repeating himself, “i’m asking you for help on using a broom.”

one second passed.

two seconds passed.

he almost had the hope that shoko wouldn’t react.

a hope that quickly died out when shoko burst out into boisterous cackles, managing to get out a broken, “you don’t know how to use one at almost thirty?”

satoru folded his arms with a petulant pout on his face, tapping his foot against the floor while he waited for shoko to get her laugh in. “no. can you just help me? your cat’s glaring at me.”

it was almost pitiful the way he clung onto every word shoko was telling him, finishing up what should’ve been a thirty minute job in an hour. he leaned back against the couch cushion, wiping nonexistent sweat from his forehead.

“how do you people do this everyday?” he let out a scoff, taking a moment to admire his surroundings. squeaky clean. absolutely no streaks on the floor (maybe a couple on the wall—they didn’t count.)

he could practically hear shoko’s eyeroll, a grunt leaving her lips, “dunno, probably by not depending on maids or whatever.”

“touché, yeah. but if you had a maid, the opportunity to babysit with my girlfriend wouldn’t have happened.”

“speaking of babysitting. sooo, how’d it go?” shoko mused from the other line, her words starting to slur together. seemingly more drunk than when the conversation first started.

satoru giggled, giggled into the phone, “oh, we’re so getting back together. it only took her like one glance and she was already soo whipped.”

“uh-huh,” and despite shoko’s obvious disinterest in the conversation, satoru continued to talk her ear out, “no, no, but i’m telling you. she wants me so bad, i swear. she practically jumped my bones.”

after nearly 20 ‘uh-huh’s’ and 15 ‘that’s crazy’s’ from shoko, he decided to hang up and go back to bed. a small smile formed on his face upon seeing you still asleep, trying to carefully tip toe his way into the opposite side of the bed.

“did i wear you out, baby?” he poked the side of your cheek when you finally stirred, propping himself up on a elbow. despite the stupid grin on his face, he couldn’t hide the sheer adoration in his eyes.

not when he stared at you like you were an expensive painting, something to be admired. scratch that—someone that he wouldn’t mind admiring if given the opportunity to.

“no, never that,” you let out a stifled yawn, rubbing your eyes. a clear indicator that he did, indeed, wear you out.

satoru let out a small snicker, nodding along before wrapping an arm around your torso. bracing himself for the moment that you’d push him away like before. much to his surprise, you didn’t.

you welcomed the cuddling—much to your tired state, scooting closer to where he was laying down.

and satoru didn’t find himself minding cleaning up cat shit again if it meant getting to hold you like this. to have you mold against him like a missing puzzle piece.

though granted, he’d like to avoid cleaning up cat shit for as long as possible.

you wrapped an arm around him, resting your head against his chest in your sleep. “i love you,” he whispered, lightly pressing his lips against your shoulder blade.

“just because we fucked doesn’t mean we’re getting back together. an i’m sorry and a couple thongs won’t fix what you said,” you muttered in your half asleep state. despite your words, you let him engulf you into his own version of a human blanket and entangle his limbs in every possible crevice.

“i know, i know. that’s why i sent the flowers too,” at the glare he’d grown so used to seeing directed his way, he decided to shut up, “okay, i’m sorry. i’ll try to show you better, i promise.” just being with you like this, holding you close against him was enough to ease the pain he’d felt the last couple months.

your embrace allowed him to find his home again, a home that he wasn’t sure he wanted to give up again when morning came. “and if you still don’t want me, just let me love you, sweets. doesn’t matter if you never wanna see me again,” he whispered, noticing a faint smile on your lips. gone as quickly as it’d appeared.

maybe gojo satoru wasn’t such a hopeless man.

[laufeysvalentine]

cat's out the bag

spencer reid x fem!reader | masterlist

summary ༄ spencer reid x secret relationship!reader — in which members of the bau go out for dinner and see spencer with... a girl?

early seasons spencer, twilight & ariana grande references for some reason (i don't even listen to her), reader sits on spencer's lap, disgustingly cute but mostly disgusting

word count ༄ 2k

nora’s notes ༄ my first spencer reid fic + a new writing style. this may be a complete disaster 💖

Spencer’s in the middle of finishing up a reread of a Sherlock Holmes installment and packing up from work when the clomping of two pairs of shoes ruins his peace. 

“Morning, genius,” one of the voices says, bubbling with sweetness in just a way he knows exactly who it is without having to look at the two shadows that enter his vision, blocking the light. 

“It’s almost evening. In fact, it’s been six hours, thirty-four minutes, and eighteen seconds since morning,” he mutters, flicking the page over. “Now, move. I can’t see.” 

“No, you’ve been in a funk all week and we’re going to get you out of it,” Garcia sing-songs, taking his book hostage. She looks the opposite of how he has the past week–put together, with a perfect outfit, as always. “I don’t care why you’ve been a grump, only that you come out with us tonight, yeah? You don’t have to drink, just hang out.” 

He looks up, reluctance prodding his expression. Garcia and Derek are side-to-side, arms crossed, looking down at him. Yeah, nope. “I’m busy tonight.” 

“With?” Derek raises an eyebrow. “You got a date, pretty boy?” 

“I’m meeting with a friend who’s been out-of-town.” He responds, reaching out for his book. “Okay, Dad?” 

“Seriously, Reid?” JJ chimes in from behind the other two. “Come out with us.” 

“I’m busy. I would say I was sorry, but I’m not. 1 in 8 people apologize at least twenty times a day. 43% of people regularly apologize during a situation in which they are not at fault–” Spencer begins as he turns away from them to collect his things. 

“Yeah, that’s enough. Getting Hotch to come was hard enough, I’ll call it quits while I still can. See you tomorrow, Reid.” JJ turns on her heel and walks back towards her own desk.

“I’ll see you two tomorrow too.” He nods and passes them on his way out. “Bye.” 

Garcia looks at Derek, her eyebrows cocked. “Well, then.” 

“Guess it’ll just be you and me, baby girl,” he teases, heading to walk back to his desk. 

“Just the way I like it.” Her heels nip the back of his shoes as she chases after him. “Even though JJ and Hotch will be there too.” 

“They can watch.” 

— 

“When’s Hotch getting here?” JJ drums her fingers on the side of her glass, tilting her head up. The restaurant they’re in is loud and crowded, the three of them squished into a booth clearly meant for two, all having glasses of what the waitress described as “fun, flirty drinks” cradled in their hands. Garcia’s stirring some kind of electric pink concoction with an equally pink umbrella when a throat clears. 

“I’m here,” their boss says, sliding into the booth next to them. His eyebrows furrow–well, maybe that’s just his resting face, they can’t really tell–as he glances at the drink in Derek’s hands. “What exactly is it that you’re drinking?” 

He shrugs, taking a sip. “I think it’s called the Orange Surprise. Not that there’s anything surprising about it–or this place, at all, really. I mean, look around. And this just tastes like–” 

“Wait,” Garcia interrupts, eyes on something behind him. She whips off her glasses, rubbing them furiously on her shirt before her jaw drops and she begins to stand in her seat. “Is it just me or is that Reid over there with a girl? A gorgeous girl at that?” 

As soon as she finishes her sentence, three more heads whip around to her line of vision, shock pulling at their faces. Even Hotch looks mildly surprised. 

From their vantage point in the restaurant, they can see Spencer’s side profile as he stares at a girl across the table from him–you, looking magnificent, even in the dingy, uneven bar lighting. Your elbows are on the table, face cradled by your hands as you stare up at him. The love shining out of your face--lips parted with intrigue as you listen, eyes soft, cheeks relaxed--is sickeningly lovely. And even at first glance, a table full of profilers can tell just how much you care about him–enough to reach across the table and smooth down an untidy lapel, enough to listen raptly as the words begin spilling out of him in a ramble, to smile at him with a kind of learned tenderness you only get from knowing someone with incredible intimacy and just time. 

“Oh. My. God.” She tries to scooch past Derek, who catches her by the hips. 

“Wait, baby girl. I wanna see how this plays out before we interrupt. What if that’s a cousin? I don't know, a friend?” He says, stalling her. She reluctantly sits back in her seat, neck craned. 

“They’re touching,” JJ reports, a gasp falling from her lips. “Reid hates touch.” 

“We can see, JJ,” Derek quips, though his jaw is just as dropped. 

As soon as the boy started rambling, everyone at the table expected you to get up and walk away, or look as bored as they felt listening to him. But you stayed. Your eyes are on his, nodding every so often. They watch as one of your hands wanders to Spencer’s arm, rubbing a circle on the fabric of his button-down. He looks so relaxed in your presence, unlike they’ve ever seen him before. What the hell is happening?

“Please let me go over,” Penelope begs. “I need to know. I need to meet her!” 

“I second it,” JJ echoes. “They’re worse than the two of you, and I didn’t think that was possible with Genius over there.” 

“No, we still don’t know if they’re long-term or first date or what. What if we barge in and they’re just friends?” Derek almost sounds convincing. Almost.

“That is not friendly behavior,” Hotch chimes in. Their attention lasers in on the table in front of them, shock freezing their limbs. You’re pouting, saying something to Spencer–he’s melting in your hands, nodding so much it looks like his head could just screw off any moment now, and you stand. Are you going to leave? Break up? What’s happening? 

You wander to his side of the table, and, in the most disgusting display of PDA ever, you lower yourself onto his lap, hands knitting themselves together behind his neck. And Spencer is sickeningly okay with it, hands traveling to your hips, massaging your pelvic bones as you say something to him. A blush pinches his cheeks–no, it’s like a virus, spreading all over his face as he buries himself into your neck. 

Garcia thinks she heard Derek gag. A giggle escapes you, loud enough to hear from their booth. From across the restaurant.  

“Okay, we’re going over,” he announces, standing from the table. “Even just to break this up. I’m nauseous.” 

“Copy that,” JJ contorts her face, following the group towards them. 

Garcia’s practically skipping ahead, expression both accusatory and giddy as she reaches your table. Her hands slam onto the wood, eyes wide as Spencer rears back, immediately on alert. “Alright, Reid, explain yourself now.” 

“Less dramatic, princess,” Derek whispers to her, nudging her shoulder. 

You cock your head at the quartet. They can all tell you’re mentally scanning them, just as much as they’re doing to you. It takes you a couple moments–and Spencer’s groan as he returns to his previous position nestled on your shoulder–before it clicks who they are. 

You jump up, abandoning Spencer with an embellished gasp. “You must be the BAU!” 

“Minus a few members, yes.” Hotch nods at you, looking the exact picture of what your boyfriend had described. Anyone who didn’t know him wouldn’t be able to peer past the perfectly neutral, bordering on pleasant mask he’s pasted on his face. But that twitch of his lips gives it all away: he knew nothing about you, and mentally his jaw is on the floor. “Pleasure to meet you.” 

“You too…Aaron Hotchner?” You guess, biting your lip. You’re so purely adorable that half of the team is already in love with you. 

He nods, and you smile at all of them. The happiness you’re wearing is so genuine that JJ whispers to Derek, “I think I just got blinded.”

“And you’re Penelope Garcia?” You turn towards her, eyebrows raised. She reaches her hand to shake yours, but you bypass it entirely and go in to wrap your arms firmly around her. She hugs you back, eyes blown up at shock.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe you’ve been keeping her from me this whole time!” She accuses Spencer as you pull back, greeting the other members as well. You hear the surprise in JJ’s laugh as you do the same for her, hug firm and leaking with kindness. 

“I haven’t,” he responds matter-of-factly. He’s resisting the urge to pull you back into him, annoyed at all of his colleagues for stealing your time together. Instead, he shifts to the edge of the seat, legs opening wide in a manspread that would be absolutely disgusting on anyone else. But it fits him. Alarmingly well. “I talk about Y/N all the time.” 

“Y/N’s your girlfriend?” Garcia’s tone borders on a shriek, but in a restaurant as loud as this one, no one notices. “I thought she was your cousin!” 

“Ew, what?” you crinkle your nose just as Spencer echoes your words–“That’s disgusting. But scarily more common than you’d think.” 

“I-I mean, you do talk about her a lot. You’ve just never mentioned her in relation to you before.” She sputters out. Everyone can see the cogs turning in her brain, trying to piece the puzzle together. “I love you already.” 

“He said he wouldn’t talk about us at work,” you agree, letting his arm pull you between his legs, one hand falling to your thigh. “Do you guys want to sit down? Now that the cat’s out of the bag, we should catch up.” 

“Um, yes, absolutely!” Garcia throws her hands into the air, scooching the two of you over so she can fit into the booth. “Now, tell me absolutely everything.” 

You shrug, snug on your boyfriend’s lap while also leaning in to look at her. Both of you sparkle in a way he absolutely adores. “I saw him, I liked him, I wanted him, and I got him.” 

“In the wise words of Ariana Grande,” she nods, words wise and expression stoic.

“Are you an Arianator?” You gasp, hand collapsing onto her hand in excitement. She takes that cue to launch into something Spencer does not at all understand. The other members of the BAU shuffle into the other side of the booth, Derek closest to Spencer and JJ at the end. He almost lets out a laugh seeing Hotch sitting so uncomfortably between them, shoulders drawn up tight as to conserve room, face equally as scrunched.

He opens his mouth to comment, but your fingers interrupt, drumming on his shoulder in excitement. You recap your conversation in a voice no one else can quite hear but him. He nods as you ramble, the opposite of what you were doing for him a few minutes ago. In some ways, you're just like him, but you're also complete opposites in so many others. While he usually hates physical touch, you lean into it, fingers tracing patterns onto his broad back while the sun peeks out of the sky, showering him in a glow that makes him downright angelic. Your other hand creeps to his as you watch him brush his teeth–you love seeing his toothbrush next to yours, there’s something so incredibly romantic about it that you can't describe, something that intertwines the two of you. He’s yours, you’re his. 

He presses his lips to your hair, then behind your hair, inhaling you. You’re perfect for him. So, so perfect. 

“Wow, pretty boy.” Derek shakes his head. “Just when I thought I’d seen everything. I didn’t think you’d be so into PDA.” 

“She was away for a whole week. What do you expect me to do?” He huffs, arm wrapping around your waist. Yes, he still hates handshakes, but for you–well, he is absolutely pathetic. And after having you leave for work? Not seeing you for seven whole days? He would get down on his knees and beg you to hold his hand. To pay him an ounce of attention. God, he is unconditionally and irrevocably in love with you. 

“Greet her like a normal person. Or stay in your apartment,” Morgan advises, only half-joking. 

But Spencer’s no longer paying a shred of attention to anything his co-worker is saying. He’s too absorbed in you, laugh unabashed and tinkling as you discuss something animatedly with JJ and Garcia. You fit so well in his little family, he thinks. You might as well just stay with him forever. 

masterlist

tags @lydiasfalling @cowboylikemac - didn't tag anyone from my other list because it's a diff fandom!

[chaosartic]

Throw away the caution! Part 2 | LN4

word count: roughly 2k

warning: shitty writing, confusing, pinning, mention of alcohol, drinking and getting tipsy/drunk

summary: Lando (annoyingly) has a crush on non other than his best friends younger sister, Y/n Fewtrell. It was his well kept secret. Why? Because he knows how overprotective Max is of you. What happens when Carlos and Oscar find out about it? Will a drunken night out celebrating a race weekend change their relationship?

a/n: I’m so so sorry for the long wait but here it is, the second part! Please still ignore the terrible writing I’m still exploring with my style and such. Check out part one here!

The paddock is already bustling with energy when you and Max walked in. The journalists are trying to get some last minute shots and stories out of everyone. You wouldn’t say that you’re used to cameras being pointed at you or being quizzed by the media. But then again it didn’t surprise you that much when it happened. When Lando joined Formula One some attention also turned to his best friend whenever he was around. And since you normally spend your time during the race weekend with Max, there are some media pictures of you as well.

You stopped a few times along the way to the McLaren garage to talk with some of the drivers that you both know. When you reached the garage, the first one you saw was Oscar. “Hi guys,” he greeted the both of you. “Lando is still in the back,” he mentioned while pointing in the general direction. After a short greeting Max was already on his way to Lando. You however stayed in the front not sure if Lando really wanted you in his driver’s room after all.

“Sooo how do you feel about today?” You ask Oscar. “Excited but nervous,” he admits. “Home races are always… well different with all the fans around. My family is here as well. We’ll see how it goes,” Oscar confesses, getting slightly red around his cheeks. The younger McLaren driver was a bit nervous. At that moment Carlos decided to step up to the two of you. “Morning Carlos,” you greet him. “How was Sydney?” You ask, having just recently seen the pictures of him and Alex there. “It was good. How about your flight? Heard you arrived yesterday,” he said curiously.

“Same old, still don’t like the long flights,” you mention, Carlos knowing from previous conversations about your hate towards long distance flights. “But I’m very happy to be here for the full three days for a change.” You quickly add, gaze drifting towards the garage to see if your brother or Lando were back in the front. “I’ll go and grab something to drink. Do you want anything?” You ask the drivers but both are shaking their heads, no.

Oscar turns towards Carlos as soon as you are out of hearing range. “Am I imagining this?” he asks the Spaniard, pointing towards where you just went and where Lando is. For a quick second Carlos was confused by the younger driver's question before it clicked. “Oh, that. I’m honestly surprised that you mentioned it. And I mean the feelings are there you know from his side at least.” he confesses quietly to the Aussie, his Spanish accent getting stronger the more he tries to keep his voice down. After all, the media didn't need to know about this. “When did Lando tell you?” he asks the Aussie. “He didn’t,” Oscar says. “We spent an evening together at Max’s place. You know just us four and I saw the way he looks at here.” He admits, “he also wouldn’t shut up about her during testing in Bahrain. From what I know they’ve been talking a lot.”

”You don’t happen to know how she feels?” Oscar asks. Both ignore everything that is happening around too caught up in the conversation. “No I don’t,” he says. “I mean we are not that close so I never ask her and she wasn’t around much recently because of her private life.” Carlos adds. Oscar nodes in complete understanding. It would be weird if they just randomly went up to her and asked her about that, or would it? “They would be cute together…” Oscar trails off mid sentence. “Si,” Carlos agrees. They didn’t need to say it out loud, both drivers were on the same page. Try to figure out if you feel the same towards Lando and hopefully, depending on your answer, get the two of you together.

When you came back from getting a drink Carlos and Oscar were gone. Probably busy with preparations. You did spot Max outside casually talking to some McLaren personnel. You look around hoping to spot Lando before the first practice session. But luck wasn’t on your side. When you didn’t see the driver a strange feeling of disappointment overcame you. You could ask your brother if he knows where Lando is. It is the first race weekend after the winter break. Pressure and expectations for the team but especially Lando are at an all time high after the constructors title. Also Lando was the one to invite the both of you to Melbourne. It wouldn’t be suspicious if you ask your brother. At least that’s what you hope. You didn’t need your brother knowing about this strange situation.

“Do you know where Lando is?” You ask your brother, “I want to wish him good luck before the practice session.” “Last time I saw him he was in the garage but I think he went somewhere.” He says a bit unsure, now looking around trying to see if he can spot his best friend. “Oh okay. Well, it’s no trouble. I’ll catch him later,” you dismiss it. The feeling of disappointment only grows within you. It was as if Lando heard his name being called. He suddenly pops up out of nowhere. ”Y/n I’m so happy to have you here,” he exclaimed happily with a bright smile on his face. You know that the smile wasn’t because of you. It couldn't be.

“Just wanted to wish you good luck out there.” You say quickly, giving the Brit a hug. His arms wrap tightly around you for a few seconds before he lets go. Oscar can see the whole scene from a slight distance. The plan he made with Carlos would probably sound more than stupid to anyone else. However Oscar saw your smile when Lando gave you a hug and the slightly disappointed look as soon as he left. You are definitely feeling something for Lando, he was sure of that. And hiding that wasn’t your strong suit.

You spent as much as you could during the whole weekend with Lando. If he wasn't around your brother was mostly there to keep you company. Oscar and Carlos seem to be around her the whole time as well, sometimes directly in conversations and other times in the background. You love spending time with the other drivers so you really didn’t mind them being around.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

He did it! Lando is the first winner of the 2025 season. The race was chaotic to say the least but it was good seeing your friend at the top of the podium. You couldn't be more proud of him. It was a bit after the race and you’re currently out with a few of the drivers at a local bar to celebrate the weekend. The night wouldn’t be too crazy, after all the Chinese GP is right around the corner.

You are sitting at one of the tables with some sort of cocktail in your hand. You're not exactly sure what was in it since it was a recommendation from one of the bartenders. No, you’re not drunk, nor was that the goal, but definitely a bit tipsy. Enough to loosen your tongue. Lando is sitting with you just idly chatting about whatever comes to mind.

”So y/n… can I ask you something a bit more personal?” Lando asks you. “Of course you can sillly,” you answer. “Well… it’s a bit weird but I heard Carlos talking to Oscar the other day about you uhm liking someone and I guess I just wonder who the lucky guy is..” he got out. He definitely had more to drink than you did and was already slipping into being drunk. Before he went out with you he was celebrating the win with this team.

You freeze for a second remembering a conversation you had with Carlos and Oscar on Saturday after qualifying. They came up to you and started asking questions about your relationship with Lando, not so subtly trying to get something out of you. Their goal, trying to see if you like the Brit. You didn’t really say anything to them, but your facial expression probably said more than a thousand words and told them exactly what they needed to know. It also wasn’t just a coincidence that Lando heard both of them talking about it. They planned it at the exact moment, hoping to steal some sort of reaction out of him so that one of you would finally carve in and confess their feelings.

You didn’t know what to say. What could you say to that? Sure you could be honest but that would very likely ruin everything. But you don't like lying, especially to those that are close to you. It was a complicated situation. “I… I honestly don’t know what… uhm what to say,” you stutter out a blush creeping up on your cheeks. Lando tilts his head to the side, eyes open wide and looking directly into yours. It was hard for you in this exact moment to read his body language.

“Is it one of the drivers?” he asks slowly. You just nod your head slightly still deep in your thoughts. Lando slowly and shyly took your hand that wasn’t holding the glass in his. His thumb was drawing small, smoothing circles. He took another long sip of his drink. “Can I confess something?” he asks, eyes still looking into yours but a deep reddish blush creeping up his neck. His words are slurred together with an accent thicker than before.

Yet again you nod your head, not wanting to speak too afraid to break the moment. “I- I like you y/n and I have for a while,” he mumbled almost inaudibly with the loud music. “I have for a while,” he added. For a moment you are speechless, not sure how to react. His grip on your hand loses trying to pull away. You could see the anxiety in his eyes slowly coming out through the drunken haze. “I like you too, Lando. Have for a while.”

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

I hope you enjoy it! Any feedback is appreciated!

Would you like a third part where Max finds out about there confession?

[f1daydreamer]

Through Every Spin

You had always known that motorsport was unpredictable. No matter how skilled a driver was, one small mistake could change everything. But knowing that didn’t make it any easier when you saw Oscar’s car suddenly snap sideways, spinning in the middle of the race.

Your breath caught in your throat as the tires screeched against the asphalt, the car momentarily out of control. The seconds stretched unbearably long as you watched, hands gripping the pit wall tightly.

For a brief, terrifying moment, all you could think about was him.

Then, his voice crackled through the team radio. “I’m okay. I’m okay.”

Relief flooded your system so fast it nearly made you dizzy. He recovered the car, rejoined the race, and kept pushing until the checkered flag waved. But even as he finished in the points, you knew he wouldn’t be happy with himself.

—

After the race, you waited outside the McLaren motorhome, knowing exactly how Oscar would be feeling. He was his own biggest critic—if there was even the slightest mistake, he’d overanalyze it for hours.

When the door finally opened, he stepped out, still in his race suit, his expression unreadable. His gaze found yours instantly, and before he could say anything, you walked up and wrapped your arms around him.

“Hey,” you murmured softly.

He sighed, leaning into your embrace. “Hey.”

You pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. “Rough race.”

“That’s one way to put it.” He exhaled heavily. “I had the pace for more, and then I just… lost the rear. One mistake, and it ruined everything.”

You frowned, reaching up to brush some hair from his forehead. “It didn’t ruin everything, Oscar. You kept going. You still finished in the points. That matters.”

He huffed a small, tired laugh. “You always know what to say to make me feel less like an idiot.”

“That’s because you’re not an idiot,” you said simply. “You’re just really hard on yourself.”

His lips pressed together, his arms tightening slightly around your waist. “I just hate messing up.”

You gave him a small smile and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. “You’re allowed to make mistakes. It doesn’t change the fact that you’re an amazing driver.”

For the first time since the race, some of the tension in his shoulders eased. He let out a breath, pulling you back into his arms and resting his chin on your shoulder. “Thanks.”

“Always.”

Before either of you could say anything else, a familiar voice called out.

“There you are! We were waiting for you.” It was his mother, smiling warmly as she walked over with his sister. “Come on, let’s go get some food. You both need it.”

Oscar glanced at you, a hint of amusement flickering in his tired eyes. “Guess we don’t have a choice.”

You grinned. “Nope. Besides, you’ll feel better after eating.”

With that, the four of you left the paddock together, the weight of the race slowly fading away as the conversation shifted to more lighthearted things. And as you sat next to Oscar at dinner, listening to his mother fuss over him and his sister teasing him about the spin, you realized—no matter what happened on track, he would always have people who loved and supported him.

And that was what really mattered.

-------------------

Author’s Note: I had this story unfinished in my drafts for a while, but today’s race made me complete it! Watching Oscar’s moment on track gave me the final push to finish this, and I just had to write about it.

- poor Oscar , swear I was about to cry, this reminds me of Charles Monaco "curse".

Like father like son 😭

[ladyycherryy]

Hi just discovered your blog and I love it❤️ can I request a mark Grayson with a s/o who's the batman of their universe like she's a rich girl and a playboy(girl?) like in the public but at night she's the dark knight and it's a regular human with the skills of batman. I just find it funny if he's like "omg the batman/dark knight is it true your vampire or what kind of powers and reader is like 🦇 "no I'm human" and he's like 🤨 since he saw her knee kick the air out of a guy for jaywalking and break the ribs of 5 guys for littering without a sweat also how they would work as a duo maybe she gains a robin?

Thank you! I love this idea so much!! ♡⸜(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)⸝♡ I had so much fun writing it I hope this lives up to your expectations — hope you enjoy!! 🦇💕

.𖥔 ݁ ˖🦇 ݁˖ ݁𖥔 .

Rich girl by day, Dark knight by night. Mark was aware that you were wealthy and kind of a big deal in the social scene. Designer outfits? Attending exclusive parties ? Fancy galas? Driving expensive sports cars? Yeah everything about you screams rich.

Mark had some suspicion on you, but when he found out he was SHOOK! You?? The masked vigilante everyone in the city feared? “Wait.. you're the one who put those 3 guys in the hospital last week?” You’d shrugged it off “They had it coming”

“What kind of powers do you have?” He would deadass think you had some kind of supernatural ability. Maybe vampirism? Super strength??? Nope! Just peak human conditioning and a lot of training. “So you're human?” “Yep” “…And you're doing all of this?” “Mhm” “Jesus Christ”

When he first watched you in action his jaw was on the floor, taking 6 guys in under a minute – one well placed knee kick, backflip, and some nice creative use of grappling hook. Mark just floated above you like =͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪‧��̥̇) “You… you just–” “Yeah” “And you're–” “Human”

He finds it funny with how different you are when you're in your dark knight mode versus your public person. Seeing you at a charity gala and that same night you’re taking down a drug ring in the city’s back alleys.

He pictures you in a fancy dress but when you suit up as the dark knight he's like “Hold up, that's the same person?!”

You’re always on the arm of a new date, you use it as a way to cover your work, making it easier to explain why you're out all hours of the night. Mark lowkey gets jealous, even though he knows it all means nothing. “So.. dinner with that tech billionaire last night?” “He was boring” “Sure, sure. Guess i'll just have to keep an eye on you” (๑>؂•̀๑)

He 100% talks about you to the Guardians of the Globe all the time. “Yeah my girlfriend? Took down 8 guys by herself last night. No big deal” Rex: "isn’t she human?" “Yeah that's the crazy part!”

You’re always teasing him, running a finger down his chest, leaning in close wherever you talk to him. Mark pretends he's unaffected but his jaw clenching when you call him handsome says otherwise. He tries to flirt back but c'mon you're too good at the game.

Training together, Mark would BEG you to train him in hand to hand combat. He would get frustrated with you wiping the floor with him despite his super strength. “How are you so fast??”

The media loves them. Headlines like “Dark knight And Her Flying Sidekick Strike Again!” “Who is the Dark Knight’s New Partner?” Mark hates being called the sidekick but you just laugh it off and say “Well you are following my lead” “I’m not your sidekick” “Sure you aren't Grayson”

You and Mark have different fighting styles but somehow it works. He's more of brute strength and super speed, punching enemies. While you're all about precision, calculated strikes and exploiting weak points. You're the planner and he's the muscle, mapping out the enemy’s territory. He follows your lead even if he pretends he doesn't but he listens when you give orders.

Once the night’s work is done you both linger in the dark or on top of rooftops. Mark leans against the wall staring at the stars with you by his side. “Same time tomorrow?" “Only if you try to to get yourself killed” But you'll both be there

[lostinlovingrevery]

Info dump your fave Logan things and concepts SFW and NSFW so one of us can write you a banging indulgent fanfic? Lemme spoil u bbygrl. ( Nonny bc Idk if this is chill or if I'm weird for this. 😭 )

NONNNNNNY YOU ARE SO SWEET I'M GONNA CRRRYYYY

I could go on FOR HOURS about my fav logan things omg, so i'll try to keep this down to my FAV favorites <3 (SFW and NSFW ahead!)(i might make another similar post w a whole bunch more bc this got me thiiiinkiiin)

SFW

Logan listening to hyperfixations, STRAIGHT UP. He may sit silently, and do other stuff while you rant, but he LISTENS so good. makes comments and reassures that hes still listening

Soft, gentle touches. Him putting his hand on your lower back when leading you through a crowd, scratching your back or arm while cuddling (God im such a slut for that)

LAUGHING TOGETHER. I wanna see that man GIGGLE. I wanna see him GUFFAWING. he's laughing so hard he's crying.

Logan likes to sit outside during his downtime I think. I think he likes being able to breathe fresh air (and probs smoke freely without anyone jumping his ass over it lmao). Imagine sitting on the porch on his lap during a spring thunderstorm. His big arms wrapped around you protectively. bonus points if you're on a porch swing (altho w how heavy logan is COULD he sit on a porch swing w/o breaking it???)

butterfly kissess butterfly kisses

we talk a lot about his deep passionate kisses and believe me I LOVE THAT. but Lately i just been obsseseed with him giving fluttery lil kisses all over your face

also nose nuzzles. ive been including those a lot in my fics lmao

God i love his beard so much, wanna scratch it and pet it. I like to think he'd would teasingly rub it all over your face

WAIT A MIN. CATS DO THAT.

lmao

early morning snuggles

yknow those super passionate kisses and dips those old hollywood movies do? yeah that with Logan

NSFW

unfg

His. Stamina. God i want this man going at it with me for HOURS.

TBH Im so indecisive about what Logans fav position would be. I feel like mating press would drive him INSANE. You're bent and half and logan just SLAMMING his shit into you. so hard and fast the BED FRAME BREAKS

I LOVE the idea of Logan being this tough guy loner who could have anyone he wanted, but he becomes completely OBSESSED with you. Everything you do turns him on. You could put him smack in the middle of a strip club and he'll still be thinking about you

his shaky thighs when you suck him off and make him completely undone

him being so much bigger than you that you're pretty much swallowed by him. hes onto of you, between your legs and there's a significant STRETCH in how far you have to spread your legs for him to fit with his hips flush against yours

turning into a puddle underneath him as he fucks you sooooo good your speechless and in a whole another world, and he's just sweet talking and cooing at you how pretty you are and what a good girl you are and mmmmmph yes

manhandling. god i just want him to be forcing me into different positions and picking me up and carrying me all over the place. also just throwing me over his shoulder is fun

dominant but sweet orders. "Give me a kiss", "go on, take a seat." "get those pretty lips on my cock sweetheart" teehee

i'm a slut for creampies honestly almost everyone of my smut fics has a creampie lmao. logan DEF loves a good creampie

[gf2bellamy]

Hiii! Completely self indulgent but could I request reader is new to the BAU and they don’t quite know her that well but it’s coming up to Halloween and she starts slowly decorating her desk. No one really notices but Spencer and then one day he is ranting about Halloween traditions but is interrupted halfway throughout and reader finishes his rant. Giving away that she loves Halloween. Bonus Spencer could leave reader a little Halloween gift?

Ps I love your writing so much, I love reading. So thank you!!!

decorations — spencer reid

pairing: spencer reid x fem!reader ( no use of y/n ) content warnings: nothing a/n: hiii !! such a cute idea <3 i hope this is what you asked for <333

You carefully nudged the small, plush pumpkin into place, ensuring it sat perfectly beside the tiny ceramic ghosts you had lined up just moments ago.

A satisfied smile tugged at your lips as you surveyed your handiwork—your own little Halloween haven amid the almost entirely undecorated office. 

It was your first Halloween with the BAU, and you were quickly coming to the realization that your enthusiasm for the holiday wasn’t exactly shared by most of your coworkers.

Sure, there were a few scattered decorations—a couple of half-heartedly strung spiderwebs draped over shelves, a lonely plastic skeleton perched near the coffee maker—but overall, the atmosphere was lacking in spooky spirit. 

Not that it bothered you. You loved Halloween. And, as it turned out, so did one of your coworkers. 

“You have good taste,” came a familiar voice, light with amusement. 

You looked up to see Spencer standing beside your desk, pointing at one of the tiny ghosts with a smile. His eyes, warm with excitement, flickered between you and the decoration.

“I have the same one at home,” he admitted, his grin widening. 

Your lips parted in surprise. “Really?” 

He nodded, his enthusiasm only growing. “Yes! I love Halloween. It’s my favorite holiday!” The sheer excitement in his voice was endearing.

Before you could respond, he continued, already diving into a fact with that spark in his eyes. 

“Did you know that pumpkins were originally associated with warding off evil spirits? The tradition of carving jack-o'-lanterns actually comes from an old Irish myth about a man named Stingy Jack. According to legend—” 

And just like that, he was off, launching into a detailed explanation, his words coming faster the more excited he got. You couldn’t help but smile, resting your chin on your hand as you listened. 

But then, Derek interrupted Spencer, clapping a firm hand on his shoulder and effectively cutting him off mid-sentence. 

"He bothering you with his Halloween rant?" Derek teased, his signature grin wide and amused. 

You glanced up at him before looking back at Spencer, who had gone noticeably red, his mouth still slightly open.

“No, not at all,” you said with a small smile, shaking your head. Then, without missing a beat, you continued, “He was just telling me how the legend says that Stingy Jack tricked the Devil multiple times and, as punishment, he wasn’t allowed into either Heaven or Hell. So he was doomed to wander the Earth, with only a carved-out turnip lit by a lump of burning coal to guide his way.” 

A slow smile spread across Spencer’s face, his eyes lighting up like you had just spoken his exact language. Derek, on the other hand, blinked at you, his grin slipping into an expression of surprise. 

“Wait, hold on—did you just finish his nerdy Halloween speech for him?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. 

You shrugged, biting back a smirk. “I like Halloween too.” 

Spencer beamed, clearly delighted, while Derek groaned dramatically, throwing his hands up in mock defeat. 

“Oh great, now there’s two of you,” he muttered, shaking his head as he walked away. 

You turned back to Spencer, who was still watching you with an undeniable look of appreciation. 

“You know,” he said, almost shyly, “it’s really nice to have someone else in the team who actually enjoys all the history behind Halloween.” 

Your smile softened. “Well, you can tell me all the Halloween facts you want, Spencer. I promise I won’t mind.” 

His cheeks turned a little pink again, but his smile only grew. 

“Be careful,” he warned playfully. “I have a lot of them.” 

You simply leaned on your desk, resting your chin in your hand. “Good. I like listening.” 

And with that, Spencer Reid—genuine, brilliant, and just a little awkward—stood there grinning, as if he had just met a kindred spirit. 

Hours later, you were nearly finished with work, exhaustion settling into your bones as you made your way back to your desk with a yawn. You had just spent twenty minutes reviewing a report with JJ, and now all you could think about was heading home, curling up under a warm blanket, and putting on a fun Halloween movie to unwind. 

But as you reached your desk, you came to an abrupt halt. 

Sitting there, right beside your little ghost figurines, was a small white cup adorned with a ghost design—one that definitely hadn’t been there before. 

A warmth bloomed in your chest as realization hit. There was only one person who could have left it. 

You turned your head toward Spencer’s desk, already knowing what you’d find. Sure enough, Spencer was there, his eyes flickering up to meet yours before he quickly looked away, cheeks turning an unmistakable shade of pink. 

“I thought you’d like it,” he murmured, his voice softer in the now mostly empty bullpen. Then, he lifted his own cup—an orange one with a grinning jack-o’-lantern face. 

Your smile widened as you reached for the cup, feeling the warmth of freshly poured coffee your fingertips. 

“I love it,” you said sincerely, turning back to him. “Thank you, Spencer.” 

His lips quirked into a small but unmistakably pleased smile, and for a moment, the two of you just stood there.

Maybe the bullpen wasn’t decked out in spooky decorations, and maybe most of your coworkers didn’t share your enthusiasm for the holiday—but Spencer did. 

And that made all the difference. 

[cosmiclily]

can I request anything with caitlyn being protective or worrying over fem!reader? only if you feel like it! ty <3

professional

• caitlyn x f!reader

wc: 1.1k

notes: first time writing for cait VJHCGFUGVHGC let me know what you guys think !!

You knew falling for your boss was a terrible idea. The power imbalance, the risk of favoritism, the complications that came with workplace relationships—it was a mess waiting to happen. But when your boss was Caitlyn Kiramman, none of that seemed to matter. You would wade through every obstacle, endure every consequence, just for the chance to be with her.

Especially in moments like this—when you were injured on the job and had her all to yourself. Her usual calm demeanor cracked, replaced by a storm of emotions. Her brows were furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line, and that thick accent of hers slipped through as she tried to keep her frustration in check. Even when she was reprimanding you, she was captivating.

"What were you thinking?!" Caitlyn’s voice was sharp, teetering between concern and anger. She paced in front of you, arms crossed tightly over her chest, her jaw clenched as she struggled to maintain her composure. But you could see through it—the way her fingers trembled slightly, the way she kept stealing glances at your bandaged arm.

"You could have died, Y/N!" she snapped, her voice lowering slightly, but no less intense.

You offered a weak, sheepish smile. "But I didn’t."

"That’s not the point!" She exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose before stepping closer. "You can’t just throw yourself into danger like that. What if I wasn’t fast enough? What if—" She cut herself off, her voice faltering for the briefest moment before she straightened her posture.

There it was. The real reason behind her anger. It wasn’t just about you being reckless—it was about her almost losing you.

"Hey," you said softly, reaching out despite the lingering pain in your arm. Your fingers brushed against hers, a fleeting touch, but it was enough to make her look at you. Really look at you.

"I’m okay," you reassured her, tilting your head slightly. "You were there. You always are."

Caitlyn held your gaze for a long moment before sighing, her rigid stance softening ever so slightly. "You make it really difficult to stay mad at you, you know that?" she muttered.

You grinned. "It’s part of my charm."

She huffed, shaking her head, but when she finally reached out and gently cupped your uninjured hand in hers, you knew—despite everything—she wouldn’t let you go.

"Go home," she sighed, her thumb brushing lightly over your knuckles. "Get some rest. We can discuss your reckless behavior later."

Before you could protest, she leaned in, pressing a quick, fleeting kiss to your cheek. It was barely more than a whisper of warmth against your skin, but it sent your heart racing all the same. By the time you processed it, she was already pulling away, letting go of your hand.

"Commander—" one of her colleagues opened the door, but Caitlyn was already straightening her shoulders, her professional mask slipping back into place.

"That’s an order." she added, her tone firm, but her eyes lingered on you for just a second longer.

You swallowed hard, feeling the ghost of her lips still burning on your cheek. "Yes, ma'am" you murmured, forcing yourself to step back.

Later, when Caitlyn got home, your arm was feeling much better. The dull ache only made itself known when you tried to use more force than you should, but that didn’t stop Caitlyn from fussing over you.

She insisted on doing everything—making you tea, changing your bandages, even buttoning up your shirt when you struggled with your dominant hand out of commission. You protested, of course, but she silenced you with a pointed look, one that made it clear she wasn’t going to back down.

"Stop being so stubborn," she muttered, carefully unwrapping the old bandage from your hand. Her fingers were gentle, her touch featherlight as if she was afraid of hurting you. "You need to let yourself heal properly."

You sighed, watching her work. "I can take care of myself, you know."

"I know," she murmured, not looking up. "But I want to take care of you."

That shut you up.

She finished rewrapping your arm with the same level of care and precision she put into everything she did, then sat back, inspecting her work. Satisfied, she reached for the mug of tea she had made earlier, pressing it into your good hand.

"Drink," she instructed, tucking her legs beneath her as she settled beside you on the couch. "It’ll help you relax."

You took a slow sip, letting the warmth spread through you. "You don’t have to do all this, Cait."

She exhaled, shaking her head with a small, almost amused smile. "I know. But I want to."

There was something in her tone—something softer, something unguarded. You turned to look at her, and for once, she didn’t shy away.

"Today scared me," she admitted quietly, tracing absent patterns against the fabric of your sleeve. "I know what this job entails. I know the risks. But seeing you like that, knowing how close it was..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "I don’t want to lose you."

Your heart ached at the vulnerability in her voice. Without thinking, you reached out, threading your fingers through hers. She didn’t pull away.

"You won’t” you promised, squeezing her hand gently. "I’m not going anywhere."

Caitlyn exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "You can’t promise that."

"I can try."

She studied you for a long moment before leaning in, pressing her forehead against yours. "Just... be careful," she whispered. "For me."

You smiled, tilting your head just enough for your lips to brush against hers—soft, hesitant, a silent reassurance.

"For you” you murmured.

You knew falling for your boss was a terrible idea. But when she took care of you like this, when she looked at you like you were the most important thing in her world, damn, was it worth it.

Caitlyn sighed, her breath warm against your skin, her fingers still laced with yours. "You make it so difficult to stay professional." she muttered, half exasperated, half fond.

You smirked, tilting your head. "Oh? Is that a confession, Commander?"

She huffed, rolling her eyes, but the pink dusting her cheeks gave her away. "It’s a warning" she corrected. "Because if you keep making me worry like this, I might just have to start pulling you off field duty."

You chuckled. "And here I thought you liked having me around."

Caitlyn sighed again, this time with a small smile. "I do” she admitted, squeezing your hand. "More than I should."

The words sent a warmth through you that had nothing to do with the tea in your hands. You weren’t sure where this thing between you and Caitlyn was going, what lines had already been crossed, or which ones you’d cross next.

But as she leaned in, pressing one more soft, lingering kiss to your lips, you decided you didn’t really care.

──────────────────────

masterlist

[skiesuconn]

Lost in Argentina | Chapter 2

From Tangled Limbs to Tangled Plans Pairing: Paige Buecker | Azzi Fudd WC: 20K

Synopsis: The journey’s just beginning, and Paige? Well, she’s always the first one up, ready to kickstart the day with a good deed. The team’s energy is buzzing as the morning sun warms the air, teasing Azzi and Paige relentlessly about last night’s little... situation.

The day’s rolling on, and it’s like a rom-com script come to life. Endless laughter, spontaneous kisses, and all the moments that make you go, yeah, this is the stuff dreams are made of. It’s the kind of love you only find when you’re somewhere like Argentina—where everything feels a little more alive, a little more possible.

By the end of it all? It's the perfect note to close the day. It’s safe to say, this whole week? Pure, uninterrupted fun. With some twists. Frankie's note: I had so much fun writing this, especially the beach scenes with the team and all their ridiculous jokes—I was literally laughing my ass off while thinking about it. I really enjoyed putting this together, and thanks so much for all the support! Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. Let me know what you think, mwah

Paige woke to the soft glow of morning slipping through the too-thin curtains, the air still cool, the world outside just starting to stir. For a moment, she stayed in that hazy space between sleep and waking, eyes half-lidded, brain sluggish. Then she felt it—warmth.

Azzi.

Paige blinked fully awake, heart giving a small, stupid flutter as she registered the way they were tangled together. Limbs overlapping, Azzi’s arm draped across Paige’s waist, her face tucked into the curve of Paige’s shoulder, her breathing slow and steady. It was the kind of mess that only happened after nights spent too close, when even an inch of space between them felt like too much.

Not that Paige was complaining.

But also—her arm was asleep. Completely numb. And, yeah, she really had to pee.

Carefully, like she was defusing a bomb, Paige started extracting herself. She moved in slow increments, biting her lip, hyper-aware of every tiny shift in Azzi’s breathing. When she finally managed to slip free, she hesitated, glancing back down at Azzi, who was still fast asleep, soft curls spilling over the pillow.

Paige reached for the sheets, tucking them around her with the kind of gentle care she’d never admit to out loud. Just enough to keep her warm, but not too tight. Like a protective little cocoon.

Azzi sighed in her sleep, mumbling something incoherent. Paige froze, but she didn’t wake. Angel behavior.

She stood there for a second, just looking.

Azzi’s face was completely relaxed, all the tension she carried during the day nowhere to be found. She looked peaceful. Beautiful. Paige felt something in her chest tighten, a kind of quiet, overwhelming fondness settling into her bones.

God. She was so screwed.

With a quiet sigh, Paige slipped out of the room, padding barefoot through the hallway and out into the early morning air.

The streets of Argentina were calm, bathed in that soft golden light that made everything look a little dreamlike. A gentle breeze carried the faint strumming of a guitar from somewhere in the distance. The city was waking up, stretching, yawning.

Paige knew exactly where she was going.

She made her way down the street, weaving through a few early risers, until she spotted the little flower stand she’d seen the other day. It was tucked beneath a striped awning, small but overflowing with color. Bouquets of roses, sunflowers, daisies—each one wrapped in crisp brown paper, waiting to be chosen.

The woman behind the stand had warm eyes and the kind of energy that immediately put Paige at ease.

She scanned the flowers like she was making the most important decision of her life. Then she saw them—pink and white lilies, delicate and soft, with little sprigs of baby’s breath nestled between the petals. They just felt like Azzi.

Paige pointed at them and, with all the confidence of someone who was absolutely winging it, said, “Para mi novia.”

The woman’s eyes twinkled. She didn’t say anything, just started wrapping the bouquet with practiced grace, her hands careful and precise.

“Es hermoso,” she said warmly as she handed them over.

Paige hesitated, then pulled out a tip and passed it to her. The woman’s face lit up, and before Paige could fully register what was happening, she was being pulled into a brief but incredibly heartfelt hug.

Okay. Unexpected. But kind of… really nice. ━

By the time Paige made it back to bed, it was 8:30, and Azzi was still fully dead to the world. Face smushed against the pillow, one arm flopped out dramatically like she’d fought off some demons in her sleep, a soft little snore escaping her every few seconds.

Paige bit back a smile. No, actually, screw that—she grinned like an idiot.

There was something about Azzi when she was asleep. She looked so unguarded, so effortlessly soft in a way she rarely let herself be when she was awake. Paige swore it was one of her favorite things in the world—right up there with buzzer-beaters, ice cream straight from the carton, and absolutely obliterating Azzi in 2K (which only happened like… twice, but that’s beside the point).

Paige didn’t waste another second. She slipped under the covers, slow and careful, until she was right there—right next to her, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from Azzi’s body. And like clockwork, Azzi shifted in her sleep, her subconscious apparently recognizing Paige like muscle memory.

Her hand found Paige’s waist like it belonged there. She burrowed in without hesitation, face pressing into Paige’s collarbone, a sleepy little sigh leaving her lips as she melted into the warmth she always, always sought out.

Yeah. Paige was done for.

Her arms moved on their own, wrapping around Azzi’s body, holding her close, heart swelling like some dumb rom-com protagonist. She let her fingers wander, tracing slow, featherlight circles into Azzi’s back before moving up, up, up into her hair—curling and uncurling soft strands between her fingers.

God, she loved Azzi’s hair. She loved the way it felt, the way it framed her face, the way Azzi got all self-conscious about it even though it was easily the most beautiful thing ever.

Paige leaned in, pressing the lightest kiss to the top of Azzi’s head. Then, because she was feeling brave (and also because no one could call her out for it when Azzi was still asleep), she kissed the spot just beneath her ear, where her skin was warm and impossibly soft.

Azzi made a noise. A barely-there, sleep-heavy mumble that sounded a lot like Paige’s name.

Paige froze. Then smiled. Then did it again.

It was addicting, okay? The way Azzi melted into her touch, the way she clung just a little tighter, the way Paige could literally feel the trust between them in every tiny movement.

She tightened her grip, one last squeeze, one last gentle stroke of her fingers through Azzi’s hair. The room was still, quiet in that way mornings always were before the world fully woke up. Paige felt her own eyelids drooping, the comfort of Azzi’s warmth pulling her under like a weighted blanket straight from heaven.

But before she fully gave in, she reached blindly for her phone on the nightstand, squinting against the brightness as she set an alarm for 9:10. Enough time to sleep a little longer. Enough time to wake up slow, to have breakfast together, to just… be.

She let the phone slip from her fingers, exhaling a content sigh as she nuzzled closer. ━

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

Paige groaned. Stupid alarm. Stupid responsibility. Stupid morning.

She blindly reached over, smacking at her phone until the beeping finally stopped. The screen glowed in the dim light, the time glaring back at her—9:10 AM—and right beneath it, an unread message.

Ice: “dude get up or i’m gonna eat yo breakfast, the plates too”

Paige snorted, thumbs already moving as she fired back.

Paige: “we’re going down soon, thanks 🙄”

She tossed her phone back onto the nightstand and turned her attention to something infinitely more important—Azzi.

Still dead to the world. Still tucked into her side, her face smushed against Paige’s shoulder in a way that should not be this cute.

Paige let herself look for a second. Just one. Because how could she not? Azzi’s face was soft with sleep, her lips slightly parted, her dimples peeking through even in unconsciousness. It was unfair. No one should look that good half-asleep.

Paige smiled, shifting just enough to press the lightest, softest kiss to Azzi’s nose—just a quick thing, careful not to startle her. Then, because she was technically a responsible adult (debatable), she gave Azzi a tiny nudge.

“Babe,” she murmured, voice still thick with sleep. “C’mon, we gotta get up.”

Azzi groaned dramatically, tightening her grip around Paige’s waist like she could physically stop time. “Nooo, baby,” she whined, voice muffled against Paige’s skin. “Five more minutes.”

Paige sighed. A helpless, head-over-heels, what-am-I-gonna-do-with-you kind of sigh.

Because yeah, sure, they technically had to get up. But also? She could stay like this forever. The way Azzi felt against her, warm and impossibly soft, the way their skin pressed together, the way it was just them—close, connected, vulnerable in a way that made Paige’s heartache in the best possible way.

She tightened her hold just a little, her fingers tracing slow, absentminded shapes against Azzi’s back. “You’re making this really hard,” she muttered.

Azzi, still very much not awake, just hummed, snuggling even closer.

Paige groaned again—because seriously—but at the same time, she was grinning like an idiot

“Azzi, for real, we gotta move, or Ice is gonna inhale our breakfast.”

Paige sat up, already swinging her legs off the bed, but before she could even think about escaping, a hand shot out, yanking her right back down. She barely had a second to react before Azzi’s lips were on hers.

A dirty move. Unfair play.

Paige melted into it for a second—because, duh—but then she pulled back just enough to mumble, “Morning breath, Az. That toothpaste does not do you good.”

Azzi smirked, completely unbothered. “Don’t care. I love you.”

Paige sighed dramatically, pressing a quick kiss to Azzi’s cheek. “I love you more, baby.”

“Then stay.” Azzi’s arms looped around her waist, making zero effort to let her go.

Paige wanted to. God, she wanted to. But also? Food.

“Big head,” she said, trying to pry herself free. “We really have to get down for breakfast.”

Azzi cracked one eye open, her smirk turning downright dangerous. “There’s literally my breakfast in front of me.”

Paige choked. Visibly malfunctioned.

“Azzi,” she groaned, face already burning.

Azzi just grinned. So pleased with herself.

Paige huffed, running a hand down her face before leaning down to kiss Azzi’s forehead. “Baby, I know you’re ovulating, but we really have to get down there.”

Azzi made a small sound—half a nod, half a whiny moan—before finally, finally shifting under the covers.

That’s when Paige clocked it.

“Wait—are you naked under there?”

Azzi just grinned, stretching lazily.

Jesus Christ.

Paige exhaled through her nose, forcing herself to focus. Be strong, Paige. She grabbed Azzi’s bra from the chair and held it out. “C’mon, babe, let’s get you dressed.”

Azzi smirked, eyes way too mischievous. “Put it on me?”

Paige swallowed. Hard. “Yeah. Yeah, okay.”

She moved slowly, soft, delicate, intentional. Slid the straps up Azzi’s arms, clasped the back with practiced ease. Her fingers lingered for a second, then she pressed a slow, lazy kiss to Azzi’s bare shoulder.

Azzi actually shivered.

Paige smirked. Good to know she wasn’t the only one suffering.

Shaking her head, Paige pulled herself together and threw on a grey USA Basketball T-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts. Her usual. She slipped on some cream slides, ran a hand through her messy bun, and called it a day. ━

Azzi stepped out of the bathroom, sliding into a beige, seashell-colored cover-up that clung to her curves in a way that made Paige lose her train of thought for a solid second. The material was just thin enough to be barely there, a whisper of fabric that made her skin glow in the soft light of the room. It was perfect for the warm Argentine weather, that sweet in-between stage where it’s hot enough for the beach, but still needing something light to wear. Her untamed curls framed her face effortlessly, and honestly, Paige swore she might actually throw herself off the balcony if she didn’t contain herself.

She bit down hard on her knuckles, desperately trying to stop herself from well, whistling, but there was no stopping the way her heart did a little flip every time Azzi moved. Every. Single. Time.

Azzi turned around, and Paige nearly went dizzy. The way Azzi’s back muscles shifted beneath the fabric, the subtle flex of her shoulders—it did something to Paige that she couldn’t even explain.

Paige smirked, fighting the urge to let out a wolf-whistle. “You look... decent, I guess,” she said casually, her voice as nonchalant as she could manage. But inside? She was doing backflips. Cartwheels (She can't do those, actually)

Azzi raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Decent?”

“Yeah,” Paige said, trying to keep her cool, even though she was about five seconds away from fainting. “I mean, you look... fine. Nothing special.”

Azzi leaned in, brushing a hand against Paige’s jaw. “You sure about that?”

Paige’s eyes drifted down to Azzi’s curves, and she grinned. “No, I’m not. If any man checks you out, I swear, I’m carrying you home myself.”

Azzi rolled her eyes but pressed a soft kiss to Paige’s lips, smirking as she pulled back. “Okay, big shot. Good luck with that.”

Paige grinned, completely wrapped up in the way Azzi moved. “I’m serious, babe. You’re making every guy within a mile radius regret not bringing sunglasses.”

Azzi laughed, tossing her hair back like she was born to be on a beach—and Paige? Well, she was ready to lose it.

Azzi slipped on some white slides, simple but perfect, and Paige could barely hold it together. “Wait, before we go,” Paige said, her voice all playful, “close your eyes.”

Azzi frowned but did it anyway, clearly suspicious. “Paige, please don’t tell me you got us a capybara.”

Paige’s eyes twinkled. “Open.”

Azzi opened her eyes slowly, expecting maybe some weird, Paige-style surprise—a capybara or whatever. But what she saw in front of her completely took her breath away. A bouquet of flowers—pink lilies and white lilies, soft and delicate but bold in their beauty. Azzi’s name practically screamed from the petals, but in the most subtle, perfect way.

Azzi’s breath caught, and she reached out, gently caressing the flowers. “Oh my God.” Her eyes softened as she examined them, running her fingers along the soft petals like she couldn’t quite believe they were real.

Paige stood there, a little nervous, but mostly excited. “So, do you like it?”

Azzi turned to her, a small smile spreading across her face. “Are you serious? Of course I like it. You just… you just know what I like.”

Paige smiled, feeling a little shy. “Well... I might’ve gotten a little lucky.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow, the sarcasm dripping from her voice. “Lucky? With that advanced vocabulary of yours?”

Paige grinned. “Let’s just say I keep my streak on Duolingo strong.”

Azzi chuckled, giving her a playful shove. “You’re getting it.”

Paige’s face lit up, heart racing at the way Azzi looked at her. “I’m trying, okay? I’m trying real hard.”

Azzi gave her one last look at the bouquet before pulling Paige into a soft kiss. “I love you. And I love this.”

“Glad you do,” Paige murmured against her lips. “You deserve it.”

And for a moment, there was nothing but Azzi, the bouquet, and the connection between them that was starting to feel like something more than just a day at the beach. A lot more.

━ The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, and the scent hit them instantly—freshly brewed coffee, warm pastries, and that perfect morning air that promised the start of something good. Paige’s eyes fluttered, taking in the smell, a mix of vanilla and that rich coffee aroma that made her want to dive face-first into a croissant. Azzi beside her inhaled deeply, her lips curving into a soft smile as the warmth of the space wrapped around them.

Paige caught the movement of the long buffet bar in the distance, stacked high with an assortment of fresh fruits—oranges, berries, and sliced melon—along with golden, flaky croissants that practically screamed her name. The buffet was lined with neatly arranged eggs, bacon, sausages, and all sorts of meats, their warm aroma mixing with the pastries in the air. Everything was carefully laid out beneath soft lighting, giving it all a slightly dreamlike quality, like they were stepping into a gourmet dream.

Paige spotted Ice, Nika, and Lili right away, their familiar faces standing out amidst the breakfast crowd, and without missing a beat, she nudged Azzi toward the table where they were sitting. The morning buzz of laughter, clinking silverware, and the hum of quiet conversations filled the air around them, but Paige's focus was squarely on the crew waiting for them. She wasn’t great at multitasking, so she let her instincts guide her as they weaved through the crowd.

Azzi, glancing over at the menu with a mild sense of unease, noticed that some dishes had pictures for easy navigation—thank God for that, considering Paige’s Spanish wasn’t exactly top-notch. Paige, with the confidence of someone who pretended to know what she was doing, pointed to a picture of eggs and chorizo with a proud grin plastered on her face. “I’ll have… this one.”

She looked so proud, but it was clear by the way she paused and squinted at the photo that she was just guessing at what the dish was. Azzi, trying her best not to burst out laughing, shot Paige an amused look but decided to get her own order in. She tapped the picture of a vegetarian dish, clearly trying to dodge any further need for butchering Spanish. "I’ll have this," she said casually, trying to keep her voice steady. "Looks light."

Lili, who had clearly come to the same conclusion, added with a smile, "I’ll have the same. Vegetarian for me." She was always so simple and to the point, making Paige grin.

Paige gave a big thumbs up to Lili, her grin widening. “Good choice. Looks like we’re all on the ‘I don’t know what the hell I’m ordering’ train today.”

Azzi shot her a look, but there was no denying the soft chuckle that escaped her. It was a familiar dynamic, this easy back-and-forth, and Paige wouldn’t have it any other way.

When they reached the table, Paige immediately pulled out Azzi’s chair with a dramatic flourish. “After you,” she said with a grin, making sure to emphasize the queen part. It earned an exaggerated eye roll from Azzi, but the way Azzi’s lips curved into a soft smile made it clear that she didn’t mind the attention.

"Here we go," Nika teased from across the table, her eyes practically twinkling with mischief. "The official ‘Paige, stop simping’ moment of the day."

Paige shot her a playful glare, but it was all in good fun. She quickly dabbed her teammates up, giving them a quick fist bump before sitting down. “You know you love it,” Paige said smoothly, throwing Nika a wink that made the whole table laugh.

"I’ve got a front-row seat to all of this," Nika smirked, leaning back in her seat like she was watching a show. "Who’s gonna say it first?"

"Say what first?" Azzi asked, eyes narrowing as she caught on to the teasing game. She was already onto them, but Paige could tell she was curious.

"Y’all heard about the thin walls, right?" Ice, ever the instigator, leaned forward with that shit-eating grin of hers, clearly itching to stir the pot.

Paige froze mid-reach for her coffee, her hand hovering awkwardly in the air. The words hit her like a brick wall, and her eyes widened in realization. She nearly choked on her sip, coughing and sputtering as she tried to clear her throat. "I do not know what you’re talking about," she managed to force out, sounding a little too defensive.

Azzi, noticing Paige’s sudden fluster, leaned closer, placing her hand under the table. Her finger brushed softly against Paige’s, offering a quiet, unspoken reassurance. The touch was comforting, grounding. Azzi couldn’t help but laugh quietly at Paige’s reaction, the soft sound making Paige’s ears go hot.

Ice leaned back in her chair, taking a smug sip of her own coffee. "Well, you know, the hotel staff was making rounds last night, around midnight or so, checking who was making all that noise on the fourth floor."

The tension was thick, but Paige—with her typically playful deflection—shot Ice a look that could only be described as a “seriously?” kind of glare. The others at the table chuckled, but Paige only sighed dramatically. "Seriously?" She shot a glance at Azzi, who was now trying not to laugh too hard at the situation, clearly playing along with the whole thing. Paige wanted to die a little, but her heart thudded in her chest as she tried to pretend she was completely fine.

"Let’s just say," Ice continued, practically twinkling with mischief, "I’m pretty sure they know exactly what room you’re in."

"Don’t even start," Paige grumbled, but deep down, she was laughing with Azzi too, though she would never admit it.

Paige and Azzi shot each other a look, their faces turning the brightest shade of red as the memory came rushing back to them. They both knew exactly what Ice was referring to—those very same noises that, despite their best efforts, couldn’t be erased from their minds. Paige quickly cleared her throat, her hand reaching for her water as a weak attempt to mask the embarrassment burning in her cheeks. "I’m pretty sure it was just… a loud TV, or something," she stammered, her words a little too quick. "You know, the tele novela here is real dramatic," Paige added.

Nika, always quick to back her up, jumped in with unwavering confidence, "Yeah! It's like, real intense here. The drama’s on another level." She raised her coffee cup with mock seriousness, pretending to be lost in thought as if she was an expert on Latin American soap operas. "So much yelling, so much—uh, passion," Nika continued, her eyes flicking between Paige and Azzi with a mischievous grin.

Lili, who had been quietly eating her granola, barely lifting her eyes from her bowl, added in the most deadpan tone possible, "I told them someone was doing their Duolingo lesson at midnight. Honestly, I think I was right."

Azzi grinned at Lili, her eyes lighting up with amusement. "You were right," she said, nodding enthusiastically. "The ‘Duolingo streak’ doesn’t stop just because it's midnight." She leaned toward Paige with a mischievous glint in her eye, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "I’ve seen Paige get really dedicated to that streak," she added, her voice low but teasing.

Paige couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking her head in mock exasperation. "I do not need you two exposing me like that," she said with a dramatic sigh, nudging Azzi under the table with her foot.

Ice, already having way too much fun at Paige’s expense, leaned back in her chair with a satisfied grin. "Oh no," she chimed in, her tone full of playful teasing, "We all know you’re deep into it, Paige. If anyone’s getting interrupted by that owl at 2 AM, it’s you."

Paige groaned, pretending to be offended. "I swear, that owl’s more of a nightmare than any of you."

"Don’t worry, Paige," Azzi whispered with a smirk, squeezing her hand under the table. "You’re still the best at Duolingo, even if you wake up the entire hotel."

The group laughed, the teasing and jokes flowing naturally. The camaraderie between them was strong, and despite the embarrassment, Paige was thankful for the easy atmosphere and the way Azzi always had her back, even in the most awkward moments.

As they neared the end of their breakfast, the laughter and teasing had subsided a little, but the energy was still there. Ice was scrolling through her phone, flipping between messages, then looked up with a wide grin. "Alright, so the coach said we’ve got some freedom today. We can go explore the city, check out the little forest a few miles from here—just, y'know, don't drown or anything," she said, her voice laced with that signature dry humor.

The table erupted with laughter, everyone knowing Ice wasn’t exactly the most serious person in the world, but they loved her for it.

Paige grinned, "I’ll do my best not to drown. I mean, I’ve been known to fall into puddles…"

Azzi, half-joking, added, "But can we drown in a sea of mimosas?"

Nika, already glancing at the menu for dessert options, jumped in. "Wait, I heard the spa here has these amazing hot steam massages," she said with a glint in her eye. "And they don’t charge for it. Like, free. Zero dollars."

Azzi’s cover-up, barely covering anything, clung to her body, and Paige couldn’t help but notice the way her panties peeked out just slightly. The way the bra strap was just visible, sitting perfectly under the fabric. And her skin—wow. That milk chocolate tone that looked like it was kissed by the sun, glowing even in the hotel light. Paige found herself zoning out, her fingers lightly grazing Azzi’s leg beneath the table, just to feel the softness of her skin.

Azzi let out a soft moan, so low it was almost imperceptible, and Paige’s heart skipped a beat. The table went eerily quiet for a second, everyone’s attention shifting from the menu to the couple. Nika, ever the observant one, coughed loudly. "Oh my God, Paige," she said with a smirk, her eyes widening dramatically, giving Paige a long look, like she was about to bust a gut laughing.

Paige immediately pulled her hand away from Azzi’s thigh, her face flaming with embarrassment. "Shit," she muttered under her breath, trying to regain her composure.

Azzi, barely keeping it together, whispered into Paige’s ear, her breath warm against her skin, "You're such a freak."

Paige chuckled, trying to act all innocent but failing miserably. "I swear, I was just trying to be sweet," she teased in a low voice, though the heat in her face was hard to hide.

Lili, who had been minding her own business and quietly sipping her orange juice, piped up, "Y’all are on another level. We really need to get some boundaries, like a public display of affection limit or something." She raised an eyebrow. "It’s 9 AM."

Paige laughed, shaking her head. "You’re right, Li, you’re right. We’ll tone it down."

Azzi, still holding Paige’s hand under the table, leaned in and murmured, "Just wait until we’re at the beach later."

Paige’s eyebrows shot up at the subtle promise in Azzi’s voice. "Oh, trust me, I’m counting down the minutes."

"Alright, alright," Ice cut in with a grin, clearly enjoying the banter. "Focus, people. We’re getting a beach day later, and no one’s gonna care about PDA when you’re getting sand in places you didn’t think sand could go."

"True," Nika chimed in with a laugh. "The beach has a way of, uh, making everything feel... extra public."

They all broke into laughter, and the tension between Paige and Azzi melted into playful teasing, making the moment feel easy and carefree. Paige couldn’t help but smile, knowing that no matter what, every single second with Azzi felt like it was filled with a perfect kind of chaos—and she wouldn’t trade it for the world.

━ As the group was finishing up their breakfast, the noise around the table started to fade into a cozy, low hum. Paige and Nika were deep in a heated debate about pancakes, with Nika passionately arguing that chocolate chip was so overrated, and Paige, of course, being the most dramatic about defending them. "You can’t just throw some plain pancake on a plate and call it a day. It's not 2008!" Paige exclaimed, laughing. Nika rolled her eyes, “Says the person who thinks extra butter makes it ‘art,’” she shot back with a smirk.

In the middle of this pancake chaos, Caroline, who'd been chilling on the opposite side of the table, stood up and casually strolled over to Azzi, who was half-slouched on Paige's shoulder, looking like the chillest human ever. Azzi noticed her coming and gave a warm, but curious smile. "Hey, what’s up?" she asked, her voice a mix of sweetness and intrigue.

Caroline’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned in a little closer, practically whispering like she was about to drop the spiciest gossip. "So, uh... I think I owe you something," she started, letting the words hang in the air before she added with a grin, "Ear plugs."

Azzi blinked, momentarily confused. "Ear plugs?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow like she was missing the punchline.

Caroline’s grin got wider, full of that signature drama she was known for. "Yup. From last night." She leaned in a little closer, her voice dropping into a whisper. “I got your back, girl.”

Azzi’s confusion turned into a sudden burst of laughter. "Oh. That kind of ear plugs," she said, her smirk widening as she realized what Caroline meant. Her voice dropped into a teasing tone. "You’re terrible, but I see how it is."

Caroline, dramatically pretending to be serious, nodded as if the ear plugs were a matter of national security. "Exactly. Thought I’d let you know, so you can make good use of them today." Her voice had that playful lilt, like she was just waiting for Azzi to bite on the joke.

Azzi couldn’t help but laugh, her cheeks a little pink now, but not bothered. She shot Caroline a side-eye. "You're the worst," she said, shaking her head, but there was a clear fondness in her eyes.

Caroline shrugged with exaggerated innocence, like she was the queen of comedy. "What can I say? I’m basically a stand-up comedian at this point," she said, throwing a playful wink before tossing a quick wave toward Paige and Nika, who were still arguing over pancakes like it was the most important decision of their lives.

"Tell Paige to keep it down, alright?" Caroline said with a grin, before strolling away to rejoin the others.

Azzi, still laughing, turned to Paige, who was in the middle of cracking up at something Nika just said. Azzi tapped her shoulder softly, and when Paige looked at her, Azzi smirked. "Babe," she said, the words dripping with playful sarcasm, "Caroline says I gotta keep you down a notch."

Paige shot her a confused look, eyes wide for a second before bursting into laughter. "What? Keep me down? I'm not that loud." She was practically shouting it in that classic Paige way, but Azzi already knew she was totally aware of what the issue was—Paige’s voice could easily be heard over a stadium crowd.

Azzi chuckled and shoved her lightly, the playful energy between them never fading. "Yeah, well, apparently, we’re ‘the loud ones’ this morning." She motioned around the breakfast hall, where the rest of the teammates were all pretending not to notice, but were absolutely soaking in the drama.

Paige leaned back in her chair, making a big show of scanning the room like it was some deep mystery. "Okay, okay," she said in an exaggerated whisper, but loud enough for everyone to hear, "Note to self: don’t let us be too loud. We don’t wanna disturb Caroline’s delicate sensibilities."

Azzi couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the sarcasm in Paige’s voice. "Exactly. And you’re lucky we’re not getting a noise complaint," she said, shaking her head but clearly loving the banter.

As they all started heading out of the breakfast room, Caroline was already waving them off from a distance. Azzi leaned in close to Paige, her voice dropping low. "Do you think she actually likes you?" she whispered with a smirk.

Paige turned to Azzi, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Oh, for sure. I mean, who wouldn’t? I’m, like, the life of the party." She threw her arms out like she was accepting an imaginary award.

Azzi rolled her eyes, giving her that you're insufferable look. "Yeah, you’re a real handful, you know that?"

Paige just winked, unfazed. "But you love it." ━

As they stepped into their hotel room, Azzi collapsed onto the bed like a sack of potatoes, her eyes half-lidded and giving major I just woke up energy. She fumbled for her phone, brain still foggy from the early morning rush, and typed out a quick message to her parents: "Hey, we’re all up! Probably gonna be outside all day, just exploring. I’ll hit you up when we get back!" After hitting send, she added a selfie of herself sprawled out on the bed, rocking the I’m half-dead but still cute vibe. Her tired smile was soft against the warm morning light, and it had just enough chill to make it look like this is me in my element, taking naps and sending cute pics.

Paige, who’d been across the room chugging water like she was dehydrated from a marathon, spotted the pic and immediately jumped on the bed with an exaggerated gasp. "Wait, hold up. You’re just gonna send a pic without me in it?" she teased, all dramatic and over the top, totally playing the part of someone offended for real—but her voice was all play, no malice. Before Azzi could even process, Paige pulled her into a kiss, her lips lingering for a hot second on Azzi's cheek. Then she pulled back, snapping a pic like a paparazzi, capturing the moment with a mischievous grin.

Azzi was caught off guard, her phone almost slipping from her hand as she burst into laughter. "You’re such an attention hog," she giggled, swatting at Paige in that playful, not-really-pushing-her-away way, clearly loving every second of the drama.

Paige, grinning like she just pulled off a major heist, held up the picture she just took. "Perfection," she said smugly, giving it the thumbs-up as if she’d just scored the winning shot in a game. "Gotta send that to your fam now."

Azzi, still cracking up, snatched her phone back and—without missing a beat—sent the goofy photo straight into her family’s group chat with the message: “I have to wake up to this girl everyday”

Her family had long gotten used to the duo’s antics. Katie and Tim were as close to Paige as Azzi was, so they were all on the same wavelength of “yep, this is just another day with these two.” Azzi had learned a long time ago to just roll with it whenever Paige made her the star of one of her goofy stunts.

Meanwhile, Paige was already texting her own crew. "Hope you guys are good!" she messaged her parents, Amy and Bob, before sending them the pic of Azzi mid-laugh, her smile so bright it could probably outshine the sun. She knew her parents would be grinning at the photo the same way Paige was. Then, Paige shot off a text to Drew: "Hope you slept good, bro. I’ll call you later when I get a sec."

Azzi, eyes twinkling with affection, watched her. "You and your family are seriously something else," she teased softly. "Always turning everything into a photo shoot."

Paige kicked back on the bed, lifting her legs and draping them lazily over Azzi’s lap. "Hey," she shot back, half-serious but with a wink, "I’m just spreading the love, babe. We're lucky to have this. You know that, right?" She ran her hand through her hair, casually glancing at Azzi like they were the only two people in the world. "Finding your person at this age? That doesn’t happen for everyone."

Azzi’s expression softened, a quiet moment passing between them. She reached for Paige’s hand, fingers intertwining as she leaned her head against Paige’s shoulder. "Yeah," Azzi agreed, her voice warm and sincere. "We’re lucky."

Paige smiled, her lips pressing against the top of Azzi’s head for a quick kiss. "Real lucky."

Azzi pulled back just a little, her smirk playful. "Lucky and totally ridiculous," she added, her eyes sparkling with affection.

"Hey," Paige chuckled, nudging Azzi with her shoulder, "you’re ridiculous too."

Azzi shot her a playful look, standing up and pulling Paige by the hand. "Let’s make sure we get some actual pictures today," she teased, her smile teasing in that I see right through you way.

Paige groaned in mock exasperation but was still grinning like she won the lottery. "Fine, fine," she said, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "No more weird selfies... for now."

━ Azzi flopped onto her back with a satisfied sigh, stretching her arms out like a cat in the sunlight. The golden morning glow spilled across the room, hitting just right, making everything feel a little too perfect. The city view through the window was borderline cinematic, but she was too comfortable to appreciate it properly.

Paige, leaning casually against the window frame, smirked. “Az, that balcony’s calling my name.” Her tone was dripping with mischief. “Plenty of time, no rush…”

Azzi groaned, already knowing where this was going. She cracked one eye open and shot Paige a look. “You are not about to fuck me in front of half the city, Paige. Some things deserve a little mystery, yeah?”

Paige raised an eyebrow, like she was actually considering it. “Temptation’s a funny thing,” she mused, before disappearing into the bathroom.

Azzi exhaled a laugh, shaking her head. Absolute menace.

When Paige reappeared, towel in hand, she froze for a second.

Azzi was sprawled out on the bed, sunlight kissing her skin, hair messy in a way that wasn’t on purpose but still looked like a damn magazine cover. She had that sleepy, relaxed expression—the kind that Paige swore was reserved just for her. Like she was the only person in the world who got to see Azzi like this.

Paige didn’t even think before moving. She climbed onto the bed and curled up against Azzi’s side, resting her head on her chest like it was second nature. Azzi hummed, shifting just enough to pull her in closer, their faces now inches apart. Close enough for Paige to feel the soft warmth of Azzi’s breath against her lips.

“Hey, pretty girl,” Paige murmured, voice low, affectionate.

Azzi’s lips twitched into a smile, her eyes shining with something quiet, something that always made Paige’s heart feel too big for her chest. “Hey, you,” she whispered back, like it was a secret just for them.

They just… looked at each other for a second. No rush, no need to fill the silence. Azzi’s gaze was steady, deep, like she saw right through Paige—like she always did. Paige could get lost in those eyes, no problem. She kinda already was.

And then, without another thought, Azzi leaned in, closing the space between them. The kiss was soft, slow—one of those kisses that made time irrelevant. The kind that didn’t need words because everything was already there. Paige melted into it, into her, into the way Azzi’s arms tightened around her like she wasn’t letting go anytime soon.

Azzi pulled her even closer, until their foreheads touched, their breaths tangled up together. The world outside didn’t exist—just them, just this.

Paige smiled against Azzi’s skin. “I love you, you know that, right?”

Azzi let out a small, contented laugh, her fingers tracing lazy circles on Paige’s back. “I think I might have a pretty solid guess,” she teased, voice filled with that warmth that Paige would bottle up if she could.

Paige brushed a loose curl from Azzi’s face, her touch lingering. “You’re everything to me, Azzi.”

Azzi’s lips curled into a knowing, genuine smile. “You’re everything to me too, dummy.”

“Hey,” she murmured, eyes flicking between Azzi’s lips and the teasing glint in her eyes. “You wanna go to the park? I heard there’s a lake nearby.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow, shifting just enough to put a little space between them—not that it lasted. “You know coach specifically told us not to drown,” she quipped, but there was a spark of excitement in her voice. She knew exactly what Paige was like when she got a random idea in her head.

Paige smirked and leaned in again, her breath warm against Azzi’s ear. “You have me, Azzi,” she whispered, voice dipped in something deep and effortless. “You’re never gonna drown with me.”

Azzi scoffed, shaking her head with the kind of fondness that only Paige could pull out of her. Still, she pressed a quick kiss to Paige’s nose, barely suppressing her smile. “You’re such a sap.”

“I’m your sap,” Paige shot back, grinning like she’d just won something.

Azzi just laughed, rolling her eyes as she sat up. Paige stretched as she got off the bed, arms reaching high over her head, her shirt riding up just enough for Azzi to catch a glimpse of her boxers peeking out from her shorts.

Oh.

Yeah, okay. That was unfair.

Azzi bit the inside of her cheek, her gaze lingering maybe a second too long before Paige—blissfully unaware—offered her a hand.

“Come on,” Paige said, tugging Azzi up without waiting for a response. “The lake’s waiting, and I’m pretty sure it’s not gonna wait forever.”

Azzi let herself be pulled to her feet, shaking her head with a smirk. “Lead the way, Prince.”

Paige’s grin widened as she slung their bags over her shoulder, her movements effortless, a little cocky, like she was feeling herself just a bit too much. Azzi didn’t bother calling her out on it—she’d never admit that she liked it.

They double-checked their stuff before heading out, Paige slipping both of their phones into her pocket with the hotel keycard. As they stepped into the elevator, Paige leaned against the wall, all relaxed limbs and easy confidence. She caught Azzi staring and shot her a wink.

“Alright, let’s get lost in some summer Argentine streets,” she said as the doors opened, voice full of that endless, restless energy that made Azzi fall for her in the first place.

Azzi grinned, bumping her shoulder as they walked out. “You do know how to use a map, right?”

Paige gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “Wow. Wow. You think I’d get us lost?”

Azzi gave her a look.

Paige shrugged. “Okay, fair. But, like… what’s the worst that could happen?”

Azzi sighed, but she was laughing. “I guess we’ll find out.” ━

They stepped outside, sunlight hitting them immediately, warm and golden. The streets buzzed with life—painted buildings in every shade imaginable, murals spilling across walls like stories in motion, vendors calling out their best deals, music drifting from open windows. It was loud and colorful and alive.

Paige let out a low whistle. “Damn,” she said, taking it all in. “I swear, I could live here.”

Azzi hummed, watching as Paige’s eyes bounced from one thing to another, like she was trying to soak up everything at once. With a small smile, she leaned her head against Paige’s shoulder as they walked. “I know what you mean. It’s like this place just pulls you in.”

Paige squeezed her hand, that same easy, confident energy settling between them.

They walked on, fingers loosely intertwined, laughter blending into the hum of the city, knowing that no matter where they went, this—the quiet moments, the teasing, the touches that lingered—was what really mattered. ━

As Paige and Azzi made their way into the park, the nature surrounding was nothing short of breathtaking. The area was straight-up unreal—towering trees, tangled marshes, and little lagoons scattered like something out of a Studio Ghibli film. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth, the sun filtering through the trees in golden streaks. Everything felt untouched, like they’d stumbled into some secret corner of the world.

“Okay, this place is giving national park energy,” Paige said, eyes scanning the scene in pure admiration. “Like, I’m waiting for a Lion King to pop out.”

Azzi smirked, squeezing Paige’s hand a little tighter. “Right? It’s kinda insane. Feels like we should be narrating this like a nature documentary.” She deepened her voice dramatically, “And here, we have two incredibly lost American tourists—”

“—with zero survival skills,” Paige finished, grinning. “But, like, we’re hot, so it balances out.”

Azzi laughed, nodding at a sign up ahead. “Okay, but real talk. What do you think that says?” The text was in Spanish, and neither of them was exactly fluent.

Paige squinted, pretending to analyze it. “Well… ‘lago’ sounds like lake. So, I vote we go that way.”

Azzi tilted her head, considering. “Lakes and wetlands? Sounds like a vibe.”

They followed the trail, the sound of their footsteps blending with rustling leaves and distant bird calls. The deeper they got, the more unreal it felt—wild greenery, bursts of colorful flowers, and the occasional rustle in the underbrush that made Paige whisper dramatically, “That’s gotta be a capybara.”

When they finally reached the lake, it was straight out of a dream. The water stretched wide and clear, shimmering under the afternoon sun. A small wooden bridge arched over one section, worn but sturdy, with wet footprints marking where someone had just walked across.

Azzi exhaled slowly, taking it all in. “This… is kinda perfect.”

Paige dropped her bag with a satisfied sigh. “Yeah. Lowkey jealous of the capybaras living their best lives out here.”

Azzi chuckled, but then winced slightly, reaching down to rub her knee. “Ugh. I think I pulled something earlier.”

Paige immediately turned to her, brows furrowing. “Wait—your knees? You good?”

“Yeah, I just need to sit for a sec.”

Paige smirked, stretching her arms out dramatically. “You could sit on me if you want.”

Azzi shot her a look. “You’re so extra.” But she still took Paige up on the offer, settling between her legs as Paige leaned back against a tree, wrapping her arms around Azzi’s waist. The warmth of Paige’s body pressed against her back, grounding her in a way she didn’t even realize she needed.

“This better?” Paige murmured, her hands moving to Azzi’s knee, massaging gently.

Azzi melted into the touch, closing her eyes. “Mmm. Yeah, much better.”

Paige grinned, placing a soft kiss against Azzi’s shoulder. “Good. ‘Cause I plan on spoiling you all day.”

Azzi hummed, tilting her head to glance at Paige. “You always do.”

“And I’m just getting started.” Paige’s voice dropped to that playful, intimate tone that always made Azzi’s stomach flip. She leaned in, her lips brushing against the curve of Azzi’s neck, sending warmth spiraling through her veins.

Azzi turned slightly, their eyes meeting, the air between them charged. “You really know how to make a girl feel special, huh?”

Paige grinned. “It’s my full-time job, actually.”

Azzi laughed softly, shaking her head before pressing her forehead against Paige’s. The world around them blurred, the distant sounds of the park fading into the background. It was just them—their breaths mingling, the steady rhythm of Paige’s heartbeat against Azzi’s back, the unspoken promise that wherever they went, whatever they did, moments like this would always feel like home.

━ Azzi slowly stirred from her nap, the soft rustle of the grass beneath her and the warmth of the afternoon sun making it hard to stay asleep. A light breeze skimmed over her skin, carrying the scent of wildflowers and lake water. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the golden light filtering through the leaves. The first thing she registered—before she even fully remembered where she was—was the feeling of Paige’s fingers lazily running through her curls.

Paige had a habit of touching her without even thinking about it, like it was second nature. Soft, absentminded, comforting. Azzi swore Paige didn’t even realize she did it half the time, but Azzi did. Every single time.

She shifted, rolling over just enough to face Paige, her limbs feeling pleasantly heavy from sleep. Paige was half-asleep too, her eyes barely open, a lazy grin stretching across her face.

Azzi smiled sleepily, voice still soft from the nap. “Good morning, cutie.”

Paige blinked at her, squinting slightly. “Is it morning already?”

Azzi laughed, her voice light and happy as she reached out and kissed Paige’s lips gently. “Yeah, it’s morning somewhere.”

Paige hummed, clearly not fully awake but still committed to flirting. “How was your nap?”

“The best nap so far,” Azzi murmured, stretching her arms above her head and letting the fresh air fill her lungs. “The air out here... it’s just different. I feel like I could sleep forever.”

“I agree,” Paige said softly, still playing with a curl, twirling it between her fingers. She looked at Azzi with that familiar, easy adoration in her eyes, like she was looking at her favorite view. “It’s like this place has its own rhythm. So peaceful.”

Azzi rested her head on Paige’s chest, her voice quiet but serious. “Can we stay like this forever? Just in our little world here?”

Paige’s heart melted at the thought. She ran her hand over Azzi’s back, her thumb lightly tracing the curves of her spine. “Yeah, I’d love that too. It’s okay that we only know like five words in Spanish, right?”

Azzi grinned, looking up at her. “Yeah, it’s just us. Who needs words when we’ve got this?”

Paige chuckled softly. “We do have ankles to break back at home, though…” she trailed off, her tone playful. “But yeah. I’d love it here. With you.”

Azzi smiled to herself, her fingers tracing patterns on Paige’s stomach, the soft rise and fall of her breath calming her. There was no rush in this moment. No expectations. No cameras. Just their silly, random thoughts filling the silence. Just them.

Paige leaned down, her lips brushing against Azzi’s forehead before she suddenly rolled her over, flipping them so Azzi was the one lying on the soft grass now. Azzi gasped, laughing as her curls fanned out around her. The sunlight hit them just right, turning the strands golden at the edges. Paige lowered herself, her lips finding Azzi’s once again—this time more urgent, more alive.

Azzi barely had time to react before she found herself laughing into the kiss. “Paige, I—”

Paige pulled back just a little, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. “Azzi, I’m kinda in the middle of something here.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow, trying to stifle her giggles. “And so am I.”

Paige blinked, clearly confused. “What?”

Before Paige could say anything else, Azzi’s hands reached down, and with a grin, she held up a tiny, fluffy white kitten. It mewed softly, its tiny paws stretching in the air like it had also just woken up from a nap.

Paige blinked again, now in pure disbelief. “Wait. Where did you even find that?!”

Azzi grinned wider, holding the cat up to Paige’s face. “Doesn’t matter. She’s ours now.”

Paige gave the kitten a careful once-over, gently picking it up. “Okay, but is it a boy or a girl?”

Azzi leaned in, squinting. “Uh, I think it’s a girl?”

Paige nodded like she was making a very important executive decision. “Yep, she’s a girl,” she said, now cradling the kitten like it was the most delicate thing in the world.

Azzi burst into laughter, watching Paige immediately turn soft over a cat she had met literally ten seconds ago. “You’re so extra.”

“I’m not extra,” Paige defended with a dramatic scoff. “This little girl is just a whole vibe.”

Azzi smirked. “Guess we’re parents now. She’s our responsibility.”

Paige lit up. “Alright, I’m gonna name her... uh, Mimi.” She looked at Azzi for approval, eyes full of anticipation.

Azzi rolled her eyes, but the fond smile on her lips gave her away. “Mimi? That’s your best idea?”

Paige shrugged dramatically. “Hey, I think it suits her. She’s cute, sweet, and a little wild.”

Azzi giggled, leaning up to kiss Paige’s cheek. “Fine. Mimi it is.”

Paige stretched out on the grass, gazing up at the clear sky, then over at the sparkling lake just beyond them. The sun glinted off the water, making it look almost unreal, like something out of a painting. She turned to Azzi with a grin, her eyes playful. “Sooo… wanna jump in the lake?”

Azzi side-eyed the water, then side-eyed Paige. “I’d rather get bitten by those mosquitoes chilling on that tree,” she said, pointing dramatically. “At least they’d be quick about it.”

Paige snorted, her grin widening. “Even if you had a thousand mosquito bites, I’d still kiss you all over. Just to make it better.”

Azzi stared at her, blinking in disbelief. “How dumb are you?”

“Hey, I’d do it for you,” Paige said with a shrug, trying to keep a straight face before cracking up. “Okay, okay, maybe I’m a little dumb, but it’s the thought that counts.”

Azzi shook her head, trying to hold back her own smile. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

Paige sat up, holding out a hand. “Come on. Let’s go to the pier. It’ll be fun.”

Azzi sighed like she was agreeing reluctantly, but her fingers still laced with Paige’s the moment she reached for her. Their hands fit together so naturally, so easily, like they had always been meant to find each other.

And just like that, they walked toward the wooden pier, their laughter filling the air, their world existing only for them. ━

By the time they made it to the end of the pier, Paige wasted zero time, plopping down on the edge like she owned the place. She stretched her legs out, swung them over the water, and took a deep, dramatic breath like she was soaking in the cinematic beauty of the moment. Then, without hesitation, she grabbed the hem of her shirt, yanked it off, and folded it way too neatly for someone who was about to do something dumb. Her shorts came next, leaving her in nothing but a sports bra and a pair of boxers, the waistband slightly rolled down like she was trying to look effortlessly cool.

She shot Azzi a grin, all mischief. “You sure you’re not tempted?”

Azzi barely blinked. “Tempted to do what? Watch you lose a limb to whatever’s lurking in that water? Not particularly.”

Paige snorted. “Nika told you there are sharks, didn’t she?”

Azzi raised a single, unimpressed brow. “She was very convincing.”

“Az, she told me the same thing about Croatia, and guess what? Both my legs? Still here. My head? Still attached. All ten fingers? Check.” Paige wiggled them like she was proving a point.

Azzi side-eyed the water, still unconvinced. “You’re actually insane.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Paige said, waving a dismissive hand before—yup—yeeting herself into the lake like she had no sense of self-preservation.

The splash was massive. Water rained down onto the pier, soaking Azzi’s legs and a good chunk of her lap. She gasped, nearly toppling over. “Paige! What the hell?!”

Paige resurfaced, grinning way too wide, her hair plastered to her face like a wet dog. “That. Was. Amazing.” She wiped water from her eyes. “Get in here, babe. It’s perfect.”

Azzi, still sitting in her newly damp clothes, let out a sharp laugh but shook her head. “Paige. My knees.”

Paige’s expression turned dramatic in an instant, her voice dropping into something soft, teasing, yet somehow serious. “If you need me to carry you back to the hotel, I’ll do it. A thousand times over.” She tipped her head, eyes gleaming. “Just jump. I got you.”

Azzi chewed the inside of her cheek, glancing between Paige and the water like she was mentally calculating all possible ways this could go wrong. But then there was Paige—drenched, grinning, looking up at her with that signature dumbass confidence.

Ugh.

Azzi exhaled through her nose. “You are such a dork.”

“And yet, you’re still in love with me,” Paige shot back, tossing in a wink.

Azzi groaned, but it wasn’t exactly a denial. She stood, brushing off the dirt on her legs, already regretting every decision that led her here. “If I get eaten by something, it’s on you.”

“No one’s getting eaten. Except maybe—”

“Paige.”

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll be good.”

“Paige,” Azzi drawled, giving her a look.

Paige snapped out of it, blinking rapidly. “Right, okay. You’re totally gonna jump this time, yeah? No backing out?”

Azzi rolled her eyes, shaking out her limbs like she was prepping for war. “I will literally—”

“Okay, on three.” Paige clapped her hands together, excitement written all over her face. “One!”

Azzi swallowed.

“Twoooooo—” Paige drew it out, eyes sparkling.

“I can’t, PAIGE” Azzi took a step back like she was contemplating running for her life.

Paige full-on cackled, arms slapping the water. “GET IN! YOU’RE SO DRAMATIC!”

Azzi crossed her arms, cheeks warm, her voice dropping to a soft, amused murmur. “Paige. You’re so loud.”

Paige immediately shut up. Her expression shifted, something almost sheepish flickering across her face. She exhaled, lowering her voice. “Okay, sorry. Didn’t mean to yell.” Then, after a beat, she softened completely. “Just… please? Get in the water, Azzi. For me?”

Azzi met her gaze, heart racing as she saw how earnestly Paige was asking—how much she wanted this. And despite herself, despite every logical reason to roll her eyes and walk away, Azzi laughed, a soft, shy giggle escaping her lips. “You really are something else.”

Then, with zero warning, she let out a dramatic scream, took three quick steps back, and then full-send sprinted toward the edge of the pier. The second her feet left the wooden planks, she regretted everything.

“SHI—”

SPLASH.

The lake swallowed her whole. Cold, murky water rushed over her head, sending a shock down her spine. She surfaced a second later, hair plastered to her face, gasping. “Paige, I swear to God—”

But before she could finish, Paige launched herself in right after her, limbs flailing in what could only be described as the least graceful dive known to man. Water exploded around them, rippling outward in chaotic waves. Azzi barely had time to react before Paige popped up right in front of her, grinning like she just won the lottery.

“You are INSANE,” Azzi huffed, swiping wet strands of hair out of her face. “Do you know how many diseases there are in here?”

Paige shrugged, completely unbothered. “Do you know how hot you look right now?”

Azzi rolled her eyes but felt the warmth creeping up her neck anyway. “Shut up.”

Paige floated closer, her smile softening. “No, really.”

They were inches apart now, the water swirling around them, the world suddenly too quiet. Azzi’s breath hitched as Paige’s fingers brushed against her wrist, featherlight, like she wasn’t even sure she was allowed to touch her.

“Hi, silly,” Azzi whispered, lips barely moving, her voice soft enough that it was almost lost in the sound of water lapping at the shore.

Paige’s chest tightened. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she rested her hands lightly on Azzi’s waist, like holding something delicate, something she didn’t want to startle away. “Hey,” she whispered back.

They stood there, locked in something neither of them had the words for. The sun hung low in the sky, streaking pink and orange across the water, but Azzi wasn’t looking at the sunset. She was looking at Paige. Paige, with her messy wet bun slipping out of place, with droplets of water clinging to her skin, with that infuriatingly soft expression that made Azzi’s stomach flip.

Paige tilted her head toward the sky. “Hey, Azzi.”

Azzi narrowed her eyes. “What?”

Paige smirked, all mischief. “Look at the sky.”

Azzi frowned, skeptical. “Why? Are you about to propose?”

“Just look, baby. Trust me.”

Azzi sighed but glanced up anyway. The clouds were tinged gold, a few birds soaring overhead, and—

WHOOSH

Before she even registered what happened, Paige’s hands found her shoulders and shoved. Hard.

Azzi yelped as she was sent plunging backwards into the water, sinking under with a flurry of bubbles. For a split second, all she saw was murky blue-green, feet kicking up tiny storms of sand from the lake floor.

When she surfaced, sputtering, she wiped her face and glared at Paige, who was cackling so hard she nearly went under herself. “Really?!”

Paige, still giggling, gave a lazy shrug. “You looked too peaceful.”

Azzi didn’t hesitate. With all the speed and precision of a trained athlete, she lunged forward and grabbed Paige by the wrist, yanking her under in one swift motion.

Paige let out a muffled “HEY—” before the water swallowed her whole.

Azzi waited, smug, arms crossed as she floated. Paige resurfaced a moment later, blinking furiously, hair now completely undone and sticking to her face in tangled wet strands.

“Okay,” Paige admitted, breathless, “I might’ve deserved that.”

“You definitely deserved that.”

They floated there, the tension between them buzzing like an exposed wire. Something had shifted, something neither of them could name, but they both felt it—like the second before lightning strikes, like standing on the edge of something vast and unknown.

Paige broke the silence first, her voice dipping lower. “Hey, Azzi…”

Azzi hummed, tilting her head. “What now?”

Paige’s grin turned wicked. “Have you ever had an underwater kiss?”

Azzi blinked. “What?”

Paige floated closer, eyes glinting. “I mean, we’re already here. Might as well cross it off the bucket list.”

Azzi stared at her, torn between laughing and throwing Paige across the lake. “Paige. We’re gonna drown.”

Paige smirked. “Then let’s make it a memorable way to go.”

Azzi huffed, biting her lip. “Okay, but I swear to God, if I die, I’m haunting you.”

Paige grinned, voice dropping into something teasing, something warm. “Deal.”

Before Azzi could overthink it, Paige grabbed her hand and pulled them both under.

For a moment, everything was still. ━

The world above blurred into soft, shifting light. Below, the water muffled every sound, wrapping them in quiet, in something weightless and infinite. Azzi’s fingers curled instinctively around Paige’s wrist, their hands slipping slightly, but neither of them let go.

They hovered there, breath held, foreheads nearly brushing, their noses barely touching. Azzi’s pulse roared in her ears. Paige’s hand found her jaw, fingers warm even in the cold water, thumb tracing a path along her cheekbone like she was memorizing her by touch alone.

Azzi exhaled, bubbles trailing up toward the surface. Paige smiled, just slightly, before leaning in.

Then, with no more hesitation, they leaned in, their lips meeting in the cool, damp air of the water. The kiss was slow at first—gentle—unhurried, like they had all the time in the world. But as the seconds stretched, it grew deeper, more urgent, as though neither of them wanted to let go of the moment.

Paige’s hands slid around Azzi’s waist, pulling her closer, her grip tightening as she brought their bodies flush together. The pressure was electric—Azzi could feel every inch of Paige, the strong hands on her back, the way her breath quickened beneath the water. And just as their kiss deepened, Paige’s hands moved lower, squeezing Azzi’s ass just a little too much, pulling a small, weak slap from Azzi.

Azzi pulled back slightly, eyes wide in mock indignation. “Did you seriously just—”

But before she could finish her sentence, Paige grinned, pulling her back to the surface. They both broke through the water, gasping for air, their faces flushed and their hearts still racing.

Azzi’s chest rose and fell with every breath, her skin tingling from the adrenaline. She smiled at Paige, a little out of breath but feeling like she’d just experienced something she never expected to. “That was... better than I thought,” she admitted, her lips curling into a soft grin. “Thanks for having my first underwater kiss with me.”

Paige’s smile widened, and without missing a beat, she gave Azzi a playful squeeze on the ass in response. “You’re welcome, baby.” She leaned in, her voice teasing but full of warmth. “Next time, I’ll let you squeeze back.”

Azzi laughed, rolling her eyes but feeling the warmth in her chest. “Oh, please,” she scoffed, but there was a smile on her lips that told Paige everything she needed to know. “You’re lucky I’m not drowning you right now.”

But even as she said it, she pulled Paige closer, as if she never wanted to let her go.

Azzi looked at Paige, her brow raised in playful skepticism, and suddenly broke the moment with a soft chuckle. "We're both living icks right now," she said, a little incredulously, but still with that mischievous smile of hers.

Paige's face softened, her usual teasing expression morphing into something more genuine as she laughed lightly. "I don't care," she shrugged, the carefreeness in her tone a reflection of her easygoing nature. “You think I care about looking cute? Nah, I’m just here for you.”

Azzi couldn’t help but smile at Paige’s carefree confidence, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. In that moment, she leaned forward slowly, pressing her lips to Paige’s in a soft kiss. It wasn’t rushed or heated, just a moment of pure connection. She pulled away slightly, her lips still hovering near Paige’s as she whispered, “I can’t imagine my life without you.”

Paige’s eyes softened, her thumb gently brushing against Azzi’s cheek as she let out a breath, almost as if she was taking in the full weight of the words. “Well, you don’t have to,” she said, her voice tender. Her lips met Azzi’s again, and this time the kiss felt even deeper, like a promise that there was no going back. No separation. They were already too intertwined to untangle.

Azzi couldn’t help but smile into the kiss, her heart feeling full, as if the whole world had shrunk down to just them in that moment. She pulled away a fraction, still looking at Paige. In the quiet of the space between them, Azzi’s mind wandered, her thoughts swirling as she realized something she hadn’t before. Paige had a way of making my Mondays feel like Fridays. It was like every moment with her was the weekend, no matter what time of the week it was. She couldn’t remember the last time something felt so easy, so simple.

Paige, too, was lost in her own thoughts as she gazed at Azzi. She was still replaying that moment when Azzi first said "hello" to her. It was casual—no big deal, just a greeting—but in that second, Paige had known something was different. Like the whole universe had just shifted and aligned in a way she couldn’t explain. Azzi’s hello was the start of everything, and Paige was hooked from then on.

“Do you ever think about that?” Paige asked softly, a little out of nowhere, her eyes searching Azzi’s.

Azzi, still caught up in the moment and the thought of how quickly she had fallen, just shrugged lightly, a smirk tugging at her lips. "What, how I got you wrapped around my finger from the start?" she teased, but there was softness in her voice, as if the question wasn’t all that far from the truth.

Paige laughed, leaning her forehead against Azzi’s. “Yeah, something like that.”

They were sitting there, the world just kinda fading into the background. Silence hung between them, but it wasn’t awkward. It was peaceful, like everything around them was just... right. Azzi couldn’t help but smile, the kind of smile that said she’d found something she didn’t know she was looking for.

She let out a quiet breath, leaning into Paige’s arm, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on the soft fabric of Paige's sleeve. “I’m lucky, you know that?” she said, her voice low, but there was a quiet certainty in it—like she’d been waiting for this moment, for Paige.

Paige glanced down at her, that easy grin spreading across her face, like she didn’t even have to think about it. She pushed a damp strand of hair from Azzi’s face, her touch lingering for a second longer than needed. “We both are,” Paige replied softly, her words full of something warm—something that wrapped around Azzi like a blanket.

Then, with the same ease, Paige kissed Azzi’s forehead, a kiss that wasn’t rushed, just... perfect. “I’m glad I found you,” she murmured, her voice almost a whisper but hitting Azzi like a wave.

Azzi let herself melt against Paige’s shoulder, the gentle rise and fall of her chest the only thing that anchored her to the moment. 

━ The cool lake water clung to their skin as they waded out, droplets catching the last rays of the sun. The sky was still bright, but the evening light was starting to mellow, turning everything around them a golden shade, like the world had been dipped in honey. The air was crisp, the kind of comfortable that felt like a soft hug from the inside. The lake's quiet lapping was the loudest sound, other than the occasional bird doing its thing and the distant hum of traffic, still too far to be bothersome.

Paige snagged her phone from where it rested on the towel, checking the time with one hand as the other wiped water from her face. A few notifications lit up her screen. Of course, she thought with a soft eye roll.

KK: twin where have y’all been? oh and also can i borrow your charger? i left mine in storrs

Paige smiled to herself. Classic KK. She quickly typed a reply, her thumbs moving fast.

Paige: Az and I went to the lake, and yeah, you can borrow it. We’ll be back at the hotel soon.

She sent it and scrolled down to the next message.

Ice: we’re at the hotel, chillin’. also, i think azzi’s underwear was stuck in the sheets or something. Y’all really have to do a better job at this.

Paige snorted, holding her phone a little tighter as she laughed quietly. Seriously, Ice? She typed back, shaking her head as she tried to stop smiling.

Paige: dude, are you seriously bringing this up in a text. just don’t tell az, her knees are acting up. we’ll be back soon.

She laughed to herself at her own reply before moving on to the next one.

Aubs: whats the password to your netflix acc? We been trynna put on some friends. Hope y’all enjoyed the afternoon. Paige: i’mma tell you when i get there, and yes we did. It was splendid.

She hit send, then scrolled through a few photos her little brother, Drew, had sent. She grinned and sent them back to him with a quick caption.

Meanwhile, Azzi was slipping into her knitted bodycon, the fabric soft and tight, hugging her figure in a way that made Paige’s heart do a little flip. Azzi walked over with that effortless smile, rubbing Paige’s back in a playful way. Paige glanced up as she typed another reply, noticing Azzi and feeling her pulse quicken a little.

Azzi leaned in, resting her cheek on Paige’s shoulder, and Paige could feel her breath tickling her skin. Azzi was so close that it made Paige’s fingers fumble just slightly, her thumbs stumbling over the keys.

Azzi pressed a quick, soft kiss to Paige’s cheek, pulling back with that easy, warm grin that made Paige’s heart squeeze.

“Ready to go?” Azzi’s voice was soft but playful, like she was ready to roll but still wanted to tease.

Paige grinned, matching her tone. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

━

Hand in hand, they stepped onto the cobblestone streets of the little Argentine town, the kind of place where everything felt real and vibrant. The air was fresh with that perfect mix of crispness and warmth, and the whole town buzzed with life. The hum of people talking, laughing, and just living their lives echoed around them. In the distance, they could hear kids kicking a soccer ball around, their voices rising in excited shouts, the sound of sneakers skidding on the cobbles. It was the kind of place that felt like it could steal your heart in an instant.

As they walked, they passed street vendors with carts loaded with colorful snacks—bright pink cotton candy, crispy empanadas sizzling on grills, and freshly fried churros piled high, their sugar coating sparkling in the sun. The smell of grilled meat mixed with sweet, fried goodness, and it made Paige’s stomach rumble, but she couldn’t help but smile as she took in the scene.

“Azzi, look at that,” Paige said, her voice full of that playful excitement that was impossible to ignore, pointing at a stall overflowing with sugary treats that practically begged to be eaten. “We gotta come back for that.”

Azzi’s eyes lit up, her usual smirk turning into a full-blown grin. “I’m in.” She was always in for the little moments—moments like this, with Paige, that made everything feel like it was exactly where it was supposed to be.

They continued strolling down the street, the world feeling slow, easy, and effortless. The sun had started its descent, casting a golden glow on everything, and it felt like they could walk forever. Paige squeezed Azzi’s hand, pulling her a little closer as they moved through the crowd, their fingers intertwined, the connection between them as natural as breathing. The distant hum of traffic filled the air, but it was more like background noise to the peace they found in each other’s presence.

But before they could go any further, a soft, shy voice interrupted their bubble.

“Excuse me,” a little girl said, tapping Paige lightly on the shoulder. Paige turned around, meeting the shy, almost nervous gaze of the girl. She was small, with big brown eyes and an adorable, awkward smile. "Can I take a photo with you?" The girl’s English was halting, but her excitement was crystal clear in her sparkling eyes.

Paige’s heart melted. She smiled warmly, crouching down to the girl’s level so they were eye-to-eye. “Of course,” she said, her voice soft and kind. “Do you want Azzi in the picture too?”

The girl’s face lit up like it was the best thing she’d heard all day, her smile stretching wide. Paige looked up at Azzi, who was watching with an amused grin, clearly finding the whole thing endearing. Paige reached out for Azzi’s hand and pulled her gently toward the girl.

Azzi leaned in, one hand resting casually on her hip, while Paige draped an arm around the girl’s shoulders. The three of them stood there, grinning like they were best friends, a snapshot of simple happiness. The camera clicked, and just as quickly, the girl squeezed them both in a tight hug, giggling as she pulled away.

“¡Gracias!” she exclaimed, waving at them before darting off, her little laugh trailing behind her like a melody.

Azzi turned to Paige, her grin wide and genuine. “That was cute,” she said, her voice light but full of warmth.

Paige wrapped her arm around Azzi’s shoulders as they continued their walk, their fingers still locked together. “Yeah,” she agreed, smiling at the thought. “Just makes me realize how lucky we are, you know? That we get to be... us. Together.”

Azzi leaned into her, her cheek lightly resting against Paige’s shoulder, the comfort of the moment settling around them like a warm blanket. They continued walking through the bustling streets, the sounds of Spanish chatter and children’s laughter filling the air, the distant honk of a car horn a soft reminder of the outside world. But in that moment, it was just the two of them—walking through life side by side, perfectly in sync.

“It’s perfect,” Azzi said softly, her voice almost a whisper as she looked up at Paige. “I love it here... I love this.” Her words held that quiet intensity that Paige had come to adore, a mix of vulnerability and awe.

Paige smiled, pulling Azzi a little closer, her heart swelling. “Me too. And I love you,” she whispered, just loud enough for Azzi to hear.

Azzi glanced up, her lips curving into a smile that was as soft and genuine as the words she whispered back. “I love you, too.” And they kept walking, their fingers intertwined, as the lights of the city began to twinkle in the distance, everything falling into place perfectly, like it was meant to be.

━ The hotel room door creaked open, the sounds of their teammates already filling the space. It was that perfect blend of familiar chaos—soft TV murmurs, the occasional rustle of a snack bag, and the calming hum of a few pages flipping. Nika was on the carpet, propped up against the wall, her feet stretched out and her head buried in a fashion mag. Her expression? The usual mix of smug satisfaction and a vibe that screamed “I’m better than you, but I’ll let you find out on your own.”

Aubrey was standing by the TV, frowning like she was one wrong button away from throwing the remote out the window. Paige could hear the subtle click of buttons being pressed and the muffled curse when something didn’t work. It was so Aubrey.

Meanwhile, Ice was sprawled on the bed, phone in hand, scrolling through TikTok like her life depended on it. Probably hunting for something totally absurd to send to Nika. You could almost hear her plotting the chaos in her head.

When Paige and Azzi walked in, the room buzzed with that comfortable, chaotic energy.

“Hey, you two,” Aubrey called out without even looking away from her screen, her voice tinged with frustration. "Come save me from this tech nightmare."

Paige shot a glance at the remote mess in Aubrey’s hands, then grinned. “Hey girls,” she said casually, almost too amused by the mess of tangled buttons and wires.

Nika didn’t even glance up at first, but then her eyes shifted to Azzi and Paige, and she raised a brow. “Yo, what happened to your clothes?” she asked, her voice muffled by the magazine, but her gaze clearly taking in the damp, lake-soaked situation. “Y’all look like you just swam across the freaking lake or something.”

Paige smirked, nudging Azzi. “We went for a little swim,” she said, her grin widening.

Azzi shot her a look, narrowing her eyes with dramatic flair. “You mean you almost drowned us?” she deadpanned. “Paige almost killed me, y’all.”

The teasing banter hit instantly. Paige burst out laughing, clearly delighted by Azzi’s sarcasm, while Azzi crossed her arms and shot Paige a sideways smile that could've cut glass. Nika rolled her eyes, but the tiny smile playing at her lips betrayed her fondness.

“You two are ridiculous,” Nika muttered, flipping another page in her magazine, but the tone in her voice was warm despite the irritation.

Paige raised an eyebrow at Azzi, giving her a playful shrug. “I think she likes us that way.”

Azzi smirked. “Maybe. But I’m gonna go catch up with Caroline in the next room. She wanted something,” she said, nonchalantly tossing the words out like they were nothing.

Paige tilted her head in curiosity, the corners of her lips tugging upward. “What’d she want?”

Azzi shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I don’t know, but I’ll be back soon. Don’t miss me too much,” she added with a wink, already starting to walk toward the door.

Before Azzi could leave, though, she leaned in, capturing Paige’s lips with a soft kiss. The moment lingered, almost teasing, before Azzi whispered, her lips still barely touching Paige’s, “Be good while I’m gone.”

Paige grinned, her hand catching Azzi’s before she pulled away. “Always,” she said with a wink of her own, watching her walk out, the door left slightly ajar, a sliver of warmth and chaos slipping through.

The moment the door clicks shut, Ice’s voice cuts through the room like a knife through butter. “Wait, did y’all seriously do it in a lake?” she asks, eyes wide with this mix of disbelief and amusement, like she can’t decide if she’s shocked or impressed.

Paige glares at Ice, narrowing her eyes with the perfect deadpan. “Isuneh, I swear to god,” she says, her voice dripping with that exaggerated, fake-threat energy that only Paige can pull off.

Ice throws her hands up in mock surrender, a grin stretching across her face. “Okay, okay, no need to get all scary on me,” she teases, laughing. “But y’all are always all smiley and shit. It’s cute. I just don’t need you two traumatizing us. The hotel staff is probably thinking all kinds of wild stuff.”

Paige rolls her eyes but can’t fully hide the smile creeping onto her face. “We’ll try, Ice, but you know—sometimes you gotta make things fun,” she says, her tone playful but with that little too chill vibe.

Ice snorts, shaking her head in mock disbelief. “Fun, huh?” she says, clearly not buying it.

Paige leans back against the wall, acting like she’s about to drop some serious info. “Oh, we did it on that bed, though,” she says, giving a nonchalant nod toward the bed Ice is currently lounging on, looking way too comfortable.

Ice’s face goes from carefree to straight-up horror in less than a second. She jumps off the bed like it just spontaneously combusted. “NOPE,” she practically yells, backing away from the bed like it might actually bite her. Her eyes are wide, and she’s nearly tripping over herself in her rush to get as far from it as possible.

Paige, now fully leaning into the drama, smirks and places her hands on her hips. “Thanks for the bed, Ice,” she says sweetly, but the sarcasm’s heavy in her voice.

Ice groans, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at Paige with an exaggerated, theatrical pout. “Y’all are ridiculous. Just… just go wash your damn clothes,” she says, rolling her eyes so hard you can practically hear them spin.

Nika, finally done with the banter, chimes in, looking around the room as if she’s over it all. “Seriously, though, the hot steam massage? Too fire. Had to leave a tip even though it was free. It was that good,” she says, her tone like she’s just imparted some deep wisdom.

Aubrey lets out an overly dramatic groan from the corner, sounding like she’s ready to explode. “Guys, can someone PLEASE help me with the Netflix login? I’m this close to throwing this remote through the TV,” she says, holding up the remote like it’s her worst enemy.

Paige raises an eyebrow, amused by how worked up Aubrey is. “I got you,” she says, stepping over and swiping the remote from Aubrey’s hands, taking control like a pro. She taps the remote, bringing up the login screen, and pauses for a second, her fingers hovering over the keyboard with the same mischievous glint she always has.

“You know it’s Azzi,” she says, dragging out the words for maximum drama. With a grin, she types in the password: “Azzi<3Paige8785.”

Aubrey's eyes light up, and she lets out a satisfied sigh as the screen loads. “Yoo, thanks, you really are a lifesaver, huh,” she says, looking at Paige like she just performed some kind of magic.

“I know,” Paige says, flashing a wide grin at Aubrey. She tosses the remote onto the nearest bed and flops down on it dramatically, like she just won the Olympics. (Which in fact, she did, multiple times)

━ The group was lounging around the room, the low hum of their chatter filling the space. Nika had her legs sprawled out on the carpet, flipping through a fashion magazine like she was planning world domination with every turn of the page. Ice was on one of the beds, glued to her phone, scrolling through TikTok with the kind of focus most people reserve for finals week. Aubrey was perched on the edge of the bed, grumbling under her breath as she fought with the TV remote, trying to get Netflix working.

"So, beach plans, y’all?" Nika broke the silence with a playful grin, clearly in the mood for something fun. "Sunset vibes, campfire, grilled meat. I’m down."

Paige’s ears perked up like a dog hearing a snack wrapper. "Wait, are we doing s’mores? I’m so down for some s’mores."

Nika barely looked up from her magazine, the deadpan stare she shot Paige making it clear this was not a serious question. "Dude, we’re in Argentina. I don’t think they’re out here eating like average Americans, alright?"

Paige dramatically flopped back onto the couch, hands over her face like she’d been personally attacked. "Thanks for the enthusiasm, Nika. You’re a real mood booster."

Nika shot her a grin, eyes twinkling like she just won the lottery. "You’re welcome."

Just as Paige was about to respond, the door creaked open, and Azzi walked in, followed by Caroline. Everyone greeted Caroline with their usual warm energy, but Paige’s attention immediately snapped to Azzi. She looked even more radiant than usual, the fresh shower she’d just taken making her skin glow in the soft light of the room. Paige’s heart gave a little flip.

Azzi was effortlessly glowing in a white tank top and loose shorts, walking toward Paige with that mischievous glint in her eyes that made Paige’s breath hitch. Before Paige could even process, Azzi dropped onto her lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Hey, baby," Azzi murmured, her voice low and comfortable as she settled in, making Paige’s heart skip a beat.

Paige, still slightly in awe, leaned in, taking in the fresh scent of her skin. "You smell good, ma," she said softly, brushing a damp strand of Azzi’s hair from her face like it was the most intimate thing in the world.

Azzi smirked, teasing her as always. "You smell like fish," she said, wrinkling her nose like Paige had just insulted her.

Paige burst into laughter, the sound light and carefree. "Nice, babe. Real nice," she said, grinning before pressing a soft, wet kiss to Azzi’s neck. The contact made Azzi shiver, and she let out a low hum of appreciation.

Nika, not one to pass up an opportunity to mess with them, rolled her eyes from across the room. "Get a room, Romeo and Juliet," she sighed dramatically, clearly fed up with their constant back-and-forth teasing.

Paige and Azzi exchanged a soft look, their gazes filled with the kind of affection that made it clear this wasn’t just playful banter. "We might just take you up on that offer," Paige shot back with a grin, her tone mischievous.

Aubrey, glancing at the clock, interrupted the moment. "Okay, y’all, we’ve got like 30 minutes before we need to head to the beach. Let’s wrap it up, yeah?"

Paige stretched her arms over her head with a yawn, trying to shake off the lingering warmth Azzi’s touch had left on her skin. "Alright, I’mma shower and then we can head out." She grabbed her towel, already picturing the soft sand between her toes and Azzi’s teasing smile in her mind.

The group continued to chat about the evening ahead, but Caroline, noticing Azzi’s distracted expression, slid onto the couch next to her. "Girl, you really down bad," Caroline said with a sly grin, nudging Azzi lightly.

Azzi raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the playful teasing but not backing down. "What do you mean, Car?"

Caroline leaned in close, her voice dropping just enough so the others wouldn’t hear. "Dude, you’re literally wearing black panties under white shorts," she said, shaking her head with a knowing grin. "You’re really out here letting Paige see all that, huh?"

Azzi’s lips curled into a smirk, but she wasn’t fazed. "So? I just like them," she shrugged casually, but there was that tiny blush creeping up her neck that Caroline definitely noticed.

Caroline let out a soft laugh, leaning back with a mischievous sparkle in her eye. "Okay, sure, girl. Just please, for the love of all things sacred, keep it down tonight, okay? We don’t need to be traumatized by your chemistry," she teased, her eyes lighting up with amusement.

Azzi didn’t respond right away. Instead, she bit her bottom lip, already lost in thoughts of Paige’s hands on her skin, the warmth of her touch. Her mind wandered, a soft smile playing at her lips as she got lost in the daydream.

"Azzi," Caroline said, snapping her out of her daze, her voice playful. "You good?"

Azzi blinked, coming back to the present and meeting Caroline’s eyes with a mischievous glint. "Yeah, I’m good. Don’t worry about me," she said, already plotting her next move.

━ Paige stepped out of the bathroom, her hair still damp, the faint smell of her shower soap lingering in the air. She pulled on a loose white shirt that hugged her body just enough to show off the soft curve of her shoulders, paired with floral shorts that screamed summer vibes. The silver necklace around her neck caught the light as she moved, giving off a subtle shimmer that made her look effortlessly put together. Azzi, who had been leaning against the bed scrolling through her phone, couldn’t help but pause, her eyes tracking Paige’s every movement.

Azzi’s gaze lingered a little too long, tracing the outline of Paige’s body, from the way the shirt clung to her waist to the curve of her thighs. She didn’t even try to hide the fact that she was staring. Paige caught the look, her lips curling into a smirk.

“You good, ma?” Paige teased, eyebrows arched as she casually plopped down next to Azzi on the bed, making sure their knees brushed just enough to make Azzi’s breath hitch.

Azzi snapped out of her trance, the faintest blush creeping onto her cheeks. “Yeah… yeah, just… you look good,” she said, voice soft but laced with that familiar warmth that always made Paige’s heart do a little flip.

Paige chuckled, her voice playful. “You act like you’ve never seen me before, babe.”

Azzi leaned her head against Paige’s shoulder, her breath slow and content as she sighed. “It’s just… you look different,” she admitted, her voice quieter now, almost reverent. “Like, somehow even more... stunning than usual.”

Paige’s chest swelled with that warm, fluttery feeling she only got when Azzi looked at her like that—like she was the only thing that mattered in the world. “Thanks, ma. I try,” Paige replied, nudging her playfully.

Azzi’s smile widened, but she straightened up, clearing her throat. “Ready to go to the beach?” she asked, trying to shift the mood back to normal. She adjusted her posture, shoulders squaring as she made the effort to focus on something else.

Paige nodded, grinning. “Yeah, let’s go. Sunset’s waiting for us.” ━

As they stood and made their way toward the door, the others were already gathering to head out. Caroline passed by Paige, a sly grin spreading across her face. “You better not fuck this up, P,” Caroline said lightly, though there was a definite warning edge to her tone.

Paige laughed, completely oblivious. “What, like the time I forgot to pack sunscreen?” she shot back, flashing a grin. She waved her hand dismissively, acting like it was nothing. “I got this. No worries.”

Azzi rolled her eyes playfully as Caroline walked ahead, but there was a subtle look exchanged between her and Paige that no one else could quite catch.

They were the last two to leave the room, walking down the hallway, the sound of their footsteps echoing softly in the quiet space. The elevator doors slid open just as they arrived, and Nika, already inside, shot Paige a mock-warning look. “Don’t you dare press any buttons, P,” she said, eyebrow raised, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “We’re not risking another near-death experience.”

The whole group burst out laughing, but Paige—of course—pretended to be offended, her lips curling into a mischievous grin. “What? I can’t have a little fun? You guys are no fun.”

She reached for the buttons, fingers hovering over the panel, but Azzi quickly swatted her hand away, her eyes narrowing playfully. “Stop it, Paige,” she muttered, though the smile tugging at the corners of her lips betrayed her.

Paige sighed dramatically, holding her hands up in mock surrender. “Fine, fine,” she said, winking at Nika, who was standing with her arms crossed, eyes still locked on Paige, making sure she didn’t pull any stunts.

The elevator dinged and arrived at the lobby floor. The doors slid open, revealing an older couple waiting to step in. They gave the group a polite, warm smile, and for a split second, Nika couldn’t help herself.

“Wow, that’s the first time an older person hasn’t given me a side-eye,” Nika commented, voice dripping with playful disbelief. The others burst into laughter, the tension in the air lightening instantly.

Paige wrapped her arm around Azzi’s waist, pulling her closer, a sense of ease settling over them. Azzi, without thinking, slipped her hand into the back pocket of Paige’s shorts, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. They were practically inseparable, not just physically but in the way their personalities fit so perfectly together.

“Don’t let go, alright?” Paige whispered, lips brushing Azzi’s ear, sending a shiver down her spine. The heat of Paige’s breath against her skin made her heart race. “I’m not leaving you alone for a second tonight.”

Azzi tilted her head back to meet Paige’s gaze, her lips curling into a soft smile. “Promise,” she whispered back, her fingers tightening just a little in the back pocket of Paige’s shorts.

The elevator doors closed with a soft chime, and they headed toward the beach, the air buzzing with their laughter and easy conversation. As they stepped outside, the sun’s warmth still lingered in the air, casting everything in a golden glow. Despite the teasing, the playful banter, and the jokes, there was something undeniable in the way they were together—like they were two pieces of the same puzzle, effortlessly fitting together.

“So,” Nika said, glancing over at the group, “who’s making the first move on the campfire tonight? Because if it’s Paige, we’re probably gonna end up with charcoal instead of a roast.”

Paige grinned mischievously. “I’m excellent with fires. You’ll see.”

But as they walked toward the beach, the sound of the waves in the distance and the excitement of the night ahead, nothing else mattered. Not the teasing, not the jokes. All that mattered was the moment, and the fact that they were together—laughing, teasing, and perfectly in sync. ━ The group finally made it down to the beach, the golden sun spilling over everything, making the sand look like something out of a tropical postcard. The air smelled like salt, sunscreen, and the faint hint of the ocean breeze. The moment they stepped onto the beach, they spotted Aaliyah, already lounging like she owned the place, sunglasses sitting pretty on her nose, and casually eating a mango like it was her full-time job.

"Y'all took forever," Aaliyah said with a dramatic eye-roll, biting into the mango with exaggerated flair. "Could've grown a whole mango tree by now."

Paige, not missing a beat, plopped down next to her with a dramatic sigh. "Why do you look like you just retired in Miami?" she asked, fanning herself.

Aaliyah grinned, unbothered. "I'm manifesting, babe. One day, I’ll be living this life. Just wait."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the beach, Coach was standing there, arms crossed, sunglasses on, looking like he was auditioning for a role in Witness Protection Program: Beach Edition. His whole vibe screamed, "I’m just here to observe and not get involved."

Nika leaned toward Ice, whispering, “Look at him. He really thinks he’s incognito or something.”

The group cracked up as they dropped their bags, laid out towels, kicked off sandals, and adjusted to beach life. Paige and Azzi made their way toward the water, finding a chill spot where the waves gently crashed against the shore. As they sat down, the sand shifted beneath them, and their legs brushed together. It was like the world had slowed down a bit, everything feeling kinda perfect.

Azzi crossed her legs and glanced out at the ocean, her fingers absentmindedly drawing shapes in the sand. Paige leaned back, palms flat on the sand, head tilted up toward the sun, letting it soak into her skin.

Azzi let out a quiet sigh, breaking the peaceful silence. "Lowkey, I feel like I could just stay here forever," she said, her voice soft but carrying that kind of wistful longing.

Paige turned her head, studying her for a second before smirking. “So you’re saying we should just ditch the team and start a new life as beach bums?”

Azzi snorted. “You wouldn’t last a week.”

“Excuse me,” Paige said, placing a hand over her heart. “I would thrive. I’d be that one surfer girl who doesn’t actually surf but wears the aesthetic.”

Azzi rolled her eyes just as—thunk!—a loud thump interrupted them.

“All right, y’all! Who wants some watermelon?” Nika yelled, pulling out a whole watermelon and flopping it onto the towel like it was a WWE smackdown.

Heads turned.

Silence.

Then, chaos.

“Where did you get a whole watermelon?” Ayanna asked, eyebrows raised.

Nika smirked and pulled a kitchen knife out of her duffel bag.

The group recoiled.

“YO—where did you get that?” Caroline demanded, leaning back like Nika was about to perform a magic trick.

"Don't ask questions," Nika said, completely unfazed. "Do you want a piece or not?"

Everyone immediately nodded because watermelon was watermelon, even if it came with mild criminal activity. Nika got to work slicing, while Ice sat beside her, watching with concern.

“This is how we die,” Ice mumbled.

As slices got passed around, Paige leaned back and clapped her hands together. "Alright, so who’s starting the campfire?"

Ice took a thoughtful bite of watermelon, chewed dramatically, then went, “Well, we could blow on it. Y’know, like the people back then did it.”

There was a pause.

A long pause.

Then a collective explosion of laughter.

“You mean cavemen?!” Ayanna wheezed.

“The people back then,” Ice repeated, unfazed. “We gotta embrace the struggle.”

Nika wiped tears from her eyes. “I can’t believe you just said that with a straight face.”

Paige, holding her stomach from laughing, pointed at Ice. “I respect the commitment, though.”

Azzi shook her head, reaching over to steal a piece of Paige’s watermelon. “You are so unserious.”

“I’m full of wisdom,” Ice declared. “Now, watch me create fire from pure vibes.”

As the sun dipped lower, the team sat there, eating stolen watermelon, attempting to start a fire with sheer willpower, and making memories that were going to be brought up for years.

━ Paige let out a deep laugh, shaking her head. “Bro, you cannot be serious.”

Ice shrugged, still holding onto their prehistoric vision. “We had to try.”

“No. We didn’t,” Paige said, standing up and dusting the sand off her shorts. “Y’all keep the caveman dream alive—I’m gonna go get some actual firepower.”

With that, she made her way toward a small beachfront bar, the air filled with the sound of waves and the faint, sultry notes of tango music floating from inside. The place had a cozy, rustic vibe—dim lights, wooden stools, a bartender who looked like he’d seen it all. Paige pulled out her phone and showed him a picture of matches because, let’s be real, she definitely did not know how to say “matches” in Spanish.

The bartender squinted at the screen, then nodded like, Oh, I gotchu. He handed her a small box.

“Gracias, boss,” Paige said, sliding him a fist bump, which he accepted with a look of amused confusion.

She jogged back to the group, shaking the box in her hand. “Guess who just saved us from an actual survival episode?”

The team turned their heads, expressions ranging from disbelief to straight-up awe.

“No way,” Caroline said, eyeing the box like it was an ancient artifact.

“You got them? Just like that?” Nika asked.

Paige smirked. “Some of us have social skills.”

Nika rolled her eyes. “Relax, you asked for matches, not the nuclear codes.”

Ignoring her, Paige struck a match and lit up the campfire, tossing in some dry wood. The flames flickered to life, glowing warm against their faces, crackling softly as they curled around the logs.

Azzi, watching the whole thing unfold, found herself hyper-focused—not on the fire, but on Paige. The way her muscles subtly flexed when she handled the wood, the effortless way she moved, the casual confidence in her stance.

Paige sat back down next to her, looking satisfied with herself. “There. No cave tactics required.”

Azzi, without thinking, leaned into her, resting her head against Paige’s chest. Paige blinked for a second, caught off guard, then wrapped an arm around Azzi’s waist, pulling her closer.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, streaking the sky in deep oranges and purples, the team fell into conversation—one of those effortless, talk-about-everything-and-nothing at the same time types. The warmth of the fire, the salty ocean breeze, the laughter—it all felt unreal, like something out of a coming-of-age movie.

Azzi, half-mumbling, half-laughing, brought up the moment.

“Remember that night when we, um…” She hesitated, her lips twitching into a smirk. “Met that stray cat?”

A split second of silence. Then—

“NAH. NO. NO WAY.” Nika practically lunged forward, eyes wide with scandal.

Paige sighed dramatically. “Azzi, I trusted you.”

Azzi was grinning. “I had to tell them.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Caroline gasped, barely breathing from laughing. “A cat? DURING?”

Paige groaned. “Why does this sound like I was in some Disney princess fever dream?”

“That’s actually insane,” Ayanna said, shaking her head. “Y’all were like, mid-love story, and a random cat just appeared?”

“I swear on everything, it was watching us,” Azzi added. “Like, deadass just sitting there, judging.”

“I mean,” Nika said, wiping tears from laughing, “cats do be haters.”

They were still recovering from the story when Nika, in a completely unrelated move, pulled out a Sharpie from somewhere.

The team should have been suspicious.

Instead, they were distracted—because Aubrey had passed out mid-convo, lying back on her towel, completely knocked out from the long day.

And Nika? Oh, Nika saw an opportunity.

Moving like a seasoned criminal, she leaned in and—

One stroke.

Two strokes.

A full mustache now lived on Aubrey’s upper lip.

When she stirred slightly, Nika froze mid-doodle like a cartoon character caught in the act.

Then Aubrey turned her head, still asleep.

Everyone lost it.

Paige was rolling on the sand, clutching her stomach. Ice had to walk away to avoid choking on laughter. Caroline had actual tears in her eyes.

Aubrey, still peacefully snoozing, had no idea she was now the proud owner of a villainous, curly mustache.

“I—” Azzi gasped between wheezes. “I can’t breathe.”

Nika wiped imaginary dust off her hands. “Hang it in the Louvre”

And that was how the night went—chaos, laughter, inside jokes that would last forever. ━

As the night rolled on, the realization hit them all at once—

“Wait.” Ice sat up suddenly, eyes wide. “Weren’t we supposed to, like… grill something?”

A long pause. A collective brain lag.

“Oh shit.” Paige smacked her forehead. “The fish.”

Instant chaos.

Phones were pulled out, Google searches were launched. Nika typed in how to say fish in Spanish like she was hacking into the Matrix.

“Alright, alright,” she read aloud. “It’s pez.”

“Pez,” Paige repeated, testing it out. “Pez. Pez. Pez.”

“You sound like a broken record,” Azzi deadpanned.

“Pez,” Paige said one more time just to be annoying.

Aaliyah, still lounging like she was the queen of this whole operation, waved lazily at Paige. “Yo, while you’re at it, I can’t eat fish. Can you, like, grab me some vegetables or something?”

Paige squinted. “Vegetables?”

“Yeah. Y’know. Green stuff?”

“...Damn, you want me to just start foraging?”

“Love ya, thanks, bye,” Aaliyah said sweetly, rolling onto her side like she had no worries.

Paige shook her head but got up anyway, dusting off her shorts. “Alright. Operation Pez and Plants. I got this.”

She strutted back to the bar, confidence at an all-time high.

The moment she reached the counter, she leaned in, cool as hell. “Hey. We ordered pez. Is the pez waiting for us?”

The staff just… stared.

Like she had just asked them if they were in possession of a mythical sea creature.

One of them raised an eyebrow. “...Pez?”

“Sí,” Paige nodded, feeling very authentic. “The pez.”

A beat of silence. Then one of the waiters slowly pointed at a tray sitting on a nearby table.

“Oh, sick.” Paige grabbed it, feeling victorious. Before she turned away, she hesitated. “Hey, uh… y’all got, like… a tomato or something?”

The waiter exchanged a glance with his coworker, then reached under the counter and handed her a whole-ass tomato.

Paige blinked. “Damn. Just like that?”

The guy shrugged. “Sí.”

“Alright then. Love the energy.” Paige gave them a salute and turned—only to see Azzi already standing there, hands tucked behind her back, watching with amusement.

“You good?” Azzi asked, smirking.

“Oh, thriving,” Paige said, handing her the tray. “Got the pez. Got the tomato. Livin’ the dream.”

Azzi rolled her eyes but took the tray from her, and together, they started heading back.

As they walked, Paige’s eyes naturally drifted downward—just for a split second.

And that’s when she noticed it.

Azzi’s black panties, barely peeking above the waistband of her shorts.

Oh.

Paige immediately bit back a grin, her brain short-circuiting for a good two seconds.

She let out a small laugh to herself.

Azzi, side-eyeing her, caught it. “What’s so funny?”

Paige, still grinning like an idiot, shrugged. “Nothing. Just enjoying this day.” She nodded toward the beach, the bonfire, their teammates acting like absolute fools. “With you. And those idiots.”

Azzi stared at her for a moment, then softened. Without thinking too much about it, she leaned in and kissed Paige’s cheek.

Paige—who had not been expecting that—froze for half a second before her grin turned even dumber.

By the time they made it back to the group, they set the trays down, and everyone crowded around, looking at the fish like it was an unsolved mystery.

“So, uh…” Nika rubbed her hands together. “How do we start?”

A deep silence fell over the group.

Ice poked at the fish with a stick. “Do we, like… season it?”

Paige clapped a hand on Ice’s shoulder. “Buddy. That is an excellent question.”

Ice clapped her hands together like she was about to deliver a TED Talk. “Alright, listen up, children. I watched a tutorial, so I know exactly how to do this.”

The group side-eyed her so hard.

“Okay, but, like… from where?” Ayanna asked suspiciously. “Was it an actual cooking channel, or did you just watch some dude in his backyard with an iPhone 6?”

Ice crossed her arms. “It was Gordon Ramsay, first of all—”

“Cap,” Nika interrupted. “Gordon Ramsay is not out here teaching people how to grill fish over a bonfire.”

“Okay, fine, it was some random uncle on YouTube, but that’s besides the point.” Ice huffed. “Just trust the process.”

Surprisingly, the process actually worked.

They seasoned the fish, tossed the vegetables on the grill, and within minutes, the warm air filled with the mouthwatering smell of grilled food—spices blending together, the slight charred crisp of the fish skin, the sweetness of caramelizing onions.

“Yo… we might actually be onto something,” Paige admitted, leaning back with a proud nod.

“Yeah, yeah,” Nika waved her off. “Anyway, hear me out—” She held up a slice of watermelon. “What if we grill this?”

Immediate uproar.

“Bro, no.”

“Why would you even say that?”

“We are not about to grill watermelon like it’s a damn steak.”

Nika threw up her hands. “Okay, damn, y’all are acting like I committed a crime.”

“You did.” Azzi deadpanned.

“Okay, but—” Nika was really about to start defending it when Aubrey, who had been completely silent this whole time, suddenly woke up from her nap, looked around, and mumbled, “Grilled watermelon actually kinda slaps.”

Everyone turned to her like she had just admitted to tax fraud.

“See?!” Nika pointed triumphantly. “I knew I wasn’t crazy.”

“No, no,” Paige shook her head. “She’s delirious. She just woke up, you can’t trust anything she says right now.”

Aubrey blinked. “Huh?”

“Exactly,” Paige said.

Nika sighed dramatically and flopped back onto her towel. “Y’all are not visionaries.”

Meanwhile, the fish was cooking perfectly, the veggies were slightly charred but still fresh, and everything was falling into place.

As the team sat around the fire, breathing in the smell of their hard-earned meal, there was a quiet moment of satisfaction—like, damn. ━

As the last bits of food disappeared and everyone settled into their post-meal habits, the beach vibes were immaculate.

Nika was down by the shore, feet in the water like she was filming a perfume commercial. Ice was completely knocked out, starfished on her towel. Aaliyah had her nose buried in a book like they weren’t on a team vacation, and Aubrey—well, she was still very much asleep, mustache and all.

Azzi and Paige, meanwhile, were in their own little world. Azzi sat comfortably in Paige’s lap, her arms draped lazily around Paige’s shoulders while Paige held onto her waist to make sure she didn’t tumble backward like a Jenga piece.

Paige leaned in slightly. “You tryna get some ice cream?”

Azzi perked up. “Oh, bet.”

“I heard they got Olaf-themed ones.”

Azzi’s eyes lit up like she just heard breaking news. “Wait, really?!”

Paige let out a snort. “Nah, I’m playin’.”

Azzi narrowed her eyes. “That’s not funny.”

“It was a little funny.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Azzi just huffed dramatically and got up. Paige grinned, standing with her. “C’mon, let’s go. They’re all knocked out, and Nika is… well, Nika.”

They wandered over to a small street vendor selling popsicles. Paige grabbed an orange one, while Azzi picked out a strawberry. But—because Paige knew Azzi—she also got her an apple-flavored one, just in case.

“Why’d you get two?” Azzi raised a brow.

Paige shrugged. “’Cause I know you. You’re gonna take, like, three licks of that strawberry one and suddenly decide apple is superior.”

Azzi scoffed but didn’t deny it.

As they made their way back, Ice had somehow woken up, groggy but immediately clocking the popsicles.

“Yo, lemme get a bite.”

Paige held out her orange one. “Go for it.”

Ice took one bite, then made the most disgusted face. “Eugh.”

Paige stared at her. “Really?”

Ice shrugged. “Tasted too orange.”

“It’s literally an orange popsicle, what did you—never mind.” Paige waved her off.

Ice stood up, dusting the sand off her legs. “Yeah, I’m gonna head back. I don’t want the shower line to be insane later.” She grabbed her bag, then pointed at Aubrey’s diabolical-sleeping form. “Tell Nika she stole my socks.”

Paige saluted. “Aye aye, captain.”

Azzi smirked. “You think Aubrey’s ever gonna wake up?”

Paige looked at her, then at Aubrey, still blissfully unaware of the fake mustache on her face.

“Honestly? I hope not.”

Azzi stretched before nudging Aubrey’s arm. “Yo, Sleeping Beauty, time to wake up.”

Aubrey groaned dramatically, like she had just been asked to run suicides in practice. She blinked a few times, then checked her phone, squinting at the screen like it had personally offended her. With a slow nod, she dragged herself up to her feet.

Meanwhile, Nika was making her way back toward them, looking way too energized for someone who had just spent half the night causing chaos. “Damn, we leaving already?” she pouted. “It was just starting to get interesting.”

The entire group just stared at her.

Nika cracked a grin. “Okay, okay, I’m fucking with y’all.”

Aaliyah, already packed and fully in responsible adult mode, waved at them. “Y’all are slow, I’m going back,” she called before heading toward the hotel.

Aubrey looked around. “Wait… where are my sunglasses?”

Cue Paige, sitting there with zero remorse, spinning Aubrey’s sunglasses between her fingers.

Aubrey frowned. “Dude.”

Paige smirked and handed them back. “My bad, my bad. You just make it too easy.”

Aubrey sighed but took them. Then Paige, for no reason, burst out laughing.

Aubrey blinked. “What?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Paige wheezed.

Azzi shook her head, biting her lip to keep from laughing too.

Aubrey was so damn clueless about the fact that Nika’s Sharpie masterpiece was still living rent-free on her face.

Aubrey just shrugged. “Y’all are weird. Goodnight.” She waved and headed to the hotel, sunglasses crooked as hell on her face.

Nika clapped her hands together and started rambling in Croatian—something about finally finding whatever the hell she had been looking for all night. Paige and Azzi just stood there, nodding along, completely desensitized to the chaos at this point.

Finally, Nika grinned, slung an arm around both of them, and squeezed. “Alright, goodnight, you losers.”

Paige smirked. “Love you too, twin.”

Azzi shook her head, but she was smiling. “Goodnight, Nika.”

━ They sit there for a while, the night air warm but crisp, the distant chatter from the bar blending with the sound of waves. Azzi’s head rests against Paige’s shoulder, her body warm against her. Paige absentmindedly twirls the popsicle stick between her fingers, and just as she’s about to make some dumb joke about it being a weapon of mass destruction, Azzi turns to look at her.

Without warning, Azzi shoves Paige onto the sand.

Paige blinks up at her, eyebrows shooting up. “Bro, what was that for?”

Azzi smirks, straddling her waist. “For this.”

And before Paige can even process that, Azzi leans down and starts pressing soft, deliberate kisses along her neck, her collarbone, the sharp line of her jaw—each one slow and warm, leaving a trail of heat behind. Paige’s breath hitches when Azzi’s lips brush lower, just barely over her chest before she stops.

Azzi stays there, hands resting lightly against Paige’s chest, her fingers spreading out like she’s grounding herself. Paige is just staring at her, her blue eyes so stupidly soft, even in the dim light. She looks so calm, so completely at peace, and Azzi takes a second to just admire her.

Then, faintly in the background, music starts drifting over from the bar.

“Do I Wanna Know”—except it’s Hozier’s cover, the one that somehow sounds even more like a love confession than the original.

Paige grins. “Hey, Az.”

Azzi hums, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the fabric of Paige’s shirt.

Paige tilts her head toward the bar. “Our song is on.”

Azzi blinks. “Our song?”

Paige smirks. “Yeah, duh. You know, the one we slow danced to in the kitchen that one time before you almost burned the dorms down.”

Azzi rolls her eyes. “You told me to turn up the heat—”

“Not literally, babe.” Paige’s grin softens, and she gives Azzi a knowing look.

Azzi’s about to ask how Paige even managed to pull this off when it clicks. She narrows her eyes. “Paige.”

Paige shrugs, looking way too pleased with herself. “I called in a favor.”

Azzi just stares at her before shaking her head, a slow smile spreading across her lips. “You’re ridiculous.”

Paige just grins harder. “You love it.”

Azzi doesn’t even argue—just leans down, cups Paige’s face, and kisses her.

Paige’s hands rest on Azzi’s waist, her thumbs absentmindedly brushing over the fabric of her shorts. The ocean breeze is warm, and the soft hum of the bar’s music lingers in the air. Azzi’s lips are still curled into that stupid, lovesick smile, and Paige swears it’s her new favorite thing.

“I love your smile,” Paige murmurs, tilting her head as she watches Azzi like she’s the only thing that matters.

Azzi grins, pressing her forehead against Paige’s. “I love your smile.”

Paige smirks. “I love your eyes.”

Azzi’s nose scrunches up. “I love your eyes.”

Paige raises an eyebrow. “I love your silly little mind.”

Azzi laughs, poking Paige’s cheek. “I love your silly little mind.”

Paige leans in slightly, voice dropping playfully. “I miss shots all the time.”

Azzi gasps, pulling back dramatically. “Do you really?”

Paige bursts out laughing, her grip tightening around Azzi’s waist. “No, babe, I’m a bucket.” And before Azzi can roll her eyes, Paige closes the gap, kissing her slow and easy, like she has all the time in the world.

They stay like that for a few moments—Azzi’s fingers curling into Paige’s hoodie, Paige’s hands firm on Azzi’s waist—until Paige pulls back just enough to murmur, “Alright, we gotta sleep.”

Azzi groans, resting her forehead against Paige’s chest. “Ugh, why? We could just stay here forever. Be beach people. Collect shells. Live off coconuts.”

Paige snorts. “Babe, we’d last maybe two days before you start missing your hair products and I start complaining about sand in places sand should not be.”

Azzi sighs dramatically. “Fine.” Then she tugs at Paige’s hand, pulling her up.

As they start walking back, Azzi glances at the still-glowing campfire and nudges Paige. “Uh, shouldn’t we put that out?”

Paige glances over her shoulder. “I mean… I don’t think sand can catch on fire?”

Azzi blinks. “If we end up on the news tomorrow, this is on you.”

Paige grins. “As long as they get my good side in the mugshot.”

Azzi shakes her head, laughing as she laces their fingers together. They walk back to the hotel, the cool sand between their toes, the sound of waves crashing in the distance. The night air is thick with the scent of salt and smoke, and Paige swears she’s never felt more at home.

━ As they step into the elevator, the air is thick with exhaustion, but it’s the good kind—the type that makes their limbs heavy but their hearts full. The doors close with a soft chime, and the quiet settles in. Not awkward, not tense. Just theirs. Paige leans back against the elevator wall, running a hand through her hair as Azzi leans into her side, resting her head against Paige’s shoulder. Neither of them says anything, and they don’t need to.

When the elevator dings, they step into the hallway, their footsteps light against the plush carpet. Paige fumbles with the keycard, nearly swiping it upside down. Azzi watches with an amused smirk.

"You got it, genius?"

"Shut up," Paige mutters, finally unlocking the door.

Inside, chaos. The room is dimly lit, but even in the soft glow of the nightstand lamp, it’s clear that their friends are in shambles.

Nika is sprawled out on one of the beds, phone still clutched in her hand, snoring loud enough to shake the walls. Aubrey is half on the couch, one leg dangling off like she lost a battle with gravity mid-sleep. Aaliyah is the only one who actually looks peaceful, wrapped up like a burrito, sleeping as if she’s in a coma.

Paige nudges Azzi and whispers, “Yo, why does Aaliyah look like she’s getting the best sleep of her life while Nika sounds like she’s inhaling a whole thunderstorm?”

Azzi stifles a laugh. “And why is Aubrey built like one of those ragdoll physics glitches in a video game?”

They exchange a look before shaking their heads, quietly closing the door behind them, careful not to wake the wreckage of their friend group.

Bathroom time.

They move in sync, like a routine they’ve done a hundred times before. Paige grabs her toothbrush, Azzi grabs hers, and they start brushing in front of the mirror. The bathroom light is soft, casting a warm glow over their faces, both a little sun-kissed from the day.

Azzi finishes first, rinses her mouth, and then reaches for the soap on the counter. And of course, in a move so obvious it’s almost criminal, she pushes her ass—her azzi—back against Paige’s hip in a way that is definitely not accidental.

Paige chokes on her toothpaste.

"Are you trying to kill me, woman?" Paige splutters, nearly dropping her toothbrush into the sink.

Azzi hums innocently, doesn’t say a word. She just lifts her arms and, with the slowest, most deliberate movements, starts undoing the knot on her crop-top.

Paige freezes. Oh. Oh, we’re doing this tonight?

Azzi lets the fabric slip off her shoulders, down her arms, before it pools at her feet, leaving her in just her underwear—the black ones, the ones Paige has definitely noticed before—and a delicate bra with lace detailing.

Paige is going through it.

Her brain short-circuits, her mouth suddenly dry despite the fact that she just brushed her teeth. She gulps, gripping the counter like it might anchor her back to reality.

Azzi bites her lip, tilts her head, and finally looks at Paige. “You good?”

Paige nods way too fast. “Mhm. Yep. Totally fine.”

Azzi smirks, stepping closer. “Those shorts look good on you,” she says, low and teasing, like she knows exactly what she’s doing.

Paige manages a crooked grin, still gripping the counter for dear life.

And somewhere in the back of her mind, she thanks their coach for telling her that these shorts have some kind of effect on women.

Because damn.

━ Paige tugs on a plain white t-shirt, the fabric soft and a little oversized, hanging loose over her frame. She pulls on a pair of worn-in sweatpants, the kind that have survived countless practices and late-night hangouts, then runs a hand through her messy bun before rinsing her face. The cold water jolts her slightly, a small reset after the heat of the day (and, well, Azzi).

When she steps out of the bathroom, Azzi is already curled up in bed, the sheets half-draped over her body, her hair splayed across the pillow like some kind of art. Paige slips under the covers without hesitation, shifting closer until she can press her lips to the soft skin of Azzi’s back.

One.

Then another, lower this time.

And another.

Her fingers trace absentminded patterns along Azzi’s thigh, but before she can get too far, Azzi lets out a breathy laugh and grabs Paige’s wandering hand.

"Baby, we really can’t. They’re literally a foot away from us."

Paige exhales dramatically, resting her forehead against Azzi’s shoulder. "Okay, okay, but hear me out—what if I put tape over your mouth?"

Azzi turns her head so fast, giving Paige the most are you serious look of all time.

"You're actually insane," she mutters before leaning in to kiss her, slow and deliberate, making sure Paige really understands that the answer is no.

Paige sighs, but she’s smiling, wrapping an arm around Azzi’s waist and pulling her closer. She lets her fingers graze Azzi’s ribs just to be annoying.

Azzi yelps, swatting Paige’s hand away. "Stoppp."

Paige holds up her hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. No funny business. Just sleep."

Azzi eyes her skeptically, but Paige just nudges her. "Turn around."

Azzi does, rolling so they’re face-to-face, inches apart in the dim light.

"Goodnight, Az," Paige murmurs.

Azzi hums. "Goodnight, Paigey."

A beat of quiet. Then, softer: "I love you. So much."

Paige grins. "I love you more."

Azzi groans. "Stop."

Paige laughs but doesn’t push it. Instead, she just pulls Azzi in closer, feeling the way Azzi naturally fits against her, how easily she curls into Paige’s chest, like it’s home.

As Azzi's breaths grow slower, Paige carefully reaches for her phone. She types out a quick text to Azzi’s parents:

Paige: we’re going to sleep now, love you guys

She sets her phone down, glancing at Azzi, taking in the peaceful rise and fall of her shoulders.

"Goodnight, beautiful," she whispers, pressing a soft kiss to Azzi’s forehead.

As she turns off the lamp, the room settles into stillness, filled with warmth, love, and the quiet comfort of knowing they’re exactly where they’re supposed to be.

[enwoso]

alessia is going to be an auntie 🥹 would you write a fic about lovie and the baby?

SHOWER OF QUESTIONS | alessia russo x child!reader

i just had to. i couldn’t let this lil one wait. you just know alessia’s going to be the best auntie ever🥹

grumpy masterlist

alessia adjusted the pale pink bow on your dress for what felt like the tenth time that morning as the two of yuk walked up the garden path of your uncle luca's home. the spring sun was warm and pastel decoration fluttered in the breeze as they were tied to the trees.

"are we really gonna shower the baby?" you asked, your little hand squeezing alessia's fingers as you neared the house your face filled with curiosity.

your mummy smiled slightly knowing her older brothers had been selling you false information, "no lovie, we're just have a little party to celebrate the auntie lauren's baby before they're born."n

you frowned, looking now very confused. "but.. but that's what uncle gio said on facetime! he said we were gonna give baby a big bath."

alessia let out a soft laugh, shaking her head, "no baby, he was just pulling your leg."

you immediately looked down at your legs and your sparkly covered feet, then back up at your mummy, utterly serious. "no he wasn't. uncle gio in australia he can't pull my leg."

alessia exhaled, fighting back a grin, there was no winning this one. "okay, fair point." she conceded, "but uncle gio was just joking when he said that."

you narrowed your eyes, suspicious. "so we don't get to shower the baby?"

"nope."

"but it's called a baby shower."

"that's right, it's just the name for it baby. we have a little party with friends and family before the baby is born and we give presents, play games and get to eat lots of cake!"

you thought about it for a moment, then sighed dramatically. "that's confusing."

alessia chuckled and kissed the top of your head, "it is isn't it,"

with it settled or at least mostly settled, your mummy led you inside.

the place was decorated so subtle with little details as balloons and banners covered the wall and a whole table filled with food as luca and lauren spotted you both,

lauren glowing with excitement and the tiniest bit of exhaustion greeted you both with a hug as she gushed over you cute dress, you giving her a proud twirl as you slightly tripped over your feet, your mummy catching you as you stumbled.

your eyes though immediately zoomed in on lauren's round belly. "whoa," you said, reaching out and poking it very gently. "the baby in there auntie lala?"

lauren laughed at your curiosity "yes they are nice and cozy"

you little head tilted to the side, "how did it get in there?"

lauren blinked, unsure really how to explain as she stuttered and stumbled over her words, alessia wincing knowing the onslaught of questions that was coming as lauren glanced over with wide eyes as she pleaded silently for help.

alessia knelt next to you and smoothed down a stray curl, "lovie, when a mummy and daddy decide to have a baby, it grows inside the mummy's tummy until it's ready to come out a bit like a big surprise."

you looked to your mummy and then back at lauren's bump, your little eyebrows rising, "did i grow in your tummy, mummy?"

your mummy, nodded a small smile growing on her lips as lauren watched alessia effortlessly shake your questions like she had a script to follow for each one, "yep, you did. i remember i could always feel your little kicks and hiccups - nonno said you were destined to be a little footballer."

you giggled softly before humming, thinking hard about your next question. "how big is it now?" you pointed to the bump again. this was a question lauren could answer.

lauren exhaled in relief at the easier question. "about the size of a pineapple!"

you gasped, "a pineapple?! but pineapples are spiky. your tummy is smooth."

lauren laughed. "well, it's not actually a pineapple, it's just the same size."

you squinted at her belly. "is it squished in there?"

lauren's mouth opened, then closed. "uh—no, not squished! the baby floating in very special fluid and it's kind of like being in a nice warm swimming pool."

your eyes widened. "the baby's swimming in your tummy?"

lauren hesitated. "sort of—"

"can they see in there?"

"no, it's dark."

"then how do they know where they're going?"

lauren glanced at alessia in desperation. alessia bit her lip, holding back a laugh. "they don't really have to go anywhere, lovie. they just float and grow. but the baby can hear you."

your eyes widened, "really?"

lauren nodded, "yep, they can hear voices, music even when i laugh."

you gasped, as you took a step closer to lauren's belly, "so if i talk to them, they'll hear me?" lauren hummed as she smiled.

you immediately pressed her hands to lauren’s belly and spoke very seriously. "hi, baby. it’s me, lovie. i’m your cousin, and i think you should be called y/n, too. okay? okay."

alessia bit back a smile as lauren stifled a laugh.

you pulled back, satisfied but then your face lit up with another thought, “what does the baby eat?”

lauren hesitated. "uh..."

alessia stepped in again. "the baby gets food through a special cord. it connects the baby and auntie lala so they can eat what she eats."

you gasped, turning back to lauren in horror. "the baby eating your food? they steal your snacks?"

lauren burst out laughing. "i guess in a way, yeah."

you narrowed your eyes suspiciously. "even your ice cream?"

"yep, even my ice cream," lauren confirmed.

you gasped dramatically like it was the worst news you had ever heard. "that so rude!"

alessia shook her head, laughing. "i think the baby would say 'thank you' if they could, lovie."

lovie huffed but seemed satisfied. "oh that okay then! where uncle luca, i need to tell him the baby can hear everything!”

your mummy pointed you in the direction of your uncle who was busy talking to your grandparents, you smiling as you called out his name skipping off.

alessia smirked at lauren as she turned to face her. "you’ve got years to come with the little ‘why’s’ laur!”

lauren groaned. "i barely survived that round."

meanwhile, you’d found luca and as he was walking toward the dessert table eyeing a plate of cooked. you ran up tugging on his hand.

"uncle luca! i asked auntie lala about the baby, and she said it's the size of a pineapple, but not actually a pineapple. it just looks like one."

luca grinned picking up a cookie before handing a small corner of it to you. "that sounds about right."

"and the baby's floating in a swimming pool in her tummy AND the baby can hear everything like a little spy!”

luca chuckled at your words, your hand flaying around as you told him. “lucky little baby. and i better get practicing my dad jokes then if baby can hear them”

you nodded agreeing, “yeah, your jokes sometimes are bad-”

a small gasp came from luca as he faked hurt, holding a hand to his chest, “you said i was funnier then uncle g the other day!”

“you both are funny, but on different days!” you giggled, then suddenly remembered something. "oh! uncle gio told me we were actually gonna shower the baby, but mummy said he was just pulling my leg."

luca burst out laughing. "oh, he did, did he? that’s sounds like him.”

you nodded, now suddenly all serious, “yep and i told mummy he couldn't pull my leg because he's in australia."

luca grinned, ruffling your curls, "that is true, tiny. he is very far away."

you crossed her arms. "i do miss him but when you call him tell him i called him silly!”

luca laughed again. "i’ll be sure to let him know."

you beamed. "good. he needs to know."

then, as if remembering her most important thought of the day, you clapped your hands together. "and i think if the baby is a girl it should be called tiny”

“and if it’s a boy?”

“tiny too?”

luca raised an eyebrow. "it’s a great name. but what if we got you two mixed up? imagine calling for tiny and you both answer!"

you giggled. "you could call me big tiny and them little tiny!"

luca pretended to think about it. "hmm...big tiny and little tiny. i like it."

you beamed and wrapped your little arms around his waist. "me too."

across the room, alessia and lauren watched them with fond smiles. “you know," lauren mused, rubbing her belly, "tiny might just be onto something."

alessia laughed. "you better start making a list of names now. she will not let that one go."

[chilling-seavey]

For the first TWIG argument, George jokingly said that the reader can go part time because he would not mind supporting her and she actually takes offense to that. It results in a huge argument between the two of you and you keep him out of your apartment. You guys go a few days without speaking to each other.

Oooh anon I knew I wanted to write a little something about their first fight but you iced the cake with this one. Ended up inspiring me to sit down and write this out for 3-hours straight. I also pulled some inspo from this anon too <3

Warnings: Angst, phone-call arguments, mentions of ex-girlfriends and social class differences etc.

For the first little while after you and George had started dating, your life didn’t feel much different. With him often traveling for races or having to be at his place in Monaco or at the factory in England, there wasn’t too much time where you and he could spend time face-to-face. But you had your apartment and your job at the luxury hotel at which you had met him a few months prior, the familiarity and stability of it offering comfort with your very private relationship being quite out of the ordinary. And, if nothing else, you and he shared phone calls and FaceTimes and a million texts to make up for the time apart. 

One night in particular, you had just returned to your apartment after a long shift at the hotel, barely managing to answer George’s incoming call as you stumbled through your front door with your jacket and bag in hand. You tucked your phone between your ear and your shoulder as you locked the door behind you with an exasperated, “Hey.”

“Hey, love,” George’s voice spoke warmly through the phone, “How was your day?”

You kicked off your heels, your feet donning fresh blisters, and you walked farther into your apartment to set your bag and jacket on the kitchen counter, “Exhausting. Yours?”

“The same. Aleix worked me to the bone today in the gym and then I have to get up early for my flight in the morning.”

You hummed in acknowledgement as you hung up your jacket in the front closet, phone still tucked between your ear and shoulder as you listened to him, still trying to switch your brain out of work mode. There was a bit of a pause as you arranged yourself in your apartment, George hearing the dull clunks of you putting your empty lunch containers away and loading the dishwasher.

“Did I catch you at a bad time?” he asked. 

“No, sorry,” you sighed, his tentative words having you realize that you had barely said a thing to him since you picked up the phone, “Sorry, I’m here. I literally just stepped in the door when you called so I’m still…”

“A little frazzled?” he finished your sentence for you with a playful understanding. 

“Yeah,” you exhaled and leaned back against the kitchen counter, “That’s a word for it.”

“That hotel would crumble without you.”

“After the insanity of today, I might stop modestly arguing with you on that point.”

There was a soft pause and then he spoke again, his voice warm and sweet, “I miss you.”

You closed your eyes and tilted your head back as if to let his words roll over you and ease your stresses from the day. You took a breath, “I miss you too.”

“I can’t wait until you can travel more with me.”

It was an innocent enough statement from him, something meant to be gentle and genuine, showing how much he loved spending time with you, but perhaps it was the implication behind it and the fact that you had an exhausting day that had you frowning slightly. You replied, “What do you mean?”

“Well, I know we haven’t talked about it yet but I was thinking that maybe by next season you could go down to part time so you can come to some more races with me.”

The offense that welled in your chest took you by surprise. 

“You want that?” you asked testingly. 

“Yeah, you know,” you heard him shifting through the line, “I think it would be nice. You don’t have to exhaust yourself so much at work and we can be with each other more…”

“I have bills, George,” you reminded him. You weren’t quite able to keep the curtness out of your voice. 

There was a pause as if he had been completely taken aback by your slight edge before he finally replied, cautious, slow, “Yes, well, I wouldn’t mind supporting you. I know it’s early but eventually I was thinking you’d move in with me in Monaco and—”

“Jesus,” you huffed in disbelief. 

“What?” 

“George, I’m not going to quit my job that I worked my ass off for and let you pay my bills just to parade around the world after you like a trophy wife…like…like some gold digger like your ex’s.”

“Hey,” George’s voice was firm now, “That’s not fair. Nor is it true.”

“Well, what do you want me to say?”

“They weren’t gold diggers, alright? That’s harsh of you to even say that.”

“That’s what you’re getting out of this? Seriously?” 

“Yes, because I know you’re just exhausted from work and we can talk about the money situation later and—”

“No, we won’t!” you cut him off, “Seriously, no, we won’t. I’m not quitting my job. End of discussion.” 

“But—”

“Why don’t you quit your job for me, huh?”

There was a pause and then the faintest disbelieving chuckle came through the line.

“Sounds insane to you, right? So why do you get to ask that of me?”

“Because my job can actually support us! You seriously think we could get by on a hotelier's salary? No, sorry, not even a hotelier: a front desk clerk.”

The belittling in his words was obvious to you, dripping like venom through the phone. Whether he intended to be cruel or not was irrelevant as you stood in the middle of your small apartment kitchen, phone tight in your hand, your heart already taking every syllable of his words as they came. 

“Wow, you really are an entitled asshole, huh?”

George’s disbelief was apparent in his slow, enunciated reply, “Pardon me?”

“I know very well that I am not part of your world—I don’t understand the protocols or the requirements or anything else that makes your job so damn important—but you don’t have the right to undermine all my hard work just because you make more money than me.”

“I’m not undermining your hard work.” George’s voice was flat, tired. 

“But you are,” you insisted. 

“Jesus Christ, love,” George groaned out a breath, rubbing his fingers over his forehead, “Okay, I’m not meaning to. You’re just always complaining about being so tired and unappreciated at work so I thought that you deserve to—”

“To be your lap dog?” you pushed back. 

“To have a fucking break!” George corrected firmly, his voice having raised a little in volume. 

There was a pause as his frustrated tone lingered through the line. 

You scoffed, “Sorry that I’m not the type of girlfriend you’re used to; who will roll over when you slide her a blank cheque. Sorry that I like to work hard and be self-sufficient, even if my job is grueling. Sorry that offends you.”

“You gotta stop with the ex-girlfriend slander, seriously, it’s so unattractive.”

It was your turn for your volume to raise, “Are you serious?!” 

“Yeah! You’re sounding petty and immature and jealous.”

“I’m not jealous. I’m trying to tell you that I’m not like—”

“Not like what? Not like other girls? ” he jumped in, taunting, angry, “Ooh, blimey, love, give it a rest. You work at a five-star luxury hotel and suddenly you think you’re entitled to the woe-is-me card. Having a job doesn’t make you special.”

“I’m not like the kind of girls that you are surrounded by all the time,” you corrected loudly, already pacing your apartment with the anger that squeezed at your heart, “And I am fine with that and I like who I am and I don’t mind that we have to keep our relationship this big fucking secret to the world but you don’t get it. You don’t get what it’s like to have a normal life.”

“I do! My dad is a—”

“Farmer. I know. But you’re telling me that as you’re sitting in your million-dollar apartment in the billionaire capital of the world with five custom luxury Mercedes in your parking garage and a bank account that has more digits than my phone number. You are so far out from reality now, you wouldn’t recognize it if it hit you in the face!”

“I’m sorry my career is such a fucking burden for you. I was just trying to do something nice.”

“No, you weren’t. You were being selfish.”

“Is that what you want to call generosity now? Selfish? Most women would love to be financially set for life. You want to struggle in the working class until you retire? Fine by me!”

“Yeah, thanks for taking part in my charity case. Good to know where your priorities were laying these last few months…deep in some fucking saviour complex.”

There was another momentary silence—one of those awful, sharp-edged ones that cut deeper than shouting. You could hear his breathing, heavy and uneven through the phone, like he was biting back a retort, and your chest burned tight with bitterness.

“You’re unbelievable,” he finally muttered, voice low and tight, “I’m trying, and nothing I do is ever fucking good enough for you.”

You let out a short, humorless laugh, rubbing a hand over your flushed face. “Because you don’t get it! You don’t get what it’s like to work your ass off for something all by yourself only to have someone look at you like you should just be grateful they’ve thrown you a bone that you didn't ask for.”

“That’s not fair.”

“You know, I never asked you for anything,” you went on, quieter now but no less angry. “Never asked for money, never asked for handouts, never wanted you or anyone around you to think I was using you. I never even asked for this relationship to be public, standing by and understanding the importance of privacy to you and your job. And all I wanted was for you to understand that our worlds are different. That I am different. But instead, you make me feel like that’s a bad thing.”

“Because you make it a bad thing,” he shot back. “You keep acting like I’ve done something wrong by wanting to take care of you or do something nice for you. You always decline anything I want to do for you if it involves money. You haven’t even let me take you to one of my races! It’s like this wall is constantly up around you, like you’re scared of money. It’s exhausting.”

You let out a bitter laugh, shaking your head even though he couldn’t see you, “Right. It’s so exhausting for you. Meanwhile, I’m trying not to be upset by the million fan edits of you and your ex that I constantly see everywhere…not to mention you still have photos together on your Instagram…Mercedes has pictures of her on their Instagram for some fucking reason.”

It slipped out before you could stop it, your voice cracking slightly on the last part, not because you cared about his ex. It was what she represented—what all of them represented. The polished, effortless, women who floated through his world and hung on his arm and accepted his money and his privilege like it was their right. The kind of women who never had to argue about whether accepting a blank cheque made them weak or practical. Maybe that was the real problem. Maybe it wasn’t just about money or privilege or the weight of keeping everything a secret. Maybe it was the fact that you had spent all this time trying to fit into his world while pieces of his past still lingered everywhere you looked.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” George muttered as if to himself, before letting out a humourless laugh, “I don’t even know what to say to that. Honestly, I have nothing to fucking say to that. I just can’t do anything right, can I? I can be as nice as I want to you and you’d still throw a tantrum about something or another. If you hate having to see my entire life plastered all over the internet, if you hate how out of touch I am, then maybe you should’ve thought about that before getting involved with me.”

Your stomach twisted, unable to hold back the stark words that slipped from your lips without thought, “Believe me, I think about that all the time.”

More silence. This time, it felt worse.

Finally, George spoke, his voice tight, “Right, well, I’m going to hang up now.”

“Fine,” you muttered sharply, “This was a waste of my night anyway.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

The dial tone droned in your ear. 

You didn’t hear from George for the rest of the night. Or the next day. Or the day after. That Friday, you sat on your couch and watched the F1 Free Practice sessions like you often would when you could but just the sight of George’s car and his stupid little “RUS” on the timing tower almost had you throwing your bowl of blueberries at the television. You turned it off. 

Work felt twice as hellish that week as George’s words stirred in your mind and your anxieties over the silence that followed your fight lingered. Had you broken up? There was no formal agreement about that but it sure fucking felt like a breakup. After your shift on Saturday, you trudged your way back to your apartment with a rain cloud over your head. 

Once you stepped out of the elevator into your hallway, you were surprised by the humongous bouquet of roses wrapped and waiting for you at your doorstep. You sighed and unlocked your door and awkwardly lugged the package inside and across the floor of your foyer, the fifty-someodd stems weighing a ridiculous amount. Lifting it up onto your kitchen counter, you didn’t have to even check the card to know who it was from but, you did anyway,

‘I’m sorry for being an entitled prick. I am always so proud of you and everything you do. Your biggest fan, GR x’

You sucked your teeth for a moment and set the small card down to look back at the cellophane wrapped roses. You took your time unwrapping them until the scent of the fresh cut stems filled your apartment and you leaned in to smell one, inhaling its refreshing perfume as if hoping it would calm you down. The anger still lingered in your chest but you knew this was a peace offering of sorts, an olive branch, so you took out your phone and called him. As the line rang, you stared flatly at the bouquet. 

George’s voice came through the line, tentative, “Hey.”

You took a small breath before answering, your voice flat but tinged with just a hint of lightheartedness, “Don’t know if you remember but our whole fight was about how I don’t want your money and then you go and order me the biggest bouquet of flowers known to man.”

George chuckled faintly through the phone, “Yeah, now that you say that, it might have been in bad taste.”

There was a pause, both of you not quite knowing what to say to make it all better, neither wanting to speak first. 

“They’re beautiful though,” you said softly after a beat. 

“I’m really am sorry. I felt like right shit after we hung up.” George said, “I shouldn’t have assumed what you would want for your own life. I know how much you love your job…even when it gets on your nerves.”

“Thank you,” you sighed, reaching out with your free hand to touch one of the silky rose petals, “And I’m sorry for getting so upset about it. I know you didn’t mean it maliciously.” 

His voice was as soft as the rose petal beneath your fingertips, “Of course not, my love.”

“Just like you worked so hard to get to F1, I worked so hard to get this job too. A prestigious hotel in another country? Like, that’s what my dreams were made of.”

“I know. I’m so sorry. I know how important your job is to you. I shouldn’t have brushed it aside like that without talking to you first.” George acknowledged, “And, if it’s any consolation, I think it’s incredibly sexy that you’re so passionate about your job.”

An amused smile pricked at your lips, “Oh really?”

“Yes,” he chuckled. 

You let out a calm breath as the tension eased from your shoulders, finding comfort in the conversation with him. 

“And I deleted the pictures from my Instagram feed.”

Your eyes widened slightly in surprise, not having expected him to say that, “Oh, you didn’t have to. You were right, I was just being petty and dramatic—”

George cut you off gently, “No, it’s okay. I know how it would feel to me if it were the other way around…and that wouldn’t have even had them spread all over the internet. I know we can’t avoid a lot of the reminders, but I want to do my part in lessening them where I can. You’re my girl, okay? My one and only.”

“Thank you,” your voice was hardly recognizable with how soft it was, how full of emotion. Your heart did a funny little flip in your chest.

“But, listen to me, darling, at least take some of your vacation days.” George spoke, softly yet sternly, “You never use any of them and you’re going to burn yourself out. Book off the weekend for whatever race you want to go to and I’ll get you a pass. Any of them. Please?”

He was right, unfortunately. You never liked to use your vacation days, always thinking it made you look like a lackluster employee, always wanting to give 110% at any and all times. The genuine care in his request didn’t go unnoticed, and after such a hellish week, having a little vacation and time to reconnect with him sounded quite appealing.

You exhaled deeply, “Okay, fine. But I’m buying you dinner next time I see you. A really nice place too.”

Knowing he wasn’t going to sway you and your desperate attempts to even the playing field, he chucked and gave in, “Whatever you want, my love. I just want you to be happy.”

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[vansyoungergf]

can i do your makeup ?

fem!reader x teen!van palmer

summery: reader begs van to let her do her makeup while they wait for the rain to stop. van agrees and somehow you end up on her lap… what could really happen ??? you’re just friends…right ??

warnings: shitty smut, oral (r receiving), pornwithplot

this is my first fic in almost 5 years please bear with me as this is probably not that great.. i’m aware liv is nonbinary but it slipped my mind to use they/them for vans pronouns until after i finished writing this i hope that’s okay. if it’s not i can rewrite it !!!

requests: open :)

———————

“pleaseeeee” you begged. giving the best puppy dog eyes you could. “i promise i won’t mess it up, just this once please”

you and van sat in your shared hut waiting for the rain to stop pouring outside. somehow your little makeup case has made it through the plane crash and the cabin fire. you never really used it only on special occasions like doomcoming and such. but by the looks of outside you would be stuck in the hut for hours and were already bored. why not beg your bestfriend to do her makeup.

you and van hadn’t always been close but after the fire, while everyone built the camp van and taissa broke up. you were the only one there for van, sparking a new friendship. from then on you were attached at the hip, where you went van followed and vise versa. somehow someway between it all you developed feelings for her. not wanting to rush her after breaking it off with taissa you said nothing and let the feelings fester within yourself while being as close to van as ever.

once the camp was finally done being built and it was time to pick roommates it wasn’t even a question. you and van would obviously room together. ending up in a hut with just the two of you was nice, you were able to stay up late if you wanted to talk and no one would care, you personally liked it a lot more the the one shared room of the cabin.

“you’re not doing my makeup, it’ll look weird over the scaring” van huffed while trying to read her book.

“please. i’ll make it look alright, your scars aren’t gonna look weird i promise !! if you want i wont even put makeup over them, ill wipe it off at the end so there’s nothing on them, i promise. please, there’s no mirror. i can’t do my own.” you were desperate at this point and yet van wouldn’t even entertain the idea

“how many times am i going to have to say no” van said, shutting her book and looking over at you

“until you say yes” you smiled.

“okay whatever, but no bright eye shadow. i don’t wanna look like a clown” she rolled her eyes, sighing in defeat.

you squealed and got your makeup box, taking a seat right in front of her and opening up your kit as she closed her eyes waiting for you to start. you tried to get a good angle but couldn’t, huffing and puffing trying to move your arm in a certain way so you could blend out her foundation and it just wasn’t working.

van peaked one eye opened as you looked at her in frustration.

“what are you doing?” she asked slightly laughing at the face you were making

“i can’t do it. i’m gonna break my arm trying to bend it to blend it out. just never mind.” you huffed beginning to put your makeup away and go back to being bored

before you could do so, you were moving. van tugged you onto her lap, straightening her legs so you would be straddling her. the air immediately left your lungs, you were friends of course, you slept next to each other everyday but you had never been this close to her before. especially in this position. looking slightly down at her you swore you could faint as she looked up at you waiting to see if you’d actually stay there.

after a minute of slight awkward hesitation, not knowing if you could fully sit down or not. you finally let yourself put your full weight on the girl beneath you, allowing the skirt you were wearing to flow over both of your legs and let yourself breath and relax. you’re just sitting in your friends lap doing her makeup. no big deal.

“comfy?” van asked once you finally settled.

you nodded your head with your lips close tight, still to scared to make a noise. maybe you were dreaming. you had to be dreaming.

you opened your makeup kit and started on her makeup. you used to do your makeup all the time back home. showing up to school everyday with a new look. you wanted to be a makeup artist when you were older. you loved soccer but you didn’t wanna be a professional like some of the other girls. you just wanted to help other girls feel pretty and express themselves.

van watching you closely as your tongue poked out of your lips a little in concentration, trying to get the makeup just right. she hadn’t a clue what you were really doing, just that you looked pretty doing it.

you were vans best friend. the only one who had really be there for her after her fallout with tai. she helped you keep your mind off of it with jokes and helping her build the huts for the camp. you stayed up late just the two of you talking about everything, what you wanted to do when you got home, what you used to do before the crash, school, girls, everything. no one had been able to understand her quite like you. she loves taissa don’t get her wrong. she would probably classify her as her FIRST love. but this was different then the connection she had with her ex. it feels almost deeper. she knew she could trust you and that you’d always have her back.

you concentrated as hard as you could but you could feel the texture of vans jeans on your bare thighs and she was looking at you so intensely it was hard to actually focus. just being in this position you could feel yourself getting turned on and didn’t know what to do.

van noticed you start to get antsy and put her hands on your hips. “are you okay?” she asked. voices laced with concern. “are you not comfortable??”

“no no i’m okay” you reassured, hoping it was convincing enough.

van didn’t believe you but chose to close her eyes and let you continue on her face. as you did you didn’t realize your hips starts to slightly move back and forth subconsciously. small enough movements that you could barley notice it at first. but van did.

van opened her eyes to look at you so you could put mascara on her. as she looked at you she could see that you’re pupils were wide and you were breathing heavier. somehow not noticing your own movement but van couldn’t handle it. a pretty girl is practically getting herself off on her thighs and she’s expecting to act normal ??

you grind down one more time, slightly harder then before and van can’t take it anymore. her grip on your waist tightens and she stops you. looking you dead in your eyes and you freeze. looking confused..

“do you really not see what you’re doing to me right now?” van asks

“what?” you answered, cheeks turning red

“look” van moves you back slightly to reveal and small wet patch left on her jeans and you wish you could explode right then and there.

you go to climb off of her but her hold on you tightens only letting you move back a little bit. you’d rather be out in the storm then in here any longer. praying to the wilderness it’ll just swallow you up whole.

“oh my god van i’m so sorry i didn’t know i was- i didn’t mean to- oh my god” you don’t even know what to say but luckily you don’t have to try to find words for long before van is pulling you back closer and brings her lips to yours.

you melt into it instantly. having been waiting for this for weeks. it’s better then you could have imagined. quickly getting more heated van starts moving your hips on her thigh again and god does it feel good.

you let out a moan long enough for her to shove her tongue into your mouth and now it’s on. you’re pulling at her shirt trying to get it off of her while she does the same to you.

“fuck baby you’re gorgeous” van says, staring at your partially naked body. of course she had seen you change in the locker rooms after practice but this was different. you get shy under her comment and go to cover yourself up but she grabs your arms and kisses you again.

van lets your arms go in favor for touching your thighs. going up and down under your skirt. just barely close enough to wear you really need her. you pull back from the kiss and whine.

“what baby? what do you need?” she asks with a smirk.

“you” you whined again

“you have me” she said cockily

not able to get the words out you grab her hand and bring it to your clothed center and look her in the eyes. silently begging.

“oh fuck” she whispers and it’s like something snaps in her.

next thing you know you’re on your back with her in between your legs. she slides your panties and skirt down your legs, tossing them somewhere to be found later. what a sight you were. seeing you laying there fully naked for her. van looks up at your face and what a mistake that was. you’re looking at her with the most needy eyes she’s ever seen and she can barely contain herself. she’s been dreaming of this for weeks and it’s about to happen.

she looks at you waiting for you to say you want this. waiting for you to let her touch you. you nod your head and she doesn’t wait a second, her hands are on you.

a finger going up and down your slit and your back immediately arches. not having had sex since before the crash and your fingers only doing so much for yourself you knew you wouldn’t last long but you didn’t care. she slowly puts a finger in watching your face for a negative reaction that never comes.

you moan out begging for more already. needing as much of her as you could take. she slides another finger in, moving back and forth slowly

“that’s it baby, you’re doing so good for me. i’ve been waiting for this” van says unable to take her eyes off of her fingers going in and out of you. almost mesmerized as her fingers get soaked more and more by you.

you’re moaning loud. not caring if the other girls hear but hoping the storm drowns you out. you can’t help it. vans fingers are bigger then yours and god does she stretch you perfectly. she starts to curl her fingers inside of you and you almost scream.

“please please please” you beg over and over again not really even knowing what you’re begging for.

“please what baby? huh? what do you need?” she says almost taunting you.

you don’t say anything just move your hips up and down with her fingers. she takes it as a hint and adds a third finger slowly. it’s a stretch but it feels so good you don’t care.

“can i taste you baby? please” van almost begs and you could cum right there just from the look of desperation on her face. like she needs to taste you or she’ll die. you nod your head and immediately her tongue is on your clit.

this time you can’t hold back the scream you let out and you grind your pussy on her face. chasing the high that you know is coming. it feels like heaven.

fingers still pumping in and out of you she pulls them out and quickly replaces them with her tongue before you can miss them. you didn’t think she could make you feel any better but she does.

“oh fuck baby, i’m gonna cum” you moan loudly. seconds later your cumming all over vans tongue and she swallows every drop. tasting like heaven.

she pulls her face back when you’ve finished, looking at you with a soaking wet face and the biggest grin you’ve ever seen.

she moves up next to you and you lay your head on her chest. both of your hearts racing.

“do you feel okay?” van asks after a few moments of silence and you nod your head against her.

“i like you.” van says, and your head shoots up to look her in the face “i’ve liked you for a while but i didn’t know if you felt the same. if this was just sex for you it’s okay. i understand that but-“

before she could finish you kiss her. it’s soft compared to the first kiss you shared. this one full of reassurance and feelings rather then lust and need.

“i like you too” you said with a slight smile after you pull away

“yeah???” she said perking up. happy to hear it wasn’t just sex

“yeah” you laid your head back on her chest and you both settled down. content in being wrapped up together lulled to sleep by the sounds of the storm and each others breathing.

[moroniccats]

Part Three (for anyone who’s still interested in my rambling): Dialogue

The dialogue in this story is completely different from all the others. There are a few points that I want to explore here:

1) The uncharacteristic speaking mannerisms (mostly already talked about in the other parts)

2) the odd vocabulary

3) the “immaturity” of the writing

Some examples:

“Susan! I believe you are a bad, treacherous woman!” Ok this one actually makes me laugh

“I’m clearing out of here. I’ve had enough of you all.” This one is less egregious but WHY IS EVERYONE ACTING LIKE GRADE SCHOOLERS??

“Dr watson agrees, so that settles it” “settled again!” We’ve literally never seen Holmes wait for Watson’s opinion like this. On matters of life and death, absolutely. But he doesn’t seek Watson’s assurance that an action is correct.

“Lookin for your gun, Master Holmes?”

“No, for my scent bottle, Steve” once again, childish banter where Holmes refers to a man he barely knows by his first name.

“Queer grammar!”

“‘These clever fellows have always a touch of madness.’ That was what I read in the inspector’s smile” Watson simply does not write out what he thinks other people are thinking in dialogue. He just doesn’t.

“I only gather that we are here to see the lady who is behind all this mischief” these characters are literally talking like they’re in a campy 80’s show. MISCHIEF??? After she broke into an old lady’s house???

“Well, I suppose I’ll have to compound a felony as usual.” This read like there’s meant to be a laugh track in the background. Compare this to Holmes’s speech from The Abbey Grange: “well, it is a great responsibility that I take upon myself, but I have given Hopkins an excellent hint, and if he can’t avail himself of it I can do no more. See here…we’ll do this in due form of the law…so long as the law does not find some other victim you are safe from me.”

“Black Steve is called in” I…..I don’t have to explain why this isn’t a description Holmes would use, right? It’s petty, racist, and childish. While I think that Holmes is very racially insensitive, being a man of his time, it mostly comes down to a strange brand of “race science” and racial profiling. I can’t imagine him thinking that a guy is harmless, as he says, and still speaking to him like this.

There are a few more examples, but my point is that not only does it seem like it was written by someone else, but someone more modern, juvenile, and inexperienced. I suspect that Doyle wanted to try appointing a younger successor.

Friend: *exists near me*

Me: DO YOU WANT TO HEAR MY THEORY ON SHERLOCK HOLMES THE ADVENTURE OF THE THREE GABLES-

Friend: *runs away screaming*

[advluv4life]

I don't want to brag but I've gone from 10 words to 416 and after the past year of a drought I want to express that I am proud of myself. I will get these last two chapters out. I will do it.